THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF HESS MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP A Delaware Limited Partnership Dated as of December 16, 2019
Exhibit 3.2
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP
A Delaware Limited Partnership
Dated as of
December 16, 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS |
2 | |||||
Section 1.1 |
Definitions | 2 | ||||
Section 1.2 |
Construction | 21 | ||||
ARTICLE II ORGANIZATION |
21 | |||||
Section 2.1 |
Formation | 21 | ||||
Section 2.2 |
Name | 21 | ||||
Section 2.3 |
Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices | 22 | ||||
Section 2.4 |
Purpose and Business | 22 | ||||
Section 2.5 |
Powers | 22 | ||||
Section 2.6 |
Term | 22 | ||||
Section 2.7 |
Title to Partnership Assets | 22 | ||||
ARTICLE III RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS |
23 | |||||
Section 3.1 |
Limitation of Liability | 23 | ||||
Section 3.2 |
Management of Business | 23 | ||||
Section 3.3 |
Rights of Limited Partners | 23 | ||||
ARTICLE IV CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS |
24 | |||||
Section 4.1 |
Certificates | 24 | ||||
Section 4.2 |
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates | 25 | ||||
Section 4.3 |
Limited Partners | 26 | ||||
Section 4.4 |
Record Holders | 26 | ||||
Section 4.5 |
Transfer Generally | 26 | ||||
Section 4.6 |
Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest | 27 | ||||
Section 4.7 |
Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights | 27 | ||||
Section 4.8 |
Right of First Offer | 28 | ||||
ARTICLE V CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS |
29 | |||||
Section 5.1 |
Contributions by Partners | 29 | ||||
Section 5.2 |
Contributions by the General Partner | 30 | ||||
Section 5.3 |
Interest and Withdrawal | 30 | ||||
Section 5.4 |
Capital Accounts | 30 | ||||
Section 5.5 |
Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests | 33 | ||||
Section 5.6 |
Issuance of Class A Units by the Partnership | 34 | ||||
Section 5.7 |
Redemption, Repurchase or Forfeiture of HESM Class A Shares | 34 | ||||
Section 5.8 |
Issuance of HESM Class B Shares | 34 | ||||
Section 5.9 |
Preemptive Right | 35 | ||||
Section 5.10 |
Splits and Combinations | 35 |
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Section 5.11 |
Nature of Limited Partner Interests | 36 | ||||
Section 5.12 |
Deemed Capital Contributions | 36 | ||||
Section 5.13 |
Recapitalization | 36 | ||||
ARTICLE VI ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS |
36 | |||||
Section 6.1 |
Allocations for Capital Account Purposes | 36 | ||||
Section 6.2 |
Allocations for Tax Purposes | 45 | ||||
Section 6.3 |
Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders | 46 | ||||
Section 6.4 |
Distributions | 47 | ||||
Section 6.5 |
Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels | 48 | ||||
Section 6.6 |
Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution Rights | 48 | ||||
ARTICLE VII MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS |
48 | |||||
Section 7.1 |
Management | 48 | ||||
Section 7.2 |
Certificate of Limited Partnership | 50 | ||||
Section 7.3 |
Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority to Sell Assets of the Partnership Group | 51 | ||||
Section 7.4 |
Reimbursement of and Other Payments to the General Partner | 51 | ||||
Section 7.5 |
Outside Activities | 52 | ||||
Section 7.6 |
Contracts with Affiliates | 53 | ||||
Section 7.7 |
Indemnification | 53 | ||||
Section 7.8 |
Liability of Indemnitees | 55 | ||||
Section 7.9 |
Standards of Conduct; Resolution of Conflicts of Interest and Replacement of Duties | 56 | ||||
Section 7.10 |
Other Matters Concerning the General Partner and Other Indemnitees | 58 | ||||
Section 7.11 |
Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests | 58 | ||||
Section 7.12 |
Reliance by Third Parties | 58 | ||||
Section 7.13 |
Replacement of Fiduciary Duties | 59 | ||||
Section 7.14 |
Delegation of General Partner’s Management Powers | 59 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS |
60 | |||||
Section 8.1 |
Records and Accounting | 60 | ||||
Section 8.2 |
Fiscal Year | 60 | ||||
ARTICLE IX TAX MATTERS |
60 | |||||
Section 9.1 |
Tax Returns and Information | 60 | ||||
Section 9.2 |
Tax Elections | 60 | ||||
Section 9.3 |
Tax Controversies | 61 | ||||
Section 9.4 |
Withholding; Tax Payments | 61 | ||||
ARTICLE X ADMISSION OF PARTNERS |
62 | |||||
Section 10.1 |
Admission of Limited Partners | 62 | ||||
Section 10.2 |
Conditions and Limitations | 62 | ||||
Section 10.3 |
Admission of Successor General Partner | 62 |
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ARTICLE XI WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS |
63 | |||||
Section 11.1 |
Withdrawal of the General Partner | 63 | ||||
Section 11.2 |
Removal of the General Partner | 64 | ||||
Section 11.3 |
Withdrawal of Limited Partners | 64 | ||||
ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION |
64 | |||||
Section 12.1 |
Dissolution | 64 | ||||
Section 12.2 |
Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution | 64 | ||||
Section 12.3 |
Liquidator | 65 | ||||
Section 12.4 |
Liquidation | 66 | ||||
Section 12.5 |
Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership | 66 | ||||
Section 12.6 |
Return of Contributions | 66 | ||||
Section 12.7 |
Waiver of Partition | 67 | ||||
Section 12.8 |
Capital Account Restoration | 67 | ||||
ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE |
67 | |||||
Section 13.1 |
Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner | 67 | ||||
Section 13.2 |
Amendment Procedures | 68 | ||||
Section 13.3 |
Amendment Requirements | 69 | ||||
Section 13.4 |
Special Meetings | 70 | ||||
Section 13.5 |
Notice of a Meeting | 70 | ||||
Section 13.6 |
Record Date | 70 | ||||
Section 13.7 |
Postponement and Adjournment | 70 | ||||
Section 13.8 |
Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting | 71 | ||||
Section 13.9 |
Quorum and Voting | 71 | ||||
Section 13.10 |
Conduct of a Meeting | 71 | ||||
Section 13.11 |
Action Without a Meeting | 72 | ||||
Section 13.12 |
Right to Vote and Related Matters | 72 | ||||
ARTICLE XIV MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION |
73 | |||||
Section 14.1 |
Authority | 73 | ||||
Section 14.2 |
Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion | 73 | ||||
Section 14.3 |
Approval by Limited Partners | 75 | ||||
Section 14.4 |
Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion | 76 | ||||
Section 14.5 |
Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion | 76 | ||||
ARTICLE XV DELEGATION OF CONTROL |
78 | |||||
Section 15.1 |
Delegation of Control | 78 | ||||
Section 15.2 |
Continued Responsibility of the General Partner | 78 | ||||
Section 15.3 |
Acceptance of Delegation by the Public Company | 78 | ||||
Section 15.4 |
Approval by the General Partner | 78 | ||||
Section 15.5 |
Use of Affiliates | 79 | ||||
Section 15.6 |
Standards of Performance | 79 | ||||
Section 15.7 |
Resolution of Conflicts of Interest | 79 |
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Section 15.8 |
Reliance on Counsel, etc. | 79 | ||||
Section 15.9 |
Reliance by Third Parties | 80 | ||||
Section 15.10 |
Indemnification | 80 | ||||
Section 15.11 |
Damage Limitations | 80 | ||||
Section 15.12 |
Reimbursement | 80 | ||||
Section 15.13 |
Term of Delegation; Covenants of the General Partner | 80 | ||||
Section 15.14 |
Covenants of GP LP | 80 | ||||
ARTICLE XVI REDEMPTION AND EXCHANGE RIGHTS |
81 | |||||
Section 16.1 |
Redemption Right of a Limited Partner | 81 | ||||
Section 16.2 |
Contribution by the Public Company | 83 | ||||
Section 16.3 |
Exchange Right of the Public Company | 84 | ||||
Section 16.4 |
Delivery of Registered HESM Class A Shares; Listing; Certificate of the Public Company | 84 | ||||
Section 16.5 |
Effect of Exercise of Redemption or Exchange Right | 84 | ||||
Section 16.6 |
Tax Treatment | 85 | ||||
ARTICLE XVII GENERAL PROVISIONS |
85 | |||||
Section 17.1 |
Addresses and Notices; Written Communications | 85 | ||||
Section 17.2 |
Further Action | 85 | ||||
Section 17.3 |
Binding Effect | 86 | ||||
Section 17.4 |
Integration | 86 | ||||
Section 17.5 |
Creditors | 86 | ||||
Section 17.6 |
Waiver | 86 | ||||
Section 17.7 |
Third-Party Beneficiaries | 86 | ||||
Section 17.8 |
Counterparts | 86 | ||||
Section 17.9 |
Applicable Law; Forum; Venue and Jurisdiction; Attorneys’ Fee; Waiver of Trial by Jury | 86 | ||||
Section 17.10 |
Invalidity of Provisions | 87 | ||||
Section 17.11 |
Consent of Partners | 87 | ||||
Section 17.12 |
Facsimile and Email Signatures | 87 |
Exhibit A – Form of Certificate for Units
Exhibit B – Limited Partners
Exhibit C – Form of Adoption Agreement
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THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP
THIS THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP (formerly known as Xxxx Midstream Partners LP), dated as of December 16, 2019, is entered into by XXXX MIDSTREAM PARTNERS GP LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“GP LP”), as the General Partner, and the Public Company, HINDL, GIP and GP LP, as Limited Partners, together with any other Persons who are or become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
WHEREAS, the General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner entered into that certain Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, dated as of April 10, 2017 (the “Second Amended and Restated Agreement”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 15.1 of the Second Amended and Restated Agreement, the General Partner determined, in connection with the recent enactment of federal income tax legislation, that Common Units held by Persons who were not Affiliates of GP LP should be exchanged for interests in a newly formed entity taxed as a corporation for U.S. federal (and applicable state and local) income tax purposes whose sole asset is Partnership Interests (such exchange, the “Exchange”);
WHEREAS, in order to effectuate the Exchange, the Partnership entered into that certain Partnership Restructuring Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2019 (the “Restructuring Agreement”), by and among the Partnership, GP LP, HIP, the Public Company, GIP, HINDL, Xxxx Midstream New Ventures II LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Company (“Merger Sub”), and the other parties thereto pursuant to which, among other things, (i) Merger Sub merged (the “Merger”) with and into the Partnership, with the Partnership surviving, (ii) each outstanding Common Unit (other than any Common Units held by GIP, HINDL, HIP and certain of their Affiliates) converted into the right to receive one HESM Class A Share, (iii) each outstanding Phantom Unit converted into a phantom unit denominated in HESM Class A Shares and (iv) each outstanding limited liability company interest in Merger Sub converted into the right to receive Common Units;
WHEREAS, in connection with the Merger, the General Partner changed the name of the Partnership from “Xxxx Midstream Partners LP” to “Xxxx Midstream Operations LP” and a Certificate of Merger (the “Certificate of Merger”) was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effect the Merger and the change of the Partnership’s name from “Xxxx Midstream Partners LP” to “Xxxx Midstream Operations LP”;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Restructuring Agreement, the General Partner, the Public Company, HINDL and GIP are entering into this Agreement in order to reflect, among other things, (a) the recapitalization of the Partnership, (b) the conversion, in connection with such recapitalization, of (i) each Common Unit held by the Public Company into a Class A Unit, (ii) each Common Unit held by GIP, HINDL, HIP and certain of their Affiliates into a Class B Unit, (iii) each Subordinated Unit held by the Public Company into a Class A Unit, and (iv) each Subordinated Unit held by GIP and HINDL into a Class B Unit, (c) the admission of the Public Company as a Limited Partner and (d) the change in the Partnership’s name; and
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WHEREAS, the General Partner has determined, pursuant to Section 13.1(k) of the Second Amended and Restated Agreement, that the amendments to the Second Amended and Restated Agreement set forth herein are necessary or appropriate in connection with the Exchange.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements made herein, the Second Amended and Restated Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definitions. The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.
“Additional Book Basis” means, with respect to any Adjusted Property, the portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to positive adjustments made to such Carrying Value, as determined in accordance with the provisions set forth below in this definition of Additional Book Basis. For purposes of determining the extent to which Carrying Value constitutes Additional Book Basis:
(a) Any negative adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a result of either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first be deemed to offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior positive adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or Book-Down Event.
(b) If Carrying Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result of a Book-Down Event (an “Additional Book Basis Reduction”) and the Carrying Value of other property is increased as a result of such Book-Down Event (a “Carrying Value Increase”), then any such Carrying Value Increase shall be treated as Additional Book Basis in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the amount of such Carrying Value Increase and (ii) the amount determined by proportionately allocating to the Carrying Value Increases resulting from such Book-Down Event by the lesser of (A) the aggregate Additional Book Basis Reductions resulting from such Book-Down Event and (B) the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceeds the remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event (determined without regard to the application of this clause (b) to such Book-Down Event).
“Additional Book Basis Derivative Items” means any Book Basis Derivative Items that are computed with reference to Additional Book Basis. To the extent that the Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property as of the beginning of any taxable period exceeds the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the beginning of such period (the “Excess Additional Book Basis”), the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for such period shall be reduced by the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items determined without regard to this sentence as the Excess Additional Book
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Basis bears to the Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of such period. With respect to a Disposed of Adjusted Property, the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items shall be the amount of Additional Book Basis taken into account in computing gain or loss from the disposition of such Disposed of Adjusted Property; provided that the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the determination of the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items attributable to Disposed of Adjusted Property.
“Adjusted Capital Account” means, with respect to any Partner, the balance in such Partner’s Capital Account at the end of each taxable period of the Partnership, after giving effect to the following adjustments:
(a) Credit to such Capital Account any amounts that such Partner is obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c), including any amount that such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to the penultimate sentences of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5); and
(b) Debit to such Capital Account the items described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6).
The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith. The “Adjusted Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Adjusted Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.
“Adjusted Property” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(d).
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Without limiting the foregoing, for purposes of this Agreement, any Person that, individually or together with its Affiliates, has the direct or indirect right to designate or cause the designation, including as a result of voting by directors, managers or persons holding similar positions of another entity, of at least one member to the Board of Directors, and any of such Person’s Affiliates, shall be deemed to be Affiliates of the General Partner.
“Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments” means, as of the end of any taxable period, the sum of the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of all the Partners.
“Agreed Allocation” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1, including a Curative Allocation (if appropriate to the context in which the term “Agreed Allocation” is used).
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“Agreed Value” of (a) a Contributed Property means the fair market value of such Contributed Property at the time of contribution and (b) an Adjusted Property means the fair market value of such Adjusted Property on the date of the Revaluation Event, in each case as determined by the General Partner.
“Agreement” means this Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Xxxx Midstream Operations LP, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Associate” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer, manager, general partner or managing member or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest, (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.
“Available Cash” means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation Date:
(a) the sum of:
(i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand at the end of such Quarter; and
(ii) if the General Partner so determines, all or any portion of additional cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) (A) on hand on the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter resulting from Working Capital Borrowings made subsequent to the end of such Quarter or (B) available to be borrowed as a Working Capital Borrowing as of the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter (even if not actually borrowed until the date on which the distribution of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter is paid); less
(b) the sum of (x) if the General Partner so determines, all or any portion of GP Available Cash for such Quarter plus (y) the amount of any cash reserves established by the General Partner (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) to:
(i) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Partnership Group (including cash reserves for future capital expenditures and for anticipated future credit needs of the Partnership Group) subsequent to such Quarter;
(ii) comply with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject; or
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(iii) provide funds for distributions under Section 6.4 in respect of any one or more of the next four Quarters;
provided, however, that the General Partner may not establish cash reserves pursuant to subclause (iii) above if the effect of such cash reserves would be that the Partnership is unable to distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all Units with respect to such Quarter; provided further, that disbursements made by a Group Member or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash within such Quarter if the General Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Available Cash” (x) shall not include all or any portion of GP Available Cash unless the General Partner so determines and (y) with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.
“Black-Out Period” means any “black-out” or similar period under the Public Company’s policies covering trading in the Public Company’s securities to which the applicable Redeemed Partner is subject, which period restricts the ability of such Redeemed Partner to immediately resell HESM Class A Shares to be delivered to such Redeemed Partner in connection with a Share Settlement.
“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of Xxxx Midstream GP LLC, the general partner of the general partner of the Public Company.
“Book Basis Derivative Items” means any item of income, deduction, gain or loss that is computed with reference to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property (e.g., depreciation, depletion, or gain or loss with respect to an Adjusted Property).
“Book-Down Event” means a Revaluation Event that gives rise to a Revaluation Loss.
“Book-Tax Disparity” means with respect to any item of Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for U.S. federal income tax purposes as of such date. A Partner’s share of the Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference between such Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 5.4 and the hypothetical balance of such Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been maintained strictly in accordance with U.S. federal income tax accounting principles.
“Book-Up Event” means a Revaluation Event that gives rise to a Revaluation Gain.
“Business Day” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the States of Delaware, Texas and New York shall not be regarded as a Business Day.
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“Capital Account” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 5.4. The “Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.
“Capital Contribution” means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership or that is contributed or deemed contributed to the Partnership on behalf of a Partner (including, in the case of an underwritten offering of Units, the amount of any underwriting discounts or commissions).
“Carrying Value” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property or an Adjusted Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, amortization and other cost recovery deductions charged to the Partners’ Capital Accounts in respect of such property, and (b) with respect to any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such property for U.S. federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of determination. The Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Section 5.4(d) and to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General Partner.
“Cause” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding the General Partner liable to the Partnership or any Limited Partner for actual fraud or willful or wanton misconduct in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.
“Certificate” means a certificate, in such form as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the Partnership and evidencing ownership of one or more classes of Partnership Interests.
“Certificate of Merger” has the meaning given such term in the recitals.
“Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the Amended and Restated Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in Section 7.2, as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Change in Control” means any direct or indirect change in control of a Limited Partner (whether through merger, sale of equity interests or otherwise), through a single transaction or series of related transactions, from one or more transferors to one or more transferees; provided, however, that the following shall not be considered a “Change in Control”: (a) a change in control of an ultimate parent entity of such Limited Partner, including any change in control of the general partner of such ultimate parent entity, as applicable, (b) a change in control of any publicly traded Subsidiary of an ultimate parent entity of such Limited Partner or (c) a change in control of a Limited Partner resulting in ongoing control by an Affiliate of such Limited Partner that is wholly owned, directly or indirectly, by the ultimate parent entity of such Limited Partner. As of the Execution Date, the “ultimate parent entity” of HINDL and HIP Holdings is Xxxx Corporation and the “ultimate parent entities” of GIP are Global Infrastructure Investors II, LLC and Global Infrastructure Management, LLC. For purposes of this definition, “control” means, with respect to any Person, the possession, directly or indirectly, of (i) the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether by contract or otherwise, (ii) without
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limiting any other subsection of this definition, if applicable to such Person (even if such Person is a corporation), where such Person is a corporation, the power to exercise or determine the voting of more than 50% of the voting rights in such corporation, (iii) without limiting any other subsection of this definition, if applicable to such Person (even if such Person is a limited partnership),where such Person is a limited partnership, ownership of all of the equity of the sole general partner of such limited partnership, or (iv) without limiting any other subsection of this definition, if applicable to such Person, in the case of a Person that is any other type of entity, the right to exercise or determine the voting of more than 50% of the equity interests in such Person having voting rights, whether by contract or otherwise.
“Class A Unit” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Class A Units in this Agreement.
“Class B Unit” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Class B Units in this Agreement.
“Closing Date” means December 16, 2019.
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time, and any successor law thereto. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Unit” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to “Common Units” in the Second Amended and Restated Agreement (for the avoidance of doubt, as of the Closing Date and following the conversion of certain of the Subordinated Units into Class A Units and the remainder of the Subordinated Units into Class B Units, in each case, pursuant to Section 5.13 of this Agreement, there shall be no Subordinated Units issued and Outstanding).
“Competitor” means (a) with respect to the Partnership or its Affiliates (other than any Partner or such Partner’s Affiliates), any Person that is engaged in the development or operation of midstream or infrastructure assets in the Xxxxxx Shale area; (b) with respect to Hess or its Affiliates, any Person that is engaged in exploration or production activities for oil and gas, whether within the United States or elsewhere; (c) with respect to GIP or its Affiliates or its or their permitted successors and assigns, any similar investment fund that is engaged in investments in infrastructure assets in the United States or elsewhere; and (d) with respect to the Partnership, the non-transferring Partners and their respective Affiliates, any Person who is (or whose Affiliate is) engaged in the refining business, whether within the United States or elsewhere, where there is potential for a conflict of interest between the businesses of such Person and its Affiliates and the ongoing businesses of (i) the Partnership and its Subsidiaries or (ii) the non-transferring Partner and its Affiliates.
“Conflicts Committee” means the conflicts committee of the Board of Directors.
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“Contributed Property” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership. Once the Carrying Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(d), such property or other asset shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted Property.
“Contribution Agreement” means that certain Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated as of April 4, 2017, by and among the Partnership, the General Partner, Hess, HIP, Gathering Opco, Logistics Opco, HTGP Opco, Mentor Holdings and the other entities party thereto, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments contemplated or referenced thereunder, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Curative Allocation” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi).
“Delaware Act” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C. Section 17-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
“Departing General Partner” means a former General Partner from and after the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2.
“Derivative Partnership Interests” means any options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights, tracking, profit and phantom interests and other derivative securities relating to, convertible into or exchangeable for Partnership Interests.
“Direct Exchange” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.3(a).
“Discount” has the meaning given such term in Section 7.4(e).
“Disposed of Adjusted Property” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B).
“Economic Risk of Loss” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).
“Effective Time” means the Effective Time as defined in the Restructuring Agreement.
“Event of Withdrawal” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.1(a).
“Excess Additional Book Basis” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Additional Book Basis Derivative Items.”
“Excess Distribution” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A).
“Excess Distribution Unit” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A).
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“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
“Exchange Election Notice” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.3(b).
“Exchange” has the meaning given such term in the recitals.
“First Liquidation Target Amount” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(C).
“First Target Distribution” means $0.3450 per Unit per Quarter, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 6.5.
“Gathering Opco” means Hess North Dakota Pipelines Operations LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
“General Partner” means GP LP, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise requires).
“General Partner Interest” means the equity interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without reference to any Limited Partner Interest held by it), and includes any and all rights, powers and benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement. For purposes of determining the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner at any point in time, the General Partner Interest shall be deemed to be represented by a specific number of hypothetical limited partner units, and the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest shall equal the ratio of the number of such hypothetical limited partner units to the sum of the total number of Units and the number of hypothetical limited partner units. As of the Closing Date, the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest shall be 0.4%, which for the purposes of this definition equates to 1,114,795 hypothetical limited partner units. In connection with the issuance of additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership as described in Section 5.2, (i) if the General Partner makes additional Capital Contributions as contemplated by Section 5.2, the number of hypothetical limited partner units represented by the General Partner Interest shall be increased as necessary to maintain the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest at the level it was immediately prior to such issuance and (ii) if the General Partner does not make additional Capital Contributions as contemplated by Section 5.2, the number of hypothetical limited partner units represented by the General Partner Interest shall stay the same, which shall result in a reduction of the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the General Partner Interest will not entitle the General Partner, in its capacity as the holder of the General Partner Interest, to share in any GP Items or any GP Available Cash.
“GIP” means GIP II Blue Holding Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.
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“GP Available Cash” means, as of any date of determination, all cash and cash equivalents on hand on such date derived from or attributable to the Partnership’s (or any of its Subsidiaries’) ownership of, or sale or other disposition of, the General Partner Interest or the Incentive Distribution Rights, less the amount of any cash reserves established by the General Partner to:
(a) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Partnership Group (including cash reserves for future capital expenditures and for anticipated future credit needs of the Partnership Group);
(b) comply with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject; or
(c) provide funds for distributions under Section 6.4 in respect of any one or more of the next four Quarters.
“GP Items” means the income, gains, losses, deductions and credits which are attributable to the Partnership’s (or any of its Subsidiaries’) ownership of, or sale or other disposition of, the General Partner Interest or the Incentive Distribution Rights.
“GP LLC” means Xxxx Midstream Partners GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“GP LP” has the meaning given such term in the preamble.
“Gross Liability Value” means, with respect to any Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i), the amount of cash that a willing assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Liability in an arm’s-length transaction.
“Group” means two or more Persons that, with or through any of their respective Affiliates or Associates, have any contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons), exercising investment power over or disposing of any Partnership Interests.
“Group Member” means a member of the Partnership Group.
“Group Member Agreement” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint venture, in each case, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“HESM Class A Share” means a limited partner interest in the Public Company having the rights and obligations specified with respect to “HESM Class A Shares” in the Public Company Agreement.
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“HESM Class B Share” means a limited partner interest in the Public Company having the rights and obligations specified with respect to “HESM Class B Shares” in the Public Company Agreement.
“Hess” means Xxxx Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
“HINDL” means Hess Investments North Dakota LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“HIP” means Xxxx Infrastructure Partners LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
“HTGP Opco” means Hess TGP Operations LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
“Incentive Distribution Right” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Incentive Distribution Rights in this Agreement (and no other rights otherwise available to or other obligations of a holder of a Partnership Interest). The holder of an Incentive Distribution Right will not be entitled, in its capacity as such holder, to share in any GP Items or any GP Available Cash.
“Incentive Distributions” means any amount of cash distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(iii), (iv) and (v).
“Indemnitee” means (a) the General Partner, (b) the Public Company, (c) any Departing General Partner, (d) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (e) any Person who is or was a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of (i) any Group Member, the General Partner, the Public Company or any Departing General Partner or (ii) any Affiliate of any Group Member, the General Partner, the Public Company or any Departing General Partner or any of their respective Affiliates, (f) any Person who is serving on the Board of Directors, (g) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner, the Public Company or any Departing General Partner or any of their respective Affiliates as a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another Person owing a fiduciary duty to any Group Member; provided that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, and (h) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement because such Person’s status, service or relationship exposes such Person to potential claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings relating to the Partnership Group’s business and affairs.
“Initial Common Units” means the Common Units sold in the Initial Public Offering.
“Initial Public Offering” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public (including the offer and sale of Common Units pursuant to the Option (as defined in the IPO Underwriting Agreement)), as described in the IPO Registration Statement.
“Initial Unit Price” means with respect to any class or series of Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the General Partner, in each case adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units.
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“IPO Closing Date” means April 10, 2017.
“IPO Prospectus” means the final prospectus relating to the Initial Public Offering dated April 4, 2017 and filed by the Partnership with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act on April 6, 2017.
“IPO Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-198896), as it has been amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial Public Offering.
“IPO Underwriter” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the IPO Underwriting Agreement who purchased Common Units pursuant thereto.
“IPO Underwriting Agreement” means that certain Underwriting Agreement dated as of April 4, 2017 by and among the IPO Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner, GP LLC and HIP providing for the purchase of Common Units by the IPO Underwriters.
“Liability” means any liability or obligation of any nature, whether accrued, contingent or otherwise.
“Limited Partner” means, unless the context otherwise requires, each of HINDL, GIP, GP LP, the Public Company, each additional Person that becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
“Limited Partner Interest” means an equity interest of a Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Units, Incentive Distribution Rights or other Partnership Interests or a combination thereof (but excluding Derivative Partnership Interests), and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
“Liquidation Date” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (d) of the third sentence of Section 12.1, the date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without such an election being made and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.
“Liquidation Gain” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Net Termination Gain.
“Liquidation Loss” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Net Termination Loss.
“Liquidator” means one or more Persons selected pursuant to Section 12.3 to perform the functions described in Section 12.4 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within the meaning of the Delaware Act.
“Logistics Opco” means Xxxx North Dakota Export Logistics Operations LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
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“LTIP” means the Xxxx Midstream Partners LP 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan.
“Maximum Permitted Delegation” has the meaning given such term in Section 15.1(a).
“Mentor Holdings” means Xxxx Mentor Storage Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“Merger” has the meaning given such term in the recitals.
“Merger Agreement” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.1.
“Merger Sub” has the meaning given such term in the recitals.
“Merger Sub Conversion” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.1(b).
“Minimum Quarterly Distribution” means $0.30 per Unit per Quarter, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 6.5.
“National Securities Exchange” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act (or any successor to such Section).
“Net Agreed Value” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such Contributed Property reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such Contributed Property is subject when contributed and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(d)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed, reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution.
“Net Income” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.4 and shall not include any items specially allocated under Sections 6.1(d) and 6.1(e); provided, that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xii).
“Net Loss” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.4 but shall not include any items specially allocated under Sections 6.1(d) and 6.1(e); provided, however, that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xii).
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“Net Positive Adjustments” means, with respect to any Partner, the excess, if any, of the total positive adjustments over the total negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of such Partner pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.
“Net Termination Gain” means, as applicable, (a) the sum, if positive, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.4) that are recognized (i) after the Liquidation Date (“Liquidation Gain”) or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group) (“Sale Gain”), or (b) the excess, if any, of the aggregate amount of Unrealized Gain over the aggregate amount of Unrealized Loss deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.4(d) on the date of a Revaluation Event (“Revaluation Gain”); provided, however, the items included in the determination of Net Termination Gain shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); and provided, further, that Sale Gain and Revaluation Gain shall not include any items of income, gain, loss or deduction that are recognized during any portion of the taxable period during which such Sale Gain or Revaluation Gain occurs.
“Net Termination Loss” means, as applicable, (a) the sum, if negative, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.4) that are recognized (i) after the Liquidation Date (“Liquidation Loss”) or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group) (“Sale Loss”), or (b) the excess, if any, of the aggregate amount of Unrealized Loss over the aggregate amount of Unrealized Gain deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.4(d) on the date of a Revaluation Event(“Revaluation Loss”); provided, however, items included in the determination of Net Termination Loss shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); and provided, further, that Sale Loss and Revaluation Loss shall not include any items of income, gain, loss or deduction that are recognized during any portion of the taxable period during which such Sale Loss or Revaluation Loss occurs.
“New HESM GP LP” means Xxxx Midstream GP LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
“Noncompensatory Option” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.721-2(f).
“Nonrecourse Built-in Gain” means with respect to any Contributed Properties or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.2(b) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.
“Nonrecourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a Nonrecourse Liability.
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“Nonrecourse Liability” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2).
“Offered Interest” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.8(a).
“Omnibus Agreement” means that certain Amended and Restated Omnibus Agreement, dated as of December 16, 2019, by and among Hess, the Public Company, the Partnership, New HESM GP LP, Xxxx Infrastructure Partners GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Xxxx Midstream GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, GP LP and GP LLC, as such agreement may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the General Partner or to such other person selecting such counsel or obtaining such opinion.
“Organizational Limited Partner” means Xxxx Midstream Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, in its capacity as the organizational limited partner of the Partnership pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Agreement.
“Outstanding” means, with respect to Partnership Interests, all Partnership Interests that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the Partnership Register as of the date of determination.
“Partner Nonrecourse Debt” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).
“Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
“Partner Nonrecourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are attributable to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt.
“Partners” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.
“Partnership” means Xxxx Midstream Operations LP, a Delaware limited partnership formerly known as Xxxx Midstream Partners LP, and any successor thereto.
“Partnership Group” means, collectively, the Partnership and its Subsidiaries.
“Partnership Interest” means any equity interest, including any class or series of equity interest, in the Partnership, which shall include any Limited Partner Interests and the General Partner Interest but shall exclude any Derivative Partnership Interests.
“Partnership Minimum Gain” means that amount determined in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(b)(2) and 1.704-2(d).
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“Partnership Register” means a register maintained on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner, with respect to each class of Partnership Interests in which all Record Holders and transfers of such class of Partnership Interests are registered or otherwise recorded.
“Percentage Interest” means, as of any date of determination, (a) as to the General Partner, the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner as determined pursuant to the definition of “General Partner Interest” above and (b) as to any Unitholder with respect to Units, the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest and the percentage applicable to clause (c) below by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of Units held by such Unitholder by (B) the total number of Outstanding Units and (c) as to the holders of other Partnership Interests issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.5, the percentage calculated in accordance with the method established as a part of such issuance. The Percentage Interest with respect to an Incentive Distribution Right shall at all times be zero.
“Person” means an individual or a corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, estate, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.
“Phantom Unit” has the meaning set forth in the LTIP.
“Plan of Conversion” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.1.
“Proportionate Share” means, with respect to each ROFO Partner that delivers a ROFO Offer that complies with the provisions of Section 4.8(b) with respect to a ROFO Notice, the proportion that such ROFO Partner’s Percentage Interest in the Partnership bears to the total Percentage Interests in the Partnership of all ROFO Partners who delivered ROFO Offers that complied with the provisions of Section 4.8(b) with respect to such ROFO Notice.
“Pro Rata” means (a) when used with respect to Units or any class thereof, apportioned among all designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (b) when used with respect to Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, and (c) when used with respect to holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, apportioned among all holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in accordance with the relative number or percentage of Incentive Distribution Rights held by each such holder.
“Public Company” means Xxxx Midstream LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
“Public Company Agreement” means that certain Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Public Company, dated of even date herewith, as such agreement may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Quarter” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the Partnership.
“Recapture Income” means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed without regard to any adjustment required by Section 734 or Section 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any property or asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.
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“Record Date” means the date established by the General Partner or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to receive notice of, or entitled to exercise rights in respect of, any lawful action of Limited Partners (including voting) or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in any offer.
“Record Holder” means with respect to any class of Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership Interest is registered in the Partnership Register as of the Partnership’s close of business on a particular Business Day.
“Redeemed Partner” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.1(a).
“Redeemed Units” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.1(a).
“Redemption” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.1(a).
“Redemption Date” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.1(a).
“Redemption Notice” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.1(a).
“Redemption Notice Date” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.1(a).
“Redemption Right” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.1(a).
“Remaining Net Positive Adjustments” means, as of the end of any taxable period, (a) with respect to the Unitholders holding Units, the excess of (i) the Net Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders holding Units as of the end of such period over (ii) the sum of those Unitholders’ Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for each prior taxable period, (b) with respect to the General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Interest), the excess of (i) the Net Positive Adjustments of the General Partner as of the end of such period over (ii) the sum of the General Partner’s Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to the General Partner Interest for each prior taxable period, and (c) with respect to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, the excess of (i) the Net Positive Adjustments of the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period over (ii) the sum of the Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights for each prior taxable period.
“Required Allocations” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i), Section 6.1(d)(ii), Section 6.1(d)(iv), Section 6.1(d)(v), Section 6.1(d)(vi), Section 6.1(d)(vii) or Section 6.1(d)(ix).
“Restricted Unit” means a Unit that was granted to the holder thereof in connection with such holder’s performance of services for the Partnership and (i) that remains subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Section 83 of the Code and (ii) with respect to which no election was made pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code. As set forth in the final proviso in the definition of “Outstanding,” Restricted Units are not treated as Outstanding for
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purposes of Section 6.1. Upon the lapse of the “substantial risk of forfeiture” with respect to a Restricted Unit, for U.S. federal income tax purposes such Unit will be treated as having been newly issued in consideration for the performance of services and will thereafter be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 6.1.
“Restructuring Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Restructuring Closing” means the “Closing” as defined in the Restructuring Agreement.
“Retraction Notice” has the meaning given such term in Section 16.1(b).
“Revaluation Event” means an event that results in adjustment of the Carrying Value of each Partnership property pursuant to Section 5.4(d).
“Revaluation Gain” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Net Termination Gain.
“Revaluation Loss” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Net Termination Loss.
“ROFO Notice” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.8(a).
“ROFO Offer” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.8(b).
“ROFO Partner” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.8(a).
“Sale Gain” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Net Termination Gain.
“Sale Loss” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Net Termination Loss.
“Second Amended and Restated Agreement” has the meaning given such term in the recitals.
“Second Liquidation Target Amount” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(D).
“Second Target Distribution” means $0.3750 per Unit per Quarter, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 6.5.
“Secondment Agreement” means that certain Amended and Restated Employee Secondment Agreement, dated as of December 16, 2019, by and among the Hess, Hess Trading Corporation, a Delaware corporation, New HESM GP LP, Xxxx Midstream GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, GP LP and GP LLC, as such agreement may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
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“Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items” means in connection with any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for any taxable period, (a) with respect to the Unitholders holding Units, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders’ Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such taxable period bear to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time, (b) with respect to the General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Interest), the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the General Partner’s Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such taxable period bear to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustment as of that time, and (c) with respect to the Partners holding Incentive Distribution Rights, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of the Partners holding the Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such taxable period bear to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time.
“Share Settlement” means a number of HESM Class A Shares equal to the number of Redeemed Units.
“Subordinated Unit” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to “Subordinated Units” in the Second Amended and Restated Agreement (for the avoidance of doubt, as of the Closing Date and after giving effect to the conversion of certain of the Subordinated Units to Class A Units and the remainder of the Subordinated Units to Class B Units, in each case, pursuant to Section 5.13 of this Agreement, there shall be no Subordinated Units issued and Outstanding).
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the general partner interests of such partnership is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof; or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person.
“Surviving Business Entity” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.2(b).
“Target Distributions” means, collectively, the First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution.
“Third Target Distribution” means $0.4500 per Unit per Quarter, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 6.5.
“Transaction Documents” has the meaning given such term in Section 7.1(b).
“transfer” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.5(a).
“Transferee” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.8(a).
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“Transferor” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.8(a).
“Treasury Regulation” means the United States Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code.
“Unit” means a Partnership Interest that is designated by the General Partner as a “Unit” and shall include Class A Units and Class B Units but shall not include (a) hypothetical limited partner units representing the General Partner Interest or (b) Incentive Distribution Rights.
“Unit Majority” means at least a majority of the Outstanding Units, voting as a single class.
“Unitholders” means the Record Holders of Units.
“Unpaid MQD” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(B).
“Unrealized Gain” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.4(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.4(d) as of such date).
“Unrealized Loss” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.4(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.4(d)).
“Unrecovered Initial Unit Price” means at any time, with respect to a Unit, the Initial Unit Price less the sum of all distributions of cash (or the Net Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in connection with the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit, adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of such Units.
“Unrestricted Person” means (a) each Indemnitee, (b) each Partner, (c) each Person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, employee or agent of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner and (d) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Unrestricted Person” for purposes of this Agreement from time to time.
“U.S. GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles, as in effect from time to time, consistently applied.
“Working Capital Borrowings” means borrowings incurred pursuant to a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement that are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to the Partners; provided that when such borrowings are incurred it is the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within 12 months from the date of such borrowings other than from additional Working Capital Borrowings.
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Section 1.2 Construction. Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include,” “includes,” “including” or words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d) the terms “hereof,” “herein” or “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. The General Partner has the power to construe and interpret this Agreement and to act upon any such construction or interpretation. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any construction or interpretation of this Agreement by the General Partner and any action taken pursuant thereto and any determination made by the General Partner in good faith shall, in each case, be conclusive and binding on all Record Holders, each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and all other Persons for all purposes.
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
Section 2.1 Formation. GP LLC, as the initial general partner, and Xxxx, as the initial limited partner, previously formed the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act. On April 7, 2017, GP LLC, the General Partner, as the substitute general partner, and the Organizational Limited Partner, as a limited partner of the Partnership, amended and restated the original agreement of limited partnership of the Partnership in its entirety by entering into the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership (the “First Amended and Restated Agreement”). On April 10, 2017, in connection with the Partnership’s Initial Public Offering, the General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner amended and restated the First Amended and Restated Agreement in its entirety by entering into the Second Amended and Restated Agreement. The Partners hereby amend and restate the Second Amended and Restated Agreement in its entirety by entering into this Agreement and at the time specified in Article II of the Restructuring Agreement. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties (including fiduciary duties), liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all purposes.
Section 2.2 Name. The name of the Partnership prior to the Effective Time was “Xxxx Midstream Partners LP.” At the Effective Time, the name of the Partnership was changed to “Xxxx Midstream Operations LP.” Subject to applicable law, the Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the General Partner, including the name of the General Partner. The words “Limited Partnership,” “LP,” “Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The General Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time and shall notify the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular communication to the Limited Partners.
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Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices. Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, and the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The principal office of the Partnership shall be located at 0000 XxXxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner shall be 0000 XxXxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners.
Section 2.4 Purpose and Business. The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form, hold and dispose of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by the General Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and (b) do anything necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member; provided, however, that the General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the General Partner determines would be reasonably likely to cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed). To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve the conduct by the Partnership of any business and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to so propose or approve, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in determining whether to propose or approve the conduct by the Partnership of any business shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion.
Section 2.5 Powers. The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.
Section 2.6 Term. The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the original certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.
Section 2.7 Title to Partnership Assets. Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets
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may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees of the General Partner or its Affiliates, as the General Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees of the General Partner or its Affiliates shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership or one or more of the Partnership’s designated Affiliates as soon as reasonably practicable; provided further, that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to any successor General Partner. All Partnership assets shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such Partnership assets is held.
ARTICLE III
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability. The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.
Section 3.2 Management of Business. No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the Partnership. No action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as such, shall be deemed to be participating in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) nor shall any such action affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 3.2 shall affect the General Partner’s delegation to the Public Company pursuant to Article XV.
Section 3.3 Rights of Limited Partners.
(a) Each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand, and at such Limited Partner’s own expense, to obtain from the General Partner:
(i) either (A) the Partnership’s most recent filings with the Commission on Form 10-K and any subsequent filings on Form 10-Q or 8-K or (B) if the Partnership is no longer subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the information specified in, and meeting the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act (or any successor rule or regulation under the Securities Act); provided that the foregoing materials shall be deemed to be available to a Limited Partner in satisfaction of the requirements of this Section 3.3(a)(i) if posted on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website; and
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(ii) a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the rights to information granted the Limited Partners pursuant to Section 3.3(a) replace in their entirety any rights to information provided for in Section 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act and each of the Limited Partners, each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement hereby agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law that they do not have any rights as Limited Partners, interest holders or otherwise to receive any information either pursuant to Sections 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act or otherwise except for the information identified in Section 3.3(a).
(c) The General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable, (i) any information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the General Partner in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or its business or (C) that any Group Member is required by law or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.3).
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or Section 17-305 of the Delaware Act, each of the Limited Partners, each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement hereby agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law that they do not have rights to receive information from the Partnership or any Indemnitee for the purpose of determining whether to pursue litigation or assist in pending litigation against the Partnership or any Indemnitee relating to the affairs of the Partnership except pursuant to the applicable rules of discovery relating to litigation commenced by such Person or Group.
ARTICLE IV
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS;
REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
Section 4.1 Certificates. Record Holders of Partnership Interests and, where appropriate, Derivative Partnership Interests, shall be recorded in the Partnership Register and ownership of such interests shall be evidenced by a physical certificate or book entry notation in the Partnership Register. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, unless the General Partner shall determine otherwise in respect of some or all of any or all classes of Partnership Interests, Partnership Interests shall not be evidenced by physical certificates. Certificates, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer or any Senior Vice President or Vice President and the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, or other authorized officer of the General Partner. The
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signatures of such officers upon a Certificate may, to the extent permitted by law, be facsimiles or delivered by email in portable document format (.pdf) or other similar electronic format. In case any officer who has signed or whose signature has been placed upon such Certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such Certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Partnership with the same effect as if he or she were such officer at the date of its issuance. With respect to any Partnership Interests that are represented by physical certificates, the General Partner may determine that such Partnership Interests will no longer be represented by physical certificates and may, upon written notice to the holders of such Partnership Interests and subject to applicable law, take whatever actions it deems necessary or appropriate to cause such Partnership Interests to be registered in book entry or global form and may cause such physical certificates to be cancelled or deemed cancelled.
Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates.
(a) If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the General Partner, the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver in exchange therefor a new Certificate evidencing the same number and type of Partnership Interests as the Certificate so surrendered.
(b) The appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver a new Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued, if the Record Holder of the Certificate:
(i) makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;
(ii) requests the issuance of a new Certificate before the General Partner has notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;
(iii) if requested by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner a bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the General Partner may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners and the General Partner against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the Certificate; and
(iv) satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General Partner.
If a Limited Partner fails to notify the General Partner within a reasonable period of time after such Limited Partner has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner receives such notification, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such Limited Partner shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership or the General Partner for such transfer or for a new Certificate.
(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.2, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses reasonably connected therewith.
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Section 4.3 Limited Partners. The names and addresses of the Limited Partners and number of Units of the Limited Partners are set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto and incorporated herein. Each such Limited Partner hereby continues as a limited partner of the Partnership. The General Partner is hereby authorized to complete or amend Exhibit B from time to time to reflect the admission of Limited Partners, the withdrawal of a Limited Partner, the forfeiture of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests of a Limited Partner, the transfer of any Limited Partner Interests, and the change of address and other information called for by Exhibit B related to any Limited Partner, and to correct, update or amend Exhibit B at any time and from time to time. Such completion, correction or amendment may be made from time to time as and when the General Partner considers it appropriate without the consent of any other Partner or Person.
Section 4.4 Record Holders. The Partnership and the General Partner shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person or Group, regardless of whether the Partnership or the General Partner shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law.
Section 4.5 Transfer Generally.
(a) The term “transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction (i) by which the General Partner assigns all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise or (ii) by which the holder of a Limited Partner Interest assigns all or a part of such Limited Partner Interest to another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner as a result thereof, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, excluding a pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage but including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.
(b) No Limited Partner may transfer all or any portion of its Limited Partner Interests, other than any transfer made pursuant to Article XVI or a transfer of Units by a Limited Partner to an Affiliate of such Limited Partner, without complying with the terms of this Article IV (including Section 4.8); provided, however, that notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, (i) no holder of Class A Units may transfer all or any portion of its Class A Units without the approval of a Unit Majority and (ii) no holder of Class B Units may transfer all or any portion of its Class B Units without also transferring an equivalent number of HESM Class B Shares to the transferee in accordance with the terms of the Public Company Agreement. Any transfer or purported transfer of a Limited Partner Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be null and void, and the Partnership shall have no obligation to effect any such transfer or purported transfer.
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(c) No Limited Partner may transfer all or any portion of its Limited Partner Interests to a Competitor of the Partnership, any of its Affiliates or any non-transferring Partner(s) without (i) in the event of a transfer to a Competitor of the Partnership or its Affiliates (other than the non-transferring Partner(s)), approval of a Unit Majority and of the non-transferring Partner(s) holding Class B Units and (ii) in the event of a transfer to a Competitor of the non-transferring Partner(s), without the prior written approval of the non-transferring Partner(s) holding Class B Units.
(d) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or limit a disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of the General Partner or any Limited Partner of any or all of such Person’s shares of stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests in the General Partner or such Limited Partner and the term “transfer” shall not include any such disposition.
Section 4.6 Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest.
(a) Subject to Section 4.6(b) below, the General Partner shall not transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest to a Person unless such transfer (i) has been approved by the General Partner with the approval of the Conflicts Committee and a Unit Majority or (ii) is of all, but not less than all, of its General Partner Interest to (A) a wholly owned Affiliate of the Partnership or (B) another Person (other than an individual) or one of such Person’s Affiliates in connection with the merger or consolidation of the Partnership with or into such other Person or the transfer by the Partnership of all or substantially all of its assets to such other Person.
(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act and (iii) such transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership interest owned by the General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.3, be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner effective immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.
Section 4.7 Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights. The General Partner or any other holder of Incentive Distribution Rights may not transfer any or all of its Incentive Distribution Rights unless such transfer has been approved by the General Partner with the approval of the Conflicts Committee and a Unit Majority; provided, however, that nothing in the foregoing shall be deemed to limit or otherwise restrict the ability of the General Partner, at any time when all of the Incentive Distribution Rights are directly or indirectly owned by the General Partner or the Partnership, to amend this Agreement pursuant to Section 13.1(g) to eliminate or otherwise modify the rights and obligations of the Incentive Distribution Rights for no consideration.
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Section 4.8 Right of First Offer. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.8, any transfer by a Limited Partner of Class B Units or any transfer by a Limited Partner (other than the Public Company) in connection with a Change in Control, except for a transfer made pursuant to Article XVI or a transfer to an Affiliate of such Limited Partner, shall be subject to the following procedures.
(a) If a Limited Partner (other than the Public Company) desires to transfer all or a portion of its Class B Units to a Third Party or undergo a Change in Control (such Third Party acquirer, the “Transferee” and such Limited Partner, the “Transferor”), the Transferor shall give to each other Limited Partner holding Class B Units (each, a “ROFO Partner”) and the General Partner written notice (a “ROFO Notice”) setting forth (i) the Transferor’s desire to effect such transfer or undergo such Change in Control, (ii) the Class B Units to be transferred (or, in the case of a Change in Control, the entirety of the Transferor’s Limited Partner Interest) (the “Offered Interest”), and (iii) the cash consideration and other material terms upon which the Transferor proposes to transfer the Offered Interest to the Transferee.
(b) Each ROFO Partner shall have the right, but not the obligation, to elect to make an offer to the Transferor to acquire the entirety of the Offered Interest for the cash consideration and on the other material terms set forth in the ROFO Notice. Any such offer made by a ROFO Partner shall (i) be made in writing, (ii) be made within 45 days after such ROFO Partner’s receipt of the ROFO Notice, and (iii) constitute a binding offer by such ROFO Partner to the Transferor to transfer to such ROFO Partner the entirety of the Offered Interest at the price and upon the terms specified in the ROFO Notice (a “ROFO Offer”). Should only one ROFO Partner deliver a ROFO Offer that complies with the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.8(b), the Transferor shall be deemed to have accepted such ROFO Offer and shall transfer all (but not less than all) of the Offered Interest to such ROFO Partner for the cash consideration and on the other material terms set forth in the ROFO Notice. Should more than one ROFO Partner deliver a ROFO Offer that complies with the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.8(b), the Transferor shall (A) be deemed to have accepted each such ROFO Offer and (B) transfer to each such ROFO Partner such ROFO Partner’s Proportionate Share of the Offered Interest (1) for an amount equal to such ROFO Partner’s Proportionate Share of the cash consideration set forth in the ROFO Notice, and (2) upon the other material terms set forth in the ROFO Notice (with only such changes to such other terms as are necessary to reflect the split of the Offered Interest to more than one ROFO Partner).
(c) Any failure by a ROFO Partner to deliver a ROFO Offer within the 45-day period specified in Section 4.8(b) shall be deemed an election by such ROFO Partner not to attempt to acquire the Offered Interest.
(d) If each ROFO Partner affirmatively elects not to make a ROFO Offer to acquire the Offered Interest and/or is deemed to have elected not to acquire the Offered Interest pursuant to Section 4.8(c), then the Transferor will be free to transfer all (but not less than all) of the Offered Interest to a Transferee or undergo the desired Change in Control, as applicable; provided, that such transfer(s) or Change in Control is consummated (i) within 180 days following the end of the 45-day period that each ROFO Partner had to make a ROFO Offer, and (ii) for consideration (whether cash and/or property) that is greater in value (including the fair market value (as determined in accordance with Section 4.8(e)) of any property taken in lieu of cash) than the cash consideration specified in the applicable ROFO Notice. If the Transferor does not affect such transfer(s) or Change in Control within such 180-day period, the transfer of the Offered Interest (or applicable Change in Control) shall again become subject to the right of first offer set forth in this Section 4.8.
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(e) The “fair market value” of any property taken in lieu of cash for purposes of Section 4.8(b) is, as determined by the Transferor, the price at which a willing seller would sell, and a willing buyer would buy, such property, free and clear of all encumbrances, in an arms’ length transaction for cash without time constraints and without being under any compulsion to buy or sell; provided, however, that if any ROFO Partner disputes the Transferor’s determination of such price, then the fair market value of such property will be determined by an independent expert unanimously selected by the ROFO Partner(s) and the Transferor or, if such Partners are unable to agree upon an expert within ten days after the Transferor’s receipt of a dispute notice from a ROFO Partner, then upon the request of either the Transferor or any ROFO Partner, the Houston, Texas office of the American Arbitration Association shall appoint such independent expert, provided that such independent expert shall be a nationally recognized investment banking firm. All communications between any Partner and the independent expert shall be conducted in writing, with copies sent simultaneously to each other Partner participating in the independent expert proceeding in the same manner, or at a meeting to which representatives of all Partners participating in the independent expert proceeding have been invited and of which such Partners have been provided at least five Business Days’ notice. Within 30 days after the independent expert’s acceptance of its appointment, the Partners participating in such proceeding shall provide the independent expert with a report containing their proposal for the resolution of the matter and the reasons therefor, accompanied by all relevant supporting information and data (excluding any information or data protected by attorney-client privilege). Within 30 days of receipt of the above-described materials and after receipt of additional information or data as may be reasonably required by the independent expert, the independent expert shall select the proposal or solution or value which it finds more consistent with the terms of this Agreement. The independent expert may not propose alternate positions or award damages, interest or penalties to any Partners with respect to any matter. The independent expert’s decision shall be final and binding on the Partners. The fees and costs of the independent expert shall be paid by the Partners participating in the proceeding in accordance with their relative respective Percentage Interests in the Partnership.
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
Section 5.1 Contributions by Partners.
(a) Prior to the Closing Date, each Partner has contributed or has been deemed to have contributed to the Partnership the cash or other property (if any) as set forth in the books and records of the Partnership.
(b) On the Closing Date, pursuant to and as described in the Restructuring Agreement, among other things, (i) the Partnership merged with Merger Sub, with the Partnership surviving, (ii) each Common Unit then outstanding (other than Common Units held by the GIP, HINDL, HIP and certain of their Affiliates) was converted into the right to receive one HESM Class A Share, (iii) the limited liability company interests in Merger Sub were converted into the right to receive 17,062,655 Common Units (the “Merger Sub Conversion”), (iv) New HESM GP LP contributed the non-economic general partner interest in HIP to the Partnership in exchange
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for two Common Units; (v) GIP contributed its 50% limited partner interest in HIP to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, in exchange for 114,876,309 Common Units and the right to receive approximately $300.9 million in cash; (vi) HINDL contributed its 49.9% limited partner interest in HIP and its 100% limited liability company interest HIP Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, which owns a 0.01% limited partner interest in HIP, to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, in exchange for 114,876,309 Common Units and the right to receive approximately $300.9 million in cash; and (vii) New HESM GP LP contributed 897,998 Subordinated Units, representing all of its Subordinated Units, and two Common Units, representing all of its Common Units, in each case, to the Public Company in exchange for, in the aggregate, 898,000 HESM Class A Shares.
(c) Except for the Capital Contributions made pursuant to Section 5.1(a) and (b), and for Capital Contributions required to be made by or on behalf of a Person acquiring Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests in connection with future issuances in accordance with Section 5.5, no Limited Partner will be required to make any additional Capital Contribution to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 5.2 Contributions by the General Partner. Upon the issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership (other than (a) any Units issued pursuant to the Restructuring Agreement and (b) any Units issued upon the conversion of any Partnership Interests), the General Partner may, in order to maintain the Percentage Interest with respect to its General Partner Interest, make additional Capital Contributions in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the quotient determined by dividing (A) the Percentage Interest with respect to the General Partner Interests immediately prior to the issuance of such additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership by (B) 100% less the Percentage Interest with respect to the General Partner Interest immediately prior to the issuance of such additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership times (ii) the gross amount contributed to the Partnership by the Limited Partners in exchange for such additional Limited Partner Interests.
Section 5.3 Interest and Withdrawal. No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions. Any such return shall be a compromise to which all Partners agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.
Section 5.4 Capital Accounts.
(a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of Partnership Interests held by a nominee, agent or representative in any case in which the nominee, agent or representative has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance
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with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a separate Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). Such Capital Account shall be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital Contributions made by the Partner with respect to such Partnership Interest and (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain computed in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1, and decreased by (x) the amount of cash or Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions of cash or property made to the Partner with respect to such Partnership Interest, provided that the Capital Account of a Partner shall not be reduced by the amount of any distributions made with respect to Restricted Units held by such Partner, and (y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1.
(b) For purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss or deduction that is to be allocated pursuant to Article VI and is to be reflected in the Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition and classification of any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition and classification for U.S. federal income tax purposes (including any method of depreciation, cost recovery or amortization used for that purpose), provided, that:
(i) Solely for purposes of this Section 5.4, the Partnership shall be treated as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner based upon the provisions of the applicable Group Member Agreement or governing, organizational or similar document) of all property owned by (A) any other Group Member that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and (B) any other partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes of which a Group Member is, directly or indirectly, a partner, member or other equity holder.
(ii) All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of (or to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted nor amortized under Section 709 of the Code, if any, shall, for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an item of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1.
(iii) The computation of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be made (x) except as otherwise provided in this Agreement and Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership, and (y) as to those items described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) or 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without regard to the fact that such items are not includable in gross income or are neither currently deductible nor capitalized for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
(iv) To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) of the Code (including pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.734-2(b)(1)) is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain or loss.
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(v) In the event the Carrying Value of Partnership property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(d), any Unrealized Gain resulting from such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain and any Unrealized Loss resulting from such adjustment shall be treated as an item of loss.
(vi) Any income, gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property as of such date of disposition were equal in amount to the property’s Carrying Value as of such date.
(vii) Any deductions for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any Contributed Property or Adjusted Property shall be determined under the rules prescribed by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d) as if the adjusted basis of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property.
(viii) The Gross Liability Value of each Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i) shall be adjusted at such times as provided in this Agreement for an adjustment to the Carrying Values of Partnership property. The amount of any such adjustment shall be treated for purposes hereof as an item of loss (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership) or an item of gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership).
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 5.4(c), a transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a Pro Rata portion of the Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership Interest so transferred.
(d) (i) Consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(h)(2), on an issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the issuance of a Noncompensatory Option or the issuance of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services (including upon the lapse of a “substantial risk of forfeiture” with respect to a Restricted Unit), the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property; provided, however, that in the event of the issuance of a Partnership Interest pursuant to the exercise of a Noncompensatory Option where the right to share in Partnership capital represented by such Partnership Interest differs from the consideration paid to acquire and exercise such option, the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately after the issuance of such Partnership Interest shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property and the Capital Accounts of the Partners shall be adjusted in a manner consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s); provided further, that in the event of an issuance of Partnership Interests for a de minimis amount of cash or Contributed Property, in the event of an issuance of a Noncompensatory Option to acquire a de minimis Partnership Interest or in the event of an issuance of a de minimis amount of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services, the General Partner may determine that such adjustments are unnecessary for the proper administration of the Partnership. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to the issuance of additional Partnership Interests (or, in the case of a Revaluation Event resulting from the exercise of a Noncompensatory
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Option, immediately after the issuance of the Partnership Interest acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Noncompensatory Option) shall be determined by the General Partner using such method of valuation as it may adopt. The General Partner may allocate such aggregate value among the individual properties of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines appropriate).
(ii) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately prior to any distribution to a Partner of any Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the Carrying Value of all Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of a distribution other than one made pursuant to Section 12.4, be determined in the same manner as that provided in Section 5.4(d)(i) or (B) in the case of a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 12.4, be determined by the Liquidator using such method of valuation as it may adopt.
Section 5.5 Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests.
(a) Subject to Sections 5.5(d) and 5.6, the Partnership may issue additional Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.
(b) Each additional Partnership Interest authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.5(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior to existing classes and series of Partnership Interests), as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including (i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) subject to Section 6.4(b), the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or shall be required to redeem the Partnership Interest; (v) whether such Partnership Interest is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Interest will be issued, evidenced by Certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Interest; and (viii) the right, if any, of each such Partnership Interest to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Interest.
(c) The General Partner shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 5.1 or this Section 5.5, (ii) reflecting admission of such additional Limited Partners in the Partnership Register and Exhibit B as the Record Holders of such Limited Partner Interests and (iii) all additional issuances of Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests. The General Partner shall determine the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or other Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests being so issued. The General Partner shall do all things necessary to comply with the
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Delaware Act and is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency.
(d) No additional Class A Units shall be issued to the Public Company except in any of the following cases: (i) except with respect to any issuance of Class A Units to the Public Company pursuant to Article XVI, an equivalent number of additional Class B Units are issued to all Limited Partners holding Class B Units in proportion to their respective Percentage Interests; (ii) (A) the additional Class A Units are issued in connection with an issuance of HESM Class A Shares and (B) the Public Company makes a Capital Contribution to the Partnership of the cash proceeds or other consideration received in connection with the issuance of such HESM Class A Shares; (iii) the additional Class A Units are issued to the Public Company in connection with an issuance of HESM Class A Shares pursuant to employee benefits plans authorized by the general partner of the Public Company; (iv) the additional Class A Units are issued upon the conversion, redemption or exchange of other securities issued by the Partnership; or (v) the additional Class A Units are issued pursuant to Section 5.6.
(e) No fractional Units shall be issued by the Partnership.
Section 5.6 Issuance of Class A Units by the Partnership. Except as set forth in Section 5.5(d), the Partnership shall not issue any additional Class A Units other than the issuance of Class A Units (a) pursuant to Article XVI, (b) pursuant to employee benefits plans authorized by the General Partner or (c) pursuant to a pro rata distribution (including any split or combination) of Units to all of the Limited Partners. In the event that the Public Company issues any additional HESM Class A Shares and contributes the net cash proceeds or other consideration received from the issuance thereof to the Partnership, or if the Public Company issues any additional HESM Class A Shares in connection with employee benefits plans authorized by the general partner of the Public Company, the Partnership is authorized to, and shall, issue a number of Class A Units equal to the number of HESM Class A Shares so issued without any further act, approval or vote of any Partner or any other Persons.
Section 5.7 Redemption, Repurchase or Forfeiture of HESM Class A Shares. If, at any time, any HESM Class A Shares are redeemed, repurchased or otherwise acquired (whether by exercise of a put or call, upon forfeiture of any award granted under any equity plan, automatically or by means of another arrangement) by the Public Company, then, substantially simultaneous with and conditioned upon such redemption, repurchase or acquisition of HESM Class A Shares, the Partnership shall redeem a number of Class A Units held by the Public Company equal to the number of HESM Class A Shares so redeemed, repurchased or acquired, such redemption, repurchase or acquisition to be upon the same terms and for the same price per Class A Unit as such HESM Class A Shares that are redeemed, repurchased or acquired.
Section 5.8 Issuance of HESM Class B Shares. In the event that the Partnership issues Class B Units to, or cancels, redeems, repurchases or otherwise acquires Class B Units held by, any Person other than the Public Company or the General Partner, the Public Company shall issue a corresponding number of HESM Class B Shares to such Person or cancel a corresponding number of HESM Class B Shares held by such Person such that the number of HESM Class B Shares held by such Person is equal to the number of Class B Units held by such Person.
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Section 5.9 Preemptive Right. Except as provided in Section 5.2 or as otherwise provided in a separate agreement by the Partnership, no Person shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any Partnership Interest, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created.
Section 5.10 Splits and Combinations.
(a) Subject to Section 5.10(e) and Section 6.5 (dealing with adjustments of distribution levels), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Interests to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests so long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis or stated as a number of Units are proportionately adjusted; provided, however, that the Partnership may not effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests described in this Section 5.10(a) unless the Public Company also effects an equivalent subdivision or combination.
(b) Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice (or such shorter periods as required by applicable law). The General Partner also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership Interests to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision or combination. The General Partner shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.
(c) If a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Interests, or a subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests, is made as contemplated in this Section 5.10, the number of hypothetical limited partner units representing the General Partner Interest constituting the Percentage Interest of the General Partner (as determined immediately prior to the Record Date for such distribution, subdivision or combination) shall be appropriately adjusted as of the date of payment of such distribution, or the effective date of such subdivision or combination, to maintain such Percentage Interest of the General Partner.
(d) Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the Partnership may issue Certificates or uncertificated Partnership Interests to the Record Holders of Partnership Interests as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Interests held by such Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect such changes. If any such combination results in a smaller total number of Partnership Interests Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of Partnership Interests represented by Certificates, the surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.
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(e) The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units (or fractional hypothetical limited partner units representing the General Partner Interest) upon any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional Units (and fractional hypothetical limited partner units representing the General Partner Interest) but for the provisions of Section 5.5(e) and this Section 5.10(e), each fractional Unit (and hypothetical limited partner unit) shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (or hypothetical limited partner unit), with fractional Units (or hypothetical limited partner units) equal to or greater than a 0.5 Unit (or hypothetical limited partner unit) being rounded to the next higher Unit (or hypothetical limited partner unit).
Section 5.11 Nature of Limited Partner Interests. All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Article V shall be validly issued, and, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware Act, recipients of such Limited Partner Interests will have (a) no obligation to make further payments for such Limited Partner Interests or contributions to the Partnership solely by reason of their ownership of such Limited Partner Interests, and (b) no personal liability for the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Partnership, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, solely by reason of being a Limited Partner.
Section 5.12 Deemed Capital Contributions. Consistent with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.83-6(d), if any Partner (or its successor) transfers property (including cash) to any employee or other service provider of the Partnership Group and such Partner is not entitled to be reimbursed by (or otherwise elects not to seek reimbursement from) the Partnership for the value of such property, then for tax purposes, (x) such property shall be treated as having been contributed to the Partnership by such Partner and (y) immediately thereafter the Partnership shall be treated as having transferred such property to the employee or other service provider.
Section 5.13 Recapitalization. Pursuant to this Agreement and the Restructuring Agreement, as of the Effective Time:
(a) each Common Unit held by the Public Company as of immediately following the Merger is hereby converted into a Class A Unit;
(b) each Common Unit held by GIP, HINDL or any HIP Entity (as defined in the Restructuring Agreement) as of immediately following the Merger is hereby converted into a Class B Unit;
(c) each Subordinated Unit held by the Public Company as of immediately following the Merger is hereby converted into a Class A Unit; and
(d) each Subordinated Unit held by GIP and HINDL as of immediately following the Merger is hereby converted into a Class B Unit.
ARTICLE VI
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes. For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of the Partners among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss and deduction (computed in accordance with Section 5.4(b)) for each
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taxable period shall be allocated among the Partners as provided herein below. As set forth in the definition of “Outstanding,” Restricted Units shall not be considered to be Outstanding Units for purposes of this Section 6.1 and references herein to Unitholders holding Units shall be to such Unitholders solely with respect to their Units other than Restricted Units.
(a) Net Income. Net Income for each taxable period (including a pro rata part of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Income for such taxable period) shall be allocated as follows:
(i) First, to the General Partner until the aggregate amount of Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(a)(i) for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate amount of Net Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all previous taxable periods;
(ii) Second, to the General Partner and the Unitholders to which Net Loss has been allocated in prior taxable periods pursuant to the first proviso provision of Section 6.1(b)(i), in proportion to the allocations of Net Loss made to them pursuant to the first proviso provision of Section 6.1(b)(i), until the aggregate amount of Net Income allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(a)(ii) for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate amount of Net Loss allocated pursuant to the first proviso provision of Section 6.1(b)(i) for all previous taxable periods; and
(iii) The balance, if any, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, and (y) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest.
(b) Net Loss. Net Loss for each taxable period (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Loss for such taxable period) shall be allocated as follows:
(i) First, to the General Partner and the Unitholders, Pro Rata; provided that Net Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i) to the extent that such allocation would cause the General Partner or any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account) and such Net Loss shall instead be allocated to the General Partner if it has a positive Adjusted Capital Account balance and Unitholders with positive Adjusted Capital Account balances in proportion to such positive balances; provided further, that for purposes of this Section 6.1(b)(i), the determination of whether the General Partner would have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account shall be made without regard to the General Partner’s obligation to restore a negative balance in its Capital Account pursuant to Section 12.8; and
(ii) The balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(c) Net Termination Gains and Losses. Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss occurring during a taxable period shall be allocated in the manner set forth in this Section 6.1(c). All allocations under this Section 6.1(c) shall be made after Capital Account balances have been adjusted by all other allocations provided under this Section 6.1 and after all
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distributions of Available Cash provided under Section 6.4(a) and Section 6.5 have been made; provided, however, that solely for purposes of this Section 6.1(c), Capital Accounts shall not be adjusted for distributions made pursuant to Section 12.4; provided further, that Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss attributable to (i) Liquidation Gain or Liquidation Loss shall be allocated on the last day of the taxable period during which such Liquidation Gain or Liquidation Loss occurred, (ii) Sale Gain or Sale Loss shall be allocated as of the time of the sale or disposition giving rise to such Sale Gain or Sale Loss and allocated to the Partners and (iii) Revaluation Gain or Revaluation Loss shall be allocated on the date of the Revaluation Event giving rise to such Revaluation Gain or Revaluation Loss.
(i) Except as provided in Section 6.1(c)(iv) and subject to the provisions set forth in the last sentence of this Section 6.1(c)(i), Net Termination Gain (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss, and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Gain) shall be allocated in the following order and priority:
(A) First, to each Partner having a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account, in the proportion that such deficit balance bears to the total deficit balances in the Adjusted Capital Accounts of all Partners, until each such Partner has been allocated Net Termination Gain equal to any such deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account;
(B) Second, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in respect of each Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price and (2) if the Net Termination Gain is attributable to Liquidation Gain, the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i) with respect to such Unit for such Quarter (the amount determined pursuant to this clause (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “Unpaid MQD”);
(C) Third, to the General Partner and all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) the Unpaid MQD and (3) the excess of (aa) the First Target Distribution less the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for each Quarter of the Partnership’s existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(ii) with respect to such Unit for such period (the sum of subclauses (1), (2) and (3) is hereinafter referred to as the “First Liquidation Target Amount”);
(D) Fourth, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 13% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (x) and (y) of this clause (D), until the Capital Account in respect of each Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the First Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Second Target Distribution less the First Target Distribution for each Quarter of the Partnership’s existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iii) with respect to such Unit for such period (the sum of subclauses (1) and (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “Second Liquidation Target Amount”);
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(E) Fifth, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 23% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (x) and (y) of this clause (E), until the Capital Account in respect of each Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the Second Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Third Target Distribution less the Second Target Distribution for each Quarter of the Partnership’s existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iv) with respect to such Unit for such period; and
(F) Finally, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 48% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (x) and (y) of this clause (F).
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions in this Section 6.1(c)(i), the General Partner may adjust the amount of any Net Termination Gain arising in connection with a Revaluation Event that is allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in a manner that will result (1) in the Capital Account for each Unit that is Outstanding prior to such Revaluation Event being equal to fair market value of such Unit, as determined by the General Partner, and (2) to the greatest extent possible, the Capital Account with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights that are Outstanding prior to such Revaluation Event being equal to the amount of Net Termination Gain that would be allocated to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(i) if (i) the Capital Accounts with respect to all Partnership Interests that were Outstanding immediately prior to such Revaluation Event were equal to zero and (ii) the aggregate Carrying Value of all Partnership property equaled the aggregate amount of all of the Partnership’s Liabilities.
(ii) Except as otherwise provided by Section 6.1(c)(iii) or Section 6.1(c)(iv), Net Termination Loss (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss, and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Loss) shall be allocated:
(A) First, to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in respect of each Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero; and
(B) Second, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(iii) Net Termination Loss attributable to Revaluation Loss and deemed recognized prior to the Liquidation Date shall be allocated:
(A) First, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in respect of each Unit then Outstanding equals the fair market value of such Unit, as determined by the General Partner; provided that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iii)(A) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account); and
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(B) The balance, if any, to the General Partner.
(iv) If (A) a Net Termination Loss has been allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(iii), (B) a Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss subsequently occurs (other than as a result of a Revaluation Event) and (C) after tentatively making all allocations of such Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss provided for in Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable, the Capital Account in respect of each Unit does not equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if Section 6.1(c)(iii) had not been part of this Agreement and all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable, then items of income, gain, loss and deduction included in such Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss, as applicable, shall be specially allocated to the General Partner and all Unitholders in a manner that will, to the maximum extent possible, cause the Capital Account in respect of each Unit to equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if all allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable.
(d) Special Allocations. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, the following special allocations shall be made for each taxable period:
(i) Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of gross income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) with respect to such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii)). This Section 6.1(d)(i) is intended to comply with the Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
(ii) Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other than Section 6.1(d)(i)), except as provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, any Partner with a share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable period shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor provisions. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of gross income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d), other than Section 6.1(d)(i) and other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii), with respect to such taxable period. This Section 6.1(d)(ii) is intended to comply with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
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(iii) Priority Allocations.
(A) If the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to Section 12.4) with respect to a Unit for a taxable period exceeds the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of property distributed with respect to another Unit for the same taxable period (the amount of the excess, an “Excess Distribution” and the Unit with respect to which the greater distribution is paid, an “Excess Distribution Unit”), then (1) there shall be allocated gross income and gain to each Unitholder receiving an Excess Distribution with respect to the Excess Distribution Unit until the aggregate amount of such items allocated with respect to such Excess Distribution Unit pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the amount of the Excess Distribution; and (2) the General Partner shall be allocated gross income and gain with respect to each such Excess Distribution in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (aa) the quotient determined by dividing (x) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest at the time when the Excess Distribution occurs by (y) a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest at the time when the Excess Distribution occurs, times (bb) the total amount allocated in clause (1) above with respect to such Excess Distribution.
(B) After the application of Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A), all or any portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for the taxable period, if any, shall be allocated (1) to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, until the aggregate amount of such items allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(B) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the cumulative amount of all Incentive Distributions made to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights from the IPO Closing Date to a date 45 days after the end of the current taxable period; and (2) to the General Partner an amount equal to the product of (aa) an amount equal to the quotient determined by dividing (x) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest by (y) the sum of 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest multiplied by (bb) the sum of the amounts allocated in clause (1) above.
(iv) Qualified Income Offset. In the event any Partner unexpectedly receives any adjustment, allocation or distribution described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Partnership gross income and gain shall be specially allocated to such Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in its Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations or distributions as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iv) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if this Section 6.1(d)(iv) were not in this Agreement.
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(v) Gross Income Allocation. In the event any Partner has a deficit balance in its Capital Account at the end of any taxable period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount such Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and (B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be specially allocated items of Partnership gross income and gain in the amount of such excess as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(v) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if Section 6.1(d)(iv) and this Section 6.1(d)(v) were not in this Agreement.
(vi) Nonrecourse Deductions. Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated to the Partners Pro Rata. If the General Partner determines that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions should be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically closest ratio that satisfies such requirements.
(vii) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions. Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to the Partner Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i). If more than one Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt, the Partner Nonrecourse Deductions attributable thereto shall be allocated between or among such Partners in accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of Loss.
(viii) Nonrecourse Liabilities. For purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess of the sum of (A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated first, to any Partner that contributed property to the Partnership in proportion to and to the extent of the amount by which each such Partner’s share of any Section 704(c) built-in gains exceeds such Partner’s share of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain, and second, among the Partners, Pro Rata; provided, however, that pursuant to Temporary Treasury Regulation Sections 1.707-5T(a)(2)(i), liabilities shall be allocated for the purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.707-5 in accordance with the Partners’ interests in the Partnership’s profits, as determined by the General Partner.
(ix) Certain Distributions Subject to Section 734(b). To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) of the Code (including pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.734-2(b)(1)) is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts as a result of a distribution to a Partner in complete liquidation of such Partner’s interest in the Partnership, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis) taken into account pursuant to Section 5.4, and such item of gain or loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury Regulations.
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(x) Economic Uniformity. For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof), the General Partner shall (1) adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (2) make special allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction, Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss; and (3) amend the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code. The General Partner may adopt such conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this Agreement as provided in this Section 6.1(d)(x) only if such conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests or the Partnership.
(xi) Curative Allocation.
(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, other than the Required Allocations, the General Partner shall take the Required Allocations into account in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of items of gross income, gain, loss and deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had the Required Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not otherwise been provided in this Section 6.1. In exercising its discretion under this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A), the General Partner may take into account future Required Allocations that, although not yet made, are likely to offset other Required Allocations previously made. Allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations will otherwise be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners.
(B) The General Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) in whatever order is most likely to minimize the economic distortions that might otherwise result from the Required Allocations, and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) among the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic distortions.
(xii) Corrective and Other Allocations. In the event of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items or a Net Termination Loss, the following rules shall apply:
(A) The General Partner shall allocate Additional Book Basis Derivative Items consisting of depreciation, amortization, depletion or any other form of cost recovery (other than Additional Book Basis Derivative Items included in Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) with respect to any Adjusted Property to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, and the General Partner in the same proportion as the Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss resulting from the Revaluation Event that gave rise to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items was allocated to them pursuant to Section 6.1(c).
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(B) If a sale or other taxable disposition of an Adjusted Property, including, for this purpose, inventory (“Disposed of Adjusted Property”) occurs other than in connection with an event giving rise to Sale Gain or Sale Loss, the General Partner shall allocate (1) items of gross income and gain (x) away from the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner and (y) to the Unitholders, or (2) items of deduction and loss (x) away from the Unitholders and (y) to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner, to the extent that the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to the Disposed of Adjusted Property (determined in accordance with the last sentence of the definition of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items) treated as having been allocated to the Unitholders pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B) exceed their Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to such Disposed of Adjusted Property. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B), the Unitholders shall be treated as having been allocated Additional Book Basis Derivative Items to the extent that such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items have reduced the amount of income that would otherwise have been allocated to the Unitholders under the Partnership Agreement (e.g., Additional Book Basis Derivative Items taken into account in computing cost of goods sold would reduce the amount of book income otherwise available for allocation among the Partners). Any allocation made pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B) shall be made after all of the other Agreed Allocations have been made as if this Section 6.1(d)(xii) were not in this Agreement and, to the extent necessary, shall require the reallocation of items that have been allocated pursuant to such other Agreed Allocations.
(C) Net Termination Loss in an amount equal to the lesser of (1) such Net Termination Loss and (2) the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments shall be allocated in such manner as is determined by the General Partner that, to the extent possible, the Capital Account balances of the Partners will equal the amount they would have been had no prior Book-Up Events occurred, and any remaining Net Termination Loss shall be allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c) hereof. In allocating Net Termination Loss pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(C), the General Partner shall attempt, to the extent possible, to cause the Capital Accounts of the Unitholders, on the one hand, and holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, on the other hand, to equal the amount they would equal if (i) the Carrying Values of the Partnership’s property had not been previously adjusted in connection with any prior Book-Up Events, (ii) Unrealized Gain and Unrealized Loss (or, in the case of a liquidation, Liquidation Gain or Liquidation Loss) with respect to such Partnership Property were determined with respect to such unadjusted Carrying Values, and (iii) any resulting Net Termination Gain had been allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, taking into account the provisions set forth in the last sentence of Section 6.1(c)(i)).
(D) In making the allocations required under this Section 6.1(d)(xii), the General Partner may apply whatever conventions or other methodology it determines will satisfy the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii). Without limiting the foregoing, if an Adjusted Property is contributed by the Partnership to another entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes (the “lower tier partnership”), the General Partner may make allocations similar to those described in Sections 6.1(d)(xii)(A), (B), and (C) to the extent the General Partner determines such allocations are necessary to account for the Partnership’s allocable share of income, gain, loss and deduction of the lower tier partnership that relate to the contributed Adjusted Property in a manner that is consistent with the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii).
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(xiii) Allocations Regarding Certain Payments Made to Employees and Other Service Providers. Consistent with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.83-6(d), if any Partner (or its successor) transfers property (including cash) to any employee or other service provider of the Partnership Group and such Partner is not entitled to be reimbursed by (or otherwise elects not to seek reimbursement from) the Partnership for the value of such property, then any items of deduction or loss resulting from or attributable to such transfer shall be allocated to the Partner (or its successor) that made such transfer and such Partner shall be deemed to have contributed such property to the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.13.
(e) Other Special Allocations. All GP Items shall be allocated to the Unitholders, Pro Rata.
(f) Allocations with Respect to Certain Indemnity and Reimbursement Obligations. To the extent that any amounts are withheld from distributions otherwise payable to an Existing Sponsor (as defined in the Omnibus Agreement) pursuant to Section 3.07 of the Omnibus Agreement, items of deduction and loss will be specially allocated to such Existing Sponsor in an amount equal to such withheld amount.
Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes.
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
(b) In an attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss, depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be allocated for U.S. federal income tax purposes among the Partners in the manner provided under Section 704(c) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code, as determined appropriate by the General Partner (taking into account the General Partner’s discretion under Section 6.1(d)(x)); provided, that in all events the General Partner shall apply the “remedial allocation method” in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d).
(c) The General Partner may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity of such property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6) or any successor regulations thereto. If the General Partner determines that such reporting position cannot reasonably be taken, the General Partner may adopt depreciation and amortization conventions under which all purchasers acquiring Limited Partner Interests in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in the Partnership’s property. If the General Partner chooses not to utilize such aggregate method, the General Partner may use any other depreciation and amortization conventions to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Limited Partner Interests, so long as such conventions would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the Record Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests.
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(d) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1245-1(e) and 1.1250-1(f), any gain allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable disposition of any Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after taking into account other required allocations of gain pursuant to this Section 6.2, be characterized as Recapture Income in the same proportions and to the same extent as such Partners (or their predecessors in interest) have been allocated any deductions directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains as Recapture Income.
(e) All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership; provided, however, that such allocations, once made, shall be adjusted (in the manner determined by the General Partner) to take into account those adjustments permitted or required by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.
(f) Allocations that would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the provisions of this Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of Limited Partner Interests held by a nominee, agent or representative in any case in which such nominee, agent or representative has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method determined by the General Partner.
(g) If, as a result of an exercise of a Noncompensatory Option, a Capital Account reallocation is required under Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s)(3), the General Partner shall make corrective allocations pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(x).
Section 6.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders.
(a) Within 45 days following the end of each Quarter, an amount equal to 100% of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be distributed in accordance with this Article VI by the Partnership to the Partners as of the Record Date selected by the General Partner. Additionally, Distributions of GP Available Cash may be made to the Unitholders from time to time on such date or dates as may be selected by the General Partner in accordance with Section 6.4(b). Distributions and redemption payments, if any, by the Partnership shall be subject to the Delaware Act, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 6.3(a) (but subject to the last sentence of Section 6.3(a)), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, all cash received during or after the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be applied and distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section 12.4.
(c) The General Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, or amounts withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the Partners, as a distribution of Available Cash to such Partners, as determined appropriate under the circumstances by the General Partner.
(d) Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or through any Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.
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Section 6.4 Distributions.
(a) Distributions of Available Cash. Available Cash with respect to any Quarter shall be distributed as follows, except as otherwise required in respect of additional Partnership Interests issued pursuant to Section 5.5(b):
(i) First, to the General Partner and all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
(ii) Second, to the General Partner and all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
(iii) Third, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 13% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (C) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (iii), until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;
(iv) Fourth, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 23% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (C) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (iv), until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and
(v) Thereafter, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 48% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (C) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (v).
(b) Distributions of GP Available Cash. GP Available Cash shall be distributed to all Unitholders, Pro Rata.
(c) Withholding of Distributions. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, in the event that any Unitholder, in its capacity as an Existing Sponsor (as defined in the Omnibus Agreement), is liable to any member of the Public Company Group (as defined in the Omnibus Agreement) in respect of any reimbursement obligation pursuant to Article III of the Omnibus Agreement, then, in accordance with Section 3.07 of the Omnibus Agreement, the Partnership shall be entitled to withhold from amounts otherwise distributable to such Unitholder pursuant to this Article VI such amounts as the Partnership is so entitled to withhold pursuant to Section 3.07 of the Omnibus Agreement.
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Section 6.5 Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels. The Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distributions shall be proportionately adjusted in the event of any distribution, combination or subdivision (whether effected by a distribution payable in Units or otherwise) of Units or other Partnership Interests in accordance with Section 5.10.
Section 6.6 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution Rights. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights (1) shall (x) possess the rights and obligations provided in this Agreement with respect to a Limited Partner pursuant to Article III and Article VII and (y) have a Capital Account as a Partner pursuant to Section 5.4 and all other provisions related thereto and (2) shall not (x) be entitled to vote on any matters requiring the approval or vote of the holders of Outstanding Units, except as provided by law, (y) be entitled to any distributions other than as provided in Sections 6.4(a)(iii), (iv) and (v), and Section 12.4 or (z) be allocated items of income, gain, loss or deduction other than as specified in this Article VI; provided, however, that for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing shall not preclude the Partnership from making any other payments or distributions in connection with other actions permitted by this Agreement.
ARTICLE VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
Section 7.1 Management.
(a) Subject to Section 7.14, the General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted to a general partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Section 7.3, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4, including the following:
(i) the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into or exchangeable for Partnership Interests, and the incurring of any other obligations;
(ii) the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership;
(iii) the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the merger or other combination of the Partnership with or into another Person (the matters described in this clause (iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.3 and Article XIV);
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(iv) the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership Group; the lending of funds to other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or guarantee of obligations of any Group Member; and the making of capital contributions to any Group Member;
(v) the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if the same results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case);
(vi) the distribution of cash held by the Partnership;
(vii) the selection and dismissal of officers, employees, agents, internal and outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;
(viii) the maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group, the Partners and Indemnitees;
(ix) the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of property and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other Persons (including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property to, any Group Member from time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.4;
(x) the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation;
(xi) the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;
(xii) the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Interests, or the issuance of Derivative Partnership Interests;
(xiii) the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in the management of any Group Member;
(xiv) the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to a Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the Partnership; and
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(xv) the undertaking of any action to effectuate the provisions of Section 14.3(f).
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each Record Holder and each other Person who may acquire an interest in a Partnership Interest or that is otherwise bound by this Agreement hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement and the Group Member Agreement of each other Group Member, the Restructuring Agreement, the IPO Underwriting Agreement, the Omnibus Agreement, the Contribution Agreement, the Secondment Agreement and the other agreements (A) described in or filed as exhibits to the IPO Registration Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the IPO Registration Statement and (B) related to the Restructuring Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) (in each case other than this Agreement, without giving effect to any amendments, supplements or restatements thereof entered into after the date such Person becomes bound by the provisions of this Agreement); (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or on behalf of the Partnership) is authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or contemplated by the IPO Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests or are otherwise bound by this Agreement; and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or of any duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise.
Section 7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership. The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the Delaware Act. The General Partner shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent the General Partner determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of Section 3.3(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.
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Section 7.3 Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority to Sell Assets of the Partnership Group.
Except as provided in Article XII and Article XIV, the General Partner may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination or sale of ownership interests of the Partnership’s Subsidiaries) without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority; provided, however, that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the assets of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance.
Section 7.4 Reimbursement of and Other Payments to the General Partner.
(a) Except as provided in this Section 7.4, and elsewhere in this Agreement or in the Omnibus Agreement or the Secondment Agreement, the General Partner (or the Delegate) shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member of any Group Member.
(b) Except as may be otherwise provided in the Omnibus Agreement or the Secondment Agreement, the General Partner (or the Delegate) shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the General Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services for the Partnership Group or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group), and (ii) all other expenses allocable to the Partnership Group or otherwise incurred by the General Partner or its Affiliates in connection with managing and operating the Partnership Group’s business and affairs (including expenses allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates). The General Partner shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.7. Any allocation of expenses to the Partnership by the General Partner (or the Delegate) in a manner consistent with its or its Affiliates’ past business practices shall be deemed to have been made in good faith.
(c) The General Partner and its Affiliates may charge any member of the Partnership Group a management fee to the extent necessary to allow the Partnership Group to reduce the amount of any state franchise or income tax or any tax based upon the revenues or gross margin of any member of the Partnership Group if the tax benefit produced by the payment of such management fee or fees exceeds the amount of such fee or fees.
(d) The General Partner and its Affiliates may enter into an agreement to provide services to any Group Member for a fee or otherwise than for cost.
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(e) In the event that (i) HESM Class A Shares are sold to underwriters in any public offering after the Effective Time, in each case, at a price per HESM Class A Share that is lower than the price per share for which such HESM Class A Shares are sold to the public in such public offering after taking into account underwriters’ discounts or commissions and brokers’ fees or commissions (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any deferred discounts or commissions and brokers’ fees or commissions payable in connection with or as a result of the Restructuring Closing) (such difference, the “Discount”) and (ii) the proceeds from such public offering are contributed to the Partnership, the Partnership shall reimburse the Public Company for such Discount by treating such Discount as an additional Capital Contribution made by the Public Company to the Partnership, issuing Class A Units in respect of such deemed Capital Contribution in accordance with Section 16.2, and increasing the Public Company’s Capital Account by the amount of such Discount.
Section 7.5 Outside Activities.
(a) The General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as a general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other partnership or limited liability company of which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner or member and to undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto (including being a Limited Partner in the Partnership) and (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general partner or managing member, if any, of one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the IPO Registration Statement, (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt securities or equity interests in any Group Member, (C) the guarantee of, and mortgage, pledge, or encumbrance of any or all of its assets in connection with, any indebtedness of any Group Member or (D) the performance of its obligations under the Omnibus Agreement.
(b) Each Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the business and activities of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to any Group Member or any Partner, provided that such Unrestricted Person does not engage in such business or activity using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership to such Unrestricted Person. None of any Group Member, any Limited Partner or any other Person shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, or the partnership relationship established hereby in any business ventures of any Unrestricted Person.
(c) Subject to the terms of Section 7.5(a) and Section 7.5(b), but otherwise notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the engaging in competitive activities by any Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.5 is hereby approved by the Partnership and all Partners, (ii) it shall be deemed not to be a breach of any duty or any other obligation of any type whatsoever of the General Partner or any other Unrestricted Person for the Unrestricted Persons (other than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership and (iii) the Unrestricted Persons shall have no obligation hereunder
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or as a result of any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to present business opportunities to the Partnership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or in equity, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to any Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner). No Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for the Partnership, shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Partnership, and such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) shall not be liable to the Partnership, to any Limited Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement for breach of any duty by reason of the fact that such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) pursues or acquires for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Partnership, provided that such Unrestricted Person does not engage in such business or activity using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership to such Unrestricted Person.
Section 7.6 Contracts with Affiliates.
The General Partner (or the Delegate) may itself, or may enter into an agreement with any of its Affiliates to, render services to any Group Member. Any service rendered to a Group Member by the General Partner (or the Delegate) or any of its Affiliates shall be on terms that are fair and reasonable to the Partnership as determined by the General Partner (or the Delegate); provided, however, that the requirements of this Section 7.6 shall be deemed satisfied as to any transaction the terms of which are no less favorable to the Group Member than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties. The provisions of Section 7.4 shall apply to the rendering of services described in this Section 7.6.
Section 7.7 Indemnification.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all threatened, pending or completed claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal and including appeals, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee and acting (or refraining to act) in such capacity on behalf of or for the benefit of the Partnership; provided, that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless pursuant to this Agreement if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in intentional fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; provided, further, no indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be available to any Affiliate of the General Partner (other than a Group Member), or to any other Indemnitee, with respect to any such Affiliate’s obligations pursuant to the Transaction Documents. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be made only out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.
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(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.7(a) in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7, the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized by this Section 7.7.
(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 7.7 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under this Agreement or any other agreement, pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law, in equity or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity (including any capacity under the IPO Underwriting Agreement), and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns, executors and administrators of the Indemnitee.
(d) The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner, its Affiliates and such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against, or expense that may be incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.
(e) For purposes of this Section 7.7, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.7(a); and action taken or omitted by it with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.
(f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.
(g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 7.7 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.
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(h) The provisions of this Section 7.7 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees and their heirs, successors, assigns, executors and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.
(i) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.7 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.7 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.
Section 7.8 Liability of Indemnitees.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partners, or any other Persons who are bound by this Agreement for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in intentional fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(b) The General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner in good faith.
(c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership, to the Partners or to any such other Persons who are bound by this Agreement, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Partnership or to any Partner or to any other Persons who are bound by this Agreement for its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.
(d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.
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Section 7.9 Standards of Conduct; Resolution of Conflicts of Interest and Replacement of Duties.
(a) Whenever the General Partner (or the Delegate) makes a determination or takes or declines to take any action, or any Affiliate of the General Partner (or the Delegate) causes the General Partner (or the Delegate) to do so, in its capacity as the general partner (or as a delegate of the General Partner) of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless a lesser standard is provided for in this Agreement, or the determination, action or omission has been approved as provided in Section 7.9(b), the General Partner (or the Delegate), or such Affiliate causing it to do so, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such action in good faith. Whenever any Affiliate of the General Partner (or the Delegate) makes a determination or takes or declines to take any action, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless a lesser standard is provided for in this Agreement or the determination, action or omission has been approved as provided in Section 7.9(b), such Affiliate of the General Partner (or the Delegate) shall make such determination or take or decline to take such action in good faith. The foregoing and other lesser standards governing any determination, action or omission provided for in this Agreement are the sole and exclusive standards governing any such determinations, actions and omissions of the General Partner (or the Delegate) and any Affiliate of the General Partner (or the Delegate), and no such Person shall be subject to any fiduciary duty or other duty or obligation, or any other, different or higher standard (all of which duties, obligations and standards are hereby eliminated, waived and disclaimed), under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. Any such determination, action or omission by the General Partner (or the Delegate) or any Affiliate of the General Partner (or the Delegate) will for all purposes be presumed to have been in good faith. In any proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Partnership, any Limited Partner or any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement challenging such determination, action or omission, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of proving that such determination, action or omission was not in good faith. In order for a determination or the taking or declining to take an action to be in “good faith” for purposes of this Agreement, the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such action must subjectively believe that the determination or other action is in the best interests of the Partnership. In making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action, such Person or Persons may take into account the totality of the circumstances or the totality of the relationships between the parties involved, including other relationships or transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership.
(b) Unless a lesser standard is otherwise provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner (or the Delegate) or any of its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, on the other hand, any resolution or course of action by the General Partner (or the Delegate) or their Affiliates in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any agreement contemplated herein or therein or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is approved by a Unit Majority.
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(c) Whenever the General Partner (or the Delegate) makes a determination or takes or declines to take any action, or any Affiliate of the General Partner (or the Delegate) causes the General Partner (or the Delegate) to do so, in its individual capacity as opposed to in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership (or the delegate of the general partner of the Partnership), whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then (i) the General Partner (or the Delegate), or the Affiliate causing it to do so, is entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination or to take or decline to take such action free of any duty (including any fiduciary duty) or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner, any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement, (ii) the General Partner (or the Delegate), or such Affiliate causing it to do so, shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity and (iii) the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such action shall be permitted to do so in their sole and absolute discretion. By way of illustration and not of limitation, whenever the phrases “at its option,” “its sole and absolute discretion” or some variation of those phrases, are used in this Agreement, they indicate that the General Partner (or the Delegate) is acting in its individual capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner (or the Delegate) votes or transfers its Partnership Interests, or refrains from voting or transferring its Partnership Interests, it shall be acting in its individual capacity.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the General Partner, the Delegate and their respective Affiliates shall have no duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or otherwise dispose of, or approve the sale or disposition of, any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the ordinary course of business or (ii) permit any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner, the Delegate and their respective Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with such use. Any determination by either the General Partner, the Delegate or any of their respective Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall, in each case, be at its option.
(e) The Limited Partners, any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and any other Person bound by this Agreement hereby authorize the General Partner (and the Delegate), on behalf of the Partnership as a general partner or member of a Group Member (or delegate thereof), to approve actions by the general partner or member of such Group Member similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the General Partner pursuant to this Section 7.9.
(f) For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the Board of Directors, any member of the Board of Directors, any committee of the Board of Directors (including the Conflicts Committee) and any member of any such committee, the officers of the General Partner, the Delegate or any of their respective Affiliates (including any Person making a determination or acting for or on behalf of such Affiliate of the General Partner or the Delegate) make a determination on behalf of or recommendation to the General Partner (or the Delegate), or cause the General Partner (or the Delegate) to take or omit to take any action, whether in the General Partner’s (or the Delegate’s) capacity as the general partner of the Partnership (or the delegate of the general partner of the Partnership) or in its individual capacity, the standards of care applicable
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to the General Partner (and the Delegate) shall apply to such Persons, and such Persons shall be entitled to all benefits and rights (but not the obligations) of the General Partner (and the Delegate) hereunder, including eliminations, waivers and modifications of duties (including any fiduciary duties) to the Partnership, any of its Partners or any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person bound by this Agreement, and the protections and presumptions set forth in this Agreement.
Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner and Other Indemnitees.
(a) The General Partner (or the Delegate) and any other Indemnitee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
(b) The General Partner (or the Delegate) and any other Indemnitee may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisors selected by it, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the advice or opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner (or the Delegate) or such Indemnitee, respectively, reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been taken or omitted to be taken in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.
(c) The General Partner (or the Delegate) shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership or any Group Member.
Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests. The General Partner may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests. As long as Partnership Interests are held by any Group Member, such Partnership Interests shall not be considered Outstanding for any purpose, except as otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner may also purchase or otherwise acquire and sell or otherwise dispose of Partnership Interests for its own account, subject to the provisions of Articles IV and X.
Section 7.12 Reliance by Third Parties. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner and any officer or representative of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such officer or representative as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner or any such officer or representative in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with the
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General Partner or any such officer or representative be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the General Partner or any such officer or representative. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner or such officer or representative shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.
Section 7.13 Replacement of Fiduciary Duties. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that, at law or in equity, the General Partner (or the Delegate) or any other Indemnitee would have duties (including fiduciary duties) to the Partnership, to another Partner, to any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or to any other Person bound by this Agreement, all such duties (including fiduciary duties) are hereby eliminated, to the fullest extent permitted by law, and replaced with the duties or standards expressly set forth herein. The elimination of duties (including fiduciary duties) to the Partnership, each of the Partners, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement and replacement thereof with the duties or standards expressly set forth herein are approved by the Partnership, each of the Partners, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement.
Section 7.14 Delegation of General Partner’s Management Powers.
(a) Pursuant to Section 7.6 and Article XV of this Agreement and in accordance with Section 17-403(c) of the Delaware Act, the General Partner may delegate its management powers to any other Person (the “Delegate”) in accordance with Article XV or as may be approved by the Board of Directors, the Conflicts Committee and a Unit Majority; provided, however, that the making of any such delegation shall not cause the General Partner to cease to be the general partner of the Partnership; and provided further, that the General Partner shall not be relieved of any of its responsibilities or obligations to the Partnership or the Limited Partners as a result of any such delegation. The General Partner shall retain all of its Partnership Interest, Percentage Interest, rights to Incentive Distributions (to the extent the General Partner continues to hold Incentive Distribution Rights), rights to allocations of Net Income, and rights to distributions pursuant to Sections 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 and 12.4.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, and except to the extent otherwise provided in Article XV, until such date as any such delegation is terminated, the provisions of this Agreement that apply to the management and control of the Partnership, including, without limitation, Sections 2.7, 7.1, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.9, 7.10, 7.11, 7.12 and 7.13, shall apply to the Delegate to the same extent as such provisions apply to the General Partner.
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(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the provisions of Sections 7.7 and 7.8 of this Agreement shall apply to the Delegate and any Person who is or was a manager, officer or director of the Delegate to the same extent as such provisions apply to the General Partner and any Person who is or was an officer or director of the General Partner.
ARTICLE VIII
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
Section 8.1 Records and Accounting. The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including all books and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.3(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the Partnership Register, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device, provided that the books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Partnership shall not be required to keep books maintained on a cash basis and the General Partner shall be permitted to calculate cash-based measures by making such adjustments to its accrual basis books to account for non-cash items and other adjustments as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
Section 8.2 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December 31.
ARTICLE IX
TAX MATTERS
Section 9.1 Tax Returns and Information. The Partnership shall timely file all returns of the Partnership that are required for federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the accrual method and the taxable period or year that it is required by law to adopt, from time to time, as determined by the General Partner. In the event the Partnership is required to use a taxable period other than a year ending on December 31, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to change the taxable period of the Partnership to a year ending on December 31. The tax information reasonably required by Record Holders for federal, state and local income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable period shall be furnished to them within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership’s taxable period ends. The classification, realization and recognition of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the accrual method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Section 9.2 Tax Elections.
(a) The Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance with applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation of the right to seek to revoke any such election upon the General Partner’s determination that such revocation is in the best interests of the Limited Partners.
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(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine whether the Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.
Section 9.3 Tax Controversies. Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated as the “tax matters partner” (as defined in Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code) and is authorized and required to represent the Partnership (at the Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. Each Partner agrees to cooperate with the General Partner and to do or refrain from doing any or all things reasonably required by the General Partner to conduct such proceedings. Each Partner agrees that notice of or updates regarding tax controversies shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made by the Tax Matters Partner if the Partnership has either (a) filed the information for which notice is required with the Commission via its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system and such information is publicly available on such system or (b) made the information for which notice is required available on any publicly available website maintained by the Partnership, whether or not such Partner remains a Partner in the Partnership at the time such information is made publicly available.
With respect to tax returns filed for taxable years beginning on or after December 31, 2017, the General Partner (or its designee) will be designated as the “partnership representative” in accordance with the rules prescribed pursuant to Section 6223 of the Code and shall have the sole authority to act on behalf of the Partnership in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. The General Partner (or its designee) shall exercise, in its sole discretion, any and all authority of the “partnership representative” under the Code, including, without limitation, (i) binding the Partnership and its Partners with respect to tax matters and (ii) determining whether to make any available election under Section 6226 of the Code. The General Partner shall amend the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations implementing the partnership audit, assessment and collection rules adopted by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, including any amendments to those rules.
Section 9.4 Withholding; Tax Payments.
(a) The General Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, all or less than all of the Partners, either as a distribution of cash to such Partners or as a general expense of the Partnership, as determined appropriate under the circumstances by the General Partner.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other federal, state or local law including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code. To the extent that the Partnership is required or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the allocation or distribution of income or from a distribution to any Partner (including by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the General Partner may treat the amount withheld as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 6.3 or Section 12.4(c) in the amount of such withholding from such Partner.
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ARTICLE X
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
Section 10.1 Admission of Limited Partners.
(a) Without the consent of any other Person, the General Partner shall have the right to admit as a Limited Partner any Person who acquires a Limited Partner Interest, or any part thereof, from a Limited Partner or from the Partnership. Concurrently with the admission of such Limited Partner, the General Partner shall forthwith (a) amend Exhibit B hereto to reflect the name and address of such new Limited Partner and to eliminate or modify, as applicable, the name and address of the transferring Limited Partner with regard to the transferred Units and (b) cause any necessary papers to be filed and recorded and notice to be given wherever and to the extent required showing the substitution of a transferee as a Limited Partner in place of the transferring Limited Partner, or the admission of a Limited Partner, in each case, at the expense, including payment of any professional and filing fees incurred, of such Limited Partner.
(b) Upon receiving Common Units pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Public Company was admitted as a Limited Partner.
Section 10.2 Conditions and Limitations. The admission of any Person as a Limited Partner shall be conditioned upon such Person’s written acceptance and adoption of all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by execution and delivery of an Adoption Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C or such other written instrument(s) in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership.
Section 10.3 Admission of Successor General Partner. A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to (a) the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or (b) the transfer of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6; provided, however, that no such successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such successor is hereby authorized to and shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.
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ARTICLE XI
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner.
(a) The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “Event of Withdrawal”):
(i) The General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written notice to the other Partners;
(ii) The General Partner transfers all of its General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6;
(iii) The General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;
(iv) The General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A) through (C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;
(v) A final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner; or
(vi) (A) if the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation; (B) if the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) if the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) if the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E) otherwise upon the termination of the General Partner.
If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi)(A), (B), (C) or (E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall the Maximum Permitted Delegation pursuant to Article XV be deemed an Event of Withdrawal.
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Section 11.2 Removal of the General Partner. The General Partner may not be removed unless such removal is both (i) for Cause and (ii) approved by the Public Company and the Unitholders holding at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class. Any action by the Public Company and such holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the Public Company and Unitholders holding a Unit Majority. Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.3. The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.3, automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.3.
Section 11.3 Withdrawal of Limited Partners. No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided, however, that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.
ARTICLE XII
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
Section 12.1 Dissolution. The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected pursuant to Section 11.1, Section 11.2 or Section 12.2, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and such successor General Partner shall continue the business of the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 12.2) its affairs shall be wound up, upon:
(a) an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.3;
(b) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by the Public Company and the holders of a Unit Majority;
(c) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act; or
(d) at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act.
Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution. Upon (a) dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)(i) or (iii) and a failure of the Unitholders to select a successor to such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or
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Section 11.2, then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 90 days thereafter, or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the Public Company and the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If such an election is so made, then:
(i) the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in accordance with this Article XII;
(ii) if the successor General Partner is not the Departing General Partner, then the interest of the Departing General Partner shall be treated in the manner provided in Section 11.3; and
(iii) the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be bound by this Agreement;
provided, however, that the right of the Public Company and the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x) the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act and (y) neither the Partnership nor any Group Member would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).
Section 12.3 Liquidator. Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2, the General Partner (or in the event of dissolution pursuant to Section 12.1(a), the holders of a Unit Majority) shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by holders of at least a Unit Majority. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by holders of at least a Unit Majority. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by holders of at least a Unit Majority. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.3) necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.
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Section 12.4 Liquidation. The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, satisfy its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act and the following:
(a) The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree. If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to its fair market value; and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.
(b) Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3) and amounts to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article VI. With respect to any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.
(c) All property and all cash in excess of that required to satisfy liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Partners in accordance with, and to the extent of, the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments (other than those made by reason of distributions pursuant to this Section 12.4(c)) for the taxable period of the Partnership during which the liquidation of the Partnership occurs (with such date of occurrence being determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)), and such distribution shall be made by the end of such taxable period (or, if later, within 90 days after said date of such occurrence).
Section 12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership. Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.
Section 12.6 Return of Contributions. The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.
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Section 12.7 Waiver of Partition. To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.
Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration. No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of the Partnership. The General Partner shall be obligated to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of its interest in the Partnership by the end of the taxable period of the Partnership during which such liquidation occurs, or, if later, within 90 days after the date of such liquidation.
ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
Section 13.1 Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner. Each Limited Partner agrees that the General Partner, without the approval of any Limited Partner, may amend any provision of this Agreement and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:
(a) a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal place of business of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the Partnership;
(b) admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this Agreement;
(c) a change that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that the Group Members will not be treated as associations taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
(d) a change that the General Partner determines, (i) does not adversely affect the Limited Partners considered as a whole or any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests in any material respect (except as permitted by subsection (g) of this Section 13.1), (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act), (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.10 or (iv) is required to effect the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;
(e) a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and any other changes that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership including, if the General Partner shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which distributions are to be made by the Partnership;
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(f) an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership, or the General Partner or its (or, if the General Partner is a limited partnership, its general partner’s) directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;
(g) an amendment that (i) sets forth the designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties of any class or series of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests issued pursuant to Section 5.5, (ii) the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate or advisable in connection with the authorization or issuance of any class or series of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 5.5 or (iii) at any time when all of the Incentive Distribution Rights are directly or indirectly owned by the General Partner or the Partnership, eliminates or modifies the rights and obligations of the Incentive Distribution Rights, provided that any such modification does not adversely affect the rights and obligations of any class or series of Units;
(h) any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General Partner acting alone;
(i) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion approved in accordance with Section 14.3;
(j) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section 2.4 or Section 7.1(a);
(k) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with a merger, conveyance, conversion or other transaction or action pursuant to Section 14.3(d), Section 14.3(e) or Section 14.3(f); or
(l) any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.
Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures. Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve any amendment to this Agreement and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement, and, in declining to propose or approve an amendment to this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in determining whether to propose or approve any amendment to this Agreement shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion. An amendment to this Agreement shall be effective upon its approval by the General
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Partner and, except as otherwise provided by Section 13.1 or Section 13.3, the holders of a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage of Outstanding Units is required under this Agreement. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the General Partner shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Units or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. The General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any amendments.
Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units required to take any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of (i) in the case of any provision of this Agreement other than Section 11.2 or Section 13.4, reducing such percentage or (ii) in the case of Section 11.2 or Section 13.4, increasing such percentages, unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute (x) in the case of a reduction as described in subclause (a)(i) hereof, not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced, (y) in the case of an increase in the percentage in Section 11.2, not less than 90% of the Outstanding Units, or (z) in the case of an increase in the percentage in Section 13.4, not less than a majority of the Outstanding Units.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no amendment to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c) or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates without the General Partner’s consent, which consent may be given or withheld at its option.
(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3, and without limitation of the General Partner’s authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of any Limited Partners as contemplated in Section 13.1, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of the class affected.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(f), no amendments shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner under applicable partnership law of the state under whose laws the Partnership is organized.
(e) Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units.
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Section 13.4 Special Meetings. All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Within a reasonable amount of time after calling, or receiving a call, for a special meeting, the General Partner shall send or cause to be sent a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners. A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the time notice of the meeting is given as provided in Section 17.1. Limited Partners shall not be permitted to vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business. If any such vote were to take place, to the fullest extent permitted by law, it shall be deemed null and void to the extent necessary so as not to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.
Section 13.5 Notice of a Meeting. Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record Holders of the class or classes of Units for which a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section 17.1.
Section 13.6 Record Date. For purposes of determining the Limited Partners who are Record Holders of the class or classes of Limited Partner Interests entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 13.11, the General Partner shall set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting or (b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the date by which such Limited Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to give such approvals.
Section 13.7 Postponement and Adjournment. Prior to the date upon which any meeting of Limited Partners is to be held, the General Partner may postpone such meeting one or more times for any reason by giving notice to each Limited Partner entitled to vote at the meeting so postponed of the place, date and hour at which such meeting would be held. Such notice shall be given not fewer than two days before the date of such meeting and otherwise in accordance with this Article XIII. When a meeting is postponed, a new Record Date need not be fixed unless such postponement shall be for more than 45 days. Any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner one or more times for any reason, including the failure of a quorum to be present at the meeting with respect to any proposal or the failure of any proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval. No Limited Partner vote shall be required for any adjournment. A meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner as to one or more proposals regardless of whether action has been taken on other matters. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XIII.
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Section 13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting. The transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened; and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove of any matters submitted for consideration or to object to the failure to submit for consideration any matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included, if such objection is expressly made at the beginning of the meeting.
Section 13.9 Quorum and Voting. Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement or required by applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Partnership or its Partnership Interests, the presence, in person or by proxy, of holders of a majority in voting power of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner) entitled to vote at the meeting shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes. Abstentions and broker non-votes in respect of such Units shall be deemed to be Units present at such meeting for purposes of establishing a quorum. For all matters presented to the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units at a meeting at which a quorum is present for which no minimum or other vote of Limited Partners is required by any other provision of this Agreement, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Partnership or its Partnership Interests, a majority of the votes cast by the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners (with abstentions and broker non-votes being deemed to not have been cast with respect to such matter). On any matter where a minimum or other vote of Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units is provided by any other provision of this Agreement, or required by applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Partnership or its Partnership Interests, such minimum or other vote shall be the vote of Limited Partners required to approve such matter (with the effect of abstentions and broker non-votes to be determined based on the vote of Limited Partners required to approve such matter; provided that if the effect of abstentions and broker non-votes is not specified by such applicable rule, regulation or law, and there is no prevailing interpretation of such effect, then abstentions and broker non-votes shall be deemed to not have been cast with respect to such matter; provided further, that, for the avoidance of doubt, with respect to any matter on which this Agreement requires the approval of a specified percentage of the Outstanding Units, abstentions and broker non-votes shall be counted as votes against such matter). The Limited Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum has been established may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the exit of enough Limited Partners to leave less than a quorum.
Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting. The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall designate a Person to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the General
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Partner. The General Partner may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the submission and revocation of approvals in writing.
Section 13.11 Action Without a Meeting. If authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Outstanding Units held by such Limited Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Outstanding Units that were not voted. If approval of the taking of any permitted action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner, (b) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date sufficient approvals are first deposited with the Partnership and (c) an Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the General Partner to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.
Section 13.12 Right to Vote and Related Matters.
(a) Only those Record Holders of the Outstanding Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 (and also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of “Outstanding”) shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such Outstanding Units.
(b) With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person that is the Record Holder (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), such Record Holder shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume such Record Holder is so acting without further inquiry. The provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.4.
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(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Record Holder of an Incentive Distribution Right shall not be entitled to vote such Incentive Distribution Right on any Partnership matter.
ARTICLE XIV
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION
Section 14.1 Authority. The Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general (including a limited liability partnership) or limited (including a limited liability limited partnership)) or convert into any such entity, whether such entity is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America or any other country, pursuant to a written plan of merger or consolidation (“Merger Agreement”) or a written plan of conversion (“Plan of Conversion”), as the case may be, in accordance with this Article XIV.
Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.
(a) Merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV requires the prior consent of the General Partner; provided, however, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to consent to a merger, consolidation or conversion, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in determining whether to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion.
(b) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation, the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:
(i) the name and state or country of domicile of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;
(ii) the name and state of domicile of the business entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “Surviving Business Entity”);
(iii) the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;
(iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity interests of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (A) if any general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations
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of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such general or limited partner interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (B) in the case of equity interests represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;
(v) a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership, operating agreement or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;
(vi) the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement (provided, however, that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated therein); and
(vii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
(c) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the conversion, the General Partner shall approve the Plan of Conversion, which shall set forth:
(i) the name of the converting entity and the converted entity;
(ii) a statement that the Partnership is continuing its existence in the organizational form of the converted entity;
(iii) a statement as to the type of entity that the converted entity is to be and the state or country under the laws of which the converted entity is to be incorporated, formed or organized;
(iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity interests of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the converted entity;
(v) in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership;
(vi) in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership, articles of incorporation, or other organizational documents of the converted entity;
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(vii) the effective time of the conversion, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of conversion or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Plan of Conversion (provided, that if the effective time of the conversion is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of conversion, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of conversion and stated therein); and
(viii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed conversion that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners.
(a) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e), the General Partner, upon its approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall direct that the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as applicable, be submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent, in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article XIII. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the written consent and, no other disclosure regarding the proposed merger, consolidation or conversion shall be required.
(b) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a Unit Majority unless the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, effects an amendment to any provision of this Agreement that, if contained in an amendment to this Agreement adopted pursuant to Article XIII, would require for its approval the vote or consent of a greater percentage of the Outstanding Units or of any class of Limited Partners, in which case such greater percentage vote or consent shall be required for approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.
(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e), after such approval by vote or consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate of merger or certificate of conversion pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger, consolidation or conversion may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.
(d) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity that shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives from the Partnership or other Group Member if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the conversion, merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of limited liability under the laws of the jurisdiction governing the other limited liability entity (if that jurisdiction is not Delaware) of any Limited Partner as compared to its limited liability under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the
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primary purpose of such conversion, merger, or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the General Partner determines that the governing instruments of the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with substantially similar rights and obligations to the rights and obligations that are herein contained.
(e) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is further permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into another limited liability entity if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner under the laws of the jurisdiction governing the other limited liability entity (if that jurisdiction is not Delaware) as compared to its limited liability under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to this Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (iii) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each Unit Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Unit of the Partnership after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (v) the number of Partnership Interests to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation does not exceed 20% of the Partnership Interests (other than Incentive Distribution Rights) Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.
(f) Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with this Article XIV may (i) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (ii) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for the Partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.3 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.
Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion. Upon the required approval by the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, a certificate of merger or certificate of conversion or other filing, as applicable, shall be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or the appropriate filing office of any other jurisdiction, as applicable, in conformity with the requirements of the Delaware Act or other applicable law.
Section 14.5 Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.
(a) At the effective time of the merger or consolidation:
(i) all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of action belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each constituent business entity;
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(ii) the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the merger or consolidation;
(iii) all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and
(iv) all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.
(b) At the effective time of the conversion:
(i) the Partnership shall continue to exist, without interruption, but in the organizational form of the converted entity rather than in its prior organizational form;
(ii) all rights, title, and interests to all real estate and other property owned by the Partnership shall continue to be owned by the converted entity in its new organizational form without reversion or impairment, without further act or deed, and without any transfer or assignment having occurred, but subject to any existing liens or other encumbrances thereon;
(iii) all liabilities and obligations of the Partnership shall continue to be liabilities and obligations of the converted entity in its new organizational form without impairment or diminution by reason of the conversion;
(iv) all rights of creditors or other parties with respect to or against the prior interest holders or other owners of the Partnership in their capacities as such in existence as of the effective time of the conversion will continue in existence as to those liabilities and obligations and may be pursued by such creditors and obligees as if the conversion did not occur;
(v) a proceeding pending by or against the Partnership or by or against any of Partners in their capacities as such may be continued by or against the converted entity in its new organizational form and by or against the prior Partners without any need for substitution of parties; and
(vi) the Partnership Interests that are to be converted into partnership interests, shares, evidences of ownership or other securities in the converted entity as provided in the Plan of Conversion shall be so converted, and Partners shall be entitled only to the rights provided in the Plan of Conversion.
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ARTICLE XV
DELEGATION OF CONTROL
Section 15.1 Delegation of Control.
(a) The General Partner hereby irrevocably delegates to the Public Company, to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law, all of the General Partner’s power and authority to manage and control the business and affairs of the Partnership, and the Public Company shall be deemed to be the Delegate for all purposes of this Agreement (such delegation, the “Maximum Permitted Delegation”), subject to Section 15.13 and Section 15.14, and all provisions in this Article XV are qualified to the extent required in order for all such provisions to be consistent, now and in the future, with the Maximum Permitted Delegation.
(b) If the power and/or authority of the General Partner are modified pursuant to changes in Delaware law or otherwise, then the power and authority delegated to the Public Company shall be modified on the same basis.
(c) Notwithstanding the delegation provided for in Section 15.1(a), GP LP shall not be deemed to have withdrawn as the General Partner or otherwise, and GP LP is retaining all of its Partnership Interests and Percentage Interests and all of its rights to profits, losses, distributions and allocations from the Partnership, and none of the foregoing are hereby being assigned or transferred to the Public Company.
Section 15.2 Continued Responsibility of the General Partner. Notwithstanding the General Partner’s Maximum Permitted Delegation to the Public Company:
(a) the General Partner shall remain responsible to the Partnership for actions taken or omitted to be taken by the Public Company within the scope of such delegation as if the General Partner had itself taken or omitted to take any such actions;
(b) the General Partner’s responsibility to the Partnership is not expanded or limited by this Article XV and shall be in effect to the same extent and on the same terms and conditions as specified elsewhere in this Agreement and under Delaware law;
(c) the General Partner shall be entitled to monitor the Public Company’s performance of managing and controlling the business and affairs of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XV and shall have the right and power to direct the Public Company to take, or to cease from taking, any action that would constitute a breach of this Agreement; and
(d) the General Partner shall have access to the books, records and documents of the Partnership and the Public Company and to any of their officers, directors and employees to monitor the Public Company’s performance managing and controlling the business and affairs of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XV.
Section 15.3 Acceptance of Delegation by the Public Company. The Public Company hereby accepts the Maximum Permitted Delegation and agrees to perform the Maximum Permitted Delegation according to the standards specified in Section 15.6.
Section 15.4 Approval by the General Partner. Without expanding or limiting the scope of the Maximum Permitted Delegation, the taking by the Public Company of the following actions shall require the prior written approval of the General Partner:
(i) amending or proposing an amendment to this Agreement;
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(ii) approving any merger, conversion or consolidation involving the Partnership;
(iii) approving any sale or exchange of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership; or
(iv) dissolving or liquidating the Partnership.
Section 15.5 Use of Affiliates.
(a) The Public Company may perform any part of the Maximum Permitted Delegation through one or more of its Affiliates acting as the Public Company’s agent. If the Public Company performs any part of the Maximum Permitted Delegation through any of its Affiliates, (i) any such Affiliate shall perform such part of the Maximum Permitted Delegation as the Public Company’s agent and, as such, the Public Company shall retain ultimate authority over the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership, (ii) the Public Company shall remain fully responsible for actions taken or omitted by the Affiliate and (iii) for purposes of this Article XV, the Public Company and all such Affiliates shall be taken together and treated as the Public Company.
(b) Without limiting the generality of Section 15.4, Hess’ provision of services to the Partnership Group pursuant to the Omnibus Agreement and the Secondment Agreement is hereby agreed to and approved.
Section 15.6 Standards of Performance.
(a) In performing the Maximum Permitted Delegation, the Public Company shall be responsible to the Partners and the Partnership to the same extent and according to the same standards as would have been applicable to the General Partner in favor of the Partnership and the Partners had the General Partner continued to exercise the delegated power and authority directly. The Public Company shall owe the same duties and responsibilities, shall receive the same benefits, shall be entitled to the same procedural protections and indemnifications and shall be governed by the same standards that would apply to the General Partner with respect to the Partnership, the Partners and any other Persons party hereto or bound hereby, but for this Article XV.
(b) Without limiting the generality of Section 15.6(a), Sections 7.7, 7.8, 7.9 and 7.10 shall be applicable to the Public Company’s performance of the Maximum Permitted Delegation.
Section 15.7 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest. Without limiting the generality of Section 15.6(a), all potential and actual conflicts of interest that exist or arise between the General Partner, the Public Company and any of their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any of its Subsidiaries or any Limited Partner, on the other hand, shall be resolved in accordance with Section 7.9.
Section 15.8 Reliance on Counsel, etc.. Without limiting the generality of Section 15.6(a), the Public Company may rely on Section 7.10 to the same extent as the General Partner, and third parties dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the Public Company has the full power and authority of the General Partner in acting for the Partnership.
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Section 15.9 Reliance by Third Parties. Without limiting the generality of Section 15.6(a), the Public Company may rely on and shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 7.12 to the same extent as the General Partner, and third parties dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the Public Company has the full power and authority of the General Partner in acting for the Partnership.
Section 15.10 Indemnification. Without limiting the generality of Section 15.6(a), the Public Company is and shall be an “Affiliate” of the General Partner and an “Indemnitee” under this Agreement. The Public Company and the officers and directors of the general partner of the Public Company (or, if the general partner of the Public Company is a limited partnership, its general partner) and all other Persons covered thereby shall be entitled to mandatory indemnity and shall be entitled to be held harmless by the Partnership to the extent that the General Partner is entitled to indemnity under this Agreement, subject to the conditions provided herein. The General Partner and the other parties specified in this Agreement shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity provisions contained herein.
Section 15.11 Damage Limitations. Without limiting the generality of Section 15.6(a), the provisions of Section 7.8 shall be applicable to the Public Company.
Section 15.12 Reimbursement. Without limiting the generality of Section 15.6(a), the Public Company shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 7.4, and the General Partner (and the Public Company, as Delegate) shall continue to be entitled to be reimbursed as provided herein.
Section 15.13 Term of Delegation; Covenants of the General Partner. The Maximum Permitted Delegation commences on the Effective Date and shall continue in effect until the earliest to occur of any of the following, at which time the Maximum Permitted Delegation and the provisions provided in this Article XV, shall terminate as provided below:
(a) the Public Company no longer owns, directly or indirectly, any Partnership Interest and the termination of the Maximum Permitted Delegation shall have been approved by the General Partner and a Unit Majority;
(b) upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal; or
(c) upon the approval of such termination by (i) the General Partner, (ii) the Public Company and (iii) the holders of at least a Unit Majority.
Section 15.14 Covenants of GP LP. GP LP hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any of the HESM Class A Shares or any Units are owned by any Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, it shall not;
(a) voluntarily withdraw as the General Partner;
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(b) transfer its Partnership Interest as a General Partner unless the transferee thereof agrees in writing to be bound by all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including this Article XV; or
(c) approve or otherwise allow to be made any amendment to the rights, duties, powers or privileges of the General Partner under this Agreement if such amendment would have a material adverse effect on the Public Company, in its capacity as the Delegate.
ARTICLE XVI
REDEMPTION AND EXCHANGE RIGHTS
Section 16.1 Redemption Right of a Limited Partner.
(a) Each Limited Partner (other than the Public Company) shall be entitled to cause the Partnership to redeem (a “Redemption”) all or any portion of its Class B Units (the “Redemption Right”) at any time. A Limited Partner desiring to exercise its Redemption Right (the “Redeemed Partner”) shall exercise such right by giving written notice (the “Redemption Notice”) to the Partnership with a copy to the Public Company (the date of the delivery of such Redemption Notice, the “Redemption Notice Date”). The Redemption Notice shall specify the number of Class B Units (the “Redeemed Units”) that the Redeemed Partner intends to have the Partnership redeem. The Redemption shall be completed on the date that is ten Business Days following delivery of the applicable Redemption Notice (unless and to the extent that the General Partner in its sole discretion agrees in writing to waive such time period) (the date of such completion, the “Redemption Date”); provided, however, that the Partnership, the Public Company and the Redeemed Partner may change the number of Redeemed Units and/or the Redemption Date specified in such Redemption Notice to another number and/or date by mutual agreement signed in writing by each of them; provided further that a Redemption Notice may be conditioned on (i) the closing of an underwritten distribution of HESM Class A Shares that may be issued in connection with such proposed Redemption or (ii) the consummation of a purchase by another Person (whether in a tender or exchange offer, an underwritten offering or otherwise) of HESM Class A Shares for which the Redeemed Units are redeemable, or contingent (including as to timing) upon the closing of an announced merger, consolidation or other transaction or event in which the HESM Class A Shares would be exchanged or converted or become exchangeable for or convertible into cash or other securities or property. Unless the Redeemed Partner timely has delivered a Retraction Notice as provided in Section 16.1(b) or has revoked or delayed a Redemption as provided in Section 16.1(c) or the Public Company has elected to effect a Direct Exchange as provided in Section 16.3, on the Redemption Date (to be effective immediately prior to the close of business on the Redemption Date) (A) the Redeemed Partner shall transfer and surrender, or cause to be transferred and surrendered, as applicable, the Redeemed Units to the Partnership and a corresponding number of HESM Class B Shares to the Public Company, in each case free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, (B) the Partnership shall (1) cancel the Redeemed Units, (2) transfer to the Redeemed Partner the Share Settlement, and (3) if the Units are certificated, issue to the Redeemed Partner a certificate for a number of Class B Units equal to the difference (if any) between the number of Class B Units evidenced by the certificate surrendered by the Redeemed Partner pursuant to clause (A) of this Section 16.1(a) and the Redeemed Units and (C) the Public Company shall cancel such HESM Class B Shares.
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(b) In exchange for its Redeemed Units, a Redeemed Partner shall be entitled to receive the Share Settlement from the Partnership. The Redeemed Partner may retract its Redemption Notice by giving written notice (the “Retraction Notice”) to the Partnership (with a copy to the Public Company) at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the last full Business Day immediately preceding the Redemption Date. The timely delivery of a Retraction Notice shall terminate all of the Redeemed Partner’s, the Partnership’s and the Public Company’s rights and obligations under this Section 16.1 arising from the retracted Redemption Notice.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 16.1(b), a Redeemed Partner shall be entitled, at any time prior to the consummation of a Redemption, to revoke its Redemption Notice or delay the consummation of a Redemption if any of the following conditions exists: (i) any registration statement pursuant to which the resale of the HESM Class A Shares to be registered for such Redeemed Partner at or immediately following the consummation of the Redemption shall have ceased to be effective pursuant to any action or inaction by the Commission, or no such resale registration statement has yet become effective; (ii) the Public Company shall have failed to cause any related prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement necessary to effect such Redemption; (iii) the Public Company shall have exercised its right to defer, delay or suspend the filing or effectiveness of a registration statement and such deferral, delay or suspension shall affect the ability of such Redeemed Partner to have the resale of its HESM Class A Shares registered at or immediately following the consummation of the Redemption; (iv) the Public Company shall have disclosed to such Redeemed Partner any material non-public information concerning the Public Company, the receipt of which results in such Redeemed Partner being prohibited or restricted from selling HESM Class A Shares at or immediately following the Redemption without disclosure of such information (and the Public Company does not permit disclosure); (v) any stop order relating to the registration statement pursuant to which the HESM Class A Shares were to be registered by such Redeemed Partner at or immediately following the Redemption shall have been issued by the Commission; (vi) there shall have occurred a material disruption in the securities markets generally or in the market or markets in which the HESM Class A Shares are then traded; (vii) there shall be in effect an injunction, a restraining order or a decree of any nature of any Governmental Entity that restrains or prohibits the Redemption; (viii) the Public Company shall have failed to comply in all material respects with its obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement and such failure shall have affected the ability of such Redeemed Partner to consummate the resale of HESM Class A Shares to be received upon such Redemption pursuant to an effective registration statement; or (ix) the Redemption Date would occur three Business Days or less prior to, or during, a Black-Out Period; provided further, that in no event shall the Redeemed Partner seeking to revoke its Redemption Notice or delay the consummation of such Redemption and relying on any of the matters contemplated in clauses (i) through (ix) above have controlled or intentionally materially influenced any facts, circumstances, or Persons in connection therewith (except in the good faith performance of his or her duties as an officer or director of the general partner of the Public Company) in order to provide such Redeemed Partner with a basis for such delay or revocation. If a Redeemed Partner delays the consummation of a Redemption pursuant to this Section 16.1(c), (A) the Redemption Date shall occur on the third Business Day following the date on which the conditions giving rise to such delay cease to exist (or such earlier day as the Public Company, the Partnership and such Redeemed Partner may agree in writing) and (B) notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 11.1(b), the Redeemed Partner may retract its Redemption Notice by giving a Retraction Notice to the Partnership (with a copy to the Public Company) at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day following the date on which the conditions giving rise to such delay cease to exist.
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(d) The amount of the Share Settlement that a Redeemed Partner is entitled to receive under Section 16.1(b) shall not be adjusted on account of any distributions previously made with respect to the Redeemed Units or distributions previously paid with respect to HESM Class A Shares; provided, however, that if a Redeemed Partner causes the Partnership to redeem Redeemed Units and the Redemption Date occurs subsequent to the record date for any distribution with respect to the Redeemed Units but prior to payment of such distribution, the Redeemed Partner shall be entitled to receive such distribution with respect to the Redeemed Units on the date that it is made notwithstanding that the Redeemed Partner transferred and surrendered the Redeemed Units to the Partnership prior to such date. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall the number of HESM Class A Shares constituting any “Share Settlement” exceed the number of Redeemed Units redeemed in exchange for such Share Settlement.
(e) In the event of a distribution by the Public Company to all holders of HESM Class A Shares of evidences of its indebtedness, securities, or other assets (including Partnership Interests), but excluding any cash distribution or distribution of any such assets received by the Public Company in respect of its Units, then in exchange for its Redemption Units, a Redeemed Partner shall be entitled to receive, in addition to the Share Settlement, the amount of such security, securities or other property that the Redeemed Partner would have received if such Redemption Right had been exercised and the Redemption Date had occurred immediately prior to the record date or effective time of any such transaction, taking into account any adjustment as a result of any subdivision (by any split, distribution or dividend, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse split, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) of such security, securities or other property that occurs after such record date or effective time. For the avoidance of doubt, subsequent to any such transaction, this Article XVI shall apply mutatis mutandis with respect to any such security, securities or other property received by holders of HESM Class A Shares in such transaction.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 16.1 to the contrary, any distribution by the Public Company to a Redeemed Partner pursuant to this Section 16.1 shall be subject to Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Act.
Section 16.2 Contribution by the Public Company. Subject to Section 16.3, in connection with the exercise of a Redeemed Partner’s Redemption Rights under Section 16.1(a), the Public Company shall contribute to the Partnership the applicable Share Settlement. Unless the Redeemed Partner has timely delivered a Retraction Notice as provided in Section 16.1(b) or has delayed a Redemption as provided in Section 16.1(c), or the Public Company has elected to effect a Direct Exchange as provided in Section 16.3, on the Redemption Date (to be effective immediately prior to the close of business on the Redemption Date) (a) the Public Company shall make its Capital Contribution to the Partnership (in the form of the Share Settlement) required under this Section 16.2, and (b) the Partnership shall issue to the Public Company a number of Class A Units equal to the number of Redeemed Units surrendered by the Redeemed Partner.
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Section 16.3 Exchange Right of the Public Company.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article XVI, the Public Company may, in its sole and absolute discretion, elect to effect on the Redemption Date the exchange of Redeemed Units for the Share Settlement through a direct exchange of such Redeemed Units and the Share Settlement between the Redeemed Partner and the Public Company (a “Direct Exchange”). Upon such Direct Exchange pursuant to this Section 11.3, the Public Company shall acquire the Redeemed Units and shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as the owner of such Units.
(b) The Public Company may, at any time prior to a Redemption Date, deliver written notice (an “Exchange Election Notice”) to the Partnership and the Redeemed Partner setting forth its election to exercise its right to consummate a Direct Exchange, provided that such election does not prejudice the ability of the parties to consummate a Redemption or Direct Exchange on the Redemption Date. An Exchange Election Notice may be revoked by the Public Company at any time, provided that any such revocation does not prejudice the ability of the parties to consummate a Redemption on the Redemption Date. The right to consummate a Direct Exchange in all events shall be exercisable for all the Redeemed Units that would have otherwise been subject to a Redemption. Except as otherwise provided by this Section 16.3, a Direct Exchange shall be consummated pursuant to the same timeframe and in the same manner as the relevant Redemption would have been consummated if the Public Company had not delivered an Exchange Election Notice.
Section 16.4 Delivery of Registered HESM Class A Shares; Listing; Certificate of the Public Company. The Public Company shall deliver HESM Class A Shares that have been registered under the Securities Act with respect to any Redemption or Direct Exchange to the extent a registration statement is effective and available for such HESM Class A Shares; provided, however, that the Public Company shall deliver unregistered HESM Class A Shares to the extent that sufficient registered HESM Class A Shares are not available and shall provide written notice to the applicable Redeemed Partner, no later than three Business Days prior to the applicable Redemption Date, of such delivery of unregistered HESM Class A Shares. The Public Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to list the HESM Class A Shares required to be delivered upon any such Redemption or Direct Exchange prior to such delivery upon each National Securities Exchange upon which the outstanding HESM Class A Shares are listed at the time of such Redemption or Direct Exchange (it being understood that any such HESM Class A Shares may be subject to transfer restrictions under applicable securities Laws). The Public Company covenants that all HESM Class A Shares issued upon a Redemption or Direct Exchange will, upon issuance, be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (except to the extent such non-assessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Act). The provisions of this Article XVI shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with the corresponding provisions of the Public Company Agreement.
Section 16.5 Effect of Exercise of Redemption or Exchange Right. This Agreement shall continue notwithstanding the consummation of a Redemption or Direct Exchange and all governance or other rights set forth herein shall be exercised by the remaining Limited Partners and the Redeemed Partner (to the extent of such Redeemed Partner’s remaining interest in the Partnership). No Redemption or Direct Exchange shall relieve such Redeemed Partner of any prior breach of this Agreement.
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Section 16.6 Tax Treatment. Unless otherwise required by applicable Law, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that a Redemption or a Direct Exchange, as the case may be, shall be treated as a direct exchange between the Public Company and the Redeemed Partner for U.S. federal (and applicable state and local) income tax purposes.
ARTICLE XVII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 17.1 Addresses and Notices; Written Communications.
(a) Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the Partner at the address described below. Except as otherwise provided herein, any notice, payment or report to be given or made to a Partner hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interests at such Record Holder’s address as shown in the Partnership Register, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Interests by reason of any assignment or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) a Partner shall consent to receiving notices, demands, requests, reports or proxy materials via electronic mail or by the Internet or (ii) the rules of the Commission shall permit any report or proxy materials to be delivered electronically or made available via the Internet, any such notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials shall be deemed given or made when delivered or made available via such mode of delivery. An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 17.1 executed by the General Partner or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report. If any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder appearing in the Partnership Register is returned by the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Partnership of a change in such Record Holder’s address) if they are available for the Partner at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners. Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3. The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.
(b) The terms “in writing,” “written communications,” “written notice” and words of similar import shall be deemed satisfied under this Agreement by use of e-mail and other forms of electronic communication.
Section 17.2 Further Action. The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.
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Section 17.3 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.
Section 17.4 Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.
Section 17.5 Creditors. None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.
Section 17.6 Waiver. No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.
Section 17.7 Third-Party Beneficiaries. Each Partner agrees that (a) any Indemnitee shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee and (b) any Unrestricted Person shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Unrestricted Person.
Section 17.8 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart.
Section 17.9 Applicable Law; Forum; Venue and Jurisdiction; Attorneys’ Fee; Waiver of Trial by Jury.
(a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.
(b) Each of the Partners and each Person or Group holding any beneficial interest in the Partnership (whether through a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing or otherwise):
(i) irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings (A) arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement (including any claims, suits or actions to interpret, apply or enforce the provisions of this Agreement or the duties, obligations or liabilities among Partners or of Partners to the Partnership, or the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the Partners or the Partnership), (B) brought in a derivative manner on behalf of the Partnership, (C) asserting a claim of breach of a duty (including any fiduciary duty) owed by any director, officer, or other employee of the Partnership or the General Partner (or, if the General Partner is a limited partnership, of the general partner of the General Partner), or owed by the General Partner, to the Partnership or the Partners, (D) asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Act or (E) asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, in each case regardless of whether such
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claims, suits, actions or proceedings sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds, or are derivative or direct claims; provided, however, that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings over which the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction shall be brought in any other court in the State of Delaware having jurisdiction;
(ii) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware in connection with any such claim, suit, action or proceeding;
(iii) agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware or of any other court to which proceedings in the courts of the State of Delaware may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper;
(iv) expressly waives any requirement for the posting of a bond by a party bringing such claim, suit, action or proceeding;
(v) consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such services shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided, however, that nothing in this clause (v) shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law; and
(vi) IRREVOCABLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUCH CLAIM, SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING.
Section 17.10 Invalidity of Provisions. If any provision or part of a provision of this Agreement is or becomes for any reason, invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions and/or parts thereof contained herein shall not be affected thereby and this Agreement shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reformed and construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision, or part of a provision, had never been contained herein, and such provision and/or part of a provision shall be reformed so that it would be valid, legal and enforceable to the maximum extent possible.
Section 17.11 Consent of Partners. Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and each Partner shall be bound by the results of such action.
Section 17.12 Facsimile and Email Signatures. The use of facsimile signatures and signatures delivered by email in portable document format (.pdf) or other similar electronic format affixed in the name and on behalf of the Partnership on Certificates representing Units is expressly permitted by this Agreement.
[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
GENERAL PARTNER: | ||
XXXX MIDSTREAM PARTNERS GP LP | ||
By: Xxxx Midstream Partners GP LLC, its general partner | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |
LIMITED PARTNERS: | ||
XXXX MIDSTREAM LP | ||
By: Xxxx Midstream GP LP, its general partner | ||
By: Xxxx Midstream GP LLC, its general partner | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |
GIP II BLUE HOLDING PARTNERS, L.P. | ||
By: GIP Blue Holding GP, LLC, its general partner | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |
HESS INVESTMENTS NORTH DAKOTA LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Title: | Vice President |
Signature Page to Third Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Xxxx Midstream Operations LP
EXHIBIT A
to the Third Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Xxxx Midstream Operations LP
Certificate Evidencing [Class A][Class B] Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests in
Xxxx Midstream Operations LP
No. | [Class A][Class B] Units |
In accordance with Section 4.1 of the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Xxxx Midstream Operations LP, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “Partnership Agreement”), Xxxx Midstream Operations LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), hereby certifies that (the “Holder”) is the registered owner of [Class A][Class B] Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “Units”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. The rights, preferences and limitations of the [Class A][Class B] Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the [Class A][Class B] Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership Agreement. Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the Partnership located at 0000 XxXxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER (AS DEFINED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT) WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). THE GENERAL PARTNER OF XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO (A) AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED) OR (B) PRESERVE THE UNIFORMITY OF THE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS IN XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP (OR ANY CLASS OR CLASSES THEREOF). THIS SECURITY MAY BE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON ITS TRANSFER
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PROVIDED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. COPIES OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE HOLDER OF RECORD OF THIS SECURITY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL PARTNER AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE PARTNERSHIP.
The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership Agreement and (iii) made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.
This Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
Dated: | XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP | |||||
By: | XXXX MIDSTREAM PARTNERS GP LP, its general partner | |||||
By: Xxxx Midstream Partners GP LLC, its general partner | ||||||
By: | ||||||
By: |
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[Reverse of Certificate]
ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM — as tenants in common
TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties
JT TEN — as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common |
UNIF GIFT TRANSFERS MIN ACT
Custodian (Cust) (Minor) under Uniform Gifts/Transfers to CD Minors Act (State) |
Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.
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ASSIGNMENT OF [CLASS A][CLASS B] UNITS OF
XXXX MIDSTREAM OPERATIONS LP
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto
| ||||
(Please print or typewrite name and address of assignee) | (Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee) |
[Class A][Class B] Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of Xxxx Midstream Operations LP.
Date: | NOTE: The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in every particular, without alteration, enlargement or change. | |
| ||
(Signature) | ||
| ||
(Signature) | ||
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15 |
No transfer of the [Class A][Class B] Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the [Class A][Class B] Units to be transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer.
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EXHIBIT B
Limited Partners
Limited Partners |
Address |
Number of Class A Units |
Number of Class B Units |
Incentive Distribution Rights |
||||||||||
Xxxx Midstream LP |
c/o Hess Corporation 0000 XxXxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 |
17,960,655 | — | — | ||||||||||
Hess Investments North Dakota LLC |
c/o Hess Corporation 0000 XxXxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 |
— | 133,208,464 | — | ||||||||||
GIP II Blue Holding Partnership, L.P. |
c/o Global Infrastructure Management, LLC 00 Xxxx 00xx Xx., 00xx Xxxxx Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 |
— | 133,208,464 | — | ||||||||||
Xxxx Midstream Partners GP LP |
c/o Hess Corporation 0000 XxXxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 |
— | — | 100 | % |
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EXHIBIT C
Adoption Agreement
This Adoption Agreement is executed by the undersigned pursuant to the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Xxxx Midstream Operations LP (the “Partnership”), dated as of December 16, 2019, as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time, a copy of which is attached hereto and is incorporated herein by reference (the “Agreement”). By the execution of this Adoption Agreement, the undersigned agrees as follows:
1. | Acknowledgment. The undersigned acknowledges that [he/she/it] is acquiring [ 🌑 ] Units of the Partnership as a Limited Partner, subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement (including the Exhibits thereto), as amended from time to time. Capitalized terms used herein without definition are defined in the Agreement and are used herein with the same meanings set forth therein. |
2. | Agreement. The undersigned hereby joins in, and agrees to be bound by, subject to, and enjoy the benefit of the applicable rights set forth in, the Agreement (including the Exhibits thereto), as amended from time to time, with the same force and effect as if [he/she/it] were originally a party thereto. |
3. | Notice. Any notice required or permitted by the Agreement shall be given to the undersigned at the address listed below. |
EXECUTED AND DATED on this day of .
[NAME] |
By: |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Notice Address: |
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