EXHIBIT 10.31
TO SECURITIES
PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of December
31, 1997, by and among Saba Petroleum Company, a Delaware corporation, with its
headquarters located at 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx
00000 (the "Company"), and each of the undersigned (together with their
respective affiliates and any assignee or transferee of all of their respective
rights hereunder, the "Initial Investors").
WHEREAS:
A. In connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement by and among
the parties hereto of even date herewith (the "Securities Purchase Agreement"),
the Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained
therein, to issue and sell to the Initial Investors (i) shares of its Series A
Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") that are convertible into
shares (the "Conversion Shares") of the Company's common stock, par value $.001
per share (the "Common Stock"), upon the terms and subject to the limitations
and conditions set forth in the Certificate of Designations, Rights,
Preferences, Privileges and Restrictions with respect to the Preferred Stock
(the "Certificate of Designation") and (ii) warrants (the "Closing Warrants") to
acquire 224,719 shares of Common Stock (the "Closing Warrant Shares"), upon the
terms and conditions and subject to the limitations and conditions set forth in
the Warrants dated December 31, 1997;
B. In accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Designation, the
Company may redeem the Preferred Stock for cash plus a number of additional
warrants to purchase a maximum of 200,000 shares of Common Stock (the
"Redemption Warrants" and, collectively with the Closing Warrants, the
"Warrants"); and
C. To induce the Initial Investors to execute and deliver the
Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain
registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the
"1933 Act"), and applicable state securities laws;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each
of the Initial Investors hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
a. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall
have the following meanings:
(i) "Investors" means the Initial Investors
and any transferee or assignee who
agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with
Section 9 hereof.
(ii) "register," "registered," and
"registration" refer to a registration effected
by preparing and filing a Registration Statement or Statements in compliance
with the 1933 Act and pursuant to Rule 415 under the 1933 Act or any successor
rule providing for offering securities on a continuous basis ("Rule 415"), and
the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such Registration Statement by
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
(iii) "Registrable Securities" means the
Conversion Shares and Warrant Shares
(including any shares issued in respect of the 6% dividend on the Preferred
Stock and any additional shares to be issued pursuant to Articles VI.E(b) and
VI.F of the Certificate of Designation) issued or issuable and any shares of
capital stock issued or issuable as a dividend on or in exchange for or
otherwise with respect to any of the foregoing.
(iv) "Registration Statement" means the
registration statement to be filed under
the 1933 Act to register the Registerable Securities pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement.
b. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise
defined herein shall have the
respective meanings set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement.
2. REGISTRATION.
a. Mandatory Registration. The Company shall prepare, and, on
or prior to the date which is twenty-one (21) days after the date of the Closing
under the Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Closing Date"), file with the SEC
a registration statement on Form S-3 (or, if Form S-3 is not then available, on
such form of registration statement as is then available to effect a
registration of the Registrable Securities, subject to the consent of the
Initial Investors, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld) covering the
resale of the Registrable Securities underlying the Preferred Stock and Warrants
issued or issuable pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, which
registration statement, to the extent allowable under the 1933 Act and the Rules
promulgated thereunder (including Rule 416), shall state that such registration
statement also covers such indeterminate number of additional shares of Common
Stock as may become issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock and exercise
of the Warrants (i) to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock
dividends or similar transactions or (ii) by reason of changes in the Conversion
Price of the Preferred Stock in accordance with the terms thereof or the
exercise price of the Warrants in accordance with the terms thereof. The number
of shares of Common Stock initially included in the Registration Statement shall
be no less than two (2) times the number of Conversion Shares, plus the number
of Warrant Shares, that are then issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock
and the exercise of the Warrants, without regard to any limitation on the
Investor's ability to convert the Preferred Stock or exercise the Warrants;
provided, however, that the number of shares initially included in the
Registration Statement shall not exceed 2,153,344. The Company acknowledges that
the number of shares to be initially included in the Registration Statement will
represent a good faith estimate of the maximum number of shares issuable upon
conversion of the Preferred Stock and exercise of the Warrants.
b. [Intentionally Omitted]
c. Payments by the Company. The Company shall use its
reasonable best efforts to obtain effectiveness of the Registration Statement as
soon as practicable. If (i) the Registration Statement covering the Registrable
Securities required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof
is not declared effective by the SEC within one hundred twenty (120) days after
the Closing Date or if, after the Registration Statement has been declared
effective by the SEC, sales cannot be made pursuant to the Registration
Statement, or (ii) the Common Stock is not listed or included for quotation on
any one of the American Stock Exchange (the "AMEX"), the Nasdaq National Market
("Nasdaq"), the Nasdaq SmallCap Market ("Nasdaq SmallCap") or the New York Stock
Exchange (the "NYSE") after being so listed or included for quotation, then the
Company will make payments to the Investors in such amounts and at such times as
shall be determined pursuant to this Section 2(c) as relief for the damages to
the Investors by reason of any such delay in or reduction of their ability to
sell the Registrable Securities (which remedy shall be exclusive of any other
remedies available at law or in equity other than any remedies specifically set
forth in the Certificate of Designation). The Company shall pay to each holder
of the Preferred Stock or Registerable Securities an amount equal to the then
outstanding principal amount of the Preferred Stock held by such holder (and, in
the case of holders of Registerable Securities, the principal amount of
Preferred Stock from which such Registerable Securities were converted)
("Aggregate Share Price") multiplied by two hundredths (.02) times the sum of:
(i) the number of months (prorated for partial months) after the end of such
120-day period and prior to the date the Registration Statement is declared
effective by the SEC, provided, however, that there shall be excluded from such
period any delays which are primarily attributable to changes required by the
Investors in the Registration Statement with respect to information relating to
the Investors, including, without limitation, changes to the plan of
distribution, or to the failure of the Investors to conduct their review of the
Registration Statement pursuant to Section 3(h) below in a reasonably prompt
manner; (ii) the number of months (prorated for partial months) that sales
cannot be made pursuant to the Registration Statement after the Registration
Statement has been declared effective (including, without limitation, when sales
cannot be made by reason of the Company's failure to properly supplement or
amend the prospectus included therein in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement or otherwise for any reason outside the Investors' control, but
excluding Allowed Delays (as defined in Section 3(f))); and (iii) the number of
months (prorated for partial months) that the Common Stock is not listed or
included for quotation on the Nasdaq, Nasdaq SmallCap, NYSE or AMEX or that
trading of the Common Stock thereon is halted (other than due to general
suspension of trading) after the Registration Statement has been declared
effective. (For example, if the Registration Statement becomes effective one (1)
month after the end of such 120-day period, the Company would pay $20,000 for
each $1,000,000 of Aggregate Share Price. If thereafter, sales could not be made
pursuant to the Registration Statement, for each additional period of one (1)
month, the Company would pay an additional $20,000 for each $1,000,000 of
Aggregate Share Price.) Such amounts shall be paid in cash or, at the Company's
option, may be added to the principal amount of the Preferred Stock and
thereafter be convertible into Common Stock at the "Conversion Price" (as
defined in the Certificate of Designation) in accordance with the terms of the
Preferred Stock. Any shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion of such
amounts shall be Registrable Securities. If the Company desires to convert the
amounts due hereunder into Registrable Securities, it shall so notify the
Investors in writing within two (2) business days of the date on which such
amounts are first payable in cash and such amounts shall be so convertible
(pursuant to the mechanics set forth in the Certificate of Designation),
beginning on the last day upon which the cash amount would otherwise be due in
accordance with the following sentence. Payments of cash pursuant hereto shall
be made within five (5) days after the end of each period that gives rise to
such obligation, provided that, if any such period extends for more than thirty
(30) days, interim payments shall be made for each such thirty (30) day period.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, in no event shall the
aggregate payments pursuant to this Section 2(c) exceed ten hundredths (.10) of
the Aggregate Share Price.
d. Piggy-Back Registrations. Subject to the last sentence of
this Section 2(d), if at any time prior to the expiration of the Registration
Period (as hereinafter defined) the Company shall file with the SEC a
Registration Statement relating to an offering for its own account or the
account of others under the 1933 Act of any of its equity securities (other than
on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or their then equivalents relating to equity securities
to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business
or equity securities issuable in connection with stock option or other employee
benefit plans), the Company shall send to each Investor who is entitled to
registration rights under this Section 2(d) written notice of such determination
and, if within ten (10) days after the effective date of such notice, such
Investor shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such
Registration Statement all or any part of the Registrable Securities such
Investor requests to be registered, except that if, in connection with any
underwritten public offering for the account of the Company the managing
underwriter(s) thereof shall impose a limitation on the number of shares of
Common Stock which may be included in the Registration Statement because, in
such underwriter(s)' judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such
limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company
shall be obligated to include in such Registration Statement only such limited
portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which such Investor has
requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter shall permit. Any exclusion of
Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata among the Investors seeking to
include Registrable Securities in proportion to the number of Registrable
Securities sought to be included by such Investors; provided, however, that the
Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company has
first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled
to inclusion of such securities in such Registration Statement or are not
entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Registrable Securities; and provided,
further, however, that, after giving effect to the immediately preceding
proviso, any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata with
holders of other securities having the right to include such securities in the
Registration Statement other than holders of securities entitled to inclusion of
their securities in such Registration Statement by reason of demand registration
rights. No right to registration of Registrable Securities under this Section
2(d) shall be construed to limit any registration required under Section 2(a)
hereof. If an offering in connection with which an Investor is entitled to
registration under this Section 2(d) is an underwritten offering, then each
Investor whose Registrable Securities are included in such Registration
Statement shall, unless otherwise agreed by the Company, offer and sell such
Registrable Securities in an underwritten offering using the same underwriter or
underwriters and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, on the same terms
and conditions as other shares of Common Stock included in such underwritten
offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the
registration rights of the Investors pursuant to this Section 2(d) shall only be
available (i) during the period ending 120 days after the Closing Date, if the
Company has not filed the Registration Statement, (ii) after the period ending
120 days after the Closing Date, if the Company fails to obtain effectiveness or
maintain effectiveness of the Registration Statement in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement and (iii) if registration of such Registrable Securities
is required for the resale of such Registrable Securities without regard to
volume limitations.
e. Form S-3. The Company covenants that it will take all steps
reasonably necessary to meet the registrant eligibility and transaction
requirements for the use of Form S-3 for registration of the sale by the Initial
Investors and any other Investors of the Registrable Securities and the Company
shall file all reports required to be filed by the Company with the SEC in a
timely manner so as to maintain such eligibility for the use of Form S-3. In the
event that the Registration Statement used to register the Registrable
Securities is on a form other than a Form S-3, the Company will, promptly upon
attaining eligibility for use of Form S-3, convert the Registration Statement
used to register the Registrable Securities to Form S-3.
3. OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY.
In connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities, the
Company shall have the following obligations:
a. The Company shall prepare promptly, and file with the SEC
not later than twenty-one (21) days after the Closing Date, a Registration
Statement with respect to the number of Registrable Securities provided in
Section 2(a), and thereafter use its reasonable best efforts to cause such
Registration Statement relating to Registrable Securities to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and keep the Registration Statement
effective pursuant to Rule 415 at all times until such date as is the earlier of
(i) the date on which all of the Registrable Securities have been sold and (ii)
the date on which the Registrable Securities (in the opinion of counsel to the
Initial Investors) may be immediately sold without restriction (including
without limitation as to volume by each holder thereof) without registration
under the 1933 Act (the "Registration Period"), which Registration Statement
(including any amendments or supplements thereto and prospectuses contained
therein) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading (excluding written information provided to the
Company by the Initial Investors).
b. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such
amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to the
Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection with the
Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement
effective at all times during the Registration Period, and, during such period,
comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the disposition of
all Registrable Securities of the Company covered by the Registration Statement
until such time as all of such Registrable Securities have been disposed of in
accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers
thereof as set forth in the Registration Statement. In the event the number of
shares available under a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement
is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities issued or issuable
upon conversion of the Preferred Stock and exercise of the Warrants, the Company
shall amend the Registration Statement, or file a new Registration Statement (on
the short form available therefore, if applicable), or both, so as to cover all
of the Registrable Securities, in each case, as soon as practicable, but in any
event within twenty (20) business days after the necessity therefor arises
(based on the market price of the Common Stock and other relevant factors on
which the Company reasonably elects to rely). The Company shall use its
reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment and/or new Registration
Statement to become effective as soon as practicable following the filing
thereof. The provisions of Section 2(c) above shall be applicable with respect
to such obligation, with the one hundred twenty (120) days running from the day
after the date on which the Company reasonably first determines (or reasonably
should have determined) the need therefor.
c. The Company shall furnish to each Investor whose
Registrable Securities are included in the Registration Statement and its legal
counsel (i) promptly after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed
with the SEC, or received by the Company, one copy of the Registration Statement
and any amendment thereto, each preliminary prospectus and prospectus and each
amendment or supplement thereto, and, in the case of the Registration Statement
referred to in Section 2(a), each letter written by or on behalf of the Company
to the SEC or the staff of the SEC, and each item of correspondence from the SEC
or the staff of the SEC, in each case relating to such Registration Statement
(other than any portion of any thereof which contains information for which the
Company has sought confidential treatment), and (ii) such number of copies of a
prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, and all amendments and
supplements thereto and such other documents as such Investor may reasonably
request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities
owned by such Investor. The Company will immediately notify each Investor by
facsimile of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment. The Company will promptly respond to any and all
comments received from the SEC, with a view towards causing any Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto to be declared effective by the SEC as soon
as practicable and shall promptly file an acceleration request as soon as
practicable following the resolution or clearance of all SEC comments or, if
applicable, following notification by the SEC that the Registration Statement or
any amendment thereto will not be subject to review.
d. The Company shall use reasonable efforts to (i) register
and qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement
under such other securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions in the
United States as the Investors who hold a majority in interest of the
Registrable Securities being offered reasonably request, (ii) prepare and file
in those jurisdictions such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and
supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to
maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take
such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and
qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv)
take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the
Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that
the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition
thereto to (a) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not
otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (b) subject itself
to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, (c) file a general consent to
service of process in any such jurisdiction, (d) provide any undertakings that
cause the Company undue expense or burden, or (e) make any change in its charter
or bylaws, which in each case the Board of Directors of the Company determines
to be contrary to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
e. [Intentionally Omitted]
f. As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such
event, the Company shall notify each Investor of the happening of any event, of
which the Company has knowledge, as a result of which the prospectus included in
the Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and use its best
efforts promptly to prepare a supplement or amendment to the Registration
Statement to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver such number
of copies of such supplement or amendment to each Investor as such Investor may
reasonably request; provided that, for not more than fifteen (15) consecutive
trading days (or a total of not more than thirty (30) trading days in any twelve
(12) month period), the Company may delay the disclosure of material non-public
information concerning the Company (as well as prospectus or Registration
Statement updating) the disclosure of which at the time is not, in the good
faith opinion of the Company, in the best interests of the Company (an "Allowed
Delay"); provided, further, that the Company shall promptly (i) notify the
Investors in writing of the existence of (but in no event, without the prior
written consent of an Investor, shall the Company disclose to such investor any
of the facts or circumstances regarding) material non-public information giving
rise to an Allowed Delay and (ii) advise the Investors in writing to cease all
sales under the Registration Statement until the end of the Allowed Delay. Upon
expiration of the Allowed Delay, the Company shall again be bound by the first
sentence of this Section 3(f) with respect to the information giving rise
thereto.
g. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to
prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of a
Registration Statement, and, if such an order is issued, to obtain the
withdrawal of such order at the earliest possible moment and to notify each
Investor who holds Registrable Securities being sold of the issuance of such
order and the resolution thereof.
h. The Company shall permit a single firm of counsel
designated by the Initial Investors to review the Registration Statement and all
amendments and supplements thereto (as well as all requests for acceleration or
effectiveness thereof) a reasonable period of time prior to their filing with
the SEC, and not file any document in a form to which such counsel reasonably
objects and will not request acceleration of the Registration Statement without
prior notice to such counsel. The sections of the Registration Statement
covering information with respect to the Investors, the Investor's beneficial
ownership of securities of the Company or the Investors intended method of
disposition of Registrable Securities shall conform to the information provided
to the Company in writing by each of the Investors.
i. The Company shall make generally available to its security
holders as soon as practical, but not later than ninety (90) days after the
close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying
with the provisions of Rule 158 under the 0000 Xxx) covering a twelve-month
period beginning not later than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter
next following the effective date of the Registration Statement.
j. [Intentionally Omitted]
k. The Company shall make available for inspection by (i) any
Investor, (ii) one firm of attorneys and one firm of accountants or other agents
retained by the Initial Investors, and (iii) one firm of attorneys and one firm
of accountants or other agents retained by all other Investors (collectively,
the "Inspectors") all pertinent financial and other records, and pertinent
corporate documents and properties of the Company (collectively, the "Records"),
as shall be reasonably deemed necessary by each Inspector to enable each
Inspector to exercise its due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company's
officers, directors and employees to supply all information which any Inspector
may reasonably request for purposes of such due diligence; provided, however,
that each Inspector shall hold in confidence and shall not make any disclosure
(except to an Investor) of any Record or other information which the Company
determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination the
Inspectors are so notified, unless (a) the disclosure of such Records is
necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration
Statement, (b) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or
other order from a court or government body of competent jurisdiction, or (c)
the information in such Records has been made generally available to the public
other than by disclosure in violation of this or any other agreement. The
Company shall not be required to disclose any confidential information in such
Records to any Inspector until and unless such Inspector shall have entered into
confidentiality agreements (in form and substance satisfactory to the Company)
with the Company with respect thereto, substantially in the form of this Section
3(k). Each Investor agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such
Records is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt notice to the Company and allow
the Company, at its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent
disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, the Records deemed
confidential. Nothing in this Section 4(k) (or in any other confidentiality
agreement between the Company and any Investor) shall be deemed to limit the
Investor's ability to sell Registrable Securities in a manner which is otherwise
consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
l. The Company shall hold in confidence and not make any
disclosure of information concerning an Investor provided to the Company unless
(i) disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state
securities laws, (ii) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid
or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement, (iii) the
release of such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order
from a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction, or (iv) such
information has been made generally available to the public other than by
disclosure in violation of this or any other agreement. The Company agrees that
it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such information concerning an
Investor is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt notice to such Investor prior
to making such disclosure, and allow the Investor, at its expense, to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order
for, such information.
m. The Company shall (i) cause all the Registrable Securities
covered by the Registration Statement to be listed on each national securities
exchange on which securities of the same class or series issued by the Company
are then listed, if any, if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then
permitted under the rules of such exchange, or (ii) secure the designation and
quotation, of all the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration
Statement on Nasdaq or, if not eligible for the Nasdaq, on the Nasdaq SmallCap.
n. The Company shall provide a transfer agent and registrar,
which may be a single entity and may be the transfer agent for the Common Stock,
for the Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of the
Registration Statement.
o. The Company shall cooperate with the Investors who hold
Registrable Securities being offered to facilitate the timely preparation and
delivery of certificates (not bearing any restrictive legends) representing
Registrable Securities to be offered pursuant to the Registration Statement and
enable such certificates to be in such denominations or amounts, as the case may
be, as the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, or the Investors may
reasonably request and registered in such names as the managing underwriter or
underwriters, if any, or the Investors may request, and, within three (3)
business days after a Registration Statement which includes Registrable
Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the Company shall deliver, and shall
cause legal counsel selected by the Company to deliver, to the transfer agent
for the Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investors whose Registrable
Securities are included in such Registration Statement) an instruction in the
form attached hereto as Exhibit 1 and an opinion of such counsel in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit 2.
p. The Company shall take all other reasonable actions
necessary to expedite and facilitate disposition by the Investors of Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTORS.
In connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities, the
Investors shall have the following obligations:
a. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the
Company to complete the registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to
the Registrable Securities of a particular Investor that such Investor shall
furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable
Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable
Securities held by it as shall be reasonably required to effect the registration
of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection
with such registration as the Company may reasonably request. At least three (3)
business days prior to the first anticipated filing date of the Registration
Statement, the Company shall notify each Investor of the information the Company
requires from each such Investor.
b. Each Investor, by such Investor's acceptance of the
Registrable Securities, agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably
requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the
Registration Statement hereunder, unless such Investor has notified the Company
in writing of such Investor's election to exclude all of such Investor's
Registrable Securities from the Registration Statement.
c. [Intentionally Omitted]
d. Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from
the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(f)
or 3(g), such Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable
Securities until such Investor's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or
amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(f) or 3(g) and, if so directed by
the Company, such Investor shall deliver to the Company (at the expense of the
Company) or destroy (and deliver to the Company a certificate of destruction)
all copies in such Investor's possession, of the prospectus covering such
Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
All reasonable expenses, other than underwriting discounts and
commissions, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or
qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all
registration, listing and qualification fees, printers and accounting fees, and
the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, and the reasonable fees
and disbursements of one counsel selected by the Initial Investors (which fees
and disbursements shall count towards the $30,000 to be reimbursed pursuant to
Section 4(f) of the Securities Purchase Agreement), shall be borne by the
Company.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a Registration
Statement under this Agreement:
a. To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify,
hold harmless and defend (i) each Investor who holds such Registrable Securities
and (ii) the directors, officers, partners, employees, agents and each person
who controls any Investor within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), if any (each, an "Indemnified
Person"), against any joint or several losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses (collectively, together with actions, proceedings or inquiries by any
regulatory or self-regulatory organization, whether commenced or threatened, in
respect thereof, "Claims") to which any of them may become subject insofar as
such Claims are made in writing and arise out of or are based upon: (i) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in a
Registration Statement or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading; (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus if used prior to the
effective date of such Registration Statement, or contained in the final
prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission
to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were
made, not misleading; or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company
of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any
state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer
or sale of the Registrable Securities (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i)
through (iii) being, collectively, "Violations"). Subject to the restrictions
set forth in Section 6(c) with respect to the number of legal counsel, the
Company shall reimburse the Indemnified Person, promptly as such expenses are
incurred and are due and payable, for any reasonable legal fees or other
reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or
defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (i) shall
not apply to a Claim arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by any Indemnified Person or underwriter for such Indemnified Person
expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration
Statement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, if such
prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c)
hereof; (ii) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such
settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; and (iii) with respect to any
preliminary prospectus, shall not inure to the benefit of any Indemnified Person
if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained in the
preliminary prospectus was corrected on a timely basis in the prospectus, as
then amended or supplemented, such corrected prospectus was timely made
available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) hereof, and the Indemnified
Person was promptly advised in writing not to use the incorrect prospectus prior
to the use giving rise to a Violation and such Indemnified Person,
notwithstanding such advice, used it. Such indemnity shall remain in full force
and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the
Indemnified Person and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities
by the Investors pursuant to Section 9.
b. In connection with any Registration Statement in which an
Investor is participating, each such Investor agrees severally and not jointly
to indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the same
manner set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors, each of
its officers who signs the Registration Statement, each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, any
underwriter and any other stockholder selling securities pursuant to the
Registration Statement or any of its directors or officers or any person who
controls such stockholder or underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act or
the 1934 Act (collectively and together with an Indemnified Person, an
"Indemnified Party"), against any Claim to which any of them may become subject,
under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim is made in
writing and arises out of or is based upon any Violation by such Investor, in
each case to the extent (and only to the extent) that such Violation occurs in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such Investor expressly for use in connection with such Registration
Statement; and subject to Section 6(c) such Investor will reimburse any legal or
other expenses (promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable)
reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any
such Claim; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this
Section 6(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such
settlement is effected without the prior written consent of such Investor, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, further, however, that the
Investor shall be liable under this Agreement (including this Section 6(b) and
Section 7) for only that amount as does not exceed the net proceeds to such
Investor as a result of the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such
Registration Statement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party
and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investors
pursuant to Section 9. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(b) with
respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any
Indemnified Party if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained
in the preliminary prospectus was corrected on a timely basis in the prospectus,
as then amended or supplemented.
c. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or
Indemnified Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any
action (including any governmental action), such Indemnified Person or
Indemnified Party shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any
indemnifying party under this Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a
written notice of the commencement thereof, and the indemnifying party shall
have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so
desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume
control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the
indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party, as the
case may be; provided, however, that an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party
shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses to be
paid by the indemnifying party, if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel
retained by the indemnifying party, the representation by such counsel of the
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party would be
inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such
counsel in such proceeding. The indemnifying party shall pay for only one
separate legal counsel for the Indemnified Persons or the Indemnified Parties,
as applicable, and such legal counsel shall be selected by Investors holding a
majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration
Statement to which the Claim relates (with the approval of a
majority-in-interest of the Initial Investors), if the Investors are entitled to
indemnification hereunder, or the Company, if the Company is entitled to
indemnification hereunder, as applicable. The failure to deliver written notice
to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any
such action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party under this Section 6, except to the
extent that the indemnifying party is actually prejudiced in its ability to
defend such action. The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made
by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the
investigation or defense, as such expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred
and is due and payable.
7. CONTRIBUTION.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is
prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum
contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable
under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that
(i) no contribution shall be made under circumstances where the maker would not
have been liable for indemnification under the fault standards set forth in
Section 6, (ii) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be
entitled to contribution from any seller of Registrable Securities who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation, and (iii) contribution (together
with any indemnification or other obligations under this Agreement) by any
seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of
proceeds received by such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities.
8. REPORTS UNDER THE 1934 ACT.
With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule
144 promulgated under the 1933 Act or any other similar rule or regulation of
the SEC that may at any time permit the investors to sell securities of the
Company to the public without registration ("Rule 144"), the Company agrees to:
a. make and keep public information available, as
those terms are understood and defined
in Rule 144;
b. file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required of the Company under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act so long as
the Company remains subject to such requirements (it being understood that
nothing herein shall limit the Company's obligations under Section 4(c) of the
Securities Purchase Agreement) and the filing of such reports and other
documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and
c. furnish to each Investor so long as such Investor owns
Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the
Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, the
1933 Act and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly
report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the
Company, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to
permit the Investors to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without
registration.
9. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
The rights under this Agreement shall be automatically assignable by
the Investors to any transferee of all or any portion of the Preferred Stock or
Warrants if: (i) the Investor agrees in writing with the transferee or assignee
to assign such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company
within a reasonable time after such assignment, (ii) the Company is, within a
reasonable time prior to such transfer or assignment, furnished with written
notice of (a) the name and address of such transferee or assignee, and (b) the
securities with respect to which such registration rights are being transferred
or assigned, (iii) following such transfer or assignment, the further
disposition of such securities by the transferee or assignee is restricted under
the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, (iv) at or before the time
the Company receives the written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this
sentence, the transferee or assignee agrees in writing with the Company to be
bound by all of the provisions contained herein, (v) such transfer shall have
been made in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities
Purchase Agreement, and (vi) such transferee shall be an "accredited investor"
as that term defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the 1933 Act.
10. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
Provisions of this Agreement may be amended and the observance thereof
may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either
retroactively or prospectively), only with written consent of the Company, each
of the Initial Investors (to the extent such Initial Investor still owns
Registrable Securities) and Investors who hold a majority interest of the
Registrable Securities. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this
Section 10 shall be binding upon each Investor and the Company.
11. MISCELLANEOUS.
a. A person or entity is deemed to be a holder of Registrable
Securities whenever such person or entity owns of record such Registrable
Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or
elections from two or more persons or entities with respect to the same
Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions,
notice or election received from the registered owner of such Registrable
Securities.
b. Any notices required or permitted to be given under the
terms hereof shall be sent by certified or registered mail (return receipt
requested) or delivered personally or by courier (including a recognized
overnight delivery service) or by facsimile and shall be effective five days
after being placed in the mail, if mailed by regular U.S. mail, or upon receipt,
if delivered personally or by courier (including a recognized overnight delivery
service) or by facsimile, in each case addressed to a party. The addresses for
such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Saba Petroleum Company
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
With copy to:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxx, Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx
0000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
If to an Investor: to the address set forth immediately below such Investor's
name on the signature pages to the Securities Purchase Agreement.
c. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under
this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or
remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
d. This Agreement shall be enforced, governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to agreements
made and to be performed entirely within such State. In the event that any
provision of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable
statute or rule of law, then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the
extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform
with such statute or rule of law. Any provision hereof which may prove invalid
or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability
of any other provision hereof. The parties hereto hereby submit to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the United States Federal Courts located in Delaware with
respect to any dispute arising under this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby.
e. This Agreement and the Securities Purchase Agreement
(including all schedules and exhibits thereto) constitute the entire agreement
among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than
those set forth or referred to herein and therein. This Agreement and the
Securities Purchase Agreement supersede all prior agreements and understandings
among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
f. Subject to the requirements of Section 9 hereof, this
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and
assigns of each of the parties hereto.
g. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience
of reference only and shall not
limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
h. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one
and the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be
delivered to the other party hereto by facsimile transmission of a copy of this
Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.
i. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and
performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all
such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other
party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the
purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
j. Except as otherwise provided herein, all consents and other
determinations to be made by the Investors pursuant to this Agreement shall be
made by Investors holding a majority of the Registrable Securities, determined
as if the all of the shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding have been
converted into for Registrable Securities.
k. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be
the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules
of strict construction will be applied against any party.
l. If the performance of this Agreement by any party, or of
any obligation under this Agreement, is prevented, restricted, or interfered
with by reason of war, revolution, civil commotion, acts of public enemies,
blockade, embargo, strikes, any law, order, proclamation, regulation, ordinance,
demand, or requirement not currently in effect having a legal effect of any
government or any judicial authority or representative of any such government,
any other act whatsoever, whether similar or dissimilar to those referred to in
this clause which are beyond the reasonable control of the party affected, then
the parties os affected shall, upon giving prior written notice to the other
parties, be excused from such performance to the extent of such prevention,
restriction, or interference, provided that the party so affected shall use its
best efforts to avoid or remove such causes of nonperformance, and shall
continue performance hereunder with the utmost dispatch whenever such causes are
removed. Upon such circumstances arising, the parties shall meet forthwith to
discuss what (if any) modification may be required to the terms of this
Agreement, in order to arrive at an equitable solution. For the avoidance of
doubt, the SEC's review process shall not be deemed to be an event giving rise
to the relief provided hereby.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the undersigned Initial
Investors have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first
above written.
SABA PETROLEUM COMPANY
By:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Chief Executive Officer
RGC INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS, LDC
By: Xxxx Xxxx Capital Management, L.P., Investment Manager
By: RGC General Partner Corp., as General Partner
By:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Managing Director
