FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P.
EXHIBIT 3.1
Execution Version
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED
OF
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I |
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DEFINITIONS |
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Section 1.1 Definitions
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1 | |||
Section 1.2 Construction
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17 | |||
ARTICLE II |
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ORGANIZATION |
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Section 2.1 Formation
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17 | |||
Section 2.2 Name
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17 | |||
Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices
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18 | |||
Section 2.4 Purpose and Business
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18 | |||
Section 2.5 Powers
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18 | |||
Section 2.6 Power of Attorney
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19 | |||
Section 2.7 Term
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20 | |||
Section 2.8 Title to Partnership Assets
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20 | |||
Section 2.9 Certain Undertakings Relating to the Separateness of the Partnership
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21 | |||
ARTICLE III |
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RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS |
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Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability
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22 | |||
Section 3.2 Management of Business
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22 | |||
Section 3.3 Outside Activities of the Limited Partners
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22 | |||
Section 3.4 Rights of Limited Partners
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22 | |||
ARTICLE IV |
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CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; |
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REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS |
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Section 4.1 Certificates
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23 | |||
Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates
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24 | |||
Section 4.3 Record Holders
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25 | |||
Section 4.4 Transfer Generally
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25 | |||
Section 4.5 Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests
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25 | |||
Section 4.6 Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest
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27 | |||
Section 4.7 Restrictions on Transfers
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27 | |||
Section 4.8 Eligible Holder Certifications; Non-Eligible Holders
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29 | |||
Section 4.9 Redemption of Partnership Interests of Non-Eligible Holders
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30 | |||
ARTICLE V |
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CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS |
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Section 5.1 Organizational Contributions
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31 | |||
Section 5.2 Contributions by the General Partner and Pioneer USA
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32 | |||
Section 5.3 Contributions by the Underwriters; Sale of Operating Company Interest
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32 | |||
Section 5.4 Interest and Withdrawal
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33 | |||
Section 5.5 Capital Accounts
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33 |
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Section 5.6 Issuances of Additional Partnership Securities
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36 | |||
Section 5.7 Limited Preemptive Right
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37 | |||
Section 5.8 Splits and Combinations
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37 | |||
Section 5.9 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests
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38 | |||
ARTICLE VI |
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ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS |
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Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes
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38 | |||
Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes
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43 | |||
Section 6.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders
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46 | |||
ARTICLE VII |
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MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS |
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Section 7.1 Management
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46 | |||
Section 7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership
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49 | |||
Section 7.3 Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority
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49 | |||
Section 7.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner
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49 | |||
Section 7.5 Outside Activities
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50 | |||
Section 7.6 Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members
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52 | |||
Section 7.7 Indemnification
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52 | |||
Section 7.8 Liability of Indemnitees
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54 | |||
Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties
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55 | |||
Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner
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59 | |||
Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Securities
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59 | |||
Section 7.12 Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates
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60 | |||
Section 7.13 Reliance by Third Parties
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62 | |||
ARTICLE VIII |
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BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS |
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Section 8.1 Records and Accounting
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63 | |||
Section 8.2 Fiscal Year
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63 | |||
Section 8.3 Reports
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63 | |||
ARTICLE IX |
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TAX MATTERS |
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Section 9.1 Tax Returns and Information
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64 | |||
Section 9.2 Tax Elections
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64 | |||
Section 9.3 Tax Controversies
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64 | |||
Section 9.4 Withholding
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64 | |||
ARTICLE X |
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ADMISSION OF PARTNERS |
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Section 10.1 Admission of Initial Limited Partners
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65 | |||
Section 10.2 Admission of Substituted Limited Partners
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65 |
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Section 10.3 Admission of Successor General Partner
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65 | |||
Section 10.4 Admission of Additional Limited Partners
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66 | |||
Section 10.5 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership
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66 | |||
ARTICLE XI |
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WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS |
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Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner
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66 | |||
Section 11.2 Removal of the General Partner
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68 | |||
Section 11.3 Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner
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68 | |||
Section 11.4 Withdrawal of Limited Partners
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70 | |||
ARTICLE XII |
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DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION |
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Section 12.1 Dissolution
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70 | |||
Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution
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71 | |||
Section 12.3 Liquidator
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71 | |||
Section 12.4 Liquidation
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72 | |||
Section 12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership
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73 | |||
Section 12.6 Return of Contributions
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73 | |||
Section 12.7 Waiver of Partition
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73 | |||
Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration
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73 | |||
ARTICLE XIII |
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AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE |
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Section 13.1 Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner
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73 | |||
Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures
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75 | |||
Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements
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75 | |||
Section 13.4 Special Meetings
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76 | |||
Section 13.5 Notice of a Meeting
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76 | |||
Section 13.6 Record Date
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76 | |||
Section 13.7 Adjournment
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77 | |||
Section 13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes
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77 | |||
Section 13.9 Quorum and Voting
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77 | |||
Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting
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78 | |||
Section 13.11 Action Without a Meeting
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78 | |||
Section 13.12 Right to Vote and Related Matters
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79 | |||
ARTICLE XIV |
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MERGER OR CONVERSION |
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Section 14.1 Authority.
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79 | |||
Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion
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79 | |||
Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners
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81 | |||
Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger or Conversion
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82 | |||
Section 14.5 Amendment of Partnership Agreement
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82 | |||
Section 14.6 Effect of Merger or Conversion
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82 |
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ARTICLE XV |
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RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS |
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Section 15.1 Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests
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83 | |||
ARTICLE XVI |
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GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Section 16.1 Addresses and Notices
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85 | |||
Section 16.2 Further Action
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85 | |||
Section 16.3 Binding Effect
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85 | |||
Section 16.4 Integration
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85 | |||
Section 16.5 Creditors
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86 | |||
Section 16.6 Waiver
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86 | |||
Section 16.7 Counterparts
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86 | |||
Section 16.8 Applicable Law; Forum, Venue and Jurisdiction
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86 | |||
Section 16.9 Invalidity of Provisions
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87 | |||
Section 16.10 Consent of Partners
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87 | |||
Section 16.11 Facsimile Signatures
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87 | |||
Section 16.12 Third-Party Beneficiaries
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87 |
iv
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P.
PARTNERSHIP OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P.
THIS FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY
PARTNERS L.P., dated May 6, 2008, is entered into by and between Pioneer Natural Resources GP LLC,
a Delaware limited liability company, as the General Partner, and Pioneer Natural Resources USA,
Inc., a Delaware corporation, as the Organizational Limited Partner, together with any other
Persons who become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein. In
consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto
hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definitions.
The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the
contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.
“Additional Book Basis” means the portion of any remaining Carrying Value of an
Adjusted Property that is attributable to positive adjustments made to such Carrying Value as a
result of Book-Up Events. For purposes of determining the extent that Carrying Value constitutes
Additional Book Basis:
(a) Any negative adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a result of
either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first be deemed to offset or decrease that
portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior positive
adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or Book-Down Event.
(b) If Carrying Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result of a
Book-Down Event and the Carrying Value of other property is increased as a result of such Book-Down
Event, any such increase in Carrying Value shall be treated as Additional Book Basis;
provided, that the amount treated as Additional Book Basis pursuant hereto as a result of
such Book-Down Event shall not exceed the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive
Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceeds the remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to
all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event (determined without regard to
the application of this clause (b) to such Book-Down Event).
“Additional Book Basis Derivative Items” means any Book Basis Derivative Items that
are computed with reference to Additional Book Basis. To the extent that the Additional Book Basis
attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property as of the beginning of any taxable
period exceeds the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the beginning of such period
(the “Excess Additional Book Basis”), the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for such
period shall be reduced by the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of Additional Book
Basis Derivative Items determined without regard to this sentence as the Excess Additional Book
Basis bears to the Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of such period.
1
“Additional Limited Partner” means a Person admitted to the Partnership as a Limited
Partner pursuant to Section 10.4 and who is shown as such on the books and records of the
Partnership or the books and records of the Transfer Agent.
“Adjusted Capital Account” means the Capital Account maintained for each Partner as of
the end of each fiscal year of the Partnership, (a) increased by any amounts that such Partner is
obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c)
(or is deemed obligated to restore under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5))
and (b) decreased by (i) the amount of all deductions in respect of depletion that, as of the end
of such fiscal year, are reasonably expected to be made to such Partner’s Capital Account in
respect of the oil and gas properties of the Partnership Group, (ii) the amount of all losses and
deductions that, as of the end of such fiscal year, are reasonably expected to be allocated to such
Partner in subsequent years under Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code and Treasury Regulation
Section 1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and (iii) the amount of all distributions that, as of the end of such
fiscal year, are reasonably expected to be made to such Partner in subsequent years in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement or otherwise to the extent they exceed offsetting increases to
such Partner’s Capital Account that are reasonably expected to occur during (or prior to) the year
in which such distributions are reasonably expected to be made (other than increases as a result of
a minimum gain chargeback pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or 6.1(d)(ii)). The
foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
The “Adjusted Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of the General Partner Interest, a Common
Unit or any other Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Adjusted Capital Account would
be if such General Partner Interest, Common Unit or other Partnership Interest were the only
interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such General
Partner Interest, Common Unit or other Partnership Interest was first issued.
“Adjusted Property” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted
pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or 5.5(d)(ii).
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly, or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common
control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession,
direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of
a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments” means, as of the end of any taxable
period, the sum of the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of all the Partners.
“Agreed Allocation” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item
of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1, including a
Curative Allocation (if appropriate to the context in which the term “Agreed Allocation” is
used).
“Agreed Value” of any Contributed Property means the fair market value of such
property or other consideration at the time of contribution and in the case of an Adjusted
Property, the fair market value of such Adjusted Property on the date of the revaluation event as
described in Section 5.5(d), in both cases as determined by the General Partner. The
General Partner shall use such method as it determines to be appropriate to allocate the aggregate
Agreed
2
Value of Contributed Properties contributed to the Partnership in a single or integrated
transaction or of Adjusted Properties among each separate property on a basis proportional to the
fair market value of each such property.
“Agreement” means this First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P., as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to
time.
“Assignee” means a Person to whom one or more Limited Partner Interests have been
transferred in a manner permitted under this Agreement and who has executed and delivered a
Transfer Application, if a Transfer Application Notice has previously been given, including an
Eligible Holder Certification, if a Certification Notice has previously been given, but who has not
been admitted as a Substituted Limited Partner.
“Associate” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any
corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly
or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest, (b)
any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to
which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity, and (c) any relative or
spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such
Person.
“Available Cash” means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation
Date:
(a) all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group on hand on the date of
determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter, less
(b) the amount of any cash reserves established by the General Partner to (i) provide for the
proper conduct of the business of the Partnership Group (including reserves for future capital
expenditures and for anticipated future credit needs of the Partnership Group) subsequent to such
Quarter, (ii) comply with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt
instrument or other agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a party or by which it is
bound or its assets are subject or (iii) provide funds for distributions under Section 6.3
in respect of any one or more of the next four Quarters; provided, however, that
disbursements made by a Group Member or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the
end of such Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to
such Quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of
determining Available Cash, within such Quarter if the General Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Available Cash” with respect to the Quarter in which
the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.
“beneficial ownership” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and
Rule 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act (and “beneficially,” “beneficial owner,” “beneficial
interest,” “beneficially owned” and “beneficially own” shall have a correlative meaning).
3
“Board of Directors” means (a) the board of directors or managers of the General
Partner, as applicable, if the General Partner is a corporation or limited liability company, or
(b) if the General Partner is a limited partnership, the board of directors or board of managers,
as applicable, of the general partner of the General Partner.
“Book Basis Derivative Items” means any item of income, deduction, gain, loss,
Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss that is computed with reference to the Carrying Value of an
Adjusted Property (e.g., depreciation, depletion, or gain, loss, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss,
with respect to an Adjusted Property).
“Book-Down Event” means an event that triggers a negative adjustment to the Capital
Accounts of the Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
“Book-Tax Disparity” means with respect to any item of Contributed Property or
Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value
of such Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for federal income
tax purposes as of such date. A Partner’s share of the Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all
of its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference between such
Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 5.5 and the
hypothetical balance of such Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been maintained
strictly in accordance with federal income tax accounting principles.
“Book-Up Event” means an event that triggers a positive adjustment to the Capital
Accounts of the Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
“Business Day” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday
recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the state of Texas shall
not be regarded as a Business Day.
“Capital Account” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to
Section 5.5. The “Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of a General Partner Interest,
a Common Unit or any other Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Capital Account would
be if such General Partner Interest, Common Unit or other Partnership Interest were the only
interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such General
Partner Interest, Common Unit or other Partnership Interest was first issued.
“Capital Contribution” means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of
Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.
“Carrying Value” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property or Adjusted
Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation,
depletion (including Simulated Depletion), amortization and cost recovery deductions charged to the
Partners’ and Assignees’ Capital Accounts in respect of such Contributed Property, but taking into
account Simulated Depletion in lieu of depletion with respect to Oil and Gas Properties, and (b)
with respect to any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such property for federal
income tax purposes, all as of the time of determination; provided that the Carrying Value of any
property shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Sections 5.5(d)(i) and
5.5(d)(ii) and to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for
dispositions and acquisitions of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General
Partner.
4
“Cause” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable
judgment finding the General Partner liable for actual fraud or willful misconduct in its capacity
as a general partner of the Partnership.
“Certificate” means (a) a certificate (i) substantially in the form of Exhibit A to
this Agreement, (ii) issued in global form in accordance with the rules and regulations of the
Depositary or (iii) in such other form as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the
Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more Common Units or (b) a certificate, in such form as
may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or
more other Partnership Securities.
“Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of
the Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in
Section 7.2, as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or
restated from time to time.
“Certification Notice” means the giving of notice by the Partnership to the Limited
Partners in the manner specified in Section 16.1 that the Partnership is implementing
procedures pursuant to this Agreement to require a Limited Partner or a transferee of a Limited
Partner Interest to certify that such Person is an Eligible Holder.
“claim” (as used in Section 7.12(c)) has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 7.12(c).
“Closing Date” means the first date on which Common Units are sold by the Partnership
to the Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.
“Closing Price” means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of the
date of determination, the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no such sale takes
place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day, regular way, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal National Securities Exchange on which the respective Limited Partner
Interests are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Limited Partner Interests are not listed or
admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, the last quoted price on such day or, if
not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market or such other system then in use, or, if on any such
day such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class selected by the General Partner, or
if on any such day no market maker is making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such
class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day as determined by the General
Partner.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to
time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to
include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.
“Combined Interest” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.3(a).
5
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Unit” means a Partnership Interest representing a fractional part of the
Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners and Assignees, and having the rights and obligations
specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement.
“Conflicts Committee” means a committee of the Board of Directors of the General
Partner composed entirely of two or more directors (a) who are not (i) security holders, officers
or employees of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates (other than as permitted by clause
(a)(iii)), (ii) directors of any Affiliate of the General Partner, or (iii) holders of any
ownership interest in the Partnership Group other than Common Units, (b) who meet the independence
standards required to serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the
Securities Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the
National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading and (c)
who do not have any relationship that would be required to be disclosed by the General Partner
pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K if the General Partner were subject to the provisions of
the Securities Exchange Act.
“Contributed Property” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be
permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership. Once the
Carrying Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d), such
property shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted
Property.
“Contribution Agreement” means that certain Contribution Agreement, dated as of the
Closing Date, among the General Partner, the Partnership and Pioneer USA, as such may be amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Counterparty” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.9(j).
“Curative Allocation” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss
or credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(ix).
“Current Market Price” means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as
of the date of determination, the average of the daily Closing Prices per Limited Partner Interest
of such class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date.
“Delaware Act” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C.
Section 17-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor
to such statute.
“Departing General Partner” means a former General Partner from and after the
effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Section
11.1 or 11.2.
“Depositary” means, with respect to any Units issued in global form, The Depository
Trust Company and its successors and permitted assigns.
“Economic Risk of Loss” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section
1.752-2(a).
6
“Eligible Holder” means a person or entity qualified to hold an interest in oil and
gas leases on United States federal lands. As of the date hereof, Eligible Holder means: (1) a
citizen of the United States; (2) a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of
any state thereof; (3) a public body, including a municipality; or (4) an association of United
States citizens, such as a partnership or limited liability company, organized under the laws of
the United States or of any state thereof, but only if such association does not have any direct or
indirect foreign ownership, other than foreign ownership of stock in a parent corporation organized
under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, onshore
mineral leases on United States federal lands or any direct or indirect interest therein may be
acquired and held by aliens only through stock ownership, holding or control in a corporation
organized under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof.
“Eligible Holder Certification” means a properly completed certificate in such form as
may be specified by the General Partner by which an Assignee or a Limited Partner certifies that he
(and if he is a nominee holding for the account of another Person, that to the best of his
knowledge such other Person) is an Eligible Holder.
“Event of Withdrawal” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
11.1(a).
“Formation Merger Agreement” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May
1, 2008, by and among Pioneer USA, the Operating Company, Pioneer Retained Properties Company LLC,
and Pioneer Limited Natural Resources Properties LLC.
“General Partner” means Pioneer Natural Resources GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general
partner of the Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership (except as the
context otherwise requires).
“General Partner Interest” means the ownership interest of the General Partner in the
Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without reference to any Limited Partner Interest
held by it), which is evidenced by General Partner Units, and includes any and all benefits to
which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations
of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
“General Partner Unit” means a fractional part of the General Partner Interest having
the rights and obligations specified with respect to the General Partner Interest. A General
Partner Unit is not a Unit.
“Gross Liability Value” means, with respect to any Liability of the Partnership
described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i), the amount of cash that a willing
assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Liability in an arm’s-length transaction.
The Gross Liability Value of each Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i) shall be adjusted at such times as provided in this Agreement for an
adjustment to Carrying Values.
“Group” means a Person that with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates has
any agreement, contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring,
holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in
response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons), exercising investment
7
power or disposing of any Partnership Interests with any other Person that beneficially owns,
or whose Affiliates or Associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Partnership Interests.
“Group Member” means a member of the Partnership Group.
“Group Member Agreement” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other
than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company
agreement or similar organizational documents of any Group Member that is a limited liability
company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of any
Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of
any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents
of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited
liability company, corporation or joint venture, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated
from time to time.
“Holder” as used in Section 7.12, has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 7.12(a).
“Indemnification Agreement” means any indemnification agreement by and between the
Partnership and any officer or director of the General Partner, as any of such may be amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Indemnified Persons” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
7.12(c).
“Indemnitee” means (a) the General Partner, (b) any Departing General Partner, (c) any
Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d) any
Person who is or was a member, manager, partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of any
Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of any Group
Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (e) any Person who is or was serving
at the request of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of the
General Partner or any Departing General Partner as an officer, director, member, manager, partner,
fiduciary or trustee of another Person; provided that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee
by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, and
(f) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement.
“Initial Common Units” means the Common Units sold in the Initial Offering.
“Initial Limited Partner” means Pioneer USA and each of the Underwriters, in each case
upon being admitted to the Partnership in accordance with Section 10.1.
“Initial Offering” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public,
as described in the Registration Statement.
“Initial Unit Price” means (a) with respect to the Common Units, the initial public
offering price per Common Unit at which the Underwriters offered the Common Units to the public for
sale as set forth on the cover page of the prospectus included as part of the Registration
Statement and first issued at or after the time the Registration Statement first becomes effective
or (b) with respect to any other class or series of Units, the price per Unit at
8
which such class or series of Units is initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the
General Partner, in each case adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give
effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units.
“Issue Price” means the price at which a Unit is purchased from the Partnership, after
taking into account any sales commission or underwriting discount charged to the Partnership.
“Liability” means any liability or obligation of any nature, whether accrued,
contingent or otherwise.
“Limited Partner” means, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) the Organizational
Limited Partner, each Initial Limited Partner, each Substituted Limited Partner, each Additional
Limited Partner and any Departing General Partner upon the change of its status from General
Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section 11.3, in each case, in such Person’s
capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership or (b) solely for purposes of Articles V,
VI, IX and XII, each Assignee.
“Limited Partner Interest” means the ownership interest of a Limited Partner or
Assignee in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units or other Partnership Securities
or a combination thereof or interest therein, and includes any and all benefits to which such
Limited Partner or Assignee is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all
obligations of such Limited Partner or Assignee to comply with the terms and provisions of this
Agreement.
“Liquidation Date” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of
the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section
12.2, the date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding
Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without such
an election being made and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the
Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.
“Liquidator” means one or more Persons selected by the General Partner to perform the
functions described in Section 12.4 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within the
meaning of the Delaware Act.
“LLC Interest Sale Agreement” means that certain Membership Interest Sale Agreement,
dated as of the Closing Date, between the Partnership and Pioneer USA, as such may be amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Merger Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.
“National Securities Exchange” means an exchange registered with the Commission under
Section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act, and any successor to such statute.
“Net Agreed Value” means (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value
of such property reduced by any liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such
contribution or to which such property is subject when contributed and (b) in the case of any
property distributed to a Partner or Assignee by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value
of such property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(ii)) at the time such property is
distributed, reduced by any indebtedness either assumed by such Partner or Assignee upon such
9
distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution, in either case,
as determined under Section 752 of the Code.
“Net Income” means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s
items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net
Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year over the Partnership’s items of
loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination
Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year. The items included in the calculation of Net
Income shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall include Simulated
Gains, but shall not include any items specially allocated under Sections 6.1(d) and
6.1(e); provided, that the determination of the items that have been specially
allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(x) were not in
this Agreement.
“Net Loss” means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items
of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net
Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year over the Partnership’s items of
income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination
Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year. The items included in the calculation of Net
Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall include Simulated
Gains, but shall not include any items specially allocated under Sections 6.1(d) and
6.1(e); provided, that the determination of the items that have been specially
allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(x) were not in
this Agreement.
“Net Positive Adjustments” means, with respect to any Partner, the excess, if any, of
the total positive adjustments over the total negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of
such Partner pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.
“Net Termination Gain” means, for any taxable year, the sum, if positive, of all items
of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Partnership (a) after the Liquidation Date or
(b) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions
(excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group). The items included in the
determination of Net Termination Gain shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b)
and shall include Simulated Gains, but shall not include any items of income, gain or loss
specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) or Section 6.1(e).
“Net Termination Loss” means, for any taxable year, the sum, if negative, of all items
of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Partnership (a) after the Liquidation Date r
(b) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions
(excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group). The items included in the
determination of Net Termination Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b)
and shall include Simulated Gains, but shall not include any items of income, gain or loss
specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) or Section 6.1(e).
“Non-Eligible Holder” means a Person whom the General Partner has determined does not
constitute an Eligible Holder and as to whose Partnership Interest the General Partner has become
the Substituted Limited Partner pursuant to Section 4.8.
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“Non-Recourse Built-in Gain” means, with respect to any Contributed Properties or
Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Non-Recourse Liability, the
amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Sections
6.2(d)(i)(A), 6.2(d)(ii)(A) and 6.2(d)(iii) if such properties were disposed of
in a taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.
“Non-Recourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure
(including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code), Simulated Depletion or
Simulated Loss that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b),
are attributable to a Non-Recourse Liability.
“Non-Recourse Liability” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section
1.752-1(a)(2) or Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7.
“Notice of Election to Purchase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
15.1(b).
“Omnibus Agreement” means the Omnibus Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among
the General Partner, the Partnership, Pioneer USA, the Operating Company and Pioneer Natural
Resources Company, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Omnibus Operating Agreement” means the Omnibus Operating Agreement, dated as of the
Closing Date, between the Operating Company and Pioneer USA, as such may be amended, supplemented
or restated from time to time.
“Operating Agreements” means any operating agreements entered into, or to which the
Operating Company otherwise becomes subject, as of the initial Closing Date among Pioneer USA, the
Operating Company and any other party thereto relating to assets and properties of the Partnership
Group, as any of such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Operating Company” means Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners USA LLC, a Texas limited
liability company, and any successors thereto.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to
the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the General Partner.
“Option Closing Date” means the date or dates on which any Common Units are sold by
the Partnership to the Underwriters upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.
“Organizational GP Contribution Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 5.1.
“Organizational Limited Partner” means Pioneer USA, in its capacity as the
organizational limited partner of the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.
“Outstanding” means, with respect to Partnership Securities, all Partnership
Securities that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the Partnership’s
books and records as of the date of determination; provided, however, that if at
any time any Person or Group (other than the General Partner or its Affiliates) beneficially owns
20% or more of the
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Outstanding Partnership Securities of any class then Outstanding, all Partnership Securities
owned by such Person or Group shall not be voted on any matter and shall not be considered to be
Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless
otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for
other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Units so owned shall be considered to be
Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such Units shall not, however, be treated
as a separate class of Partnership Securities for purposes of this Agreement); provided,
further, that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) any Person or Group who
acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Securities of any class then Outstanding
directly from the General Partner or its Affiliates, (ii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or
more of the Outstanding Partnership Securities of any class then Outstanding directly or indirectly
from a Person or Group described in clause (i) provided that the General Partner shall have
notified such Person or Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply, or (iii) any Person
or Group who acquired 20% or more of any Partnership Securities issued by the Partnership with the
prior approval of the Board of Directors of the General Partner.
“Over-Allotment Option” means the over-allotment option granted to the Underwriters by
the Partnership pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
“Partner Non-Recourse Debt” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-2(b)(4).
“Partner Non-Recourse Debt Minimum Gain” has the meaning set forth in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
“Partner Non-Recourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction or
expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code), Simulated
Depletion or Simulated Loss that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-2(i), are attributable to a Partner Non-Recourse Debt.
“Partners” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.
“Partnership” means Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership.
“Partnership Group” means the Partnership and its Subsidiaries treated as a single
consolidated entity.
“Partnership Interest” means an interest in the Partnership, which shall include the
General Partner Interest and Limited Partner Interests.
“Partnership Minimum Gain” means that amount determined in accordance with the
principles of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(b)(2) and 1.704-2(d).
“Partnership Security” means any class or series of equity interest in the Partnership
(but excluding any options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity interest
in the Partnership), including Common Units and General Partner Units.
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“Percentage Interest” means as of any date of determination (a) as to the General
Partner (in its capacity as General Partner without reference to any Limited Partner Interests held
by it) with respect to General Partner Units and as to any Unitholder or Assignee with respect to
Units, the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the percentage applicable to clause (b)
below by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of General Partner Units held by the
General Partner or the number of Units held by such Unitholder or Assignee, as the case may be, by
(B) the total number of Outstanding Units and General Partner Units and (b) as to the holders of
other Partnership Securities issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.6, the
percentage established as a part of such issuance.
“Person” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership,
joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political
subdivision thereof or other entity.
“Pioneer USA” means Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and
any successors thereto.
“Plan of Conversion” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.
“Pro Rata” means (a) when used with respect to Units or any class thereof, apportioned
equally among all designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests and (b)
when used with respect to Partners and Assignees or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners
and Assignees or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests.
“Proposed Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
7.9(j).
“Purchase Agreement” means the Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of the Closing
Date, among Pioneer USA, the Operating Company and Pioneer Retained Properties Company LLC, as such
may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, pursuant to which, if the
Over-Allotment Option is exercised after the initial Closing Date, the Operating Company will
purchase additional properties as described in the Registration Statement.
“Purchase Date” means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for
purchase of all Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited
Partner Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV.
“Quarter” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the
Partnership, or, with respect to the fiscal quarter of the Partnership that includes the Closing
Date, the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date.
“Recapture Income” means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed without
regard to any adjustment required by Section 734 or Section 743 of the Code) upon the disposition
of any property or asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as ordinary income because
it represents the recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.
“Record Date” means the date established by the General Partner or otherwise in
accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to
notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote by ballot or give
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approval of Partnership action in writing without a meeting or entitled to exercise rights in
respect of any lawful action of Limited Partners or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to
receive any report, notice or distribution or to participate in any offer.
“Record Holder” means (a) the Person in whose name a Common Unit is registered on the
books of the Transfer Agent as of the opening of business on a particular Business Day or (b) with
respect to other Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership
Interest is registered on the books that the General Partner has caused to be kept as of the
opening of business on such Business Day.
“Recusal Conflict” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.9(j).
“Redeemable Interests” means any Partnership Interests for which a redemption notice
has been given, and has not been withdrawn, pursuant to Section 4.9.
“Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No.
333-144868) as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the
Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the
Common Units in the Initial Offering.
“Remaining Net Positive Adjustments” means as of the end of any taxable period, (a)
with respect to the Unitholders, the excess of (i) the Net Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders
as of the end of such period over (ii) the sum of those Partners’ Share of Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items for each prior taxable period and (b) with respect to the General Partner (as
holder of the General Partner Interest), the excess of (i) the Net Positive Adjustments of the
General Partner as of the end of such period over (ii) the sum of the General Partner’s Share of
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to the General Partner Interest for each prior
taxable period.
“Required Allocations” means (a) any limitation imposed on any allocation of Net
Losses or Net Termination Losses under Section 6.1(b) or 6.1(c)(ii) and (b) any
allocation of an item of income, gain, loss, deduction, Simulated Depletion or Simulated Loss
pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i), 6.1(d)(ii), 6.1(d)(iii), 6.1(d)(iv),
6.1(d)(v), 6.1(d)(vi), 6.1(d)(viii) or Section 6.1(e).
“Residual Gain” or “Residual Loss” means any item of gain or loss, as the case
may be, of the Partnership recognized for federal income tax purposes resulting from a sale,
exchange or other disposition of a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, to the extent such
item of gain or loss is not allocated pursuant to Section 6.2(d)(i)(A) or
6.2(d)(ii)(A), respectively, to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or
restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.
“Securities Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.
“Services Agreement” means the Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of the
Closing Date, among the General Partner, the Operating Company, the Partnership and Pioneer USA, as
such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
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“Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items” means in connection with any
allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for any taxable period, (a) with respect to
the Unitholders holding Limited Partner Interests, the amount that bears the same ratio to such
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders’ Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of
the end of such period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time,
and (b) with respect to the General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Interest), the amount
that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the General Partner’s
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such period bears to the Aggregate Remaining
Net Positive Adjustment as of that time.
“Simulated Basis” means the Carrying Value of any oil and gas property (as defined in
Section 614 of the Code).
“Simulated Depletion” means, with respect to an oil and gas property (as defined in
Section 614 of the Code), a depletion allowance computed solely for the purposes of maintaining
Capital Accounts in accordance with Section 5.5(b)(v) and in the manner specified in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2). For purposes of computing Simulated Depletion
with respect to any property, the Simulated Basis of such property shall be deemed to be the
Carrying Value of such property, and in no event shall such allowance for Simulated Depletion, in
the aggregate, exceed such Simulated Basis.
“Simulated Gain” means the excess, if any, of the amount realized from the sale or
other disposition of an oil or gas property over the Carrying Value of such property.
“Simulated Loss” means the excess, if any, of the Carrying Value of an oil or gas
property over the amount realized from the sale or other disposition of such property.
“Special Approval” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts
Committee acting in good faith or approval as contemplated by Section 7.9(i).
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than
50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to
vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or
indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) or limited
liability company in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of
determination (i) the general partner or (ii) a limited partner of such partnership or member of
such limited liability company, but, in the case of clause (ii), only if more than 50% of the
partnership interests of such partnership or membership interests of such limited liability company
(considering all of the partnership interests or membership interests as a single class) is owned,
directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries
of such Person, or a combination thereof, or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation, a
partnership or a limited liability company) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at
least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority
of the directors or other governing body of such Person.
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“Substituted Limited Partner” means a Person who is admitted as a Limited Partner to
the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.2 in place of and with all the rights of a Limited
Partner and who is shown as a Limited Partner on the books and records of the Partnership or the
books and records of the Transfer Agent.
“Surviving Business Entity” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
14.2(b)(ii).
“Tax Sharing Agreement” means the Tax Sharing Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date,
between Pioneer Natural Resources Company and the Partnership, as such may be amended, supplemented
or restated from time to time.
“Trading Day” means, for the purpose of determining the Current Market Price of any
class of Limited Partner Interests, a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on
which such class of Limited Partner Interests is listed is open for the transaction of business or,
if Limited Partner Interests of a class are not listed on any National Securities Exchange, a day
on which banking institutions in New York City generally are open.
“transfer” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(a).
“Transfer Agent” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the General
Partner or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time by the General Partner to
act as registrar and transfer agent for the Common Units; provided, that if no Transfer
Agent is specifically designated for any other Partnership Securities, the General Partner shall
act in such capacity.
“Transfer Application” means an application and agreement for transfer of Units in a
form set forth on the back of a Certificate, if applicable, or in a form substantially to the same
effect in a separate instrument.
“Transfer Application Notice” means the giving of notice by the Partnership to the
Limited Partners in the manner specified in Section 16.1 that the Partnership is
implementing procedures pursuant to this Agreement to require a Limited Partner or a transferee of
a Limited Partner Interest to complete a Transfer Application in connection with the transfer of
such Limited Partner Interest.
“Underwriter” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the
Underwriting Agreement who purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.
“Underwriting Agreement” means that certain Underwriting Agreement dated April 30,
2008, among the Underwriters, Pioneer Natural Resources Company, Pioneer USA, the Operating
Company, the Partnership and the General Partner, providing for the purchase of Common Units by the
Underwriters.
“Unit” means a Partnership Security that is designated as a “Unit” and shall include
Common Units but shall not include the General Partner Interest.
“Unitholders” means the holders of Units.
“Unit Majority” means at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units.
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“Unrealized Gain” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any
date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such
date (as determined under Section 5.5(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as
of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such
date).
“Unrealized Loss” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any
date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such
date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such date) over
(b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section
5.5(d)).
“U.S. GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles consistently
applied.
“Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
11.1(b).
Section 1.2 Construction.
Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include
the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and
verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to
Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include”, “includes”, “including” and words
of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d) the terms
“hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are
for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
ORGANIZATION
Section 2.1 Formation.
The General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner have previously formed the
Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act and hereby
amend and restate the original Agreement of Limited Partnership of Pioneer Southwest Energy
Partners L.P. in its entirety. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date
of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights,
duties (including fiduciary duties), liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the
administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware
Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all
purposes.
Section 2.2 Name.
The name of the Partnership shall be “Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.” The
Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the General
Partner, including the name of the General Partner. The words “Limited Partnership,” “L.P.,”
“Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where
17
necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires.
The General Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time and
shall notify the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular communication to the Limited
Partners.
Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices.
Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the Partnership in
the State of Delaware shall be located at 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 and the
registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at such
registered office shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The principal office of the Partnership
shall be located at 0000 X. X’Xxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 or such other place as
the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners. The
Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the State of
Delaware as the General Partner shall determine necessary or appropriate. The address of the
General Partner shall be 0000 X. X’Xxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 or such other
place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners.
Section 2.4 Purpose and Business.
The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to engage
directly in, or enter into or form, hold and dispose of any corporation, partnership, joint
venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, the business
activities described in the Registration Statement including pursuing the business strategy set
forth in the Registration Statement and any other business activity that is approved by the General
Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the
Delaware Act, and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon
the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and do anything
necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans
to a Group Member; provided, however, that the General Partner shall not cause the
Partnership to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the General Partner
determines would cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or
otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes. To the fullest extent permitted by
law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve, and may in its
sole discretion decline to propose or approve, the conduct by the Partnership of any business,
other than the business activities described in the Registration Statement to be conducted by the
Partnership as of the Closing Date, and, in declining to so propose or approve, shall not be
required to fulfill any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any
other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation
or at equity.
Section 2.5 Powers.
The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary or appropriate
for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section
2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.
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Section 2.6 Power of Attorney.
(a) Each Limited Partner and each Assignee hereby constitutes and appoints the General Partner
and, if a Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to Section 12.3, the Liquidator (and
any successor to the Liquidator by merger, transfer, assignment, election or otherwise) and each of
their authorized officers and attorneys-in-fact, as the case may be, with full power of
substitution, as his true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority in
his name, place and xxxxx, to:
(i) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate public
offices (A) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including this Agreement and
the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments or restatements hereof or thereof)
that the General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to
form, qualify or continue the existence or qualification of the Partnership as a limited
partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the
State of Delaware and in all other jurisdictions in which the Partnership may conduct
business or own property; (B) all certificates, documents and other instruments that the
General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect, in
accordance with its terms, any amendment, change, modification or restatement of this
Agreement; (C) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including conveyances and
a certificate of cancellation) that the General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be
necessary or appropriate to reflect the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; (D) all certificates, documents and other
instruments relating to the admission, withdrawal, removal or substitution of any Partner
pursuant to, or other events described in, Article IV, X, XI or
XII; (E) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the
determination of the rights, preferences and privileges of any class or series of
Partnership Securities or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Securities, issued pursuant to Section 5.6; and (F) all certificates,
documents and other instruments (including agreements and a certificate of merger) relating
to a merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to Article XIV;
and
(ii) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots, consents,
approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other instruments that the General Partner
or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to (A) make, evidence, give,
confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action that is made or
given by the Partners hereunder or is consistent with the terms of this Agreement or (B)
effectuate the terms or intent of this Agreement; provided, that when required by
Section 13.3 or any other provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage
of the Limited Partners or of the Limited Partners of any class or series required to take
any action, the General Partner and the Liquidator may exercise the power of attorney made
in this Section 2.6(a)(ii) only after the necessary vote, consent or approval of the
Limited Partners or of the Limited Partners of such class or series, as applicable.
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Nothing contained in this Section 2.6(a) shall be construed as authorizing the General
Partner to amend this Agreement except in accordance with Article XIII or as may be
otherwise expressly provided for in this Agreement.
(b) The foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power coupled
with an interest, and it shall survive and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, not be affected
by the subsequent death, incompetency, disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or
termination of any Limited Partner or Assignee and the transfer of all or any portion of such
Limited Partner’s or Assignee’s Partnership Interest and shall extend to such Limited Partner’s or
Assignee’s heirs, successors, assigns and personal representatives. Each such Limited Partner or
Assignee hereby agrees to be bound by any representation made by the General Partner or the
Liquidator acting in good faith pursuant to such power of attorney; and each such Limited Partner
or Assignee, to the maximum extent permitted by law, hereby waives any and all defenses that may be
available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the General Partner or the Liquidator taken
in good faith under such power of attorney. Each Limited Partner or Assignee shall execute and
deliver to the General Partner or the Liquidator, within 15 days after receipt of the request
therefor, such further designation, powers of attorney and other instruments as the General Partner
or the Liquidator may request in order to effectuate this Agreement and the purposes of the
Partnership.
Section 2.7 Term.
The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited
Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence until the
dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII. The
existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of
the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.
Section 2.8 Title to Partnership Assets.
Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or
intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner or
Assignee, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership
assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may be held in the
name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more
nominees, as the General Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants
that any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or
one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by the General Partner or such
Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions
of this Agreement; provided, however, that the General Partner shall use reasonable
efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the
General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record
title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably
practicable; provided, further, that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the
General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable
efforts to effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior to any such transfer,
will provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to the General Partner. All
Partnership assets shall be
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recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name
in which record title to such Partnership assets is held.
Section 2.9 Certain Undertakings Relating to the Separateness of the Partnership.
(a) Separateness Generally. The Partnership shall conduct its business and operations
separate and apart from those of any other Person (other than the General Partner) in accordance
with this Section 2.9.
(b) Separate Records. The Partnership shall maintain (i) its books and records, (ii)
its accounts, and (iii) its financial statements, separate from those of any other Person, except
its consolidated Subsidiaries.
(c) Separate Assets. The Partnership shall not commingle or pool its funds or other
assets with those of any other Person, except its consolidated Subsidiaries, and shall maintain its
assets in a manner that is not costly or difficult to segregate, ascertain or otherwise identify as
separate from those of any other Person.
(d) Separate Name. The Partnership shall (i) conduct its business in its own name,
(ii) use separate stationery, invoices, and checks, (iii) correct any known misunderstanding
regarding its separate identity, and (iv) generally hold itself out as a separate entity.
(e) Separate Credit. Except as permitted by this Agreement, the Partnership shall not
(i) pay its liabilities from a source other than its own funds, (ii) guarantee or become obligated
for the debts of any other Person, except its Subsidiaries, (iii) hold out its credit as being
available to satisfy the obligations of any other Person, except its Subsidiaries, (iv) acquire
obligations or debt securities of the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership
or its Subsidiaries), or (v) pledge its assets for the benefit of any Person or make loans or
advances to any Person, except its Subsidiaries; provided that the Partnership may engage
in any transaction described in clauses (ii)-(v) of this Section 2.9(e) if prior Special
Approval has been obtained for such transaction and either (A) the Conflicts Committee has
determined, or has obtained reasonable written assurance from a nationally recognized firm of
independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment banking or valuation firm,
that the borrower or recipient of the credit extension is not then insolvent and will not be
rendered insolvent as a result of such transaction or (B) in the case of transactions described in
clause (iv), such transaction is completed through a public auction or a National Securities
Exchange.
(f) Separate Formalities. The Partnership shall (i) observe all partnership
formalities and other formalities required by its organizational documents, the laws of the
jurisdiction of its formation, or other laws, rules, regulations and orders of governmental
authorities exercising jurisdiction over it, (ii) engage in transactions with the General Partner
and its Affiliates (other than another Group Member) in conformity with the requirements of
Section 7.9, and (iii) promptly pay, from its own funds, and on a current basis, its
allocable share of general and administrative expenses, capital expenditures, and costs for shared
services performed by Affiliates of the General Partner (other than another Group Member). Each
material contract between the Partnership or another Group Member, on the one hand, and the
Affiliates of the General Partner (other than a Group Member), on the other hand, shall be in
writing.
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(g) No Effect. Failure by the General Partner or the Partnership to comply with any
of the obligations set forth above shall not affect the status of the Partnership as a separate
legal entity, with its separate assets and separate liabilities. The General Partner and the
Partnership may be consolidated for financial reporting purposes with Pioneer Natural Resources
Company and its subsidiaries; provided, however, that such consolidation shall not
affect the status of the Partnership as a separate legal entity with its separate assets and
separate liabilities.
ARTICLE III
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability.
The Limited Partners and the Assignees shall have no liability under this Agreement except as
expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.
Section 3.2 Management of Business.
No Limited Partner or Assignee, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation,
management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business,
transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or
otherwise bind the Partnership. Any action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any
officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General
Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general
partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as such, shall not be deemed to be
participation in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the
Partnership (within the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) and shall not affect,
impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners or Assignees under
this Agreement.
Section 3.3 Outside Activities of the Limited Partners.
Subject to the provisions of Section 7.5 and the Omnibus Agreement, which shall
continue to be applicable to the Persons referred to therein, regardless of whether such Persons
shall also be Limited Partners or Assignees, any Limited Partner or Assignee shall be entitled to
and may have business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to
the Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the
Partnership Group. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners or Assignees shall have
any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner or Assignee.
Section 3.4 Rights of Limited Partners.
(a) In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and except as
limited by Section 3.4(b), each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose
reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon
reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand, and at such Limited Partner’s own
expense:
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(i) to obtain true and full information regarding the status of the business and
financial condition of the Partnership;
(ii) promptly after its becoming available, to obtain a copy of the Partnership’s
federal, state and local income tax returns for each year;
(iii) to obtain a current list of the name and last known business, residence or
mailing address of each Partner;
(iv) to obtain a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and
all amendments thereto, together with copies of the executed copies of all powers of
attorney pursuant to which this Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all
amendments thereto have been executed;
(v) to obtain true and full information regarding the amount of cash and a description
and statement of the Net Agreed Value of any other Capital Contribution by each Partner and
that each Partner has agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each became
a Partner; and
(vi) to obtain such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as is
just and reasonable.
(b) The General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners and Assignees, for
such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable, (i) any information that the General
Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the
disclosure of which the General Partner in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of
the Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or its business or (C) that any Group
Member is required by law or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than
agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the
obligations set forth in this Section 3.4).
ARTICLE IV
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS;
REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS;
REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
Section 4.1 Certificates.
Upon the Partnership’s issuance of Common Units to any Person, the Partnership shall issue,
upon the request of such Person, one or more Certificates in the name of such Person evidencing the
number of such Common Units being so issued. In addition, upon the General Partner’s request, the
Partnership shall issue to it one or more Certificates in the name of the General Partner
evidencing its General Partner Interest and upon the request of any Person owning any other
Partnership Securities, other than Common Units, or options, rights, warrants and appreciation
rights relating to such Partnership Securities that are to be evidenced by certificates, the
Partnership shall issue to such Person one or more certificates evidencing such other Partnership
Securities, other than Common Units, or options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating
to such Partnership Securities. Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the
Chief Executive Officer, President or any Executive Vice
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President, Senior Vice President or Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer or the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the General Partner. No Common Unit Certificate shall be
valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided,
however, that the Common Units may be certificated or uncertificated as provided in the
Delaware Act; provided, further, that if the General Partner elects to issue Common
Units in global form, the Common Unit Certificates shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate
from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Common Units have been duly registered in accordance
with the directions of the Partnership.
Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates.
(a) If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the appropriate
officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent
shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the same number
and type of Partnership Securities as the Certificate so surrendered.
(b) The appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute
and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign, a new Certificate in place of any
Certificate previously issued, or issue uncertificated Common Units, if the Record Holder of the
Certificate:
(i) makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General
Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;
(ii) requests the issuance of a new Certificate or the issuance of uncertificated
Common Units, as the case may be, before the General Partner has notice that the Partnership
Securities represented by the Certificate have been acquired by a purchaser for value in
good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;
(iii) if requested by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner a bond, in
form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety or sureties and with
fixed or open penalty as the General Partner may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the
Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be made on
account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the Certificate; and
(iv) satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General Partner.
If a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to notify the General Partner within a reasonable
period of time after he has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a
transfer of the Partnership Securities represented by the Certificate is registered before the
Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent receives such notification, the Limited
Partner or Assignee shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General
Partner or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate or uncertificated Common
Units.
(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate or uncertificated Common Units under
this Section 4.2, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any
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other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected
therewith.
Section 4.3 Record Holders.
The Partnership shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner or Assignee
with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any
equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such Partnership Interest on the part of any other
Person, regardless of whether the Partnership shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as
otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any
National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.
Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or
clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or in some
other representative capacity for another Person in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests,
as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Persons on the other, such
representative Person (a) shall be the Partner or Assignee (as the case may be) of record and
beneficially, (b) must execute and deliver a Transfer Application, if a Transfer Application Notice
has previously been given, and (c) shall be bound by this Agreement and shall have the rights and
obligations of a Partner or Assignee (as the case may be) hereunder and as, and to the extent,
provided for herein.
Section 4.4 Transfer Generally.
(a) The term “transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest,
shall be deemed to refer to a transaction (i) by which the General Partner assigns its General
Partner Interest to another Person, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance,
hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise or (ii) by which the
holder of a Limited Partner Interest assigns such Limited Partner Interest to another Person who is
or becomes a Limited Partner or an Assignee, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any
other disposition by law or otherwise, including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge,
encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.
(b) No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance
with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV. Any transfer or purported
transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be
null and void.
(c) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a disposition by any
stockholder, member, partner or other owner of the General Partner of any or all of the shares of
stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests in the General
Partner.
Section 4.5 Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests.
(a) The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept on behalf of the Partnership a register
in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe and subject to the provisions
of Section 4.5(b), the Partnership will provide for the registration and transfer of
Limited Partner Interests. The Transfer Agent is hereby appointed registrar and transfer agent
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for the purpose of registering Common Units and transfers of such Common Units as herein
provided. Limited Partner Interests may be transferred only in the manner described in this
Section 4.5 and the Partnership shall not recognize transfers of Certificates evidencing
Limited Partner Interests or uncertificated Limited Partner Interests unless such transfers are
effected in the manner described in this Section 4.5.
(b) Upon surrender of a Certificate for registration of transfer of any Limited Partner
Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions of this Section 4.5(b),
the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and
deliver, and in the case of Common Units, the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the
name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the
holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number and type
of Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered. Except as
otherwise provided in Section 4.8, the General Partner shall not recognize any transfer of
Limited Partner Interests until the Certificates evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are
surrendered for registration of transfer and such Certificates are accompanied by a Transfer
Application, if a Transfer Application Notice has previously been given, properly completed and
duly executed by the transferee (or the transferee’s attorney-in-fact duly authorized in writing).
No charge shall be imposed by the General Partner for such transfer; provided, that as a
condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.5, the General
Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge
that may be imposed with respect thereto. No distributions or allocations will be made in respect
of the Limited Partner Interests until a properly completed Transfer Application, if a Transfer
Application Notice has previously been given, has been delivered.
(c) Upon the receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered owner of
uncertificated Limited Partner Interests, and, if a Transfer Application Notice has previously been
given, a Transfer Application, properly completed and duly executed by the transferee (or the
transferee’s attorney-in-fact duly authorized in writing), such uncertificated Limited Partner
Interests shall be cancelled, issuance of new equivalent uncertificated Limited Partner Interests
or Certificates shall be made to the holder of Limited Partner Interests entitled thereto and the
transaction shall be recorded upon the books and records of the Partnership or the books and
records of the Transfer Agent.
(d) The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner
shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement.
(e) Until admitted as a Substituted Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.2, the
transferee of a Limited Partner Interest shall be an Assignee in respect of such Limited Partner
Interest. Limited Partners may include custodians, nominees or any other individual or entity in
its own or any representative capacity.
(f) A transferee of a Limited Partner Interest shall be deemed to have (i) requested admission
as a Substituted Limited Partner, (ii) agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have executed
this Agreement, (iii) represented and warranted that such transferee has the right, power and
authority and, if an individual, the capacity to enter into this Agreement, (iv) granted
26
the powers of attorney set forth in this Agreement and (v) given the consents and approvals
and made the waivers contained in this Agreement.
(g) The General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer their
Common Units to one or more Persons.
Section 4.6 Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest.
(a) Subject to Section 4.6(c) below, prior to March 31, 2018, the General Partner
shall not transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest to a Person unless such transfer
(i) has been approved by the prior written consent or vote of the holders of at least a majority of
the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units held by the General Partner and its
Affiliates) or (ii) is of all, but not less than all, of its General Partner Interest to (A) an
Affiliate of the General Partner (other than an individual) or (B) another Person (other than an
individual) in connection with the merger or consolidation of the General Partner with or into such
other Person or the transfer by the General Partner of all or substantially all of its assets to
such other Person.
(b) Subject to Section 4.6(c) below, on or after March 31, 2018, the General Partner
may in its sole discretion transfer all or any of its General Partner Interest without Unitholder
approval.
(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all
or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the
transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and
to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of
Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability under Delaware law of
any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent
not already so treated or taxed) and (iii) such transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the
appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership interest of the
General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member. In
the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the transferee
or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section
10.3, be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner immediately prior to the transfer
of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without
dissolution.
Section 4.7 Restrictions on Transfers.
(a) Except as provided in Section 4.7(c) below, but notwithstanding the other
provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if
such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable federal or state securities laws or rules and
regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or any other governmental authority
with jurisdiction over such transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the
Partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, or (iii) cause the Partnership to
be
27
treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for
federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).
(b) The General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests if it
receives an Opinion of Counsel that such restrictions are necessary to avoid a significant risk of
the Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation or otherwise becoming taxable as an entity for
federal income tax purposes. The General Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this
Agreement; provided, however, that any amendment that would result in the delisting
or suspension of trading of any class of Limited Partner Interests on the principal National
Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is then listed or admitted to
trading must be approved, prior to such amendment being effected, by the holders of at least a
majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of such class.
(c) Nothing contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement, shall
preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into through
the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed
or admitted to trading.
(d) Each certificate evidencing Partnership Interests shall bear a conspicuous legend in
substantially the following form:
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS
L.P. THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH
TRANSFER WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND
REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER
GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR
QUALIFICATION OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR
(C) CAUSE PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A
CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT
NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES GP LLC, THE GENERAL PARTNER OF PIONEER
SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P., MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY
IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT
RISK OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE
BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE
SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH
THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO
TRADING.
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Section 4.8 Eligible Holder Certifications; Non-Eligible Holders.
(a) If a transferee of a Limited Partner Interest fails to furnish a properly completed
Eligible Holder Certification, if a Certification Notice has previously been given, the Limited
Partner Interests owned by such transferee shall be subject to (i) a withholding of distributions
or (ii) redemption, each in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.9. If, upon
receipt of such Eligible Holder Certification or otherwise, the General Partner determines that
such transferee is not an Eligible Holder, the Limited Partner Interests owned by such transferee
shall also be subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.9.
(b) The General Partner may request any Limited Partner or Assignee to furnish to the General
Partner, within 30 days after receipt of such request, an executed Eligible Holder Certification or
such other information concerning his nationality, citizenship or other related status (or, if the
Limited Partner or Assignee is a nominee holding for the account of another Person, the
nationality, citizenship or other related status of such other Person) as the General Partner may
request. If a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to furnish to the General Partner within the
aforementioned 30-day period such Eligible Holder Certification or other requested information, the
Limited Partner Interests owned by such Limited Partner or Assignee shall be subject to (i) a
withholding of distributions or (ii) redemption, each in accordance with the provisions of
Section 4.9. If upon receipt of such Eligible Holder Certification or other requested
information the General Partner determines that a Limited Partner or Assignee is not an Eligible
Holder, the Limited Partner Interests owned by such Limited Partner or Assignee shall also be
subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.9. In addition, the
General Partner may require that the status of any such Limited Partner or Assignee be changed to
that of a Non-Eligible Holder and, thereupon, the General Partner shall be substituted for such
Non-Eligible Holder as the Limited Partner in respect of the Non-Eligible Holder’s Limited Partner
Interests.
(c) The General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited Partner
Interests held by it on behalf of Non-Eligible Holders, distribute the votes in the same ratios as
the votes of Partners (including the General Partner) in respect of Limited Partner Interests other
than those of Non-Eligible Holders are cast, either for, against or abstaining as to the matter.
(d) Upon dissolution of the Partnership, a Non-Eligible Holder shall have no right to receive
a distribution in kind pursuant to Section 12.4 but shall be entitled to the cash
equivalent thereof, and the Partnership shall provide cash in exchange for an assignment of the
Non-Eligible Holder’s share of any distribution in kind. Such payment and assignment shall be
treated for Partnership purposes as a purchase by the Partnership from the Non-Eligible Holder of
its Limited Partner Interest (representing its right to receive its share of such distribution in
kind).
(e) At any time after a Non-Eligible Holder can and does certify that it has become an
Eligible Holder, a Non-Eligible Holder may, upon application to the General Partner, request
admission as a Substituted Limited Partner with respect to any Limited Partner Interests of such
Non-Eligible Holder not redeemed pursuant to Section 4.9, and upon admission of such
Non-Eligible Holder pursuant to Section 10.2, the General Partner shall cease to be deemed
to be the Limited Partner in respect of the Non-Eligible Holder’s Limited Partner Interests.
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Section 4.9 Redemption of Partnership Interests of Non-Eligible Holders.
(a) If at any time a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to furnish an Eligible Holder
Certification, if a Certification Notice has previously been given, or other information requested
within the 30-day period specified in Section 4.8(b), or if upon receipt of such Eligible
Holder Certification or other information the General Partner determines, with the advice of
counsel, that a Limited Partner or Assignee is not an Eligible Holder, the Partnership may, unless
the Limited Partner or Assignee establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such
Limited Partner or Assignee is an Eligible Holder or has transferred his Partnership Interests to a
Person who is an Eligible Holder and who furnishes an Eligible Holder Certification to the General
Partner prior to the date fixed for redemption as provided below,
(i) Redeem the Limited Partner Interest of such Limited Partner or Assignee as follows:
(A) The General Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the date
fixed for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited Partner or Assignee,
at his last address designated on the records of the Partnership or the records of
the Transfer Agent, by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid. The notice
shall be deemed to have been given when so mailed. The notice shall specify the
Redeemable Interests, the date fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that
payment of the redemption price will be made upon surrender of the Certificate, if
such Redeemable Interests are certificated, evidencing the Redeemable Interests or,
if uncertificated, upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the General Partner of
the ownership of the Redeemable Interests, and that on and after the date fixed for
redemption no further allocations or distributions to which the Limited Partner or
Assignee would otherwise be entitled in respect of the Redeemable Interests will
accrue or be made;
(B) The aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an amount
equal to the lower of (1) the original purchase price for such Redeemable Interests
or (2) the Current Market Price (the date of determination of which shall be the
date fixed for redemption) of Limited Partner Interests of the class to be so
redeemed multiplied by the number of Limited Partner Interests of each such class
included among the Redeemable Interests. The redemption price shall be paid, as
determined by the General Partner, in cash or by delivery of an unsecured promissory
note of the Partnership in the principal amount of the redemption price, bearing
interest at the rate of 5% annually and payable in three equal annual installments
of principal together with accrued interest, commencing one year after the
redemption date, which promissory note shall be subordinated to the extent required
by any applicable existing credit agreement, indenture or similar agreement;
(C) Upon surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner or Assignee, at the
place specified in the notice of redemption, of (x) if certificated, the Certificate
evidencing the Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by an
assignment duly executed in blank, or (y) if uncertificated,
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upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the General Partner of the ownership
of the Redeemable Interests, the Limited Partner or Assignee or his duly authorized
representative shall be entitled to receive the payment therefor;
(D) After the redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer constitute
issued and Outstanding Limited Partner Interests; or
(ii) Withhold from such Limited Partner or Assignee any distributions payable pursuant
to Section 6.3(a) in respect of the Limited Partner Interests held by such Limited
Partner or Assignee, such withheld distributions to remain part of the Partnership’s assets.
Upon the earlier of (A) the receipt by the General Partner of the required Eligible Holder
Certification from such Limited Partner or Assignee or (B) the transfer of such Limited
Partner Interests by such Limited Partner, any previously withheld distributions shall be
paid to such Limited Partner (without interest).
(b) The provisions of this Section 4.9 shall also be applicable to Limited Partner
Interests held by a Limited Partner or Assignee as nominee of a Person determined to be other than
an Eligible Holder.
(c) Nothing in this Section 4.9 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of redemption
from transferring his Limited Partner Interest before the redemption date if such transfer is
otherwise permitted under this Agreement. Upon receipt of notice of such a transfer, the General
Partner shall withdraw the notice of redemption, provided the transferee of such Limited Partner
Interest certifies to the satisfaction of the General Partner in a Transfer Application, if a
Transfer Application Notice has previously been given, that he is an Eligible Holder, if a
Certification Notice has previously been given. If the transferee fails to make such
certification, such redemption shall be effected from the transferee on the original redemption
date.
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
Section 5.1 Organizational Contributions.
In connection with the formation of the Partnership under the Delaware Act, the General
Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $1.00 (the
“Organizational GP Contribution Amount”) and agreed to render all services necessary for
the management of the Partnership Group in exchange for the 0.1% General Partner Interest and has
been admitted as the General Partner of the Partnership. The Organizational Limited Partner made
an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $999.00 for a 99.9% Limited
Partner Interest in the Partnership and has been admitted as a Limited Partner of the Partnership.
As of the Closing Date, as provided in the Contribution Agreement, (i) the interest of the
Organizational Limited Partner shall be redeemed as provided in the Contribution Agreement; and
(ii) the Organizational GP Contribution Amount shall be refunded to the General Partner. Ninety
Nine and 9/10ths percent of any interest or other profit that may have resulted from the investment
or other use of such initial Capital Contributions shall be allocated and distributed to the
Organizational Limited Partner, and the balance thereof shall be allocated and distributed to the
General Partner.
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Section 5.2 Contributions by the General Partner and Pioneer USA.
(a) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, Pioneer USA shall
contribute to the General Partner, as a Capital Contribution, 0.10295172491645% of the ownership
interests in the Operating Company, and the General Partner shall convey such interests to the
Partnership in exchange for a continuation of the 0.1% General Partner Interest.
(b) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, Pioneer USA shall
contribute to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, 73.3573936581775% of the ownership
interests in the Operating Company in exchange for 20,521,200 Common Units.
(c) Upon the issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership at any
time after the Closing Date pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option, the General Partner shall, in
exchange for a proportionate number of General Partner Units, make additional Capital Contributions
in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the quotient determined by dividing
(A) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest by (B) 100 less the General Partner’s Percentage
Interest times (ii) the amount contributed to the Partnership by the Limited Partners in exchange
for such additional Limited Partner Interests. Except as set forth in this Section 5.2(c)
(upon the issue of additional Limited Partner Interests in respect of the exercise of the
Over-Allotment Option) and Article XII, the General Partner shall not be obligated to make
any additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership.
(d) Upon the issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership, the
General Partner may, in exchange for a proportionate number of General Partner Units, make
additional Capital Contributions in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the
quotient determined by dividing (A) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest by (B) 100 less the
General Partner’s Percentage Interest times (ii) the amount contributed to the Partnership by the
Limited Partners in exchange for such additional Limited Partner Interests. Except as set forth in
this Section 5.2 or Article XII, the General Partner shall not be obligated to make
any additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership.
(e) The sequencing of transactions set forth in this Section 5.2 and Section
5.3 shall be consummated in the order set forth in the Contribution Agreement and the LLC
Interests Sale Agreement.
Section 5.3 Contributions by the Underwriters; Sale of Operating Company Interest.
(a) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter shall
contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit,
multiplied by the number of Common Units specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by
such Underwriter at the Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the
Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such
Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the cash
contribution to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per
Initial Common Unit.
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(b) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the LLC Interest Sale Agreement, Pioneer USA shall
sell to the Partnership a 26.5396546169060% interest in the Operating Company in exchange for
payment by the Partnership of $141,061,250 in cash.
(c) Upon the exercise, if any, of the Over-Allotment Option, each Underwriter shall contribute
to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied
by the number of Common Units to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Option Closing Date. In
exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common
Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to
the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the cash contributions to the Partnership by or on behalf of
such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit.
(d) The net proceeds, if any, from the Capital Contributions made in respect of an exercise of
the Over-Allotment Option pursuant to Section 5.2(c) (if applicable) and Section
5.3(c) shall be contributed by the Partnership to the Operating Company, which shall use such
Capital Contributions to acquire additional oil and gas properties and related assets from Pioneer
USA or its subsidiaries pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and as more fully described in the
Registration Statement.
(e) No Limited Partner Interests will be issued or issuable as of or at the Closing Date other
than (i) the Common Units issuable pursuant to subparagraph (a) hereof in aggregate number equal to
8,250,000, (ii) the “Option Units” as such term is used in the Underwriting Agreement in an
aggregate number up to 1,237,500 issuable upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option pursuant to
subparagraph (c) hereof, (iii) the Common Units issuable pursuant to Section 5.2(b) and
(iv) pursuant to Section 7.4(c).
Section 5.4 Interest and Withdrawal.
No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner or Assignee
shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if
any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon termination of the Partnership may
be considered as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to
the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner or Assignee shall have priority over
any other Partner or Assignee either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits,
losses or distributions. Any such return shall be a compromise to which all Partners and Assignees
agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.
Section 5.5 Capital Accounts.
(a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of Partnership
Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such
owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method
acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a separate Capital Account with
respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). Such Capital Account shall be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital
Contributions made to the Partnership with respect to such Partnership Interest and (ii) all items
of Partnership income and gain (including Simulated Gain and income and gain
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exempt from tax) computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and allocated with respect
to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1, and decreased by (x) the amount of
cash or Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions of cash or property made with
respect to such Partnership Interest and (y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss (including
Simulated Depletion and Simulated Loss) computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and
allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1.
(b) For purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss, deduction,
Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss which is to be allocated pursuant to
Article VI and is to be reflected in the Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination,
recognition and classification of any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition
and classification for federal income tax purposes (including any method of depreciation, cost
recovery or amortization used for that purpose), provided, that:
(i) Solely for purposes of this Section 5.5, the Partnership shall be treated
as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner based upon
the provisions of the applicable Group Member Agreement) of all property owned by (x) any
other Group Member that is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and
(y) any other partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other
entity classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes of which a Group Member
is, directly or indirectly, a partner.
(ii) All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of (or
to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted nor amortized under Section 709
of the Code, if any, shall, for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an
item of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred and shall be
allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1.
(iii) Except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m),
the computation of all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, Simulated Depletion,
Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss shall be made without regard to any election under Section
754 of the Code which may be made by the Partnership and, as to those items described in
Section 705(a)(1)(B) or 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without regard to the fact that such items
are not includable in gross income or are neither currently deductible nor capitalized for
federal income tax purposes. To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any
Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining
Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as
an item of gain or loss.
(iv) Any income, gain, loss, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss attributable to the
taxable disposition of any Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis
of such property as of such date of disposition were equal in amount to the Partnership’s
Carrying Value with respect to such property as of such date.
(v) In accordance with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code, any deductions
for depreciation, cost recovery, amortization or Simulated Depletion
34
attributable to any Contributed Property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis
of such property on the date it was acquired by the Partnership were equal to the Agreed
Value of such property. Upon an adjustment pursuant to Section 5.5(d) to the
Carrying Value of any Partnership property subject to depreciation, cost recovery,
amortization or Simulated Depletion, any further deductions for such depreciation, cost
recovery, amortization or Simulated Depletion attributable to such property shall be
determined under the rules prescribed by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d) as if the
adjusted basis of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property
immediately following such adjustment.
(vi) In the event the Gross Liability Value of any Liability of the Partnership
described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i) is adjusted as required by this
Agreement, the amount of such adjustment shall be treated as an item of loss (if the
adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership) or an item of
gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership)
and shall be taken into account for purposes of computing Net Income or Net Loss.
(c) A transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a pro rata portion of the Capital
Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership Interest so transferred.
(d) (i) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), on an issuance
of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the issuance of
Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services or the conversion of
the General Partner’s Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to Section 11.3(b),
the Capital Account of all Partners and the Carrying Value of each Partnership property
immediately prior to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any
Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, as if such
Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had been recognized on an actual sale of each such
property for an amount equal to its fair market value immediately prior to such issuance and
had been allocated to the Partners at such time pursuant to Section 6.1(c) in the
same manner as any item of gain, loss, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss actually recognized
following an event giving rise to the liquidation of the Partnership would have been
allocated. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate cash
amount and fair market value of all Partnership assets (including cash or cash equivalents)
immediately prior to the issuance of additional Partnership Interests shall be determined by
the General Partner using such reasonable method of valuation as it may adopt;
provided, however, that the General Partner, in arriving at such valuation,
must take fully into account the fair market value of the Partnership Interests of all
Partners at such time. The General Partner shall allocate such aggregate value among the
assets of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines) to arrive at a fair market value
for individual properties.
(ii) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately
prior to any actual or deemed distribution to a Partner of any Partnership property (other
than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership
Interest), the Capital Accounts of all Partners and the Carrying Value of all
35
Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized
Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, as if such Unrealized
Gain or Unrealized Loss had been recognized on an actual sale of each such property
immediately prior to such distribution for an amount equal to its fair market value, and had
been allocated to the Partners, at such time, pursuant to Section 6.1(c) in the same
manner as any item of gain, loss, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss actually recognized
following an event giving rise to the liquidation of the Partnership would have been
allocated. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss the aggregate cash amount
and fair market value of all Partnership assets (including cash or cash equivalents)
immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of an actual distribution that is
not made pursuant to Section 12.4 or in the case of a deemed distribution, be
determined and allocated in the same manner as that provided in Section 5.5(d)(i) or
(B) in the case of a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 12.4, be
determined and allocated by the Liquidator using such method of valuation as it may adopt.
Section 5.6 Issuances of Additional Partnership Securities.
(a) The Partnership may issue additional Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants
and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities for any Partnership purpose at any time
and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as
the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partner.
(b) Each additional Partnership Security or option, right, warrant or appreciation right
relating to such Partnership Security authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to
Section 5.6(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such
classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior to
existing classes and series of Partnership Securities), as shall be fixed by the General Partner,
including (i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) the right
to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the
Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or shall be
required to redeem such Partnership Security or option, right, warrant or appreciation right
relating to such Partnership Security (including sinking fund provisions); (v) whether such
Partnership Security or option, right, warrant and appreciation right relating to such Partnership
Security is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and
conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which such
Partnership Security or option, right, warrant and appreciation right relating to such Partnership
Security will be issued, evidenced by certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method
for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Security or option, right, warrant
and appreciation right relating to such Partnership Security; and (viii) the right, if any, of such
Partnership Security or option, right, warrant and appreciation right relating to such Partnership
Security to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights,
preferences and privileges of such Partnership Security or option, right, warrant and appreciation
right relating to such Partnership Security.
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(c) The General Partner shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or
appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Securities and options, rights,
warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section
5.6, (ii) the conversion of the General Partner Interest into Units pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement, (iii) the admission of Additional Limited Partners and (iv) all additional
issuances of Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating
to Partnership Securities. The General Partner shall determine the relative rights, powers and
duties of the holders of the Units or other Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants
and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities being so issued. The General Partner
shall do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and directed to do
all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance
of Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Securities or in connection with the conversion of the General Partner Interest into
Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule,
regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National
Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Securities or options, rights, warrants
and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities are listed or admitted to trading.
(d) The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution, subdivision or
combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or combination of Units would result in the
issuance of fractional Units but for the provisions of this Section 5.6(d), each fractional
Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (and a 0.5 Unit shall be rounded to the next higher
Unit).
Section 5.7 Limited Preemptive Right.
Except as provided in this Section 5.7 and in Section 5.2 or as provided
pursuant to the terms of any securities issued, or agreements entered into in connection with the
issuance of any securities issued, pursuant to Section 5.6, no Person shall have any
preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any Partnership
Security or option, right, warrant and appreciation right relating to any Partnership Security,
whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created. The General Partner shall have the
right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates, to
purchase Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Securities from the Partnership whenever, and on the same terms that, the Partnership
issues Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Securities to Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, to the extent
necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates equal to
that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such Partnership Securities or options,
rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities.
Section 5.8 Splits and Combinations.
(a) The Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Securities or options,
rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities to all Record Holders
or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities or options, rights, warrants
and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities so long as, after any such
37
event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such
event, subject to Section 5.6(d), and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis or stated
as a number of Units are proportionately adjusted.
(b) Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities or
options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities is declared,
the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or
combination shall be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record
Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice.
The General Partner also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to
calculate the number of Partnership Securities or options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights
relating to Partnership Securities to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such
distribution, subdivision or combination. The General Partner shall be entitled to rely on any
certificate provided by such firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.
(c) Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the Partnership may
issue Certificates or uncertificated Partnership Securities to the Record Holders of Partnership
Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities
as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Securities and options,
rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities held by such Record
Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other procedures that it determines to be necessary
or appropriate to reflect such changes. If any such combination results in a smaller total number
of Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Securities Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a condition to the delivery
to a Record Holder of such new Certificate, the surrender of any Certificate, if such securities
are certificated, held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.
Section 5.9 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests.
All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of,
this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the
Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 17-607 or Section 17-804
of the Delaware Act.
ARTICLE VI
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes.
For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of the Partners
among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss, deduction, Simulated Depletion,
Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss (computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) shall be
allocated among the Partners in each taxable year (or portion thereof) as provided herein below.
(a) Net Income. After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in
Sections 6.1(d) and (e) and any allocations to other Partnership Securities, Net
Income for each taxable
38
period and all items of income, gain, loss, deduction and Simulated Gain taken into account in
computing Net Income for such taxable period shall be allocated to the Partners in accordance with
their respective Percentage Interests.
(b) Net Losses. After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in
Sections 6.1(d) and (e) and any allocations to other Partnership Securities, Net
Losses for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss, deduction and Simulated Gain
taken into account in computing Net Losses for such taxable period shall be allocated to the
Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests; provided that Net Losses
shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b) to the extent that such allocation
would cause any Limited Partner to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the
end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital
Account), instead any such Net Losses shall be allocated to the General Partner.
(c) Net Termination Gains and Losses. After giving effect to the special allocations
set forth in Sections 6.1(d) and (e), all items of income, gain, loss, deduction
and Simulated Gain taken into account in computing Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss for
such taxable period shall be allocated in the same manner as such Net Termination Gain or Net
Termination Loss is allocated hereunder. All allocations under this Section 6.1(c) shall
be made after Capital Account balances have been adjusted by all other allocations provided under
this Section 6.1 and after all distributions of Available Cash provided under Section
6.3 have been made; provided, however, that solely for purposes of this
Section 6.1(c), Capital Accounts shall not be adjusted for distributions made pursuant to
Section 12.4.
(i) If a Net Termination Gain is recognized (or deemed recognized pursuant to
Section 5.5(d)), such Net Termination Gain shall be allocated among the Partners in
the following manner (and the Capital Accounts of the Partners shall be increased by the
amount so allocated in each of the following subclauses, in the order listed, before an
allocation is made pursuant to the next succeeding subclause):
(A) First, to each Partner having a deficit balance in its Capital
Account, in the proportion that such deficit balance bears to the total deficit
balances in the Capital Accounts of all Partners, until each such Partner has been
allocated Net Termination Gain equal to any such deficit balance in its Capital
Account; and
(B) Second, 100% to all Partners in accordance with their respective
Percentage Interests.
(ii) If a Net Termination Loss is recognized (or deemed recognized pursuant to
Section 5.5(d)), such Net Termination Loss shall be allocated among the Partners in
the following manner:
(A) First, 100% to all Partners in accordance with their respective
Percentage Interests, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then
Outstanding has been reduced to zero; and
(B) Second, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
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(d) Special Allocations. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section
6.1, the following special allocations shall be made for such taxable period:
(i) Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Section 6.1, if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain during
any Partnership taxable period, each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income,
gain and Simulated Gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the
manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and
1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d),
each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of
income, gain and Simulated Gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the
application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) with respect to
such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to Sections 6.1(d)(v) and
6.1(d)(vi)). This Section 6.1(d)(i) is intended to comply with the
Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f)
and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
(ii) Chargeback of Partner Non-Recourse Debt Minimum Gain. Notwithstanding the
other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other than Section 6.1(d)(i)), except
as provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in
Partner Non-Recourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, any Partner
with a share of Partner Non-Recourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable
period shall be allocated items of Partnership income, gain and Simulated Gain for such
period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in
Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor
provisions. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital
Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income, gain and Simulated Gain
required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations
pursuant to this Section 6.1(d), other than Section 6.1(d)(i) and other than
an allocation pursuant to Sections 6.1(d)(v) and 6.1(d)(vi), with respect to
such taxable period. This Section 6.1(d)(ii) is intended to comply with the
chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
(iii) Qualified Income Offset. In the event any Partner unexpectedly receives
any adjustments, allocations or distributions described in Treasury Regulation 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), items of
Partnership income, gain and Simulated Gain shall be specially allocated to such Partner in
an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Treasury
Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in
its Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations or distributions as
quickly as possible unless such deficit balance is otherwise eliminated pursuant to
Section 6.1(d)(i) or Section 6.1(d)(ii).
(iv) Gross Income Allocations. In the event any Partner has a deficit balance
in its Capital Account at the end of any Partnership taxable period in excess of the sum of
(A) the amount such Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of this
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Agreement and (B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to
Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be specially
allocated items of Partnership gross income, gain and Simulated Gain in the amount of such
excess as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this
Section 6.1(d)(iv) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would
have a deficit balance in its Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations
provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if this Section
6.1(d)(iv) were not in this Agreement.
(v) Non-Recourse Deductions. Non-Recourse Deductions for any taxable period
shall be allocated to the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.
If the General Partner determines that the Partnership’s Non-Recourse Deductions should be
allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Treasury
Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized,
upon notice to the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically closest
ratio that does satisfy such requirements.
(vi) Partner Non-Recourse Deductions. Partner Non-Recourse Deductions for any
taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss
with respect to the Partner Non-Recourse Debt to which such Partner Non-Recourse Deductions
are attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i). If more than
one Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner Non-Recourse Debt,
such Partner Non-Recourse Deductions attributable thereto shall be allocated between or
among such Partners in accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of
Loss.
(vii) Non-Recourse Liabilities. For purposes of Treasury Regulation Section
1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that Non-Recourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess
of the sum of (A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of
Non-Recourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated among the Partners in accordance with their
respective Percentage Interests.
(viii) Code Section 754 Adjustments. To the extent an adjustment to the
adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code
is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), 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 or Simulated Gain (if the adjustment increases
the basis of the asset) or loss or Simulated Loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis),
and such item of gain, loss, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss shall be specially allocated
to the Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are
required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury Regulations.
(ix) Curative Allocation.
(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, other than
the Required Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be taken into account in
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making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount
of items of income, gain, loss, deduction, Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain and
Simulated Loss allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required Allocations and
the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount of such items
that would have been allocated to each such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had
the Required Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not otherwise been
provided in this Section 6.1. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence,
Required Allocations relating to (1) Non-Recourse Deductions shall not be taken into
account for the purposes of this Section 6.1(d)(ix) except to the extent
that there has been a decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain and (2) Partner
Non-Recourse Deductions shall not be taken into account for the purposes of this
Section 6.1(d)(ix) except to the extent that there has been a decrease in
Partner Non-Recourse Debt Minimum Gain. Allocations pursuant to this Section
6.1(d)(ix)(A) shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to the
extent the General Partner determines that such Required Allocations will otherwise
be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners. Further,
allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(ix)(A) shall be deferred with
respect to allocations pursuant to clauses (1) and (2) hereof to the extent the
General Partner determines that such allocations are likely to be offset by
subsequent Required Allocations.
(B) The General Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply
the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(ix)(A) in whatever order is most likely to
minimize the economic distortions that might otherwise result from the Required
Allocations and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(ix)(A)
among the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic distortions.
(x) Corrective Allocations. In the event of any Book-Down Event or any
recognition of a Net Termination Loss, the following rules shall apply:
(A) In the case of any negative adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the
Partners resulting from a Book-Down Event or from the recognition of a Net
Termination Loss, such negative adjustment (1) shall first be allocated, to the
extent of the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments, in such a manner, as
determined by the General Partner, that to the extent possible the aggregate Capital
Accounts of the Partners will equal the amount that would have been the Capital
Account balance of the Partners if no prior Book-Up Events had occurred, and (2) any
negative adjustment in excess of the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments
shall be allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c).
(B) In making the allocations required under this Section 6.1(d)(x),
the General Partner may apply whatever conventions or other methodology it
determines will satisfy the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(x).
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(e) Simulated Basis, Simulated Depletion and Simulated Loss.
(i) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i), Simulated
Depletion with respect to each Oil and Gas Property shall be allocated among the Partners in
accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.
(ii) Simulated Loss with respect to the disposition of an Oil and Gas Property shall be
allocated among the Partners in proportion to their allocable share of total amount realized
from such disposition under Section 6.2(c)(i).
Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes.
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes, each item of income,
gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its
correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Section
6.1.
(b) The deduction for depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property (as defined
in Section 614 of the Code) shall be computed for federal income tax purposes separately by the
Partners rather than by the Partnership in accordance with Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Code.
Except as provided in Section 6.2(c)(iii), for purposes of such computation (before taking
into account any adjustments resulting from an election made by the Partnership under Section 754
of the Code), the adjusted tax basis of each oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the
Code) shall be allocated among the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
Each Partner shall separately keep records of his share of the adjusted tax basis in each oil
and gas property, allocated as provided above, adjust such share of the adjusted tax basis for any
cost or percentage depletion allowable with respect to such property, and use such adjusted tax
basis in the computation of its cost depletion or in the computation of his gain or loss on the
disposition of such property by the Partnership.
(c) Except as provided in Section 6.2(c)(iii), for the purposes of the separate
computation of gain or loss by each Partner on the sale or disposition of each separate oil and gas
property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code), the Partnership’s allocable share of the “amount
realized” (as such term is defined in Section 1001(b) of the Code) from such sale or disposition
shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Partners as follows:
(i) first, to the extent such amount realized constitutes a recovery of the Simulated
Basis of the property, to the Partners in the same proportion as the depletable basis of
such property was allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.2(b) (without
regard to any special allocation of basis under Section 6.2(c)(iii)); and
(ii) second, the remainder of such amount realized, if any, to the Partners so that, to
the maximum extent possible, the amount realized allocated to each Partner under this
Section 6.2(c)(ii) will equal such Partner’s share of the Simulated Gain recognized
by the Partnership from such sale or disposition.
43
(iii) The Partners recognize that with respect to Contributed Property and Adjusted
Property there will be a difference between the Carrying Value of such property at the time
of contribution or revaluation, as the case may be, and the adjusted tax basis of such
property at that time. All items of tax depreciation, cost recovery, amortization, adjusted
tax basis of depletable properties, amount realized and gain or loss with respect to such
Contributed Property and Adjusted Property shall be allocated among the Partners to take
into account the disparities between the Carrying Values and the adjusted tax basis with
respect to such properties in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-3(d).
(iv) Any elections or other decisions relating to such allocations shall be made by the
Board of Directors in any manner that reasonably reflects the purpose and intention of the
Agreement.
(d) In an attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed Property or
Adjusted Property, other than oil and gas properties subject to Section 6.2(c), items of
income, gain, loss, depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be allocated for
federal income tax purposes among the Partners as follows:
(i) (A) In the case of a Contributed Property, such items attributable thereto shall be
allocated among the Partners in the manner provided under Section 704(c) of the Code that
takes into account the variation between the Agreed Value of such property and its adjusted
basis at the time of contribution; and (B) any item of Residual Gain or Residual Loss
attributable to a Contributed Property shall be allocated among the Partners in the same
manner as its correlative item of “book” gain or loss is allocated pursuant to Section
6.1.
(ii) (A) In the case of an Adjusted Property, such items shall (1) first, be allocated
among the Partners in a manner consistent with the principles of Section 704(c) of the Code
to take into account the Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such property
and the allocations thereof pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or 5.5(d)(ii), and
(2) second, in the event such property was originally a Contributed Property, be allocated
among the Partners in a manner consistent with Section 6.2(d)(i)(A); and (B) any
item of Residual Gain or Residual Loss attributable to an Adjusted Property shall be
allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of “book” gain or
loss is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
(iii) The General Partner shall apply the principles of Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-3(d) to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities.
(e) For the proper administration of the Partnership or for the preservation of uniformity of
the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof), the General Partner shall (i)
adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of depreciation,
amortization and cost recovery deductions; (ii) make special allocations for federal income tax
purposes of income (including gross income) or deductions; and (iii) amend the provisions of this
Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under
Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to
44
preserve or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes
thereof). The General Partner may adopt such conventions, make such allocations and make such
amendments to this Agreement as provided in this Section 6.2(e) only if such conventions,
allocations or amendments would not have a material adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of
any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests issued and Outstanding or the Partnership, and if
such allocations are consistent with the principles of Section 704 of the Code.
(f) The General Partner may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an adjustment
under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property
(to the extent of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate derived from the
depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity
of such property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury Regulation Section
1.167(c)-l(a)(6), the legislative history of Section 743 of the Code or any successor regulations
thereto. If the General Partner determines that such reporting position cannot reasonably be
taken, the General Partner may adopt depreciation and amortization conventions under which all
purchasers acquiring Limited Partner Interests in the same month would receive depreciation and
amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct
interest in the Partnership’s property. If the General Partner chooses not to utilize such
aggregate method, the General Partner may use any other depreciation and amortization conventions
to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Limited Partner Interests,
so long as such conventions would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the
Record Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests.
(g) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.1245-1(e) and Treasury Regulation Section
1.1250-1(f), any gain allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable disposition of any
Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after taking into account other required
allocations of gain pursuant to this Section 6.2, be characterized as Recapture Income in
the same proportions and to the same extent as such Partners (or their predecessors in interest)
have been allocated any deductions directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such
gains as Recapture Income.
(h) All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for
federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof
shall be determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made
by the Partnership; provided, however, that such allocations, once made, shall be
adjusted (in the manner determined by the General Partner) to take into account those adjustments
permitted or required by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.
(i) Each item of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction, for federal income tax
purposes, shall be determined on an annual basis and prorated on a monthly basis and shall be
allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on the first Business
Day of each month; provided, however, that such items for the period beginning on
the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in which the Option Closing Date or the
expiration of the Over-Allotment Option occurs shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening
of the New York Stock Exchange on the first Business Day of the next succeeding month; and
provided, further, that gain or loss on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the
Partnership
45
or any other extraordinary item of income or loss realized and recognized other than in the
ordinary course of business, as determined by the General Partner, shall be allocated to the
Partners as of the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on the first Business Day of the month in
which such gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes. The General Partner may
revise, alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation to the extent permitted or required by
Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder.
(j) Allocations that would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the provisions of this
Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of Limited Partner Interests held
by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the
Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method determined by the
General Partner.
Section 6.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record
Holders.
(a) Except as described in Section 6.3(b), within 45 days following the end of each
Quarter commencing with the Quarter ending on June 30, 2008, an amount equal to 100% of Available
Cash with respect to such Quarter shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, be
distributed to the Partners in accordance with this Article VI by the Partnership to the
Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests as of the Record Date selected by
the General Partner. All distributions required to be made under this Agreement shall be made
subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
(b) The General Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, or amounts
withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the Partners, as a distribution of Available Cash
to such Partners.
(c) Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership,
directly or through the Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only to the Record
Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment
shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such
payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason
of an assignment or otherwise.
(d) Any distribution that would otherwise be a fraction of one cent based on all Partnership
Interests owned by a Record Holder shall be rounded down to the nearest whole cent, unless
otherwise required pursuant to the rules or regulations of the National Stock Exchange on which any
Units are listed for trading.
ARTICLE VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
Section 7.1 Management.
(a) The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership.
Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all management powers over the business
and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner,
46
and no Limited Partner or Assignee shall have any management power over the business and
affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general partner
of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner under any
other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Section 7.3, shall have
full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or
appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in
Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4, including the
following:
(i) the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption
or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance
of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into Partnership
Securities or any options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership
Securities, and the incurring of any other obligations;
(ii) the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other
reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of
the Partnership;
(iii) the (A) acquisition of assets from third parties or the General Partner and its
Affiliates or (B) disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of
any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the merger or other combination of the
Partnership with or into another Person (the matters described in clause (iii)(B) being
subject, however, to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.3 and
Article XIV);
(iv) the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose
consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the conduct of the
operations of the Partnership Group; subject to Section 7.6(a), the lending of funds
to other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or guarantee of obligations
of any Group Member; and the making of capital contributions to any Group Member;
(v) the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other
instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership under
contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other
party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other
than its interest in the Partnership, even if that results in the terms of the transaction
being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case);
(vi) the distribution of Partnership cash;
(vii) the selection and dismissal of employees (including employees having titles such
as “president,” “vice president,” “secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents, outside
attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their
compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;
(viii) the maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group, the
Partners and Indemnitees;
47
(ix) the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of
property and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint
ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other relationships (including the
acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property to, any Group Member from
time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.4;
(x) the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership,
including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and otherwise engaging
in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense
and the settlement of claims and litigation;
(xi) the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the
extent permitted by law;
(xii) the entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange and
the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests from, or requesting that
trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be
required under Section 4.7);
(xiii) the issuance, purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership
Securities, or the issuance, purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of options,
rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities;
(xiv) the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation
in any Group Member; and
(xv) the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to a
Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the
Partnership.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the
Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and the Assignees and
each other Person who may acquire an interest in Partnership Securities hereby (i) approves,
ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of this
Agreement and the Group Member Agreement of each other Group Member, the Underwriting Agreement,
the Contribution Agreement, the Services Agreement, the Omnibus Agreement, the Tax Sharing
Agreement, the Purchase Agreement, the Indemnification Agreements, the LLC Interest Sale Agreement,
the Operating Agreements, the Omnibus Operating Agreement, the Formation Date Merger Agreement and
the other agreements or employment benefit plans or arrangements described in or filed as exhibits
to the Registration Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the Registration
Statement; (ii) agrees that the General Partner or any member of the Partnership Group is
authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements or employment benefit plans or
arrangements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts,
transactions and matters described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of
the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the Assignees or the
other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Securities; and (iii) agrees that the
execution, delivery or performance by
48
the General Partner, any Group Member or any of their respective Affiliates of this Agreement
or any agreement or employment benefit plan or arrangement authorized or permitted under this
Agreement (including the exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of
the rights accorded pursuant to Article XV) shall not constitute a breach by the General
Partner of any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any
other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or of any duty stated or implied by
law or equity.
Section 7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership.
The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the Delaware Act. The General Partner
shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents that the
General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation,
qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited
partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in which the
Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent the General Partner determines
such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and
restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the
Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited
partners have limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state in
which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of
Section 3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to
deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any
amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.
Section 7.3 Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority.
Except as provided in Articles XII and XIV, the General Partner may not sell,
exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group,
taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (including by way of
merger, consolidation, other combination or sale of ownership interests of the Partnership’s
Subsidiaries) without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority; provided,
however, that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to
mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the
assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the assets
of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such
encumbrance. Without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority, the General Partner shall not, on
behalf of the Partnership, except as permitted under Sections 4.6, 11.1 and
11.2, elect or cause the Partnership to elect a successor general partner of the
Partnership.
Section 7.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner.
(a) Except as provided in this Section 7.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the
General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member
of any Group Member.
49
(b) Subject to the limitations contained in the Services Agreement, the General Partner and
its Affiliates shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the General Partner
may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses the General Partner or its Affiliates incur
or payments any of them make on behalf of the General Partner or any member of the Partnership
Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person,
including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services for the Partnership Group or for
the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group), and (ii) all other
expenses allocable to the Partnership Group or otherwise incurred by the General Partner and its
Affiliates in connection with operating the Partnership Group’s business (including expenses
allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates). The General Partner shall determine the
expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this Section
7.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of
indemnification pursuant to Section 7.7.
(c) The General Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no right
to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership employee benefit
plans, employee programs and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices involving
the issuance of Partnership Securities or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating
to Partnership Securities), or cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Securities or options,
rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities in connection with, or
pursuant to, any employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or
sponsored by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of
employees of the General Partner or its Affiliates, or any Group Member or its Affiliates, or any
of them, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the
Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to issue to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates
any Partnership Securities or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Securities that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide to any
employees pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices.
The General Partner may cause the Partnership to acquire and to deliver to the beneficiary under an
employee benefit plan, employee plan or employee practice any Partnership Securities or options,
rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities. Expenses incurred by
the General Partner or its Affiliates in connection with any such plans, programs and practices
(including the net cost to the General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Securities or
options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities purchased by
the General Partner or such Affiliates from the Partnership to fulfill options or awards under such
plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.4(b). Any
and all obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit plans, employee programs or
employee practices adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.4(c) shall
constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor
General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or
successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.
Section 7.5 Outside Activities.
(a) After the Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of
the Partnership, (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as a general partner or
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managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other partnership or limited
liability company of which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner or member and to
undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto (including being a limited partner in
the Partnership) and (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or
liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general partner or
managing member, if any, of one or more Group Members or (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of
debt or equity securities in any Group Member.
(b) Subject to the terms of Section 7.5(a) and, if applicable, the Omnibus Agreement,
each Indemnitee (other than the General Partner) shall have the right, directly or indirectly, to
engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in
and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, whether in
businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with
others, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the business and
activities of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or
any duty expressed or implied by law to any Group Member or any Partner or Assignee.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the engaging in competitive
activities by any Indemnitees (other than the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of
this Section 7.5 and the Omnibus Agreement is hereby approved by the Partnership and all
Partners and (ii) it shall be deemed not to be breach of any fiduciary duty or any other obligation
of any type whatsoever of the General Partner or of any Indemnitee for the Indemnitees (other than
the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in preference to or to the
exclusion of the Partnership.
(c) Subject to the terms of Sections 7.5(a) and 7.5(b) and the Omnibus
Agreement, but otherwise notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the doctrine
of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to an Indemnitee
(including the General Partner) and no Indemnitee (including the General Partner) who acquires
knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter (including any
potential acquisition opportunities from third parties or otherwise) that may be an opportunity for
the Partnership shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Partnership or
to allow the Partnership to participate in any such potential transaction, agreement, arrangement
or other matter (including any potential acquisitions opportunities from third parties or
otherwise), and such Indemnitee (including the General Partner) shall not be liable to the
Partnership, to any Limited Partner or any other Person for breach of any fiduciary or other duty
by reason of the fact that such Indemnitee (including the General Partner) directs such opportunity
to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Partnership or,
subject to Section 7.5(a) in the case of the General Partner only, pursues such opportunity
or acquires it for itself.
(d) The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other Partnership
Securities or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to such Partnership
Securities in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise provided in
this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise, at their sole discretion, all rights relating to all
Units or other Partnership Securities or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating
to such Partnership Securities acquired by them. The term “Affiliates” when used in this
Section 7.5(d) with respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group Member.
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(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or at law or equity, to the
extent that any provision of this Section 7.5 purports or is interpreted to have the effect
of restricting, eliminating or otherwise modifying the fiduciary duties that might otherwise, as a
result of Delaware or other applicable law, be owed by the General Partner to the Partnership and
its Limited Partners, or to constitute a waiver or consent by the Limited Partners to any such
fiduciary duty, such provisions in this Section 7.5 shall be deemed to have been approved
by the Partners.
Section 7.6 Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or
Group Members.
(a) The General Partner or any of its Affiliates may, but shall be under no obligation to,
lend to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates, funds needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in such
amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided, however, that in any such
case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate greater than the rate
that would be charged the borrowing party or impose terms less favorable to the borrowing party
than would be charged or imposed on the borrowing party by unrelated lenders on comparable loans
made on an arm’s-length basis (without reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or
guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner. Any loan to any Group Member made by the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates the terms of which are approved by Special Approval shall
be deemed for all purposes to meet the requirements of this Section 7.6(a). The borrowing
party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs)
incurred by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this
Section 7.6(a) and Section 7.6(b), the term “Group Member” shall include
any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the Group Member.
(b) The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may
borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the General Partner. No
Group Member may lend funds to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates (other than another
Group Member).
Section 7.7 Indemnification.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided
in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from
and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including
legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts
arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative and whether formal or informal and including appeals, in which any
Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of
its status as an Indemnitee; provided, that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and
held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent
jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking
indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged
in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the
Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; provided, further, no indemnification
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pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be available to the General Partner or its
Affiliates (other than a Group Member) (i) with respect to its or their obligations incurred
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (ii) with respect to any matter for which the General
Partner or its Affiliates (other than a Group Member) have agreed to indemnify a Group Member
pursuant to any agreement with a Group Member to which it is subject or (iii) with respect to any
liability incurred by any Affiliate of the General Partner (other than a Group Member) as a result
of any breach by such party of any agreement with a Group Member to which it is subject (in the
case of clause (i) and (ii), other than obligations incurred by the General Partner on behalf of
the Partnership). Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be made only out
of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally
liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or
property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.
(b) Each of the parties to this Agreement hereby agrees and acknowledges that the foregoing
indemnity shall be applicable to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, expenses (including
legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts that
have resulted from or are alleged to have resulted from the active or passive or the sole, joint or
concurrent ordinary or, to the fullest extent permitted by law, gross negligence of an Indemnitee.
(c) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses)
incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.7(a) in appearing at,
participating in or defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to
time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to a determination that the Indemnitee is not entitled
to be indemnified upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the
Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be
indemnified as authorized in this Section 7.7.
(d) The indemnification provided by this Section 7.7 shall be in addition to any other
rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of the
holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to
actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity
(including any capacity under the Underwriting Agreement), and shall continue as to an Indemnitee
who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors,
assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.
(e) The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its
Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner, its Affiliates and such
other Persons as the General Partner shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted
against, or expense that may be incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s
activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of whether the
Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the
provisions of this Agreement.
(f) For purposes of this Section 7.7, the Partnership shall be deemed to have
requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance
by it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves
53
services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes
assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall
constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.7(a); and action taken or
omitted by it with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a
purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries
of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.
(g) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason
of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.
(h) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this
Section 7.7 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which
the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this
Agreement.
(i) The provisions of this Section 7.7 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees, their
heirs, successors, assigns and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the
benefit of any other Persons.
(j) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.7 or any provision hereof
shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee
to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such
Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.7 as in effect
immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or
relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or
repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.
(k) If an Affiliate of the Partnership advances expenses to or indemnifies an Indemnitee with
respect to a matter for which such Indemnitee was entitled to seek advances or indemnification
under Section 7.7, then the Partnership’s obligations to indemnify hereunder shall include
reimbursement of such Affiliate and such Affiliate shall be deemed an Indemnitee hereunder for
purposes of its entitlement to such reimbursement.
Section 7.8 Liability of Indemnitees.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee shall
be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partners, the Assignees or any other
Persons who have acquired interests in the Partnership Securities, for losses sustained or
liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a
final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in
respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful
misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct
was criminal.
(b) The General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and
perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents,
and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of
any such agent appointed by the General Partner in good faith.
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(c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary
duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership or to the Partners, the General Partner
and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not
be liable to the Partnership or to any Partner for its good faith reliance on the provisions of
this Agreement.
(d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any provision hereof
shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the
Indemnitees under this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment,
modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in
whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims
may arise or be asserted.
Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of
Duties.
(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement,
whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of
its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member, any Partner or any
Assignee, on the other hand, any resolution or course of action by the General Partner or its
Affiliates in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all
Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or of any
agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty expressed or implied by law or equity, if
the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is or, by operation of
this Agreement, is deemed to be, fair and reasonable to the Partnership; provided that, any
conflict of interest and any resolution of such conflict of interest shall be deemed fair and
reasonable to the Partnership if such conflict of interest or resolution is (i) approved by Special
Approval, (ii) approved by the vote of a majority of the Common Units (excluding Common Units owned
by the General Partner and its Affiliates), (iii) on terms no less favorable to the Partnership
than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) fair and
reasonable to the Partnership, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the
parties involved. The General Partner and the Conflicts Committee (in connection with a Special
Approval) each shall be authorized in connection with its resolution of any conflict of interest to
consider (i) the relative interests of any party to such conflict, agreement, transaction or
situation and the benefits and burdens relating to such interest; (ii) the totality of the
relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be or have been
particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership); (iii) any customary or accepted
industry practices and any customary or historical dealings with a particular Person; (iv) any
applicable engineering practices or applicable generally accepted accounting practices or
principles; and (v) the relative cost of capital of the parties and the consequent rates of return
to the equity holders of the parties. In addition, the Conflicts Committee (in connection with a
Special Approval) shall be authorized in connection with its resolution of any conflict of interest
to consider such additional factors as the Conflicts Committee determines in its sole discretion to
be relevant, reasonable or appropriate under the circumstances. Nothing contained in this
Agreement, however, is intended to nor shall it be construed to require the Conflicts Committee to
consider the interests of any Person other than the Partnership. The General Partner shall be
authorized but not required in connection with its resolution of any such conflict of interest to
55
seek Special Approval of such resolution, and the General Partner may also adopt a resolution
or course of action that has not received Special Approval. Any resolution, action or terms made,
taken or provided (including granting Special Approval) in good faith by the Conflicts Committee or
the General Partner with respect to any matter shall be conclusive and binding on all Persons
(including all Partners) and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any Group Member
Agreement, of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty imposed, stated or
implied herein or therein or at law or equity. It shall be presumed that the resolution, action or
terms made, taken or provided by the Conflicts Committee or the General Partner was made, taken or
provided in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by any Limited Partner or Assignee or by or
on behalf of such Limited Partner or Assignee or any other Limited Partner or Assignee or the
Partnership challenging such resolution, action or terms, the Person bringing or prosecuting such
proceeding shall have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or equity, the existence of the
conflicts of interests described in the Registration Statement are hereby approved by all Partners
and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or
equity.
(b) Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other
action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its capacity as the general partner of the
Partnership, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement
contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless another express standard is provided for in this
Agreement, the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall make such
determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject
to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any
other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation
or at equity. Whenever the Conflicts Committee makes a determination or takes or declines to take
any other action, it shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in
good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement,
any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or
any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. Any determination or other action will
conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement, if the Person or
Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action subjectively
believes that the decision or action made or taken (or not made or not taken) is in the best
interests of the Partnership; provided, that if the General Partner is making a determination or
taking or declining to take an action pursuant to clause (iii) or clause (iv) of the first sentence
of Section 7.9(a), then in lieu thereof, such determination or other action will
conclusively be deemed to be in good faith for all purposes of this Agreement if the General
Partner subjectively believes that the decision or action made or taken (or not made or not taken)
meets the standard set forth in clause (iii) or clause (iv) of the first sentence of Section
7.9(a), as applicable; provided, further, that in making any determination or taking or
declining to take any other action with respect to a conflict of interest transaction (or a
potential conflict of interest) pursuant to Section 7.9(a), the General Partner and the
Conflicts Committee (in connection with a Special Approval) shall be entitled to consider the
factors enumerated in the second sentence of Section 7.9(a), and the Conflicts Committee
(in connection with a Special Approval) shall also be entitled to consider such additional factors
as it may determine pursuant to the third sentence of Section 7.9(a).
56
(c) Whenever this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated
herein or therein provides that the General Partner or any of its Affiliates is permitted or
required to make a decision in its “sole discretion” or “discretion,” that it deems “necessary or
appropriate” or under a grant of similar authority or latitude, the General Partner or such
Affiliate (i) shall be entitled to consider only such interests and factors as it desires
(including its own), (ii) shall have no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any
interest of, or factors affecting, the Partnership, any Group Member, any Limited Partner or any
Assignee and (iii) shall not be required to fulfill any other standard imposed by this Agreement,
any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or
any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General
Partner votes or transfers its Units or General Partner Interest, to the extent permitted under
this Agreement, or refrains from voting or transferring its Units or General Partner Interest, as
appropriate, or exercising its registration rights pursuant to Section 7.12, such action
shall be deemed to have been taken in its sole discretion. The General Partner’s organizational
documents may provide that determinations to take or decline to take any action in its discretion
or sole discretion may or shall be determined by its members, if the General Partner is a limited
liability company, stockholders, if the General Partner is a corporation, or the members or
stockholders of the General Partner’s general partner, if the General Partner is a limited
partnership.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or at law or equity, the
General Partner and its Affiliates shall have no duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i)
offer to sell or otherwise contribute any assets to the Partnership (whether those assets are owned
by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or whether those assets are being
acquired by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner from a third party), except
where required by any applicable preferential rights existing under any applicable operating
agreements, (ii) sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the
ordinary course of business or (iii) permit any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the
General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time
to time specifically dealing with such use. Any determination by the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall be in their respective sole discretion.
(e) Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither the General Partner nor any other
Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to the Partnership or
any Limited Partner or Assignee, and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they
restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of
the General Partner or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by
the Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the General Partner or such other
Indemnitee.
(f) The Unitholders hereby authorize the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership as a
partner or member of a Group Member, to approve of actions by the general partner or managing
member of such Group Member similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the General Partner
pursuant to this Section 7.9.
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(g) Neither the General Partner nor any of its Affiliates shall be obligated to allow the
Partnership to participate in any exploration, production or drilling opportunities with the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates.
(h) The Limited Partners expressly acknowledge that the General Partner is under no obligation
to consider the separate interests of the individual Limited Partners (including, without
limitation, the individual tax consequences to Limited Partners), as opposed to the Limited
Partners taken as a whole, in deciding whether to cause the Partnership to take (or decline or
take) any actions, and that the General Partner shall not be liable for monetary damages for losses
sustained, liabilities incurred or benefits not derived by Limited Partners in connection with such
decisions.
(i) The Conflicts Committee may establish guidelines and procedures by which conflict matters
within criteria or parameters identified or established by the Conflicts Committee are referred for
review, analysis, negotiation and/or decision to an officer or officers of the General Partner (who
may also be an officer or officers of Pioneer Natural Resources Company and/or any of its
Subsidiaries). Such officer or officers shall operate under conflict of interest rules and
procedures approved by the Conflicts Committee (which rules and procedures may be contained in the
Services Agreement). The resolution of any such conflict matter by such officer or officers shall
be deemed for all purposes of this Agreement to constitute, and shall have the effect of, a Special
Approval. The Conflicts Committee, on a periodic basis established by the Conflicts Committee,
shall review determinations made by the officer or officers of the General Partner in accordance
with the provisions of this Section 7.9(i).
(j) Except with respect to any member of the Conflicts Committee that has a “Recusal
Conflict” (as defined below), members of the Conflicts Committee meeting the requirements set
forth in the definition of “Conflicts Committee” in Section 1.1 hereof shall be deemed for
all purposes to be independent and disinterested and no action by the Conflicts Committee
(including, without limitation, any Special Approval) shall be subject to challenge by or on behalf
of any Partner, the Partnership or any Assignee on the grounds that any member of the Conflicts
Committee was not independent or disinterested so long as such member met the requirements of the
definition of “Conflicts Committee” set forth in Section 1.1 hereof at the time of the
challenged action.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no member of the Conflicts Committee shall be
deemed not to be independent and disinterested as a result of (i) such member’s receiving
compensation for service as a member of the Conflicts Committee, which compensation is determined
by the Board of Directors and may be increased from time to time or (ii) such member’s having any
relationship other than a Recusal Conflict with any Person that is a party to any transaction with
the Partnership or any other Group Member (such Person, a “Counterparty”) which transaction
is being reviewed by the Conflicts Committee (the “Proposed Transaction”). For purposes of
this Section 7.9(j), a member of the Conflicts Committee shall only be deemed to have a
Recusal Conflict with respect to a Proposed Transaction in the event that such member of the
Conflicts Committee (w) is an officer of the Counterparty, (x) is an employee of the Counterparty,
(y) has a material financial interest in the Counterparty (it being understood and agreed that for
purposes of this Section 7.9(j) a member of the Conflicts Committee shall not be deemed to
have a material financial interest in the Counterparty based on an ownership interest
58
in the Counterparty so long as such interest represents less than 1% of the outstanding equity of
the Counterparty) or the Proposed Transaction (other than by reason of the ownership of Partnership
Securities or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities)
or (z) is involved on behalf of the Counterparty in connection with the structuring or negotiation
of the Proposed Transaction. For the avoidance of doubt, the fact that a member of the Conflicts
Committee sits on the board of directors (or comparable body) of the Counterparty to any Proposed
Transaction shall not, in and of itself, constitute a Recusal Conflict and shall not affect (or be
deemed to affect) for any purpose the independence and disinterestedness of such member of the
Conflicts Committee. In the event any member of the Conflicts Committee has a Recusal Conflict
with respect to any Proposed Transaction, such member of the Conflicts Committee shall disclose
such Recusal Conflict and shall recuse himself or herself from, and not participate in, the
decision of the Conflicts Committee with respect to such Proposed Transaction. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement or at law or equity, the fact that any one or more
members of the Conflicts Committee has a Recusal Conflict with respect to any Proposed Transaction
shall not affect (or be deemed to affect) for any purpose the independence and disinterestedness of
any other member of the Conflicts Committee and the Conflicts Committee, acting by any member or
members who do not have a Recusal Conflict with respect to the Proposed Transaction (including any
member appointed by the Board of Directors of the General Partner in order to consider such
Proposed Transaction), shall operate as provided in this Agreement and shall be entitled to the
benefits of this Agreement including, without limitation, this Section 7.9.
Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner.
(a) The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting
upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent,
order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been
signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
(b) The General Partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management
consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by it, and any act
taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the advice or opinion (including an Opinion of
Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner reasonably believes to be within
such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or
omitted in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.
(c) The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations
hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a duly appointed attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership.
Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Securities.
The General Partner may cause any Group Member to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership
Securities or any options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership
Securities. As long as Partnership Securities or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights
relating to Partnership Securities are held by any Group Member, such Partnership Securities or
options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership
59
Securities shall not be considered Outstanding for any purpose, except as otherwise provided
herein.
Section 7.12 Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates.
(a) If (i) the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner (including for purposes
of this Section 7.12, any Person that is an Affiliate of the General Partner at the date
hereof notwithstanding that it may later cease to be an Affiliate of the General Partner) (the
“Holder”) holds Partnership Securities that it desires to sell and (ii) Rule 144 of the
Securities Act (or any successor rule or regulation to Rule 144) or another exemption from
registration is not available to enable the Holder to dispose of the number of Partnership
Securities it desires to sell at the time it desires to do so without registration under the
Securities Act, then at the option and upon the request of the Holder, the Partnership shall file
with the Commission as promptly as practicable after receiving such request, and use all
commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective and remain effective for a period of
not less than six months following its effective date or such shorter period as shall terminate
when all Partnership Securities covered by such registration statement have been sold, a
registration statement under the Securities Act registering the offering and sale of the number of
Partnership Securities specified by the Holder; however, that if the Conflicts Committee
determines in good faith that the requested registration would be materially detrimental to the
Partnership and its Partners because such registration would (x) materially interfere with a
significant acquisition, reorganization or other similar transaction involving the Partnership, (y)
require premature disclosure of material information that the Partnership has a bona fide business
purpose for preserving as confidential or (z) render the Partnership unable to comply with
requirements under applicable securities laws, then the Partnership shall have the right to
postpone such requested registration for a period of not more than six months after receipt of the
Holder’s request, such postponement right pursuant to this Section 7.12(a) not to be
utilized more than once in any twelve-month period. Except as provided in the preceding sentence,
the Partnership shall be deemed not to have used all commercially reasonable efforts to keep the
registration statement effective during the applicable period if it voluntarily takes any action
that would result in Holders of Partnership Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and
sell such Partnership Securities at any time during such period, unless such action is required by
applicable law. In connection with any registration pursuant to the first sentence of this
Section 7.12(a), the Partnership shall (i) promptly prepare and file (A) such documents as
may be necessary to register or qualify the securities subject to such registration under the
securities laws of such states as the Holder shall reasonably request; provided,
however, that no such registration or qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction
where, as a result thereof, the Partnership would become subject to general service of process or
to taxation or qualification to do business as a foreign corporation or partnership doing business
in such jurisdiction solely as a result of such registration, and (B) such documents as may be
necessary to apply for listing or to list the Partnership Securities subject to such registration
on such National Securities Exchange as the Holder shall reasonably request, and (ii) do any and
all other acts and things that may be necessary or appropriate to enable the Holder to consummate a
public sale of such Partnership Securities in such states. Except as set forth in Section
7.12(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the
underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by
the Holder.
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(b) If the Partnership shall at any time propose to file a registration statement under the
Securities Act for an offering of equity securities of the Partnership for cash (other than an
offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan), the Partnership shall use all commercially
reasonable efforts to include such number or amount of securities held by any Holder in such
registration statement as the Holder shall request; provided, that the Partnership is not
required to make any effort or take an action to so include the securities of the Holder once the
registration statement becomes or is declared effective by the Commission, including any
registration statement providing for the offering from time to time of securities pursuant to Rule
415 of the Securities Act. If the proposed offering pursuant to this Section 7.12(b) shall
be an underwritten offering, then, in the event that the managing underwriter or managing
underwriters of such offering advise the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in their
opinion the inclusion of all or some of the Holder’s Partnership Securities would have a material
adverse effect on the success of the offering, the Partnership shall include in such offering only
that number or amount, if any, of securities held by the Holder that, in the opinion of the
managing underwriter or managing underwriters, will not have a material adverse effect on the
offering. Except as set forth in Section 7.12(c), all costs and expenses of any such
registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by
the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.
(c) If underwriters are engaged in connection with any registration referred to in this
Section 7.12, the Partnership shall provide indemnification, representations, covenants,
opinions and other assurance to the underwriters in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
such underwriters. Further, in addition to and not in limitation of the Partnership’s obligation
under Section 7.7, the Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify
and hold harmless the Holder, its officers, directors and each Person who controls the Holder
(within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof (collectively, “Indemnified
Persons”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several,
expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or
other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnified Person may be involved,
or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, under the Securities Act or otherwise
(hereinafter referred to in this Section 7.12(c) as a “claim” and in the plural as
“claims”) based upon, arising out of or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement under which any
Partnership Securities were registered under the Securities Act or any state securities or Blue Sky
laws, in any preliminary prospectus (if used prior to the effective date of such registration
statement), in any free writing prospectus, or in any summary or final prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto (if used during the period the Partnership is required to keep the
registration statement current), or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements made therein not misleading; provided, however, that the
Partnership shall not be liable to any Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim arises
out of, is based upon or results from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission made in such registration statement, such preliminary, summary or final
prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person specifically
for use in the preparation thereof.
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(d) The provisions of Sections 7.12(a) and 7.12(b) shall continue to be
applicable with respect to the General Partner (and any of the General Partner’s Affiliates) after
it ceases to be a general partner of the Partnership, during a period of two years subsequent to
the effective date of such cessation and for so long thereafter as is required for the Holder to
sell all of the Partnership Securities with respect to which it has requested during such two-year
period inclusion in a registration statement otherwise filed or that a registration statement be
filed; provided, however, that the Partnership shall not be required to file
successive registration statements covering the same Partnership Securities for which registration
was demanded during such two-year period. The provisions of Section 7.12(c) shall continue
in effect thereafter.
(e) The rights to cause the Partnership to register Partnership Securities pursuant to this
Section 7.12 may be assigned (but only with all related obligations) by a Holder to a
transferee or assignee of such Partnership Securities, provided (i) the Partnership is, within a
reasonable time after such transfer, furnished with written notice of the name and address of such
transferee or assignee and the Partnership Securities with respect to which such registration
rights are being assigned and (ii) such transferee or assignee agrees in writing to be bound by and
subject to the terms set forth in this Section 7.12.
(f) Any request to register Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall
(i) specify the Partnership Securities intended to be offered and sold by the Person making the
request, (ii) express such Person’s present intent to offer such Partnership Securities for
distribution, (iii) describe the nature or method of the proposed offer and sale of Partnership
Securities, and (iv) contain the undertaking of such Person to provide all such information and
materials and take all action as may be required in order to permit the Partnership to comply with
all applicable requirements in connection with the registration of such Partnership Securities.
Section 7.13 Reliance by Third Parties.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the
Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner and any officer of the General
Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership
has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of
the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such
Person shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such officer as if it were the
Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby
waives any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such Person to contest,
negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner or any such officer in connection with any
such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with the General Partner or any such officer or
its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied
with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the General Partner or
any such officer or its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument
executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner or its representatives shall be
conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that
(a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this
Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate,
document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the
Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and
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delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon
the Partnership.
ARTICLE VIII
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
Section 8.1 Records and Accounting.
The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Partnership
appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including all books and
records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided
pursuant to Section 3.4(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the
Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the record of the Record Holders and
Assignees of Units or other Partnership Securities or any options, rights, warrants or appreciation
rights relating to Partnership Securities, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings,
may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape,
photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device; provided, that the
books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a
reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial
reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Section 8.2 Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December 31.
Section 8.3 Reports.
(a) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal
year of the Partnership, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any
reasonable means (including posting on the Partnership’s website), to each Record Holder of a Unit
as of a date selected by the General Partner, an annual report containing financial statements of
the Partnership for such fiscal year of the Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP,
such statements to be audited by a firm of independent public accountants selected by the General
Partner in its sole discretion.
(b) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 90 days after the close of each Quarter
except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made
available, by any reasonable means (including posting on the Partnership’s website), to each Record
Holder of a Unit, as of a date selected by the General Partner, a report containing unaudited
financial statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be required by applicable
law, regulation or rule of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or
admitted to trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
(c) The General Partner shall not be required to make available or mail any report referred to
in Section 8.3(a) or Section 8.3(b) unless and until any consent, opinion or review
of or by the Partnership’s independent registered public accounting firm requested, or deemed
necessary or desirable, by the General Partner has been obtained.
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ARTICLE IX
TAX MATTERS
TAX MATTERS
Section 9.1 Tax Returns and Information.
The Partnership shall timely file all returns of the Partnership that are required for
federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the accrual method and the taxable
year or years that it is required by law to adopt, from time to time, as determined in good faith
by the General Partner. The tax information reasonably required by Record Holders for federal and
state income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable year shall be furnished to them
within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership’s taxable year ends. The
classification, realization and recognition of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items
shall be on the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes.
Section 9.2 Tax Elections.
(a) The Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance with
applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation of the right to seek to revoke any
such election upon the General Partner’s determination that such revocation is in the best
interests of the Limited Partners. Notwithstanding any other provision herein contained, for the
purposes of computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the General Partner shall
be authorized (but not required) to adopt a convention whereby the price paid by a transferee of a
Limited Partner Interest will be deemed to be the lowest quoted closing price of the Limited
Partner Interests on any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are
listed or admitted to trading during the calendar month in which such transfer is deemed to occur
pursuant to Section 6.2(i) without regard to the actual price paid by such transferee.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine whether the
Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.
Section 9.3 Tax Controversies.
Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated as the Tax Matters Partner
(as defined in the Code) and is authorized and required to represent the Partnership (at the
Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s affairs by tax
authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership
funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. Each Partner agrees to cooperate
with the General Partner and to do or refrain from doing any or all things reasonably required by
the General Partner to conduct such proceedings.
Section 9.4 Withholding.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to
take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply
with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other federal, state or local
law including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code. To the extent that the
Partnership is required or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority
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any amount resulting from the allocation or distribution of income to any Partner or Assignee
(including by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the General Partner may treat the amount
withheld as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 6.3 in the amount of such
withholding from such Partner.
ARTICLE X
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
Section 10.1 Admission of Initial Limited Partners.
Upon the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to Pioneer USA and the Underwriters as
described in Sections 5.2 and 5.3 in connection with the Initial Offering, the
General Partner shall admit such parties to the Partnership as Initial Limited Partners in respect
of the Common Units issued to them.
Section 10.2 Admission of Substituted Limited Partners.
By transfer of a Limited Partner Interest in accordance with Article IV, the
transferor shall be deemed to have given the transferee the right to seek admission as a
Substituted Limited Partner subject to the conditions of, and in the manner permitted under, this
Agreement. A transferor of a Certificate representing a Limited Partner Interest or of an
uncertificated Limited Partner Interest shall, however, only have the authority to convey to a
purchaser or other transferee who does not execute and deliver a Transfer Application, if a
Transfer Application Notice has previously been given, (a) the right to negotiate such Certificate
or transfer of such uncertificated Limited Partner Interest to a purchaser or other transferee and
(b) the right to transfer the right to request admission as a Substituted Limited Partner to such
purchaser or other transferee in respect of the transferred Limited Partner Interests. No
transferor of a Limited Partner Interest or other Person shall have any obligation or
responsibility to provide a Transfer Application, if a Transfer Application Notice has previously
been given, to a transferee or assist or participate in any way with respect to the completion or
delivery thereof. An Assignee shall automatically be admitted to the Partnership as a Substituted
Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred to such Person at such
time as such transfer is recorded in the books and records of the Partnership or the books and
records of the Transfer Agent, and until so recorded, such transferee shall be an Assignee. The
General Partner shall periodically, but no less frequently than on the first Business Day of each
calendar quarter, cause any unrecorded transfers of Limited Partner Interests to be recorded in the
books and records of the Partnership or the books and records of the Transfer Agent. An Assignee
shall have an interest in the Partnership equivalent to that of a Limited Partner with respect to
allocations and distributions, including liquidating distributions, of the Partnership. An
Assignee shall have no other rights of a Limited Partner.
Section 10.3 Admission of Successor General Partner.
A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the
transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6
who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership
as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor
or transferring General Partner, pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transfer
of the General
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Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6, provided, however, that no
such successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section
4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or
instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such successor shall, subject to the
terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.
Section 10.4 Admission of Additional Limited Partners.
(a) A Person (other than the General Partner, an Initial Limited Partner or a Substituted
Limited Partner) who makes a Capital Contribution to the Partnership in accordance with this
Agreement shall be admitted to the Partnership as an Additional Limited Partner only upon
furnishing to the General Partner:
(i) evidence of acceptance in form satisfactory to the General Partner of all of the
terms and conditions of this Agreement, including the power of attorney granted in
Section 2.6, and
(ii) such other documents or instruments as may be required by the General Partner to
effect such Person’s admission as an Additional Limited Partner.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 10.4, no Person shall be
admitted as an Additional Limited Partner without the consent of the General Partner. The
admission of any Person as an Additional Limited Partner shall become effective on the date upon
which the name of such Person is recorded as such in the books and records of the Partnership or
the books and records of the Transfer Agent, following the consent of the General Partner to such
admission.
Section 10.5 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership.
To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the General Partner shall take all
steps necessary or appropriate under the Delaware Act to amend or cause to be amended the records
of the Partnership or the records of the Transfer Agent to reflect such admission and, if
necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by
law, the General Partner shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited
Partnership, and the General Partner may for this purpose, among others, exercise the power of
attorney granted pursuant to Section 2.6.
ARTICLE XI
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner.
(a) The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the
occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “Event
of Withdrawal”);
(i) The General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written
notice to the other Partners;
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(ii) The General Partner transfers all of its rights as General Partner pursuant to
Section 4.6;
(iii) The General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;
(iv) The General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors;
(B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation,
dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer
or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition
filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A)-(C)
of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the
appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the
General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;
(v) A final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to a voluntary
or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner; or
(vi) (A) in the event the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of
dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire after the
date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without a reinstatement
of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation; (B) in the event the General
Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of
winding up of the General Partner; (C) in the event the General Partner is acting in such
capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) in the
event the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency;
and (E) otherwise in the event of the termination of the General Partner.
If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or
(vi)(A), (B), (C) or (E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner
shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners
hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result
in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.
(b) Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of
Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances: (i)
at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 12:00 midnight,
prevailing Eastern Time, on March 31, 2018, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at
least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners;
provided, that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved
by Unitholders holding at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units
held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership
an Opinion of Counsel (“Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel”) that such withdrawal (following the
selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability
of any Limited Partner or any Group Member or cause any Group Member to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal
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income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed); (ii) at any time after
12:00 midnight, prevailing Eastern Time, on March 31, 2018, the General Partner voluntarily
withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the Unitholders, such withdrawal to take
effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to
be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to
Section 11.2; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the
General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention
to withdraw to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the
notice, if at the time such notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General
Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the
Outstanding Units. The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence
of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general
partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the
General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the holders of
a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General
Partner. The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the
successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members
of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If, prior to the effective
date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a successor is not selected by the Unitholders as
provided herein or the Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the
Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 12.1. Any successor General
Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 10.3.
Section 11.2 Removal of the General Partner.
The General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the Unitholders holding at
least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its
Affiliates) voting as a single class. Any such action by such holders for removal of the General
Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the Unitholders of a
Unit Majority. Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor
General Partner pursuant to Section 10.3. The removal of the General Partner shall also
automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member,
to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general
partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance
with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to
Section 10.3, automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the
extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or
a managing member. The right of the holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner
shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion opining as to the
matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General Partner elected in
accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of
Section 10.3.
Section 11.3 Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner.
(a) In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner under circumstances where such
withdrawal does not violate this Agreement or (ii) removal of the General Partner by the
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holders of Outstanding Units under circumstances where Cause does not exist, if the successor
General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or 11.2,
the Departing General Partner shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the
departure of such Departing General Partner, to require its successor to purchase its General
Partner Interest and its general partner interest (or equivalent interest), if any, in the other
Group Members (collectively, the “Combined Interest”) in exchange for an amount in cash
equal to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be determined and payable
as of the effective date of its departure. If the General Partner is removed by the Unitholders
under circumstances where Cause exists or if the General Partner withdraws under circumstances
where such withdrawal violates this Agreement, and if a successor General Partner is elected in
accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or 11.2 (or if the business of the
Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not
the former General Partner), such successor shall have the option, exercisable prior to the
effective date of the departure of such Departing General Partner (or, in the event the business of
the Partnership is continued, prior to the date the business of the Partnership is continued), to
purchase the Combined Interest in exchange for an amount in cash equal to the fair market value of
such Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner. In either event, the Departing General
Partner shall be entitled to receive all reimbursements due such Departing General Partner pursuant
to Section 7.4, including any employee-related liabilities (including severance
liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the
Departing General Partner or its Affiliates (other than any Group Member) for the benefit of the
Partnership or the other Group Members.
For purposes of this Section 11.3(a), the fair market value of the Departing General
Partner’s Combined Interest shall be determined by agreement between the Departing General Partner
and its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days after the effective date of such Departing
General Partner’s departure, by an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert
selected by the Departing General Partner and its successor, which, in turn, may rely on other
experts, and the determination of which shall be conclusive as to such matter. If such parties
cannot agree upon one independent investment banking firm or other independent expert within 45
days after the effective date of such departure, then the Departing General Partner shall designate
an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, the Departing General Partner’s
successor shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, and
such firms or experts shall mutually select a third independent investment banking firm or
independent expert, which third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert
shall determine the fair market value of the Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner.
In making its determination, such third independent investment banking firm or other independent
expert may consider the then current trading price of Units on any National Securities Exchange on
which Units are then listed or admitted to trading, the value of the Partnership’s assets, the
rights and obligations of the Departing General Partner and other factors it may deem relevant.
(b) If the Combined Interest is not purchased in the manner set forth in Section
11.3(a), the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) shall become a Limited Partner and
its Combined Interest shall be converted into Common Units pursuant to a valuation made by an
investment banking firm or other independent expert selected pursuant to Section 11.3(a),
without reduction in such Partnership Interest (but subject to proportionate dilution by reason of
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the admission of its successor). Any successor General Partner shall indemnify the Departing
General Partner (or its transferee) as to all debts and liabilities of the Partnership arising on
or after the date on which the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) becomes a Limited
Partner. For purposes of this Agreement, conversion of the Combined Interest of the Departing
General Partner to Common Units will be characterized as if the Departing General Partner (or its
transferee) contributed its Combined Interest to the Partnership in exchange for the newly issued
Common Units.
(c) If a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section
11.1 or 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to
Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner) and the
option described in Section 11.3(a) is not exercised by the party entitled to do so, such
successor General Partner shall, at the effective date of its admission to the Partnership,
contribute to the Partnership cash in the amount equal to the product of the (i) quotient obtained
by dividing (A) the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest of the Departing General
Partner by (B) a percentage equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner
Interest of the Departing General Partner and (ii) the Net Agreed Value of the Partnership’s assets
on such date. In such event, such successor General Partner shall, subject to the following
sentence, be entitled to its Percentage Interest of all Partnership allocations and distributions
to which the Departing General Partner was entitled. In addition, the successor General Partner
shall cause this Agreement to be amended to reflect that, from and after the date of such successor
General Partner’s admission, the successor General Partner’s interest in all Partnership
distributions and allocations shall be its Percentage Interest.
Section 11.4 Withdrawal of Limited Partners.
No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided,
however, that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a
Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner
shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.
ARTICLE XII
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
Section 12.1 Dissolution.
The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of Substituted Limited Partners or
Additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement. Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor
General Partner is elected pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2, the Partnership shall
not be dissolved and such successor General Partner shall continue the business of the Partnership.
The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 12.2) its affairs shall be wound
up, upon:
(a) an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)
(other than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and an Opinion of Counsel
is received as provided in Section 11.1(b) or 11.2 and such successor is admitted
to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.3;
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(b) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by the
holders of a Unit Majority;
(c) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the
provisions of the Delaware Act; or
(d) at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without
dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act.
Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution.
Upon (a) dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the
withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)(i) or
(iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a successor to such Departing General
Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2, then within 90 days thereafter, or (b)
dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in
Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by
law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business
of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a
successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless such an
election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall
conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If such an election is so made, then:
(i) the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in
accordance with this Article XII;
(ii) if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then the
interest of the former General Partner shall be treated in the manner provided in
Section 11.3; and
(iii) the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General
Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be bound by this
Agreement; provided, that the right of the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a
successor General Partner and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist
and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x)
the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited
Partner and (y) neither the Partnership nor any Group Member would be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income
tax purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue (to the extent not already so
treated or taxed).
Section 12.3 Liquidator.
Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is continued
pursuant to Section 12.2, the General Partner shall select one or more Persons to act as
Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such
compensation for its services as may be approved by holders of a Unit Majority. The Liquidator (if
other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior
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notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by
holders of a Unit Majority. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a
successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of
the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by holders of a Unit Majority.
The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be
deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein
provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the
manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any
of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms of this
Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the
exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.3)
necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and
during the period of time required to complete the winding up and liquidation of the Partnership as
provided for herein.
Section 12.4 Liquidation.
The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, discharge its
liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as determined by
the Liquidator, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act and the following:
(a) The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind to one
or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree. If any
property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of
Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to its fair market value; and contemporaneously
therewith, appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may
defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it
determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would
be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the
Partnership’s assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be
impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.
(b) Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for
serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3) and amounts to Partners
otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article VI. With respect to
any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable,
the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish
a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the
reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.
(c) All property and all cash in excess of that required to discharge liabilities as provided
in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Partners in accordance with, and to the
extent of, the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking
into account all Capital Account adjustments (other than those made by reason of distributions
pursuant to this Section 12.4(c)) for the taxable year of the Partnership during which the
liquidation of the Partnership occurs (with such date of occurrence being determined pursuant to
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Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)), and such distribution shall be made by the
end of such taxable year (or, if later, within 90 days after said date of such occurrence).
Section 12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership.
Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in
Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the Certificate of
Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in
jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be canceled and such other actions as may be
necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.
Section 12.6 Return of Contributions.
The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to
contribute or loan any money or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return
of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it
being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.
Section 12.7 Waiver of Partition.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of
the Partnership property.
Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration.
No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its Capital
Account upon liquidation of the Partnership. The General Partner shall be obligated to restore any
negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of its interest in the Partnership by the
end of the taxable year of the Partnership during which such liquidation occurs, or, if later,
within 90 days after the date of such liquidation.
ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
Section 13.1 Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner.
Each Partner agrees that the General Partner, without the approval of any Partner or Assignee,
may amend any provision of this Agreement and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and
record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:
(a) a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal place of business
of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the
Partnership;
(b) admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this
Agreement;
(c) a change that the General Partner determines to be necessary or advisable to qualify or
continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in
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which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure
that the Group Members will not be treated as associations taxable as corporations or otherwise
taxed as entities for federal income tax purposes;
(d) a change that the General Partner determines, (i) does not adversely affect the Limited
Partners (including any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of
Partnership Interests) in any material respect, (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy
any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or
regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or
state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the Units (including
the division of any class or classes of Outstanding Units into different classes to facilitate
uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of Units) or comply with any rule, regulation,
guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are or will be
listed or admitted to trading, (iii) to be necessary or advisable in connection with action taken
by the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.8 or (iv) is required to effect the intent
expressed in the Registration Statement or the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is
otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;
(e) a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and any other changes that
the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in the fiscal
year or taxable year of the Partnership including, if the General Partner shall so determine, a
change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which distributions are to be made by the
Partnership;
(f) an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership, or
the General Partner or its directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being
subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such are substantially similar to
plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;
(g) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in
connection with the authorization or issuance of any class or series of Partnership Securities or
any options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities pursuant to
Section 5.6;
(h) any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General Partner
acting alone;
(i) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement or Plan of
Conversion approved in accordance with Section 14.3;
(j) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect
and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in, any
corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, in connection
with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by Section 2.4;
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(k) a merger or conveyance or conversion pursuant to Section 14.3(d); or
(l) any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.
Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures.
Except as provided in Sections 13.1 and Section 13.3, all amendments to this
Agreement shall be made in accordance with this Section 13.2: Amendments to this Agreement
may be proposed only by the General Partner; provided, however, that the General
Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment to this Agreement and may decline
to do so in its sole discretion and, in declining to propose an amendment, to the fullest extent
permitted by law shall not be required to act pursuant to any other standard imposed by this
Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the
Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. A proposed amendment shall be
effective upon its approval by the General Partner and the holders of a Unit Majority, unless a
greater or different percentage is required under this Agreement or by Delaware law. Each proposed
amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding Units
shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an
amendment is proposed, the General Partner shall seek the written approval of the requisite
percentage of Outstanding Units or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such
proposed amendment. The General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any
such proposed amendments.
Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no provision of
this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by
the General Partner and its Affiliates) required to take any action shall be amended, altered,
changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of reducing such voting
percentage unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of
holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute not less than the voting
requirement sought to be reduced.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no amendment to
this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, unless
such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section
13.3(c) or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or
reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General
Partner or any of its Affiliates without its consent, which consent may be given or withheld in
their respective sole discretion.
(c) Any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of
any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be
approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of the
class so affected; provided, however, that this Section 13.3(c) shall not
prohibit any amendment permitted by (i) Section 14.3 or (ii) the General Partner’s power to
adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of Limited Partners as contemplated in
Section 13.1.
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(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to
Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(b), no amendments
shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units
voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that
such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner under applicable law.
(e) Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be
amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units.
Section 13.4 Special Meetings.
All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the
manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be
called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the Outstanding Units of
the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a special
meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that the
signing Limited Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the general or specific
purposes for which the special meeting is to be called. Within 60 days after receipt of such a
call from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the
Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar
requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a
meeting, the General Partner shall send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either
directly or indirectly through the Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a time and place
determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the
mailing of notice of the meeting. Limited Partners shall not vote on matters that would cause the
Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and
affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the
Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.
Section 13.5 Notice of a Meeting.
Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record
Holders of the class or classes of Units for which a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or
other means of written communication in accordance with Section 16.1. The notice shall be
deemed to have been given at the time when deposited in the mail or sent by other means of written
communication.
Section 13.6 Record Date.
For purposes of determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting
of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 13.11
the General Partner may set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days
before (a) the date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts with any rule, regulation,
guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or
admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National
Securities Exchange shall govern) or (b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting,
the date by which Limited Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to
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give such approvals. If the General Partner does not set a Record Date, then (a) the Record
Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the
Limited Partners shall be the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice
is given and (b) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to give approvals
without a meeting shall be the date the first written approval is deposited with the Partnership in
care of the General Partner in accordance with Section 13.11.
Section 13.7 Adjournment.
When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the
adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are
announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for
more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business that might
have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a
new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be
given in accordance with this Article XIII.
Section 13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes.
The transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever
held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice,
if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting
shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the
meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction
of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened; and except that attendance
at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove the consideration of matters required to be
included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included, if the disapproval is expressly made at
the meeting.
Section 13.9 Quorum and Voting.
Unless otherwise set forth in this Agreement, whenever an action is to be approved or
consented to by the holders of Outstanding Units or outstanding Common Units, all Outstanding Units
or Outstanding Common Units, as the case may be, held or deemed to be held by the General Partner
and its Affiliates shall be entitled to vote on the approval or consent to such action. The
holders of a majority of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been
called represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners
of such class or classes unless any such action by the Limited Partners requires approval by
holders of a greater percentage of such Units, in which case the quorum shall be such greater
percentage. At any meeting of the Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this
Agreement at which a quorum is present, the act of Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that
in the aggregate represent a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote and that are
present in person or by proxy at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited
Partners, unless a greater or different percentage is required with respect to such action under
the provisions of this Agreement, in which case the act of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding
Units that in the aggregate represent at least such greater or different percentage shall be
required. The Limited Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is
present may continue to transact business until adjournment,
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notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Limited Partners to leave less than a quorum, if any
action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by the required percentage of Outstanding Units
specified in this Agreement (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner). In
the absence of a quorum any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned from time to time by the
affirmative vote of holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote and
that are present at such meeting (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner)
represented either in person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted, except as
provided in Section 13.7.
Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting.
The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting
any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the
determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the
requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies
and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or
during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall designate a Person to serve as chairman of
any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes
shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the General Partner. The General
Partner may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may
deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of
approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the
appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of
proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the revocation of approvals in writing.
Section 13.11 Action Without a Meeting.
If authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Limited
Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing setting forth the action so taken
is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units
(including Units deemed owned by the General Partner) that would be necessary to authorize or take
such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted (unless such
provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities
Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation,
guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of the
taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in
writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for
the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the
time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot
returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Units held by the Limited Partners, the
Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Units that were not voted.
If approval of the taking of any action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other
than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals shall have no force and effect
unless and until (a) they are deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner, (b)
approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior
to the date sufficient approvals are deposited with the Partnership and (c) an Opinion of Counsel
is delivered to the General Partner to the effect
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that the exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any
particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the
management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the
Limited Partners’ limited liability and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then
governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.
Section 13.12 Right to Vote and Related Matters.
(a) Only those Record Holders of the Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section
13.6 (and also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of “Outstanding”)
shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with
respect to matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to
act. All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the
Outstanding Units shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of
such Outstanding Units.
(b) With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person (such as a
broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing),
in whose name such Units are registered, such other Person shall, in exercising the voting rights
in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides
otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial
owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume it is so acting without further inquiry.
The provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this Agreement)
are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3.
ARTICLE XIV
MERGER OR CONVERSION
MERGER OR CONVERSION
Section 14.1 Authority.
The Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations, limited
liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law
trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including
a limited liability partnership)), or convert into any such entity, whether such entity is formed
under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America,
pursuant to a written agreement of merger or consolidation (“Merger Agreement”), or a
written plan of conversion (“Plan of Conversion”), as the case may be, in accordance with
this Article XIV.
Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.
(a) Merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to this Article
XIV requires the prior consent of the General Partner; provided, however, that,
to the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to
consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership and may decline to do so in
its sole discretion and, in declining to consent to a merger, consolidation or conversion, shall
not be required to act pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member
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Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law,
rule or regulation or at equity.
(b) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation, the
General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:
(i) the names and jurisdictions of formation or organization of each of the business
entities proposing to merge or consolidate;
(ii) the name and jurisdiction of formation or organization of the business entity that
is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “Surviving Business
Entity”);
(iii) the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;
(iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each
constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or
obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (A) if any general or limited partner
interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged
or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or
obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or general or limited
partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership,
corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity
(other than the Surviving Business Entity) that the holders of such interests, securities or
rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or
rights and (B) in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender of
such certificates, which cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of
the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust,
limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving
Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;
(v) a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new
constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust,
declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership or other similar
charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such
merger or consolidation;
(vi) the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the
certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or
determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement (provided, that if the
effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate
of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the
time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated therein); and
(vii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that
the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
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(c) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the conversion, the General Partner
may approve and adopt a Plan of Conversion containing such terms and conditions that the General
Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners.
(a) Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), the General Partner,
upon its approval of the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall direct
that the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as applicable, be submitted to a vote of
Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent, in either case in accordance
with the requirements of Article XIII. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement or the
Plan of Conversion, as applicable, shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special
meeting or the written consent.
(b) Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement
or the Plan of Conversion, as applicable, shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or
consent of the holders of a Unit Majority.
(c) Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), after such approval by
vote or consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate of
merger or certificate of conversion pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger, consolidation or
conversion may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger
Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as applicable.
(d) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement,
the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or
any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member
into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity that shall be
newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such conversion,
merger or conveyance other than those it receives from the Partnership or other Group Member if (i)
the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the conversion, merger or conveyance,
as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or
cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be
taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such),
(ii) the sole purpose of such conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the
legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the governing
instruments of the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with the same
rights and obligations as are herein contained.
(e) Additionally, notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in
this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to merge or
consolidate the Partnership with or into another entity if (i) the General Partner has received an
Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the
loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax
purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the merger or consolidation would not
result in an amendment to the Partnership Agreement, other than any amendments that could be
81
adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (iii) the Partnership is the Surviving Business
Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each Unit outstanding immediately prior to the
effective date of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Unit of the Partnership after
the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (v) the number of Partnership Securities or
options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities to be issued by
the Partnership in such merger or consolidation do not exceed 20% of the Partnership Securities
Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.
Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger or Conversion.
Upon the required approval by the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger Agreement or
a Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, a certificate of merger or certificate of conversion, as
applicable, shall be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in
conformity with the requirements of the Delaware Act.
Section 14.5 Amendment of Partnership Agreement.
Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation
approved in accordance with this Article XIV may (a) effect any amendment to this Agreement
or (b) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for the Partnership if it is the
Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section
14.5 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.
Section 14.6 Effect of Merger or Conversion.
(a) At the effective time of the certificate of merger:
(i) all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has
merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any
of those business entities and all other things and causes of action belonging to each of
those business entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the
merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent
they were of each constituent business entity;
(ii) the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those
constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the
merger or consolidation;
(iii) all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any
of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and
(iv) all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall
attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the same extent as
if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.
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(b) At the effective time of the certificate of conversion:
(i) the Partnership shall continue to exist, without interruption, but in the
organizational form of the converted entity rather than in its prior organizational form;
(ii) all rights, title, and interests to all real estate and other property owned by
the Partnership shall continue to be owned by the converted entity in its new organizational
form without reversion or impairment, without further act or deed, and without any transfer
or assignment having occurred, but subject to any existing liens or other encumbrances
thereon;
(iii) all liabilities and obligations of the Partnership shall continue to be
liabilities and obligations of the converted entity in its new organizational form without
impairment or diminution by reason of the conversion;
(iv) all rights of creditors or other parties with respect to or against the prior
interest holders or other owners of the Partnership in their capacities as such in existence
as of the effective time of the conversion will continue in existence as to those
liabilities and obligations and may be pursued by such creditors and obligees as if the
conversion did not occur;
(v) a proceeding pending by or against the Partnership or by or against any of Partners
in their capacities as such may be continued by or against the converted entity in its new
organizational form and by or against the prior partners without any need for substitution
of parties; and
(vi) the Partnership Securities that are to be converted into partnership interests,
shares, evidences of ownership, or other securities in the converted entity as provided in
the Plan of Conversion or certificate of conversion shall be so converted, and Partners
shall be entitled only to the rights provided in the Plan of Conversion or certificate of
conversion.
(c) A merger, consolidation or conversion effected pursuant to this Article XIV shall
not be deemed to result in a transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one entity to
another.
ARTICLE XV
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS
Section 15.1 Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time the General Partner
and its Affiliates hold more than 80% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any class then
Outstanding, the General Partner shall then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer
in whole or in part to the Partnership or any Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable in its
sole discretion, to purchase all, but not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such
class then Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, at the
greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three days prior to the date that the
83
notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed and (y) the highest price paid by the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such Limited Partner Interest of such class
purchased during the 90-day period preceding the date that the notice described in Section
15.1(b) is mailed.
(b) If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects to
exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests granted pursuant to Section
15.1(a), the General Partner shall deliver to the Transfer Agent notice of such election to
purchase (the “Notice of Election to Purchase”) and shall cause the Transfer Agent to mail
a copy of such Notice of Election to Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of
such class (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner) at least 10, but not more than 60,
days prior to the Purchase Date. Such Notice of Election to Purchase shall also be published for a
period of at least three consecutive days in at least two daily newspapers of general circulation
printed in the English language and published in the Borough of Manhattan, New York. The Notice of
Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price (determined in accordance with
Section 15.1(a)) at which Limited Partner Interests will be purchased and state that the
General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such
Limited Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Limited Partner
Interests in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of the Transfer Agent as the Transfer
Agent may specify, or as may be required by any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited
Partner Interests are listed. Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of
Limited Partner Interests at his address as reflected in the records of the Transfer Agent shall be
conclusively presumed to have been given regardless of whether the owner receives such notice. On
or prior to the Purchase Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case
may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate
purchase price of all of such Limited Partner Interests to be purchased in accordance with this
Section 15.1. If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly given as
aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the
deposit described in the preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Limited
Partner Interests subject to purchase as provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date,
notwithstanding that any Certificate shall not have been surrendered for purchase, all rights of
the holders of such Limited Partner Interests (including any rights pursuant to Articles
IV, V, VI, and XII) shall thereupon cease, except the right to receive
the purchase price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) for Limited Partner
Interests therefor, without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent of the Certificates
representing such Limited Partner Interests, and such Limited Partner Interests shall thereupon be
deemed to be transferred to the General Partner, such Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may
be, on the record books of the Transfer Agent and the Partnership, and the General Partner, such
Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be the owner of all such
Limited Partner Interests from and after the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the owner
of such Limited Partner Interests (including all rights as owner of such Limited Partner Interests
pursuant to Articles IV, V, VI and XII).
(c) At any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Limited Partner
Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1 may surrender his Certificate
evidencing such Limited Partner Interest to the Transfer Agent in exchange for payment of the
amount described in Section 15.1(a), therefor, without interest thereon.
84
ARTICLE XVI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 16.1 Addresses and Notices.
Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or
made to a Partner or Assignee under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or
made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by other means of
written communication to the Partner or Assignee at the address described below. Any notice,
payment or report to be given or made to a Partner or Assignee hereunder shall be deemed
conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to
make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such
notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Securities at his address as
shown on the records of the Transfer Agent or as otherwise shown on the records of the Partnership,
regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Securities by
reason of any assignment or otherwise. An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice,
payment or report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by the
General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of
the giving or making of such notice, payment or report. If any notice, payment or report addressed
to a Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder appearing on the books and records of the
Transfer Agent or the Partnership is returned by the United States Postal Service marked to
indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or
report and any subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or
made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the
Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in his address) if they are available for the Partner
or Assignee at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of
the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners and Assignees. Any
notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner at the principal
office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3. The General Partner may rely
and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner, Assignee or other
Person if believed by it to be genuine.
Section 16.2 Further Action.
The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or
refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this
Agreement.
Section 16.3 Binding Effect.
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.
Section 16.4 Integration.
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the
subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.
85
Section 16.5 Creditors.
None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable
by, any creditor of the Partnership.
Section 16.6 Waiver.
No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement
or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof
shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.
Section 16.7 Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute one
agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not
signatories to the original or the same counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this
Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a
Unit, upon accepting the certificate evidencing such Unit or executing and delivering a Transfer
Application, if a Transfer Application Notice has previously been given, as herein described,
independently of the signature of any other party.
Section 16.8 Applicable Law; Forum, Venue and Jurisdiction.
(a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State
of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.
(b) Each of the Partners, each Assignee and each Person holding any beneficial interest in the
Partnership (whether through a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an
agent of any of the foregoing or otherwise) (i) irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions
or proceedings arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement (including any claims, suits
or actions to interpret, apply or enforce the provisions of this Agreement or the duties,
obligations or liabilities among Partners or Assignees or of Partners or Assignees to the
Partnership, or the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the Partners, Assignees or the
Partnership (regardless of whether such claims, suits, actions or proceedings (A) sound in
contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, (B) are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or
other grounds, or (C) are derivative or direct claims)), shall be exclusively brought in the Court
of Chancery of the State of Delaware, (ii) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the
Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in connection with any such claim, suit, action or
proceeding, (iii) agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or
proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of
the State of Delaware or of any other court to which proceedings in the Court of Chancery of the
State of Delaware may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an
inconvenient forum, or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper, (iv)
expressly waives any requirement for the posting of a bond by a party bringing such claim, suit,
action or proceeding, and (v) consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or
proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at
the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such
86
services shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided,
nothing in clause (v) hereof shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner
permitted by law.
Section 16.9 Invalidity of Provisions.
If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any
respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein
shall not be affected thereby.
Section 16.10 Consent of Partners.
Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it is
specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of less than all of the
Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and
each Partner shall be bound by the results of such action.
Section 16.11 Facsimile Signatures.
The use of facsimile signatures affixed in the name and on behalf of the transfer agent and
registrar of the Partnership on certificates representing Common Units is expressly permitted by
this Agreement.
Section 16.12 Third-Party Beneficiaries.
No party shall be a third-party beneficiary hereto except that any Indemnitee shall be
entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third party beneficiary with respect to those
provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee.
[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]
87
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first
written above.
GENERAL PARTNER: | ||||||
PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES GP LLC | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief | |||||
Financial Officer | ||||||
ORGANIZATIONAL LIMITED PARTNER: | ||||||
PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES USA, INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief | |||||
Financial Officer | ||||||
LIMITED PARTNERS: | ||||||
All Limited Partners now and hereafter admitted as Limited Partners of the Partnership, pursuant to powers of attorney now and hereafter executed in favor of, and granted and delivered to the General Partner. | ||||||
PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES USA, INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief | |||||
Financial Officer |
EXHIBIT A
to the First Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.
to the First Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.
Certificate Evidencing Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests in
Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.
Representing Limited Partner Interests in
Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.
CU. | Common Units |
In accordance with Section 4.1 of the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P., as amended, supplemented or restated from
time to time (the “Partnership Agreement”), Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership (the “Partnership”), hereby certifies that ___(the “Holder”)
is the registered owner of ___Common Units representing limited partner interests
in the Partnership (the “Common Units”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or
by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed and, if required
by the Partnership Agreement, accompanied by a properly executed application for transfer of the
Common Units represented by this Certificate. The rights, preferences and limitations of the
Common Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the Common Units represented hereby are
issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership
Agreement. Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without
charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the
Partnership located at 0000 X. X’Xxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000. Capitalized terms
used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.
The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and
agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have
executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right,
power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership
Agreement and, if a Certification Notice has previously been given, is an Eligible Holder, (iii)
granted the powers of attorney provided for in the Partnership Agreement and (iv) made the waivers
and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS
L.P. THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH
TRANSFER WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND
REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER
GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR
QUALIFICATION OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR
(C) CAUSE PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. TO BE TREATED AS AN
ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME
TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES GP LLC,
THE GENERAL PARTNER OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P., MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS
ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE
NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. BECOMING TAXABLE AS
A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. THE
RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS
SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS
SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.
This Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose unless it has been countersigned and
registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.
Dated: | Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P., | |||||||||
Countersigned and Registered by: | By: | Pioneer Natural Resources GP LLC, its General Partner |
||||||||
By: | ||||||||||
as Transfer Agent and Registrar | Chief Executive Officer | |||||||||
By:
|
By: | |||||||||
Authorized Signature | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
[Reverse of Certificate]
ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate,
shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM - | as tenants in common | UNIF GIFT MIN ACT | ||||||||
TEN ENT - |
as tenants by the entireties | Custodian | ||||||||
(Cust) | (Minor) | |||||||||
JT TEN - | as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common | under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (State) |
Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.
ASSIGNMENT OF COMMON UNITS
IN
PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P.
IN
PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P.
FOR
VALUE RECEIVED,
___ hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto
(Please print or typewrite name and
address of Assignee)
|
(Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of Assignee) | |||
__________ Common Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________ as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. | ||||
Date:
|
NOTE | The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in every particular, without alteration, enlargement or change. |
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE
GUARANTEED BY AN
ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR
INSTITUTION (BANKS,
STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS
AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS
AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH
MEMBERSHIP IN AN
APPROVED SIGNATURE
GUARANTEE MEDALLION
PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO
S.E.C. RULE 17A(d)-15
|
No transfer of the Common Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the
Partnership unless the Certificate evidencing the Common Units to be transferred is surrendered for
registration or transfer and, if a Transfer Notice has previously been given, a Transfer
Application has been executed by a transferee on a separate application that the Partnership will
furnish on request without charge. A transferor of the Common Units shall have no duty to the
transferee with respect to execution of the Transfer Application in order for such transferee to
obtain registration of the transfer of the Common Units.
ASSIGNEE CERTIFICATION
Type of Entity (check one):
¨ Individual | ¨ Partnership | ¨ Corporation | ||||
¨ Trust | ¨ Other (specify) | |||||
Nationality (check one): | ||||||
¨ U.S. Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity | ||||||
¨ Foreign Corporation | ¨ Non-resident Alien |
If the U.S. Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity is checked, the following certification must
be completed:
Under Section 1445(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the
Partnership must withhold tax with respect to certain transfers of property if a holder of an
interest in the Partnership is a foreign person. To inform the Partnership that no withholding is
required with respect to the undersigned Holder’s Interest in it, the undersigned hereby certifies
the following (or, if applicable, certifies the following on behalf of the Holder).
Complete either A or B:
A. | Individual Holder |
1. | I am not a non-resident alien for purposes of U.S. income taxation; |
||
2. | My U.S. taxpayer identification number (social security number) is | ||
3. | My home address is |
B. | Partnership, Corporation or Other Holder |
1. | is not a foreign corporation, foreign partnership, foreign trust or foreign estate (as those terms are defined in the Code and Treasury Regulations) | ||
2. | The Holder’s U.S. employer identification number is | ||
3. | The Holder’s office address and place of incorporation (if applicable) is |
The Holder agrees to notify the Partnership within sixty (60) days of the date the
Holder becomes a foreign person.
The Holder understands that this certificate may be disclosed to the Internal Revenue
Service by the Partnership and that any false statement contained herein could be punishable
by fine, imprisonment or both.
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this certification and to
the best of my knowledge and belief it is true, correct and complete and, if applicable, I
further declare that I have authority to sign this document on behalf of:
Name of Holder
Signature and Date
Title (if applicable)
Note: If the Assignee is a broker, dealer, bank, trust company, clearing corporation, other
nominee holder or an agent of any of the foregoing, and is holding for the account of any other
person, this application should be completed by an officer thereof or, in the case of a broker or
dealer, by a registered representative who is a member of a registered national securities exchange
or a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or, in the case of any other
nominee holder, a person performing a similar function. If the Assignee is a broker, dealer, bank,
trust company, clearing corporation, other nominee owner or an agent of any of the foregoing, the
above certification as to any person for whom the Assignee will hold the Common Units shall be made
to the best of Assignee’s knowledge.