MEMORIAL PRODUCTION PARTNERS LP [•] Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
[•] Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
Representing Limited Partner Interests
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates Inc.
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters,
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates Inc.
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters,
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Memorial Production Partners LP, a limited partnership organized under the laws of Delaware
(the “Partnership”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule
I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting
as representatives, [•] common units (the “Firm Units”), each representing a limited
partner interest in the Partnership (the “Common Units”). The Partnership also proposes to
grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to [•] additional Common Units to cover
over-allotments, if any (the “Option Units;” the Option Units, together with the Firm
Units, being hereinafter called the “Units”). Certain terms used herein are defined in
Section 20 hereof.
The Partnership was formed by its sole general partner, Memorial Production Partners GP LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (the “General Partner”), and by its sole limited
partner, Memorial Resources Development LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Memorial
Resource”), to own and acquire oil and natural gas properties in North America that were
previously owned and operated by entities controlled by Natural Gas Partners VIII, L.P. (“NGP
VIII”), Natural Gas Partners IX, L.P. (“NGP IX”) and NGP IX Offshore Holdings, L.P.
(“NGP Holdings” and together with NGP VIII and NGP IX, the “Funds”), each a
Delaware limited partnership, as described more particularly in the Preliminary Prospectus.
Current Structure of Formation Entities. It is understood and agreed to by all
parties that as of the date hereof:
(a) The Funds directly own an aggregate 100% membership interest in Memorial Resource;
(b) Memorial Resource directly owns a 100% membership interest in the General Partner
(except for the non-voting interests in the General Partner owned by the Funds as described
in the Preliminary Prospectus);
(c) The General Partner is the sole general partner of the Partnership, and Memorial
Resource is the sole limited partner of the Partnership; and
(d) The Partnership is the sole member of Memorial Production Operating LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company (the “Operating Company”).
(e) NGP VIII owns (i) a 89.45% membership interest in BlueStone Natural Resources
Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“BlueStone”), (ii) a 90.21%
limited partnership interest in Classic Hydrocarbons Holdings, L.P., a Texas limited
partnership (“Classic”), and (iii) a 83.35% membership interest in Classic
Hydrocarbons GP Co., L.L.C., a Texas limited liability company and the general partner of
Classic (“Classic GP”);
(f) BlueStone owns a 100% membership interest in BlueStone Natural Resources, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (“BNR”);
(g) BNR owns a 100% membership interest in Columbus Energy, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (“Columbus”);
(h) NGP IX owns (i) a 95.05% membership interest in WildHorse Resources, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (“WildHorse”), and (ii) a 91.52% membership
interest in Tanos Energy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Tanos”);
(i) NGP Holdings owns (i) a 4.87% membership interest in WildHorse and (ii) a 4.69% in
Tanos;
(j) Each of WildHorse and Tanos owns a 50% membership interest in WHT Energy Partners
LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“WHT”);
(k) WHT owns a 100% membership interest in ETX I LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (“ETX”); and
(l) The Partnership owns a 100% membership interest in the Operating Company.
Formation Transactions. Following the date hereof and immediately prior to or on the
Closing Date (as defined herein), the following transactions will occur:
(a) NGP VIII will contribute all of its membership interests and limited partnership
interest, as applicable, in each of BlueStone, Classic and Classic GP to Memorial Resource
in exchange for a [•]% membership interest in Memorial Resource;
(b) NGP IX will contribute all of its membership interests in each of WildHorse and
Tanos to Memorial Resource in exchange for a [•]% membership interest in Memorial Resource;
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(c) NGP Holdings will contribute all of its membership interests in each of WildHorse
and Tanos to Memorial Resource in exchange for a [•]% membership interest in Memorial
Resource;
(d) Memorial Resource, the General Partner, the Partnership, the Operating Company,
BlueStone and BNR will enter into a Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement,
substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (including the
other documents referred to therein, the “BlueStone Contribution
Agreement”), pursuant to which:
(i) BlueStone will cause BNR to contribute its 100% membership interest in
Columbus (the “Columbus Interest”) to the Operating Company as designee of
the Partnership; and
(ii) as consideration for the Columbus Interest, the Partnership will (A) issue
to BlueStone or its designee [•] Common Units and [•] subordinated units
representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (“Subordinated
Units”), collectively representing an aggregate [•]% limited partner interest in
the Partnership, and (B) distribute to BlueStone or its designee $[•] million in
cash from the net proceeds of the public offering contemplated hereby together with
borrowings under the Credit Agreement described below;
(e) Memorial Resource, the General Partner, the Partnership, the Operating Company and
WHT will enter into a Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, substantially in
the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (including the other documents
referred to therein, the “WHT Contribution Agreement”), pursuant to which:
(i) WHT will contribute its 100% membership interest in ETX (the “ETX
Interest”) to the Operating Company as designee of the Partnership; and
(ii) as consideration for the ETX Interest, the Partnership will (A) issue to
WHT or its designee [•] Common Units and [•] Subordinated Units, collectively
representing an aggregate [•]% limited partner interest in the Partnership, and (B)
distribute to WHT or its designee $[•] million in cash from the net proceeds of the
public offering contemplated hereby together with borrowings under the Credit
Agreement described below;
(f) Each of BlueStone, WildHorse and Tanos will amend and restate its respective
limited liability company agreement and concurrently distribute (or cause its designee to
distribute) all of the Common Units and Subordinated Units referenced in subsections (d)(ii)
and (e)(ii) above to Memorial Resource;
(g) Memorial Resource, the General Partner, the Partnership, the Operating Company,
Classic, Classic Hydrocarbons Operating, LLC, a Texas limited liability company
(“Classic Hydrocarbons”) and Craton Energy Holdings, III, LP, a Texas limiter
partnership (“Craton”) will enter into a Purchase and Sale Agreement, substantially
in the
form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (including the other documents
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referred to therein, the “Classic Purchase Agreement” and, together with the
BlueStone Contribution Agreement and the WHT Contribution Agreement, the “Contribution
Agreements”), pursuant to which:
(i) Classic will cause Classic Hydrocarbons and Craton to sell (A) specified
oil and natural gas properties (collectively, the “Classic Properties”) and
(B) certain commodity derivative contracts covering future production from the
Classic Properties (collectively, the “Derivative Contracts”) to the
Partnership; and
(ii) as consideration for the Classic Properties and Derivatives Contracts, the
Partnership will distribute to Classic or its designee $[•] million in cash from the
net proceeds of the public offering contemplated hereby together with borrowings
under the Credit Agreement described below; and
(h) Pursuant to the Contribution Agreements, the Partnership will distribute to
Memorial Resources or its designee $[•] in cash from the net proceeds of the public offering
contemplated hereby;
(i) The General Partner will contribute $[•] in cash to the Partnership, and the
Partnership will issue to the General Partner (i) [•] general partner units representing a
0.1% general partner interest in the Partnership, and (ii) all of the Incentive Distribution
Rights (as such term is defined in the Partnership Agreement (as defined below), the
“IDRs”) in the Partnership;
(j) The General Partner will issue (i) Class A Membership Interests (as defined below),
the “Class A Interests”) in the General Partner to Memorial Resource and redeem the
existing membership interests in the General Partner from Memorial Resource and (ii) the
non-voting Class IDR Membership Interest (as such term is defined in the GP LLC Agreement,
the “Class IDR Interests”) in the General Partner to the Funds as follows: (A) a
[•]% Class IDR Interest to NGP VIII, (B) a [•]% Class IDR Interest to NGP IX and (C) a [•]%
Class IDR Interest to NGP Holdings;
(k) The Operating Company, as borrower, and the Partnership, Columbus and ETX, as
guarantors, will enter into a $[•] million senior secured credit agreement, substantially in
the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, with Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National
Association, as administrative agent, and the lenders party thereto (the “Credit
Agreement”);
(l) The Operating Company will borrow $[•] million under the Credit Agreement to fund a
portion of the cash distribution to BlueStone, WHT, Classic, Memorial Resource or their
respective designee, in each case, as contemplated by the Contribution Agreements;
(m) The General Partner, the Partnership, the Operating Company, and Memorial Resource
will enter into an omnibus agreement, substantially in the form filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Omnibus Agreement”), which
specifies the terms, conditions and agreements for the provision by Memorial Resource and
certain
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of its affiliates of personnel and general and administrative services to the
Partnership and certain indemnification matters;
(n) The Partnership and Memorial Resource will enter into a tax sharing agreement,
substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Tax
Sharing Agreement”), which specifies certain reimbursement obligations of the
Partnership for state and local income and other taxes borne by Memorial Resource as a
result of the consolidation of the results of the Partnership into the tax returns of
Memorial Resource;
(o) The public offering of the Firm Units contemplated hereby will be consummated, and
the net proceeds therefrom will be delivered to the Partnership;
(p) The Partnership will use the net proceeds received from the sale of the Firm Units
(and Option Units, if any), together with the borrowings described in subsection (k) above,
to pay the cash distributions to BlueStone, WHT and Memorial Resource, as provided herein
and in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the Registration Statement; and
(q) The Partnership will (i) redeem Memorial Resource’s 99.9% limited partner interest
in the Partnership and (ii) refund and distribute to Memorial Resource the initial
contribution, in the amount of $999.
The transactions contemplated in subsections (a) through (r) above are collectively referred
to herein as the “Transactions.” In connection with the contribution of the Partnership
Properties (as defined below) to the Partnership, the parties thereto will enter into the
Contribution Agreements and the assignments and conveyances contemplated therein, (collectively,
the “Contribution Documents” and together with the Omnibus Agreement, the Tax Sharing
Agreement and the Credit Agreement, the “Transaction Documents”).
Reference herein to: (1) “Partnership Parties” means Memorial Resource, the General
Partner, the Partnership and the Operating Company; (2) “Partnership Entities” means the
Partnership Parties (other than Memorial Resource), Columbus and ETX; (3) “Memorial
Entities” means the Partnership Parties, BlueStone, WHT, Classic, Classic Hydrocarbons and
Craton; (4) “Partnership Properties” means the Columbus Interest, the ETX Interest, the
Classic Properties and the Derivatives Contracts; and
(5) “MRD Entities” means the Funds and the
Memorial Entities.
This is to confirm the agreement among the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters concerning
the purchase by the Underwriters of the Firm Units and of the Option Units, if any, from the
Partnership by the Underwriters.
1. Representations and Warranties. Each of the Partnership Parties, jointly and
severally, represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this
Section 1.
(a) The Partnership has prepared and filed with the Commission a registration statement
(File Number 333-175090) on Form S-1, including a related Preliminary Prospectus, for
registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Units. Such
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Registration
Statement, including all amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, has become
effective. The Partnership may have filed one or more amendments thereto, including a
related Preliminary Prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The
Partnership will file with the Commission a final prospectus in accordance with Rule 424(b).
As filed, such final prospectus shall conform with the requirements of the Act and, except
to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, such final
prospectus shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to the Representatives
prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, such
final prospectus shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes
(beyond that contained in the latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Partnership has advised
the Representatives, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein.
(b) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, any
post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been
issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the knowledge of any of
the Partnership Parties, threatened by the Commission. No order preventing or suspending the
use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued and
no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Partnership
Parties, threatened by the Commission.
(c) Each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all
material respects with the requirements of the Act, and did not contain an untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. On
the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Prospectus is first filed
in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and on any date on which Option Units
are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the
Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the
applicable requirements of the Act on the Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the
Registration Statement did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and
on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement
thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however,
that the Partnership makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained
in or omitted from the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
(or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in
writing to the Partnership by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it
being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter
consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
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(d) As of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and each settlement date, (i) the
Disclosure Package, and (ii) each electronic road show, when taken together as a whole with
the Disclosure Package, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that the Partnership makes no representations or
warranties as to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of any
Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood
and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter
consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
(e) Each of the statements made by the Partnership in the Registration Statement and
the Disclosure Package and to be made in the Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) within
the coverage of Rule 175(b), including (but not limited to) any statements with respect to
projected results of operations, estimated available cash and future cash distributions of
the Partnership, and any statements made in support thereof or related thereto under the
heading “Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions” or the anticipated
ratio of taxable income to distributions, was made or will be made with a reasonable basis
and in good faith.
(f) The Partnership has made available a “bona fide electronic road show” (as defined
in Rule 433) such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h)) is required
in connection with the offering of the Units.
(g) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) as of the Execution
Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)),
the Partnership was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without
taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not
necessary that the Partnership be considered an Ineligible Issuer.
(h) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information that conflicts
with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein that
has not been superseded or modified; provided, however, that the Partnership
makes no representations or warranties as to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Partnership by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for
use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or
on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section
8(b) hereof.
(i) Each of the Memorial Entities has been duly formed and is validly existing as a
limited partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing
under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization with full power and authority to
enter into and perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a
party, to own or lease and to operate its properties currently owned or
leased or to be
owned or
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leased on the Closing Date and each settlement date and conduct its business as
currently conducted or to be conducted on the Closing Date and each settlement date, in each
case, as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Each of the Partnership
Entities is duly qualified to do business as a foreign limited partnership or limited
liability company, as applicable, and is in good standing under the laws of each
jurisdiction which requires, or at the Closing Date and each settlement date will require,
such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or
properties, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary
course of business, on the Partnership Parties (excluding Memorial Resource) and the
Partnership Properties, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”), or subject
the limited partners of the Partnership to any material liability or disability.
(j) The General Partner has, and on the Closing Date and each settlement date will
have, full power and authority to act as general partner of the Partnership in all material
respects as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(k) On the Closing Date and each settlement date, after giving effect to the
Transactions, Memorial Resource will own all of the issued and outstanding Class A Interests
of the General Partner, and the Funds will own in the aggregate all of the issued and
outstanding Class IDR Interests of the General Partner; the Class A Interests and Class IDR
Interests will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the limited
liability company agreement of the General Partner (as the same may be amended or restated
at or prior to the Closing Date, the “GP LLC Agreement”), and will be fully paid (to
the extent required by the GP LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such
nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware Limited
Liability Company Act (the “Delaware LLC Act”)); and Memorial Resource and the Funds
will own such membership interests free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security
interests, charges or other claims (collectively, “Liens”), except for restrictions
on transferability contained in the GP LLC Agreement or as described in the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus; and on the Closing Date and each settlement date, no other
interest in the General Partner will be outstanding.
(l) The General Partner is, and on the Closing Date and each settlement date, will be,
the sole general partner of the Partnership with a 0.1% general partner interest in the
Partnership; such general partner interest has been, and will be on the Closing Date and
each settlement date will be, duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the
First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership,
substantially in the form attached as Xxxxx A to the Prospectus (the “Partnership
Agreement”); and the General Partner owns, and will own on the Closing Date and each
settlement date, such general partner interest free and clear of all Liens”), except for
restrictions on transferability contained in the Partnership Agreement or as described in
the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(m) On the Closing Date and each settlement date, after giving effect to the
Transactions, Memorial Resource will own [•] Common Units and [•] Subordinated Units (the
“Sponsor Units”) and the General Partner will own 100% of the IDRs, in each
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case free and clear of all Liens, except for restrictions on transferability contained in the
Partnership Agreement or as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; all of
such Sponsor Units and IDRs and the limited partner interests represented thereby have been
duly authorized and on the Closing Date and each settlement date will be validly issued in
accordance with the Partnership Agreement, and will be fully paid (to the extent required
under the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be
affected by Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Limited Partnership Act (the
“Delaware LP Act”)).
(n) The Partnership owns, and on the Closing Date and each settlement date will own,
all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of the Operating Company free and
clear of all Liens, except for restrictions on transferability contained in the limited
liability company agreement of the Operating Company (as the same may be amended or restated
at or prior to the Closing Date, the “Operating Company LLC Agreement”); such
membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the
Operating Company LLC Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required by the Operating
Company LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by
Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act).
(o) On the Closing Date and each settlement date, after giving effect to the
Transactions, the Operating Company will own all of the issued and outstanding membership
interests of each of Columbus and ETX free and clear of all Liens, except for restrictions
on transferability contained in the limited liability company agreements of each of Columbus
and ETX; such membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in
accordance with the limited liability company agreements of each of Columbus and ETX, and
are fully paid (to the extent required by each such limited liability company agreement) and
nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804
of the Delaware LLC Act).
(p) The Units to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Partnership have been duly
authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when
issued and delivered by the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the
consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid (to the extent
required under the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability
may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act).
(q) At the Closing Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, the issued and
outstanding partnership interests of the Partnership will consist of [•] Common Units, [•]
Subordinated Units, [•] General Partner Units and the IDRs. Other than the Sponsor Units
and the IDRs, the Units will be the only limited partner interests of the Partnership issued
and outstanding on the Closing Date and, except for any Common Units issued by
the Partnership after the Closing Date in compliance with Section 5(g) of this
Agreement, on each settlement date.
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(r) Other than its ownership of its 0.1% general partner interest in the Partnership
and the IDRs, the General Partner will not, on the Closing Date and each settlement date,
own, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or other entity. Other
than (i) the Partnership’s ownership of a 100% membership interest in the Operating Company
and (ii) the Operating Company’s ownership of a 100% membership interest in each of Columbus
and ETX, neither the Partnership nor the Operating Company will, on the Closing Date and
each settlement date, own, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities
of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or
other entity.
(s) Except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no (i)
preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon
the voting or transfer of, any equity securities of the Partnership Entities or (ii)
outstanding options or warrants to purchase any securities of the Partnership Entities.
Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Units as
contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration
of any Common Units or other securities of the Partnership.
(t) Each of the Partnership Parties has all requisite power and authority to execute
and deliver this Agreement and perform its respective obligations hereunder. The
Partnership has all requisite partnership power and authority to issue, sell and deliver (i)
the Units, in accordance with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement,
the Partnership Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus and (ii) the Sponsor Units, the General Partner Units and the IDRs, in accordance
with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Partnership Agreement and the
Contribution Agreements. On the Closing Date and each settlement date, all limited
partnership and limited liability company action, as the case may be, required to be taken
by the Memorial Entities or any of their respective members or partners, as the case may be,
for the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units, the Sponsor Units, the
General Partner Units and the IDRs, the execution and delivery by the Memorial Entities of
the Transaction Documents (as defined herein) and the consummation of the transactions
(including the Transactions) contemplated by this Agreement and the Transaction Documents,
shall have been validly taken.
(u) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the
Partnership Parties.
(v) At or before the Closing Date:
(i) the Partnership Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the General Partner and Memorial Resource and will be a valid and
legally binding agreement of the General Partner and Memorial
Resource, enforceable against the General Partner and Memorial Resource in
accordance with its terms;
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(ii) the GP LLC Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by Memorial Resource and the Funds and will be a valid and legally binding
agreement of Memorial Resource and the Funds, enforceable against Memorial Resource
and the Funds in accordance with its terms;
(iii) the Operating Company LLC Agreement will have been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Partnership and will be a valid and legally binding
agreement of the Partnership, enforceable against the Partnership in accordance with
its terms;
(iv) the limited liability company agreement of ETX (the “ETX LLC
Agreement”) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Operating
Company and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the Operating Company,
enforceable against the Operating Company in accordance with its terms;
(v) the limited liability company agreement of Columbus (the “Columbus LLC
Agreement”) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Operating
Company and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the Operating Company,
enforceable against the Operating Company in accordance with its terms;
(vi) the Omnibus Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by each of the Partnership Parties and will be a valid and legally binding
agreement of each of the Partnership Parties, enforceable against each of them in
accordance with its terms;
(vii) the Tax Sharing Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by each of the Partnership Parties party thereto and will be a valid and
legally binding agreement of each of the Partnership Parties party thereto,
enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms;
(viii) the Credit Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by each of the Partnership Entities party thereto and will be a valid and
legally binding agreement of each of the Partnership Entities party thereto,
enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms; and
(ix) the Contribution Documents will have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by each of the Memorial Entities party thereto and will be valid and
legally binding agreements of each of the Memorial Entities party thereto,
enforceable against each of them in accordance with their respective terms;
provided, that, with respect to each agreement described in this Section
1(viii), the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights
generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); provided further; that the
indemnity,
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contribution and exoneration provisions contained in any of such agreements may be limited by applicable laws and public policy.
The Partnership Agreement, the GP LLC Agreement, the Operating Company LLC Agreement,
the ETX LLC Agreement, the Columbus LLC Agreement and the Transaction Documents are herein
collectively referred to as the “Operative Agreements.”
(w) None of (i) the offering, issuance or sale by the Partnership of the Units, (ii)
the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Operative Agreements by
the Memorial Entities that are parties hereto or thereto, as the case may be, (iii) the
consummation of the Transactions and any other transactions contemplated by this Agreement
or the Operative Agreements by the Memorial Entities or (iv) the application of the proceeds
as described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, (A) conflicts or will conflict with, or constitutes or will constitute a
violation of the partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement, certificate of
limited partnership, certificate of formation, conversion or other constituent document
(collectively, the “Organizational Documents”) of any of the Memorial Entities, (B)
conflicts or will conflict with, or constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of,
or a default under (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute
such a default), any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which any Memorial Entity is a party or bound or to which its
property is subject, (C) violates or will violate any statute, law, regulation, judgment,
decree or injunction of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
any Memorial Entity or any of their properties in a proceeding to which any of them or their
property is a party or (D) results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien
upon any property or assets of any of the Memorial Entities (other than Liens created
pursuant to the Credit Agreement), except for such conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults
or Liens, in the case of clauses (B), (C) and (D), that individually or in the aggregate,
would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially impair the
ability of the Memorial Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions
provided for in this Agreement or the Transaction Documents.
(x) No permit, consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, filing or
qualification of or with any court, governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over any
of the Memorial Entities or any of their properties or assets is required in connection with
(i) the offering, issuance or sale by the Partnership of the Units as described in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by the Partnership Parties, (iii) the execution, delivery and performance by the
Memorial Entities that are parties thereto of their respective obligations under the
Transaction Documents or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or the Transaction Documents other than (A) registration of
the Units under the Act, which has been effected (or, with respect to
any registration statement to be filed hereunder pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act,
will be effected in accordance herewith), (B) any necessary qualification under the
securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Units are being
12
offered by the Underwriters, (C) under the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), (D) consents that have been, or prior to the Closing
Date will be, obtained, (E) consents that, if not obtained, would not, individually or in
the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially impair
the ability of the Memorial Entities to consummate the Transactions and (F) as described in
the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(y) None of the Memorial Entities is (i) in violation of any provision of its
Organizational Documents, (ii) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment,
order or decree of any court, governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, agency
or body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the any of the Memorial
Entities or any of its properties, as applicable, (iii) in breach, default (or an event
that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default) or
violation in the performance of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument
relating to the Partnership Properties to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
properties may be bound or (iv) in breach, default (or an event that, with notice or lapse
of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default) or violation in the performance
of, assuming the due execution by all parties thereto, the Operative Agreements, which in
the case of either (ii) or (iii) would reasonably be expected to have, if continued, a
Material Adverse Effect or materially impair the ability of the Memorial Entities to
consummate the Transactions.
(z) The Units, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the
Partnership Agreement and this Agreement against payment therefor as provided therein and
herein, will conform, and the Sponsor Units, the General Partner Units and the IDRs, when
issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Partnership Agreement, will
conform, in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus.
(aa) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of any of the Memorial Entities who
are engaged in the operation of the Partnership Properties exists or is threatened or
imminent, and the Partnership Parties are not aware of any existing or threatened or
imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of the Memorial Entities’ principal
suppliers, contractors or customers, that could have a Material Adverse Effect.
(bb) The historical financial statements and schedules of the predecessor to the
Partnership, and of any other entities or businesses constituting a portion of the
Partnership Properties, included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus
and the Prospectus present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows of the predecessor to the Partnership and such other entities or businesses, as
applicable, as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of Regulation S-X of the Act and
have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as
otherwise noted therein). The pro forma combined financial statements included in the
13
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus include assumptions
that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable
to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give
appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect an
appropriate application of those adjustments to the historical combined financial statement
amounts in the pro forma combined financial statements included in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The pro forma combined financial
statements included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act (including, without limitation, Regulations S-X and G of the Act),
the Exchange Act, Item 10 under Regulation S-K and Financial Interpretation No. 46 and the
pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the
compilation of those statements. The summary historical and pro forma financial and
operating information set forth in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus
and the Prospectus under the caption “Summary—Summary Historical and Pro Forma Financial
and Operating Data” and the selected historical and pro forma financial and operating
information set forth under the caption “Selected Historical and Pro Forma Financial and
Operating Data” in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus
is accurately presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis consistent with the
audited and unaudited historical financial statements and pro forma financial statements, as
applicable, from which it has been derived, unless expressly noted otherwise. The
assumptions and forecasts underlying the pro forma information set forth under the caption
“Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions—Estimated EBITDA for the Twelve
Months Ending December 31, 2012,” “Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on
Distributions—Unaudited Pro Forma Available Cash for the Year Ended December 31, 2010 and
Twelve Months Ended June 30, 2011” and the related notes in the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (and any similar information, if any, contained in
any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (as defined herein)) are, in the informed judgment of
management of the Partnership Entities, reasonable and with respect to the pro forma
information set forth under the caption “Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on
Distributions— Unaudited Pro Forma Available Cash for the Year Ended December 31, 2010 and
Twelve Months Ended June 30, 2011” and the related notes, the pro forma adjustments used
therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances described
therein and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts
in the compilation of those statements and data; there are no financial statements
(historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the Registration Statement,
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus that are not so included as required; the
Partnership Entities and the Partnership Properties do not have any material liabilities or
obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not
described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus; and all disclosures contained in the Registration Statement,
the Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus and
each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (as defined herein) regarding “non-GAAP
financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the
14
Commission) comply with Regulation G and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act, to the extent
applicable.
(cc) The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules
included in or to be included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus are independent public accountants with respect to the Memorial Entities as
required by the Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The reserve
engineers who prepared the reports and audits upon which the estimates of the proved
reserves of the Partnership Properties disclosed in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus were based, are independent petroleum engineers with
respect to the Memorial Entities and for the periods set forth in the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(dd) The oil and natural gas reserve estimates of the Partnership Properties to be
contributed to the Partnership from BlueStone and Classic as of December 31, 2010 or January
1, 2011, as applicable, contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus are derived from reports that have been prepared by Netherland, Xxxxxx &
Associates, Inc. and Xxxxxx & Xxxxx, Ltd., and such estimates fairly reflect, in all
material respects, the oil and natural gas reserves attributable to such properties at the
dates indicated therein and are in accordance, in all material respects, with Commission
guidelines applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The oil and
natural gas reserve estimates of the Partnership Properties to be contributed to the
Partnership from WHT as of December 31, 2010 contained in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are derived from reports that have been prepared by
the internal reserve engineers of Memorial Resource and audited by Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx &
Associates, Inc., and such estimates fairly reflect, in all material respects, the oil and
natural gas reserves attributable to such properties at the dates indicated therein and are
in accordance, in all material respects, with Commission guidelines applied on a consistent
basis throughout the periods involved.
(ee) Except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation by or before any court or governmental or other
regulatory or administrative agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving any of
the MRD Entities or its or their property is pending or, to the knowledge of the
Partnership Parties, threatened or contemplated that (i) could reasonably be expected to
have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the performance of this
Agreement or any of the Operative Agreements or the consummation of any of the transactions
contemplated herein or therein (including the Transactions); (ii) could reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; or (iii) that
are required to be described in the Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus but are
not described as required.
(ff) Following consummation of the Transactions and on the Closing Date and each
settlement date, the Partnership Entities will have (A) legal, valid and defensible
title to the interests in the Partnership Properties supporting the estimates of its
net proved reserves contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
15
Prospectus, (B) good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them,
other than the Partnership Properties covered by clause (A), and (C) good and marketable
title to all other property and assets owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all
Liens, except such as (i) described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus, (ii) are permitted under the Credit Agreement, (iii) would not result in
a Material Adverse Effect, or (iv) do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially
affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use of such
properties taken as a whole as they have been used in the past and are proposed to be used
in the future as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus by the Partnership Entities; all real property, buildings and other improvements,
and equipment and other property to be held under lease or sublease by any of the
Partnership Entities will be held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases or
subleases, as the case may be, with, solely in the case of leases or subleases relating to
real property and buildings or other improvements, such exceptions as are not material and
do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and buildings or
other improvements taken as a whole as they have been used in the past and are proposed to
be used in the in the future as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, and all such leases and subleases will be in full force and
effect; and none of the Memorial Entities has any notice of any claim of any sort that has
been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Memorial Entities under any of the
leases or subleases mentioned above or affecting or questioning the rights of the Memorial
Entities to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such
lease or sublease except for such claims that, if successfully asserted, would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; provided,
however, that the enforceability of such leases and subleases, as the case may be,
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium
and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general
principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law).
(gg) On the Closing Date and each settlement date, after giving effect to the
Transactions, each of the Partnership Entities will have such consents, easements,
rights-of-way or licenses from any person (collectively, “rights-of-way”) as are
necessary to conduct its business in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subject to such qualifications as may be set forth in
the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for such
rights-of-way the failure of which to obtain, would not result in, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and other than as set forth, and subject to the
qualifications contained, in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, each of the Partnership Entities will have fulfilled and performed all of its
obligations with respect to such rights-of-way and no event shall have occurred that allows,
or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or would
result in any impairment of the rights of the holder of any such rights-of-way, except for
such revocations, terminations and impairments that would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
16
(hh) On the Closing Date and each settlement date, after giving effect to the
Transactions, each of the Partnership Entities will possess, such permits, licenses,
approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”)
issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies
necessary to conduct its business in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for such Governmental Licenses the failure of
which to obtain, would not result in, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect; the Partnership Entities are and will be in compliance with the terms and conditions
of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Governmental Licenses
are and will be valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such
Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and
effect would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to
the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, none of the Memorial Entities has received any
notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental
Licenses that, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision,
ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under federal law or
the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or sale by the
Partnership of the Units.
(jj) Each of the Memorial Entities has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax
returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof, except in any
case in which the failure so to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, be
reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and has paid all taxes required to be
paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that
any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such tax, assessment, fine or
penalty that is currently being contested in good faith and except for such taxes,
assessments, fines or penalties the nonpayment of which would not, individually or in the
aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(kk) On the Closing Date and each settlement date, after giving effect to the
Transactions, the Partnership Entities will be insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and
customary in the businesses in which they are engaged, except for such policies of insurance
the failure of which to obtain, would not result in, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect; all policies of insurance and any fidelity or surety bonds insuring
the Partnership Entities or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and
directors will be in full force and effect, except when the failure of such policies of
insurance and any fidelity or surety bonds to be in full force and effect would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Partnership
Entities will be in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all
material respects.
17
(ll) On the Closing Date and each settlement date, after giving effect to the
Transactions, no Partnership Entity will be prohibited, directly or indirectly, from making
any distribution with respect to its equity interests, from repaying any loans or advances
to any other Partnership Entity or from transferring any of its property or assets to the
Partnership or any other Partnership Entity, except as described in or contemplated by the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or arising under the Credit Agreement.
(mm) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus and except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect, (A) with respect to the ownership and operation of the Partnership
Properties, none of the Memorial Entities are in violation of any federal, state, local or
foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any
judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative
order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to protection of human health (to the extent
relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials) or wildlife or pollution of the environment
(including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or
subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the
release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic
substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively,
“Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use,
treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively,
“Environmental Laws”), (B) with respect to the ownership and operation of the
Partnership Properties, the Memorial Entities have all permits, authorizations and approvals
required for the operation of their business under any applicable Environmental Laws and are
each in compliance with their requirements, (C) with respect to the ownership and operation
of the Partnership Properties, no Memorial Entity has received written notice of any pending
or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand
letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings
relating to any Environmental Law against any of the Memorial Entities, and (D) with respect
to the ownership and operation of the Partnership Properties, to the knowledge of the
Memorial Entities, there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected to
form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by
any private party or governmental body or agency, against any of the Memorial Entities
relating to any Environmental Laws.
(nn) In the ordinary course of their businesses, the Memorial Entities periodically
review the effect of Environmental Laws on their businesses, operations and properties, in
the course of which they identify and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including,
without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of
properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any
related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties).
On the basis of such review, the Memorial Entities have concluded that such associated
costs and liabilities would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect,
except as described in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus.
18
(oo) The Partnership Entities own, possess, license or have other rights to use, on
reasonable terms, all patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and
service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets,
technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual
Property”) necessary for the operations of the Partnership Properties as now conducted
or as proposed to be conducted in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, except to the extent that the failure to own, possess, license or have other
rights in such Intellectual Property would not result in, individually or in the aggregate,
a Material Adverse Effect.
(pp) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any Partnership
Party, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, affiliates, customers or
suppliers of any Partnership Party, on the other hand, that is required to be described in
the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and is not so described.
(qq) On the Closing Date and each settlement date, except as would not, individually or
in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the
Memorial Entities will be in compliance in all material respects with all presently
applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
including the regulations and published governmental interpretations thereunder
(“ERISA”); (ii) no “reportable event” (as defined in Section 4043(c) ERISA) has
occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) for which
any Memorial Entities would have any liability, excluding any reportable event for which a
waiver could apply; (iii) neither the Partnership nor any Memorial Entity has incurred, nor
does any such entity reasonably expect to incur, liability under (a) Title IV of ERISA with
respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (b) Sections 412 or
4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and
published governmental interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) with respect to any
“pension plan”; (iv) each “pension plan” for which any Memorial Entity would have any
liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is the subject
of a favorable determination or opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service to the
effect that it is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, nothing has
occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which could reasonably be expected to
cause the loss of such qualification; and (v) no Memorial Entity has incurred any material
unpaid liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (other than for payment of
premiums in the ordinary course of business) for which any Partnership Entity could be
liable.
(rr) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Partnership
Properties have not sustained any loss or interference from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, investigation, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and
other than as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or prevent
or materially interfere with or delay the consummation of the Transactions. Subsequent to
the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
19
Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, in each case excluding any
amendments or supplements to the foregoing made after the execution of this Agreement, there
has not been (i) any material adverse change, or any development involving, individually or
in the aggregate, a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition
(financial or otherwise), prospects, management, earnings, business or properties of the
Partnership Entities or the Partnership Properties taken as a whole, whether or not arising
from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as described in the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) or (ii) any dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by any Partnership Entities, in each case
other than as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(ss) The Contribution Documents will be legally sufficient to transfer or convey to the
Partnership Entities all of the Partnership Properties and all other properties that are,
individually or in the aggregate, required to enable the Partnership Entities to conduct
their operations in all material respects as contemplated by the Prospectus and the
Disclosure Package. Upon execution and delivery of the Contribution Documents, the
Partnership Entities will succeed in all material respects to the business, assets,
properties, liabilities and operations reflected by the pro forma financial statements of
the Partnership.
(tt) The information in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions
“Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions,” “Provisions of our
Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions,” “Business—Environmental Matters and
Regulation,” “Business—Other Regulation of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry,” “Management,”
“Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary
Duties,” “Description of the Common Units,” “The Partnership Agreement,” and “Material Tax
Consequences,” in each case to the extent that it constitutes matters of law, summaries of
legal matters, summaries of provisions of the Operative Agreements or any other instruments
or agreements, summaries of legal proceedings, or legal conclusions, is correct in all
material respects; all descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus of any of the terms of (i) all instruments, agreement and documents filed
as exhibits to the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K and
(ii) any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement
or other agreement, to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party, are accurate in all
material respects. There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character
required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, that is not
described or filed as required (and the Preliminary Prospectus contains in all material
respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Prospectus).
(uu) At the Effective Date, the Partnership Entities and, to the knowledge of the
Partnership Parties, the officers and directors of the General Partner, in their capacities
as such were, and on the Closing Date, will be, in compliance in all respects with the
applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”)
and
20
the rules and regulations of the Commission and the NASDAQ Stock Market promulgated
thereunder.
(vv) None of the Partnership Entities is now, and immediately following the sale of the
Units to be sold by the Partnership hereunder and application of the net proceeds from such
sale as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of
Proceeds” will be an “investment company” or a company “controlled by” an “investment
company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
“Investment Company Act”).
(ww) The Partnership Entities maintain a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance
with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets
is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and
(iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The
Partnership Entities’ internal controls over financial reporting are effective and, except
as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Memorial Entities are
aware of any material weaknesses in their internal control over financial reporting.
(xx) The Partnership has established and maintains “disclosure controls and procedures”
(to the extent required by and as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange
Act); and (i) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the
information required to be disclosed by the Partnership in the reports it files or will file
or submit under the Exchange Act, as applicable, is accumulated and communicated to
management of the General Partner, including their respective principal executive officers
and principal financial officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure to be made and (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are
effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established
to the extent required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
(yy)
None of the MRD Entities has taken, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result
in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
security of the Partnership to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
(zz) The Partnership Entities have not extended credit in the form of a personal loan
made, directly or indirectly, by any of the Partnership Entities to any director or
executive officer of any of the General Partner or to any family member or affiliate of any
director or executive officer of the General Partner.
(aaa) No Memorial Entity nor, to the knowledge of any of the Partnership Parties, any
director, officer, agent or employee of any Memorial Entity, has taken any action, directly
or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations
21
thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making
use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in
furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any
money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything
of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign
political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in
contravention of the FCPA, and the Memorial Entities and, to the knowledge of any of the
Partnership Parties, their affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the
FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which
are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(bbb) The operations of each of the Partnership Entities are and have been conducted at
all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements
of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money
laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any
related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any
governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit
or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any
arbitrator involving any of the Partnership Entities with respect to the Money Laundering
Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of any of the Partnership Parties, threatened.
(ccc) No Partnership Entity nor, to the knowledge of any of the Partnership Parties,
any director, officer, agent or employee of the Funds or any Memorial Entity, is currently subject to
any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury
Department (“OFAC”); and the Partnership Entity will not directly or indirectly use
the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds
to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of
financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered
by OFAC.
(ddd) Except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no Memorial
Entity (i) has any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate
of any of the Underwriters and (ii) intends to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the
Units hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Underwriters.
(eee) The sale and issuance of the Sponsor Units to Memorial Resource, the General
Partner Units to the General Partner and the IDRs to the General Partner are exempt from the
registration requirements of the Act, the rules and regulations and the securities laws of
any state having jurisdiction with respect thereto, and none of the
MRD Entities has
taken or will take any action that would cause the loss of such exemption.
(fff) All statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement,
the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources
22
that the Partnership believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Partnership has
obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent
required.
(ggg)
None of the MRD Entities has distributed and, prior to the later to occur of
the Closing Date or any settlement date and completion of the distribution of the Units,
will distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Units
other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to
which the Representatives have consented in accordance with this Agreement, any other
materials, if any, permitted by the Act, including Rule 134, and in connection with the
Directed Unit Program described in Section 4 hereof, the enrollment materials prepared by
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates Inc.
(hhh) The Units have been approved to be listed on the NASDAQ Global Market
(“NASDAQ”), subject only to official notice of issuance.
(iii) To the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, there are no affiliations or
associations between any member of FINRA and any of the General Partner’s officers or
directors or the Partnership’s 5% or greater security holders, except as described in the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(jjj) The Operating Company, Columbus and ETX are the only significant subsidiaries of
the Partnership as defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
Any certificate signed by any officer of any of the Partnership Parties and delivered to the
Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Units shall
be deemed a representation and warranty by each of the Partnership Parties, as to matters covered
thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase and Sale.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and
warranties herein set forth, the Partnership agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Partnership, at a
purchase price of $[•] per unit, the amount of the Firm Units set forth opposite such
Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and
warranties herein set forth, the Partnership hereby grants an option to the several
Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [•] Option Units at the same
purchase price per unit as the Underwriters shall pay for the Firm Units, less an amount per
unit equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Partnership and payable on the
Firm Units but not payable on the Option Units. Said option may be exercised only to cover
over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Units by the Underwriters. Said option may be
exercised in whole or from time to time in part at any time on or before the 30th day after
the date of the Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the Representatives to the
Partnership setting forth the number of Option Units as to which the several Underwriters
are exercising the option and the settlement date. The
number of Option Units to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same
23
percentage
of the total number of Option Units to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such
Underwriter is purchasing of the Firm Units, subject to such adjustments as the
Representatives in their absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional Units.
3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Units and the Option
Units (if the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or
before the third Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date) shall be made at 9:00 AM,
Houston, Texas time, on [•], 2011, or at such time on such later date not more than three Business
Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be
postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Partnership or as provided in
Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Units being herein
called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Units shall be made to the Representatives for
the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters
through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Partnership
by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Partnership. Delivery of
the Firm Units and the Option Units shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust
Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
If the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised after the third
Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date, the Partnership will deliver the Option Units
(at the expense of the Partnership) to the Representatives, at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx, on the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be within three Business Days after
exercise of said option) for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment
by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon
the order of the Partnership by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by
the Partnership. If settlement for the Option Units occurs after the Closing Date, the Partnership
will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the Option Units, and the obligation
of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Units shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental
opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and
letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose
to offer the Units for sale to the public at the price as set forth in the Prospectus. As part of
the offering contemplated by this Agreement, each Underwriter has agreed to reserve out of the Firm
Units set forth opposite its name on Schedule I to this Agreement, up to 5% of the Firm
Units, for sale to the officers and directors of the General Partner (collectively, the
“Directed Unit Participants”), as described in the Prospectus under the caption
“Underwriting” (the “Directed Unit Program”). The Firm Units to be sold by the
Underwriters pursuant to the Directed Unit Program (the “Directed Units”) will be sold by
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates Inc. pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price. Any
Directed Units not orally confirmed for purchase by any Directed Unit Participants by 8:00 AM,
Houston, Texas time, on the business day following the date on which this Agreement is executed
will be offered to the public by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates Inc. upon the terms and conditions set
forth in the Prospectus. Under no circumstances will Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates Inc. or any other
Underwriter be
liable to any of the Partnership Parties or to any Directed Unit Participants for any action
taken or
24
omitted in connection with such Directed Unit Program. It is further understood that any
Firm Units which are not purchased by Directed Unit Participants will be offered by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx &
Associates Inc. to the public upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
5. Agreements. Each of the Partnership Parties, jointly and severally, agrees with
the several Underwriters that:
(a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Units, the Partnership will not
file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement unless the Partnership has furnished the Representatives a
copy for their review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or
supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object. The Partnership will cause the
Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by
the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b)
within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the
Representatives of such timely filing. The Partnership will promptly advise the
Representatives (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed
(if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission, (ii) when, prior to
termination of the offering of the Units, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall
have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for
any amendment of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or
for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance
by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any
proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Partnership of any notification
with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Units for sale in any
jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The
Partnership will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop
order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration
Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as
possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection,
including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new
registration statement and using its reasonable best efforts to have such amendment or new
registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.
(b) If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any
event occurs as a result of which (i) the Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would
conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus, the Partnership will (A) notify promptly the Representatives
so that any use of the Disclosure Package or the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as the case
may be, may cease until it is amended or supplemented;
(B) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
25
as the case may be, to correct such statement, omission or conflict; and (C) supply any
amendment or supplement to the Representatives in such quantities as they may reasonably
request.
(c) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Units is required to be delivered
under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant
to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented
would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement
or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Partnership promptly will (i)
notify the Representatives of any such event; (ii) prepare and file with the Commission,
subject to the second sentence of subsection (a) of this Section 5, an
amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such
compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented Prospectus to the Representatives in such
quantities as they may reasonably request.
(d) As soon as practicable, the Partnership will make generally available to its
unitholders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the
Partnership and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the
Act and Rule 158 under the Act.
(e) The Partnership will furnish (or otherwise make available) to the Representatives
and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration
Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the
Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus
by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where
such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement
thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Partnership will pay the
expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.
(f) The Partnership will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Units for
sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate
and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of
the Units; provided, that in no event shall the Partnership be obligated to qualify
to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action
that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the
offering or sale of the Units, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
(g) The Partnership Parties will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup
Global Markets Inc., offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of, (or
enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result
in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to
cash settlement or otherwise) by the Partnership Parties and each
officer and director of the General Partner) directly or indirectly, including the
filing (or
26
participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in
respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a
call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any other
Common Units or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Common
Units; or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 180
days after the date of this Agreement, provided, however, that the
Partnership may (A) may issue Common Units or any securities convertible or exchangeable
into Common Units up to an aggregate 40% of the Common Units to be outstanding immediately
following the sale of the Common Units pursuant to this Agreement as payment of any part of
the purchase price for businesses or assets that are acquired by the Partnership; provided
that any recipient of such Common Units must agree in writing to be bound by the terms of
this Section 5(g) for the remaining term of the restricted period; (B) following the
90th day after the date of this Agreement, file any registration statement in
connection with the entrance by the Partnership into a definitive agreement relating to the
acquisition of a business or assets as contemplated by Section 3(g)(A); provided
that no Common Units are sold pursuant to such registration statement during the remaining
term of the restricted period; and (C) issue and sell Common Units pursuant to, and file a
registration statement on Form S-8 relating to, the Partnership’s Long-Term Incentive Plan
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i)
during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period, the Partnership issues an earnings
release or announces material news or a material event relating to the Partnership occurs;
or (ii) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Partnership announces
that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of
the 180-day period, then the restrictions imposed in this clause shall continue to apply
until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release
or the announcement of the material news or the occurrence of the material event unless the
Representatives waive such extension in writing. The Partnership will provide the
Representatives and any co-managers and each individual subject to the restricted period
pursuant to the lock-up letters described in Section 6(g) with prior notice of any
such announcement or occurrence that gives rise to an extension of the restricted period.
(h) The Memorial Entities will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to
or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under
the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of
the Partnership to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
(i) The Partnership agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following
matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each
amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery
(including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such
copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in
each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the
Units; (iii) the preparation, printing,
authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Units, including any
stamp or
27
transfer taxes in connection with the
original issuance and sale of the Units; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of
this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or
reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Units; (v) the registration
of the Units under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Units on NASDAQ; (vi) any
registration or qualification of the Units for offer and sale under the securities or blue
sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses
of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) any
filings required to be made with FINRA (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and
expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification);
(viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Partnership and
the Representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Units;
(ix) the fees and expenses of the Partnership’s accountants and the fees and expenses of
counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Partnership; and (x) all other costs
and expenses incident to the performance by the Partnership of its obligations hereunder;
provided, that except as expressly provided in this Section 5(i), Section
5(j) and Section 7, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses,
including the costs and expenses of their counsel.
(j) The Partnership agrees to pay (i) all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Unit Program, (ii) all costs
and expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the printing (or reproduction)
and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging)
of copies of the Directed Unit Program materials and (iii) all stamp duties, similar taxes
or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the
Directed Unit Program. Furthermore, the Partnership covenants with the Underwriters that
the Partnership will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules
and regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the Units are offered in connection
with the Directed Unit Program.
(k) The Partnership agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written
consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with
the Partnership that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior
written consent of the Partnership, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to
the Units that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise
constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the
Partnership with the Commission or retained by the Partnership under Rule 433;
provided, that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to
have been given in respect of the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in
Schedule II hereto and any electronic road show. Any such free writing prospectus
consented to by the Representatives or the Partnership is hereinafter referred to as a
“Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Partnership agrees that (i) it has treated
and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus and (ii) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the
requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus,
including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
28
(l) The Partnership will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Units
in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
(m) The Partnership will use its reasonable best efforts to effect and maintain the
listing of the Common Units on NASDAQ.
6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase the Firm Units and the Option Units, as the case may be, shall be subject
to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Partnership Parties
contained herein as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to
Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Partnership Parties made in any
certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Partnership Parties of
their obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus and any supplement thereto have been filed in the manner and within
the time period required by Rule 424(b); any material required to be filed by the
Partnership pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission
within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to
its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been
instituted or threatened.
(b) The Partnership shall have requested and caused Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx LLP,
counsel for the Partnership, to have furnished to the Representatives its legal opinion,
dated the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, and
addressed to the Representatives, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Representatives, substantially in the form set forth on
Exhibit B.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P., counsel for
the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and any settlement date
pursuant to Section 3 hereof, and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to
the issuance and sale of the Units, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably require, and the Partnership shall
have caused the MRD
Entities to furnish to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the
purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(d) Each Partnership Party shall have furnished to the Representatives certificates of
the Chairman, the President, the Chief Executive Officer or an Executive Vice President or
Senior Vice President of such Partnership Party (or persons holding similar positions, as
applicable) and of the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of such
Partnership Party (or persons holding similar positions, as applicable), dated the Closing
Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the effect that the
signers of each such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
29
and any amendment or
supplement thereto, as well as each electronic roadshow used in connection with the offering
of the Units, and this Agreement and that:
(i) the representations and warranties of such Partnership Party in this
Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date and any settlement date
pursuant to Section 3 hereof, with the same effect as if made on the Closing
Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, and such
Partnership Party has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied on or prior to such Closing Date
or settlement date, as applicable;
(ii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there
has been no Material Adverse Effect, except as described in the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto); and
(iii) with respect to the certificate of the Partnership Entities, no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice
objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Entities, threatened.
(e) The Representatives shall have received from each of KPMG LLP, Deloitte & Touche
LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, Netherland, Xxxxxx & Associates, Inc. and Xxxxxx & Xxxxx, Ltd.
customary comfort letters dated the date of this Agreement, the Closing Date and any
settlement date, and addressed to the Underwriters (with executed copies for each of the
Representatives), containing (i) in the case of the letters of KPMG LLP, Deloitte & Touche
LLP and Ernst & Young LLP, statements and information of the type ordinarily included in
accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and
certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and any amendments or
supplements thereto, (ii) in the case of the letters of Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Associates,
Inc. and Xxxxxx & Xxxxx, Ltd., statements and information of the type ordinarily included in
reserve engineers’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the reserve reports
described in Section 1(cc) hereof and related reserve information contained in the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and
the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto and (iii) with regards to such
letters dated the Closing Date or any settlement date, to the effect that such firm
reaffirms the statements made in the letters furnished on the date of this Agreement, except
that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior
to the Closing Date or such settlement date. References to the Prospectus in this
paragraph (e) include any supplement thereto at the date of the respective letter.
(f) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the
Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i)
any material increase or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to
30
in
paragraph (e) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development
involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise),
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Partnership Entities taken as a whole,
whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as
described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto)
the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole
judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or
inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Units as contemplated by the
Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
(g) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the
rating of any of the Partnership Parties’ debt securities by any “nationally recognized
statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or
any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible
change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.
(h) The Units shall have been approved for listing and admitted and authorized for
trading on NASDAQ, and reasonably satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been
provided to the Representatives.
(i) At the Execution Time, the Partnership shall have furnished to the Representatives
a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto from each of the parties
listed on Schedule III hereto and addressed to the Representatives.
(j) The Partnership Parties shall have furnished to the Representatives evidence
reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives that each of the Transactions shall have
occurred or will occur as of the Closing Date, including the concurrent closing of the new
credit facility pursuant to the Credit Agreement, in each case as described in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus without material modification, change or waiver,
except for such material modifications, changes or waivers as have been specifically
identified to the Representatives and which, in the judgment of the Representatives, do not
make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering and delivery of the Units
on the Closing Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus.
(k) The Representatives shall have received from the Partnership Parties such
additional documents and certificates as the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters
may reasonably request.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled
when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above
or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the
Representatives and Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P., this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters
hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the
31
Representatives.
Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Partnership in writing or by telephone or
facsimile confirmed in writing.
The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the
office of counsel for the Underwriters, at Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P., 0000 Xxxxxx Xx., Xxxxx 0000,
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, on the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3
hereof.
7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Units provided for
herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in
Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 9
or Section 10(i) hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the
Partnership Parties to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than
by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Partnership Parties will reimburse the
Underwriters severally through Citigroup Global Markets Inc. on demand for all out-of-pocket
expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by
them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Units; provided, however, that in the
case of a termination pursuant to either of clauses (ii),
(iii) or (iv) of Section 10, the
Partnership will reimburse the Underwriters severally through Citigroup Global Markets Inc. for one
half of all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that
shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Units.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Partnership Parties jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless
each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter,
affiliates of each Underwriter who have, or are alleged to have, participated in the
distribution of Units as underwriters, and each person who controls any Underwriter within
the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject
under the Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at
common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement for the registration of
the Units as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein, in the light of circumstances under which they were made
(with respect to the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus), not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such
indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them
in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action; provided, however, that the Partnership Parties will not be liable
in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made therein in reliance upon
32
and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for inclusion therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such
information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information
described as such in Section 8(b) hereof. This indemnity agreement will be in
addition to any liability which the Partnership Parties may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Partnership Parties, each of the General Partner’s directors and officers who sign the
Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Partnership Parties within the
meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity
from the Partnership Parties to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written
information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of
such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents
referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any
liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Underwriters severally confirm and
the Partnership Parties acknowledge that the statements set forth (i) in the last paragraph
of the cover page regarding delivery of the Units and, under the heading “Underwriting,”
(ii) the list of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Units,
(iii) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances and (iv) the paragraph related
to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in the Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus constitute the only
information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion
in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify
the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or
(b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and
such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and
defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any
obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in
paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to
appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to
represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which
case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of
any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth
below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to
appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall
have the right to employ one separate counsel (in addition to local counsel), and the
indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate
counsel (but in no event shall the indemnifying party bear the reasonable fees, costs and
expenses of more than one such separate counsel) if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the
indemnifying party to represent
33
the indemnified party would present such counsel with a
conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such
action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified
party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it
and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available
to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a
reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying
party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the
indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of
the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened
claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be
sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to
such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such
claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include a statement as to or an admission of
fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. If the
indemnifying party is obligated pursuant to this Section 8(c) to bear the reasonable
fees, costs and expenses of one separate counsel for all of the indemnified parties, such
indemnified parties shall not, without the prior written consent of the indemnifying party
(which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the
entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or
proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution is sought hereunder.
(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or
(c) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party for any reason, the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters severally
agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending
the same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Partnership Parties and one or more
of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Partnership Parties on the one hand and by the
Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Units; provided, however,
that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among
underwriters relating to the offering of the Units) be responsible for any amount in excess
of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Units purchased by such
Underwriter hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is
unavailable for any reason, the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters severally shall
contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits
but also the relative fault of the Partnership Parties on the one hand and of the
Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in
such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by
the Partnership Parties shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the
offering (before deducting expenses and applicable structuring and advisory fees) received
by the Partnership, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to
the total underwriting
34
discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover
page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the
Partnership Parties on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the
parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Partnership Parties and the Underwriters
agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata
allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8(d),
each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange
Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same
rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Partnership
within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Partnership
who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Partnership shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Partnership Parties, subject in each case to the
applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).
9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase
and pay for any of the Units agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder
and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their
obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take
up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Units set forth opposite their
names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Units set forth opposite the
names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Units which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the
aggregate amount of Units that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to
purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Units set forth in Schedule I hereto,
the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any
obligation to purchase any, of the Units, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase
all the Units, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or
the Partnership Entities. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this
Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business
Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to
the Partnership and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute
discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Partnership prior to delivery of and
payment for the Units, if at any time prior to such time (i) trading in the Partnership’s Common
Units shall have been suspended by the Commission or NASDAQ or trading in securities generally on
NASDAQ or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall
have been established on such Exchange, (ii) a banking
35
moratorium shall have been declared either
by federal or New York State authorities, (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or
escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or
other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the
sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or
delivery of the Units as contemplated by the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (exclusive of
any supplement thereto) or (iv) there has occurred any material adverse effect in the financial
markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or
escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective
change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the
effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of
the Units.
11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements,
representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Partnership Parties or any of
their officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain
in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter
or the Partnership Parties or any of the officers, directors, managers, employees, agents or
controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and
payment for the Units. The provisions of Section 7 and Section 8 hereof shall
survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on
receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or faxed to the Citigroup
Global Markets Inc. General Counsel (fax no.: (000) 000-0000) and confirmed to the General Counsel,
Citigroup Global Markets Inc., at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000, Attention:
General Counsel; Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc. at 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xx. Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
00000 and Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Equity
Syndicate; or, if sent to the Partnership Parties, will be mailed, delivered or faxed to 0000
XxXxxxxx Xx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, attn: President and Chief Executive Officer (fax
no.: (000) 000-0000), with a copy to 000 X. Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000,
attn: Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxx (fax no.: (000) 000-0000).
13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, affiliates,
agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will
have any right or obligation hereunder.
14. No Fiduciary Duty. Each of the Partnership Parties hereby acknowledge that (a) the
purchase and sale of the Units pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction
between the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be
acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary
of the Partnership Parties and (c) the engagement of the Underwriters in connection with
the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not
in any other capacity. Furthermore, each of the Partnership Parties agree that it is solely
responsible for making their own judgments in connection with the offering
36
(irrespective of whether
any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Partnership Parties on related or
other matters). Each of the Partnership Parties agree that it will not claim that the Underwriters
have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar
duty to any of the Partnership Parties in connection with such transaction or the process leading
thereto.
15. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings
(whether written or oral) between the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters, or any of them,
with respect to the subject matter hereof.
16. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the
State of New York.
17. Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the Partnership Parties hereby irrevocably waives,
to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal
proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of
which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same
agreement.
19. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not
affect the construction hereof.
20. Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the
meanings indicated.
“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Agreement” shall mean this Underwriting Agreement dated [•], 2011, by and among the
Partnership Parties and the Underwriters.
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday
or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to
close in New York City.
“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus dated [•], 2011, (ii)
the price to the public, the number of Firm Units and the number of Option Units to be included on
the cover page of the Prospectus, (ii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in
Schedule II hereto and (iii) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto
shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.
37
“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any
post-effective amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or
becomes effective.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and
delivered by the parties hereto.
“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in
Rule 405.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as
defined in Rule 433.
“Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus referred to in
Section 1(a) above and any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement at
the Effective Date that omits Rule 430A Information.
“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus relating to the Units that is first filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time.
“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in
Section 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus
supplement relating to the Units that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and
deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A, as amended at the Execution Time
and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so
amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be.
“Rule 158”, “Rule 163”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule
175”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430A” and
“Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act.
“Rule 430A Information” shall mean information with respect to the Units and the
offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes effective
pursuant to Rule 430A.
“Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any
amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the offering covered by the
registration statement referred to in Section 1(a) hereof.
38
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign
and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall
represent a binding agreement among the Partnership Parties and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours, | ||||||
Memorial Production Partners LP | ||||||
By: | Memorial Production Partners GP LLC, its general partner |
|||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
Memorial Production Partners GP LLC | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
Memorial Production Operating LLC | ||||||
By: | Memorial Production Partners LP, | |||||
its sole member | ||||||
By: | Memorial Production Partners GP LLC, its general partner |
|||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
Memorial Resource Development LLC | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
By: |
||||
Name:
|
||||
Title: |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc.
By: |
||||
Name:
|
||||
Title: |
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC
By: |
||||
Name:
|
||||
Title: |
For themselves and the other
several Underwriters named in
Schedule I to the foregoing
Agreement.
several Underwriters named in
Schedule I to the foregoing
Agreement.
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
Number of Firm Units | ||||
Underwriters | to be Purchased | |||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
[•] | |||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc. |
[•] | |||
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC |
[•] | |||
Barclays Capital Inc. |
[•] | |||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC |
[•] | |||
RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
[•] | |||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Inc. |
[•] | |||
Total |
[•] |
I-1
SCHEDULE II
Schedule of Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package
None.
II-1
SCHEDULE III
Parties to Lock-Up Agreements
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Memorial Resources Development LLC
III-1
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER
[•], 2011
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc.
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters,
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc.
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters,
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement
(the “Underwriting Agreement”), among Memorial Production Partners LP (the
“Partnership”), Memorial Production Partners GP LLC, Memorial Production Operating LLC,
Memorial Resource Development LLC, and you as representatives (the “Representatives”) of a
group of Underwriters named therein, relating to an underwritten public offering of common units
representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (“Common Units”).
In order to induce you and the other Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement,
the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc.,
offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which
is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual
disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the
undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned or any person in privity with the undersigned or
any affiliate of the undersigned), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation
in the filing) of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect
of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent
position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder with
respect to, any Common Units of the Partnership or any securities convertible into, or exercisable
or exchangeable for such Common Units, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such
transaction, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the
“Lock-up Period”) other than Common Units disposed of as bona fide gifts approved by
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
A-1
Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraph, if (i) during the last 17 days of the Lock-up Period,
the Partnership issues an earnings release or announces material news or a material event relating
to the Partnership occurs; or (ii) prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, the Partnership
announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day
of the Lock-up Period, then the restrictions imposed in the preceding paragraph shall continue to
apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release
or the announcement of the material news or occurrence of the material event, unless Citigroup
Global Markets Inc. waives, in writing, such extension. The undersigned hereby acknowledges that
the Partnership has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to provide written notice of any event
that would result in an extension of the Lock-up Period and agrees that any such notice properly
delivered will be deemed to have given to, and received by, the undersigned.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, to the extent that (i) at any time
subsequent to the execution of this Lock-up Letter the undersigned is not required to make any
filings under Section 16 or Sections 13(d) or (g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with
respect to any shares of Common Units, and (ii) the undersigned has entered into or will enter into
an agreement similar to this Lock-up Letter (a) in connection with a bona fide issuer directed unit
program relating to the underwritten public offering of Common Units (a “DUP Program”) with
respect to any Common Units to be purchased in such DUP Program (the “DUP Units”) and (b)
with any member of the underwriting syndicate or any affiliate of such member who is acting as
administrator of such DUP Program, the terms of such other similar lock-up agreement and not of
this Lock-up Letter shall govern the undersigned’s rights with respect to such DUP Units.
If for any reason the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated prior to the Closing Date (as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement), the agreement set forth above shall likewise be terminated.
Yours very truly,
A-2