AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT OF WHITING USA TRUST I Among WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION and EQUITY OIL COMPANY and THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A. and WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
OF
XXXXXXX USA TRUST I
Among
XXXXXXX OIL AND GAS CORPORATION
and
EQUITY OIL COMPANY
and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
and
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Dated: As of April 30, 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS |
1 | |||
ARTICLE II NAME AND PURPOSE OF THE TRUST; DECLARATION OF TRUST |
6 | |||
Section 2.01 Name; Certificate of Trust |
6 | |||
Section 2.02 Purpose |
6 | |||
Section 2.03 Transfer of Trust Property to the Trust |
7 | |||
Section 2.04 Creation of the Trust |
7 | |||
Section 2.05 Principal Offices and Delaware Trustee |
8 | |||
ARTICLE III ADMINISTRATION OF THE TRUST AND POWERS OF THE TRUSTEE AND THE DELAWARE TRUSTEE |
8 | |||
Section 3.01 General Authority |
8 | |||
Section 3.02 Limited Power of Disposition |
9 | |||
Section 3.03 No Power to Engage in Business or Make Investments |
11 | |||
Section 3.04 Interest on Cash Reserves |
11 | |||
Section 3.05 Power to Settle Claims |
12 | |||
Section 3.06 Power to Contract for Services |
12 | |||
Section 3.07 Payment of Liabilities of Trust |
12 | |||
Section 3.08 Income and Principal |
13 | |||
Section 3.09 Term of Contracts |
13 | |||
Section 3.10 Transactions With Entity Serving as the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee |
13 | |||
Section 3.11 No Security Required |
13 | |||
Section 3.12 Filing of Securities Act Registration Statement, Exchange Act
Registration Statement and Other Reports, Listing of Trust Units, etc.; Certain
Fees and Expenses |
13 | |||
Section 3.13 Reserve Report |
15 | |||
Section 3.14 No Liability for Recordation |
15 | |||
ARTICLE IV TRUST UNITS AND UNCERTIFICATED BENEFICIAL INTEREST |
15 | |||
Section 4.01 Creation and Distribution |
15 | |||
Section 4.02 Rights of Trust Unitholders; Limitation on Personal Liability of Trust
Unitholders |
15 | |||
Section 4.03 Effect of Transfer |
16 | |||
Section 4.04 Determination of Ownership |
16 | |||
ARTICLE V ACCOUNTING AND DISTRIBUTIONS; REPORTS |
17 | |||
Section 5.01 Fiscal Year and Accounting Method |
17 | |||
Section 5.02 Quarterly Distributions |
17 | |||
Section 5.03 Reports to Trust Unitholders and Others |
17 | |||
Section 5.04 Federal Income Tax Provisions |
18 |
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ARTICLE VI LIABILITY OF DELAWARE TRUSTEE AND TRUSTEE AND METHOD OF SUCCESSION |
18 | |||
Section 6.01 Liability of Delaware Trustee, Trustee and Agents |
18 | |||
Section 6.02 Indemnification of Trustee or Delaware Trustee |
19 | |||
Section 6.03 Resignation of Delaware Trustee and Trustee |
21 | |||
Section 6.04 Removal of Delaware Trustee and Trustee |
21 | |||
Section 6.05 Appointment of Successor Delaware Trustee or Trustee |
21 | |||
Section 6.06 Laws of Other Jurisdictions |
22 | |||
Section 6.07 Reliance on Experts |
23 | |||
Section 6.08 Force Majeure |
23 | |||
Section 6.09 Failure of Action by Trustors |
24 | |||
Section 6.10 Action Upon Instructions |
24 | |||
Section 6.11 Management of Trust Estate |
24 | |||
Section 6.12 Validity |
24 | |||
Section 6.13 Rights and Powers; Litigation |
24 | |||
Section 6.14 No Duty to Act Under Certain Circumstances |
25 | |||
ARTICLE VII COMPENSATION OF THE TRUSTEE AND THE DELAWARE TRUSTEE |
25 | |||
Section 7.01 Compensation of Trustee and Delaware Trustee |
25 | |||
Section 7.02 Reimbursement of Trustors |
25 | |||
Section 7.03 Source of Funds |
25 | |||
Section 7.04 Ownership of Units by Trustors, the Delaware Trustee and the Trustee |
26 | |||
ARTICLE VIII MEETINGS OF TRUST UNITHOLDERS |
26 | |||
Section 8.01 Purpose of Meetings |
26 | |||
Section 8.02 Call and Notice of Meetings |
26 | |||
Section 8.03 Method of Voting and Vote Required |
26 | |||
Section 8.04 Conduct of Meetings |
27 | |||
ARTICLE IX DURATION, REVOCATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST |
27 | |||
Section 9.01 Revocation |
27 | |||
Section 9.02 Termination |
27 | |||
Section 9.03 Disposition and Distribution of Assets and Properties |
28 | |||
Section 9.04 Reorganization or Business Combination |
28 | |||
ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS |
29 | |||
Section 10.01 Prohibited Amendments |
29 | |||
Section 10.02 Permitted Amendments |
29 | |||
ARTICLE XI ARBITRATION |
30 | |||
ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS |
33 | |||
Section 12.01 Inspection of Books |
33 | |||
Section 12.02 Disability of a Trust Unitholder |
33 | |||
Section 12.03 Merger or Consolidation of Delaware Trustee or Trustee |
33 |
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Section 12.04 Change in Trust Name |
33 | |||
Section 12.05 Filing of this Agreement |
33 | |||
Section 12.06 Choice of Law |
34 | |||
Section 12.07 Separability |
34 | |||
Section 12.08 Notices |
34 | |||
Section 12.09 Counterparts |
36 |
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
OF
XXXXXXX USA TRUST I
This Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of XXXXXXX USA TRUST I, a Delaware statutory trust
created pursuant to the Organizational Trust Agreement (hereinafter defined) and continued and
administered under the terms of this Agreement (hereinafter defined) (the “Trust”), is
entered into effective as of the 30th day of April, 2008, by and among XXXXXXX OIL AND
GAS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation with its principal office in Denver, Colorado, and EQUITY
OIL COMPANY, a Colorado corporation with its principal office in Denver, Colorado (collectively
referred to herein as the “Trustors”), as trustors, and WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, a banking
corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware with its principal office in
Wilmington, Delaware and its successors and assigns (“Wilmington Trust”), as Delaware
Trustee (as hereinafter defined), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A., a national
association organized under the laws of the State of New York with its principal place of business
in New York, New York (the “Bank”), as Trustee (as hereinafter defined).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, As part of an integrated plan for the formation of the Trust, Trustors have
determined to convey to the Trust the Net Profits Interest (hereinafter defined) and Pre-Effective
Time Payment (as herein defined) pursuant to the Conveyance (hereinafter defined) in exchange for
13,863,889 Trust Units (hereinafter defined); and
WHEREAS, Trustors, Wilmington Trust and the Bank have previously formed the Trust pursuant to
the Organizational Trust Agreement in accordance with the provisions of the Trust Act (hereinafter
defined) and, in connection therewith, Trustors have previously delivered to the Bank, on behalf of
the Trust, good and valuable consideration, which the Bank has accepted, to have and to hold, in
trust, such property and all other properties that may hereafter be received hereunder, for the
purposes and subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter provided.
NOW, THEREFORE, Trustors, Wilmington Trust and the Bank hereby amend and restate the
Organizational Trust Agreement in its entirety.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
DEFINITIONS
As used herein, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
“AAA” has the meaning assigned to that term in Article XI.
“Administrative Services Agreement” means the Administrative Services Agreement dated
April 30, 2008 entered into between Xxxxxxx Oil and Gas Corporation and the Trust.
“Affiliate” means, for any specified Person, another Person that controls, is
controlled by, or is under common control with, the specified Person. “Control,” in the preceding
sentence, refers to the possession by one Person, directly or indirectly, of the right or power to
direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of another Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.
“Agent” has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 3.06.
“Agreement” means this Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of Xxxxxxx USA Trust I, as
it may be further amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Beneficial Interest” means the aggregate beneficial ownership interest of all Trust
Unitholders in the Trust Estate, including without limitation the proceeds from the conversion of
the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment to cash, and in the right to cash resulting
from such conversion of the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment, which beneficial
ownership interest is expressed in Trust Units. A Trust Unitholder’s beneficial ownership interest
in the Trust is personal property notwithstanding the nature of the property of the Trust.
“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which
national banking institutions in New York, New York, Denver, Colorado or Wilmington, Delaware are
closed as authorized or required by law.
“Claimant” has the meaning assigned to that term in Article XI(c).
“Closing” means the closing of the initial public offering of Trust Units contemplated
by the Securities Act Registration Statement.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Conveyance” means the Conveyance of Net Profits Interest, dated as of April 30, 2008,
from Trustors, as grantors, to the Trust, as grantee, pursuant to which the Net Profits Interest
and Pre-Effective Time Payment is conveyed.
“Delaware Trustee” means the Entity serving as a trustee (other than as the Trustee)
hereunder having its principal place of business in Delaware, not in its individual capacity but
solely in its fiduciary capacity. Further, any benefit, indemnity, release or protection granted
to the Delaware Trustee herein shall extend to and shall be fully applicable and effective with
regard to any Entity serving as the Delaware Trustee, including, without limitation, Wilmington
Trust.
“Entity” means a corporation, partnership, trust, estate or other entity, organization
or association.
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“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exchange Act Registration Statement” means the registration statement on Form 8-A
pursuant to which the Trust Units may be registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
“Expenses” has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 6.02(a).
“Fair Value” means, with respect to any portion of the Net Profits Interest to be
released pursuant to Section 3.02(b) in connection with a sale of Underlying Properties, an
amount of net proceeds which could reasonably be expected to be obtained from the sale of such
portion of the Net Profits Interest to a party which is not an Affiliate of either Trustors or the
Trust on an arms’-length negotiated basis, taking into account relevant market conditions and
factors existing at the time of any such proposed sale or release, such net proceeds to be
determined by deducting the Trust’s proportionate share of sales costs, commissions and brokerage
fees, if any (based on the relative fair market value of the Underlying Properties being
transferred without giving effect to either the portion of the Net Profits Interest being released
or the fair market value of the portion of the Net Profits Interest being released).
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 6.02(c).
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 6.02(c).
“Independent Reserve Engineers” means Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx & Associates, Inc.,
independent petroleum engineers, or any successor petroleum engineering consultants employed by the
Trust to provide information and reports with respect to the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective
Time Payment.
“Liquidation Date” means the “Termination Date” as such term is defined in the
Conveyance.
“NASDAQ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 3.12(a)(iii).
“Net Profits Interest” means the net profits interest to be conveyed to the Trust
pursuant to the Conveyance.
“NYSE” has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 3.12(a)(iii).
“Organizational Trust Agreement” means the Trust Agreement of Xxxxxxx USA Trust I,
entered into and effective as of October 18, 2007 by and among Trustors, the Bank and Wilmington
Trust.
“Person” means a natural person or an Entity.
“Pre-Effective Time Payment” means the “Pre-Effective Time Payment” as such term is
defined in the Conveyance.
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“Prior Reversionary Interest” has the meaning assigned to that term in the Conveyance.
“Quarterly Cash Distribution” means, for each Quarterly Period, an amount determined
by the Trustee pursuant to Section 5.02 to be equal to the excess, if any, of (a) the cash
received by the Trust, attributable to the Net Profits Interest prior to such Quarterly Cash
Distribution, plus (b) any decrease prior to such Quarterly Cash Distribution in any cash reserve
theretofore established by the Trustee for the payment of liabilities of the Trust, plus any other
cash receipts of the Trust prior to such Quarterly Cash Distribution (including Sales Proceeds
Amounts and any cash received from interest earned pursuant to Section 3.04), minus (c) the
liabilities of the Trust paid prior to such Quarterly Cash Distribution, plus the amount of any
cash used prior to such Quarterly Cash Distribution by the Trustee to establish or increase a cash
reserve established for the payment of any liabilities of the Trust; provided, that for the initial
Quarterly Period, the amounts referred to in (a) above shall instead be the cash received by the
Trust attributable to the Pre-Effective Time Payment prior to such quarterly Cash Distribution;
provided further, that for the second Quarterly Period, the amounts referred to in (a) above shall
instead be the cash received by the Trust attributable to the Pre-Effective Time Payment from April
1, 2008 through, but excluding, the effective date of the Conveyance and the cash received by the
Trust attributable to the Net Profits Interests from the effective date of the Conveyance through
and including June 30, 2008.
“Quarterly Payment Date” means the date of a distribution, which shall be on or before
the tenth day (or, if such day is on a Business Day, the next Business Day) following the Quarterly
Record Date for such distribution; provided that the first Quarterly Payment Date shall be May 30,
2008.
“Quarterly Period” means, for the initial period, the period which commences on
January 1, 2008 and continues through and includes March 31, 2008 and for succeeding periods the
periods which commence on the first day of each calendar quarter and continues through and includes
the last day of such calendar quarter, provided that the last Quarterly Period shall mean any
portion of the calendar quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs from the beginning of such
calendar quarter until and including the Liquidation Date.
“Quarterly Record Date” means, for each Quarterly Period, the close of business on the
fiftieth day following the end of such Quarterly Period or such other date established by the
Trustee in order to comply with applicable law or the rules of any securities exchange or quotation
system on which the Trust Units may be listed or admitted to trading, in which event “Quarterly
Record Date” means such other date. The first Quarterly Record Date shall be May 20, 2008.
“Record Date Trust Unitholders” has the meaning assigned to that term in
Section 8.02.
“Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement dated April
30, 2008 entered into between Xxxxxxx Petroleum Corporation and the Trustee, on behalf of the
Trust.
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“Respondent” has the meaning assigned to that term in Article XI(c).
“Responsible Officer” means (a) with respect to the Delaware Trustee, any officer in
the Corporate Trust Administration office of the Delaware Trustee having direct responsibility for
the administration of this Agreement, and with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any
officer of the Delaware Trustee to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of
and familiarity with the particular subject, and (b) with respect to the Trustee, any officer in
the Institutional Trust Services department of the Trustee having direct responsibility for the
administration of this Agreement.
“Rules” has the meaning assigned to that term in Article XI.
“Sales Proceeds Amount” means any cash paid to the Trust in consideration for any of
the Net Profits Interest pursuant to Section 3.02.
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act” means the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as amended.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Securities Act Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on
Form S-l/Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-147543) as it has been or as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, filed by the Trust and Xxxxxxx Petroleum Corporation with the
Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of up to 12,477,500 Trust
Units by Xxxxxxx Petroleum Corporation.
“Special Provisions” has the meaning assigned to that term in Article XI.
“Subject Well” has the meaning assigned to that term in the Conveyance.
“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Conveyance, the Registration Rights
Agreement and the Administrative Services Agreement.
“Transferee” means, as to any Trust Unitholder or former Trust Unitholder, any Person
succeeding to the interest of such Trust Unitholder or former Trust Unitholder in one or more Trust
Units, whether as purchaser, donee, legatee or otherwise.
“Trust Act” means the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, Title 12, Chapter 38 of the
Delaware Code, Sections 3801 et seq., as amended from time to time during the term of this
Agreement.
“Trust Estate” means the assets held by the Trust under this Agreement, including both
income and principal.
“Trust Unit” means an uncertificated, undivided pro rata fractional interest in the
Beneficial Interest, determined as hereinafter provided.
“Trust Unitholder” means the owner of one or more Trust Units as reflected on the
books of the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01.
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“Trustee” means the Entity serving as a trustee (other than the Delaware Trustee)
under this Agreement, in its fiduciary capacity. Further, any benefit, indemnity, release or
protection granted to the Trustee herein shall extend to and shall be fully applicable and
effective with regard to any Entity serving as Trustee, including, without limitation, the Bank.
The term “principal office” of the Trustee shall mean the principal office of the Trustee at which
at any particular time its institutional or corporate trust business may be administered.
“Trustee Conveyance” means a conveyance executed by the Trustee pursuant to
Section 3.02 covering that portion of the Net Profits Interest to be conveyed pursuant to
said Section and in such form as the Trustee is advised by counsel is sufficient to transfer the
right, title and interest of the Trust therein and to provide for payment to the Trustee of all the
net proceeds attributable thereto through the effective date of such Trustee Conveyance.
“Underlying Properties” means the Subject Interests subject to the Net Profits
Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment, as “Subject Interests” is defined in the Conveyance.
ARTICLE II
NAME AND PURPOSE OF THE TRUST; DECLARATION OF TRUST
NAME AND PURPOSE OF THE TRUST; DECLARATION OF TRUST
Section 2.01 Name; Certificate of Trust. The Trust continued by this Agreement shall remain a
Delaware statutory trust under the Trust Act. The Trust shall continue to be known as Xxxxxxx USA
Trust I, and the Trustee may transact the Trust’s affairs in that name. The continuation and
operation of the Trust shall be in accordance with this Agreement, which shall constitute the
“governing instrument” of the Trust within the meaning of Section 3801(f) of the Trust Act. In the
event that a Responsible Officer of either the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee becomes aware that
any statement contained or matter described in the Trust’s Certificate of Trust has changed, making
it false in any material respect, it will notify the other trustee and the Delaware Trustee shall
promptly file or cause to be filed in the office of the Secretary of State of Delaware an amendment
of same at the written direction of the Trustee, duly executed in accordance with Section 3811 of
the Trust Act, in order to effect such change thereto, such filing to be in accordance with
Section 3810(b) of the Trust Act. Upon the completion of the dissolution and winding up of the
Trust in accordance with Section 3808 of the Trust Act and Sections 9.02 and 9.03,
the Delaware Trustee shall, at the written direction of the Trustee, file or cause to be filed a
certificate of cancellation of the Trust’s Certificate of Trust, duly executed in accordance with
Section 3811 of the Trust Act.
Section 2.02 Purpose. The purposes of the Trust are:
(a) to protect and conserve, for the benefit of the Trust Unitholders, the Trust Estate;
(b) to receive and hold the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment, the
Administrative Services Agreement and the other assets of the Trust Estate;
(c) to convert the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment into cash either by
(1) retaining the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment and collecting the proceeds
of production payable with respect to the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment until
production has ceased or the Net Profits Interest has been sold or transferred or the
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Net Profits Interest has otherwise terminated or (2) selling or otherwise disposing of all or
any portion of the Net Profits Interest in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;
(d) to pay, or provide for the payment of, any liabilities incurred in carrying out the
purposes of the Trust, and thereafter to distribute the remaining amounts of cash received by the
Trust to the Trust Unitholders on a pro rata basis determined by the number of Trust Units held by
each Trust Unitholder in accordance with Section 5.02;
(e) to incur indebtedness in order to pay the liabilities of the Trust as they become due, if
necessary; provided however, that such indebtedness shall not be granted any security interests in
or otherwise encumber the Trust Estate;
(f) to enter into, execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Transaction
Documents to which it is a party;
(g) to cause to be prepared and file (i) reports required to be filed under the Exchange Act,
(ii) any reports required by the rules of any securities exchange or quotation system on which the
Trust Units are listed or admitted to trading, and (iii) any reports or forms required to be filed
pursuant to tax laws and other applicable laws and regulations, and to establish, evaluate and
maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting in compliance with the requirements
of Section 404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act; and
(h) to engage in such other activities as are necessary or convenient for the attainment of
any of the foregoing or are incident thereto and which may be engaged in or carried on by a
statutory trust under the Trust Act.
Section 2.03 Transfer of Trust Property to the Trust. Upon the formation of the Trust,
Trustors paid good and valuable consideration to the Trust, in trust, for the uses and purposes
provided in the Organizational Trust Agreement and in this Agreement. At (and subject to the
occurrence of) the Closing, Trustors shall grant, bargain, sell, convey and assign to the Trust for
the uses and purposes provided herein the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment
pursuant to the Conveyance in consideration for 13,863,889 Trust Units to be issued by the Trust to
Trustors, which Trust Units shall collectively represent the entire Beneficial Interest in
accordance with Section 4.01. The issuance of the 13,863,889 Trust Units is hereby duly
authorized and, upon issuance at the Closing, such Trust Units shall be duly and validly issued and
outstanding and, upon receipt by the Trust at the Closing of the consideration described in the
preceding sentence, the Trust Units will be fully paid and non-assessable without the requirement
of any further consideration.
Section 2.04 Creation of the Trust. The Trustee declares that it shall hold the Trust Estate
in trust for the benefit of the Trust Unitholders, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement. As set forth above and amplified herein, the Trust is intended to be a passive entity
limited to the receipt of revenues attributable to the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time
Payment and the distribution of such revenues, after payment of or provision for Trust expenses and
liabilities, to the Trust Unitholders. It is not the intention of the parties hereto to create,
and nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as creating, for any purpose, a partnership, joint
venture, joint stock company or similar business association, between or
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among Trust Unitholders, present or future, or between or among Trust Unitholders, or any of
them, the Delaware Trustee, the Trustee and/or Trustors. Neither the Trustee nor the Delaware
Trustee, in its individual capacity, makes any representation as to the validity or sufficiency of
this Trust Agreement.
Section 2.05 Principal Offices and Delaware Trustee. Unless and until changed by the Trustee,
the address of the principal office of the Trustee is 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
00000, Attention: Institutional Trust Services. Unless and until changed by the Delaware Trustee,
the principal place of business of the Delaware Trustee is Xxxxxx Square North, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration. The Trust may
maintain offices at such other place or places within or without the State of Delaware as the
Trustee deems advisable.
ARTICLE III
ADMINISTRATION OF THE TRUST AND POWERS OF THE TRUSTEE
AND THE DELAWARE TRUSTEE
ADMINISTRATION OF THE TRUST AND POWERS OF THE TRUSTEE
AND THE DELAWARE TRUSTEE
Section 3.01 General Authority.
(a) The Trustee accepts the trust hereby continued and agrees to perform its duties hereunder
with respect to the same, but only upon the express terms of this Agreement. Subject to the
limitations set forth in this Agreement, the Trustee, acting alone, without the approval or consent
of, or notice to, the Delaware Trustee or any Trust Unitholder, is authorized to take such action
as in its judgment is necessary, desirable or advisable to best achieve the purposes of the Trust,
including the authority to enter into, deliver and perform on behalf of the Trust the Registration
Rights Agreement and the Administrative Services Agreement (which the Trustee is hereby directed to
do), to re-convey on behalf of the Trust the Net Profits Interest to Trustors and to agree on
behalf of the Trust to modifications of the terms of the Conveyance to correct errors or
ambiguities or to settle disputes with respect thereto, in each case so long as such modifications
or settlements do not alter the nature of the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment
as the right to receive a share of the net proceeds from production from the Underlying Properties
in accordance with the Conveyance and comply with Section 10.02. The Trustee shall not
(i) dispose of any part of the Trust Estate except as provided in Sections 3.02 and
9.03 or (ii) except as provided in Section 10.02, agree to amend or waive any
provision of, give any consent or release with respect to, or terminate the Conveyance without the
approval of holders of a majority of the outstanding Trust Units as provided in
Article VIII.
(b) The Delaware Trustee accepts the Trust hereby continued and agrees to perform its duties
hereunder with respect to the same, but only upon the express terms of this Agreement. The
Delaware Trustee is authorized to take only such actions, and shall be required to perform only
such duties and obligations, with respect to the Trust as are specifically set forth in this
Agreement, and no implied duties, obligations or powers shall be read into this Agreement in
respect to the Delaware Trustee. The Delaware Trustee shall not otherwise manage or take part in
the business or affairs of the Trust in any manner.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, unless specifically authorized in
writing by the Trustee and consented to by the Delaware Trustee, the Delaware
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Trustee shall not participate in any decisions or possess any authority with respect to the
administration of the Trust, the investment of the Trust’s property or the payment of dividends or
other distributions of income or principal to the Trust Unitholders. The Delaware Trustee shall
have the power and authority to execute, deliver, acknowledge and file all necessary documents and
to maintain all necessary records of the Trust as required by the Trust Act. The Delaware Trustee
shall provide prompt written notice to the Trustee of its performance of any of the foregoing acts.
The Trustee shall reasonably keep the Delaware Trustee informed of any material action taken by
the Trustee with respect to the Trust.
Section 3.02 Limited Power of Disposition.
(a) In the event that Trustors notify the Trustee that they desire the Trustee to sell or
dispose of all or any part of the Trust Estate, including, without limitation, all or any portion
of the Net Profits Interest, or any interest therein, and the Trustee determines it to be in the
best interest of the Trust Unitholders, the Trustee may sell, at any time and from time to time,
all or any part of any of the Trust Estate for cash in such a manner as it deems in the best
interest of the Trust Unitholders if approved by Trust Unitholders holding a majority of the
outstanding Trust Units present or represented at a meeting held in accordance with the
requirements of Article VIII. This Section 3.02(a) shall not be construed to
require approval of the Trust Unitholders for any sale or other disposition of all or any part of
the Trust Estate pursuant to Sections 3.02(b) or 9.03.
(b) Except as provided in Sections 3.02(a) and (c), the Trustee shall not sell
or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Trust Estate, including, without limitation, all or
any portion of the Net Profits Interest, or any interest therein, except that the Trustee is
directed to sell and convey all or any portion of the Net Profits Interest as provided in this
Section 3.02(b) and in Section 9.03 and no Trust Unitholder approval shall
be required for any sale or conveyance in accordance with any of such provisions. Any sale or
conveyance by the Trustee of any part of the Trust Estate other than pursuant to this
Section 3.02(b), 3.02(c) or 9.03 shall be subject to
Section 3.02(a).
(i) Trustors and their Affiliates may at any time and from time to time sell, but only
in accordance with the provisions set forth below and in accordance with the terms of the
Conveyance, a divided or undivided portion of their interests in the Underlying Properties,
free from and unburdened by the Net Profits Interest without the consent of the Trustee or
the Trust Unitholders. Upon receipt of written notice of such a sale given by Trustors or
their Affiliates, the Trustee shall execute and deliver at the closing of such sale a
Trustee Conveyance and such other instruments, agreements and documents as Trustors or their
Affiliates may reasonably request, to evidence or effect the transfer of such portion of
Trustors’ or their Affiliates’ interests in the Underlying Properties, free from and
unburdened by the Net Profits Interest, provided that:
(A) no sale of a portion of Trustors’ or their Affiliates’ interests in the
Underlying Properties free from and unburdened by the Net Profits Interest that
would otherwise burden such portion of Trustors’ or their Affiliates’ interests
shall be permitted under this paragraph (i) if (1) the sale is to a Person who is an
Affiliate of Trustors, (2) the sale relates to an interest in the Underlying
Properties
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that accounted for in excess of 0.25% of the total production from all
Underlying Properties during the most recently completed 12 calendar months, or
(3) the Fair Value received by the Trust pursuant to clause (B) of this
paragraph (i) with respect to the portion of the Net Profits Interest to be
reconveyed by the Trustee, plus the Fair Value received by the Trust pursuant to
clause (B) of this paragraph (i) with respect to all other portions of the Net
Profits Interest previously released by the Trustee pursuant to this paragraph (i)
during the most recently completed 12 calendar months, would exceed $500,000;
(B) in connection with any sale pursuant to this paragraph (i), the Trust shall
receive credit pursuant to the Conveyance in an amount equal to the Fair Value to
the Trust for the portion of the Net Profits Interest to be reconveyed by the
Trustee in connection with the sale of the Underlying Properties; and
(C) the Trustee shall have received a certificate from Trustors executed by or
on behalf of the manager thereof certifying to the Trustee and the Trust that the
credit pursuant to the Conveyance to be received by the Trust pursuant to clause (B)
above represents the Fair Value to the Trust for the portion of the Net Profits
Interest to be reconveyed by the Trustee in connection therewith.
Any other sale of all or any portion of the Underlying Properties will not relieve Trustors of
their obligations with respect to the Net Profits Interest.
(ii) In the event that a portion of the Net Profits Interest is to be reconveyed
pursuant to Section 3.02(b)(i), upon receipt of (A) an accurate description of said
portion of the Net Profits Interest and (B) sufficient information to evidence conclusively
that the conditions to purchase referred to in the applicable section of the Conveyance have
been satisfied, then within a reasonable time thereafter, and upon advice of such experts as
may be retained by the Trustee with the written consent of Trustors, which consent shall not
be unreasonably withheld or delayed, the Trustee shall execute and deliver a Trustee
Conveyance covering said portion of the Net Profits Interest to Trustors or their assignee.
(iii) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall not agree to
any distribution of the Net Profits Interest or any other asset of the Trust that would
cause the interest of a Trust Unitholder to be treated (except for tax purposes) as other
than an intangible personal property interest. Unless required to sell pursuant to this
Section 3.02 or pursuant to Section 9.03, or to distribute the Quarterly
Cash Distribution pursuant to Section 5.02, the Trustee is authorized to retain any
part of the Trust Estate in the form in which such property was transferred to the Trustee,
without regard to any requirement to diversify investments or other requirements.
(c) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that any Person notifies
either Trustor that, pursuant to a Prior Reversionary Interest, the Trustor is required to convey
any of the Underlying Properties to such Person or cease production from any Subject Well, the
Trustor may provide such conveyance with respect to such Underlying Property or permanently cease
production from any such Subject Well. In connection with any conveyance or permanent cessation of
production pursuant to this Section 3.02(c), Trustee shall, on request,
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immediately prior to such event, execute, acknowledge, and deliver to the Trustor a recordable
instrument (reasonably acceptable to the Trustor) that reconveys the Net Profits Interest with
respect to any such Underlying Property or Subject Interests to Grantor.
(i) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that the Trustor
receives compensation pursuant to any Prior Reversionary Interest Trustee shall not be
entitled to any share of such compensation.
(ii) From and after the actual date of any conveyance or permanent cessation of
production provided for in this Section 3.02(c), the Trustors and any assignee,
purchaser, transferee or grantee of such Subject Interest shall be relieved of all
obligations, requirements, and responsibilities arising under the Net Profits Interest or
the Conveyance with respect to the Underlying Property transferred (and no credits or debits
shall be made pursuant to the Conveyance for the portion of the Net Profits Interest to be
transferred), except for those that accrued prior to such date.
Section 3.03 No Power to Engage in Business or Make Investments. Neither the Trustee nor the
Delaware Trustee shall cause or permit the Trust to acquire any asset other than the Net Profits
Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment and proceeds therefrom, the rights of the Trust to enforce
the terms and provisions of the Administrative Services Agreement and the Registration Rights
Agreement, and other amounts paid to the Trust as set forth herein, or engage in any business or
investment activity of any kind whatsoever, except for the activities permitted herein. Neither
the Trustee nor the Delaware Trustee shall have any responsibility or authority relating to the
operations of the Underlying Properties or the marketing of any production therefrom.
Section 3.04 Interest on Cash Reserves. Cash being held by the Trustee as a reserve for, or
in anticipation of, the distribution of a Quarterly Cash Distribution or for the payment of any
liabilities, other than current routine administrative costs, shall be placed by the Trustee with
one or more banks or financial institutions (which, to the extent to which authorized pursuant to
the Trust Act and other applicable laws, may be, or may include, any bank serving as the Trustee or
the Delaware Trustee) and invested in (i) accounts payable on demand without penalty, (ii) interest
bearing obligations issued by (or unconditionally guaranteed by) the United States of America or
any agency or instrumentality thereof (provided such agency or instrumentality obligations are
guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), (iii) repurchase
agreements secured by obligations qualifying under (ii) above or (iv) certificates of deposit of
any bank or banks having combined capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100,000,000
which, in the case of (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, mature prior to the date on which such Quarterly
Cash Distribution is to be distributed or any such liability is to be paid. Any government
obligation, repurchase agreement or certificate of deposit held by the Trustee shall be held until
maturity. The interest rate on reserves placed with any bank or financial institution serving as
the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee shall be the interest rate that such bank pays in the normal
course of business on amounts placed with it, taking into account the amount involved, the period
held and other relevant factors. Subject to Section 6.01, the Trustee shall not be liable
for its selection of permitted investments or for any investment losses resulting from such
investments. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Delaware Trustee shall not be
obligated to accept any such cash or other assets for investment or otherwise. To the extent that
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the Delaware Trustee decides in its sole absolute discretion to accept cash for investment
pursuant to this Section 3.04, the Delaware Trustee shall invest such cash pursuant to the
written instructions of the Trustee, and the Delaware Trustee shall not be liable to the Trust for
any losses resulting from such investments absent its own fraud or acts or omissions in bad faith
or which constitute gross negligence.
Section 3.05 Power to Settle Claims. The Trustee is authorized to prosecute or defend, and to
settle by arbitration or otherwise, any claim of or against the Trustee, the Trust or the Trust
Estate, to waive or release rights of any kind and to pay or satisfy any debt, tax or claim upon
any evidence by it deemed sufficient, without the joinder or consent of any Trust Unitholder,
including enforcing the rights of the Trust under the Administrative Services Agreement and the
Conveyance. The Trust Unitholders shall have no power to prosecute any claim of the Trust or the
Trust Estate against any Person other than to prosecute a claim to compel performance by the
Trustee on behalf of the Trust or the Trust Estate.
Section 3.06 Power to Contract for Services. In the administration of the Trust, the Trustee
is empowered to employ oil and natural gas consultants (which may include the Independent Reserve
Engineers), accountants (with the consent of Trustors, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed), attorneys (who may, but need not be, counsel to Trustors or any of their
Affiliates) and other professional and expert Persons, to employ or contract for clerical and other
administrative assistance (including assistance from Trustors or any of their Affiliates), to
delegate to agents, employees, officers, directors, custodians or nominees (individually, an
“Agent” and collectively, “Agents”) any matter, whether ministerial or
discretionary, and to act through such Agents and to make payments of all fees for services or
expenses in any manner thus incurred out of the Trust Estate.
Section 3.07 Payment of Liabilities of Trust. Except as otherwise provided herein, the
Trustee may and shall use all money received by it for the payment or reimbursement of all
liabilities of the Trust, including, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, all
expenses, taxes, liabilities incurred of all kinds, compensation to it for its services hereunder,
as provided for in Article VII, and compensation to such parties as may be employed as
provided for in Section 3.06. With respect to any liability that is contingent or
uncertain in amount or that otherwise is not currently due and payable, the Trustee may, but is not
obligated to, establish a cash reserve for the payment of such liability. Except to the extent
permitted under applicable law, the Trustee shall not pay any liability of the Trust with funds set
aside pursuant to Section 5.02 for the payment of a Quarterly Cash Distribution. If at any
time the cash on hand and to be received by the Trustee and available to pay liabilities is not, or
will not be, in the judgment of the Trustee, sufficient to pay liabilities of the Trust as they
become due, the Trustee is authorized to cause the Trust to borrow the funds required to pay such
liabilities. In such event, no further distributions will be made to Trust Unitholders (except in
respect of previously determined Quarterly Cash Distribution) until the indebtedness created by
such borrowings has been paid in full. Such funds may be borrowed from any Person, including,
without limitation, the Bank while serving as Trustee or any other Entity serving as a fiduciary
hereunder, on an unsecured basis; provided that neither the Bank nor any other Entity shall be
required to make any such loan. The Trustee is not authorized or permitted to mortgage, pledge,
grant security interests in or otherwise encumber the Trust Estate, or any portion thereof,
including the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment. Under no circumstances shall
the Trustee or
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the Delaware Trustee be personally liable for any indebtedness of the Trust. If such funds
are loaned to the Trust by the Trustee or any other such Entity while the Trustee or such other
Entity is serving as a fiduciary hereunder, the terms of such indebtedness and security interest
shall be similar to the terms which the Trustee or such other Entity would grant to a similarly
situated commercial customer with whom it did not have, directly or indirectly, a fiduciary
relationship, and the Trustee or such other Entity shall be entitled to enforce its rights with
respect to any such indebtedness and security interest as if it were not, directly or indirectly,
and had never been, directly or indirectly, the Trustee or a fiduciary hereunder. No provision of
this Trust Agreement shall require either the Delaware Trustee, the Trustee or any other Entity
serving as a fiduciary hereunder, to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal
financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of
its rights or powers.
Section 3.08 Income and Principal. The Trustee shall not be required to keep separate
accounts or records for income and principal. However, if the Trustee does keep such separate
accounts or records, then the Trustee is authorized to treat all or any part of the receipts from
the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment as income or principal, without having to
maintain any reserve therefor, and in general to determine all questions as between income and
principal and to credit or charge to income or principal or to apportion between them any receipt
or gain and any charge, disbursement or loss as is deemed advisable under the circumstances of each
case.
Section 3.09 Term of Contracts. In exercising the rights and powers granted hereunder, the
Trustee is authorized to make the term of any transaction or contract or other instrument extend
beyond the term of the Trust.
Section 3.10 Transactions With Entity Serving as the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee. To the
extent such conduct is not prohibited by applicable law and except as otherwise provided herein,
both the Trustee and the Delaware Trustee are each authorized in exercising its powers under this
Agreement to make contracts and have dealings with itself or its Affiliates, directly and
indirectly, in any other fiduciary or individual capacity.
Section 3.11 No Security Required. No Entity serving as a trustee hereunder shall be required
to furnish any bond or security of any kind.
Section 3.12 Filing of Securities Act Registration Statement, Exchange Act Registration
Statement and Other Reports, Listing of Trust Units, etc.; Certain Fees and Expenses.
(a) In connection with the initial public offering of Trust Units, the Trustee shall, on
behalf of the Trust, use commercially reasonable efforts without the incurrence of unreasonable
expense to cause:
(i) the Securities Act Registration Statement to be prepared, signed, filed with the
Commission, and declared effective by the Commission;
(ii) the Exchange Act Registration Statement to be prepared, signed, filed with the
Commission, and declared effective by the Commission; and
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(iii) the Trust Units to be listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
(the “NYSE”), the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (the “NASDAQ”) or another national
securities exchange, as Trustors shall select.
(b) After the registration of the Trust Units pursuant to the Exchange Act and/or the listing
of the Trust Units for trading on the NYSE, NASDAQ or another national securities exchange, the
Trustee, on behalf of the Trust and acting upon the advice of counsel, shall cause the Trust to
comply with all of the rules, orders and regulations of the Commission, such exchange or the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. related to such registration or listing, as the
case may be, and take all such other reasonable actions necessary for the Trust Units to remain so
registered or listed until the Trust is terminated. In addition, the Trustee is authorized to
make, and the Trustee shall take, all reasonable actions to prepare and, to the extent required by
this Agreement or by law, mail to Trust Unitholders any reports, press releases or statements,
financial or otherwise, that the Trustee determines are required to be provided to Trust
Unitholders by applicable law or governmental regulation or the requirements of any securities
exchange or quotation system on which the Trust Units are listed or admitted to trading. In
addition, the Trustee, on behalf of the Trust and acting upon the advice of counsel, shall cause
the Trust to comply with all of the provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission related thereto, including but not limited to, establishing,
evaluating and maintaining a system of internal control over financial reporting in compliance with
the requirements of Section 404 thereof and making all required certifications pursuant to the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the Commission related thereto.
(c) The Trustee shall execute, by and on behalf of the Trust, any documents incidental or
related to the objectives specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 3.12.
(d) The Trust is hereby authorized and empowered to take all steps, make all filings and
applications and pay all fees necessary, customary or appropriate to the accomplishment of the
objectives set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 3.12 including, without
limitation, the entering into the Administrative Services Agreement with Xxxxxxx Oil and Gas
Corporation.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in Article VI, the fees, charges, expenses,
disbursements and other costs incurred by the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee in connection with
the discharge of its duties pursuant to this Agreement, including, without limitation, trustee
fees, engineering, audit, accounting and legal fees, printing and mailing costs, amounts reimbursed
or paid to Trustors pursuant to Section 3.06 or Section 7.02, and the fees and
expenses of legal counsel for the Trustee, the Delaware Trustee, and the Trust (including legal
fees and expenses incurred by the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee in connection with the formation
of the Trust and issuance of Trust Units), shall be paid out of the Trust Estate as an
administrative expense of the Trust, provided that the Trustee’s and the Delaware Trustee’s
acceptance fees paid by Trustors upon execution hereof shall be reimbursed to Trustors. All other
organizational expenses of the Trust will be paid by Trustors, and Trustors shall not be entitled
to reimbursement thereof.
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(f) The Trustee is hereby authorized and empowered to take all steps, make all filings and
applications and pay all fees necessary, customary or appropriate in order to perform the
obligations of the Trust under the Registration Rights Agreement.
Section 3.13 Reserve Report. The Trustee shall cause a reserve report to be prepared by or
for the Trust by the Independent Reserve Engineers as of December 31 of each year in accordance
with criteria established by the Commission showing estimated proved oil, natural gas and natural
gas liquids reserves attributable to the Net Profits Interest as of December 31 of such year and
other reserve information required to comply with Section 5.03. Trustors, to the extent
that either is the operator of the Underlying Properties, shall, and to the extent any of their
Affiliates is the operator of the Underlying Properties, shall cause such Affiliate or Affiliates
to, use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Trust and the Independent Reserve
Engineers in connection with the preparation of any such reserve report, and, to the extent neither
Trustor is the operator of one of the Underlying Properties, shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain and provide to the Trustee and the Independent Reserve Engineers such information
as may be reasonably necessary in connection with the preparation of the reserve report. The
Trustee shall cause each reserve report prepared pursuant to this Section 3.13 to be
completed and delivered to it within 75 days of the last day of the prior calendar year or such
shorter period of time as may be required to enable the Trustee to comply with the provisions of
Section 5.03.
Section 3.14 No Liability for Recordation. Trustors shall be solely responsible, and the
Trustee and the Delaware Trustee shall have no responsibility, for the filing of the Conveyance in
the real property records of any jurisdiction in which the Underlying Properties are located.
Neither the Trustee, the Delaware Trustee, the Bank nor any of their respective Agents shall be
liable to the Trust Estate or any Trust Unitholder for any loss, claim or damage resulting from, or
arising out of, the failure to file, or failure to properly file, the Conveyance in any real
property records of any jurisdiction.
ARTICLE IV
TRUST UNITS AND UNCERTIFICATED BENEFICIAL INTEREST
TRUST UNITS AND UNCERTIFICATED BENEFICIAL INTEREST
Section 4.01 Creation and Distribution. Ownership of the entire Beneficial Interest shall be
divided into 13,863,889 Trust Units. The Trust Units shall be uncertificated and ownership thereof
shall be evidenced by entry of a notation in an ownership ledger maintained for such purpose by the
Trustee or a transfer agent designated by the Trustee. The holders of the Trust Units from time to
time shall be the sole beneficiaries of principal and interest of the Trust.
Section 4.02 Rights of Trust Unitholders; Limitation on Personal Liability of Trust
Unitholders. Each Trust Unit shall represent pro rata undivided ownership of the Beneficial
Interest and shall entitle its holder to participate pro rata in the rights and benefits of holders
of Trust Units under this Agreement. A Trust Unitholder (whether by assignment or otherwise) shall
take and hold each Trust Unit subject to all the terms and provisions of this Agreement, which
shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors, assigns, legatees, heirs and
personal representatives of such Trust Unitholder. By an assignment or a transfer of one or more
Trust Units, the assignor thereby shall, with respect to such assigned or transferred Trust Unit or
Trust Units, part with, except as provided in Section 4.03 in the case of a transfer after
a
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Quarterly Record Date and prior to the corresponding Quarterly Payment Date, (i) all of its
Beneficial Interest attributable to such Trust Unit or Trust Units and (ii) all interests, rights
and benefits of a Trust Unitholder under the Trust and this Agreement that are attributable to such
Trust Unit or Trust Units as against all other Trust Unitholders, the Trust and the Trustee,
including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any and all rights to any Quarterly
Cash Distribution, or any portion thereof, attributable to any Trust Units so assigned or
transferred, for any Quarterly Period or Quarterly Periods subsequent to the Quarterly Period which
relates to the last Quarterly Record Date on which the assignor owned such Trust Units. The Trust
Units and the rights, benefits and interests evidenced thereby (including, without limiting the
foregoing, the entire Beneficial Interest) are and, for all purposes, shall be construed (except
for tax purposes), to be in all respects intangible personal property, and the Trust Units shall be
bequeathed, assigned, disposed of and distributed as intangible personal property. No Trust
Unitholder as such shall have any title, legal or equitable, in or to any real property interest or
tangible personal property interest that may be considered a part of the Trust Estate, including,
without limiting the foregoing, the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment or any part
thereof, or in or to any asset of the Trust Estate to the extent that an interest in such asset
would cause the interest of a Trust Unitholder to be treated as other than an intangible personal
property interest, but the sole interest of each Trust Unitholder shall be his ownership in the
Beneficial Interest. No Trust Unitholder shall have the right to call for or demand or secure any
partition or distribution of the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment or any other
asset of the Trust Estate or any accounting during the continuance of the Trust or during the
period of liquidation and winding up under Section 9.03. Pursuant to Section 3803(a) of
the Trust Act, the Trust Unitholders shall be entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to
the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders of private corporations for
profit organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
Section 4.03 Effect of Transfer. As to matters affecting the title, ownership, warranty or
transfer of Trust Units, Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code, the Uniform Act for
Simplification of Fiduciary Security Transfers, and other statutes and rules with respect to the
transfer of securities, each as is adopted and then in force in the State of Delaware, shall govern
and apply. The death of any Trust Unitholder shall not entitle the Transferee of such Trust
Unitholder to an accounting or valuation for any purpose pursuant to the terms hereof.
Section 4.04 Determination of Ownership. In the event of any disagreement between Persons
claiming to be Transferees of any Trust Unit, or in the event of any question on the part of the
Trustee when presented with a request for transfer of a Trust Unit, which the Trustee believes is
not fully resolved by opinions of counsel or other documents obtained in connection therewith,
then, in addition to other rights which it may have under applicable law, the Trustee shall be
entitled at its option to refuse to recognize any such claim so long as such disagreement or
question shall continue. In so refusing, the Trustee, and any Entity serving in such capacity, may
elect to make no disposition of the interest represented by the Trust Unit involved, or any part
thereof, or of any sum or sums of money accrued or accruing thereunder, and, in so doing, the
Trustee shall not be or become liable to any Person for the failure or refusal of the Trustee to
comply with such conflicting claims or requests for transfer, and shall be entitled to continue so
to refrain and refuse so to act, until:
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(a) the rights of the adverse claimants or the questions of the Trustee have been adjudicated
by a final nonappealable judgment of a court assuming and having jurisdiction of the parties and
the interest and money involved, or
(b) all differences have been adjusted by valid agreement between said parties and the Trustee
shall have been notified thereof in writing signed by all of the interested parties.
ARTICLE V
ACCOUNTING AND DISTRIBUTIONS; REPORTS
ACCOUNTING AND DISTRIBUTIONS; REPORTS
Section 5.01 Fiscal Year and Accounting Method. The Trust shall adopt the calendar year as
its fiscal year and shall maintain its books on an appropriate basis to comply with Sections
5.03 and 5.04, except to the extent such books must be maintained on any other basis
pursuant to applicable law.
Section 5.02 Quarterly Distributions. On (or, to the extent possible, prior to) the Quarterly
Record Date, the Trustee shall, in the manner required by the rules of any securities exchange or
quotation system on which the Trust Units are listed or admitted to trading, communicate to the
Trust Unitholders its determination of the amount of the Quarterly Cash Distribution for the
relevant Quarterly Period based on (i) information provided to the Trustee by Trustors pursuant to
the terms of the Conveyance with respect to the cash proceeds to be received by the Trust in
respect of the Net Profits Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment for the relevant Quarterly
Period and (ii) the amount of interest earned during the relevant Quarterly Period on such cash
proceeds held by the Trust. On each Quarterly Payment Date, the Trustee shall distribute pro rata
the Quarterly Cash Distribution with respect to the immediately preceding Quarterly Period to Trust
Unitholders of record on the Quarterly Record Date for such Quarterly Period.
Section 5.03 Reports to Trust Unitholders and Others.
(a) Within 45 days following the end of each of the calendar quarters, except the fourth
calendar quarter of each calendar year, or such shorter period of time as may be required by the
rules and regulations of the Commission adopted with respect to the Exchange Act or by the rules of
any securities exchange or quotation system on which the Trust Units are listed or admitted to
trading, the Trustee shall mail to each Person who was a Trust Unitholder of record on the
Quarterly Record Date for such Quarterly Period a report, which may be a copy of the Trust’s
quarterly report on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act, which shall show in reasonable detail the
assets and liabilities and receipts and disbursements of the Trust for such calendar quarter. The
obligation to mail a report to each Trust Unitholder of record on a Quarterly Record Date shall be
deemed to be satisfied if the Trustee files a copy of the Trust’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q on
the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (XXXXX) maintained by the Commission
or otherwise makes such report publicly available on an internet website that is generally
accessible to the public.
(b) Within 90 days following the end of each fiscal year or such shorter period of time as may
be required by the rules and regulations of the Commission adopted with respect to the Exchange Act
or by the rules of any securities exchange or quotation system on which the
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Trust Units are listed or admitted to trading, the Trustee shall mail to each Person who was a
Trust Unitholder of record on a date to be selected by the Trustee an annual report, containing
financial statements audited by a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting
firm selected by the Trustee, plus such annual reserve information regarding the Net Profits
Interest and Pre-Effective Time Payment as may be required under Section 3.13 or by any
regulatory authority having jurisdiction.
(c) Notwithstanding any time limit imposed by paragraph (a) or (b) of this
Section 5.03, if, due to a delay in receipt by the Trustee of information necessary for
preparation of a report or reports required by such paragraphs, the Trustee shall be unable to
prepare and mail such report or reports within such time limit, the Trustee shall prepare and mail
such report or reports as soon thereafter as practicable.
Section 5.04 Federal Income Tax Provisions. For federal or state income tax purposes, the
Trustee shall file for the Trust such returns and statements as in its judgment are required to
comply with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and regulations
and any applicable state laws and regulations, in either case to permit each Trust Unitholder to
report such Trust Unitholder’s share of the income and deductions of the Trust. The Trustee will
treat all income and deductions of the Trust for each month as having been realized on the
Quarterly Record Date for such quarter unless otherwise advised by its counsel. The Trustee will
treat the Trust and report with respect to the Trust as a grantor trust until and unless it
receives an opinion of tax counsel that such reporting is no longer proper. Within 75 days
following the end of each fiscal year, the Trustee shall mail to each Person who was a Trust
Unitholder of record on a Quarterly Record Date during such fiscal year, a report which shall show
in reasonable detail such information as is necessary to permit all holders of record of Trust
Units on a Quarterly Record Date during such fiscal year to make calculations necessary for tax
purposes.
ARTICLE VI
LIABILITY OF DELAWARE TRUSTEE AND TRUSTEE
AND METHOD OF SUCCESSION
LIABILITY OF DELAWARE TRUSTEE AND TRUSTEE
AND METHOD OF SUCCESSION
Section 6.01 Liability of Delaware Trustee, Trustee and Agents.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, each of the Delaware Trustee and
the Trustee, in carrying out its powers and performing its duties, may act directly or in its
discretion, at the expense of the Trust, through Agents (including attorneys) pursuant to
agreements entered into with any of them, and each Entity serving as Delaware Trustee or Trustee
shall be personally or individually liable only for (a) its own fraud or acts or omissions in bad
faith or which constitute gross negligence and (b) taxes, fees or other charges on, based on or
measured by any fees, commissions or compensation received by it in connection with any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and shall not otherwise be individually or personally
liable under any circumstances whatsoever, including but not limited to any act or omission of any
Agent unless such Entity has acted in bad faith or with gross negligence in the selection or
retention of such Agent. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, each Agent of the
Delaware Trustee and the Trustee (including Trustors and any of the Affiliates when acting as
Agents), in carrying out its powers and performing its duties, may act directly or
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in its discretion, at the expense of the Trust, through agents or attorneys engaged by such
Agent, and shall not otherwise be individually or personally liable for any act or omission unless
such Agent has acted in bad faith or with gross negligence. Neither the Trustee nor the Delaware
Trustee shall have any liability to any Persons other than the Trust Unitholders in accordance with
Section 3803 of the Trust Act and, for the avoidance of any doubt, shall not have any liability
hereunder to the Trust Unitholders absent its own fraud or acts or omissions in bad faith or which
constitute gross negligence. No Entity serving as Trustee or Delaware Trustee shall be
individually liable by reason of any act or omission of any other Entity serving as Trustee or
Delaware Trustee.
(b) Each of the Delaware Trustee and the Trustee, and each Entity serving in any such
fiduciary capacity or as an Agent of the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee (including Trustors and
any of their Affiliates when acting as Agents), shall be protected in relying or reasonably acting
upon any notice, certificate, assignment, opinion or advice of counsel or tax advisors, report of
certified accountant, petroleum engineer, geologists, auditor or other expert, credential, or any
other document or instrument. Each of the Delaware Trustee and the Trustee, and each Entity
serving in any such fiduciary capacity or as an Agent of the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee
(including Trustors and any of their Affiliates when acting as Agents), is specifically authorized
to rely upon the application of Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code, the application of the
Uniform Act for Simplification of Fiduciary Security Transfers and the application of other
statutes and rules with respect to the transfer of securities, each as is adopted and then in force
in the State of Delaware, as to all matters affecting title, ownership, warranty or transfer of the
Trust Units, without any personal liability for such reliance, and the indemnity granted under
Section 6.02 shall specifically extend to any matters arising as a result thereof.
Further, and without limiting the foregoing, each of the Delaware Trustee, the Trustee and each
Entity serving in either such capacity is specifically authorized and directed to rely upon the
validity of the Conveyance and the title held by the Trust in the Net Profits Interest and
Pre-Effective Time Payment pursuant thereto and is further specifically authorized and directed to
rely upon opinions of counsel in each of the states in which Underlying Properties are located,
without any liability in any capacity for such reliance.
Section 6.02 Indemnification of Trustee or Delaware Trustee.
(a) Each Entity serving as the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as well as each of their
respective Agents (including Trustors and any of their Affiliates when acting as Agents) and
equityholders, shall be indemnified and held harmless by, and receive reimbursement from, the Trust
Estate against and from any and all liabilities, obligations, actions, suits, costs, expenses,
claims, damages, losses, penalties, taxes, fees and other charges (collectively,
“Expenses,” excluding, however, any taxes and fees payable by the Trustee and the Delaware
Trustee on, based on or measured by any fees, commissions or compensation received by the Trustee
and the Delaware Trustee for their services hereunder) incurred by it individually in the
administration of the Trust and the Trust Estate or any part or parts thereof, or in the doing of
any act done or performed or omission occurring on account of its being Trustee or Delaware
Trustee, except such Expenses as to which it is liable under Section 6.01 (it being
understood that each Entity serving as the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee (and their respective
Agents (including Trustors and any of their Affiliates when acting as Agents) and equityholders)
shall be indemnified by, and receive reimbursement from, the Trust Estate against such Entity’s own
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negligence which does not constitute gross negligence). Each Entity serving as the Trustee or
the Delaware Trustee shall have a lien upon the Trust Estate for payment of such indemnification
and reimbursement (including, without limitation, repayment of any funds borrowed from any Entity
serving as a fiduciary hereunder), as well as for compensation to be paid to such Entity, in each
case entitling such Entity to priority as to payment thereof over payment to any other Person under
this Agreement. Neither the Trustee, the Delaware Trustee nor any Entity serving in either of such
capacities, nor any Agent thereof shall be entitled to any reimbursement or indemnification from
any Trust Unitholder for any Expense incurred by the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee or any such
Entity or Agent thereof, their right of reimbursement and indemnification, if any, except as
provided in Section 6.02(b), being limited solely to the Trust Estate, whether or not the
Trust Estate is exhausted without full reimbursement or indemnification of the Trustee, the
Delaware Trustee or any such Entity or Agent thereof. All legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee in connection with the investigation or defense of
any Expenses as to which such Entity is entitled to indemnity under this Section 6.02(a)
shall be paid out of the Trust Estate.
(b) If the Trust Estate is exhausted without the Trustee, the Delaware Trustee or any Agent or
equityholder thereof being fully reimbursed as provided in Section 6.02(a), Trustors shall
fulfill the remaining indemnity obligation to the Trustee and the Delaware Trustee.
(c) If any action or proceeding shall be brought or asserted against the Trustee or the
Delaware Trustee or any Agent or equityholder thereof (each referred to as an “Indemnified
Party” and, collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) in respect of which indemnity may
be sought from Trustors (the “Indemnifying Party”) pursuant to Section 6.02(b), of
which the Indemnified Party shall have received notice, the Indemnified Party shall promptly notify
the Indemnifying Party in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof,
including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the
payment of all expenses. The Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in
any such action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such
counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnified Party unless (i) the Indemnifying Party has
agreed to pay such fees and expenses, (ii) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed to assume the
defense of such action or proceeding and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory (including the
qualifications of such counsel) to the Indemnified Party on any such action or proceeding or
(iii) the named parties to any such action or proceeding include both the Indemnified Party and the
Indemnifying Party, and the Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that there may be
one or more legal defenses available to such Indemnified Party that are different from or
additional to those available to the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if the Indemnified Party
notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense
of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense of
such action or proceeding on behalf of the Indemnified Party and the Indemnified Party may employ
such counsel for the defense of such action or proceeding as is reasonably satisfactory to the
Indemnifying Party; it being understood, however, that the Indemnifying Party shall not, in
connection with any one such action or proceeding or separate but substantially similar or related
actions or proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys for
the Indemnified Parties at any time). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any such action or proceeding effected without the written consent of the
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Indemnifying Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), but, if
settled with such written consent, or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such
action or proceeding, the Indemnifying Party agrees (to the extent stated above) to indemnify and
hold harmless the Indemnified Party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement or judgment.
(d) Any claim for indemnification pursuant to this Section 6.02 shall survive the
termination of this Agreement and the resignation or removal of any Indemnified Party.
(e) Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, none of the Trustee, the Delaware Trustee
or any other Indemnified Party shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to
the Trust or any Trust Unitholder, and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent they
restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of
any Indemnified Party otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Trust Unitholders
to replace such other duties and liabilities of such Indemnified Party. To the extent that, at law
or in equity, an Indemnified Party has duties, including fiduciary duties, and liabilities relating
thereto to the Trust or any Trust Unitholder, any Indemnified Party acting in connection with the
Trust’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Trust or to any Trust Unitholder for its
good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 6.03 Resignation of Delaware Trustee and Trustee. Any Entity serving as the Delaware
Trustee or the Trustee may resign, as such, with or without cause, at any time by written notice to
Trustors, to any other Entity serving as the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee, and to each of the
then Trust Unitholders of record in accordance with Section 12.08. Such notice shall
specify a date when such resignation shall take effect, which shall be a Business Day not less than
60 days after the date such notice is mailed; provided, however, that in no event shall any
resignation of the Trustee be effective until a successor Trustee has accepted its appointment as
Trustee pursuant to the terms hereof; and provided further that in no event shall any resignation
of the Delaware Trustee be effective until a successor Delaware Trustee has accepted its
appointment as Delaware Trustee pursuant to the terms hereof.
Section 6.04 Removal of Delaware Trustee and Trustee. Each Entity serving as the Delaware
Trustee or the Trustee may be removed as trustee hereunder, with or without cause, by the vote of
not less than a majority of the then outstanding Trust Units at a meeting held in accordance with
the requirements of Article VIII, provided that any removal of the Delaware Trustee shall
be effective only at such time as a successor Delaware Trustee, fulfilling the requirements of
Section 3807(a) of the Trust Act, has been appointed and has accepted such appointment, and
provided further that any removal of the Trustee shall be effective only at such time as a
successor Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment. The Trust Unitholders
present or represented at any such meeting where a trustee is removed may elect, in accordance with
the requirements of Article VIII, a successor trustee at such meeting, who may accept such
appointment effective as of the close of such meeting.
Section 6.05 Appointment of Successor Delaware Trustee or Trustee. In the event of the
resignation or removal of the Entity serving as the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee or if any such
Entity has given notice of its intention to resign as the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee, (i) with
respect to the Delaware Trustee, the Trustee may appoint a successor Delaware Trustee,
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or (ii) with
respect to either the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee, the Trust Unitholders represented at a
meeting held in accordance with the requirements of Article VIII may appoint a successor
trustee. Nominees for appointment may be made by (i) Trustors, (ii) the resigned, resigning or
removed trustee or (iii) any Trust Unitholder or Trust Unitholders owning of record at least 10% of
the then outstanding Trust Units. Any successor to the Trustee shall be a bank or trust company
having combined capital, surplus and undivided profits of at least $100,000,000. Any successor to
the Delaware Trustee shall be a bank or trust company having its principal place of business in the
State of Delaware and having combined capital, surplus and undivided profits of at least
$20,000,000. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, in the event that a new trustee
has not been approved within 60 days after a notice of resignation, a vote of Trust Unitholders
removing a Trustee or other occurrence of a vacancy, a successor trustee may be appointed by any
State or Federal District Court having jurisdiction in New Castle County, Delaware, upon the
application of any Trust Unitholder, Trustors or the Entity tendering its resignation or being
removed as trustee filed with such court, and in the event any such application is filed, such
court may appoint a temporary trustee at any time after such application is filed, which shall,
pending the final appointment of a trustee, have such powers and duties as the court appointing
such temporary trustee shall provide in its order of appointment, consistent with the provisions of
this Agreement. Any such temporary trustee need not meet the minimum standards of capital, surplus
and undivided profits otherwise required of a successor trustee under this Section 6.05.
Nothing herein shall prevent the same Entity from serving as both the Delaware Trustee and the
Trustee if it meets the qualifications thereof.
Immediately upon the appointment of any successor trustee, all rights, titles, duties, powers
and authority of the succeeded trustee hereunder (except to the succeeded trustee’s rights to
amounts payable under Article VII or Section 6.02 accruing through the appointment
of such successor trustee) shall be vested in and undertaken by the successor trustee, which shall
be entitled to receive from the predecessor trustee all of the Trust Estate held by it hereunder
and all records and files of the predecessor trustee in connection therewith. Any resigning or
removed trustee shall account to its successor for its administration of the Trust. All successor
trustees shall be fully protected in relying upon such accounting and no successor trustee shall be
obligated to examine or seek alteration of any account of any preceding trustee, nor shall any
successor trustee be personally liable for failing to do so or for any act or omission of any
preceding trustee. The preceding sentence shall not prevent any successor trustee or anyone else
from taking any action otherwise permissible in connection with any such account.
Section 6.06 Laws of Other Jurisdictions. If notwithstanding the other provisions of this
Agreement (including, without limitation, Section 12.06) the laws of jurisdictions other
than the State of Delaware (each being referred to below as “such jurisdiction”) apply to the
administration of the Trust or the Trust Estate under this Agreement, the following provisions
shall apply. If it is necessary or advisable
for a trustee to serve in such jurisdiction and if the Trustee is disqualified from serving in
such jurisdiction or for any other reason fails or ceases to serve there, the ancillary trustee in
such jurisdiction shall be such Entity, which need not meet the requirements set forth in the third
sentence of Section 6.05, as shall be designated in writing by Trustors and the Trustee.
To the extent permitted under the laws of such jurisdiction, Trustors and the Trustee may remove
the trustee in such jurisdiction, without cause and without necessity of court proceeding, and may
or may not appoint a successor trustee in such jurisdiction from time to time. The trustee serving
in such jurisdiction shall, to the extent not prohibited under the
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laws of such jurisdiction,
appoint the Trustee to handle the details of administration in such jurisdiction. The trustee in
such jurisdiction shall have all rights, powers, discretions, responsibilities and duties as are
delegated in writing by the Trustee, subject to such limitations and directions as shall be
specified by the Trustee in the instrument evidencing such appointment. Any trustee in such
jurisdiction shall be responsible to the Trustee for all assets with respect to which such trustee
is empowered to act. To the extent the provisions of this Agreement and Delaware law cannot be
made applicable to the administration in such jurisdiction, the rights, powers, duties and
liabilities of the trustee in such jurisdiction shall be the same (or as near the same as permitted
under the laws of such jurisdiction if applicable) as if governed by Delaware law. In all events,
the administration in such jurisdiction shall be as free and independent of court control and
supervision as permitted under the laws of such jurisdiction. The fees and expenses of any
ancillary trustee shall constitute an administrative expense of the Trust payable from the Trust
Estate. Whenever the term “Trustee” is applied in this Agreement to the administration in such
jurisdiction, it shall refer only to the trustee then serving in such jurisdiction.
Section 6.07 Reliance on Experts. The Trustee and the Delaware Trustee may, but shall not be
required to, consult with counsel (which may but need not be counsel to Trustors), accountants, tax
advisors, geologists, engineers and other parties deemed by the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee to
be qualified as experts on the matters submitted to them, and, subject to Section 6.01 but
notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement the opinion or advice of any such party on
any matter submitted to it by the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee shall be full and complete
authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, omitted or suffered by the Trustee or
the Delaware Trustee hereunder in good faith in reliance upon and in accordance with the opinion or
advice of any such party. Each of the Trustee and the Delaware Trustee is authorized to make
payments of all reasonable fees for services and expenses thus incurred out of the Trust Estate.
Neither the Delaware Trustee nor the Trustee shall incur any liability to anyone in acting upon any
signature, instrument, notice, resolution, request, consent, order, certificate, report, opinion,
bond or other document or paper reasonably believed by it to be genuine and reasonably believed by
it to be signed by the proper party or parties. The Delaware Trustee and the Trustee may accept a
certified copy of a resolution of the board of directors or other governing body of any corporate
party as conclusive evidence that such resolution has been duly adopted by such body and that the
same is in full force and effect. As to any fact or matter the manner or ascertainment of which is
not specifically prescribed herein, the Delaware Trustee and the Trustee may for all purposes
hereof rely on a certificate, signed by the president or any vice president or by the treasurer or
any assistant treasurer and by the secretary or any assistant secretary of the relevant party, as
to such fact or matter, and such certificate shall constitute full
protection and authorization to the Delaware Trustee and the Trustee for any action taken or
omitted to be taken by it in good faith in reliance thereon.
Section 6.08 Force Majeure. The Trustee and the Delaware Trustee shall not incur any
liability to any Trust Unitholder if, by reason of any current or future law or regulation
thereunder of the federal government or any other governmental authority, or by reason of any act
of God, war or other circumstance beyond its control, the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee is
prevented or forbidden from doing or performing any act or thing required by the terms hereof to be
done or performed; nor shall the Trustee or the Delaware Trustee incur any liability to any Trust
Unitholder by reason of any nonperformance or delay caused as aforesaid in the
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performance of any
act or thing required by the terms hereof to be done or performed, or by reason of any exercise of,
or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for herein caused as aforesaid.
Section 6.09 Failure of Action by Trustors. In the event that either Trustor shall fail or is
unable to take any action as required under any provision of this Agreement, the Trustee is
empowered to take such action.
Section 6.10 Action Upon Instructions. Whenever the Delaware Trustee is unable to decide
between alternative courses of action permitted or required by the terms of this Agreement, or is
unsure as to the application, intent, interpretation or meaning of any provision of this Agreement,
the Delaware Trustee shall promptly give notice (in such form as shall be appropriate under the
circumstances) to the Trustee requesting instruction as to the course of action to be adopted, and,
to the extent the Delaware Trustee acts in good faith in accordance with any such instruction
received, the Delaware Trustee shall not be liable on account of such action to any Person. If the
Delaware Trustee shall not have received appropriate instructions within ten calendar days of
sending such notice to the Trustee (or within such shorter period of time as reasonably may be
specified in such notice or may be necessary under the circumstances) it may, but shall be under no
duty to, take or refrain from taking such action which is consistent, in its view, with this
Agreement, and the Delaware Trustee shall have no liability to any Person for any such action or
inaction.
Section 6.11 Management of Trust Estate. The Delaware Trustee shall have no duty or
obligation to manage, control, prepare, file or maintain any report, license or registration, use,
sell, dispose of or otherwise deal with the Trust Estate, or otherwise to take or refrain from
taking any action under or in connection with this Agreement, or any other document or instrument,
except as expressly required hereby.
Section 6.12 Validity. The Delaware Trustee shall not be responsible for or in respect of and
makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of any provision of this Agreement or
for the due execution hereof by the other parties hereto or for the form, character, genuineness,
sufficiency,
value or validity of any of the Trust Estate, and the Delaware Trustee shall in no event
assume or incur any liability, duty or obligation to Trustors, the Trustee or any Trust Unitholder,
other than as expressly provided for herein. The Delaware Trustee shall at no time have any
responsibility or liability for or with respect to the legality, validity and enforceability of any
of the Trust Units.
Section 6.13 Rights and Powers; Litigation. The Delaware Trustee shall be under no obligation
to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Agreement, or to institute, conduct or
defend any litigation or arbitration under this Agreement or otherwise or in relation to this
Agreement, at the request, order or direction of the Trustee, any Trust Unitholder or Trustors
unless the Trustee, Trust Unitholder or Trustors, as the case may be, has or have offered to the
Delaware Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses
and liabilities that may be incurred by the Delaware Trustee therein or thereby. The Delaware
Trustee shall be under no obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, or to take any
other action other than the giving of notices, which in its opinion may require it to incur any
out-of-pocket expense or any liability unless it shall be furnished with such security and
indemnity
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against such expense or liability as it may reasonably require. The right of the
Delaware Trustee to perform any discretionary act enumerated in this Agreement shall not be
construed as a duty, and the Delaware Trustee shall not be personally liable or accountable for the
performance of any such act except as specifically provided in Section 6.01.
Section 6.14 No Duty to Act Under Certain Circumstances. Notwithstanding anything contained
herein to the contrary, the Delaware Trustee will not be required to take any action in any
jurisdiction other than in the State of Delaware if the taking of such action would (i) require the
consent of approval or authorization or order of or the giving of notice to, or the registration
with or taking of any action in respect of, any state or other governmental authority or agency of
any jurisdiction other than in the State of Delaware, (ii) result in any fee, tax or governmental
charge under the laws of any jurisdiction or any political subdivisions thereof other than the
State of Delaware becoming payable by the Delaware Trustee or (iii) subject the Delaware Trustee to
personal jurisdiction in any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware for causes of action
arising from acts unrelated to the consummation of the transactions by the Delaware Trustee
contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE VII
COMPENSATION OF THE TRUSTEE AND THE DELAWARE TRUSTEE
COMPENSATION OF THE TRUSTEE AND THE DELAWARE TRUSTEE
Section 7.01 Compensation of Trustee and Delaware Trustee. The Entity serving as the Trustee
hereunder shall receive an annual fee of $160,000 as compensation for its services as the Trustee
hereunder. The Entity serving as the Delaware Trustee hereunder shall receive an annual fee of
$3,500 as compensation for its services as the Delaware Trustee hereunder. Entities serving as the
Trustee or the Delaware Trustee hereunder shall be reimbursed for all actual expenditures made in
connection with administration of the Trust, including those made on account of any unusual duties
in connection with matters pertaining to the Trust and the reasonable compensation and expenses of
their
counsel, accountants or other skilled persons and of all other persons not regularly in their
employ. Any unusual or extraordinary services rendered by the Entity serving as Trustee or by the
Entity serving as Delaware Trustee in connection with the administration of the Trust shall be
treated as trustee administrative services for purpose of computing the respective administrative
fee to be paid to each Entity serving as trustee hereunder.
Section 7.02 Reimbursement of Trustors. Trustors shall be entitled to reimbursement from the
Trust for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses paid by Trustors, acting in their capacity as Agent
of the Trust (including without limitation legal, accounting, engineering and printing costs), but
excluding those costs and expenses specified in Section 3.12(a) and in
Section 6.02(b) as costs and expenses to be paid by Trustors and excluding any costs and
expenses which have been or will be reimbursed pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement,
promptly upon submission of written evidence thereof to the Trustee.
Section 7.03 Source of Funds. Except as provided in Section 6.02(b), all
compensation, reimbursements, and other charges owing to any Entity as a result of its services as
a trustee hereunder shall constitute indebtedness hereunder, shall be payable by the Trust out of
the Trust Estate and such Entity shall have a lien on the Trust Estate for payment of such
compensation,
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reimbursements and other charges, entitling such Entities to priority as to payment
thereof over payment to any other Person under this Agreement.
Section 7.04 Ownership of Units by Trustors, the Delaware Trustee and the Trustee. Each of
the Delaware Trustee and the Trustee, in its individual or other capacity, may become the owner or
pledgee of Trust Units with the same rights it would have if it were not a trustee hereunder.
Trustors and each of their Affiliates may become the owner of Trust Units with the same rights and
entitled to the same benefits as any other Trust Unitholder.
ARTICLE VIII
MEETINGS OF TRUST UNITHOLDERS
MEETINGS OF TRUST UNITHOLDERS
Section 8.01 Purpose of Meetings. A meeting of the Trust Unitholders may be called at any
time and from time to time pursuant to the provisions of this Article VIII to transact any
matter that the Trust Unitholders may be authorized to transact.
Section 8.02 Call and Notice of Meetings. Any such meeting of the Trust Unitholders may be
called by the Trustee or by Trust Unitholders owning of record not less than 10% in number of the
then outstanding Trust Units. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, call meetings of
Trust Unitholders to consider amendments, waivers, consents and other changes relating to the
Conveyance. In
addition, at the written request of the Delaware Trustee, unless the Trustee appoints a
successor Delaware Trustee in accordance with Section 6.05, the Trustee shall call such a
meeting but only for the purpose of appointing a successor to the Delaware Trustee upon its
resignation. All such meetings shall be held at such time and at such place as the notice of any
such meeting may designate. Except as may otherwise be required by any applicable law or by any
securities exchange on which the Trust Units may be listed or admitted to trading, written notice
of every meeting of the Trust Unitholders signed by the Trustee or the Trust Unitholders calling
the meeting, setting forth the time and place of the meeting and in general terms the matters
proposed to be acted upon at such meeting, shall be given in person or by mail not more than 60 nor
less than 20 days before such meeting is to be held to all of the Trust Unitholders of record at
the close of business on a record date selected by the Trustee (the “Record Date Trust
Unitholders”), which shall be not more than 60 days before the date of such mailing. If such
notice is given to any Trust Unitholder by mail, it shall be directed to such Trust Unitholder at
its last address as shown by the ownership ledger of the Trustee and shall be deemed duly given
when so addressed and deposited in the United States mail, postage paid. No matter other than that
stated in the notice shall be acted upon at any meeting unless such action is approved by the Trust
Unitholders. Only Record Date Trust Unitholders shall be entitled to notice of and to exercise
rights at or in connection with the meeting. All costs associated with calling any meeting of the
Trust Unitholders shall be borne by the Trust other than a meeting of the Trust Unitholders called
by Trust Unitholders owning of record not less than 10% in number of the then outstanding Trust
Units, which costs shall be borne by the Trust Unitholders that called such meeting of Trust
Unitholders.
Section 8.03 Method of Voting and Vote Required. Each Record Date Trust Unitholder shall be
entitled to one vote for each Trust Unit owned by such Record Date Trust Unitholder, and any Record
Date Trust Unitholder may vote in person or by duly executed written proxy. At any such meeting,
the presence in person or by proxy of Record Date Trust Unitholders
holding
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a majority of the Trust
Units held by all Record Date Trust Unitholders shall constitute a quorum, and, except as otherwise
provided herein, any matter shall be deemed to have been approved by the Trust Unitholders
(including, but not limited to, appointment of a successor trustee and approval of amendments,
waivers, consents and other changes relating to the Conveyance) if it is approved by the vote of
Record Date Trust Unitholders holding more than 50% of the Trust Units represented at the meeting.
In determining whether the holders of the required number of Units have approved any matter that is
submitted to a vote of Unitholders or concurred in any request, demand, authorization, notice,
direction, waiver or consent, Units owned by the Trustors or any of their Affiliates shall be
disregarded if such matter either would result in increased costs and expenses to the Trust or
would adversely affect the economic interests of Trust Unitholders.
Section 8.04 Conduct of Meetings. The Trustee may make such reasonable regulations consistent
with the provisions hereof as it may deem advisable for any meeting of the Trust Unitholders, for
the appointment of proxies, and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the
submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, the
preparation and use at the meeting of a list authenticated by or on behalf of the Trustee of the
Trust Unitholders entitled to vote at the meeting and such other matters concerning the
conduct of the meeting as it shall deem advisable.
ARTICLE IX
DURATION, REVOCATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST
DURATION, REVOCATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST
Section 9.01 Revocation. Subject to the third sentence of this Section 9.01, the
Trust is and shall be irrevocable and Trustors, as trustors, after the Closing, retain no power to
alter, amend (except as provided otherwise in this Article IX and in
Section 10.02), revoke or terminate the Trust. The Trust shall be terminable only as
provided in Section 9.02, and shall continue until so terminated. Prior to the Closing,
Trustors may revoke the Trust by written notice to the Trustee, in which event the Trustee shall
reconvey the Trust Estate, less any expenses or liabilities of the Trust, to Trustors.
Section 9.02 Termination. The Trust shall dissolve and commence winding-up its business and
affairs upon the first to occur of the following events or times:
(a) the disposition of all of the Net Profits Interest and any assets (other than cash),
tangible or intangible, including accounts receivable and claims or rights to payment, constituting
the Trust Estate;
(b) the action by Trust Unitholders of record holding a majority of the then outstanding Trust
Units in accordance with Article VIII to terminate the Trust;
(c) annual cash proceeds received by the Trust attributable to the Net Profits Interest and
Pre-Effective Time Payment are less than $1 million for each of two consecutive years; and
(d) the Liquidation Date.
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Section 9.03 Disposition and Distribution of Assets and Properties. Notwithstanding the
dissolution of the Trust pursuant to Section 9.02, the Trustee and the Delaware Trustee
shall continue to act as trustees of the Trust Estate and as such shall exercise the powers granted
under this Agreement until their duties have been fully performed and the Trust Estate finally
distributed so that the affairs of the Trust may be liquidated and wound up. Upon the dissolution
of the Trust, the Trustee shall sell for cash in one or more sales all the properties other than
cash then constituting the Trust Estate. The net proceeds from any sale of the Net Profits
Interest made as provided in Section 3.02 or the properties other than cash then
constituting the Trust Estate shall be Sales Proceeds Amounts, which are treated as cash receipts
of the Trust during the Quarterly Period in which the net proceeds are received; provided that the
Trustee shall first pay, satisfy and discharge all liabilities of the Trust, or if necessary, set
up cash reserves in such amounts as the Trustee in its discretion deems appropriate for contingent
liabilities in accordance with Section 3808 of the
Trust Act. The Trustee shall not be required to obtain approval of the Trust Unitholders
prior to performing any of its duties pursuant to this Section 9.03. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, in no event may the Trustee distribute the Net Profits Interest
and Pre-Effective Time Payment to the Trust Unitholders. Upon making final distribution to the
Trust Unitholders, the Trustee shall direct the Delaware Trustee to file, and Delaware Trustee
shall file or cause to be filed, a certificate of cancellation of the Trust’s Certificate of Trust
in accordance with Section 2.01 and Section 3811 of the Trust Act. Upon the filing of such
certificate of cancellation, neither the Trustee nor the Entity serving in such capacity shall have
any further duty or obligation hereunder, and neither the Trustee nor the Entity serving in such
capacity shall be under further liability except as provided in Section 6.01.
Section 9.04 Reorganization or Business Combination.
(a) Subject to Section 12.03, the Trust may merge or consolidate with or into one or
more limited partnerships, general partnerships, corporations, statutory trusts, common law trusts,
limited liability companies, or associations, or unincorporated businesses in accordance with
Section 3815 of the Trust Act if such transaction (i) is agreed to by the Trustee and by the
affirmative vote of Trust Unitholders owning more than 50% of the then outstanding Trust Units at a
meeting duly called and held in accordance with Article VIII, and (ii) is permitted under
the Trust Act and any other applicable law. The Trustee shall give prompt notice of such
reorganization or business combination to the Delaware Trustee. Pursuant to and in accordance with
the provisions of Section 3815(f) of the Trust Act, and notwithstanding anything else herein, an
agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with this Section 9.04 and
Section 3815(a) of the Trust Act may effect any amendment to this Agreement or effect the adoption
of a new trust agreement if it is the surviving or resulting trust in the merger or consolidation.
(b) Upon the effective date of a certificate of merger duly filed in accordance with the Trust
Act, the following shall be deemed to occur, in addition to such effects as may be specified under
the Trust Act as then in effect:
(i) all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that have
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
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the
merger or consolidation, shall be the property of the surviving business entity to the
extent they were part 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 shall not be in any way impaired because
of the merger or consolidation;
(iii) all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interest in property of any
of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired;
(iv) all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall
attach to the surviving or resulting business entity, and may be enforced against it to the
same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contacted by it;
and
(v) if the Trust is the surviving or resulting entity, the governing instrument of the
Trust shall be amended or a new governing instrument adopted as set forth in the certificate
of merger.
(c) A merger or consolidation effected pursuant to this Section 9.04 shall not be
deemed to result in a transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one entity to another
having occurred.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
AMENDMENTS
Section 10.01 Prohibited Amendments. After the Closing, no amendment may be made to any
provision of this Agreement that would:
(a) increase the power of the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee to engage in business or
investment activities;
(b) alter the right of the Trust Unitholders vis-a-vis each other; or
(c) unless consented to in writing by Trustors, have the effect of amending Sections
3.02, 6.02, 7.02, 9.02, 9.03, 10.01 or 10.02.
Section 10.02 Permitted Amendments. Prior to the Closing, amendments to the provisions of
this Agreement may be made by mutual agreement of the Delaware Trustee, the Trustee and Trustors,
jointly, and no party shall have liability to any Trust Unitholder for any amendment, including any
amendment that increases or decreases any right, benefit or liability of any present or future
Trust Unitholder. After the Closing, the Delaware Trustee and the Trustee may, jointly, from time
to time supplement or amend this Agreement or the Conveyance without the approval of Trust
Unitholders in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein
or therein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein or therein, to
grant any benefit to all of the Trust Unitholders, or to change the name of the Trust, provided
that such supplement or amendment does not adversely affect the interests of the Trust Unitholders,
and provided further that any amendment
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to this Agreement made to change the name of the Trust in
accordance with Section 12.05 or otherwise shall be conclusively deemed not to affect
adversely the interests of the Trust Unitholders or result in a variance of the investment of the
Trust or the Trust Unitholders. Additionally, the Trustee may, from time to time supplement or
amend the Registration Rights Agreement or the Administrative Services Agreement without the
approval of Trust Unitholders provided that such supplement or amendment would not increase the
costs or expenses of the Trust or adversely affect the
economic interests of the Trust Unitholders. The Trustee and the Delaware Trustee, subject to
the provisions of Sections 6.01 and 6.07 are entitled to, and may rely upon, a
written opinion of counsel as conclusive evidence that any amendment or supplement pursuant to the
immediately preceding sentence complies with the provisions of this Section 10.02. All
other permitted amendments to the provisions of this Agreement, the Conveyance, the Registration
Rights Agreement or the Administrative Services Agreement may be made only by a vote of the Trust
Unitholders of record holding a majority of the then outstanding Trust Units at a meeting held in
accordance with the requirements of Article VIII. No amendment that increases the
obligations, duties or liabilities or affects the rights of the Delaware Trustee, the Trustee or
any Entity serving in any such capacity shall be effective without the express written approval of
such trustee or Entity.
ARTICLE XI
ARBITRATION
ARBITRATION
THE TRUST UNITHOLDERS, TRUSTEE AND TRUSTORS AGREE THAT, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (I) OF
THIS ARTICLE XI, ANY DISPUTE, CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM THAT MAY ARISE BETWEEN OR AMONG TRUSTORS
(ON THE ONE HAND) AND THE TRUST OR THE TRUSTEE (ON THE OTHER HAND) IN CONNECTION WITH OR OTHERWISE
RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE CONVEYANCE OR THE APPLICATION, IMPLEMENTATION, VALIDITY OR BREACH
OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE CONVEYANCE OR ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE CONVEYANCE (INCLUDING,
WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR STATUTE), SHALL BE FINALLY, CONCLUSIVELY AND
EXCLUSIVELY SETTLED BY BINDING ARBITRATION IN DENVER, COLORADO IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMERCIAL
ARBITRATION RULES (THE “RULES”) OF THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION OR ANY SUCCESSOR
THERETO (“AAA”) THEN IN EFFECT. THE TRUST UNITHOLDERS, TRUSTEE AND TRUSTORS (AND ON BEHALF
OF THE TRUST) HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVE THEIR RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES IN COURT, INCLUDING, WITHOUT
LIMITATION, THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY, WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTER SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION PURSUANT
TO THIS ARTICLE XI. THE TRUST UNITHOLDERS, TRUSTEE OR TRUSTORS MAY BRING AN ACTION,
INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, A SUMMARY OR EXPEDITED PROCEEDING, IN ANY COURT HAVING JURISDICTION,
TO COMPEL ARBITRATION OF ANY DISPUTE, CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM TO WHICH THIS ARTICLE XI
APPLIES. EXCEPT WITH RESPECT TO THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS (THE “SPECIAL PROVISIONS”) WHICH
SHALL APPLY WITH RESPECT TO ANY ARBITRATION PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE XI, THE INITIATION AND
CONDUCT OF ARBITRATION SHALL BE AS SET FORTH IN THE RULES, WHICH
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RULES ARE INCORPORATED IN THIS
AGREEMENT BY REFERENCE WITH THE SAME EFFECT AS IF THEY WERE SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT.
(a) In the event of any inconsistency between the Rules and the Special Provisions, the
Special Provisions shall control. References in the Rules to a sole arbitrator shall be deemed to
refer to the tribunal of arbitrators provided for under subparagraph (c) below in this
Article XI.
(b) The arbitration shall be administered by AAA.
(c) The arbitration shall be conducted by a tribunal of three arbitrators. Within ten days
after arbitration is initiated pursuant to the Rules, the initiating party or parties (the
“Claimant”) shall send written notice to the other party or parties (the
“Respondent”), with a copy to the Fresno, California office of AAA, designating the first
arbitrator (who shall not be a representative or agent of any party but may or may not be an AAA
panel member and, in any case, shall be reasonably believed by the Claimant to possess the
requisite experience, education and expertise in respect of the matters to which the claim relates
to enable such person to completely perform arbitral duties). Within ten days after receipt of
such notice, the Respondent shall send written notice to the Claimant, with a copy to the Fresno,
California office of AAA and to the first arbitrator, designating the second arbitrator (who shall
not be a representative or agent of any party, but may or may not be an AAA panel member and, in
any case, shall be reasonably believed by the Respondent to possess the requisite experience,
education and expertise in respect of the matters to which the claim relates to enable such person
to competently perform arbitral duties). Within ten days after such notice from the Respondent is
received by the Claimant, the Respondent and the Claimant shall cause their respective designated
arbitrators to select any mutually agreeable AAA panel member as the third arbitrator. If the
respective designated arbitrators of the Respondent and the Claimant cannot so agree within said
ten day period, then the third arbitrator will be determined pursuant to the Rules. For purposes
of this Article XI, Trustors (on the one hand) and the Trust and the Trustee (on the other
hand) shall each be entitled to the selection of one arbitrator. Prior to commencement of the
arbitration proceeding, each arbitrator shall have provided the parties with a resume outlining
such arbitrator’s background and qualifications and shall certify that such arbitrator is not a
representative or agent of any of the parties. If any arbitrator shall die, fail to act, resign,
become disqualified or otherwise cease to act, then the arbitration proceeding shall be delayed for
15 days and the party by or on behalf of whom such arbitrator was appointed shall be entitled to
appoint a substitute arbitrator (meeting the qualifications set forth in this Article XI)
within such 15-day period; provided, however, that if the party by or on behalf of whom such
arbitrator was appointed shall fail to appoint a substitute arbitrator within such fifteen day
period, the substitute arbitrator shall be a neutral arbitrator appointed by the AAA arbitrator
within 15 days thereafter.
(d) All arbitration hearings shall be commenced within 120 days after arbitration is initiated
pursuant to the Rules, unless, upon a showing of good cause by a party to the arbitration, the
tribunal of arbitrators permits the extension of the commencement of such hearing; provided,
however, that any such extension shall not be longer than 60 days.
(e) All claims presented for arbitration shall be particularly identified and the parties to
the arbitration shall each prepare a statement of their position with recommended courses of
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action. These statements of position and recommended courses of action shall be submitted to the
tribunal of arbitrators chosen as provided hereinabove for binding decision. The tribunal of
arbitrators shall not be empowered to make decisions beyond the scope of the position papers.
(f) The arbitration proceeding will be governed by the substantive laws of the State of
Delaware and will be conducted in accordance with such procedures as shall be fixed for such
purpose by the tribunal of arbitrators, except that (i) discovery in connection with any
arbitration proceeding shall be conducted in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
and applicable case law, (ii) the tribunal of arbitrators shall have the power to compel discovery
and
(iii) unless the parties otherwise agree and except as may be provided in this
Article XI, the arbitration shall be governed by the United States Arbitration Act, 9
U.S.C. §§ 1-16, to the exclusion of any provision of state law or other applicable law or procedure
inconsistent therewith or which would produce a different result. The parties shall preserve their
right to assert and to avail themselves of the attorney-client and attorney-work-product
privileges, and any other privileges to which they may be entitled pursuant to applicable law. No
party to the arbitration or any arbitrator may compel or require mediation and/or settlement
conferences without the prior written consent of all such parties and the tribunal of arbitrators.
(g) The tribunal of arbitrators shall make an arbitration award as soon as possible after the
later of the close of evidence or the submission of final briefs, and in all cases the award shall
be made not later than thirty days following submission of the matter. The finding and decision of
a majority of the arbitrators shall be final and shall be binding upon the parties. Judgment upon
the arbitration award or decision may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof or
application may be made to any such court for a judicial acceptance of the award and an order of
enforcement, as the case may be. The tribunal of arbitrators shall have the authority to assess
liability for pre-award and post-award interest on the claims, attorneys’ fees, expert witness fees
and all other expenses of arbitration as such arbitrators shall deem appropriate based on the
outcome of the claims arbitrated. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties to the arbitration in
writing, the arbitration award shall include findings of fact and conclusions of law.
(h) Nothing in this Article XI shall be deemed to (i) limit the applicability of any
otherwise applicable statute of limitations or repose or any waivers contained in this Agreement,
(ii) constitute a waiver by any party hereto of the protections afforded by 12 U.S.C. § 91 or any
successor statute thereto or any substantially equivalent state law, (iii) restrict the right of
the Trustee to make application to any state or federal district court having jurisdiction in
Denver, Colorado, to appoint a successor Trustee or to request instructions with regard to any
provision in this Agreement when the Trustee is unsure of its obligations thereunder, or (iv) apply
to the Delaware Trustee.
(i) This Article XI shall preclude participation by the Trust in any class action
brought against Trustors by any Person who is not a Trust Unitholder and the Trustee shall opt out
of any such class action in which the Trust is a purported class member, but shall not preclude
participation by the Trust in any such action brought by a Trust Unitholders or in which Trust
Unitholders holding more than 50% of the Trust Units represented at a duly called and held meeting
of the Trust Unitholders in accordance with Section 8.02 request the Trustee to
participate.
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ARTICLE XII
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 12.01 Inspection of Books. Each Trust Unitholder and its duly authorized agents and
attorneys shall have the right, at its own expense and during reasonable business hours upon
reasonable prior notice, to examine and inspect the records (including, without limitation, the
ownership ledger) of the Trust and the Trustee in reference thereto for any purpose reasonably
related to the Trust Unitholder’s interest as a Trust Unitholder. The Trustee and its duly
authorized Agents (including attorneys) shall have the right, at the expense of the Trust and
during reasonable business hours upon reasonable prior written notice, to examine and inspect
the records of Trustors relating to the Net Profits Interest, the Pre-Effective Time Payment and
the Underlying Properties.
Section 12.02 Disability of a Trust Unitholder. Any payment or distribution to a Trust
Unitholder may be made by check of the Trustee drawn to the order of the Trust Unitholder,
regardless of whether or not the Trust Unitholder is a minor or under other legal disability,
without the Trustee having further responsibility with respect to such payment or distribution.
This Section 12.02 shall not be deemed to prevent the Trustee from making any payment or
distribution by any other method that is appropriate under law.
Section 12.03 Interpretation. It is intended that this Trust Agreement shall be interpreted in
a manner such that the Trustee shall be prohibited from taking any action if the effect of such
action would constitute a power under this Trust Agreement to “vary the investment of the
certificate holders” as defined by Section 301.7701-4(c)(1) of the Treasury Regulations promulgated
under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as such regulations may be amended, and as
further interpreted by Revenue Ruling 2004-86, 2004-33 I.R.B. 191, or any successor ruling, notice
or other pronouncement by the Internal Revenue Service.
Section 12.04 Merger or Consolidation of Delaware Trustee or Trustee. Neither a change of
name of either the Delaware Trustee or the Trustee, nor any merger or consolidation of its
corporate powers with another bank or with a trust company, nor the sale or transfer of all or
substantially all of its institutional and corporate trust operations to a separate bank, trust
company, corporation or other business entity shall adversely affect such resulting or successor
party’s right or capacity to act hereunder; provided, however, that the Delaware Trustee or any
successor thereto shall maintain its principal place of business in the State of Delaware; and
provided further that, in the case of any successor Trustee or Delaware Trustee, it shall continue
to meet the requirements of Section 6.05.
Section 12.05 Change in Trust Name. Upon the written request by Trustors submitted to the
Trustee and the Delaware Trustee, the Trustee shall, without the vote or consent of any Trust
Unitholders, take all action necessary to change the name of the Trust to a name mutually agreeable
to the Trustee and Trustors and, upon effecting such name change, the Delaware Trustee, acting
pursuant to the written instructions of the Trustee, shall amend the Certificate of Trust on file
in the office of the Secretary of State of Delaware to reflect such name change.
Section 12.06 Filing of this Agreement. There is no obligation on the part of the Trustee
that this Agreement or any executed copy hereof be filed in any county in which any of the Trust
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Estate is located, but the same may be filed for record in any county by the Trustee. In order to
avoid the necessity of filing this Agreement for record, each of the Delaware Trustee and the
Trustee agrees that for the purpose of vesting the record title to the Trust Estate in any
successor trustee, the succeeded
trustee shall, upon appointment of any successor trustee, execute and deliver to such
successor trustee appropriate assignments or conveyances.
Section 12.07 Choice of Law. This Agreement and the Trust shall be governed by the laws of
the State of Delaware (without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof) in effect at any
applicable time in all matters, including the validity, construction and administration of this
Agreement and the Trust, the enforceability of the provisions of this Agreement, all rights and
remedies hereunder, and the services of the Delaware Trustee and Trustee hereunder. Furthermore,
except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the rights, powers, duties and liabilities of the
Delaware Trustee, the Trustee and the Trust Unitholders shall be as provided under the Trust Act
and other applicable laws of the State of Delaware in effect at any applicable time; provided,
however, that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law there shall not be applicable to
the Trustee, the Delaware Trustee, the Trust Unitholders, the Trust or this Agreement any provision
of the laws (common or statutory) of the State of Delaware pertaining to trusts that relate to or
regulate, in a manner inconsistent with the terms hereof, (i) the filing with any court or
governmental body or agency of trustee accounts or schedules of trustee fees and charges,
(ii) affirmative requirements to post bonds for trustees, officers, agents or employees of a trust,
(iii) the necessity for obtaining court or other governmental approval concerning the acquisition,
holding or disposition of real or personal property, (iv) fees or other sums payable to trustees,
officers, agents or employees of a trust, (v) the allocation of receipts and expenditures to income
or principal, (vi) restrictions or limitations on the permissible nature, amount or concentration
of trust investments or requirements relating to the titling, storage or other manner of holding or
investing trust assets or (vii) the establishment of fiduciary or other standards of responsibility
or limitations on the acts or powers of trustees that are inconsistent with the limitations or
authorities and powers of the trustees hereunder as set forth or referenced in this Agreement.
Section 3540 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code shall not apply to the Trust.
Section 12.08 Separability. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to
any Person or circumstances shall be finally determined by a court of proper jurisdiction to be
illegal, invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement or the application
of such provision to Persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held illegal,
invalid or unenforceable shall not be affected thereby, and every remaining provision of this
Agreement shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Section 12.09 Notices. Any and all notices or demands permitted or required to be given under
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be validly given or made if (a) personally delivered,
(b) delivered and confirmed by facsimile or like instantaneous transmission service, or by Federal
Express or other overnight courier delivery service, which shall be effective as of confirmation of
receipt by the courier at the address for notice hereinafter stated or (c) deposited in the United
States mail, first class, postage prepaid, certified or registered, return receipt requested,
addressed as follows:
If to the Trustee, to:
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Xxx Xxxx xx Xxx Xxxx Trust Company, N.A.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
With a copy to:
Bracewell & Xxxxxxxx LLP
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxx Xxxxxx
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxx Xxxxxx
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
If to the Delaware Trustee, to:
Wilmington Trust Company
Xxxxxx Square North
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Xxxxxx Square North
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
With a copy to:
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Finger, P.A.
One Xxxxxx Square
000 Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
One Xxxxxx Square
000 Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
If to Trustors, to:
Xxxxxxx Oil and Gas Corporation
0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
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With a copy to:
Xxxxx & Lardner LLP
000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, III
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, III
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
If to a Trust Unitholder, to:
The Trust Unitholder at its last address as shown on the ownership records maintained by the Trustee
Notice that is mailed in the manner specified shall be conclusively deemed given three days
after the date postmarked or upon receipt, whichever is sooner. Any party to this Agreement may
change its address for the purpose of receiving notices or demands by notice given as provided in
this Section 12.09.
Section 12.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in a number of counterparts, each
of which shall constitute an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Trustors, the Bank and Wilmington Trust have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed the day and year first above written.
XXXXXXX OIL AND GAS CORPORATION | ||||||||
ATTEST: |
||||||||
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | ||||||
Title: Assistant Secretary
|
Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |||||||
EQUITY OIL COMPANY | ||||||||
ATTEST: |
||||||||
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | ||||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||||||
Title: Assistant Secretary
|
Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |||||||
ATTEST: | THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A. | |||||||
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||||
Name:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||||
Title:
|
Title: Vice President | |||||||
ATTEST: | WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY | |||||||
/s/ J. Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | ||||||
Name: J. Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||||
Title: Financial Services Officer
|
Title: Vice President |
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