Contract
THIS WARRANT AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAW, AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF OR EXERCISED UNLESS (i) A REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS SHALL HAVE BECOME EFFECTIVE WITH REGARD THERETO, OR (ii) AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS IS AVAILABLE IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER.
AN INVESTMENT IN THESE SECURITIES INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. HOLDERS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN ANALYSIS OF THE INVESTMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF THE RISKS INVOLVED.
Warrant to Purchase
500,000 shares
Warrant to Purchase Common Stock
of
TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION
THIS CERTIFIES that Xxxxxx Private Equity, LLC ("Xxxxxx"), or any subsequent holder hereof pursuant to Section 8 hereof ("Holder") has the right to purchase from Tri-Valley Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), up to 500,000 fully paid and nonassessable shares of the Company's common stock, $0.001 par value per share ("Common Stock"), subject to adjustment as provided herein, at a price equal to the Exercise Price as defined in Section 3 below, at any time beginning on the Date of Issuance (defined below) and ending at 5:00 p.m., New York, New York time, on the date that is five (5) years after the Date of Issuance (the "Exercise Period").
Holder agrees with the Company that this Warrant to Purchase Common Stock of the Company (this "Warrant") is issued and all rights hereunder shall be held subject to all of the conditions, limitations and provisions set forth herein.
1. Date of Issuance and Term.
This Warrant shall be deemed to be issued on April 20, 2001 ("Date of Issuance"). The term of this Warrant is five (5) years from the Date of Issuance.
Of this Warrant to purchase five hundred thousand (500,000) shares of Common Stock of the Company, the Warrant is exercisable as to one hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six (166,666) shares of Common Stock of the Company after the fifteen (15) business day document review period (the "Review Period") referenced in the Equity Line Letter of Agreement dated on or about April 20, 2001, between Holder and Company (the "Letter of Agreement") has ended, shall be further exercisable as to an additional one hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six (166,666) shares of Common Stock of the Company upon the execution (the "Investment Agreement Execution") by the Company and Xxxxxx Private Equity, LLC of an Investment Agreement, pursuant to the Letter of Agreement ("Investment Agreement") and shall be further exercisable as to the remaining one hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-seven (166,667) shares of Common Stock of the Company upon the earlier of (i) the date of effectiveness of Company's registration statement (the "Registration Statement") to be filed pursuant to the Investment Agreement and related documents, or (ii) October 20, 2001.
Anything in this Warrant to the contrary notwithstanding: (I) if the Company delivers written notice to Xxxxxx Private Equity, LLC prior to the expiration of the Review Period that the legal documents for the transaction are unacceptable and the Company wishes to terminate the transaction (an "Unacceptable Document Notice"), Holder shall return this Warrant to the Company and all of Holder's rights under this Warrant shall be null and void and of no effect, and (II) upon the expiration of the Review Period, ownership of this Warrant with respect to one hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six (166,666) shares of Common Stock shall irrevocably vest to Xxxxxx and shall become immediately exerciseable, and if the Company delivers an Unacceptable Document Notice after the expiration of the Review Period, but before the date of the Investment Agreement Execution, then Holder shall return the remaining three hundred thirty-three thousand three hundred thirty-three (333,333) shares of this Warrant to the Company and all of Holder's rights under this Warrant as to such returned shares of this Warrant shall be null and void and of no effect. If the Company executes an Investment Agreement, ownership of 100% of this Warrant shall irrevocably vest to the Holder, and the Warrant shall be subject to the exercise restrictions set forth in the above paragraphs. In the event that the Company terminates the Investment Agreement after the Investment Agreement Execution, the Holder shall retain irrevocable ownership of this Warrant with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock as to which this Warrant is exerciseable as of the date of such termination, and Holder shall return the balance of this Warrant to the Company and all of Holder's rights under this Warrant as to the balance of this Warrant shall be null and void and of no effect.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the applicable portion of this Warrant shall not be exercisable during any time that, and only to the extent that, the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to Holder upon such exercise, when added to the number of shares of Common Stock, if any, that the Holder otherwise beneficially owns at the time of such exercise, would equal or exceed 4.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding, as determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act (the "4.99% Limitation"). The 4.99% Limitation shall be conclusively satisfied if the applicable Exercise Notice includes a signed representation by the Holder that the issuance of the shares in such Exercise Notice will not violate the 4.99% Limitation, and the Company shall not be entitled to require additional documentation of such satisfaction.
2. Exercise.
(a) Manner of Exercise. During the Exercise Period, this Warrant may be exercised as to all or any lesser number of full shares of Common Stock covered hereby (the "Warrant Shares") upon surrender of this Warrant, with the Exercise Form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Exercise Form") duly completed and executed, together with the full Exercise Price (as defined below) for each share of Common Stock as to which this Warrant is exercised, at the office of the Company, Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, CFO, Treasurer, Secretary, Tri-Valley Corporation, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xx., Xxx. 000, Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000; Telephone: (000) 000-0000, Facsimile: (000) 000-0000, or at such other office or agency as the Company may designate in writing, by overnight mail, with an advance copy of the Exercise Form sent to the Company and its Transfer Agent by facsimile (such surrender and payment of the Exercise Price hereinafter called the "Exercise of this Warrant").
(b) Date of Exercise. The "Date of Exercise" of the Warrant shall be defined as the date that the advance copy of the completed and executed Exercise Form is sent by facsimile to the Company, provided that the original Warrant and Exercise Form are received by the Company as soon as practicable thereafter. Alternatively, the Date of Exercise shall be defined as the date the original Exercise Form is received by the Company, if Holder has not sent advance notice by facsimile.
(c) Delivery of Shares of Common Stock Upon Exercise. Upon any exercise of this Warrant, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to deliver, or shall cause its transfer agent to deliver, a stock certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of Common Stock into which this Warrant was exercised, within three (3) trading days (the "Share Delivery Deadline") of the date that all of the following have been received by the Company: (i) the original completed and executed Exercise Form, (ii) the original Warrant and (iii) the Exercise Price (if applicable)(collectively, the "Receipt Date"). Such stock certificates shall not contain a legend restricting transfer if a registration statement covering the resale of such shares of Common Stock is in effect at the time of such exercise or if such shares of Common Stock may be resold pursuant to an exemption from registration, including but not limited to Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933.
(d) Buy-In Cure. If (i) the Company fails for any reason to deliver the requisite number of shares of Common Stock (unlegended, if so required by the terms of this Warrant)(the "Warrant Shares") to a Holder upon an exercise of this Warrant by the Share Delivery Deadline, (ii) the Holder has sold some or all of the Warrant Shares (the "Sold Shares") which such Holder anticipated receiving upon such Exercise, and (iii) after the applicable Share Delivery Deadline with respect to such Exercise, the broker that sold the Sold Shares for Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to make delivery upon the sale by a Holder of the Sold Shares (a "Buy-In"), the Company shall pay such Holder within two (2) business days following receipt of written notice of a claim pursuant to this Section 2(d) (in addition to any other remedies available to Holder) the amount (a "Buy-In Payment") by which (x) such Holder's total purchase price (including brokerage commission, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of the Sold Shares. For example, if a Holder purchases shares of Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to shares of Common Stock sold for $10,000, the Company will be required to pay such Holder $1,000. A Holder shall provide the Company written notification indicating any amounts payable to Holder pursuant to this Section 2(d).
(e) Liquidated Damages. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the sums payable as Buy-In Payments shall give rise to liquidated damages and not penalties. The parties further acknowledge that (i) the amount of loss or damages likely to be incurred by the Holder is incapable or is difficult to precisely estimate, (ii) the amounts specified bear a reasonable proportion and are not plainly or grossly disproportionate to the probable loss likely to be incurred by the Investor, and (iii) the parties are sophisticated business parties and have been represented by sophisticated and able legal and financial counsel and negotiated this Agreement at arm's length.
(f) Cancellation of Warrant. This Warrant shall be canceled upon the Exercise of this Warrant, and, as soon as practical after the Date of Exercise, Holder shall be entitled to receive Common Stock for the number of shares purchased upon such Exercise of this Warrant, and if this Warrant is not exercised in full, Holder shall be entitled to receive a new Warrant (containing terms identical to this Warrant) representing any unexercised portion of this Warrant in addition to such Common Stock.
(g) Holder of Record. Each person in whose name any Warrant for shares of Common Stock is issued shall, for all purposes, be deemed to be the Holder of record of such shares on the Date of Exercise of this Warrant, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Common Stock purchased upon the Exercise of this Warrant. Nothing in this Warrant shall be construed as conferring upon Holder the right to vote or to receive dividends or to consent or to receive notice as a stockholder in respect of the meetings of shareholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter except as specifically provided in this Warrant, or any rights as a stockholder of the Company.
3. Payment of Warrant Exercise Price.
The Exercise Price per share (the "Exercise Price") shall initially equal $2.91. (the "Initial Exercise Price").
If, anytime prior to April 20, 2006 (regardless of whether or not the Company executes an Investment Agreement and regardless of whether or not the Company later terminates such Investment Agreement), the Company issues shares of Common Stock, warrants, or options to a third party (excluding "Excluded Shares", defined below) at a price which is less than the applicable Exercise Price then in effect, the Exercise Price shall automatically reset to equal the price at which such Common Stock, warrants, or options were issued (the "MFN Price"). For purposes hereof, the "Excluded Shares" shall mean (i) underlying securities issued pursuant to the 1998 Company stock option plan, and (ii) up to an aggregate of 50,000 shares of common stock, warrants, or options (securities) that are issued to a finder for services in conjunction with providing specific project financing for exploration or development of oil, gas or mineral leases or claims ("Project Finder Shares"), provided that if more than 50,000 such securities are issued, these shares shall not be considered "Excluded Shares" thereafter.
For purposes hereof, the term "Closing Price" shall mean the closing price on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, the National Market System ("NMS"), the New York Stock Exchange, or the O.T.C. Bulletin Board, or if no longer traded on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, the National Market System ("NMS"), the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, or the O.T.C. Bulletin Board, the "Closing Price" shall equal the closing price on the principal national securities exchange or the over-the-counter system on which the Common Stock is so traded and, if not available, the mean of the high and low prices on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is so traded.
Payment of the Exercise Price may be made by either of the following, or a combination thereof, at the election of Holder:
(i) Cash Exercise: cash, bank or cashiers check or wire transfer; or
(ii) Cashless Exercise: The Holder, at its option, may exercise this Warrant in a cashless exercise transaction under this subsection (ii) if and only if, on the Date of Exercise, there is not then in effect a current registration statement that covers the resale of the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise of this Warrant. In order to effect a Cashless Exercise, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant at the principal office of the Company together with notice of cashless election, in which event the Company shall issue Holder a number of shares of Common Stock computed using the following formula:
X = Y (A-B)/A
where: X = the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to Holder.
Y = the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is being exercised.
A = the Market Price of one (1) share of Common Stock (for purposes of this Section 3(ii), the "Market Price" shall be defined as the average Closing Price of the Common Stock for the five (5) trading days prior to the Date of Exercise of this Warrant (the "Average Closing Price"), as reported by the O.T.C. Bulletin Board, National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System ("Nasdaq") Small Cap Market, or if the Common Stock is not traded on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, the Average Closing Price in any other over-the-counter market; provided, however, that if the Common Stock is listed on a stock exchange, the Market Price shall be the Average Closing Price on such exchange for the five (5) trading days prior to the date of exercise of the Warrants. If the Common Stock is/was not traded during the five (5) trading days prior to the Date of Exercise, then the closing price for the last publicly traded day shall be deemed to be the closing price for any and all (if applicable) days during such five (5) trading day period.
B = the Exercise Price.
For purposes of Rule 144 and sub-section (d)(3)(ii) thereof, it is intended, understood and acknowledged that the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in a cashless exercise transaction shall be deemed to have been acquired at the time this Warrant was issued. Moreover, it is intended, understood and acknowledged that the holding period for the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in a cashless exercise transaction shall be deemed to have commenced on the date this Warrant was issued.
4. Transfer and Registration.
(a) Transfer Rights. Subject to the provisions of Section 8 of this Warrant, this Warrant may be transferred on the books of the Company, in whole or in part, in person or by attorney, upon surrender of this Warrant properly completed and endorsed. This Warrant shall be canceled upon such surrender and, as soon as practicable thereafter, the person to whom such transfer is made shall be entitled to receive a new Warrant or Warrants as to the portion of this Warrant transferred, and Holder shall be entitled to receive a new Warrant as to the portion hereof retained.
(b) Registrable Securities. In addition to any other registration rights of the Holder, if the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant is not registered for resale at the time the Company proposes to register (including for this purpose a registration effected by the Company for stockholders other than the Holders) any of its Common Stock under the Act (other than a registration relating solely for the sale of securities to participants in a Company stock plan or a registration on Form S-4 promulgated under the Act or any successor or similar form registering stock issuable upon a reclassification, upon a business combination involving an exchange of securities or upon an exchange offer for securities of the issuer or another entity)(a "Piggyback Registration Statement"), the Company shall cause to be included in such Piggyback Registration Statement ("Piggyback Registration") all of the Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant ("Registrable Securities") to the extent such inclusion does not violate the registration rights of any other securityholder of the Company granted prior to the date hereof. Nothing herein shall prevent the Company from withdrawing or abandoning the Piggyback Registration Statement prior to its effectiveness.
(c) Limitation on Obligations to Register under a Piggyback Registration. In the case of a Piggyback Registration pursuant to an underwritten public offering by the Company, if the managing underwriter determines and advises in writing that the inclusion in the registration statement of all Registrable Securities proposed to be included would interfere with the successful marketing of the securities proposed to be registered by the Company, then the number of such Registrable Securities to be included in the Piggyback Registration Statement, to the extent such Registrable Securities may be included in such Piggyback Registration Statement, shall be allocated among all Holders who had requested Piggyback Registration pursuant to the terms hereof, in the proportion that the number of Registrable Securities which each such Holder seeks to register bears to the total number of Registrable Securities sought to be included by all Holders. If required by the managing underwriter of such an underwritten public offering, the
Holders shall enter into a reasonable agreement limiting the number of Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration Statement and the terms, if any, regarding the future sale of such Registrable Securities.
5. Anti-Dilution Adjustments.
(a) Stock Dividend. If the Company shall at any time declare a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, then Holder, upon Exercise of this Warrant after the record date for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive such dividend, shall be entitled to receive upon Exercise of this Warrant, in addition to the number of shares of Common Stock as to which this Warrant is exercised, such additional shares of Common Stock as such Holder would have received had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to such record date and the Exercise Price will be proportionately adjusted.
(b) Recapitalization or Reclassification.
(i) Stock Split. If the Company shall at any time effect a recapitalization, reclassification or other similar transaction of such character that the shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or become exchangeable for a larger number of shares (a "Stock Split"), then upon the effective date thereof, the number of shares of Common Stock which Holder shall be entitled to purchase upon Exercise of this Warrant shall be increased in direct proportion to the increase in the number of shares of Common Stock by reason of such recapitalization, reclassification or similar transaction, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionally decreased.
(ii) Reverse Stock Split. If the Company shall at any time effect a recapitalization, reclassification or other similar transaction of such character that the shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or become exchangeable for a smaller number of shares (a "Reverse Stock Split"), then upon the effective date thereof, the number of shares of Common Stock which Holder shall be entitled to purchase upon Exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately decreased and the Exercise Price shall be proportionally increased. The Company shall give Holder the same notice it provides to holders of Common Stock of any transaction described in this Section 5(b).
(c) Distributions. If the Company shall at any time distribute for no consideration to holders of Common Stock cash, evidences of indebtedness or other securities or assets (other than cash dividends or distributions payable out of earned surplus or net profits for the current or preceding years) then, in any such case, Holder shall be entitled to receive, upon Exercise of this Warrant, with respect to each share of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise, the amount of cash or evidences of indebtedness or other securities or assets which Holder would have been entitled to receive with respect to each such share of Common Stock as a result of the happening of such event had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the record date or other date fixing shareholders to be affected by such event (the "Determination Date") or, in lieu thereof, if the Board of Directors of the Company should so determine at the time of such distribution, a reduced Exercise Price determined by multiplying the Exercise Price on the Determination Date by a fraction, the numerator of which is the result of such Exercise Price reduced by the value of such distribution applicable to one share of Common Stock (such value to be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in its discretion) and the denominator of which is such Exercise Price.
(d) Notice of Consolidation or Merger and Warrant Exchange. The Company shall not, at any time after the date hereof, effect a merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar event, as a result of which shares of Common Stock shall be changed into the same or a different number of shares of the same or another class or classes of stock or securities or other assets of the Company or another entity or there is a sale of all or substantially all the Company's assets (a "Corporate Change"), unless the resulting successor or acquiring entity (the "Resulting Entity") assumes by written instrument the Company's obligations under this Warrant, including but not limited to the Exercise Price reset provisions as provided herein during the term of the resultant warrants, and agrees in such written instrument that this Warrant shall be exerciseable into such class and type of securities or other assets of the Resulting Entity as Holder would have received had Holder exercised this Warrant immediately prior to such Corporate Change, and the Exercise Price of this Warrant shall be proportionately increased (if this Warrant shall be changed into or become exchangeable for a warrant to purchase a smaller number of shares of Common Stock of the Resulting Entity) or shall be proportionately decreased (if this Warrant shall be changed or become exchangeable for a warrant to purchase a larger number of shares of Common Stock of the Resulting Entity); provided, however, that Company may not affect any Corporate Change unless it first shall have given thirty (30) days notice to Holder hereof of any Corporate Change.
(e) Exercise Price Adjusted. As used in this Warrant, the term "Exercise Price" shall mean the purchase price per share specified in Section 3 of this Warrant, until the occurrence of an event stated in subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) of this Section 5, and thereafter shall mean said price as adjusted from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant. No such adjustment under this Section 5 shall be made unless such adjustment would change the Exercise Price at the time by $0.01 or more; provided, however, that all adjustments not so made shall be deferred and made when the aggregate thereof would change the Exercise Price at the time by $0.01 or more.
(f) Adjustments: Additional Shares, Securities or Assets. In the event that at any time, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to this Section 5, Holder shall, upon Exercise of this Warrant, become entitled to receive shares and/or other securities or assets (other than Common Stock) then, wherever appropriate, all references herein to shares of Common Stock shall be deemed to refer to and include such shares and/or other securities or assets; and thereafter the number of such shares and/or other securities or assets shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and upon terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions of this Section 5.
6. Fractional Interests.
No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issuable upon the Exercise of this Warrant, but on Exercise of this Warrant, Holder may purchase only a whole number of shares of Common Stock. If, on Exercise of this Warrant, Holder would be entitled to a fractional share of Common Stock or a right to acquire a fractional share of Common Stock, such fractional share shall be disregarded and the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise shall be the next higher number of shares.
7. Reservation of Shares.
The Company shall at all times reserve for issuance such number of authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock (or other securities substituted therefor as herein above provided) as shall be sufficient for the Exercise of this Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price. The Company covenants and agrees that upon the Exercise of this Warrant, all shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and not subject to preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights of any person or entity.
8. Restrictions on Transfer.
(a) Registration or Exemption Required. This Warrant has been issued in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Act by virtue of Regulation D and exempt from state registration under applicable state laws. The Warrant and the Common Stock issuable upon the Exercise of this Warrant may not be pledged, transferred, sold or assigned except pursuant to an effective registration statement or unless the Company has received an opinion from the Company's counsel to the effect that such registration is not required, or the Holder has furnished to the Company an opinion of the Holder's counsel, which counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such registration is not required; the transfer complies with any applicable state securities laws; and, if no registration covering the resale of the Warrant Shares is effective at the time the Warrant Shares are issued, the Holder consents to a legend being placed on certificates for the Warrant Shares stating that the securities have not been registered under the Securities Act and referring to such restrictions on transferability and sale.
(b) Assignment. If Holder can provide the Company with reasonably satisfactory evidence that the conditions of (a) above regarding registration or exemption have been satisfied, Holder may sell, transfer, assign, pledge or otherwise dispose of this Warrant, in whole or in part. Holder shall deliver a written notice to Company, substantially in the form of the Assignment attached hereto as Exhibit B, indicating the person or persons to whom the Warrant shall be assigned and the respective number of warrants to be assigned to each assignee. The Company shall effect the assignment within ten (10) days, and shall deliver to the assignee(s) designated by Holder a Warrant or Warrants of like tenor and terms for the appropriate number of shares.
9. Benefits of this Warrant.
Nothing in this Warrant shall be construed to confer upon any person other than the Company and Holder any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Warrant and this Warrant shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company and Holder.
10. Applicable Law; Arbitration.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia applicable to agreements made in and wholly to be performed in that jurisdiction, except for matters arising under the Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which matters shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with such laws. Any controversy or claim arising out of or related to this Warrant or the breach thereof, shall be settled by binding arbitration in Atlanta, Georgia in accordance with the Expedited Procedures (Rules 53-57) of the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association ("AAA"). A proceeding shall be commenced upon written demand by Company or any Investor to the other. The arbitrator(s) shall enter a judgment by default against any party, which fails or refuses to appear in any properly noticed arbitration proceeding. The proceeding shall be conducted by one (1) arbitrator, unless the amount alleged to be in dispute exceeds two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), in which case three (3) arbitrators shall preside. The arbitrator(s) will be chosen by the parties from a list provided by the AAA, and if they are unable to agree within ten (10) days, the AAA shall select the arbitrator(s). The arbitrators must be experts in securities law and financial transactions. The arbitrators shall assess costs and expenses of the arbitration, including all attorneys' and experts' fees, as the arbitrators believe is appropriate in light of the merits of the parties' respective positions in the issues in dispute. Each party submits irrevocably to the jurisdiction of any state court sitting in Atlanta, Georgia or to the United States District Court sitting in Georgia for purposes of enforcement of any discovery order, judgment or award in connection with such arbitration. The award of the arbitrator(s) shall be final and binding upon the parties and may be enforced in any court having jurisdiction. The arbitration shall be held in such place as set by the arbitrator(s) in accordance with Rule 55.
Although the parties, as expressed above, agree that all claims, including claims that are equitable in nature, for example specific performance, shall initially be prosecuted in the binding arbitration procedure outlined above, if the arbitration panel dismisses or otherwise fails to entertain any or all of the equitable claims asserted by reason of the fact that it lacks jurisdiction, power and/or authority to consider such claims and/or direct the remedy requested, then, in only that event, will the parties have the right to initiate litigation respecting such equitable claims or remedies. The forum for such equitable relief shall be in either a state or federal court sitting in Atlanta, Georgia. Each party waives any right to a trial by jury, assuming such right exists in an equitable proceeding, and irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of said Georgia court.
11. Loss of Warrant.
Upon receipt by the Company of evidence of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant, and (in the case of loss, theft or destruction) of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to the Company, and upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, if mutilated, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant of like tenor and date. In the case of loss, theft or destruction of the Warrant, if required by the Company's transfer agent, the Holder shall execute a bond at its expense in an amount not to exceed $10,000. The Company shall not be liable for any losses or damages incurred by Holder as a result of Holder's loss of all or part of this Warrant, provided that Company agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to assure that Warrant Shares are issued only in the name(s) of the rightful Holder(s) and are delivered to the Holder(s) at the Holder's address of record.
12. Notice or Demands.
Notices or demands pursuant to this Warrant to be given or made by Holder to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, and addressed, until another address is designated in writing by the Company, to the address set forth in Section 2(a) above. Notices or demands pursuant to this Warrant to be given or made by the Company to or on Holder shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, and addressed, to the address of Holder set forth in the Company's records, until another address is designated in writing by Holder.
13. Payment of Taxes.
The Company will pay all documentary stamp taxes, if any, attributable to the initial issuance of Warrant Shares upon the exercise of Warrants; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax or taxes which may be payable in respect of any transfer of any Warrants or certificates for Warrant Shares registered in a name other than that of the Holder of the Warrants in respect of which such Warrants or Warrant Shares are originally issued, and, under these circumstances, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates evidencing Warrants or any certificates for Warrant Shares issuable upon the exercise of any Warrants unless or until the persons or
persons requesting the transfer if issuance thereof shall have paid to the Company the amount of such tax or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Company that such tax has been paid.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Warrant as of the ____ day of May, 2001.
TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION
By: ________________________________
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, CFO,
Secretary , Treasurer
EXHIBIT A
EXERCISE FORM FOR WARRANT
TO: TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably exercises the right to purchase ____________ of the shares of Common Stock (the "Common Stock") of Tri-Valley Corporation a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), evidenced by the attached warrant (the "Warrant"), and herewith makes payment of the exercise price with respect to such shares in full, all in accordance with the conditions and provisions of said Warrant.
1. The undersigned agrees not to offer, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of the Common Stock obtained on exercise of the Warrant, except in accordance with the provisions of Section 8(a) of the Warrant.
2. The undersigned requests that stock certificates for such shares be issued free of any restrictive legend, if appropriate, and a warrant representing any unexercised portion hereof be issued, pursuant to the Warrant in the name of the undersigned and delivered to the undersigned at the address set forth below:
Dated: _________
________________________________________________________________________
Signature
_______________________________________________________________________
Print Name
________________________________________________________________________
Address
________________________________________________________________________
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Exercise Form must correspond to the name as written upon the face of the attached Warrant in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
________________________________________________________________________
EXHIBIT B
ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder
desiring to transfer the Warrant)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned holder of the attached warrant (the "Warrant") hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto the person or persons below named the right to purchase _______ shares of the Common Stock of Tri-Valley Corporation, evidenced by the attached Warrant and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________________ attorney to transfer the said Warrant on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated: ______________________________
Signature
Fill in for new registration of Warrant:
___________________________________
Name
___________________________________
Address
___________________________________
Please print name and address of assignee
(including zip code number)
_______________________________________________________________________
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment must correspond to the name as written upon the face of the attached Warrant in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
________________________________________________________________________
