LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT OF FRONTERA PIPELINE, LLC A Delaware Limited Liability Company Dated as of September 28, 2007
Exhibit
10.2
OF
FRONTERA
PIPELINE, LLC
A
Delaware Limited Liability Company
Dated
as of September 28, 2007
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
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4
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1.1
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Definitions
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4
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1.2
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Construction
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10
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10
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2.1
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Formation
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10
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2.2
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Name
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10
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2.3
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Offices
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10
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2.4
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Purposes
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11
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2.5
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Term
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11
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2.6
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Fiscal
Year
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11
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2.7
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Powers
of the Company
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11
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12
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3.1
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Representations
and Warranties
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12
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12
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4.1
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Capital
Contributions; Units
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12
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4.2
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Additional
Capital Contributions
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12
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4.3
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Subsequent
Capital Contributions
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13
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4.4
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Pre-emptive
Rights
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13
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4.5
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Capital
Accounts
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13
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4.6
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No
Return of Capital Contribution
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14
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4.7
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FID
Milestone Payments
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14
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4.8
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TOG
Call Right
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14
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4.9
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TOG
Forfeiture of Units
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14
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14
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5.1
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Members
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14
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5.2
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Classification
of Units; Membership Interests
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14
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5.3
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Transferability
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14
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5.4
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Transfers
of Cheniere Membership Interest
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15
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5.5
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Transfers
of Other Membership Interest
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15
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5.6
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Cheniere
Right of First Refusal
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15
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5.7
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Closing
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15
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5.8
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Tag-Along
Rights
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15
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5.9
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Required
Sale
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16
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5.10
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Transfer
by Operation of Law
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17
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17
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6.1
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Allocation
of Profits and Losses
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17
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6.2
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Distributions
of Available Cash Flow
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18
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6.3
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Special
Allocations
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18
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6.4
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Other
Special Allocations
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19
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6.5
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Tax
Allocations
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19
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19
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7.1
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General
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19
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7.2
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Management
by the Managing Member
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20
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7.3
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Officers
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21
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7.4
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Liability
of the Managing Member
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21
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7.5
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Indemnification
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22
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7.6
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Tax
Status
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22
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7.7
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Records
and Information
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22
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7.8
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Tax
Matters
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22
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7.9
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Collaboration
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22
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23
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8.1
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Right
to Inspect Books and Records
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23
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8.2
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Confidentiality
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23
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23
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9.1
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Dissolution
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23
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9.2
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Winding
Up
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23
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9.3
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Distribution
of Assets
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23
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24
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10.1
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Notices
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24
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10.2
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Amendments
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25
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10.3
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Severability
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25
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10.4
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Entire
Agreement
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25
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10.5
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Choice-of-Law
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25
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10.6
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Headings
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25
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10.7
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Further
Action
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25
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10.8
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Waiver
of Action for Partition
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25
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10.9
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Counterpart
Execution
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25
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10.10
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Enforcement
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25
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EXHIBITS
Exhibit
A Book
Value
Exhibit
B Project
Development Map
Exhibit
C Capital
Contributions
Exhibit
D Member’s
Percentage Interest
Exhibit
E Promissory
Note
OF
FRONTERA
PIPELINE, LLC
A
Delaware Limited Liability Company
This
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT OF FRONTERA PIPELINE, LLC (this
“Agreement”), dated as of September 28, 2007 (the
“Effective Date”), is entered into
by Grand Cheniere
Pipeline LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(“Cheniere”), and Tidelands Oil & Gas Corporation,
a Nevada corporation, (“TOG”). Each of
Cheniere, TOG and any Person hereafter admitted to the Company are sometimes
individually referred to herein as a “Party” and
collectively referred to as the
“Parties”.
W
I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
the Certificate of Formation of the Company was filed with the Delaware
Secretary of State on September 26, 2007; and
WHEREAS,
this Agreement shall constitute the “limited liability company agreement”
(within the meaning of the Act) of the Company, and shall be binding upon
all
Persons now or at any time hereafter who are Members.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and obligations set
forth in this Agreement, and of other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending legally
to be bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
AND CONSTRUCTION
1.1 Definitions. As
used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings
set
forth below or set forth in the Sections referred to below (and grammatical
variants of such terms shall have correlative meanings):
“Acceptance
Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6
hereof.
“Acceptance
Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8
hereof.
“Act”
means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, 6 Del. C. § 18-101 et seq., as
may be amended from time to time.
“Adjusted
Capital Account Deficit” means, with respect to any Member, the
deficit balance, if any, in such Member’s Capital Account as of the end of the
relevant taxable year, after: (i) crediting to such Capital Account any amounts
that such Member is obligated to restore pursuant to Regulations Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is deemed to be obligated to restore pursuant to
the
penultimate sentences of Regulations Sections 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5))
and (ii) debiting from such Capital Account the items described in Regulations
Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5) and (6).
“Adjustment
Date” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Partially
Adjusted Capital Account.
“Affiliate”
of a Person means any Person Controlling, Controlled by, or Under Common
Control
with such Person.
“Agreement”
has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
4
“Available
Cash” for any period means (i) all interest and other cash
proceeds received by the Company during such period, minus (ii) all Company
Expenses paid or reserved for by the Company during such period, plus (iii)
subsequent reductions in the amount of any reserves described in clause
(ii).
“Book
Value” means with respect to any asset, except as set forth below,
such asset’s adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes:
(a) The
initial Book Value of any asset contributed by a Member to the Company shall
be
the gross fair market value of such asset, as determined by the Managing
Member;
provided, that the Members agree that the gross fair market value of the
assets
contributed to the Company pursuant to Section 4.1 shall be the amounts set
forth in Exhibit A attached hereto, as may be adjusted pursuant to
Section 4.7.
(b) The
Book Value of all Company assets shall be adjusted to equal their respective
gross fair market values (taking Code Section 7701(g) into account), as
determined by the Managing Member as of the following times: (i) the
acquisition of an additional interest in the Company by any new or existing
Members in exchange for more than a de minimis Capital Contribution if
the Managing Member reasonably determines that such adjustment is necessary
or
appropriate to reflect the relative economic interests of the Members in
the
Company; (ii) the distribution by the Company to a Member of more than a
de
minimis amount of Company property as consideration for an interest in the
Company if the Managing Member reasonably determines that such adjustment
is
necessary or appropriate to reflect the relative economic interests of the
Members in the Company; (iii) the liquidation of the Company within the meaning
of Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g), and (iv) in connection
with the grant of an interest in the Company (other than a de minimis
interest) as consideration for the provision of services to or for the benefit
of the Company by an existing Member.
(c) The
Book Value of any Company asset distributed to any Member shall be the gross
fair market value (taking Code Section 7701(g) into account) of such asset
as
determined by the Managing Member on the date of distribution.
(d) The
Book Value of Company assets shall be increased or decreased to reflect any
adjustments to the adjusted basis of such assets pursuant to Code Section
734(b)
or Code Section 743(b), but only to the extent that such adjustments are
taken
into account in determining Capital Accounts pursuant to Treasury Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m); provided, however, that Book Values shall not
be
adjusted pursuant to this subparagraph (d) to the extent the Managing Member
determines that an adjustment pursuant to subparagraph (b) hereof is necessary
or appropriate in connection with a transaction that would otherwise result
in
an adjustment pursuant to this subparagraph (d).
(e) If
the Book Value of an asset has been determined or adjusted pursuant to
subparagraphs (a), (b) or (d) of this provision, such Book Value and the
Members’ Capital Accounts shall thereafter be computed in accordance with
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g) of the Regulations.
“Brazil
Storage Facility” means an open access underground
natural gas storage facility located at Municipality Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas,
Mexico of 1,415.8 MMm3/day (50,000 MMPCD or 50 BCF) that will interconnect
with
the El Dorado LNG terminal, with natural gas injection from the B1 reservoir
of
Campo Brasil of 9.9 MMm3/day (350 MMPCD), delivery pressure at the
interconnecting points fluctuating from 2,757.9 kPa to 6,205 kPa (400 psig
to
900 psig), a maximum discharge pressure at the exit of the compression station
of 22,063.2 kPa (3,200 psig) and a maximum capability of storage design of
1,415.8 MMm3/day (50,000 MMPCD or 50 BCF) after the third season, and a maximum
extraction amount estimated in 14.15 MMm3/day (500 MMPCD), as more fully
described in the permit application filed with the CRE on August 5, 2005
under
CRE File No. T46/1131.
“Call
Price” means the sum of: (i) US$1,000,000; plus (ii) all
amounts due and owing, inclusive of interest, for loans extended to TOG pursuant
to Section 4.2(h), plus (iii) all other costs and expenses incurred by
Cheniere for the development and construction of the Project (including all
amounts paid by Cheniere to TOG or contributed by Cheniere to the Company
as
Development Costs and Project Equity Costs), inclusive of a twelve percent
(12%)
interest rate per annum, compounded annually, on such costs and
expenses.
“Capital
Account” means a separate account to be maintained by the Company
for each Member pursuant to Section 4.5 of this Agreement.
“Capital
Contributions” means the amount of cash and the Book Value of any
property contributed by Members to the Company.
“Certificate
of Formation” means the Certificate of Formation of the Company as
filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on September 26, 2007, as the
same
may be amended and restated from time to time.
“Cheniere”
has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
5
“Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any corresponding
provisions of succeeding law.
“Company”
means Frontera Pipeline LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“Company
Expenses” means all expenses relating to the Company’s operations,
including (i) organizational and offering expenses of the Company and any
of its
subsidiaries, (ii) management fees and employee salaries of the Company or
its
subsidiaries, (iii) expenses of attorneys, accountants, consultants, custodians
and experts hired on behalf of the Company or its subsidiaries, (iv) expenses
(including travel) related to the Company’s investments or potential investments
(whether or not consummated or whether performed directly or indirectly through
any of its subsidiaries) or to the acquisition, holding, and sale or other
disposition of investments, (v) any taxes, fees or other government charges
levied against the Company or its subsidiaries, and (vi) other expenses related
to the activities of the Company or its subsidiaries, including the development
and implementation of the Project.
“Control”
including the correlative terms “Controlling,”
“Controlled by” and “Under
Common Control
with” means possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through
ownership of securities or any partnership or other ownership interest, by
contract or otherwise) of a Person. For the purposes of the preceding
sentence, control shall be deemed to exist when a Person possesses, directly
or
indirectly, through one or more intermediaries: (i) more than fifty percent
(50%) of the outstanding voting securities or interests thereof; (ii) in
the
case of a limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership or
venture, the right to more than fifty percent (50%) of the distributions
therefrom (including liquidating distributions); (iii) in the case of any
other
Person, more than fifty percent (50%) of the distributions therefrom (including
liquidating distributions); or (iv) in the case of any other Person, more
than
fifty percent (50%) of the economic or beneficial interest therein.
“Contribution
Agreement” means the Contribution Agreement, dated September 28,
2007, by and among Cheniere, TOG and the Company.
“CRE”
means the Mexican Energy Regulatory Commission (Comision Reguladora de
Energia).
“CRE
Permit” means permit No. G/183/TRA/2006 dated May 23, 2006, issued
by the CRE, together with Resolution RES/104/2006 also issued by CRE on that
same date, both as amended from time to time by the CRE as a result of a
petition by the Company, an Affiliate of the Company, or otherwise.
“Development
Costs” means the permitting, book and record keeping, third party
consulting and other incidental development costs associated with the
pre-construction period of each phase of the Project.
“Effective
Date” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of
this Agreement.
“Entity”
means any limited liability company, corporation, limited partnership, general
partnership, joint stock company, joint venture, association, company, trust,
bank trust company, land trust, business trust, sociedad anonima, sociedad
de
responsabilidad limitada, or other organization, whether or not a legal entity,
and any government or agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Exercise
Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8
hereof.
"FERC
Certificate" means the Order Issuing Presidential Permit and NGA
Sections 3 and 7 Authorizations issued July 10, 2007 by the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission of the United States of America in Docket Nos.
CP07-74-000, CP07-75-000, CP07-76-000 and CP07-77-000, as may be amended
from
time to time, as a result of a petition by the Company, an Affiliate of the
Company, or otherwise.
“FID”
means a final investment decision to proceed with any phase of the Project
that
is adopted by the Managing Member in its sole discretion.
“FID
Milestone Payments” means the Phase I FID Milestone Payment, the
Phase II FID Milestone Payment and the Phase III FID Milestone
Payment.
“Force
Majeure” means catastrophic storms or floods, lightning,
tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and other acts of God, wars, civil
disturbances, terrorist attacks, revolts, insurrections, sabotage, commercial
embargoes, epidemics, fires, explosions, actions of a governmental authority
that were not requested, promoted, or caused by the affected party, governmental
inactivity not attributable to the affected party, and any other similar
unforeseeable event; provided that such act or event (i) renders
impossible or delays the affected party’s performance of its obligations under
this Agreement, (ii) is beyond the reasonable control of the affected party
and
not due to its fault or negligence, and (iii) could not have been prevented
or
avoided by the affected party through the exercise of due
diligence. For avoidance of doubt, Force Majeure shall include lawful
strikes or other similar labor or social actions.
6
“GAAP”
means United States generally accepted accounting principles consistently
applied.
“Managing
Member” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.
“Member”
refers to Cheniere and TOG or any Person hereafter admitted to the Company
as a
Member as provided in this Agreement but such term does not include any Person
who has ceased to be a Member in the Company as provided in this
Agreement.
“Membership
Interest” means the ownership interest of a Member in the
Company.
“Mexico”
means the United Mexican States (Estados Unidos
Mexicanos).
“Notice
to Proceed” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8
hereof.
“Officer”
or “Officers” means any Person designated as an
officer of the Company as provided in Section 7.3, but such term does not
include any Person who has ceased to be an officer of the Company.
“OL
Exercise Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.10(a)
hereof.
“OL
Transfer Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.10(a)
hereof.
“OL
Transfer Units” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.10(a)
hereof.
“Option
Units” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6
hereof.
“Partially
Adjusted Capital Account” means, with respect to any Member as of
the close of business on the last day of any taxable year (an
“Adjustment Date”), the Capital Account of such Member
as of the beginning of the taxable year ending on such Adjustment Date, adjusted
to account for all allocations pursuant to Section 6.3 and all Capital
Contributions and distributions during such taxable year ending on such
Adjustment Date but before giving effect to any allocations of Profits or
Losses
for such period pursuant to Section 6.1 increased by (i) such Member’s share of
“partnership minimum gain,” as determined pursuant to Regulations Section
1.704-2(d) and (g), as of the end of such taxable year and (ii) such Member’s
share of “partner nonrecourse debt minimum gain,” as determined pursuant to
Regulations Section 1.704-2(i), as of the end of such taxable year.
“Percentage
Interest” for each Member means the percentage obtained by
dividing (i) the number of Units held by such Member by (ii) the aggregate
number of Units held by all other Members from time to time.
“Permitted
Transferee” shall mean any transferee of a Restricted Member so
long as such transferee is an Affiliate of the Restricted Member.
“Person”
means any natural person or Entity.
“Phase
I” means the construction of that certain stretch of pipeline
extending from: (i) the Valero Xxxxxxx Plant, located at Xxxxxxx County,
Texas,
United States of America to (ii) Estacion Xxxxxxxxx of the Sistema Nacional
de Gasoductos, located in Tamaulipas, Mexico, to (iii) Xxxxxxx 00 xx
Xxxxx Xxx x Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx (Xxxxxxxxx Oriente Segments), to (iv)
Monterrey, Nuevo Xxxx, Mexico (Mission Occidente and Amended Occidente
Segments), such phase as more specifically illustrated in the Project
Development Map attached hereto as Exhibit B, and subject to the
specifications of the CRE Permit and the FERC Certificate.
“Phase
I Project Budget” means the Project Equity Costs for the
construction of Phase I of the Project as projected, adopted and revised
from
time to time by the Managing Member in its sole discretion and as approved
by
the FERC, the CRE or any other regulatory or governmental Entity in Mexico
or in
the United States of America.
7
“Phase
I FID Date” means the date on which the Managing Member adopts a
FID and resolves to proceed with the construction of Phase I of the
Project.
“Phase
I FID Milestone Payment” means a one time cash payment in an
amount equal to US$4,800,000 payable by Cheniere to TOG upon the occurrence
of
the Phase I FID Date.
“Phase
I Royalty” means that amount payable to TOG from Available Cash
equal to US$0.008 per Mmbtu/d of capacity subscribed pursuant to a firm
transportation agreement across the entire stretch of pipeline for Phase
I of
the Project. The Phase I Royalty shall be proportionally reduced in the event
that less than one hundred percent (100%) of the entire stretch of pipeline
for
Phase I of the Project is constructed.
“Phase
II” means the construction of that certain stretch of pipeline
extending from: (i) the Xxxxx Station to (ii) Brazil Storage to (iii) Xxxxxxx
00
xx Xxxxx Xxx x Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx (Xxxxxxxxx Oriente Segments), such
phase as more specifically illustrated in the Project Development Map attached
hereto as Exhibit B, and subject to the specifications of the CRE Permit
and the FERC Certificate.
“Phase
II FID Date” means that date on which the Managing Member adopts a
FID and resolves to proceed with the construction of Phase II of the
Project.
“Phase
II FID Milestone Payment” means a one time cash payment in an
amount equal to US$1,200,000 payable by Cheniere to TOG upon the occurrence
of
the Phase II FID Date.
“Phase
II Project Budget” means the Project Equity Costs for the
construction of Phase II of the Project as projected, adopted and revised
from
time to time by the Managing Member in its sole discretion and as approved
by
the FERC, the CRE or any other regulatory or governmental Entity in Mexico
or in
the United States of America.
“Phase
II Royalty” means that amount payable to TOG from Available Cash
equal to US$0.002 per Mmbtu/d of capacity subscribed pursuant to a firm
transportation agreement across the entire stretch of pipeline for Phase
II of
the Project. The Phase II Royalty shall be proportionally reduced in the
event
that less than one hundred percent (100%) of the entire stretch of pipeline
for
Phase II of the Project is constructed.
“Phase
III” means the construction of the Brazil Storage
Facility.
“Phase
III Project Budget” means the Project Equity Costs for the
construction of Phase III of the Project as projected, adopted and revised
from
time to time by the Managing Member in its sole discretion and as approved
by
the CRE or any other regulatory or governmental Entity in Mexico.
“Phase
III FID Date” means the date on which the Managing Member adopts a
FID and resolves to proceed with the construction of Phase III of the
Project.
“Phase
III FID Milestone Payment” means a one time cash payment in an
amount equal to US$2,000,000 payable by Cheniere to TOG upon the occurrence
of
the Phase III FID Date.
“Phase
III Royalty” means that amount payable to TOG from Available Cash
equal to US$0.02 per Mmbtu/year of storage capacity subscribed pursuant to
a
firm storage service agreement (up to 50 Bcf/year).
“Potential
Acquirer” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6
hereof.
“Price”
has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6 hereof.
8
“Profits”
and “Losses” mean, for each taxable year or other
period, an amount equal to the Company’s taxable income or loss for the year or
other period, determined in accordance with Section 703(a) of the Code
(including all items of income, gain, loss or deduction required to be stated
separately under Section 703(a)(1) of the Code), with the following
adjustments:
(a) Any
income of the Company that is exempt from federal income tax and not otherwise
taken into account in computing Profits or Losses will be added to taxable
income or loss;
(b) Any
expenditures of the Company described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code
or
treated as Section 705(a)(2)(B) expenditures under Regulations Section 1.704
1(b)(2)(iv)(i), and not otherwise taken into account in computing Profits
or
Losses, will be subtracted from taxable income or loss;
(c) In
the event the Book Value of any Company property is adjusted pursuant to
subparagraphs (b) or (c) of the definition of Book Value, the amount of such
adjustment shall be taken into account as gain or loss from the disposition
of
such asset for purposes of computing Profits or Losses;
(d) Gain
or loss resulting from any disposition of Company property with respect to
which
gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes shall be computed
by
reference to the Book Value of the property disposed of, notwithstanding
that
the adjusted tax basis of such property differs from its Book
Value;
(e) In
lieu of the depreciation, amortization and other cost recovery deductions
taken
into account in computing such taxable income or loss, there shall be taken
into
account depreciation and other cost recovery deductions computed in accordance
with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g)(3) for such fiscal
year
or other period; and
(f) Any
items which are specially allocated under Section 6.3 or Section 6.4
hereof will not affect calculations of Profits or
Losses.
“Project”
means the construction of an integrated natural gas pipeline project traversing
the United States of America and Mexico border and the construction of a
related
natural gas storage facility in Mexico, such project as more specifically
set
forth in the Project Development Map attached hereto as Exhibit
B.
“Project
Equity Costs” means, with respect to a specified phase of the
Project, the costs for construction of that phase of the Project, excluding
Development Costs for that phase of the Project.
“Project
FID Dates” means the Phase I FID Date, the Phase II FID Date and
the Phase III FID Date.
“Pro
Rata Share” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4
hereof.
“Regulations”
and “Treasury Regulations” means the regulations
promulgated by the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to and
in
respect of provisions of the Code. All references herein to sections
of the Regulations or Treasury Regulations shall include any corresponding
provisions of succeeding, similar, substitute proposed or final
Regulations.
“Required
Sale” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.9(a)
hereof.
“Required
Sale Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.9(a)
hereof.
“Restricted
Members” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5
hereof.
“Tag-Along
Member” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8
hereof.
“Tag-Along
Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8
hereof.
9
“Tag-Along
Units” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.8
hereof.
“Target
Capital Account” means, with respect to any Member as of any
Adjustment Date, an amount (which may be either a positive or a deficit balance)
equal to the amount such Member would receive as a distribution if all assets
of
the Company as of such Adjustment Date were sold for cash equal to the Book
Value of such assets, all the Company liabilities were satisfied to the extent
required by their terms (limited in the case of each nonrecourse liability
or
partner nonrecourse debt to the Book Value of the assets securing each such
liability) and the net proceeds were distributed pursuant to Section
9.3.
“TOG”
has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
“Transfer”
including the correlative terms “Transferring” or
“Transferred”, means to sell,
transfer, assign,
pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or encumber any Membership Interest in the
Company. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the pledge of any
Membership Interest in the Company pursuant to the promissory note, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit E, shall not be
considered a Transfer.
“Transferor”
has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6 hereof.
“Transferor’s
Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.6
hereof.
“Units”
means fractional, undivided shares of Membership Interests in the Company
to be
issued to all Members based upon their corresponding Membership
Interests.
“Unit
Issue Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(a)
hereof.
1.2 Construction. Unless
the context requires otherwise: (a) the gender (or lack of gender) of all
words
used in this Agreement includes the masculine, feminine, and neuter; (b)
references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this
Agreement; (c) references to Exhibits refer to the Exhibits attached to this
Agreement, each of which is made a part hereof for all purposes; (d) references
to money refer to legal currency of the United States of America; (e) accounting
terms shall be construed in accordance with GAAP; and (f) the words “include”,
“includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without
limitation”.
BUSINESS,
PURPOSE, AND TERM OF COMPANY
2.1 Formation. The
Company has been organized as a Delaware limited liability company by the
filing
of a Certificate of Formation under and pursuant to the Act.
2.2 Name. The
name of the Company is “Frontera Pipeline, LLC” and all Company business must be
conducted in that name or such other names selected by the Managing Member
that
comply with the Act.
2.3 Offices. The
registered office of the Company required by the Act to be maintained in
the
State of Delaware shall be the office of the initial registered agent named
in
the Certificate of Formation or such other office (which need not be a place
of
business of the Company) as the Managing Member may designate in the manner
provided by the Act. The registered agent of the Company in the State
of Delaware shall be the initial registered agent named in the Certificate
of
Formation or such other Person or Persons as the Managing Member may designate
in the manner provided by the Act. The principal office of the
Company in the United States shall be at such place as the Managing Member
may
designate, which need not be in the State of Delaware. The Company
may have such other offices as the Managing Member may designate.
10
2.4 Purposes. The
purposes of the Company are to engage in the development and construction
of
natural gas projects.
2.5 Term. The
Company commenced upon the effectiveness of the Certificate of Formation
and
shall have a perpetual existence, unless and until it is dissolved and
terminated in accordance with Article 9 of this Agreement.
2.6 Fiscal
Year. The fiscal year of the Company shall be the
calendar year.
2.7 Powers
of the Company. In addition to the purpose set forth in
Section 2.4 above, the Company shall have the power:
(a) to
conduct its business, carry on its operations and have and exercise the powers
granted to a limited liability company by the Act in any state, territory,
district or possession of the United States, or in any foreign country that
may
be necessary, convenient or incidental to the accomplishment of the purpose
of
the Company;
(b) to
acquire, by purchase, mortgage, lease, contribution of property or otherwise,
and to own, hold, operate, maintain, finance, improve, lease, sell, convey,
mortgage, transfer or dispose of any real or personal property that may be
necessary, convenient or incidental to the accomplishment of the purpose
of the
Company;
(c) to
enter
into, perform and carry out contracts of any kind, including, contracts with
the
Members or any Person that directly or indirectly Controls, is Controlled
by, or
is Under Common Control with the Members, or any agent of the Company necessary
to, in connection with, convenient to, or incidental to, the accomplishment
of
the purpose of the Company;
(d) to
incorporate, organize and manage all kinds of Entities, or acquire and hold
interests therein;
(e) to
lend
or borrow money and to invest its funds;
(f) to
xxx
and be sued;
(g) to
appoint employees and fix their compensation;
\
(h) to
indemnify any Person; and
(i)
to
guarantee obligations of an Affiliate or subsidiary.
11
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
3.1 Representations
and Warranties. Each Member severally and jointly
represents and warrants to the Company and to each other that:
(a) such
Member has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement
and to
perform its obligations hereunder, and the execution, delivery, and performance
by such Member of this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary
action;
(b) this
Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by such Member
and
constitutes the binding obligation of such Member enforceable against such
Member in accordance with its terms;
(c) the
execution, delivery, and performance by such Member of this Agreement will
not,
with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time, or both, (i) violate
any provision of the Act or any other law to which such Member is subject,
(ii)
violate any order, judgment, or decree applicable to such Member, or (iii)
conflict with, or result in a breach or default under, any term or condition
of
its organizational documents, or any agreement or other instrument to which
such
Member is a party; and
(d) it
has
the necessary economic, human, and professional resources to comply with
any and
all of its obligations hereunder, and is familiar with the Project and the
type
of investment required for its implementation.
ARTICLE
IV
CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS
4.1 Capital
Contributions; Units.
(a) As
of the
Effective Date and as described in the Contribution Agreement, the Members
have
made Capital Contributions to the Company in the amounts set forth on Exhibit
C attached hereto. Each Member’s Percentage Interest as of the
Effective Date is set forth opposite such Member’s name on Exhibit D
attached hereto. The issue price of each Unit issued shall be one
thousand dollars (US$1,000) (the “Unit Issue
Price”). Fractional Units may be issued, except as
otherwise provided herein.
(b) Each
Unit
shall be entitled to one (1) vote at any meeting of the Members of the Company
as provided under the Act.
4.2 Additional
Capital Contributions. The Members hereby commit to
make one or more capital contributions to the Company in excess of their
initial
Capital Contribution as set forth on Exhibit C (each and collectively an
“Additional Capital Contribution”) pursuant to the
following terms and conditions:
(a) At
the
sole and absolute discretion of the Managing Member, Cheniere shall be required
to make one or more Additional Capital Contributions to fund all Development
Costs related to Phase I up to the adoption by the Managing Member of, and
FID,
for Phase I.
(b) If
the
Managing Member, in its sole and absolute discretion, resolves to adopt a
FID
for Phase I, each Member shall fund its pro-rata share (in proportion to
their
respective Percentage Interests) of Project Equity Costs in connection with
Phase I as contemplated in the Phase I Project Budget approved by the Managing
Member.
12
(c) At
the
sole and absolute discretion of the Managing Member, Cheniere shall be required
to make one or more Additional Capital Contributions to fund all Development
Costs related to Phase II up to the adoption by the Managing Member of, and
FID
for, Phase II.
(d) If
the
Managing Member, in its sole and absolute discretion, resolves to adopt a
FID
for Phase II, each Member shall fund its pro-rata share (in proportion to
their
respective Percentage Interests) of Project Equity Costs in connection with
Phase II as contemplated in the Phase II Project Budget approved by the Managing
Member.
(e) At
the
sole and absolute discretion of the Managing Member, Cheniere shall be required
to make one or more Additional Capital Contributions to fund all Development
Costs related to Phase III up to the adoption by the Managing Member of,
and FID
for, Phase III.
(f) If
the
Managing Member, in its sole and absolute discretion, resolves to adopt a
FID
for Phase III, each Member shall fund its pro-rata share (in proportion to
their
respective Percentage Interests) of Project Equity Costs in connection with
Phase III as contemplated in the Phase III Project Budget approved by the
Managing Member.
(g) Except
for the Additional Capital Contributions provided for in Sections 4.2(a),
4.2(c), and 4.2(e), upon the making of any Additional Capital Contribution,
the
Company shall issue and each Member shall subscribe to a number of Units
equal
to: (i) the amount of its Additional Capital Contribution divided by (ii)
the
Unit Issue Price.
(h) In
the
event that TOG is unable to deliver the funds required to effect the Additional
Capital Contributions required under subsections (b), (d) and (f) above,
Cheniere shall extend a loan to TOG bearing an interest rate of twelve percent
(12%) per annum, compounded annually. In connection with such
loan(s), TOG shall execute and deliver to Cheniere a promissory note in form
and
substance as attached hereto as Exhibit
E.
(i) The
Managing Member may adopt two or more Project FID Dates simultaneously or
alternatively (i.e., not sequentially).
4.3 Subsequent
Capital Contributions. Subsequent Capital Contributions
shall be made from time to time as the Managing Member shall determine;
provided however, that except as provided in Section 4.2, no Member
shall have any further obligation to make any Capital Contributions to the
Company. In exchange for any subsequent Capital Contribution not
contemplated in Section 4.2, the contributing Member shall receive a number
of
Units equal to (i) the amount of such Capital Contribution divided by
(ii) the Unit Issue Price.
4.4 Pre-emptive
Rights. Each Member shall have the pre-emptive right
and option to purchase its Pro Rata Share of any new issuance of Units at
the
then price per Unit determined by the Managing Member. Such option
shall be exercised through the delivery of written notice to the Managing
Member
within twenty (20) days after the delivery of written notice by the Managing
Member to each Member regarding the issuance of new Units, which notice shall
be
sent to all Members in connection with any issuance of Units. If a
Member fails to exercise the option to acquire its Pro Rata Share of new
Units
within such twenty (20) day period, then the other Members shall have successive
pre-emptive rights and options to purchase their Pro Rata Share of such new
Units not purchased by such Member at the Unit issue price originally
communicated by the Managing Member until the earlier of such time that:
(i) all
Units have been fully subscribed for, (ii) two successive offers for the
purchase of unsubscribed Units have been made to the subscribing Members,
or
(iii) the Company shall have withdrawn any such subscription
offer. Such option shall be exercised within twenty (20) days after
the expiration of the option period granted to all Members. For the
purposes of this Section 4.4, the term “Pro Rata
Share” for each Member shall be determined by multiplying the
number of Units to be issued by the Company (or that remain to be issued
pursuant to exercise of a successive pre-emptive rights calculation) by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Units owned by such Members
to
which the offer remains outstanding and the denominator of which is the total
number of Units held by such Members.
4.5 Capital
Accounts. A Capital Account shall be established and
maintained for each Member to which shall be credited (i) such Member’s Capital
Contributions, (ii) allocations of Company Profits, income and gain made
to such
Member, and (iii) the amount of any liabilities of the Company that the Member
assumes or that are secured by property distributed by the Company to such
Member. The Capital Account of each Member shall be debited with (i)
allocations of Company Losses, expenses, and deductions made to such Member,
(ii) the amount of any distributions (including return of capital) made to
the
Member, and (iii) the amount of any liabilities of the Member that the Company
assumes or takes subject to, to the extent not already taken into account
in
determining the Member’s Capital Contributions. No interest shall be
paid on the Member’s Capital Account. This Section 4.5 is intended to
comply with Regulations § 1.704-1(b) and shall be interpreted and applied
consistently therewith.
13
4.6 No
Return of Capital Contribution. No Member is entitled
to a withdrawal or return of its Capital Contributions.
4.7 FID
Milestone Payments. Upon a Project FID Date, Cheniere
shall pay the corresponding FID Milestone Payment to TOG no later than five
(5)
days after the occurrence of such Project FID Date, such payment to be credited
to TOG via wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated
in writing by TOG. As described more fully in the Contribution
Agreement, for federal tax purposes (and, to the extent possible, for state,
local and foreign income tax purposes), each such FID Milestone Payment by
Cheniere to TOG shall be treated as an adjustment to the purchase price for
the
assets purchased by Cheniere, and a corresponding increase in the Book Value
of
the assets contributed to the Company by TOG and Cheniere pursuant to Section
4.1.
4.8 TOG
Call Right. Subject to extensions due to events of
Force Majeure, if on or after August 1, 2009, there is (i) a Project FID
Date
(except for the Phase III FID Date) that has not occurred and (ii) a definitive
binding agreement for the financing of any phase of the Project which provides
for a debt to total capitalization ratio of at least eighty percent (80%),
TOG
shall have the right, but not the obligation, to tender a written directive
to
Cheniere instructing Cheniere to cause the applicable Project FID Date to
occur
(the “Notice to Proceed”). Cheniere shall
have a period of ninety (90) days to resolve and adopt the applicable Project
FID Date (the “Acceptance Period”). If
Cheniere fails to cause the applicable Project FID to occur within the
Acceptance Period, then TOG or its Affiliates shall have the right upon notice
to Cheniere, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Units owned by
Cheniere and its Affiliates for a purchase price equal to the Call Price
(the
“Exercise Notice”). The closing of any such
purchase shall be within ninety (90) days after TOG delivers the Exercise
Notice
to Cheniere and at such closing Cheniere shall deliver the Units owned by
it and
its Affiliates free and clear of any liens or encumbrances and all promissory
notes made by TOG pursuant to Section 4.2(h) marked “paid in
full”.
4.9 TOG
Forfeiture of Units In the event (i) TOG terminates its services
under the Consulting Agreement without good reason or (ii) the Company
terminates the Consulting Agreement for Cause (as defined in the Consulting
Agreement), TOG shall immediately forfeit all of its Units in the
Company.
ARTICLE
V
CREATION
AND TRANSFER OF
MEMBERSHIP
INTERESTS
5.1 Members. The
Members of the Company are the Persons executing this Agreement as of the
Effective Date as members and each Person that is hereafter admitted to the
Company as a member in accordance with this Agreement.
5.2 Classification
of Units; Membership Interests. The Membership
Interests shall be represented by Units issued in the form of certificates
to
each subscribing Member. The Units shall be of the same class with
equal rights for all purposes under this Agreement.
5.3 Transferability. Except
as provided in Section 5.10 (relating to transfers by operation of law),
any
Transfer of Units of the Company may only be made in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement and all other attempted Transfers shall be
void. It shall be a condition precedent to the Transfer of Units to
any Person (other than a Transfer by operation of law) that:
(a) The
Transferor shall comply with all applicable laws, including any applicable
securities laws;
(b) The
Transfer shall not cause the Company to be subject to regulation under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(c) The
Transfer shall not cause any assets of the Company to be deemed “plan assets”
under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”);
and
(d) The
transferor and transferee shall have executed or delivered to the Company
such
agreements and other documents as the Managing Member may reasonably request
to
confirm that the Transfer satisfies the requirements of this Agreement, to
give
effect to the Transfer, and to confirm the transferee’s agreement to be bound by
the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
14
5.4 Transfers
of Cheniere Membership Interest. Except as otherwise
specifically provided in this Agreement, Cheniere may freely Transfer all
or
part of its Units by providing the Company with a legal opinion from a law
firm
that the Transfer complies with the requirements of Section 5.3.
5.5 Transfers
of Other Membership Interest. Except as otherwise
specifically provided in this Agreement, any Members (other than Cheniere)
and
any of their Permitted Transferees (each a “Restricted
Member”) may, directly or indirectly, freely Transfer all or any
part of such Member’s Units to a Permitted Transferee by providing the Company
with a legal opinion from a law firm that the Transfer complies with the
requirements of Section 5.3Error! Reference source not
found.. Any Transfer by a Restricted Member to a Person that
is not a Permitted Transferee shall be subject to Section 5.6, Section 5.8
and
Section 5.10 of this Agreement and the Permitted Transferee shall provide
to the
Company a legal opinion from a law firm that such Transfer complies
with the requirements of Section 5.3.
5.6 Cheniere
Right of First Refusal. If any Restricted Member
proposes to Transfer its Units (a “Transferor”) to a
Person other than a Permitted Transferee (the “Potential
Acquirer”), the Transferor shall give written notice to Cheniere
and to the Company of the proposed Transfer (the “Transferor’s
Notice”). The Transferor’s Notice shall specify the
number of Units to be sold (the “Option Units”),
whether such Units constitute all or fewer than all the Units owned by the
Transferor, and the cash price per Unit to be received therefor (the
“Price”) and shall include a legal opinion from a law
firm that the Transfer (i) complies with applicable federal and state securities
laws and (ii) will not result in the Company’s termination under Section 708 of
the Code. The Transferor’s Notice shall constitute an offer to sell
all, but not a portion, of the Option Units to Cheniere at the Price, payable
in
U.S. Dollars, upon the following terms and conditions. Cheniere may
exercise its right only by giving written notice (the “Acceptance
Notice”) to the Transferor and to the Company no later than thirty
(30) days after the Transferor’s Notice is given. The Acceptance
Notice shall state that Cheniere accepts the Transferor’s offer for Cheniere to
purchase all (but not less than all) of the Option Units at the
Price. Closing of the purchase of the Option Units shall take place
at the Company’s principal place of business thirty (30) days following the date
the first Acceptance Notice is given to the Company unless the Transferor
and
Cheniere agree in writing to a different date, time or place.
5.7 Closing. At
the closing, the purchase of the Option Units by Cheniere shall be completed
on
the following terms and conditions:
(a) The
Transferor shall deliver to Cheniere the Unit certificates and any other
documentation necessary to Transfer the Option Units to Cheniere or its designee
free and clear of all liens, claims, encumbrances or rights of others of
any
nature created by the Transferor.
(b) Cheniere
shall pay the Transferor in U.S. Dollars, by wire transfer in immediately
available funds to the account or accounts that the Transferor designates,
the
purchase price for the Option Units in an amount equal to the product of
the
Price multiplied by the number of Option Units.
(c) At
any
time during the time period commencing as of the date of the relevant
Transferor’s Notice and ending as of the date that the Acceptance Notice must be
given hereunder, by means of notice to the Transferor and the Company, Cheniere
may assign and delegate its rights and obligations to acquire Option Units
to
any of its Affiliates.
(d) If
Cheniere does not give a valid Acceptance Notice within the time period required
under Section 5.6 or if Cheniere gives a valid Acceptance Notice but fails
for
any reason (other than a default by the Transferor) to close the purchase
of the
Option Units within the time period specified in Section 5.6, then the
Transferor may (subject to compliance with the provisions of Section 5.2),
sell
up to all the Option Units; provided, however, that (a) such sale is
completed within sixty (60) days following the date on which the period for
giving a valid Acceptance Notice expired or the last date on which Cheniere
should have closed the purchase of the Option Units and (b) the sale price
per
Unit at which the Option Units are sold is not less than the
Price. In the event the Transferor does not Transfer the Option Units
within sixty (60) days as provided above, the proposed Transfer shall again
become subject to the preferential rights set forth in Section 5.6.
5.8 Tag-Along
Rights. If (i) Cheniere elects not to exercise its
preferential rights under Section 5.6 or (ii) a Restricted Member wishes
to
participate in the sale of Units by Cheniere (Cheniere or such Restricted
Member
being called a “Tag-Along Member”), the Tag-Along
Member shall have the right to elect to participate in any proposed sale
of
Units by notice to the transferring Member and the purchaser (the
“Tag Along Notice”). The number of Units
(the “Tag Along Units”) to be sold by each Tag-Along
Member (including, for this purpose, the original transferring Member) to
the
purchaser shall equal the total number of Units to be transferred to the
purchaser, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number
of
Units owned by such Tag-Along Member and the denominator of which is the
number
of Units owned by all Tag-Along Members. If necessary, the number of
Units shall be rounded to the nearest full Unit so that no fractional Units
shall be purchased. The Tag Along Units shall be purchased by the
transferring Member or the purchaser pursuant to, and on the terms and
conditions provided in, Section 5.7 mutatis mutandis.
15
5.9 Required
Sale.
(a) Anything
contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that the majority
of Units outstanding as of the relevant time approve (i) a bona fide
arms length proposal from a Person for the Transfer, directly or indirectly,
of
all of the Units of the Company to such Person, (ii) the merger or consolidation
of the Company with or into another Person in which the Members will receive
cash or securities of any other Person for their Units or (iii) the sale
by the
Company and its subsidiaries of all or substantially all of the assets to
a
Person, in each of the above cases for a specified price payable in cash
or
otherwise and on specified terms and conditions, then the Company shall deliver
a notice (a “Required Sale Notice”) to all Members
stating that the Company proposes to effect such transaction. Each
such Member and the members of the Affiliates thereof, if any, shall be
obligated to sell their Units and participate in the transaction (a
“Required Sale”), vote their Units in favor of such
Required Sale at any meeting of the Members called to vote on or approve
such
Required Sale and otherwise to take all necessary action to cause the Company
and the Members to consummate such Required Sale. Any such Required
Sale Notice may be rescinded by the Company by delivering written notice
thereof
to all of the Members.
(b) The
obligations of the Members pursuant to this Section 5.9 are subject to the
satisfaction of the following conditions:
(i) upon
the
consummation of the Required Sale, each Member shall receive in consideration
of
the Transfer or surrender of its Units the same proportion of the aggregate
consideration from such Required Sale that such Member would have received
if
such aggregate consideration had been distributed by the Company in complete
liquidation pursuant to the rights and preferences set forth in this Agreement
immediately prior to such Required Sale;
(ii) if
any
Members are given an option as to the form and amount of consideration to
be
received, all Members will be given the same option;
(iii) no
Member
shall be obligated to make any out-of-pocket expenditure prior to the
consummation of the Required Sale and no Member shall be obligated to pay
more
than its or his pro rata share (based upon the amount of consideration
received) of reasonable expenses incurred in connection with a consummated
Required Sale to the extent such costs are incurred for the benefit of all
Members and are not otherwise paid by the Company or the acquiring party
(costs
incurred by or on behalf of a Member for its or his sole benefit will not
be
considered costs of the transaction hereunder), provided that a Member’s
liability for such expenses shall be capped at the total purchase price actually
received by such Member for its Units;
(iv) in
the
event that the Members are required to provide any representations or
indemnities in connection with the Required Sale (other than representations
and
indemnities concerning each Member’s valid ownership of its Units, free of all
liens and encumbrances (other than those arising under applicable securities
laws), and each Member’s authority, power, and right to enter into and
consummate such purchase or merger agreement without violating any other
agreement, law, constitutive document or other obligation or limitation
applicable to such Member or its or his interest in Units), each Member shall
not be liable for more than his pro rata share (based upon the amount
of consideration actually received) of any liability for misrepresentation
or
indemnity; and
(v) prior
notice of a Required Sale shall be provided to all Members.
16
5.10 Transfer
by Operation of Law.
(a) In
the
event of any Transfer of Units of a Member by operation of law (the
“OL Transferred Units”), including but not limited to
the filing of a petition in bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy Code by or against
the transferring Member or any appointment of a receiver of assets, the
transferring Member and the transferee, as applicable, shall give immediate
notice thereof to the Company and the other Members, stating the date and
circumstances of such transfer and the name and address of the transferee
or
proper party in interest (the “OL Transfer
Notice”). The Company shall have the right, but not the
obligation, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the OL Transferred
Units. The option to purchase shall be exercisable at the purchase
price determined pursuant to Section 5.10(b) by giving written notice (the
“OL Exercise Notice”) with a copy to the transferee of
the OL Transferred Units no later than thirty (30) days after the receipt
of the
OL Transfer Notice. If such option is not timely exercised, the other
Members shall have the option to purchase all, but not less than all, of
the OL
Transferred Units at the same price and on the same terms as the Company
by
giving an OL Exercise Notice, with a copy to the transferee of the OL
Transferred Shares, within sixty (60) days after the receipt of the OL Transfer
Notice. Such right to purchase shall be allocated pro rata (based on
their respective Percentage Interests) among the Members who have timely
exercised their respective options. Any purchase hereunder shall be
consummated within thirty (30) days after the latest of such OL Exercise
Notices
unless otherwise agreed in writing by the parties to the purchase.
(b) Purchase
Price. Unless otherwise provided herein, the purchase price for
the OL Transferred Units to be sold pursuant to an OL Exercise Notice shall
be:
(i) the
fair
market value of such OL Transferred Units as determined by the Company;
or
(ii) if
the
transferring Member (which shall include the trustee of a bankrupt Member’s
estate) is not in agreement with the Company’s determination of the fair market
value, the Company and the transferring Member shall jointly select a qualified
independent appraiser to value the OL Transferred Units within fifteen (15)
business days. If the Company and the transferring Member cannot
agree as to the appointment of the independent appraiser within the above
mentioned term, the Managing Member will be authorized to unilaterally appoint
such appraiser and such appointment by the Managing Member shall be binding
and
conclusive upon the Company and the transferring Member. The
appraiser so selected shall proceed to promptly determine the fair market
value
of the OL Transferred Units, taking into consideration any outstanding
indebtedness, liabilities, liens, and obligations relating to the property
of
the Company. In the event that a fair market value of the OL
Transferred Units as determined by the qualified independent appraiser is
within
five percent (5%) of the fair market value as determined by the Company,
the fee
and expenses of the appraiser shall be split evenly between the Company and
the
transferring Member. In the event that the fair market value of the
OL Transferred Units so appraised is more than five percent (5%) higher than
as
determined by the Company, the Company shall pay the fee and expenses of
the
appraiser, and if more than five (5%) percent lower than as determined by
the
Company, the transferring Member shall pay the fee and expenses of the
appraiser.
ARTICLE
VI
ALLOCATION
OF PROFITS AND LOSSES; DISTRIBUTIONS
6.1 Allocation
of Profits and Losses. After application of Section 6.3
and Section 6.4, remaining Profits and Losses for each taxable year shall
be
allocated among the Members so as to reduce, proportionately, in the case
of any
Profits, the difference between their respective Target Capital Accounts
and
Partially Adjusted Capital Accounts for such taxable year and, in the case
of
Losses, the difference between their respective Partially Adjusted Capital
Accounts and Target Capital Accounts for such taxable year. No
portion of Profits or Losses for any taxable year shall be allocated to a
Member, in the case of Profits, whose Partially Adjusted Capital Account
is
greater than its Target Capital Accounts or, in the case of Losses, whose
Target
Capital Account is greater than or equal to its Partially Adjusted Capital
Account for such taxable year.
17
6.2 Distributions
of Available Cash Flow. The Company may, at the
discretion of the Managing Member, distribute, if and to the extent permitted
by
applicable law or contract (including any loan agreement to which the Company
is
bound), Available Cash to the Members in the following order of
priority:
(a) First,
to
TOG to pay the Phase I Royalty, the Phase II Royalty and the Phase III Royalty,
if any; and
(b) Second,
to the Members in proportion to their Membership Interests.
To
the
extent there is any amount due from TOG to Cheniere with respect to promissory
notes made by TOG pursuant to Section 4.2(h), any amounts that otherwise
would
be distributed to TOG shall be first paid to Cheniere on behalf of TOG as
a
repayment of such promissory notes. Any amounts distributed to TOG
pursuant to this Section 6.2(a) shall be treated for federal income tax purposes
as a “guaranteed payment” described in Section 707(c), and any deduction
attributable thereto shall be specially allocated to Cheniere.
6.3 Special
Allocations. The following special allocations shall be
made in the following order.
(a) Minimum
Gain Chargeback. If there is a net decrease in “partnership
minimum gain” (as that term is defined in Sections 1.704 2(b)(2) and 1.704¬-2(d)
of the Regulations) during any taxable year, each Member shall, to the extent
required by Section 1.704-2(f) of the Regulations, be specially allocated
items
of Company income and gain for such taxable year (and, to the extent required
by
Section 1.704-2(j)(2)(iii) of the Regulations, subsequent taxable years)
in an
amount equal to that Member's share of the net decrease in Company minimum
gain. Allocations pursuant to the previous sentence shall be made in
accordance with Section 1.704-2(f)(6) of the Regulations. This
Section 6.3(a) is intended to comply with the minimum gain chargeback
requirement in Section 1.704-2(f) of the Regulations and shall be interpreted
consistently therewith.
(b) Member
Minimum Gain Chargeback. If there is a net decrease in “partner
nonrecourse debt minimum gain” (as that term is defined in Sections 1.704
2(i)(2) and (3) of the Regulations) during any taxable year, each Member
who has
a share of that partner nonrecourse debt minimum gain as of the beginning
of the
taxable year shall, to the extent required by Section 1.704 2(i)(4) of the
Regulations, be specially allocated items of Company income and gain for
such
taxable year (and, if necessary, subsequent taxable years) equal to that
Member's share of the net decrease in partner nonrecourse debt minimum
gain. Allocations pursuant to the previous sentence shall be made in
accordance with Section 1.704 2(i)(4) of the Regulations. This
Section 6.3(b) is intended to comply with the requirement in Section 1.704
2(i)(4) of the Regulations and shall be interpreted consistently
therewith.
(c) Qualified
Income Offset. If any Member unexpectedly receives any
adjustments, allocations, or distributions described in Sections
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6)
of
the Regulations, items of Company income and gain shall be specially allocated
to each such Member in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the
extent required by the Regulations, the Adjusted Capital Account Deficit
of such
Member as quickly as possible, provided that an allocation pursuant to this
Section 6.3(c) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Member would
have an Adjusted Capital Account Deficit after all other allocations provided
for in this Article 6 have been made as if this Section 6.3(c) were not in
the
Agreement.
(d) Gross
Income Allocation. In the event any Member has an Adjusted
Capital Account Deficit as of any Adjustment Date, that Member will be specially
allocated items of Company income and gain in the amount of the Adjusted
Capital
Account Deficit as quickly as possible, except that an allocation pursuant
to
this Section 6.3(d) will be made only if and to the extent that Member would
have a Adjusted Capital Account Deficit after all other allocations provided
for
in this Article VI have been made as if this Section 6.3(d) was not in the
Agreement.
(e) Deductions. “Nonrecourse
deductions” (as that term is defined in Sections 1.704 2(b)(1) and (c) of the
Regulations) for any taxable year or other period shall be specially allocated
to the Members in proportion to their respective Percentage
Interests.
18
(f) Member
Nonrecourse Deductions. “Partner nonrecourse deductions” (as that
term is defined in Section 1.704 2(i) of the Regulations) for any taxable
year
or other period shall be specially allocated to the Member who bears the
economic risk of loss with respect to the “partner nonrecourse debt” (as that
term is defined in Section 1.704 2(b)(4) of the Regulations) to which such
partner nonrecourse deductions are attributable, in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(1).
(g) Section
754 Adjustments. To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax
basis of any Company asset pursuant to Sections 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code
is
required, pursuant to Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m) of the Regulations to
be
taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such
adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if
the
adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment
decreases such basis) and such gain or loss shall be specially allocated
to the
Members in accordance with the requirements of Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)
of
the Regulations.
6.4 Other
Special Allocations.
(a) If
the
Company has Profits for any taxable year and the balance of any
Member’s Partially Adjusted Capital Account is greater than the balance of its
Target Capital Account for such taxable year, then the Member with such excess
balance shall be specially allocated items of Company deduction or loss for
such
taxable year (to the extent available) equal to the difference between its
Partially Adjusted Capital Account and its Target Capital Account.
(b) If
the
Company has Losses for any taxable year and the balance of any Member’s
Partially Adjusted Capital Account is less than the balance of its Target
Capital Account for such taxable year, then the Member with such deficit
balance
shall be specially allocated items of Company income or gain for such taxable
year (to the extent available) equal to the difference between its Partially
Adjusted Capital Account and its Target Capital Account.
(c) If
the
Company has neither Profits nor Losses for any taxable year and, notwithstanding
the application of Section 6.1, the balance of any Member’s Partially Adjusted
Capital Account differs from the balance of its Target Capital Account, then
the
Member with an excess or deficit balance, as the case may be, shall be specially
allocated items of Company deduction or loss or income or gain, as the case
may
be, for such taxable year (to the extent available) to eliminate the difference
between its Partially Adjusted Capital Account and its Target Capital
Account.
(d) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, no Member shall be allocated any Losses
or items in the nature of deduction or loss pursuant to Section 6.1 or this
Section 6.4 to the extent that such allocation would cause or increase an
Adjusted Capital Account Deficit with respect to such
Member. Allocations of Losses that would be made to a Member but for
this Section 6.4(d) shall be made to the other Members to the extent not
inconsistent with such proviso. To the extent allocations of Losses
cannot be made to any Member because of this Section 6.4(d), such allocations
shall be made to the Members in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
(e) “Excess
nonrecourse liabilities” of the Company within the meaning of Section
1.752-3(a)(3) of the Regulations shall be allocated among the Members in
accordance with the manner in which nonrecourse deductions are allocated,
as set
forth in Section 6.3(e).
6.5 Tax
Allocations. In accordance with Code Section 704(c) and
the Treasury Regulations thereunder, income, gain, loss and deduction with
respect to any Company asset shall, solely for tax purposes, be allocated
among
the Members so as to take account of any variation between the adjusted tax
basis of such asset and its Gross Asset Value using the remedial method as
described in Section 1.704-3(d) of the Regulations.
ARTICLE
VII
MANAGEMENT
OF THE COMPANY
7.1 General. The
business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by Cheniere (the
“Managing Member”).
19
7.2 Management
by the Managing Member. Subject to the other provisions
of this Agreement, the Managing Member shall have full, exclusive, and complete
discretion in the management and control of the affairs of the Company, shall
make all decisions affecting Company affairs, and shall have all of the rights,
powers, and obligations of a manager of a limited liability company organized
under the Act and otherwise as provided by law. Except as otherwise
expressly provided in this Agreement, the Managing Member shall be and hereby
is
authorized and empowered to do or cause to be done any and all acts determined
by the Managing Member to be necessary, advisable, convenient or incidental
in
furtherance of the purposes of the Company or its subsidiaries, without any
further act, approval, or vote of any Person, including any Member, and without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, by way of illustration and not
by way
of limitation, the Managing Member is hereby authorized and empowered from
time
to time:
(a) to
perform all normal business functions and otherwise operate and manage the
business and affairs of the Company or its subsidiaries, in accordance with
and
as limited by this Agreement;
(b) to
acquire, buy, sell, or otherwise hold, invest in, and deal with, in any form
or
manner, directly or indirectly, ownership interests of the Company or its
subsidiaries;
(c) to
borrow
money or engage in other forms of borrowing for any purpose, and for paying
expenses and fees;
(d) to
employ
and dismiss from employment on behalf of the Company or its subsidiaries,
any
and all employees, agents, attorneys, accountants, consultants, custodians
of
Company or subsidiary assets, transfer agents, or servicing agents, including
Persons that may be Members or Affiliates thereof, and to authorize each
such
agent and employee (who may be designated as an Officer) to act for and on
behalf of the Company or its subsidiaries;
(e) to
enter
into, make, and perform on behalf of the Company or its subsidiaries such
contracts, agreements, and other undertakings of every kind, and amendments
thereto, as it may deem necessary for, or incidental to, the conduct of the
business of the Company or its subsidiaries;
(f) to
establish and maintain one or more bank accounts for the Company or its
subsidiaries in such bank or banks as may, from time to time, be designated
as
depositaries of the funds of the Company or its subsidiaries;
(g) to
incur
on behalf of the Company or its subsidiaries all expenditures permitted by
this
Agreement and, to the extent that funds of the Company are available, to
pay all
such expenses and debts and obligations of the Company and its subsidiaries,
including all political and charitable contributions;
(h) to
admit
Members to the Company pursuant to the terms hereof;
(i) to
establish and maintain a Capital Account and other appropriate accounts,
for
each Member;
(j) to
authorize the repurchase of any security of the Company pursuant to the terms
hereof;
(k) subject
to Section 6.2, to determine the amount and timing of distributions to the
Members;
(l) to
establish and maintain the books and records of the Company, and cause the
establishment and maintenance of the books and records of the Company’s
subsidiaries;
(m) to
cause
the Company or its subsidiaries to purchase or bear the cost of any insurance
covering the potential liabilities of the Managing Member, and the directors,
officers, employees, agents, and other Affiliates of the Managing Member,
acting
for the benefit of the Company or its subsidiaries;
(n) to
compromise and settle claims against or on behalf of the Company or its
subsidiaries;
(o) to
cause
the necessary contributions by the Company to its subsidiaries in order to
implement the Project in accordance with the CRE Permit and the FERC
Certificate, as well as to cause the execution of all such documents as are
necessary to update and maintain in full force and effect the CRE Permit
and the
FERC Certificate, including the execution, filing, negotiation and follow-up
of
any and all filings presented by the Company or its subsidiaries with any
governmental Entity in Mexico or in the United States;
20
(p) to
make a
call for subsequent Capital Contributions in accordance with the provisions
hereof; and
(q) to
carry
on any other activities necessary to, connected with, or incidental to any
of
the foregoing or the Company’s investments and other activities.
The
specific grants of power and authority to the Managing Member under this
Section
7.2 in no way limit the rights, power, or authority of the Managing Member
under
this Agreement, the Act, or as otherwise provided by law.
7.3 Officers.
(a) The
Managing Member, in its sole discretion, may appoint such officers or agents
of
the Company as it deems desirable to carry on the affairs of the Company,
including a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Chief Financial Officer
and
a Secretary (each an “Officer” and collectively, the
“Officers”), and any such Officer
shall have the
responsibilities expressly designated to him or her by the Managing
Member.
(b) Pursuant
to the authority set forth in Section 7.3(a), the Managing Member hereby
appoints Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx as the Chief Executive Officer, R. Xxxxx Xxxxxx
as
the President, Don A. Tukleson as the Chief Financial Officer and Xxxx X.
Xxxxxx
as the Secretary of the Company. These Officers shall render
full-time services to the Company and devote their best efforts to the
performance and discharge of their duties and responsibilities in a manner
that
promotes the best interests of the Company.
(c) The
Managing Member, in its sole discretion, may cause any of its subsidiaries
to
appoint such officers or agents of the Company’s subsidiaries as it deems
desirable. Upon the execution of this Agreement, the Managing Member
shall cause the revocation of all outstanding powers of attorney granted
by the
subsidiaries of the Company, and shall cause the granting of the following
new
powers of attorney:
(i) to
licensed Mexican attorneys designated by the Managing Member (i) a general
power
of attorney for lawsuits and collections, and (ii) a special power of attorney
to represent the Company before any public authorities, including the Tax
Administration Service of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit
(Servicio de Administracion Tributaria de la Secretari a de Hacienda
y
Credito Publico), the National Registry of Foreign Investment (Registro
Nacional de Inversiones Extranjeras), and the CRE; and
(ii) to
persons designated by Cheniere (i) a general power of attorney for lawsuits
and
collections, acts of administration and acts of ownership; (ii) a power of
attorney to issue, subscribe, negotiate and endorse all negotiable instruments
as provided in Article 9 of the Mexican General Law on Negotiable Instruments
and Credit Transactions (Ley General de Titulos y Operaciones de
Credito); (iii) the authority to establish bank accounts for the Company,
appoint and remove signatories and draw checks against such accounts; and
(iv)
the authority to delegate or substitute their powers of attorney and to revoke
such delegation or substitution.
(iii) The
Managing Member shall also cause the Company’s subsidiaries to grant their
respective operating manager or officer sufficient authority to carry out
the
necessary actions on behalf of such companies in order to attain their corporate
purposes, provided that such operating manager or officer will be subject
to the
guidelines and directives of the Company and the Managing Member.
7.4 Liability
of the Managing Member.
(a) The
sole
duty of the Managing Member shall be to act in such a manner as it believes
in
good faith to be in the best interests of the Company.
(b) Neither
the Managing Member, its Affiliates, nor any of their respective directors,
officers, employees, or agents, shall be liable, responsible, or accountable
in
damages or otherwise to the Company or any Member for any act or omission
performed or omitted by one or more of them except for breach of the duty
set
forth in Section 7.4(a), and none of such Persons shall have any liability
to
the Company or any Member for such Person’s good faith reliance on the
provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of Section
7.4(a). Notwithstanding the generality of this paragraph, this
paragraph shall not limit the liability of any Person for any intentional
misconduct, for any knowing violation of law, or for any transaction for
which
such Person received a benefit in violation or breach of any provision of
this
Agreement.
(c) Neither
the Managing Member, its Affiliates, nor any of their respective directors,
officers, employees, or agents shall have any liability to any Member for
the
repayment of any amounts outstanding in the Capital Account of a Member,
including, but not limited to, Capital Contributions. Any such payment shall
be
solely from the assets of the Company.
21
7.5 Indemnification.
(a) The
Company shall, solely from the assets of the Company, indemnify and hold
harmless, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Managing Member, any
Affiliate thereof and any present or former director, officer, employee,
or
agent of such Member or Affiliate (an “Indemnified
Person”) against any claims, demands, liabilities, costs, losses,
damages, or expenses (including attorneys fees, judgments, fines, penalties,
and
amounts paid in settlement) incurred by any such Indemnified Person arising
out
of or relating to any acts or omissions or alleged acts or omissions of such
Indemnified Person that relate in any way to the Company or the business
or
assets thereof; provided, however, that such Indemnified Person has not been
adjudicated in a final judgment not subject to appeal to have breached the
duty
set forth in Section 7.4(a) or to have engaged in intentional misconduct,
a
knowing violation of law, or any transaction for which such Person received
a
benefit in violation or breach of any provision of this Agreement.
(b) The
Company shall pay expenses as they are incurred by an Indemnified Person
in
connection with any action, claim, or proceeding that such Indemnified Person
asserts in good faith to be subject to the indemnification provisions of
this
Section 7.5, upon receipt of an undertaking from such Indemnified Person
to
repay all amounts so paid by the Company to the extent that it is adjudicated
in
a final judgment not subject to appeal that such Indemnified Person is not
entitled to indemnification under this Agreement.
(c) The
Managing Member, notwithstanding any apparent conflict of interest, and subject
only to the duty expressly set forth in Section 7.4(a), shall have the power
to,
and is hereby authorized and directed to, cause the Company to comply with
the
indemnification and expense payment provisions hereof. If a claim for
indemnification or payment of expenses hereunder is not paid in full within
ten
(10) days after a written claim has been received by the Company, the claimant
may file suit to recover the unpaid amount and, if successful in whole or
in
part, shall be entitled to be indemnified for the expense of prosecuting
such
claim. In any such action the Company shall have the burden of
proving that the claimant is not entitled to the requested indemnification
or
payment of expenses under this Agreement.
(d) The
indemnification provided or granted pursuant to this Section 7.5 shall not
be
deemed exclusive of any other rights to which any Person seeking indemnification
may be entitled under any law, agreement, vote of stockholders, unitholders,
or
disinterested directors, or otherwise, either as to actions in such Person’s
official capacity or as to actions in another capacity while holding such
office
(e) In
no
event shall a Member be subject to personal liability by reason of the
indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.
7.6 Tax
Status. It is the intent of the Members and the Company
that the Company be a partnership for federal, state and local income tax
purposes. If the Company or the Managing Member is required to take
any action, including the amendment of this Agreement in accordance with
the
terms hereof, in order for the Company to establish or maintain such tax
status,
the Company or the Managing Member (as the case may be) shall take such
action.
7.7 Records
and Information. The Company shall maintain complete
and accurate books and records at the Company’s principal place of business,
showing the name, address and Membership Interest of each Member, all receipts
and expenditures, assets and liabilities, and all other records necessary
for
recording the Company’s business and affairs, all in accordance with sound
accounting practices and as required by this Agreement.
7.8 Tax
Matters.
(a) Cheniere
shall, without any further consent of the Members being required, make any
and
all elections with respect to the Company for federal, state, local and foreign
tax purposes that Cheniere deems appropriate and not inconsistent with the
other
provisions of this Agreement. Upon written request of any Member,
Cheniere shall cause the Company to make an election to adjust the basis
of
Company assets pursuant to Code Sections 754, 734(b) and 743(b), and any
comparable provisions of state, local or foreign law.
(b) Cheniere
shall be designated as the “tax matters partner” of the Company pursuant to Code
Section 6231(a)(7) (and comparable provisions of state, local and foreign
law). The tax matters partner shall arrange for and cause to be taken
such actions as may be necessary to cause each other Member to become a “notice
partner” within the meaning of Code Section 6223 (and comparable provisions of
state, local and foreign law). All expenses incurred in connection
with any audit, investigation, settlement or review by the IRS or any other
governmental authority of the Company’s tax returns, “as partnership items” (as
such term is defined in Code Section 6231(a)(3)) or other tax items shall
be
borne by the Company. The tax matters partner shall prepare or cause
to be prepared any and all tax returns required to be filed by the
Company.
7.9 Collaboration.
TOG shall collaborate with the Company in the preparation, drafting and filing
of all required filings in connection with the CRE Permit, the FERC Certificate
and the application for the Brazil Storage Facility.
22
ARTICLE
VIII
INSPECTION;
CONFIDENTIALITY
8.1 Right
to Inspect Books and Records. In order to determine or
enforce its rights as a Member, each Member, itself or through its designated
representatives, shall have the right upon reasonable notice, during normal
business hours, at its cost, (i) to inspect and copy any of the books and
records of the Company, (ii) to audit the financial books and records of
the
Company and (iii) to obtain information regarding the business and financial
condition of the Company. All information obtained shall be considered
confidential information and shall only be utilized by the Member in connection
with the determination or enforcement of its rights as a Member.
8.2 Confidentiality. Subject
to the preceding section, each Member agrees that it will keep confidential
and
will not disclose or divulge, or use for any purpose other than in relation
to
its investment in the Company, any information contributed to the Company
by any
Member or obtained from the Company, unless such Member can demonstrate that
such confidential information (i) is known or becomes known to the public
in
general (other than as a result of a breach of this Section 8.2 by such Member),
(ii) is or has been independently developed or conceived by the Member after
the
Effective Date without use of the Company’s confidential information or (iii) is
or has been made known or disclosed to the Member by a third party without
a
breach of any obligation of confidentiality such third party may have to
the
Company; provided, however, that a Member may disclose confidential
information (a) to its attorneys, accountants, consultants, and other
professionals to the extent necessary to obtain their services in connection
with its investment in the Company, (b) to any prospective purchaser of any
Units from such Member as long as such prospective investor agrees to be
bound
by the provisions of a written confidentiality agreement approved as to form
and
substance by the Managing Member, (c) to a prospective investor in the Company
as long as such prospective investor agrees to be bound by the provisions
of a
written confidentiality agreement approved as to form and substance by the
Managing Member, (d) to a prospective lender to the Company to the extent
necessary to obtain financing in connection with the construction or development
of any project approved by the Managing Member as long as such prospective
lender agrees to be bound by the provisions of this a written confidentiality
agreement approved as to form and substance by the Managing Member, (e) to
any
governmental or regulatory authority, including the CRE and the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, to the extent necessary to obtain, amend, update or
maintain in full force and effect the CRE Permit, the FERC Certificate or
any
other permit, resolution or certificate related to the Project or any other
project approved by the Managing Member, or (f) as may otherwise be required
by
law, provided that the disclosing Member takes reasonable steps to minimize
the
extent of any such required disclosure.
DISSOLUTION
9.1 Dissolution. The
Company shall be dissolved, and shall terminate and wind up its affairs,
upon
the first to occur of the following:
(a) the
determination by one or more Members holding a simple majority of all Units
to
dissolve the Company; or
(b) the
entry
of a decree of judicial dissolution pursuant to Section 18-802 of the
Act.
9.2 Winding
Up. If the Company is dissolved, the Managing Member
shall wind up the affairs of the Company.
9.3 Distribution
of Assets. Upon the merger, consolidation, liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, subject to the provisions of the
Act,
the Managing Member shall pay or make reasonable provision to pay all claims
and
obligations of the Company, including all costs and expenses of the liquidation
and all contingent, conditional or unmatured claims and obligations that
are
known to the Members but for which the identity of the claimant is
unknown. If there are sufficient assets, such claims and obligations
shall be paid in full and any such provision shall be made in full and any
remaining assets shall be distributed to the Members in accordance with Section
6.2 hereof. If there are insufficient assets, such claims and
obligations shall be paid or provided for according to their priority and,
among
claims and obligations of equal priority, ratably to the extent of assets
available therefore. If any Member has a deficit balance in such
Member’s Capital Account (after giving effect to all contributions,
distributions and allocations for all periods, including the taxable year
during
which the liquidation of the Company occurs), such Member shall have no
obligation to make any contribution to the capital of the Company with respect
to such deficit, and such deficit shall not be considered a debt owed to
the
Company or to any other Person for any purpose whatsoever.
23
ARTICLE
X
MISCELLANEOUS
10.1 Notices. All
communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed
to
be given when delivered in person or by private courier with receipt, when
faxed
and received, or five (5) days after being deposited in the United States
mail,
first-class, registered or certified, return receipt requested, with postage
paid and addressed as follows:
If
to
Cheniere:
Cheniere
Energy, Inc
000
Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief
Financial
Officer
Facsimile:
713-325-6000
with
a
copy (which shall not itself constitute notice) to:
King
& Spalding LLP
0000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
0000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esquire
Facsimile: 713-751-3290
If
to
TOG:
Tidelands
Oil & Gas Corporation.
0000
X
Xxxxxxx Xxxx 0
Xxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Facsimile:
[*]
with
a
copy (which shall not itself constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxxxxxx
& Price, LLP
000
Xxxxxxx Xx., Xxxxx 000
Xxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esquire
Facsimile:
210.258.2716
or
to
such other address as any such Party shall designate by written notice to
the
other Parties hereto.
24
10.2 Amendments. This
Agreement may be amended only by a written agreement executed by the Members
representing at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the
outstanding Units. For so long as Cheniere beneficially owns
sufficient Units otherwise to effect such an action, the Company shall not,
without the approval of a majority of the Units held by the Restricted Members
voting together as a separate class, take any action that amends, waives
or
alters any provision of this Agreement in a manner that materially, adversely
and disproportionately affects the Restricted Members.
10.3 Severability. If
any portion of this Agreement is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction
to be void or unenforceable, such portion shall be deemed severed from this
Agreement and the balance of this Agreement shall remain in effect.
10.4 Entire
Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement with respect to the Company. This Agreement constitutes the
“limited liability company agreement” (as defined in Section 18-101(7) of the
Act) of the Company and is hereby made effective as of the date
hereof.
10.5 Choice-of-Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws
of the
State of Delaware, without reference to its choice-of-law principles. The
parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States District
Court
for the Southern District of Texas located in the City of Houston, Texas,
or if
such court does not have jurisdiction, the District Court of the State of
Texas,
Xxxxxx County, for the purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding arising
out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby. Each
party hereto further agrees that service of any process, summons, notice
or
document by U.S. registered mail to such party’s respective address set forth
herein shall be effective service of process for any action, suit or proceeding
in the State of Texas with respect to any matters to which it has submitted
to
jurisdiction as set forth above in the immediately preceding
sentence. Each party hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives
any objection to the laying of venue of any action, suit or proceeding arising
out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in (a) the
United
States District Court for the Southern District of Texas or (b) the District
Court of the State of Texas, Xxxxxx County, and hereby further irrevocably
and
unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court
that
any such action, suit or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought
in an inconvenient forum.
10.6 Headings. Headings
are for reference purposes only and are not intended to describe, interpret,
define, or limit the scope, extent, or intent of this Agreement or any provision
hereof.
10.7 Further
Action. The Members agree to perform all further acts
and execute, acknowledge, and deliver any documents which may be reasonably
necessary, appropriate, or desirable to carry out the provisions of this
Agreement.
10.8 Waiver
of Action for Partition. To the fullest extent
permitted by law, the Members irrevocably waive any right that they may have
to
maintain any action for partition with respect to any of the Company’s
assets.
10.9 Counterpart
Execution. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts with the same effect as if the signatories had signed the
same
document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute
one
agreement.
10.10 Enforcement. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Members agree that this Agreement
constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Members, and is
enforceable against the Members.
(Signature
Page Follows)
25
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Members have
executed and delivered this Limited Liability Company Agreement as of the
Effective Date.
TIDELANDS
OIL & GAS CORPORATION
By:
Name:
Title:
GRAND
CHENIERE PIPELINE LLC
By:
Name:
Title:
26
EXHIBIT
A
BOOK
VALUE
Sonora
Pipeline L.L.C. US
$888,064
27
EXHIBIT
B
PROJECT
DEVELOPMENT MAP
28
EXHIBIT
C
CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS
Cheniere US
$1,000,000
TOG US
$888,064
29
EXHIBIT
D
MEMBERS’
PERCENTAGE INTEREST
Cheniere 80%
TOG
20%
30
EXHIBIT
E
FORM
PROMISSORY NOTE
NEGOTIABLE
PROMISSORY
NOTE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
US$[*] |
Dated:
[*]
|
Houston,
Texas U.S.A.
|
FOR
VALUE RECEIVED, Tidelands Oil & Gas Corporation. (the
“Maker”), a corporation organized under the
laws of
the State of Nevada, promises to pay to Grand Cheniere Pipeline LLC, a
limited
liability company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, (the
“Payee”), the
principal sum of [*] (US$[*]) (the
“Loan”),
which shall be payable in
accordance with the terms of this Promissory Note (this
“Note”). The Maker acknowledges that this
Note is being made in exchange for the Payee making an Additional Capital
Contribution on behalf of the Maker to Frontera Pipeline LLC a Delaware
limited
liability company (the “Company”) governed under terms
of that certain Limited Liability Company Agreement dated as of
[*] (the “Operating
Agreement”). Capitalized terms used but not defined
herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Operating
Agreement.
1. Mandatory
Pre-payments, and
Maturity.
(a) Mandatory
Prepayments. The Maker agrees to make mandatory prepayments to the Loan by
allowing the Managing Member to credit the total amount payable to the
Maker
from any distributions by the Company to the outstanding interest and principal
amount of the Loan. Any payment pursuant to this Section 1(a) shall
be made immediately upon the Company’s issuance of a capital distribution in
accordance with Section 5 hereof.
(b) Maturity.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the outstanding principal amounts of the
Loan
shall become due and payable, together with any accrued and unpaid interest
on
that portion of the principal amount, seven hundred and
thirty (730) days after the date of this Note (the
“Maturity Date”).
2. Interest.
The
Maker promises to pay interest on the outstanding and unpaid principal
amount of
the Loan at a rate per annum equal to 12% compounded annually (the
“Interest Rate”), payable on the Maturity Date as well
as on each date the Maker effects a mandatory prepayment of the Loan pursuant
to
Section 1(a) hereof.
3. Penalty
Interest. If any amount hereunder shall not be paid when due
(at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), interest shall accrue
on
such amount from and including such due date until paid in full at a rate
per
annum equal to eighteen percent (18%).
4. Maximum
Lawful Rate. This Note
is hereby expressly limited so that in no contingency or event whatsoever,
whether by acceleration of maturity of the indebtedness evidenced hereby
or
otherwise, shall the amount paid or agreed to be paid to the Payee for
the use,
forbearance or detention of money exceed the highest lawful rate permissible
under applicable law. If, under any circumstances whatsoever,
fulfillment of any provision hereof, at the time performance of such provision
occurs, shall involve payment of interest in excess of that authorized
by law,
the obligation to be fulfilled shall be reduced to the limits so authorized
by
law, and if, from any circumstances, the Payee shall ever receive as interest
an
amount which would exceed the highest lawful rate applicable to the Maker,
such
amount which would be excessive interest shall be applied to the reduction
of
the unpaid principal balance hereof and not to the payment of
interest.
31
5. Payments.
All
payments of the
Loan required by this Note shall be exclusively made in U.S. Dollars, free
of
any set-off or counterclaim, in immediately available funds, not later
than
12:00 a.m. Houston, Texas time on the respective due date to an account
to be
designated by the Payee in writing. If the due date of any payment
hereunder falls on a day that is a Saturday, Sunday or other day in which
the
commercial banks in the State of Texas are authorized or required to close,
such
date shall be extended to the next succeeding business day, and interest
shall
be payable for the period of such extension.
6. Representations,
Warranties and
Covenants of the Maker. Maker represents, warrants and covenants to
Payee as follows:
(a) The
Maker
is and shall remain duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under
the laws of the State of Nevada;
(b) The
Maker
has the full legal right, power and authority to execute and deliver this
Note,
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, and to perform its
obligations hereunder. This Note and the security instruments to be
executed and delivered hereunder are and have been duly authorized, executed
and
delivered on behalf of the Maker and are the legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Maker, enforceable against the Maker in accordance with
their
respective terms;
(c) The
execution and delivery of this Note does not conflict with or contravene
the
provisions of the Maker’s organizational documents or any agreement or
instrument by which the Maker or any of its respective properties are bound
or
any law, rule, regulation, order or decree to which the Maker or its properties
is subject; and
(d) The
Maker
is not contemplating either the filing of a petition by it under state
or
federal bankruptcy or insolvency laws or the liquidation of all or a major
portion of its assets or property, and the Maker has no knowledge of any
person
or entity contemplating the filing of any such petition against it.
7.
Security
Interest As security for the principal amount of the Loan, all accrued and
unpaid interest thereon, and the payment and performance of any other obligation
of the Maker under this Note:
(a) Maker
hereby pledges, assigns, transfers and delivers to the Payee and does hereby
grant to the Payee a first lien and continuing and unconditional security
interest in, all of its right, title and interest in and to the Maker’s Units
issued by the Company.
(b) The
Units
pledged, assigned, transferred and delivered pursuant to paragraphs 7(a)
are
referred to herein collectively as the
“Collateral”). The term “Collateral” as used
herein means and includes, and the security interests granted under this
Note
covers, all of the assets described above, as well as any accessions, additions
and attachments to those assets and the proceeds and products thereof.
Maker expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Payee’s security interest in
the Collateral is first in priority to any other security interest in the
Collateral. Maker hereby agree to execute and deliver such mortgages,
deeds of trust, assignments, security agreements, documents and other
instruments as may be necessary or desirable to perfect the Payee’s security
interest in the Collateral, in such forms as the Payee reasonably requests,
and
to take all steps necessary or advisable to perfect such security interest,
including filing the financing statements, and paying all expenses and
fees in
connection therewith, including, without limitation, filing fees, documentary
stamp taxes and/or intangible taxes imposed by any governmental body in
connection with the filing or recording of the financing statements (whether
filed by the Maker or the Payee) and any penalties and interest for non-payment
of such taxes or fees. Maker hereby authorizes the Payee to file a
financing statement covering the grant of Collateral contained herein without
the Payee’s signature.
8. Voluntary
Prepayment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Note,
the Maker shall have the right to prepay the principal amount outstanding
under
this Note, together with all accrued interest, in whole or in part at any
time
or from time to time, without premium or penalty. The Maker shall
have no right to reborrow under this Note any amounts paid or prepaid in
respect
of principal or interest on this Note.
32
9. Events
of
Default. The occurrence of any one or more of the following
conditions or events shall constitute an “Event of
Default” hereunder: (a) the failure to pay or
perform any obligation, liability or indebtedness of the Maker to the Payee
as
and when due (whether upon demand, at maturity or by acceleration); (b)
the
commencement of a proceeding against the Maker for dissolution or liquidation,
the voluntary or involuntary termination or dissolution of the Maker or
the
merger or consolidation of the Maker with or into another entity; (c) the
insolvency of, the business failure of, the appointment of a custodian,
trustee,
liquidator or receiver for or for any of the properties of, the assignment
for
the benefit of creditors by, or the filing of a petition under bankruptcy,
insolvency or debtor’s relief law or the filing of a petition for any adjustment
of indebtedness, composition or extension by or against the Maker; (d)
the entry
of a judgment against the Maker which the Payee deems to be of a material
nature. The Maker shall promptly notify the Payee of (1) any event of default,
together with a detailed statement of the steps being taken to cure the
same;
(2) any notice of default received by the Maker under any other obligations
material to the Maker’s finances; and (3) any threatened or pending legal,
judicial or regulatory proceedings, including any dispute between the Maker
and
any governmental authority, affecting either the Maker or any of its properties
which would have a material and adverse affect on Maker or its
assets.
10.
Remedies.
Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default:
(a) Acceleration. The
Payee and/or its assignee may without requirement of any judicial or
extrajudicial notice or interpellation of any kind (i) accelerate any remaining
terms outstanding for the payment of the Loan, and (ii) declare the Loan
with
accrued interest immediately due and payable; and
(b) Use
of
Courts and Executory Title. The Payee may enforce this Note, in
any courts of competent jurisdiction, being clearly understood that for
purposes
of enforcement in the courts of the State of Texas, this Note is construed
as
granting an extra-judicial execution title.
(c) Possession
and Liquidation of the Collateral. The Payee and/or its assignee
may sell, lease an otherwise dispose of any of the Collateral at a public
or
private sale with or without advertisement.
11. Restrictions
on Transfer. The
Maker agrees that it will not transfer this Note or any interest herein,
whether
by operation of law or otherwise, except with the express written approval
of
the Payee. No transfer or purported transfer of this Note or any
interest herein or obligation hereunder without the express written approval
of
the Payee shall be effective for any purpose or confer upon any transferee
or
purported transferee any rights whatsoever.
12. Costs
of Collection. The Maker
agrees to pay on demand all costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and
expenses, arising in connection with any enforcement or collection action
by the
Payee, whether by or through an attorney or collection agency or in an
action in
bankruptcy, insolvency or other judicial proceedings. All such costs
and expenses of collection shall be added to and become part of the principal
of
this Note and shall be collectible as part of such principal.
13. Waivers;
Amendment.
(a) The
rights, powers and remedies provided to the Payee herein are cumulative
and not
exclusive of any right, power or remedy provided at law or in equity, and
the
Payee may enforce any one or more remedies hereunder successively or
concurrently, at its option. No delay or failure on the part of the
Payee to exercise any right or remedy accruing to the Payee hereunder,
upon any
default or breach by the Maker of any term or provision hereof, shall be
held to
be an abandonment thereof. No delay on the part of the Payee in
exercising any of its rights or remedies shall preclude the Payee from
the
exercise thereof at any time during the continuance of any default or
breach. No waiver of a single default or breach shall be deemed a
waiver of any subsequent default or breach. All waivers under this
Note must be in writing signed by the party entitled to enforce the right
waived. All amendments to this Note must be in writing and signed by
both the Maker and the Payee.
(b) Except
as
otherwise provided herein, the Maker, its successors and assigns, and any
other
persons liable for the payment of this Note, waive presentment for payment,
demand, protest and notice of demand, dishonor, protest and nonpayment,
and
consent to any and all renewals, extensions or modifications that might
be made
by the Payee and the Maker as to the time of payment of this Note from
time to
time. The Maker also expressly waives, as a defense, any
counterclaim, set-off or claim that the Maker may now or hereafter have
against
the holder of this Note.
33
14. Severability. The
invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof in any jurisdiction
will
not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder hereof in that
jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of this Note, including
that
provision, in any other jurisdiction. To the extent permitted by
applicable law, each party hereto waives any provision of applicable law
that
renders any provision hereof prohibited or unenforceable in any
respect. If any provision of this Note is held to be unenforceable
for any reason, it shall be adjusted rather than voided, if possible, in
order
to achieve the intent of the parties hereto to the closest extent
possible.
15. Notices. All
notices, requests, or consents provided for or permitted to be given under
this
Note must be in writing and are effective (a) on actual receipt by the
addressee
if personally delivered (including delivery against a written receipt by
an
internationally recognized courier) to the address below or (b) on transmission
(with written confirmation of receipt, whether from the transmitter’s machine or
otherwise) to the addressee if transmitted by facsimile to the number below
during normal business hours of the addressee on a business day (or if
transmitted outside such hours, as of the opening of business of the addressee
on the next business day):
To: MAKER:
Tidelands
Oil & Gas Corporation.
1800
X
Xxxxxxx Xxxx 0
Xxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Facsimile:
[*]
with
a
copy (which shall not itself constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxxxxxx
& Price, LLP
300
Xxxxxxx Xx., Xxxxx 000
Xxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esquire
Facsimile:
210.258.2716
To: PAYEE:
Cheniere
Energy, Inc
700
Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief
Financial
Officer
Facsimile:
713-325-6000
with
a copy (which shall not itself constitute notice) to:
King
& Spalding LLP
1100
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
0000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esquire
Facsimile: 713-751-3290
Either
party may change the address or facsimile number to which notices are to
be
directed to it by notice to the other party in the manner specified
above.
34
16. Captions.
The
captions herein
set forth are for convenience only and should not be deemed to define,
limit or
describe the scope or intent of this Note.
17. Governing
Law. This
Note shall be deemed to be made in and in any and all respects shall be
governed
by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Texas, U.S.A.,
without regard to principles of conflict of laws.
18.
Assignment.
All the terms of this Agreement shall be binding on and inure to the
benefit of the parties, their permitted assigns and
successors-in-interests. Any assignment of rights and obligations under
this Note by the Maker shall be subject to the express written consent
of the
Payee.
19.
Jurisdiction
The parties hereto irrevocably (a) agree that any legal action or
proceeding with respect to this Note shall be brought in the State of Texas,
U.S.A., (b) consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the
State of
Texas, U.S.A. in any such suit, action or proceeding, and (c) waive any
objection which any of them may have to the laying of venue of any such
suit,
action or proceeding in any of the courts of the State of Texas, U.S.A.
including any claim that such legal action, suit, or proceeding brought
in such
court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party further
consents to the service of process out of any of the aforementioned courts
in
any such action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered
or
certified mail, postage prepaid, to such party at its address specified
herein
for the giving of notices, or by such other notice given in accordance
with the
rules and procedures of such courts.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Note to be duly
executed as of the day and year first above written.
TIDELANDS
OIL & GAS CORPORATION
By:
Name:
Title:
GRAND
CHENIERE PIPELINE LLC
By:
Name:
Title:
35