ASSET CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT by and among NGP 2004 CO-INVESTMENT INCOME, L.P., NGP CO-INVESTMENT INCOME CAPITAL CORP., NGP-VII INCOME CO-INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, L.P. and EAGLE ROCK ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. Dated as of March 31, 2007
Exhibit 2.3
by and among
NGP 2004 CO-INVESTMENT INCOME, L.P.,
NGP CO-INVESTMENT INCOME CAPITAL CORP.,
NGP-VII INCOME CO-INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, L.P.
and
EAGLE ROCK ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
Dated as of March 31, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION |
1 | |||
1.1 Definitions |
1 | |||
1.2 Rules of Construction |
12 | |||
ARTICLE II ACQUISITION & CONTRIBUTION; CLOSING |
13 | |||
2.1 Contribution of Assets; Assumption of Liabilities |
13 | |||
2.2 Issuance of Contributee Units at Closing |
14 | |||
2.3 Computation of Agreed Value |
14 | |||
2.4 Escrow Deposit |
16 | |||
2.5 Determination of Final Agreed Value; Post-Closing Adjustments; and Post-Closing Remittance Obligations |
16 | |||
2.6 Environmental Defect; Limitation on Environmental Adjustments |
18 | |||
2.7 Tax Treatment of Adjustments to Agreed Value and Payments |
20 | |||
2.8 The Closing |
20 | |||
2.9 Transition of Certain Accounting Matters |
21 | |||
2.10 Notifications by Contributee |
21 | |||
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE assets |
22 | |||
3.1 Litigation |
22 | |||
3.2 Cost-Bearing Assets |
22 | |||
3.3 Contracts |
22 | |||
3.4 Intellectual Property |
22 | |||
3.5 Compliance with Laws; Permits |
23 | |||
3.6 Defensible Title |
23 | |||
3.7 Brokers’ Fees |
23 | |||
3.8 Preferential Rights |
23 | |||
3.9 Production Balances |
24 | |||
3.10 Illegal Payments |
24 | |||
3.11 Unrecorded Montierra Conveyances |
24 | |||
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO CONTRIBUTORS |
24 | |||
4.1 Organization of Contributors |
24 | |||
4.2 Authorization; Enforceability |
24 | |||
4.3 Taxes |
25 |
ii
ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO CONTRIBUTEE |
25 | |||
5.1 Organization |
25 | |||
5.2 Authorization; Enforceability |
25 | |||
5.3 No Conflict; Consents |
25 | |||
5.4 Litigation |
26 | |||
5.5 Brokers’ Fees |
26 | |||
5.6 Independent Investigation |
26 | |||
5.7 SEC Filings |
26 | |||
5.8 Taxes |
27 | |||
ARTICLE VI COVENANTS |
28 | |||
6.1 Conduct of Business |
28 | |||
6.2 Access |
28 | |||
6.3 Third Party Approvals |
30 | |||
6.4 Books and Records |
30 | |||
6.5 Permits |
30 | |||
6.6 Acquisition Proposals |
31 | |||
6.7 Financial Statements |
31 | |||
6.8 Representation Letters |
31 | |||
ARTICLE VII TAX MATTERS |
32 | |||
7.1 Character and Treatment of Transaction |
32 | |||
7.2 Post-Closing Tax Covenants |
32 | |||
7.3 Transfer Taxes |
33 | |||
7.4 Disputes over Tax Provisions |
33 | |||
7.5 Limitations on Indemnity |
33 | |||
ARTICLE VIII CONDITIONS TO closing |
34 | |||
8.1 Conditions to Obligations of Contributee |
34 | |||
8.2 Conditions to the Obligations of Contributors |
35 | |||
ARTICLE IX INDEMNIFICATION |
36 | |||
9.1 Survival |
36 | |||
9.2 Indemnification |
37 | |||
9.3 Limitations on Liability |
38 | |||
9.4 Procedures |
39 | |||
9.5 Notice of Claim Dispute |
42 |
iii
9.6 Escrow Account |
42 | |||
9.7 No Special, Consequential or Punitive Damages |
43 | |||
9.8 Waiver of Other Representations |
43 | |||
9.9 Exclusive Remedy and Release |
45 | |||
ARTICLE X TERMINATION |
45 | |||
10.1 Termination |
45 | |||
10.2 Effect of Termination |
46 | |||
ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS |
47 | |||
11.1 Notices |
47 | |||
11.2 Assignment |
47 | |||
11.3 Rights of Third Parties |
48 | |||
11.4 Expenses |
48 | |||
11.5 Counterparts |
48 | |||
11.6 Entire Agreement |
48 | |||
11.7 Disclosure Schedules |
48 | |||
11.8 Amendments |
49 | |||
11.9 Publicity |
49 | |||
11.10 Severability |
49 | |||
11.11 Governing Law; Jurisdiction |
49 |
LIST OF EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES
Exhibit A: |
||
Part I |
Contributor Properties | |
Part II |
Contributor Xxxxx | |
Part III |
Investments in Non-Affiliates | |
Part IV |
Total Net Mineral Acres by State | |
Exhibit B |
Registration Rights Agreement | |
Schedule A |
Allocated Environmental Defect Values |
iv
THIS ASSET CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of March 31, 2007, is entered
into by and among (i) NGP 2004 CO-INVESTMENT INCOME, L.P., a Texas limited partnership (“Co-Invest
Income”), (ii) NGP CO-INVESTMENT INCOME CAPITAL CORP., a Texas corporation (“Co-Invest ICC”), (iii)
NGP-VII INCOME CO-INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“NGPVII
Co-Invest,” who along with Co-Invest Income and Co-Invest ICC are individually herein, a
“Contributor” and collectively, the “Contributors”), and (iv) EAGLE ROCK ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (“Contributee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Contributors own, directly or indirectly, certain assets and properties
constituting the Assets (defined below);
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Contributors desire to
transfer and assign to Contributee, and Contributee desires to acquire from the Contributors, the
Assets, in exchange for Contributee Units (as defined below);
WHEREAS, the transfer of the Assets shall be treated as a contribution under Code Section
721(a) as more specifically provided herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants contained herein and
other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION
DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION
1.1 Definitions. As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“AAA” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.5.
“Accountants” has the meaning provided such term in Section 7.4.
“Acquisition Proposal” has the meaning provided such term in Section 6.6.
-1-
“Action” means any action, appeal, petition, plea, charge, complaint, claim, suit, demand,
litigation, arbitration, mediation, hearing, inquiry, investigation or similar event, occurrence or
proceeding.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly,
controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, such specified Person through one or
more intermediaries or otherwise. For the purposes of this definition, “control” means, where used
with respect to any Person, the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of
voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have
correlative meanings.
“Aggregate Basket Amount” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.3(b).
“Agreed Value” has the meaning provided such term in Section 2.3.
“Agreement” has the meaning provided such term in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Allocated Environmental Defect Value” means the dollar amount assigned to those Assets
described in Exhibit A attached hereto that may be subject to an Environmental Defect.
“Allocation” has the meaning provided such term in Section 7.1(b).
“Arbitrator” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.5.
“Arbitrator’s Decision” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.5.
“Assets” means, as of the Effective Time, all of the right, title, and interest of the
Contributors in and to (a) all of the oil, gas, and other minerals in and under and that may be
produced from the lands described on Exhibit A attached hereto (the “Lands”), together with
each and every kind and character of right, title, claim, and interest that the Contributors has in
and to the Lands and any lands pooled, unitized, communitized, or consolidated therewith, whether
such oil, gas, and other minerals be producing or not, or subject to an existing oil and gas lease
or not, as of the Effective Time, including (i) all fee mineral interests, royalty interests,
overriding royalty interests, and production payments, and other interests, similar or dissimilar
to the foregoing; (ii) the production from any oil and gas xxxxx located on the Lands, whether
producing, not producing, shut-in, temporarily abandoned, or permanently abandoned (the “Xxxxx”);
(iii) any pools or units which include any Lands or Xxxxx (the “Units”), and including all interest
of the Contributors in production from any such Unit, whether such Unit production
-2-
comes from Xxxxx located on or off of the Lands; (b) all Contracts, Intellectual Property and
Permits by which the Lands, Units, and/or Xxxxx are bound, or that relate to or are otherwise
applicable to the Lands, Units, and/or Xxxxx, to the extent applicable to, useful for the ownership
of, or benefiting in any manner, the Lands, Units, and/or Xxxxx or the production of oil and gas
and/or other minerals and products produced in association therewith from the Lands, Units, and/or
Xxxxx, but excluding any Contracts to the extent transfer is restricted by third-party agreement or
applicable law and the necessary consents to transfer are not obtained; and (c) to the oil, gas,
condensate, and other gaseous or liquid hydrocarbons (or any combination thereof) produced from or
attributable to the Lands, Units, and/or Xxxxx.
“Assumed Liabilities” has the meaning provided such term in Section 2.1.
“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday in the States of
Texas and New York and that is not otherwise a federal holiday in the United States.
“CERCLA” means the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability
Act, 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.
“Claim Notice” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.4(a).
“Claim Settlement Agreement” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.4(d).
“Closing” has the meaning provided such term in Section 2.8.
“Closing Date” has the meaning provided such term in Section 2.8.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Common Units” means a common unit of limited partnership of Contributee, which are listed on
the NASDAQ Global Market.
“Consents” has the meaning provided such term in sub-section (m) of the definition of
Permitted Liens.
“Constituents of Concern” any substance defined as a hazardous substance, hazardous waste,
hazardous material, pollutant or contaminant by any Environmental Law, any petroleum hydrocarbon or
fraction thereof, friable asbestos, or polychlorinated biphenyls, the handling, storage, treatment
or exposure of or to which is regulated under any Environmental Law.
“Contract” means any legally binding agreement, commitment, lease, license or contract,
-3-
but excluding Plans.
“Contributed Contract” has the meaning provided such term in Section 3.3
“Contributee” has the meaning provided such term in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Contributee GP” means Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company in its
capacity as the general partner of Eagle Rock Energy GP, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, the
general partner of Contributee.
“Contributee Indemnified Parties” has the meaning provided such term in Section
9.2(a).
“Contributee Units” means the Common Units issued pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof.
“Contributor Indemnified Parties” has the meaning provided such term in Section
9.2(b).
“Contributors” has the meaning provided such term in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Conveyance” has the meaning provided such term in Section 2.8(b)(i) hereof.
“Cost-Bearing Asset” means any Asset that requires Contributors to pay or be obligated to pay
for any operating expenses (excluding severance and ad valorem Taxes) associated with the Xxxxx or
the production of hydrocarbons therefrom.
“Data” means all files, records, and documentation including computer tapes, disks, or
information on other electronic media of the Contributors pertaining to the Assets, including,
without limitation, lease files, land files, well files, division order files, accounting files,
legal records (excluding attorney/client privilege documents other than title opinions), production
records, marketing records, gas and oil sales contract files, gas processing files, abstracts,
title opinions, maps, land surveys, non-confidential logs, engineering data and reports, reserve
studies and evaluations, and any geological and/or geophysical data which the Contributors have the
right to convey under any applicable licensing agreements.
“Defensible Title” means such title to the Assets which, subject to Permitted Liens, (a) in
the case of each of the Xxxxx identified in Part II of Exhibit A, entitles Contributors,
individually or collectively, to receive a net revenue interest in production of oil or gas not
less than that described in Part II of Exhibit A hereto for each of such Xxxxx, (b) in the
case of Lands that are
-4-
not producing oil or gas as of the Effective Time, results in Contributors collectively owning
at least the total number of “Net Mineral Acres” in each State as reflected in Part I of
Exhibit A hereto, and in each of cases (a) and (b) above, being free and clear of all
Encumbrances except for Permitted Liens. As used herein, “Net Mineral Acres” shall be computed
separately for each tract of Land which is a part of the Assets, and shall be determined, for each
such tract, by multiplying (a) the number of gross acres in such tract by (b) the undivided
interest in oil and gas owned by Contributors
“Direct Claim” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.4(d).
“Disclosure Schedules” means the schedules attached hereto.
“Dollars” and “$” mean the lawful currency of the United States.
“Effective Time” means 12:01 a.m. Central Time, on January 1, 2007.
“Encumbrance” means any material title defect, mortgage, assignment, pledge, hypothecation,
security interest, title or retention agreement, levy, execution, seizure, attachment, garnishment,
deemed trust, lien, easement, option, right or claim of others, or charge or encumbrance of any
kind whatsoever.
“Environmental Claims Date” means April 20, 2007.
“Environmental Defect” means any condition existing as of the date of this Agreement or the
Closing on any Cost-Bearing Asset or the Brea Olinda Asset in Orange County, California, that is in
material violation of any Environmental Laws existing as of the date of this Agreement or as of the
Closing; provided, that no Environmental Defect may be claimed pursuant to this Agreement unless a
Contributor has liability under Environmental Laws for such Environmental Defect.
“Environmental Law” means all applicable Laws of any Governmental Authority relating to the
protection of human health or the environment, including: (a) all requirements pertaining to
liability for reporting, management, licensing, permitting, investigation, and remediation of
emissions, discharges, releases, or threatened releases of a Constituent of Concern; and (b) all
limitations, restrictions, conditions, standards, prohibitions, obligations, and timetables
contained therein or in any notice or demand letter to Contributors issued, entered, promulgated or
approved thereunder. The term “Environmental Law” includes, without limitation, CERCLA, the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (which includes the Federal Clean
-5-
Water Act), the Federal Clean Air Act, the Federal Solid Waste Disposal Act (which includes
the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), the Federal Toxic Substances Control Act, and the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, each as amended as of the date hereof, any
regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, and any state or local counterparts.
“Escrow Account” means the account maintained by the Escrow Agent and initially funded with
the Escrow Deposit.
“Escrow Agent” means Xxxxx Fargo Bank (Texas), N.A.
“Escrow Deposit” means 175,789 Contributee Units having a deemed value of $3,339,991 and shall
be delivered to the Escrow Account in accordance with Section 2.4.
“Escrow Income” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.6(a).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Final Agreed Value” has the meaning provided such term in Section 2.5(a).
“Final Settlement Statement” has the meaning provided such term in Section 2.5(a).
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles of the United States, consistently
applied.
“Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, municipal, local or similar governmental
authority, regulatory or administrative agency, court or arbitral body.
“Imbalance” means any gas or other hydrocarbon production, pipeline, transportation or
processing imbalance existing as of the Effective Time with respect to any of the Cost-Bearing
Assets, together with any related rights or obligations as to future cash and/or gas or product
balancing, as a result of Contributors having taken and sold for the account of the Contributors
cumulative production which is greater or less than the Contributors’ share in cumulative
production.
“Indebtedness for Borrowed Money” means all obligations to any Person for borrowed money,
including (a) any obligation to reimburse any bank or other Person in respect of amounts paid or
payable under a standby letter of credit or (b) any guaranty with respect to indebtedness for
borrowed money of another Person.
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.4(a).
-6-
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.4(a).
“Individual Basket Amount” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.3(b).
“Intellectual Property” means intellectual property rights, statutory or common Law,
worldwide, including (a) trademarks, service marks, trade dress, slogans, logos and all goodwill
associated therewith, and any applications or registrations for any of the foregoing; (b)
copyrights and any applications or registrations for any of the foregoing; and (c) patents, all
confidential know-how, trade secrets and similar proprietary rights in confidential inventions,
discoveries, improvements, processes, techniques, devices, methods, patterns, formulae,
specifications, and lists of suppliers, vendors, customers, and distributors.
“IRS” means Internal Revenue Service of the United States.
“Knowledge” (a) as to Contributors means the actual knowledge of those Persons listed in
Section 1.1 of the Disclosure Schedules. A Person has “actual knowledge” of those matters
which the individual involved could reasonably be expected to have as a result of undertaking an
investigation of such a scope and extent as a reasonably prudent Person in a same or similar
position or office would undertake concerning the particular subject matter.
“Law” means any applicable statute, writ, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, order, judgment,
injunction, award, determination or decree of a Governmental Authority, in each case as in effect
on and as interpreted on the date of this Agreement or on and as of the Closing Date, as
applicable, unless the context otherwise clearly requires a different date, in which case on and as
of such date.
“Lien(s)” means any charges, pledges, options, mortgages, deeds of trust, hypothecations, or
security interests.
“Losses” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.2(a).
“Material Adverse Effect” means, with respect to any Person, any circumstance, change or
effect that (a) is adverse to the business, operations (including results of operation), assets,
prospects, liabilities or financial condition of such Person in an amount individually or in the
aggregate, of $500,000 or more, or (b) that materially impedes the ability of such Person to
complete the transactions contemplated herein, but shall exclude any circumstance, change or effect
resulting or arising from: (i) any change in general economic conditions in the industries or
markets in which the Contributors operates; (ii) seasonal reductions in revenues and/or
-7-
earnings of the Contributors in the ordinary course of its business; (iii) any adverse change,
event or effect on the global energy industry as a whole, including those impacting energy prices
or the value of Assets; (iv) national or international political conditions, including any
engagement in hostilities, whether or not pursuant to the declaration of a national emergency or
war, or the occurrence of any military or terrorist attack; (v) changes in Law, GAAP or the
interpretation thereof; (vi) the entry into or announcement of this Agreement, actions contemplated
by this Agreement, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; or (vii) matters
only to the extent such matters are reflected in the Preliminary Settlement Statement as of the
Closing Date.
“Montierra” means, collectively or individually, Montierra Minerals & Production, L.P., a
Texas limited partnership, NGP Minerals, L.L.C., a Texas limited liability company, and NGP 2004
Income, L.P., a Texas limited partnership.
“NASDAQ” means The NASDAQ National Stock Market, Inc.
“Notice of Claim Dispute” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.4(d).
“Order” means any order, judgment, injunction, edict, decree, ruling, pronouncement,
determination, decision, opinion, sentence, subpoena, writ or award issued, made, entered or
rendered by any court, administrative agency or other Governmental Authority or by any arbitrator.
“Organizational Documents” means any charter, certificate of incorporation, articles of
association, partnership agreements, limited liability company agreements, bylaws, operating
agreement or similar formation or governing documents and instruments.
“Parties” means Contributors and Contributee.
“Permits” means authorizations, licenses, permits or certificates issued by Governmental
Authorities; provided, right-of-way agreements and similar approvals are not included in the
definition of Permits.
“Permitted Liens” means:
(a) terms, conditions, restrictions, exceptions, reservations, limitations and other matters
contained in the contracts, agreements, instruments and other documents which pertain to, relate to
or cover the Assets, or create or reserve to the Contributors its interest in the Assets,
-8-
or to which the interest of the Contributors therein is subject, provided that the same do not
reduce the interest in an Asset below that set forth in Part II or IV of Exhibit A for such
Asset;
(b) changes in the interest associated with the Assets or any of them, occurring after the
Effective Time from any cause insofar as said changes are either reflected on the Exhibits attached
hereto, or are described in the Contracts pertaining to the Assets;
(c) any easements, rights-of-way, servitudes, permits and other rights in respect of surface
operations, pipelines or the like, and easements for pipelines, power lines, and other similar
rights-of-way, and encroachments, on, over or in respect of any of the Lands that do not
unreasonably or materially interfere with the operation of the Lands for the exploration and
production of hydrocarbons or related operations;
(d) the terms and conditions of all production sales contracts, transportation agreements,
pooling agreements, unitization agreements, operating agreements, processing agreements, and all
other contracts, agreements, and instruments related to or utilized in connection with the Lands,
or the production, storage, treatment, transportation, sale or disposal of oil, gas or other
hydrocarbons, minerals or substances therefrom that do not operate to reduce the interest in an
Asset below that set forth in Part II or IV of Exhibit A for such Asset;
(e) defects or irregularities arising out of lack of corporate authorization, unless
Contributee provides affirmative evidence that such corporate action was not authorized and results
in another Person’s superior claim of title to the relevant Property;
(f) defects or irregularities that have been cured or remedied by the passage of time,
including, without limitation, applicable statutes of limitation or statutes for prescription,
unless the defect or irregularity is of such a nature that a reasonably prudent Person would not
rely on the passage of time to cure or remedy such defect or irregularity;
(g) conventional rights of reassignment normally actuated by an intent to abandon or release a
lease and requiring notice to the holders of such rights,
(h) normal and customary Liens of co-owners under operating agreements, unitization
agreements, and pooling orders relating to the oil and gas properties, which obligations are not
yet due and pursuant to which Contributors are not in default;
-9-
(i) all approvals required to be obtained from Governmental Authority that are owners of
interests in the Land, Xxxxx or Units (or who administer such interests on behalf of such owners)
which are customarily obtained post-Closing;
(j) all Liens against the Assets and/or the Contributors’ interest in the Assets held by banks
or other financial or lending institutions assuming that all such Liens are released at or before
Closing
(k) Liens for Taxes which are not yet delinquent, or a mechanic’s or materialmen’s Lien (or
other similar Lien), or a Lien under an operating agreement or similar agreement, to the extent the
same relates to expenses incurred which are not yet delinquent, or Liens which will be released at
or before Closing;
(l) Requirements applicable to the transaction contemplated hereby for consents to assignment
(“Consents”) and preferential rights to purchase (“Preferential Rights”) if, in the case of a
Preferential Right, a waiver of such Preferential Right has been obtained or an appropriate tender
of the applicable interest has been made to all parties holding such right and, with respect to
each such party, either (A) the period of time required for such party to exercise such right has
expired without such party exercising such right, or (B) such right has been exercised and the
affected portion of the Assets has been excluded from the transactions contemplated hereby, or, in
the case of a Consent, the document describing such Consent states that such Consent cannot be
unreasonably withheld (or words similar thereto);
(m) any other liens, charges, encumbrances, contracts, agreements, instruments, obligations,
defects, or irregularities of any kind whatsoever affecting the Assets that individually or in the
aggregate are not such as would materially adversely affect the ownership, value, or use of the
Assets; and
(n) any interest in the Assets that was purported to be conveyed by the Unrecorded Montierra
Conveyances and which, as a result of one or more of such Unrecorded Montierra Conveyances being
defective in whole or in part, is determined not to have been conveyed to Contributors and is still
owned by Montierra, provided that, immediately prior to the Closing of this Agreement, any such
interest will have been conveyed to NGP 2004 Income, L.P., pursuant to the closing of that certain
Partnership Interests Contribution Agreement described below in Section 8.1(C).
“Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, Governmental
-10-
Authority or other entity of any kind.
“Post-Effective Time Tax Period” means any Tax period (or a portion thereof) that is not a
Pre-Effective Time Tax Period.
“Pre-Effective Time Tax Period” means any Tax period (or a portion thereof) ending on or
before the Effective Time.
“Preferential Rights” has the meaning provided such term in sub-section (m) of the definition
of “Permitted Liens.”
“Preliminary Settlement Statement” has the meaning provided such term in Section 2.3.
“Proceeding” means any action, suit, litigation, arbitration, lawsuit, claim, proceeding
(including any civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or appellate proceeding and any
informal proceeding), prosecution, contests, hearing, inquiry, inquest, audit, examination,
investigation, challenge, controversy or dispute commenced, brought, conducted or heard by or
before, or otherwise involving, any Governmental Authority or any arbitrator.
“Reasonable Efforts” means efforts in accordance with reasonable commercial practice and
without the incurrence of material expense.
“Regulations” means the Treasury Regulations, including Temporary Regulations, promulgated by
the United States Treasury Department under the Code.
“Representatives” means a Person’s directors, officers, employees, agents or advisors
(including, without limitation, attorneys, accountants, consultants, bankers, financial advisors
and any representatives of those advisors).
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“SEC Reports” has the meaning provided such term in Section 5.7.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (a) any corporation, of which a majority of
the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any
contingency) to vote generally in the election of directors thereof is at the time owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that
Person or a combination thereof or (b) any limited liability company, partnership, association or
-11-
other business entity, of which a majority of the partnership or other similar ownership
interests thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one
or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof. For purposes of this definition, a
Person or Persons will be deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a limited liability
company, partnership, association or other business entity if such Person or Persons will be
allocated a majority of limited liability company, partnership, association or other business
entity gains or losses, or is or controls the managing member or general partner of such limited
liability company, partnership, association or other business entity.
“Tax” or “Taxes” means all taxes, assessments, charges, duties, fees, levies, imposts or other
similar charges imposed by a Governmental Authority, including all income, franchise, profits,
margins, capital gains, capital stock, transfer, gross receipts, sales, use, transfer, service,
occupation, ad valorem, real or personal property, excise, severance, windfall profits, customs,
premium, stamp, license, payroll, employment, social security, unemployment, disability,
environmental, alternative minimum, add-on, value-added, withholding and other taxes, assessments,
charges, duties, fees, levies, imposts or other similar charges of any kind, and all estimated
taxes, deficiency assessments, additions to tax, penalties and interest, whether disputed or
otherwise.
“Tax Returns” means any report, return, election, document, estimated tax filing, declaration,
claim for refund, extensions, information returns, or other filing with respect to any Taxes
provided to any Governmental Authority including any schedules or attachments thereto and any
amendment thereof.
“Third Party Claim” has the meaning provided such term in Section 9.4(a).
“United States” means United States of America.
“Unit Price” means $19.00 for each Contributee Unit.
“Unrecorded Montierra Conveyances” means all unrecorded conveyances from Montierra to
Contributors of interests in the Lands.
1.2 Rules of Construction. All article, section, schedule and exhibit references used
in this Agreement are to articles and sections of, and schedules and exhibits to, this Agreement
unless otherwise specified. The schedules and exhibits attached to this Agreement constitute a
part of this Agreement and are incorporated herein for all purposes.
-12-
(a) If a term is defined as one part of speech (such as a noun), it shall have a
corresponding meaning when used as another part of speech (such as a verb). Terms defined
in the singular have the corresponding meanings in the plural, and vice versa. Unless the
context of this Agreement clearly requires otherwise, words importing the masculine gender
shall include the feminine and neutral genders and vice versa. The term “includes” or
“including” shall mean “including without limitation.” The words “hereof,” “hereto,”
“hereby,” “herein,” “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement,
shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section or article in
which such words appear.
(b) With respect to the Contributors the term “ordinary course of business” will be
deemed to refer to the ordinary conduct of the business in a manner consistent with the past
practices and customs of the Contributors.
(c) The Parties acknowledge that each Party and its attorney have reviewed this
Agreement and that any rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be
resolved against the drafting Party, or any similar rule operating against the drafter of an
agreement, shall not be applicable to the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
(d) The captions in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be considered
a part of or affect the construction or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement.
(e) All references to currency herein shall be to, and all payments required hereunder
shall be paid in, Dollars.
(f) All accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined herein shall have the
meanings given to them under GAAP.
ARTICLE II
ACQUISITION & CONTRIBUTION; CLOSING
ACQUISITION & CONTRIBUTION; CLOSING
2.1 Contribution of Assets; Assumption of Liabilities. At the Closing, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement,
Contributors shall contribute, assign, transfer and convey to Contributee (or to an entity or
entities wholly-owned, directly or indirectly, by Contributee which is or are disregarded for
Federal income Tax purposes and to
-13-
which Contributee shall, prior to Closing, have assigned in
writing its rights, but not its obligations, hereunder), and Contributee, or its assignee(s), shall
acquire from Contributors, the Assets, free and clear of any Liens other than Permitted Liens, and
Contributee, or its assignee(s), shall assume all of the liabilities and obligations associated
with the Assets from and after the Effective Time, provided with respect to Contracts it shall be
an assumption of all of the liabilities and obligations other than those accruing or arising from a
breach or default by the Contributors prior to the Effective Time (the “Assumed Liabilities”) .
2.2 Issuance of Contributee Units at Closing. Subject to Section 2.4, in
exchange for the contribution of the Assets and assumption of the Assumed Liabilities, at the
Closing, Contributee shall deliver to Contributors, pro rata in accordance with their respective
percentage ownership of the Assets as reflected in Section 2.2 of the Disclosure Schedule
(which will be delivered by Contributors to Contributee on or prior to the Closing), the number of
Common Units equal to the quotient of (i) the Agreed Value (as computed in accordance with
Section 2.3), divided by (ii) the Unit Price (the “Contributee Units”).
2.3 Computation of Agreed Value. For purposes of this ARTICLE II and the
remainder of this Agreement, “Agreed Value” shall mean $66,800,000, increased and decreased as
applicable, by the following amounts which shall be set forth on a settlement statement (the
“Preliminary Settlement Statement”) prepared by the Contributors and agreed to by the Contributee
prior to the Closing.
(a) The Agreed Value shall be increased by an amount equal to the sum of the following
amounts:
(i) An amount equal to the costs and expenses that are (1) attributable to the
Assets for the period after the Effective Time, whether paid before or after the
Effective Time, and (2) paid by Contributors, including, without limitation, bond
and insurance premiums paid by or on behalf of Contributors attributable to coverage
for obligations or benefits extending beyond the Effective Time up to and including,
but not beyond, the Closing Date;
(ii) An amount equal to the proceeds received by Contributee for the sale of
oil, gas or other minerals produced from the Assets before the Effective Time in
storage or in pipelines on the Effective Time (excluding such production
constituting line-fill in pipelines and such production below the outlet flange on
storage tanks) net of all applicable taxes and royalties;
-14-
(iii) The amount of all prepaid ad valorem, property, and similar Taxes and
assessments based upon or measured by ownership of the Assets and attributable to
periods of time after the Effective Time;
(iv) Any amounts due to the Contributors as of the Effective Time with respect
to any Imbalances existing at the Effective Time, such amounts to be determined by
multiplying the Imbalance volume by $4.00 per MCF and then reducing such amount by
any severance, production and other similar Taxes to be paid on such amount, and
further reducing such amount by any penalties and other charges on the Imbalance;
(v) An amount equal to the aggregate value of the Eagle Rock quarterly
distribution, for the quarter ended March 31, 2007, that would have been paid to
Contributors as the holders of the Contributee Units on the record date (had the
Contributee Units been issued to Contributors prior to the record date), provided
that for purposes of calculating this adjustment, Contributee Units shall mean the
Contributee Units that would result if the Agreed Value was calculated taking into
account all adjustments under this Section 2.3 other than this Section
2.3(a)(v); and
(vi) Any other amount agreed upon by Contributee and Contributors.
(b) The Agreed Value shall be decreased by an amount equal to the sum of the following
amounts:
(i) The amount of all proceeds received by the Contributors, net of all
applicable Taxes actually paid, attributable to the Assets for periods of time after
the Effective Time, excluding, however, proceeds attributable to production prior to
the Effective Time;
(ii) Any amounts due from the Contributors to other parties as of the Effective
Time with respect to any Imbalances existing at the Effective Time,
such amounts to be determined by multiplying the Imbalance volume by $4.00 per
MCF and then reducing such amount by severance, production and other similar Taxes
to be paid on such amount, and further reduced by any penalties and other charges on
the Imbalance;
(iii) An amount equal to the sum of any costs and expenses paid by
-15-
Contributee
that are attributable to the Assets for periods prior to the Effective Time;
(iv) An amount equal to all ad valorem, property, and similar Taxes and
assessments based upon or measured by the ownership of the Assets that are unpaid as
of the Closing Date and attributable to periods of time prior to the Effective Time,
which amounts shall be computed based upon such Taxes and assessments for the
calendar year in which the Effective Time occurs; provided that if such Taxes have
not been actually assessed for such calendar year as of the Closing Date, such
amounts will be initially computed based on such Taxes and assessments for the
preceding Tax year, and will be subsequently adjusted based upon the actual Taxes
for the current calendar year once those amounts are assessed;
(v) An amount equal to the aggregate sum of all downward adjustments made for
Environmental Defects pursuant to Section 2.6 below; and
(vi) Any other amount agreed upon by Contributors and Contributee.
2.4 Escrow Deposit. The Contributee Units to be delivered at Closing pursuant to
Section 2.2 shall be reduced by the Escrow Deposit, which shall be delivered to the Escrow
Agent at the Closing and will be available to satisfy any amounts owed by Contributors to
Contributee, if any, under this Agreement in accordance with an Escrow Agreement to be mutually
agreed upon by the parties hereto prior to Closing and with substantially the terms set forth in
this Agreement; provided, however, that Contributors shall have the right to vote any Contributee
Units. Cash distributions attributable to any Contributee Units which are held in the Escrow
Account will become a part of the Escrow Deposit. Contributors shall be responsible for all Taxes
with respect to any cash distributions attributable to such Contributee Units, provided, however,
if any Contributee Units are released from the Escrow Deposit as a result of any Loss suffered by
Contributee as permitted under ARTICLE IX hereof, Contributee shall reimburse Contributors,
on an after-Tax basis analogous to that described in Section 7.3, for any Taxes actually paid or
incurred by Contributor which are attributable to such released Contributee Units.
2.5 Determination of Final Agreed Value; Post-Closing Adjustments; and Post-Closing
Remittance Obligations.
(a) Contributors shall, within one hundred twenty (120) days after the Closing
-16-
Date,
prepare and submit for Contributee’s review, in accordance with this Agreement and with
generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied, a statement (the “Final
Settlement Statement”) setting forth each adjustment to the Agreed Value necessary to
determine the Final Settlement Statement and showing the calculation of such adjustments
(the “Final Agreed Value”). The Parties shall undertake to agree on the Final Settlement
Statement and the Final Agreed Value no later than one hundred fifty (150) days after the
Closing Date with respect to all of the Assets. If the Final Agreed Value is more than the
Agreed Value, Contributee shall pay such difference to Contributors (in accordance with the
percentage ownership of Assets specified in Section 2.2 of the Disclosure Schedule)
in additional Contributee Units within five (5) Business Days after the Parties have agreed
upon the Final Settlement Statement, with no portion of said additional issuance of
Contributee Units being subject to or becoming part of the Escrow Deposit. If the Final
Agreed Value is less than the Agreed Value, Contributors shall, at Contributors’ sole
election, either (i) pay the amount of such difference to Contributee by wire transfer in
immediately available funds (by Contributors, in accordance with the percentage ownership of
Assets specified in Section 2.2 of the Disclosure Schedule) or (ii) forfeit to
Contributee that number of Contributee Units held in the Escrow Deposit equal to the
quotient of (A) the amount of the difference between the Final Agreed Value and the Agreed
Value, divided by (B) the Unit Price, within five (5) Business Days after the Parties have
agreed upon the Final Settlement Statement. If Contributors and Contributee cannot agree
upon the Final Settlement Statement, Deloitte & Touche, LLP, or such other nationally
recognized accounting firm as may be accepted by both Contributee and Contributors, shall
act as an arbitrator and decide all points of disagreement with respect to the Final
Settlement Statement, whose decisions shall be binding upon the parties. The costs and
expenses of such accounting firm shall be borne fifty percent (50%) by Contributors and
fifty percent (50%) by Contributee.
(b) After the Final Settlement Statement and the Final Agreed Value have
been computed and agreed upon (or settled by Deloitte & Touche pursuant to Section
2.5(a)), then any additional amounts which are received by either Contributors or
Contributee on account of production with respect to the Assets after the Effective Time, or
prior to the Effective Time, respectively, and which were not taken into account in
calculation of the Final Settlement Statement and Final Agreed Value, shall be remitted
within fifteen (15) Business Days by Contributors, or Contributee, respectively, to
Contributee, or Contributors, respectively, and any such remittance by Contributee to
Contributors shall be paid in accordance with the percentage ownership of Assets
-17-
specified
in Section 2.2 of the Disclosure Schedule.
2.6 Environmental Defect; Limitation on Environmental Adjustments.
(a) Contributee may give Contributors written notice of Environmental Defects on or
before 5:00 p.m. Central Time on the Environmental Claims Date. Such notice shall be in
writing and shall include: (i) a description of the Environmental Defect, the individual
Asset it pertains to with all supporting documentation reasonably necessary to fully
describe the basis for the Environmental Defect, (ii) the amount of the Allocated
Environmental Defect Value assigned to such Asset, (iii) the cost to remedy such
Environmental Defect and (iv) Contributee’s proposed remedy with respect to such
Environmental Defect, including the amount by which Contributee would propose to adjust the
Agreed Value applicable to such Environmental Defect. All Environmental Defects with
respect to which Contributee fails to so give Contributors notice by the Environmental
Claims Date will be deemed waived for all purposes. Within thirty (30) days after the
Environmental Claims Date, Contributors may attempt to cure or remove any Environmental
Defect asserted by Contributee. If an Environmental Defect is neither cured nor waived in
writing by Contributee within such thirty (30) day period, then Contributee and Contributors
shall attempt to agree on (i) the cost of remedying such Environmental Defect and (ii) the
number of Contributee Units that will be subtracted from the amount set forth in Section
2.2 as an adjustment to the Agreed Value to cover such cost amount. If Contributee
consents, Contributors may retain the obligation of any Environmental Defect and elect to
challenge the validity of any such Environmental Defect or any portion thereof, and
Contributee shall extend reasonable cooperation to Contributors in such efforts at no risk
or expense to Contributee. If the Parties are unable to agree upon such an Agreed Value
adjustment prior to Closing, then either (i) if Contributors and Contributee so agree,
Contributors shall forever indemnify, defend, and
hold harmless Contributee against all losses, costs, expenses, and liabilities with
respect to such Environmental Defect or (ii) subject to the option of Contributors set forth
below, the amount of the adjustment shall (x) be exclusively and finally resolved by
arbitration pursuant to this Section 2.6 and (y) not be a part of the adjustment of
the Agreed Value at Closing but shall be a part of the determination of the Final Agreed
Value.
(b) There shall be a single arbitrator, who shall be an environmental attorney with at
least ten (10) years experience in oil and gas environmental matters in the State in which a
plurality of the affected Assets are located as selected by mutual agreement of Contributee
and Contributors within sixty (60) days after the Environmental Claims Date,
-18-
or, absent such
agreement of Contributee and Contributors, selected by the Houston office of the American
Arbitration Association (the “Environmental Arbitrator”). Unless otherwise agreed by the
Parties, the arbitration proceeding shall be held in Houston, Texas, and shall be conducted
in accordance with the provisions of the TEXAS GENERAL ARBITRATION ACT, TEXAS CIVIL PRACTICE
AND REMEDIES CODE, §§171.001, et seq., to the extent such rules do not conflict with the
terms of this Section. The Environmental Arbitrator’s determination shall be made within
twenty (20) business days after submission of the matters in dispute and shall be final and
binding upon both parties, without right of appeal. In making his determination, the
Environmental Arbitrator shall be bound by the rules set forth in this Section 2.6
and may consider such other matters as in the opinion of the Environmental Arbitrator are
necessary or helpful to make a proper determination. Additionally, the Environmental
Arbitrator may consult with and engage disinterested third parties to advise him. The
Environmental Arbitrator shall act as an expert for the limited purpose of determining the
specific adjustment and may not award damages, interest, or penalties to any Party with
respect to any matter. Contributors and Contributee shall each bear their own legal fees
and other costs of presenting its case. Contributors and Contributee shall each bear
one-half of the costs and expenses of the Environmental Arbitrator. In the event the
Environmental Arbitrator determines (i) that a valid Environmental Defect exists, (ii) there
should be a reduction in the amount of Agreed Value as a result of such Environmental Defect
and (iii) the amount of such reduction, Contributors shall have the sole option to either
(x) agree to such Agreed Value reduction as determined by the arbitrator or (y) exclude and
retain the Asset affected by such Environmental Defect from the transaction contemplated
hereby, in which case the Agreed Value will be reduced by the Allocated Environmental Defect
Value for such affected Asset.
(c) If the Agreed Value reduction with respect to a particular Environmental Defect
which would result from the above provided for procedure does not exceed $25,000.00, no
adjustment shall be made for such Environmental Defect. If the Agreed Value reduction which
would result from the above provided for procedure, as applied to all Environmental Defects
for which an adjustment is to be made does not exceed three percent (3%) of the Agreed
Value, then no adjustment of the Agreed Value shall occur, and none of the Assets which
would be excluded by such procedure shall be excluded. If the Agreed Value reduction which
would result from the above provided for procedure, net after application of all
Environmental Defects for which an adjustment is to be made, exceeds three percent (3%) of
the Agreed Value, the Agreed Value shall be adjusted by
-19-
the amount such reduction or
increase exceeds three percent (3%) of the Agreed Value.
2.7 Tax Treatment of Adjustments to Agreed Value and Payments. For Tax purposes, the
parties agree to treat all payments made under Section 2.2, Section 2.5, and
Section 2.6, or under any indemnity provisions contained in this Agreement, or for breaches
of representations, warranties, covenants or agreements, as adjustments to the consideration for
the Assets.
2.8 The Closing.
(a) The closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”)
shall take place at the offices of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000,
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, commencing on the earlier to occur of (i) April 30, 2007; (ii) the
third (3rd) Business Day following the satisfaction or waiver of all conditions
to the obligations of the Parties set forth in Article VIII; or (iii) such other date as
permitted in this Agreement or as Contributee and Contributors may mutually determine (the
date on which the Closing occurs is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”).
(b) At the Closing:
(i) Contributors shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to Contributee, or its
designee, a conveyance of the Assets (the “Conveyance”), in a form mutually agreed
to by and between Contributor and Contributee which (A) contains a warranty of title
by, through and under Contributors but not otherwise, (B) includes, to the extent transferable and permitted by law, the benefit of
and the right to enforce the covenants, representations, and warranties, if any,
that Contributors are entitled to enforce with respect to the Assets, and (C)
reflects that Contributee shall assume the Assumed Liabilities, with such additional
terms, provisions and modifications as may be mutually agreed to by Contributors and
Contributee, effective as to runs of oil and deliveries of gas and for all other
purposes as of the Effective Time;
(ii) If Contributee so requests, Contributors will execute and deliver to
Contributee an affidavit or other certification that Contributors are not a “foreign
person” within the meaning of Section 1445 (or similar provisions) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 as amended (i.e., Contributors are not a non resident alien,
foreign corporation, foreign partnership, foreign trust or foreign estate as those
-20-
terms are defined in such code and regulations promulgated thereunder);
(iii) Contributor shall, if requested by Contributee, execute and deliver to
Contributee letters in lieu of transfer orders (or similar documentation), in form
acceptable to both Parties; and
(iv) Contributors and Contributee shall each execute and deliver to the other
such other certificates, instruments of conveyance and documents as may be
reasonably requested by one or more of the Parties to carry out the intent and
purposes of this Agreement.
2.9 Transition of Certain Accounting Matters. With respect to each Asset with respect to
which Contributors are disbursing proceeds of production attributable to other parties entitled
thereto, (i) Contributors shall continue to receive such proceeds of production up to the end of
the month in which Closing occurs and, to the extent it actually receives such proceeds, shall be
responsible for making disbursements, in accordance with its normal procedures (and at normal
times), of such proceeds of production to the parties entitled to same, with any such proceeds of
production thereafter received by Contributors to be promptly forwarded to Contributee (who shall
thereafter account for same to the parties entitled thereto) and (ii) Contributors shall, as
promptly as possible after Closing, deliver to Contributee (A) a copy of its “pay list” for each
such property and (B) a list of all parties for whom it is holding in suspense proceeds of
production and (C) a check (which shall be delivered within thirty (30) days after the end of the
month in which Closing occurs in an
amount equal to all suspended funds. Following delivery of the materials referred to in clause
(ii), Contributee shall become responsible for all disbursements of proceeds of production
(including, without limitation, disbursements made by Contributors on Contributee’s behalf and
suspense and other disbursements attributable to periods prior to the Effective Date) and such
disbursement activities shall be included in the matters which Contributee assumes, and indemnifies
Contributors with respect to, under Section 9.2(b) below. It is understood and agreed that
Contributors does not represent or warrant to Contributee the accuracy of the “pay lists” so
delivered.
2.10 Notifications by Contributee. Notifications by Contributee. Immediately after the
Closing, Contributee shall notify all applicable operators, non-operators, oil and gas purchasers,
and government agencies that it has purchased the Assets.
-21-
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE ASSETS
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE ASSETS
Except as set forth on the Disclosure Schedules delivered by Contributors to Contributee at or
prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, each Contributor, jointly and severally,
represents and warrants to Contributee as follows:
3.1 Litigation. No Contributor is (a) subject to any outstanding injunction, judgment,
order, decree, ruling, or charge or, (b) a party to any action, suit, proceeding, hearing, or
investigation of, in, or before any court or quasi-judicial or administrative agency of any
federal, state, local, or foreign jurisdiction, with respect to the Assets. To the Knowledge of
Contributors, no such action, suit, proceeding, hearing or investigation has been threatened
against any Contributors.
3.2 Cost-Bearing Assets. Section 3.2 of the Disclosure Schedule contains a
complete list of all of the Cost-Bearing Assets.
3.3 Contracts.
(a) Section 3.3 of the Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete listing
of the Contracts that is included as part of the Assets (the “Contributed Contracts”):
(b) pursuant to Section 6.2, true and complete copies of all Contributed
Contracts will be made available to Contributee.
(c) Each Contract (other than such Contributed Contracts with respect to which all
performance and payment obligations have been fully performed or otherwise discharged by the
Contributors or a party thereto prior to the Closing) (i) is in full force and effect and
(ii) represents the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Contributors and, to the
Knowledge of Contributors, represents the legal, valid and binding obligation of the other
parties thereto, in each case enforceable in accordance with its terms. No Contributor is
in breach of any Contributed Contract, and has received any written or, to
the Knowledge of Contributors, oral notice of termination or breach of any Contributed
Contract.
3.4 Intellectual Property. The Contributors own or have the right to use pursuant to
license, sublicense, agreement or otherwise all items of Intellectual Property required
-22-
in the
operation of the Assets, (b) no party has asserted in writing against any Contributor a claim that
such Contributor is infringing on the Intellectual Property of such third party and (c) to the
Knowledge of Contributors and the Contributors, no third party is infringing on the Intellectual
Property owned by any Contributor. Section 3.4 of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth a
list of all Intellectual Property that is included as part of the Assets. All Data relating to, or
in any way affecting, the Assets has been (or will have been prior to Closing) made available to
Contributee for inspection and/or copying, and all files to be furnished or made available to
Contributee by Contributors hereunder are the complete files and were maintained by Contributors in
the course of their ownership of the Assets.
3.5 Compliance with Laws; Permits.
(a) Each Contributor is in compliance with all Laws applicable to ownership and
operation of the Assets.
(b) To the Knowledge of Contributors, the Xxxxx that are Cost-Bearing Assets have been
and are currently operated in compliance with all Laws issued or promulgated by all
Governmental Authorities having jurisdiction with respect to the Assets.
(c) To the Knowledge of the Contributors (i) each Contributor possesses all Permits
necessary to own and operate its respective Assets as currently owned and operated, and (ii)
all such Permits are in full force and effect. There are no lawsuits or other proceedings
pending or, to the Knowledge of Contributors and the Contributors, threatened in writing
before any Governmental Authority that seek the revocation, cancellation, suspension, or
adverse modification thereof. To the Knowledge of the Contributors, each Contributor has
complied with all requirements and has taken all actions necessary to obtain and maintain
the applicable Permits in full force and effect.
3.6 Defensible Title. Contributors, individually or collectively, have Defensible Title to the Assets.
3.7 Brokers’ Fees. No broker, finder, investment banker or other Person is entitled to any
brokerage fee, finders’ fee or other commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement based upon arrangements made by any Contributor.
3.8 Preferential Rights. None of the Assets (or any portion thereof) is subject to any
Preferential Rights, restrictions on assignment, or required third-party consents to assignment,
which may be applicable to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
-23-
3.9 Production Balances. No party is entitled to “make-up” or otherwise receive deliveries
of production attributable to the Contributors’ interest in the Assets at any time after the
Effective Time without paying at such time the full contract price therefor, and there are no
Imbalances that allow any party to “make-up” production at any time after the Effective Time under
any operating agreement, gas balancing and storage agreement, gas transportation or exchange
agreement, gas processing or dehydration agreement, or other similar agreements relating to the
Assets has not sold or assigned any easement, in whole or in part, or any undivided interest
therein to any party whatsoever.
3.10 Illegal Payments. None of the Contributors or any director, officer, employee, or
agent of the Contributors has, directly or indirectly, paid or delivered any fee, commission, or
other sum of money or item of property however characterized to any broker, finder, agent,
government official, or other person, in the United States or any other country, in any manner
related to the business or operations of the Contributors, which the Contributors or any such
director, officer, employee, or agent knows or has reason to believe to have been illegal under any
applicable Law.
3.11 Unrecorded Montierra Conveyances. Section 3.11 of the Disclosure Schedule
contains a full and complete list of all of the Unrecorded Montierra Conveyances.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO CONTRIBUTORS
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO CONTRIBUTORS
Each Contributor jointly and severally represent and warrant to Contributee as follows:
4.1 Organization of Contributors. Each of Co-Invest Income and Co-Invest ICC is duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of Texas. NGPVII
Co-Invest is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of
Delaware.
4.2 Authorization; Enforceability. Each Contributor has full capacity, power and authority
(including full corporate or other entity power and authority) to execute and deliver this
Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder. This Agreement has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by each Contributor, and this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding
obligation of such Contributor, enforceable against such Contributor in accordance with its terms,
subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization,
-24-
moratorium and
similar Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject, as to enforceability, to general
principles of equity.
4.3 Taxes. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, (a) there are no Liens on any
of the Assets that arose in connection with any failure to pay any Tax (other than Permitted
Liens), (b) no Contributor is a “foreign person” within the meaning of Section 1445 of the Code and
the Regulations promulgated thereunder, and (c) ninety percent (90%) or more of the income
projected to be generated by the Assets during calendar year 2007 is expected to be “qualifying
income” within the meaning of Code Section 7704(d).
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO CONTRIBUTEE
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO CONTRIBUTEE
Contributee hereby represents and warrants to Contributors as follows:
5.1 Organization. Contributee is a limited partnership duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the Laws of the State of Delaware.
5.2 Authorization; Enforceability. Contributee has all requisite limited partnership power
and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform all obligations to be performed
by it hereunder. The Conflicts Committee of the Contributee GP has (i) determined that the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the terms and conditions hereof are fair and
reasonable to Contributee; (ii) provided all necessary approvals to the Board of Directors of the
Contributee GP as required by the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of Contributee
dated October 27, 2006 and the Conflicts Committee Charter of the Contributee GP; and (iii)
recommended to the Board of Directors of the Contributee GP that the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement be approved and authorized. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized and
approved by Contributee and the Board of Directors of the Contributee GP, and no other limited
partnership proceeding on the part of Contributee or the Contributee GP is necessary to authorize
this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by Contributee,
and this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of Contributee, enforceable against
Contributee in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and
subject, as to enforceability, to general principles of equity.
5.3 No Conflict; Consents. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by
-25-
Contributee and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by Contributee do not and shall not:
(a) violate any Law applicable to Contributee or require any filing with, consent,
approval or authorization of, or, notice to, any Governmental Authority;
(b) violate any Organizational Document of Contributee; or
(c) require any filing with or permit, consent or approval of, or the giving of any
notice to, any Person.
5.4 Litigation. As of the date of this Agreement (a) there are no lawsuits or actions
before any Governmental
Authority pending or threatened in writing against Contributee that would reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on the ability of Contributee to perform its obligations under this
Agreement and (b) there are no orders or unsatisfied judgments from any Governmental Authority
binding upon Contributee that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
ability of Contributee to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
5.5 Brokers’ Fees. No broker, finder, investment banker or other Person is entitled to any
brokerage fee, finders’ fee or other commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement based upon arrangements made by any Contributor.
5.6 Independent Investigation. Contributee and its representatives have undertaken an
independent investigation and verification of the business, operations and financial condition of
the Contributors. Except for the representations and warranties made by Contributors in this
Agreement or in any certificate or written statement furnished or to be furnished to Contributee
pursuant to this Agreement or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the
Contributee acknowledges that there are no representations or warranties, whether oral or written,
express or implied, as to the condition (financial or otherwise), assets, liabilities, operations,
business or prospects of each Contributor, as to the accuracy or completeness of information
obtained by Contributee during its investigation of each Contributor, and in entering into and
performing this Agreement, Contributee has relied and will rely solely upon its independent
investigation of, and judgment with respect to, the Assets.
5.7 SEC Filings. Contributee has heretofore filed all forms, reports, registration
statements, definitive proxy statements, schedules and other materials with the SEC required to be
filed pursuant to the Exchange Act or other federal securities Laws since October
-26-
of 2006 (the “SEC
Reports”). As of their respective dates, or, if applicable, the dates such SEC Reports were amended
prior to the date hereof, the SEC Reports (including, without limitation, all financial statements
included therein, exhibits and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein)
complied in all material respects with all applicable requirements (including but not limited to
the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act to the extent then in effect and applicable) of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act, as applicable, and other federal securities Laws as of the date thereof. The SEC
Reports, when filed and as amended from time to time, 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 made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; provided, however, that no representation is made as to the accuracy of any
financial projections or forward looking statements, or the completeness of any information
furnished by Contributee to the SEC solely for purposes of complying with Regulation FD promulgated
by the SEC under the Exchange Act or other information that is treated by SEC regulations as not
being “filed” for the purposes of the Exchange Act.
5.8 Taxes. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, (a) all Tax Returns
required to be filed by the Contributee have (and as of the Closing Date will have) been timely
filed (taking into account any extension of time to file granted or obtained) for all Taxable
periods and such returns are correct in all material respects, except where any such failure to
file would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Contributee, (b) all Taxes due on such Tax
Returns have been paid, will be timely paid prior to the Closing Date or are adequately reserved
against in the Contributee’s financial statements, (c) there are no Liens on any of the Assets of
the Contributee that arose in connection with any failure to pay any Tax (other than Permitted
Liens), (d) there is no claim or adjustment with respect to Contributee pending by any Governmental
Authority in connection with any Tax of Contributee for a period on or before the Effective Time,
(e) no Tax Returns of Contributee are under audit or examination by any Governmental Authority, (f)
there are no agreements or waivers currently in effect that provide for an extension of time with
respect to the filing of any Tax Return of Contributee (other than income Tax Returns) or the
assessment or collection of any Tax, (g) to the Knowledge of the Contributee, no claim has been
made by any Governmental Authority in a jurisdiction where the Contributee does not file a Tax
Return that the Contributee is or may be subject to taxation in that jurisdiction, (h) the
Contributee has complied with all applicable Laws relating to the payment and withholding of Taxes,
and has duly and timely withheld and paid over to the appropriate Governmental Authority all
amounts required to be so withheld and paid under all applicable Laws, and (i) for each taxable
year of the Contributee beginning with 2006, ninety
-27-
percent (90%) or more of the Contributee’s
gross income has been or is reasonably expected to be “qualifying income” within the meaning of
Code Section 7704(d).
ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS
COVENANTS
6.1 Conduct of Business.
(a) From the date of this Agreement through the Closing, Contributors shall operate
their business in the ordinary course and, without limiting the generality or effect of the
foregoing, Contributors will use their Reasonable Efforts to preserve intact its business
and its relationships with customers, suppliers, and others having business relationships
with the Contributors, in each case in all material respects.
(b) Without limiting the generality or effect of Section 6.1(a), prior to the Closing,
no Contributor shall take any action to:
(i) liquidate, dissolve, recapitalize or otherwise wind up its business;
(ii) sell, assign, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any material
non-current assets except pursuant to the terms of a Contributed Contract or this
Agreement;
(iii) merge or consolidate with, or purchase substantially all of the assets or
business of, or equity interests in, or make an investment in any Person (other than
extensions of credit to customers in the ordinary course of business or in
accordance with the terms of a Contributed Contract or this Agreement); or
(iv) agree, whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing.
6.2 Access. From the date hereof through the Closing, Contributors shall afford to
Contributee and its authorized Representatives reasonable access, during normal business hours, and
such hours outside of normal business hours as Contributee may reasonably request, and in such
manner as not to unreasonably interfere with normal operation of the business, to the properties,
books, contracts, records and appropriate officers and employees of the Contributors, and shall
furnish such authorized Representatives with all operating data and other information concerning
the affairs of the Contributors as Contributee and such Representatives may reasonably request.
Contributors shall have the right to have a Representative present at all times during any such
inspections, interviews and examinations.
-28-
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Contributee shall have no
right of access to, and Contributors shall have no obligation to provide to Contributee,
information relating to (i) bids received from others in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement (or similar transactions) and information and analyses (including
financial analyses) relating to such bids; (ii) any information the disclosure of which would
jeopardize any privilege available to the Contributors relating to such information or would cause
the Contributors to breach a confidentiality obligation; or (iii) any information the disclosure of
which would result in a violation of Law. Contributee and Contributors shall cooperate to ensure
that the provision of access hereunder to Contributee and its authorized Representatives shall
comply in all respects with the FERC’s Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers set forth in
18 C.F.R. Part 37, et al. CONTRIBUTEE RECOGNIZES AND AGREES THAT ALL MATERIALS MADE AVAILABLE TO
IT IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, WHETHER MADE AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO THIS
SECTION OR OTHERWISE, ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO IT AS AN ACCOMMODATION, AND WITHOUT REPRESENTATION OR
WARRANTY OF ANY KIND AS TO THE ACCURACY AND COMPLETENESS OF SUCH MATERIALS, OTHER THAN AS EXPRESSLY
SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT FOR AND WITHOUT ANY LIMITATION WHATSOEVER ON THOSE
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY CERTIFICATE OR WRITTEN
STATEMENT FURNISHED, OR TO BE FURNISHED TO CONTRIBUTEE PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR IN CONNECTION
WITH THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND IS MADE BY CONTRIBUTORS AS TO
THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED TO CONTRIBUTEE OR WITH RESPECT TO THE ASSETS AND INTERESTS TO WHICH THE
INFORMATION RELATES, AND CONTRIBUTEE EXPRESSLY AGREES THAT ANY CONCLUSIONS DRAWN THEREFROM SHALL BE
THE RESULT OF ITS OWN INDEPENDENT REVIEW AND JUDGMENT. ALL SUCH INFORMATION OBTAINED BY
CONTRIBUTEE OR CONTRIBUTEE’S AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES SHALL BE MAINTAINED BY CONTRIBUTEE OR
CONTRIBUTEE’S AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES IN STRICT CONFIDENCE, AND SHALL BE USED BY CONTRIBUTEE
SOLELY IN CONNECTION WITH ITS EVALUATION OF THE ASSETS AND INTERESTS, AND SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED TO
ANY OTHER PARTY, PRIOR TO CLOSING, WITHOUT CONTRIBUTORS’ PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT. SUCH ACCESS,
EXAMINATION AND INSPECTION SHALL BE AT CONTRIBUTEE’S SOLE RISK, COST AND EXPENSE AND CONTRIBUTEE
WAIVES AND RELEASES ALL CLAIMS AGAINST CONTRIBUTORS AND CONTRIBUTOR INDEMNIFIED PARTIES
ARISING IN ANY WAY THEREFROM
-29-
OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED. CONTRIBUTEE SHALL INDEMNIFY, DEFEND AND HOLD
HARMLESS CONTRIBUTORS AND CONTRIBUTOR INDEMNIFIED PARTIES FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, ACTIONS, CAUSES
OF ACTION LIABILITIES, DAMAGES, LOSSES, COSTS OR EXPENSES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, COURT
COSTS AND ATTORNEYS FEES), OR LIENS OR ENCUMBRANCES FOR LABOR OR MATERIALS, ARISING OUT OF OR IN
ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH SUCH MATTERS, EXCEPTING ANY SUCH MATTERS WHICH ARISE AS A RESULT OF THE
GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF CONTRIBUTORS OR CONTRIBUTOR INDEMNIFIED PARTIES. THE
FOREGOING RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION SHALL APPLY WHETHER OR NOT SUCH CLAIMS, ACTIONS, CAUSES OF
ACTION, LIABILITIES, DAMAGES, LOSSES, COSTS OR EXPENSES ARISE OUT OF (i) NEGLIGENCE (INCLUDING SOLE
NEGLIGENCE, SINGLE NEGLIGENCE, CONCURRENT NEGLIGENCE, ACTIVE OR PASSIVE NEGLIGENCE, BUT EXPRESSLY
NOT INCLUDING GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT) OF ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY, OR (ii) STRICT
LIABILITY. THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE THAT THE FOREGOING COMPLIES WITH THE EXPRESS NEGLIGENCE RULE
AND IS CONSPICUOUS.
6.3 Third Party Approvals. Contributee and Contributors shall (and shall each cause
their respective Affiliates to) use Reasonable Efforts to obtain all material consents and
approvals of third parties that any of Contributee, the Contributors, or their respective
Affiliates are required to obtain in order to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
6.4 Books and Records. From and after the Closing, Contributee shall preserve and keep a
copy of all books and records relating to the business or operations of the Contributors on or
before the Closing Date in Contributee’s possession for a period of at least five (5) years after
the Closing Date. After such five (5) year period, before Contributee shall dispose of any such
books and records, Contributee shall give Contributors at least ninety (90) days’ prior notice to
such effect, and Contributors shall be given an opportunity, at their cost and expense, to remove
and retain all or any part of such books and records as Contributors may select. Contributee shall
provide to Contributors, at no cost or expense to Contributors, full access to such books and
records as remain in Contributee’s possession and full access to the properties and employees of
Contributee and the Contributors in connection with matters relating to the business or operations
of the Contributors
on or before the Closing Date and any disputes relating to this Agreement.
6.5 Permits. The Contributors shall provide all notices and otherwise take all
-30-
actions
required to transfer or reissue any Permits, including those required under Environmental Laws, as
a result of or in furtherance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Contributors
shall cooperate with Contributee to provide information necessary to apply for such Permits.
6.6 Acquisition Proposals. From and after the date of this Agreement until the earlier of
the Closing or the termination of this Agreement, none of the Contributors, or any Affiliate
thereof shall, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate, or knowingly encourage any
Acquisition Proposal (defined below) or (ii) engage in discussions or negotiations with, or
disclose any nonpublic information relating to the Contributors to, any Person that is considering
making or has made an Acquisition Proposal. The Contributors and their Affiliates shall
immediately cease and cause to be terminated any existing activities, discussions, or negotiations
with any persons conducted heretofore with respect to any Acquisition Proposal and shall promptly
request each such Person who has heretofore entered into a confidentiality agreement in connection
with an Acquisition Proposal to return to Contributors all confidential information heretofore
furnished to such person by or on behalf of any of Contributors. If any of Contributors or any of
their respective Affiliates shall hereafter receive any Acquisition Proposal, Contributors shall
immediately communicate the terms of such proposal to Contributee. The term “Acquisition
Proposal,” as used herein, means any offer or proposal for, or any indication of interest in, a
merger, sale consolidation or other business combination involving the Contributors or the Assets
or the acquisition of any equity interest in the Contributors, other than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
6.7 Financial Statements. Contributors shall use commercially reasonable efforts to assist
Contributee in preparing financial statements in such form and covering such periods as may be
required by any applicable securities Laws to be filed with the SEC by Contributee as a result of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the acquisition of the Assets.
6.8 Representation Letters. Contributors shall use its commercially reasonable
efforts to cause the independent public accountants of the Contributors to provide any consent
necessary to the filing of such financial statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and to provide such
customary representation letters as are necessary in connection therewith.
-31-
ARTICLE VII
TAX MATTERS
TAX MATTERS
7.1 Character and Treatment of Transaction.
(a) Contribution Transaction. Contributee and Contributors agree to treat the
contribution of the Assets pursuant to Section 2.1 and Section 2.2 as a
contribution by Contributors to the Contributee in exchange for Contributee Units pursuant
to Code Section 721(a) and the Regulations promulgated thereunder.
(b) Valuations and Allocations. The parties shall agree to an allocation of the
Agreed Value among the Assets prior to the Closing Date (the “Allocation”).
(c) Allocation Consistency. Contributors and Contributee shall report the
transactions contemplated hereby on all Tax Returns, including, but not limited to, for
purposes of future allocations under Code Section 704(c), in a manner consistent with the
Allocation. If, contrary to the intent of the parties hereto as expressed in this
Section 7.1(c), any Taxing authority makes or proposes an allocation different from
the Allocation, Contributors and Contributee shall cooperate with each other in good faith
to contest such Taxing authority’s allocation (or proposed allocation), provided, however,
that, after consultation with the party (or parties) adversely affected by such allocation
(or proposed allocation), the other party (or parties) hereto may file such protective
claims or Tax Returns as may be reasonably be required to protect its (or their) interests.
7.2 Post-Closing Tax Covenants. Contributee covenants that until the earlier of (i)
two (2) years following the Closing Date or (ii) the date that all of the Contributee Units
transferred pursuant to Section 2.2 have been sold in a transaction resulting in a basis
adjustment under Code Section 743 for the benefit of the transferee, that Contributee and its
Affiliates will not dispose of any of the Assets acquired by Contributee pursuant to Section
2.1 if any such disposition or series of dispositions would accelerate any “built-in gain” (as
defined in Regulation 1.704-3(a)(3)(ii)) in any such Asset with respect to the Contributee Units
transferred to the Contributors pursuant to Section 2.2; provided, however, that
Contributee may sell or dispose of any such Assets provided
Contributee indemnifies the applicable Contributor for any such accelerated built-in gain
allocable to such Contributor. Any such indemnification payment (Y) shall equal an amount obtained
by dividing the amount of Tax payable by the ultimate partners of the Contributors resulting from
such accelerated built-in gain (X) by the fraction obtained by subtracting from 1 the percentage
(expressed as a number) equal to the highest
-32-
marginal Federal income tax rate applicable to
individuals for the year such built-in gain is recognized (for example, if the highest such tax
rate is 35%, the number would be .35) (here Z). Thus, the amount of such indemnification payment
(Y) may be derived by the following formula:
Y = X/1 – Z
Any disputes regarding the amount of such indemnification payment shall be resolved as set forth in
Section 7.4 below.
7.3 Transfer Taxes. Contributors and Contributee shall be jointly responsible for
state or local transfer, sales, use, stamp, registration or other similar Taxes resulting from the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
7.4 Disputes over Tax Provisions. If the Parties cannot agree, after good faith
consultation, on the calculation of any Taxes that would result in a payment hereunder by one to
the other or an adjustment of the Agreed Value, then each Party shall deliver simultaneously to
BDO Xxxxxxx, LLP (or if such firm is unwilling or unable to serve, another nationally recognized
accounting firm mutually agreed on by the Parties, the accounting firm ultimately chosen being
referred to herein as the “Accountants”) such work papers and other reports and information
relating to the disputed matter(s) as the Accountants may request and shall be afforded the
opportunity to discuss the disputed matter(s) with the Accountants. The Accountants shall have
thirty (30) days to carry out a review and prepare a written statement of its determination
regarding the disputed matter(s) (including a statement regarding the Accountants’ determination of
the prevailing Party in any such disputed matter) which determination shall be final and binding
upon the Parties. Any fees and expenses of the Accountants incurred in resolving the disputed
matter(s) shall be borne equally by the Parties.
7.5 Limitations on Indemnity. Except with regard to the indemnity provided by
Section 7.2 above, this ARTICLE VII
shall be expressly subject to the limits on indemnity set forth in ARTICLE IX hereof.
-33-
ARTICLE VIII
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
8.1 Conditions to Obligations of Contributee. The obligation of Contributee to consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of the following
conditions, any one or more of which may be waived in writing by Contributee:
(a) Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Contributors. (i) Each of the
representations and warranties of Contributors made in this Agreement will be true and
correct in all material respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing (as
if made anew at and as of the Closing), except that, to the extent any such representation
or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, such representation or
warranty shall be true and correct in all respects, (ii) Contributors shall have performed
or complied in all material respects with all of the covenants and agreements required by
this Agreement to be performed or complied with by Contributors on or before the Closing,
and ((iii) Contributors shall have delivered to Contributee a certificate, dated the Closing
Date, certifying that the conditions specified in this Section 8.1(a) have been
fulfilled;
(b) Third Party Consents; Governmental Approvals. All consents, approvals or
waivers, if any, disclosed on any schedule to this Agreement or otherwise required in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have
been received. All of the consents, approvals, authorizations, exemptions and waivers from
Governmental Authorities that will be required to enable Contributee to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been obtained;
(c) Montierra Agreement. Contributee shall have entered into a Partnership
Interest Contribution Agreement with Montierra pursuant to which Contributee will acquire
all right, title and interest in and to the partnership interest of NGP 2004 Income, L.P.,
all as more particularly described therein and the closing of such Partnership Interest
Contribution Agreement will occur immediately prior to the Closing of this Agreement;
(d) No Injunction, Etc. No provision of any applicable Law and no order will
be in effect that will prohibit or restrict the consummation of the Closing;
-34-
(e) No Proceedings. No proceeding challenging this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby or seeking to prohibit, alter, prevent or materially delay
the Closing or seeking Losses from any Contributor incident to this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby, will have been instituted by any Person before any
Governmental Authority and be pending;
(f) No Material Adverse Change. Since the Effective Time, there shall not have
been a material adverse change in the Assets;
(g) Preliminary Settlement Statement. Contributee shall have received the
Preliminary Settlement Statement, subject to the terms of Section 2.3;
(h) Escrow Agreement. Contributors shall have executed and delivered an Escrow
Agreement in the form mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto and substantially in
accordance with the terms described in Section 9.6;
(i) Registration Rights Agreement. Contributors shall have executed and
delivered the Registration Rights Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B;
and
(j) Other Deliveries. Contributors shall have delivered such other
certificates, instruments of conveyance and documents as may be reasonably requested by
Contributee and agreed to by Contributors prior to the Closing Date to carry out the intent
and purposes of this Agreement.
8.2 Conditions to the Obligations of Contributors. The obligation of Contributors to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of the
following conditions, any one or more of which may be waived in writing by Contributors:
(a) Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Contributee. (i) Each of the
representations and warranties of Contributee made in this Agreement will be true and
correct in all material respects in all respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of
the Closing (as if made anew at and as of the Closing), except that, to the extent any such
representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, such
representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all respects, (ii) Contributee shall
have performed or complied in all material respects with all of the covenants and
agreements required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by Contributee
on or before the Closing, and (iii) Contributee shall have delivered to Contributors a
-35-
certificate, dated the Closing Date, certifying that the conditions specified in this
Section 8.2(a) have been fulfilled;
(b) Third Party Consents; Governmental Approvals. All consents, approvals or
waivers, if any, disclosed on any schedule to this Agreement or otherwise required in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have
been received. All of the consents, approvals, authorizations, exemptions and waivers from
Governmental Authorities that will be required to enable Contributors to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been obtained;
(c) Montierra Agreement. Contributee shall have entered into a Partnership
Interest Contribution Agreement with Montierra pursuant to which Contributee will acquire
all right, title and interest in and to the partnership interest of NGP 2004 Income, L.P.,
all as more particularly described therein and the closing of such Partnership Interest
Contribution Agreement will occur immediately prior to the Closing of this Agreement;
(d) No Injunction, Etc. No provision of any applicable Law and no order will
be in effect that will prohibit or restrict the consummation of the Closing;
(e) No Proceedings. No proceeding challenging this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby or seeking to prohibit, alter, prevent or materially delay
the Closing or seeking Losses from Contributee incident to this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby, will have been instituted by any Person before any
Governmental Authority and be pending;
(f) Registration Rights Agreement. Contributee shall have executed and
delivered the Registration Rights Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B;
and
(g) Other Deliveries. Contributee shall have delivered such other
certificates, instruments and documents as may be reasonably requested by Contributors and
agreed to by Contributee prior to the Closing Date to carry out the intent and purposes of
this Agreement.
ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION
INDEMNIFICATION
9.1 Survival. The representations and warranties in this Agreement and all
-36-
covenants
contained in this Agreement shall survive the Closing until one (1) year after the Closing Date,
except that (a) the representations and warranties in Section 4.1 (Organization of
Contributors), Section 4.2 (Authorization; Enforceability), Section 5.1
(Organization of Contributee), and Section 5.2 (Authorization; Enforceability) shall
survive indefinitely, (b) the representations and warranties in Section 4.3 (Taxes), to the
extent not related to property, ad valorem or other state or local Taxes, and Section 5.8
(Taxes) shall survive until the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, (c) the
representation and warranty in Section 3.6 (Defensible Title) shall survive for six (6)
months after the Closing Date; and (d) certain covenants with a specified expiration date shall
continue in effect as provided therein. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any representation
or warranty in respect of which indemnity may be sought under this Agreement will survive the time
at which it would otherwise terminate pursuant to the preceding sentence if written notice of the
inaccuracy or breach thereof giving rise to such right of indemnity has been given to the Party
against whom such indemnification may be sought prior to such time; provided that such right of
indemnity shall continue to survive and shall remain a basis for indemnification hereunder only
until the related claim for indemnification is resolved or disposed of in accordance with the terms
hereof.
9.2 Indemnification.
(a) From and after the Closing, Contributors will, jointly and severally, indemnify,
defend and hold harmless Contributee and its officers, members, directors, employees and
Affiliates (the “Contributee Indemnified Parties”) against any and all liabilities, damages,
losses, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ and consultants’ fees and
expenses) (“Losses”) Contributee shall suffer (any Loss of the Contributors after the
Closing Date shall be deemed a Loss suffered by Contributee) as a result of, or arising out
of, (i) any failure or breach of any representation or warranty made by Contributors
pursuant to ARTICLE IV or ARTICLE III under this Agreement to be true and
correct as of the date hereof and as of the Closing (as if made anew at and as of the
Closing); (ii) the breach of any covenant or agreement made or to be performed by
Contributors pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the ownership or operation of the Assets
prior to the Effective Time, not including any Assumed Liabilities. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any claims arising under Section 9.2(a)(i) and Section
9.2(a)(iii) shall be recoverable exclusively against the Escrow Account, and, except for
any claim pertaining to transfer Taxes under Section 7.3, shall be subject to such
other limitations as set forth in Section 9.3 below.
(b) From and after the Closing, Contributee will indemnify, defend and hold
-37-
harmless
Contributors and their officers, members, directors, employees and Affiliates (the
“Contributor Indemnified Parties”) against any and all Losses incurred or suffered as a
result of, relating to or arising out of (i) any failure of any representation or warranty
made by Contributee in this Agreement to be true and correct as of the Closing (as if made
anew at and as of the Closing), (ii) the breach of any covenant or agreement made or to be
performed by Contributee pursuant to this Agreement, and (iii) the Assumed Liabilities, the
ownership of the Contributors, or the ownership or operation of Assets or the business of
the Contributors, after the Effective Time.
(c) THE INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS IN THIS ARTICLE IX SHALL BE ENFORCEABLE
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY PERSON (INCLUDING THE PERSON FROM WHOM INDEMNIFICATION IS SOUGHT)
ALLEGES OR PROVES (i) NEGLIGENCE (INCLUDING SOLE NEGLIGENCE, SINGLE NEGLIGENCE, CONCURRENT
NEGLIGENCE, ACTIVE OR PASSIVE NEGLIGENCE, BUT EXPRESSLY NOT INCLUDING GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR
WILLFUL MISCONDUCT) OF ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY, OR (ii) STRICT LIABILITY. THE PARTIES HERETO
AGREE THAT THE FOREGOING COMPLIES WITH THE EXPRESS NEGLIGENCE RULE AND IS CONSPICUOUS.
9.3 Limitations on Liability. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement,
in the event a Contributee Indemnified Party has a claim for indemnification under Section
9.2 hereof:
(a) Neither a Contributee Indemnified Party nor a Contributor Indemnified Party will be
entitled to indemnity under Section 9.2(a)(i), Section 9.2(a)(iii) or
Section 9.2(b)(i) of this Agreement with respect to claims for Losses until the
amount for any individual claim for Losses exceeds Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) (the
“Individual Basket Amount”) and the aggregate amount for all claims for Losses that exceed
the Individual Basket Amount exceeds Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) (the
“Aggregate Basket Amount”), and thereafter, the Contributee Indemnified Parties shall be
entitled to indemnity for the aggregate amount of all individual claims for Losses in excess
of the Individual Basket Amount applicable to each of such individual claims.
(b) In the event a Contributee Indemnified Party is entitled to indemnity under
Section 9.2(a)(i) (for breach of representations and warranties which survive one
(1) year or less after the Closing Date) and Section 9.2(a)(iii), any such claim may
be satisfied solely and exclusively against the Escrow Deposit. Therefore, the maximum
aggregate
-38-
liability of Contributors under Section 9.2(a)(i) (for breach of
representations and warranties which survive one (1) year or less after the Closing Date)
and Section 9.2(a)(iii) of this Agreement shall not exceed the Escrow Deposit, and
Contributee Indemnified Parties shall have no further right to indemnity thereunder at such
time as all cash or Contributee Units have been disbursed from the Escrow Account. Under no
circumstance shall a Contributee Indemnified Party be entitled to recover an indemnity claim
arising under Section 9.2(a)(i) (for breach of representations and warranties which
survive one (year) or less after the Closing Date) and Section 9.2(a)(iii) of this
Agreement directly against Contributors. In addition, in all circumstances, a Contributee
Indemnified Party must first look to the Escrow Account with respect to an indemnity claim,
including those arising under Section 9.2(a)(i) (for representations and warranties which
survive longer than one (1) year after the Closing Date) and Section 9.2(a)(ii) of
this Agreement, which are not limited to the Escrow Account.
(c) The amount of any Losses subject to indemnification under this ARTICLE IX
shall be reduced or reimbursed, as the case may be, by any third party insurance proceeds,
third party recoveries less the costs expended for such recoveries. Each Party shall, and
shall cause their respective Indemnified Parties to, use Reasonable Efforts to collect any
amounts available under such insurance coverage and from such other third party alleged to
have responsibility. If a Contributee Indemnified Party receives an amount under insurance
coverage or from such third party with respect to Losses that were the subject of
indemnification under Section 9.2 at any time subsequent to indemnification provided
thereunder, then such Contributee Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse Contributors.
9.4 Procedures. Claims for indemnification under this Agreement shall be asserted and
resolved as follows:
(a) If any Person who or which is entitled to seek indemnification under Section
9.2 (an “Indemnified Party”) receives notice of the assertion or commencement of any
claim asserted against an Indemnified Party by a third party (“Third Party Claim”) in
respect of any matter that is subject to indemnification under Section 9.2, the
Indemnified Party shall promptly (i) notify the Party obligated to the Indemnified Party
pursuant to Section 9.2 above, (the “Indemnifying Party”) of the Third Party Claim
and (ii) transmit to the Indemnifying Party a written notice (“Claim Notice”) describing in
reasonable detail the nature of the Third Party Claim, a copy of all papers served with
respect to such claim (if any), the Indemnified Party’s best estimate of the amount of
-39-
Losses attributable to the Third Party Claim and the basis of the Indemnified Party’s
request for indemnification under this Agreement. Failure to timely provide such Claim
Notice shall not affect the right of the Indemnified Party’s indemnification hereunder,
except to the extent the Indemnifying Party is prejudiced by such delay or omission.
(b) The Indemnifying Party shall have the right to defend the Indemnified Party against
such Third Party Claim. If the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party that the
Indemnifying Party elects to assume the defense of the Third Party Claim (such election to
be without prejudice to the right of the Indemnified Party to dispute whether such claim is
an identifiable Loss under this ARTICLE IX), then the Indemnifying Party shall have
the right to defend such Third Party Claim with counsel selected by the Indemnifying Party
(who shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party), by all appropriate
proceedings, to a final conclusion or settlement at the discretion of the Indemnifying Party
in accordance with this Section 9.4(b). The Indemnifying Party shall have full
control of such defense and proceedings, including any compromise or settlement thereof;
provided that the Indemnifying Party shall not enter into any settlement agreement without
the written consent of the Indemnified Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld, conditioned or delayed); provided further, that such consent shall not be required
if (i) the settlement agreement contains a complete and unconditional general release by the
third party asserting the claim to all Indemnified Parties affected by the claim and (ii)
the settlement agreement does not contain any sanction or restriction upon the conduct of
any business by the Indemnified Party or its Affiliates. If requested by the Indemnifying
Party, the Indemnified Party agrees, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party,
to cooperate with the Indemnifying Party and its counsel in contesting any Third Party Claim
which the Indemnifying Party elects to contest, including the making of any related
counterclaim against the Person asserting the Third Party Claim or any cross complaint
against any Person. The Indemnified Party may participate in, but not control, any defense or
settlement of any Third Party Claim controlled by the Indemnifying Party pursuant to this
Section 9.4(b), and the Indemnified Party shall bear its own costs and expenses with
respect to such participation.
(c) If the Indemnifying Party does not notify the Indemnified Party that the
Indemnifying Party elects to defend the Indemnified Party pursuant to Section
9.4(b), then the Indemnified Party shall have the right to defend, and be reimbursed for
its reasonable cost and expense (but only if the Indemnified Party is actually ultimately
-40-
determined to be entitled to indemnification hereunder) in regard to the Third Party Claim
with counsel selected by the Indemnified Party (who shall be reasonably satisfactory to the
Indemnifying Party), by all appropriate proceedings, which proceedings shall be prosecuted
diligently by the Indemnified Party. In such circumstances, the Indemnified Party shall
defend any such Third Party Claim in good faith and have full control of such defense and
proceedings; provided, however, that the Indemnified Party may not enter into any compromise
or settlement of such Third Party Claim if indemnification is to be sought hereunder,
without the Indemnifying Party’s consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed). The Indemnifying Party may participate in, but not control, any
defense or settlement controlled by the Indemnified Party pursuant to this Section
9.4(c), and the Indemnifying Party shall bear its own costs and expenses with respect to
such participation.
(d) Any claim by an Indemnified Party on account of Losses that does not result from a
Third Party Claim (a “Direct Claim”) will be asserted by giving the Indemnifying Party
reasonably prompt written notice thereof, but in any event not later than thirty (30) days
after the Indemnified Party becomes aware of such Direct Claim. Such notice by the
Indemnified Party will describe the Direct Claim in reasonable detail, will include copies
of all available material written evidence thereof and will indicate the estimated amount,
if reasonably practicable, of damages that has been or may be sustained by the Indemnified
Party. The Indemnifying Party will have a period of twenty (20) days within which to object
or accept in writing such Direct Claim. Any such objection is called a “Notice of Claim
Dispute.” If the Indemnifying Party does not so respond within such twenty (20) day period,
the Indemnifying Party will be deemed to have rejected such claim, in which event the
Indemnified Party will be free to pursue such remedies as may be available to the
Indemnified Party on the terms and subject to the provisions of this Agreement. Copies of
each Notice of Claim Dispute shall be sent
to Contributee and the Escrow Agent. If Contributee and Contributors fail to resolve
any objection contained in such Notice of Claim Dispute within twenty (20) days after the
date the Notice of Claim Dispute is delivered to Contributee, then, at the request of either
Party, they shall meet in an attempt to resolve an objection described in such Notice of
Claim Dispute and reach a written agreement with respect to such objection (a “Claim
Settlement Agreement”). If Contributors and Contributee enter into a Claim Settlement
Agreement, the objections contained in such Notice of Claim Dispute shall be deemed to be as
resolved therein. If they are unable to resolve the objection described in such Notice of
Claim Dispute within twenty (20) days after delivery to the recipient of such
-41-
Notice of
Claim Dispute, then Contributors and Contributee shall submit the objections contained in
such Notice of Claim Dispute to arbitration as described in Section 9.5.
9.5 Notice of Claim Dispute. Any objection contained in a Notice of Claim Dispute not
resolved in a Claim Settlement Agreement shall be resolved by submission to arbitration as follows:
Contributors and Contributee shall select a single arbitrator from the American Arbitration
Association (“AAA”) in Houston, Texas (an “Arbitrator”) (or, if they cannot agree upon a selection,
Contributors and Contributee shall each select an Arbitrator, and the two Arbitrators so selected
shall choose a third Arbitrator who has knowledge of the industry and business of the Contributors
and who shall act as the Arbitrator to resolve the dispute). The Arbitrator shall resolve the
objection contained in the Notice of Claim Dispute pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of
the AAA as promptly as possible and a decision by the Arbitrator as to the resolution of such
objection (the “Arbitrator’s Decision”) shall be (absent an agreement of the parties regarding an
error that is manifest) conclusive and binding upon the parties for purposes of this Agreement.
The Arbitrator’s Decision shall be (i) in writing and (ii) non-appealable and incontestable by
Contributee and Contributors and each of their respective Affiliates and successors and not subject
to collateral attack for any reason. The Arbitrator shall have the ability to allocate fees and
costs payable to the AAA based on the Arbitrator’s assessment of the relative responsibility of the
parties. In the absence of such an allocations, the fees and costs payable to the AAA shall be
paid one-half by Contributee and one-half from the Escrow Deposit. Contributee shall pay its own
counsel fees and other costs incurred in connection with any such dispute, and counsel fees and
other costs incurred by Contributors in connection with any such dispute shall be paid from the
Escrow Deposit.
9.6 Escrow Account. At the Closing, the Parties shall enter into a mutually satisfactory agreement with the Escrow
Agent setting out the rights and obligations of the Parties and the Escrow Agent with respect to
the Escrow Account. Whether included in such agreement, the Parties agree that the following
provisions of this Section 9.6 shall control with respect to the Escrow Account:
(a) The interest, proceeds and distributions earned each year on the Escrow Deposit is
herein called the “Escrow Income.” The Parties agree to treat the Escrow Income as income
of Contributors for U.S. federal income tax purposes and shall not be subject to
indemnification claims under ARTICLE IX. Escrow Income shall be payable by
Contributee to the Escrow Agent, and shall be considered part of the Escrow Deposit and
subject to claims for indemnification under this ARTICLE IX.
-42-
(b) The Contributee Units and Escrow Income in the Escrow Account shall be transferred
by the Escrow Agent as follows:
(i) to Contributee, pursuant to a Claim Settlement Agreement delivered to the
Escrow Agent;
(ii) to Contributee, pursuant to joint written instructions from Contributors
and Contributee to the Escrow Agent relating to the resolution of a Third Party
Claim pursuant to Section 9.4;
(iii) to Contributee, pursuant to any other joint written instruction from
Contributors and Contributee to the Escrow Agent;
(iv) to Contributee, pursuant to a decision by the Arbitrator regarding a
Direct Claim sent to the Escrow Agent pursuant to Section 9.5;
(v) to Contributors, on the first anniversary of the Closing Date, in an amount
equal to the remainder of the Escrow Deposit less any amounts related to an asserted
but pending or unpaid Direct Claim or Third Party Claim.
(c) Fees of the Escrow Agent shall be paid by Contributee.
(d) Contributors shall have the right to vote any Contributee Units which are held in
the Escrow Account.
(e) Payments by the Escrow Agent out of the Escrow Deposit shall be, at the election of
Contributors, either the dollar amount of the claim in cash or the number of
Contributee Units based upon the dollar amount of the claim to be paid pursuant to
Section 9.6(b) divided by the Unit Price (or a portion in cash, to the extent of
available cash in the Escrow Deposit, and a portion in Contributee Units, based on the
foregoing formulas).
9.7 No Special, Consequential or Punitive Damages. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING HEREIN
CONTAINED TO THE CONTRARY, NONE OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL HAVE ANY OBLIGATION WITH
RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT, OR OTHERWISE IN CONNECTION HEREWITH, FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR
PUNITIVE DAMAGES.
9.8 Waiver of Other Representations. EXCEPT FOR AND WITHOUT ANY
-43-
LIMITATION WHATSOEVER ON
THOSE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY CERTIFICATE OR WRITTEN
STATEMENT FURNISHED, OR TO BE FURNISHED TO CONTRIBUTEE PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR IN CONNECTION
WITH THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY: (A) NONE OF CONTRIBUTORS, NOR ANY OF THEIR AFFILIATES
OR REPRESENTATIVES, HAS MADE OR IS MAKING ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, AT LAW OR IN EQUITY, IN RESPECT OF EACH COMPANY, ITS BUSINESS OR ANY OF ITS ASSETS,
LIABILITIES OR OPERATIONS, INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS OR FORECASTS RELATING TO EACH COMPANY, AND
ANY SUCH OTHER REPRESENTATION AND WARRANTIES ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED; (B) CONTRIBUTEE SHALL HAVE
INSPECTED, OR WAIVED (AND UPON CLOSING SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE WAIVED) ITS RIGHT TO INSPECT, THE
ASSETS FOR ALL PURPOSES AND SATISFIED ITSELF AS TO THEIR PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION, BOTH
SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CONDITIONS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE
PRESENCE, RELEASE OR DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, SOLID WASTES, ASBESTOS AND OTHER MAN-MADE
FIBERS, OR NATURALLY OCCURRING RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS (“NORM”); (C) CONTRIBUTEE IS RELYING SOLELY
UPON ITS OWN INSPECTION OF THE ASSETS, AND CONTRIBUTEE SHALL ACCEPT ALL OF THE SAME IN THEIR “AS
IS,” “WHERE IS” CONDITION; AND (D) CONTRIBUTORS MAKE NO WARRANTY OR
REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, AS TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY
DATA, REPORTS, RECORDS, PROJECTIONS, INFORMATION OR MATERIALS NOW, HERETOFORE OR HEREAFTER
FURNISHED OR MADE AVAILABLE TO CONTRIBUTEE IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDING, WITHOUT
LIMITATION, RELATIVE TO PRICING ASSUMPTIONS, OR QUALITY OR QUANTITY OF HYDROCARBON RESERVES (IF
ANY) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE PROPERTIES OR THE ABILITY OR POTENTIAL OF THE PROPERTIES TO PRODUCE
HYDROCARBONS OR THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION OF THE PROPERTIES OR ANY OTHER MATTERS CONTAINED IN ANY
MATERIALS FURNISHED OR MADE AVAILABLE TO CONTRIBUTEE BY CONTRIBUTOR OR BY CONTRIBUTOR’S AGENTS OR
REPRESENTATIVES (ANY AND ALL SUCH DATA, RECORDS, REPORTS, PROJECTIONS, INFORMATION AND OTHER
MATERIALS (WRITTEN OR ORAL) FURNISHED BY CONTRIBUTOR OR
-44-
OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE OR DISCLOSED TO
CONTRIBUTEE ARE PROVIDED TO CONTRIBUTEE AS A CONVENIENCE AND SHALL NOT CREATE OR GIVE RISE TO ANY
LIABILITY OF OR AGAINST CONTRIBUTORS AND ANY RELIANCE ON OR USE OF THE SAME SHALL BE AT
CONTRIBUTEE’S SOLE RISK TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW).
9.9 Exclusive Remedy and Release. Except as otherwise provided herein, the indemnification
and remedies set forth in this ARTICLE IX shall, from and after the Closing, constitute the
sole and exclusive remedies of the Parties with respect to any breach of representation or warranty
contained in this Agreement; provided that nothing in this Section 9.9 shall prevent either
Party from seeking injunctive or equitable relief in pursuit of its indemnification claims under
this ARTICLE IX.
ARTICLE X
TERMINATION
TERMINATION
10.1 Termination. At any time prior to the Closing, this Agreement may be terminated and
the transactions contemplated hereby abandoned:
(a) by the mutual consent of Contributee and Contributors as evidenced in
writing signed by each of Contributee and Contributors;
(b) by Contributee, if there has been a material breach by Contributors of any
representation, warranty or covenant contained in this Agreement that has prevented the
satisfaction of any condition to the obligations of Contributee at the Closing and, if such
breach is of a character that it is capable of being cured, such breach has not been cured
by Contributors within thirty (30) days after written notice thereof from Contributee;
(c) by Contributors, if there has been a material breach by Contributee of any
representation, warranty or covenant contained in this Agreement that has prevented the
satisfaction of any condition to the obligations of Contributors at the Closing and, if such
breach is of a character that it is capable of being cured, such breach has not been cured
by Contributee within thirty (30) days after written notice thereof from Contributors;
(d) by either Contributee or Contributors if any Governmental Authority having
competent jurisdiction has issued a final, non-appealable order, decree, ruling or
-45-
injunction (other than a temporary restraining order) or taken any other action permanently
restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement; or
(e) by either Contributee or Contributors, if the transactions contemplated hereby have
not been consummated by May 31, 2007, provided that neither Contributee nor Contributors
will be entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.1(e) if
such Person’s breach of this Agreement has prevented the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
10.2 Effect of Termination. If this Agreement is terminated under Section 10.1,
all further obligations of the Parties under this Agreement will terminate without further
liability or obligation of either Party to the other Parties hereunder; provided, however, that no
Party will be released from liability hereunder if this Agreement is terminated and the
transactions abandoned by reason of (a) failure of such Party to have performed its material
obligations under this Agreement or (b) any material misrepresentation made by such Party of any
matter set forth in this Agreement. Nothing in this Section 10.2 will relieve any Party to
this Agreement of liability for breach of this Agreement occurring prior to any termination, or for
breach of any provision of this Agreement that specifically survives termination hereunder.
-46-
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
11.1 Notices. All notices and other communications between the Parties shall be in writing
and shall be deemed to have been duly given when (i) delivered in person, (ii) five (5) days after
posting in the United States mail having been sent registered or certified mail return receipt
requested or (iii) delivered by telecopy and promptly confirmed by delivery in person or post as
aforesaid in each case, with postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to Contributee, to:
Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P.
00000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Telephone : (000) 000-0000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
00000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Telephone : (000) 000-0000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
If to Contributors, to:
NGP-VII Income Co-Investment Opportunities, L.P.
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxx
000 X. Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxx
000 X. Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
or to such other address or addresses as the Parties may from time to time designate in writing.
11.2 Assignment. Except as provided below, no Party shall assign this Agreement or any
part hereof without the prior written consent of the other Party. Subject to the foregoing, this
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective
permitted successors and
assigns. The foregoing notwithstanding, Contributee shall be permitted to assign this Agreement to
one or more Affiliates if it deems appropriate for Tax purposes; provided, however, that such
assignment shall not release Contributee from its
-47-
obligations under this Agreement.
11.3 Rights of Third Parties. Except for the provisions of ARTICLE IX, which are
intended to be enforceable by the Persons respectively referred to therein, nothing expressed or
implied in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any Person,
other than the Parties, any right or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.
11.4 Expenses. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, each Party shall bear its
own expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby
whether or not such transactions shall be consummated, including all fees of its legal counsel,
financial advisers and accountants.
11.5 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument. Any facsimile copies hereof or signature hereon shall, for all purposes, be deemed
originals.
11.6 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the Disclosure Schedules and exhibits
to this Agreement) constitute the entire agreement among the Parties and supersede any other
agreements, whether written or oral, that may have been made or entered into by or among any of the
Parties or any of their respective Affiliates relating to the transactions contemplated hereby.
11.7 Disclosure Schedules. Unless the context otherwise requires, all capitalized terms
used in the Disclosure Schedules shall have the respective meanings assigned in this Agreement. No
reference to or disclosure of any item or other matter in the Disclosure Schedules shall be
construed as an admission or indication that such item or other matter is material or that such
item or other matter is required to be referred to or disclosed in the Disclosure Schedules. No
disclosure in the Disclosure Schedules relating to any possible breach or violation of any
agreement or Law shall be
construed as an admission or indication that any such breach or violation exists or has actually
occurred. The inclusion of any information in the Disclosure Schedules shall not be deemed to be
an admission or acknowledgment by Contributors, in and of itself, that such information is material
to or outside the ordinary course of the business of the Contributors or required to be disclosed
on the Disclosure Schedules. The disclosure of an item in one section of the Disclosure Schedules
as an exception to a particular representation or warranty qualifies the referenced representation
or warranty to the extent specified therein and such other representations and warranties contained
in the Agreement
-48-
(regardless of whether or not such representation or warranty contains a reference
to such disclosure schedules) to the extent a matter in such section of the Disclosure Schedules
is disclosed in such a way as to make its relevance to the information called for by such other
representation or warranty readily apparent on its face.
11.8 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended or modified in whole or in part, and terms
and conditions may be waived, only by a duly authorized agreement in writing which makes reference
to this Agreement executed by each Party.
11.9 Publicity. All press releases or other public communications of any nature whatsoever
relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and the method of the release for
publication thereof, shall be subject to the prior written consent of Contributee and Contributors,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed by such Party; provided,
however, that nothing herein shall prevent a Party from publishing such press releases or other
public communications as is necessary to satisfy such Party’s obligations at Law or under the rules
of any stock or commodities exchange after consultation with the other Party.
11.10 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable by
any court of competent jurisdiction, the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect. The Parties further agree that if any provision contained herein is, to any
extent, held invalid or unenforceable in any respect under the Laws governing this Agreement, they
shall take any actions necessary to render the remaining provisions of this Agreement valid and
enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by Law and, to the extent necessary, shall amend or
otherwise modify this Agreement to replace any provision contained herein that is held invalid or
unenforceable
with a valid and enforceable provision giving effect to the intent of the Parties to the greatest
extent legally permissible.
11.11 Governing Law; Jurisdiction.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the Laws of the
State of Texas, without regard to the Laws that might be applicable under conflicts of Laws
principles.
(b) The Parties agree that the appropriate, exclusive and convenient forum for any
disputes between any of the Parties hereto arising out of this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby shall be in any state or federal court in Houston, Texas, and each of
the Parties hereto irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of such courts solely
-49-
in respect
of any legal proceeding arising out of or related to this Agreement. The Parties further
agree that the Parties shall not bring suit with respect to any disputes arising out of this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in any court or jurisdiction other than
the above specified courts. The Parties further agree, to the extent permitted by Law, that
a final and nonappealable judgment against a Party in any action or proceeding contemplated
above shall be conclusive and may be enforced in any other jurisdiction within or outside
the United States by suit on the judgment, a certified or exemplified copy of which shall be
conclusive evidence of the fact and amount of such judgment. Except to the extent that a
different determination or finding is mandated due to the applicable Law being that of a
different jurisdiction, the Parties agree that all judicial determinations or findings by a
state or federal court in Houston, Texas with respect to any matter under this Agreement
shall be binding.
(c) To the extent that any Party hereto has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from
jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice,
attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) with
respect to itself or its property, each such party hereby irrevocably (i) waives such
immunity in respect of its obligations with respect to this Agreement and (ii) submits to
the personal jurisdiction of any court described in Section 11.11(b).
THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE THAT THEY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY
IN ANY ACTION TO ENFORCE OR INTERPRET THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT.
[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
-50-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of the Parties
as of the date first above written.
CONTRIBUTORS: | ||||||
NGP 2004 CO-INVESTMENT INCOME, L.P. | ||||||
By: | NGP INCOME MANAGEMENT, L.L.C., | |||||
its General Partner | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
NGP CO-INVESTMENT INCOME CAPITAL CORP. | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
NGP-VII INCOME CO-INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, L.P. | ||||||
By: | NGP INCOME MANAGEMENT, L.L.C., | |||||
its General Partner | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
CONTRIBUTEE: | ||||||
EAGLE ROCK ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. | ||||||
By: EAGLE ROCK ENERGY GP, L.P., its general partner |
||||||
By: EAGLE ROCK ENERGY G&P, LLC, its general partner |
||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||