CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT between QUICKSILVER RESOURCES INC. and BREITBURN OPERATING L.P. Dated as of September 11, 2007
Exhibit
10.2
between
and
BREITBURN
OPERATING L.P.
Dated
as of September 11, 2007
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
|
Page
|
|
ARTICLE I |
DEFINITIONS
|
1 |
Section
1.1
|
Certain
Definitions
|
1
|
Section
1.2
|
Interpretation
|
22
|
Section
1.3
|
WCGP
|
22
|
ARTICLE
II
|
CONSIDERATION;
CLOSING
|
23
|
Section
2.1
|
Contribution
|
23
|
Section
2.2
|
Deposit
|
24
|
Section
2.3
|
Adjustments
to Initial Consideration Regarding QRI Assets and Certain Other
Adjustments
|
25
|
Section
2.4
|
Adjustment
to Initial Consideration Regarding Transferred Companies
|
26
|
Section
2.5
|
Adjustment
Methodology; Preliminary Settlement Statement; Final Settlement
Statement
|
26
|
Section
2.6
|
Disputes
|
28
|
Section
2.7
|
Pre-Closing
Distributions
|
28
|
Section
2.8
|
Suspended
Proceeds
|
29
|
Section
2.9
|
Assumed
Liabilities Regarding the Acquired Assets
|
29
|
Section
2.10
|
Closing
|
29
|
Section
2.11
|
Closing
Deliveries of BreitBurn
|
30
|
Section
2.12
|
Closing
Deliveries of Quicksilver
|
30
|
ARTICLE
III
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO QUICKSILVER
|
31
|
Section
3.1
|
Due
Incorporation and Power of Quicksilver
|
32
|
Section
3.2
|
Authorization
and Validity of Agreement
|
32
|
Section
3.3
|
Non-Contravention
|
32
|
Section
3.4
|
Equity
Interests
|
32
|
Section
3.5
|
Investment
Intent
|
33
|
ARTICLE
IV
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO ACQUIRED COMPANIES, TRANSFERRED COMPANIES
AND
THE ACQUIRED ASSETS
|
33
|
Section
4.1
|
Due
Incorporation
|
33
|
Section
4.2
|
Non-Contravention
|
33
|
Section
4.3
|
Governmental
Approvals; Consents and Actions
|
33
|
Section
4.4
|
Financial
Statements
|
34
|
Section
4.5
|
Books
and Records
|
34
|
Section
4.6
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
34
|
Section
4.7
|
Absence
of Changes
|
34
|
Section
4.8
|
Contracts
|
35
|
Section
4.9
|
Litigation
|
36
|
-i-
Section
4.10
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
37
|
Section
4.11
|
Tax
Matters
|
37
|
Section
4.12
|
Employee
and Labor Matters
|
38
|
Section
4.13
|
Environmental
Matters
|
39
|
Section
4.14
|
Finders;
Brokers
|
40
|
Section
4.15
|
Insurance
|
40
|
Section
4.16
|
Bank
Accounts
|
40
|
Section
4.17
|
Officers
and Directors
|
40
|
Section
4.18
|
Oil
and Gas Properties
|
40
|
Section
4.19
|
Gas
Regulatory Matters
|
41
|
Section
4.20
|
Affiliate
Transactions
|
41
|
Section
4.21
|
Special
Warranty of Title
|
41
|
Section
4.22
|
Accuracy
of Data
|
41
|
ARTICLE
V
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO BREITBURN AND BREITBURN PARENT
|
42
|
Section
5.1
|
Due
Organization and Power of BreitBurn
|
42
|
Section
5.2
|
Authorization
and Validity of Agreement
|
42
|
Section
5.3
|
Non-Contravention
|
42
|
Section
5.4
|
Governmental
Approvals; Consents and Actions
|
42
|
Section
5.5
|
Investment
Intent
|
43
|
Section
5.6
|
Independent
Decision; Hazardous Materials
|
43
|
Section
5.7
|
Financial
Capacity; No Financing Condition
|
43
|
Section
5.8
|
Finders;
Brokers
|
44
|
Section
5.9
|
No
Knowledge of Quicksilver’s Breach
|
44
|
Section
5.10
|
Capitalization
of BreitBurn Parent and Valid Issuance of Common Units
|
44
|
Section
5.11
|
SEC
Documents
|
45
|
Section
5.12
|
Tax
|
46
|
Section
5.13
|
Investment
Company Status
|
46
|
Section
5.14
|
Offering
|
46
|
Section
5.15
|
Internal
Accounting Controls
|
46
|
Section
5.16
|
Material
Agreements
|
46
|
ARTICLE
VI
|
AGREEMENTS
OF BREITBURN AND QUICKSILVER
|
47
|
Section
6.1
|
Operation
of the Business
|
47
|
Section
6.2
|
Efforts;
Cooperation; HSR and Other Filings
|
49
|
Section
6.3
|
Public
Disclosures
|
49
|
Section
6.4
|
Pre-Closing
Access; Post-Closing Delivery and Access to Records and
Personnel
|
49
|
Section
6.5
|
Employee
Matters
|
52
|
Section
6.6
|
Workforce
Reduction Notices
|
52
|
Section
6.7
|
Inter-Company
Transactions; Insurance
|
52
|
Section
6.8
|
Release
of Guarantees and Bonds
|
53
|
Section
6.9
|
Amendments
of Disclosure Schedules
|
53
|
Section
6.10
|
Removal
of Quicksilver Identification
|
54
|
Section
6.11
|
Assigned
QRI Assets
|
54
|
-ii-
Section
6.12
|
Title
Defects; Title Defect Procedure and Adjustments
|
54
|
Section
6.13
|
Preferential
Purchase Rights
|
60
|
Section
6.14
|
Environmental
Defects; Environmental Defect Procedure and Adjustments
|
61
|
Section
6.15
|
Historical
Financial Statements
|
64
|
Section
6.16
|
Operatorship
|
65
|
Section
6.17
|
Cash
Items
|
65
|
Section
6.18
|
Standstill
|
66
|
Section
6.19
|
Release
|
66
|
Section
6.20
|
Quicksilver
Lock-Up
|
66
|
Section
6.21
|
Redemption
Prohibition
|
66
|
Section
6.22
|
Consent
|
66
|
Section
6.23
|
End
User Contracts
|
67
|
ARTICLE
VII
|
CONDITIONS
|
68
|
Section
7.1
|
Conditions
Precedent to Obligations of BreitBurn and Quicksilver
|
68
|
Section
7.2
|
Conditions
Precedent to Obligation of Quicksilver
|
68
|
Section
7.3
|
Conditions
Precedent to Obligation of BreitBurn
|
69
|
ARTICLE
VIII
|
TERMINATION
|
69
|
Section
8.1
|
Termination
Events
|
69
|
Section
8.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
70
|
ARTICLE
IX
|
SURVIVAL;
INDEMNIFICATION
|
71
|
Section
9.1
|
Survival
|
71
|
Section
9.2
|
Indemnification
by Quicksilver
|
72
|
Section
9.3
|
Indemnification
by BreitBurn
|
75
|
Section
9.4
|
Other
Indemnification Matters and Limitations
|
76
|
Section
9.5
|
Materiality
Exclusion
|
77
|
ARTICLE
X
|
TAX
MATTERS
|
77
|
Section
10.1
|
Preparation
and Filing of Tax Returns
|
77
|
Section
10.2
|
Tax
Treatment of Payments
|
80
|
Section
10.3
|
Transfer
Taxes
|
80
|
Section
10.4
|
Allocation
of Consideration
|
80
|
Section
10.5
|
Tax
Treatment of Transaction
|
80
|
Section
10.6
|
BreitBurn’s
Tax Indemnity
|
81
|
Section
10.7
|
Tax
Sharing Agreements
|
81
|
Section
10.8
|
Conflict
|
81
|
Section
10.9
|
Procedures
Relating to Indemnification of Tax Claims
|
81
|
Section
10.10
|
Like
Kind Exchange
|
82
|
Section
10.11
|
Consents
|
82
|
Section
10.12
|
Survival
|
82
|
ARTICLE
XI
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
82
|
Section
11.1
|
Notices
|
82
|
-iii-
Section
11.2
|
Expenses
|
83
|
Section
11.3
|
Non-Assignability
|
84
|
Section
11.4
|
Amendment;
Waiver
|
84
|
Section
11.5
|
No
Third Party Beneficiaries
|
84
|
Section
11.6
|
Governing
Law
|
84
|
Section
11.7
|
Consent
to Jurisdiction
|
85
|
Section
11.8
|
Entire
Agreement
|
85
|
Section
11.9
|
Severability
|
85
|
Section
11.10
|
Counterparts
|
85
|
Section
11.11
|
Further
Assurances
|
85
|
Section
11.12
|
Schedules
and Exhibits
|
85
|
Section
11.13
|
Specific
Performance; Limitation on Damages
|
86
|
Section
11.14
|
Waiver
of Jury Trial
|
86
|
Section
11.15
|
Time
|
86
|
Section
11.16
|
No
Further Representations; Disclaimers
|
86
|
Section
11.17
|
Confidentiality
|
87
|
-iv-
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
A-1
|
Xxxxx
|
Exhibit
A-2
|
Oil,
Gas & Mineral Leases- HBP
|
Exhibit
A-3
|
Oil,
Gas & Mineral Leases- Undeveloped
|
Exhibit
A-4
|
Fixed
Facilities and Gas Pipeline Systems
|
Exhibit
A-5
|
Real
Property Interests
|
Exhibit
A-6
|
Office
and Storage Leases
|
Exhibit
B
|
Excluded
Assets
|
Exhibit
C-1
|
Form
of Asset Assignment
|
Exhibit
C-2
|
Form
of Venture Interest Assignment
|
Exhibit
D
|
Tax
Allocated Values
|
Exhibit
E
|
Transition
Services Agreement
|
Exhibit
F
|
Registration
Rights Agreement
|
Exhibit
G
|
Tax
Opinion
|
SCHEDULES
Schedule
K-B
|
Knowledge
(BreitBurn)
|
Schedule
K-Q
|
Knowledge
(Quicksilver)
|
Schedule
1.1
|
Audits
|
Schedule
3.4
|
Burdens
on Equity Interests
|
Schedule
4.1
|
Equity
Interests of Acquired Companies
|
Schedule
4.3(a)
|
Governmental
Approvals; Consents
|
Schedule
4.3(b)
|
Actions
|
Schedule
4.4
|
Financial
Statements
|
Schedule
4.6
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
Schedule
4.7
|
Absence
of Changes
|
Schedule
4.8
|
Disclosed
Contracts
|
Schedule
4.9
|
Litigation
|
Schedule
4.10
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
Schedule
4.11
|
Tax
Matters
|
Schedule
4.12
|
Business
Employees
|
Schedule
4.12(a)
|
Business
Employee Agreements
|
Schedule
4.13
|
Environmental
Matters
|
Schedule
4.15
|
Insurance
|
Schedule
4.16
|
Bank
Accounts
|
Schedule
4.17
|
Officers
and Directors
|
Schedule
4.18(a)
|
Oil
and Gas Allowables
|
Schedule
4.18(b)
|
Take
or Pay
|
Schedule
4.18(c)
|
Production
Sales Contracts
|
Schedule
4.18(d)
|
Imbalances
|
Schedule
4.19
|
Certain
Gathering Facilities
|
Schedule
5.4(a)
|
Governmental
Approvals, Consents (BreitBurn)
|
Schedule
5.4(b)
|
Actions
(BreitBurn)
|
Schedule
5.10(c)
|
BreitBurn
Parent Obligations
|
Schedule
5.10(d)
|
Liens on BreitBurn Parent Subsidiaries' Equity Interests |
Schedule
6.1
|
Operation of the Business |
Schedule
6.7(a)
|
Inter-Company Transactions |
Schedule
6.8
|
Guarantees & Bonds |
Schedule
6.12(a)
|
Preliminary Allocated Values |
-v-
This
Contribution Agreement, dated as of September 11, 2007 (hereinafter this
“Agreement”), is made by and between Quicksilver Resources Inc., a
Delaware corporation (“Quicksilver”), and BreitBurn Operating L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (“BreitBurn”). Quicksilver and
BreitBurn are sometimes collectively referred to herein as the “Parties”,
and individually as a “Party”.
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
Quicksilver owns 100% of all of the issued and outstanding capital stock
of (i)
Terra Energy Ltd., a Michigan corporation (“Terra”), (ii) GTG Pipeline
Corporation, a Virginia corporation (“GTG”), and (iii) Mercury Michigan,
Inc., a Michigan corporation (“Mercury”);
WHEREAS,
Quicksilver owns (i) an undivided 50% of the limited liability company interests
of Beaver Creek Pipeline, L.L.C., a Michigan limited liability company
(“Beaver Creek”), and the remaining 50% of the limited liability company
interest of Beaver Creek is owned by Mercury, and (ii) a 5.5385% limited
partnership interest of Wilderness - Xxxxxxx Gas Processing LP, a Michigan
limited partnership (“WCGP”); and the capital stock of Terra, GTG, and
Mercury owned by Quicksilver, together with Quicksilver’s limited liability
company interest in Beaver Creek and its limited partnership interest of
WCGP,
are collectively referred to herein as the “Equity
Interests”;
WHEREAS,
Quicksilver also owns the QRI Assets (as hereinafter defined); and
WHEREAS,
Quicksilver desires to contribute to BreitBurn, and BreitBurn desires to
acquire
from Quicksilver, subject to and in accordance with the terms hereof, the
Equity
Interests and all of Quicksilver’s right, title and interest in and to the QRI
Assets, as hereinafter defined (collectively, the
“Interests”).
AGREEMENT
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants and
agreements contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration,
the
receipt and sufficiency of which is acknowledged, and intending to be legally
bound, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
Section
1.1 Certain
Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms will
have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Acquired
Assets” shall mean and include, collectively, the following (excluding any
Excluded Assets):
(a) all
of
the rights, titles and interests of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) in and to the oil, gas and/or mineral leases, leasehold
interests, mineral fee interests, royalty and overriding royalty interests
(“O&G Interests”), described on Exhibits A-2 and
A-3 (with Exhibit A-2 being those leases currently being held
by
production, and Exhibit A-3 being those leases that are currently
undeveloped), together with any rights and interests of Quicksilver and its
Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies) attributable or allocable to
any
of the foregoing interests by virtue of any pooling, unitization,
communitization, operating or other agreements, and in and to any ratifications
and/or amendments to such leases, whether or not such ratifications or
amendments are described in Exhibits A-2 or A-3 (individually, an
“Oil and Gas Property”, and collectively, the “Oil and Gas
Properties”); and without limitation to the above, it is the intention of
Quicksilver that the Oil and Gas Properties include all O&G Interests owned
directly by Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies)
which are located in the States of Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana, whether
or
not described on Exhibits A-2 and A-3;
(b) all
of
the rights, titles and interests of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) in and to all xxxxx located on, allocable to or
attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties, including, without limitation,
those
oil and gas xxxxx, wellbores, water xxxxx, CO2 xxxxx
and injection
xxxxx described on Exhibit A-1 (individually, a “Well”, and
collectively, the “Xxxxx”), and without limitation to the above, it is
the intention of Quicksilver that the Xxxxx include all of such interests
owned
directly by Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies)
in
xxxxx located on, allocable to or attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties
which are located in the States of Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana, whether
or
not described on Exhibit A-1;
(c) all
of
the rights, titles and interests of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) in and to the Fixed Facilities;
(d) all
of
the rights, titles and interests of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) in and to all materials, supplies, inventories,
machinery, equipment, improvements and other personal property and fixtures
(including, but not by way of limitation, all casing, wellhead equipment,
pumping units, tanks, vehicles, and other equipment), which are located on,
allocable to, or directly and primarily used by Quicksilver or its Affiliates
(including the Acquired Companies) in connection with the ownership, operation,
development, or maintenance of the Fixed Facilities, Oil and Gas Properties,
Xxxxx, Real Property Interests, Office and Storage Leases or the Hydrocarbons
(collectively, the “Personal Property”);
(e) all
of
the rights, titles and interests of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) in and to all contracts and agreements allocable
or
attributable or directly relating to the Fixed Facilities, Oil and Gas
Properties, Xxxxx, Real Property Interests, Office and Storage Leases, the
Personal Property or the Hydrocarbons, including, but not limited to, production
sales contracts, joint operating agreements, unit agreements, pooling
agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, farmout agreements, farmin
agreements, joint venture agreements, participation agreements, exploration
agreements, processing agreements, transportation agreements, gathering
agreements,
-2-
balancing
agreements, storage agreements, platform sharing agreements, and other
contracts
and agreements (collectively, the “Contracts”); provided, however,
Contracts shall not include any O&G Interests;
(f) all
of
the rights, titles and interests of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) in and to all other real property interests located
in
the States of Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana (other than Oil and Gas Properties,
Fixed Facilities and Office and Storage Leases), together with all rights
of
way, easements, surface leases, permits, licenses, servitudes, and other
rights
of surface use located in the States of Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana
attributable to or used in connection with the ownership and operation of
the
Fixed Facilities, Oil and Gas Properties, Xxxxx, Office and Storage Leases,
the
Personal Property, or the Hydrocarbons, including those as may be described
on
Exhibit A-5 (collectively, the “Real Property
Interests”);
(g) all
of
the rights, titles and interests of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) in and to all office and storage leases used in
connection with the Fixed Facilities, Oil and Gas Properties, Xxxxx, Real
Property Interests or the Personal Property, that are described on Exhibit
A-6 (collectively, the “Office and Storage Leases”);
(h) all
of
the rights, titles and interests of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) in and to all natural gas, casinghead gas, drip
gasoline, natural gasoline, natural gas liquids, condensate, products, crude
oil
and all other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons allocable to the Xxxxx, Oil
and Gas
Properties and Fixed Facilities produced, saved and marketed on and after
the
Effective Time, together with all Imbalances attributable to the QRI Assets
(collectively, the “Hydrocarbons”); and
(i) all
of
the rights, titles and interests of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) in and to all seismic data and seismic surveys owned
by
Quicksilver or the Acquired Companies that cover the Oil and Gas Properties
(“Owned Seismic”); provided, however, that to the
extent any such data or surveys are licensed from third parties and will
require
licensor approval or the payment of a transfer fee in connection with the
transactions contemplated herein, Quicksilver shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to assist BreitBurn in securing a transfer to BreitBurn at Closing
thereof (but BreitBurn shall be solely responsible for any and all fees and
costs relating to any approval or transfer).
“Acquired
Companies” shall mean Terra, GTG, Mercury and Beaver Creek. The
term “Acquired Companies” shall also include the limited liability companies
into which Terra, GTG and Mercury merge as contemplated in Section
10.5.
“Acquired
Company Liabilities” shall mean all the liabilities that are treated as
being assumed by Breitburn Parent for United States federal income Tax purposes
at the Closing.
“Action”
shall mean any claim, action, litigation, suit, arbitration, other legal
or
administrative proceeding or investigation by or before any Governmental
Entity
or arbitrator.
-3-
“Additional
Cash Consideration” has the meaning specified in Section
2.1(b)(ii).
“Affiliate”
of a Person shall mean any other Person that directly or indirectly, through
one
or more intermediaries, Controls, is Controlled by or is under common Control
with the first mentioned Person. For avoidance of doubt, Pennsylvania
Avenue Limited Partnership shall not be considered to be an Affiliate of
Quicksilver.
“Affiliate
Agreements” shall mean any Contracts between Quicksilver or any of its
Affiliates (other than any of the Transferred Companies), on the one hand,
and
any of the Transferred Companies, on the other.
“Aggregate
Deductible” shall mean an amount equal to $30,000,000.
“Aggregate
Indemnity Cap” shall have the meaning specified in Section
9.2(b)(v).
“Agreement”
shall have the meaning specified in the Preamble.
“Asset
Assignments” shall mean the one or more forms of assignment and xxxx of
sale, transferring the QRI Assets to BreitBurn, acknowledging BreitBurn’s
assumption of the Assumed Liabilities, acknowledging that it is being made
expressly subject to this Agreement, and otherwise in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C-1.
“Assumed
Liabilities” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.9.
“Audited
Special Financial Statements” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.15(c).
“Beaver
Creek” shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals.
“Bonds”
shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.8.
“Books
and Records” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.4(b).
“BreitBurn”
shall have the meaning specified in the Preamble.
“BreitBurn
Employer” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.5(a).
“BreitBurn
Indemnified Parties” shall have the meaning specified in Section
9.2(a).
“BreitBurn
Parent” shall mean BreitBurn Energy Partners L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership.
“BreitBurn
Parent Financial Statements” shall have the meaning specified in Section
5.11.
“BreitBurn
Parent SEC Documents” shall have the meaning specified in Section
5.11.
-4-
“Business”
shall mean both: (a) the ownership and operation by Quicksilver of the QRI
Assets, as currently owned and operated by Quicksilver, and (b) the
business and operations of each of the Transferred Companies, as currently
conducted by such Transferred Companies.
“Business
Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day banks in
the State of New York are authorized or required to be closed.
“Business
Employee” shall mean any individual who is an employee of Quicksilver whose
employment relates primarily to the Business or to Quicksilver’s ownership of
the Transferred Companies, insofar as such employees are identified on
Schedule 4.12.
“Cash
Consideration” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.1(b)(ii).
“Claim
Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section
9.1(b).
“Closing”
shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.10.
“Closing
Cash” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.5(c).
“Closing
Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.10.
“Closing
Date Consideration” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.1(b).
“Closing
Net Working Capital” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.5(c).
“Closing
Consideration Allocation Schedule” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 10.4.
“Code”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Common
Units” shall have the meaning specified in the Partnership
Agreement.
“Competing
Transaction” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.18.
“Confidentiality
Agreement” shall mean that certain Confidentiality Agreement dated as of
July 9, 2007, between Quicksilver and BreitBurn.
“Consideration
Allocation” shall have the meaning specified in Section
10.4.
“Contracts”
shall have the meaning specified in the definition of “Acquired
Assets.”
“Contributed
Assets” shall have the meaning specified in Section
10.4.
“Control”
shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct
or
cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through
the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
-5-
“Conversions”
shall have the meaning specified in Section 10.5.
“Cure
Period” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.12(c).
“Current
Assets” as of a specified date shall mean the current assets of the
Transferred Companies, as would be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet
as
of such date, as determined under GAAP, but excluding (a) cash and cash
equivalents, (b) inter-company accounts between the Transferred Companies,
on the one hand, and Quicksilver or its Affiliates (other than the Transferred
Companies), on the other (as such inter-company accounts are to be rendered
zero
as of Closing, in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.7),
(c) insurance proceeds receivable with respect to any casualty event or
loss incurred before, on or after the date hereof and prior to the Effective
Time, (d) any prepayments of income taxes and other assets relating to the
payment of income taxes, and (e) any Imbalances.
“Current
Liabilities” as of a specified date shall mean the current liabilities of
the Transferred Companies, as would be reflected on a consolidated balance
sheet
as of such date as determined under GAAP, but excluding (a) inter-company
accounts between the Transferred Companies, on the one hand, and Quicksilver
or
its Affiliates (other than the Transferred Companies), on the other,
(b) any current inter-company liabilities eliminated at Closing pursuant to
Section 6.7, (c) any liabilities for Taxes, and (d) any
Imbalances.
“Customary
Post-Closing Consents” shall mean the consents and approvals from
Governmental Entities (or railroads and public utilities who may have granted
easements or permits relating to the Business) for the assignment of the
Interests to BreitBurn that are customarily obtained after the assignment
of
properties similar to the Interests.
“Damages”
shall mean any and all actual damages relating to any demands, claims, lawsuits,
proceedings, arbitrations, investigations and other Actions, causes of action,
judgments, injunctions, awards, settlements, obligations, losses, liabilities,
costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney fees, court costs,
investigative and preparation expenses and other documented out of pocket
expenses incurred in connection with any of the foregoing.
“Defensible
Title” shall mean, subject to any Permitted Liens, title of Quicksilver or
its Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies), in the aggregate,
that:
(a) with
respect to each Well or well location (or the specified zone(s) therein)
identified on Exhibit A-1, entitles Quicksilver and its Affiliates
(including the Acquired Companies), in the aggregate, to receive without
reduction, suspension or termination throughout the productive life of such
Well
or well location not less than the Net Revenue Interest shown in Exhibit
A-1 therefor, except for (i) decreases in connection with those operations
in which Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies),
in
the aggregate, is a non-consenting or non-participating co-owner, (ii) decreases
resulting from the establishment or amendment of pools or units, (iii) decreases
required to allow other working interest owners to make up past underproduction
or pipelines to make up past under deliveries, (iv) effects of reaching payout
status, and (v) as otherwise reflected or disclosed in Exhibit
A-1;
(b) with
respect to each Well or well location (or the specified zone(s) therein)
identified on Exhibit A-1, obligates Quicksilver and any of its
Affiliates (including the Acquired
-6-
(c) with
respect to the Xxxxx and well locations described in subparagraphs (a) and
(b)
above, is free and clear of any Liens, other than Permitted Liens or as
otherwise reflected or disclosed in Exhibits A-1 through A-3;
or
(d) with
respect to Acquired Assets other than the Xxxxx, well locations and Oil and
Gas
Properties, is defensible and free and clear of any Liens, other than with
regard to Permitted Liens or as otherwise reflected or disclosed in Exhibits
A-4 through A-6.
“Delaware
LLC Act” shall have
the meaning specified in Section 5.10(d).
“Delaware
LP Act” shall have the
meaning specified in Section 5.10(b).
“De
Minimis BreitBurn Losses” shall have the meaning specified in Section
9.2(b)(ii).
“Deposit”
shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a).
“Designated
Employees” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.5(a).
“Disclosed
Contract” and “Disclosed Contracts” shall each have the meaning
specified in Section 4.8(a).
“Disclosure
Schedules” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.9(a).
“Dispute
Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.5(c).
“Effective
Time” shall mean 7:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on the Closing Date.
“End
User Contracts” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.23(a).
“Environmental
Assessment” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.14(a).
“Environmental
Condition” shall mean (a) a condition existing prior to the Closing Date
with respect to the air, soil, subsurface, surface waters, ground waters
and/or
sediments that causes any Acquired Assets or the assets of WCGP to not be
in
compliance with any Environmental Laws or (b) the extent to which the operation
of any Acquired Assets or the Business results in any environmental pollution,
contamination, degradation, or damage to
-7-
“Environmental
Defect” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.14(b)(i).
“Environmental
Defect Amount” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.14(b)(i).
“Environmental
Defect Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.14(b)(i).
“Environmental
Laws” shall mean any and all Laws relating to the prevention of pollution,
the preservation and restoration of environmental quality, the protection
of
human health, wildlife or environmentally sensitive areas, the remediation
of
contamination, the generation, handling, treatment, storage, transportation,
disposal or release into the environment of waste materials, or the regulation
of or exposure to hazardous, toxic or other substances alleged to be
harmful. The term “Environmental Laws” includes all applicable
judicial and administrative Orders, consent decrees or directives issued
by a
Governmental Entity pursuant to the foregoing. Unless expressly
included in and required by applicable requirements of statutes, regulations,
judicial and administrative Orders, consent decrees or directives issued
by a
Governmental Entity included in Environmental Laws, the term “Environmental
Laws” does not include good or desirable operating practices or standards that
may be employed or adopted by other oil or gas well or pipeline operators
or
recommended by a Governmental Entity. The term “Environmental Laws”
does not include the Occupational Safety and Health Act or any other Law
governing worker safety or workplace conditions.
“Environmental
Liabilities” shall mean any and all liabilities, responsibilities, claims,
suits, losses, costs (including remediation, removal, response, abatement,
clean-up, investigative, and/or monitoring costs and any other related costs
and
expenses), damages, natural resource damages, settlements, consulting fees,
expenses, assessments, liens, penalties, fines, orphan share, prejudgment
and
post-judgment interest, court costs, and attorney fees incurred or imposed
(a)
pursuant to any order, notice of responsibility, directive (including
requirements embodied in Environmental Laws), injunction, judgment or similar
ruling or act (including settlements) by any Governmental Entity to the extent
arising out of any violation of, or remedial obligation under, any Environmental
Law which is attributable to (or for which any liability or responsibility
is
incurred or imposed as a result of) the ownership or operation of the Acquired
Assets or the assets of WCGP prior to the Closing Date, or (b) pursuant to
any
claim or cause of action by a Governmental Entity or other Person for personal
injury, death, property damage, damage to natural resources, remediation
or
response costs, or similar costs or expenses to the extent arising out of
a
release of Hazardous Materials or any violation of, or any remediation
obligation under, any Environmental Laws which is attributable to (or for
which
any liability or responsibility is incurred or imposed as a result of) the
ownership or operation of the Acquired Assets or the assets of WCGP prior
to the
Closing Date, or (c) as a result of Environmental Conditions.
“Equity
Consideration” shall
mean the sum of the QRI Assets Equity Consideration and the Equity Interests
Equity Consideration.
-8-
“Equity
Interests” shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals.
“Equity
Interests Equity Consideration” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 2.1(a).
“Estimated
Cash” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4.
“Estimated
Net Working Capital” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.4.
“Estimated
Net Working Capital Adjustment” shall mean Estimated Net Working Capital
less the Target Net Working Capital Amount, which value shall be expressed
as a
negative number if the Target Net Working Capital Amount exceeds the Estimated
Net Working Capital, and which number shall be expressed as a positive number
if
the Estimated Net Working Capital exceeds the Target Net Working Capital
Amount.
“Exchange
Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Excluded
Assets” shall mean and include any and all Hedge Agreements, as well as any
other rights, titles and interests in and to those assets, interests
and contracts described on Exhibit B. “Excluded Assets”
shall also include any Title Defect Properties and Preferential Right
Properties
excluded from the Acquired Assets pursuant to Section 6.12 or Section
6.13, respectively, together with a pro rata share of all of Quicksilver’s
or the Acquired Companies’ right, title and interest in, to and under all Xxxxx,
Personal Property, Real Property Interests, Hydrocarbons, Owned Seismic,
and
Books and Records included in the Acquired Assets that are directly related
or
attributable to such Title Defect Properties or Preferential Right Properties,
subject to Quicksilver’s obligation, if applicable, to deliver to BreitBurn an
assignment of any such Title Defect Property and related or attributable
rights
post-Closing pursuant to Section 6.12(c) and BreitBurn’s obligation, if
applicable, to purchase any such Preferential Right Property pursuant to
Section 6.13(c).
“Final
Adjustment Statement” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.6.
“Final
Consideration” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.1(b)(i).
“Final
Settlement Statement” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.5(c).
“Financial
Statements” shall mean each of the unaudited balance sheets and related
statements of income of the Acquired Companies (other than Beaver Creek),
as
described in Section 4.4(a).
“Fixed
Facilities” shall mean and include all of Quicksilver’s and its Affiliates’
(including the Acquired Companies’) rights, titles and interests in and to those
gas processing plants, treatment plants, dehydration units, gas gathering
systems, pipelines, flowlines, buildings, injection facilities, saltwater
disposal facilities, compression facilities, and other mid-stream assets
located
in the States of Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana, including, without limitation,
those described on Exhibit A-4.
-9-
“GAAP”
shall mean United States generally accepted accounting principles, applied
on a
consistent basis for the applicable time periods.
“Gas
Strip Price” shall mean the 12 month forward strip price for natural gas as
of the Closing Date as quoted on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
“General
Partner” shall mean
BreitBurn GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner
of BreitBurn Parent.
“Governmental
Entity” shall mean any federal, state or local government or any court of
competent jurisdiction, regulatory or administrative agency or commission
or
other governmental entity or instrumentality, in each case within the United
States of America.
“GTG”
shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals.
“Xxxx-Xxxxx
Act” shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.1(b).
“Hazardous
Materials” shall mean any substance or material that is designated,
classified, characterized or regulated as a “hazardous substance”, “hazardous
waste”, “hazardous material”, “toxic substance”, “pollutant” or “contaminant”
under Environmental Laws.
“Hedge
Agreements” shall mean all of the rights, titles and interests of
Quicksilver and the Acquired Companies in and to any swap, collar, floor,
cap,
option or other contract or agreement (including sales contracts with known
prices) which is intended to reduce or eliminate the risk of fluctuations
in the
price of oil, gas and/or minerals related to the Xxxxx, Oil and Gas Properties
or the Hydrocarbons.
“Hydrocarbons”
shall have the meaning specified in the definition of the “Acquired
Assets.”
“Imbalance”
means over-production or under-production or over-deliveries or under-deliveries
on account of (a) any imbalance at the wellhead between the amount of
Hydrocarbons produced from a Well constituting part of the Acquired Assets
and
allocable to the interests of Quicksilver or its Affiliates (including the
Acquired Companies), and the shares of production from the relevant Well
that
are actually taken by or delivered to or for the account of Quicksilver or
its
Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies) and (b) any marketing imbalance
between the quantity of Hydrocarbons constituting part of the Acquired Assets
and required to be delivered by or to Quicksilver or its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies) under any Contracts relating to the purchase and
sale,
gathering, transportation, storage, processing, or marketing of Hydrocarbons
and
the quantity of Hydrocarbons actually delivered by or to Quicksilver or its
Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies) pursuant to the applicable
Contracts.
“Independent
Expert” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.14(b)(v).
“Individual
Environmental Defect Threshold” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 6.14(b)(vi).
-10-
“Individual
Title Defect Threshold” shall mean an amount equal to $200,000.
“Initial
Consideration” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.1(a).
“Intellectual
Property” shall mean the following intellectual property rights, including,
without limitation, any statutory or common law rights: (a) patents, patent
applications and other rights relating to the protection of inventions worldwide
(and all rights related thereto, including all reissues, reexaminations,
divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, extensions or renewals of
any
of the foregoing), (b) inventions (whether or not patentable), computer
software, source code, concepts, processes, formulae, patterns, equipment
drawings, (c) trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos, trade dress,
brand names, slogans, domain names, registrations and applications for
registrations for the foregoing, and (d) all copyrights, works of
authorship and any derivative works thereof, registered and unregistered,
including all copyright registrations and applications for copyright
registrations.
“Interest
Rate” shall mean the Prime Rate.
“Interests”
shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals.
“Invasive
Activity” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.14(a).
“Knowledge”
shall mean the actual and current knowledge of (a) as to Quicksilver, any
of the Persons listed in Schedule K-Q and (b) as to BreitBurn,
any of the Persons listed in Schedule K-B. The foregoing
reference to “actual knowledge” of a Person means information actually
personally known by such Person, excluding any information which might be
imputed to such Person by Law.
“Law”
shall mean any applicable statute, law (including applicable common law),
Order,
ordinance, rule, regulation or other enforceable official act of or by any
Governmental Entity.
“Lien”
shall mean, with respect to any asset, property or interest therein, any
mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge
or
security interest.
“Lock-Up
Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.20.
“Long
Term Debt” shall mean, with respect to the Acquired Companies as of the
Closing Date (calculated immediately prior to Closing), the sum of all
obligations of the Acquired Companies to Third-Party Lenders for borrowed
money,
including any current portions thereof.
“Lowest
Cost Response” means the response required or allowed under Environmental
Laws that addresses the condition present at the lowest cost (considered
as a
whole taking into consideration any material negative impact such response
may
have on the operations of the relevant Acquired Assets and any potential
material additional costs or liabilities that may likely arise as a result
of
such response) as compared to any other response that is required or allowed
under Environmental Laws. The Lowest Cost Response shall not include
(i) the costs of BreitBurn’s or any of its Affiliate’s employees, project
manager(s) or
-11-
attorneys,
(ii) expenses for matters that are “costs of doing business,” e.g., those costs
that would ordinarily be incurred in the day-to-day operations of the Acquired
Assets, or in connection with permit renewal/amendment activities, maintenance
on active RCRA management units, and operation and oversight of active RCRA
management units, (iii) overhead costs of BreitBurn or its Affiliates, (iv)
costs and expenses that would not have been required under Environmental
Laws as
they exist on the date of this Agreement, (v) costs or expenses incurred
in
connection with remedial or corrective action that is designed to achieve
standards that are more stringent than those required for similar facilities
or
that fails to reasonably take advantage of applicable risk reduction or risk
assessment principles allowed under applicable Environmental Laws, and/or
(vi)
any costs or expenses relating to the assessment, remediation, removal,
abatement, transportation and disposal of any asbestos, asbestos containing
materials or NORM.
“Material
Adverse Effect” shall mean any change, inaccuracy, event, circumstance,
effect, result, occurrence, condition or fact (whether or not foreseeable
or
known as of the date of this Agreement or covered by insurance, except to
the
extent that insurance proceeds would be applied to reduce the adverse effect
therefrom pursuant to Section 9.4) that, individually or in the
aggregate, has resulted in or given rise to, or would reasonably be expected
to
result in or give rise to, aggregate losses of $145,000,000 or more, suffered
or
incurred, or being suffered or incurred, by Quicksilver (with respect to
the QRI
Assets) or the Acquired Companies, or a material adverse effect on the ability
of Quicksilver to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
provided, however, that none of the following shall be deemed
to constitute a Material Adverse Effect: (a) any effect resulting
from entering into this Agreement or the announcement of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; (b) any effect resulting from changes in
general
market, economic, financial or political conditions in the area in which
the
Business or the Acquired Assets are located, the United States or worldwide,
or
any outbreak of hostilities or war; (c) any effect resulting from a change
in
Law from and after the date of this Agreement; (d) any reclassification or
recalculation of reserves in the ordinary course of business; (e) any change
in
the prices of Hydrocarbons; (f) any effect that affects the Hydrocarbon
exploration, production, development, processing, gathering and/or
transportation industry generally; and (g) any natural declines in Well
performance.
“Material
Claim” and “Material Claims” shall each have the meaning specified in
Section 9.2(b)(iii).
“Material
Environmental Claim” and “Material Environmental Claims” shall each
have the meaning specified in Section 6.14(b)(vi).
“Material
Title Claim” and “Material Title Claims” shall each have the meaning
specified in Section 6.12(h).
“Mercury”
shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals.
“Net
Revenue Interest” (or “NRI”) means the undivided interest in
Hydrocarbons produced, saved and marketed from or attributable to the applicable
Well or well location, after deducting all royalties, overriding royalties,
production payments, and other interests and burdens on the Hydrocarbons
produced, saved and marketed therefrom, expressed as a percentage or a
decimal.
-12-
“Net
Working Capital” shall mean, as of a specified date, the Current Assets less
the Current Liabilities, as reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of
the
Transferred Companies (expressed as a negative value if the Current
Liabilities exceed the Current Assets; and expressed as a positive value
if the
Current Assets exceed the Current Liabilities).
“Neutral
Auditor” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.6.
“NORM”
shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.13.
“Office
and Storage Leases” shall have the meaning specified in the definition of
“Acquired Assets.”
“O&G
Interests” shall have the meaning specified in the definition of
“Acquired Assets.”
“Oil
and Gas Property” and “Oil and Gas Properties” shall each have the
meaning specified in the definition of “Acquired Assets.”
“Operating
Expenses” shall mean Quicksilver’s obligation or liability for any expenses
(including, without limitation, lease operating expense, drilling and completion
costs, seismic costs, workover costs, capital expenditures, joint interest
xxxxxxxx, and overhead charges under applicable operating agreements) or
other
liabilities which relate to the QRI Assets or are otherwise incurred by
Quicksilver in connection with the ownership, operation, development or
maintenance of the QRI Assets.
“Order”
shall mean any judicial judgment, decision, decree, order, settlement,
injunction, writ, stipulation, determination or award, in each case to the
extent binding and finally determined.
“Owned
Seismic” shall have the meaning specified in the definition of “Acquired
Assets.”
“Partnership
Agreement” shall mean the First Amended and Restated Limited Partnership
Agreement of BreitBurn Energy Partners L.P., dated as of October 10, 2006,
as
amended.
“Party”
and “Parties” shall each have the meaning specified in the
Preamble.
“Permit”
shall mean any license, franchise, registration, permit, order, approval,
consent, waiver, variance, exemption or any other authorization of or from
any
Governmental Entity.
“Permitted
Liens” shall mean and include any of the following:
(a) royalties,
non-participating royalties, overriding royalties, reversionary interests,
and
similar burdens upon, measured by, or payable out of production if the net
cumulative effect of such burdens does not operate to reduce the Net Revenue
Interest of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies),
in the aggregate, in any Well
-13-
(b) preferential
rights to purchase and required third party consents to assignments and similar
agreements;
(c) liens
for
taxes or assessments not yet due or delinquent or, if delinquent, that are
being
contested in good faith in the normal course of business;
(d) Customary
Post-Closing Consents;
(e) conventional
rights of reassignment;
(f) such
Title Defects as BreitBurn may have waived (or be deemed to have
waived);
(g) obligations,
liabilities and restrictions imposed under any Law, as well as any rights
reserved to or vested in any Governmental Entity: (i) to control or
regulate any of the Acquired Assets or the Transferred Companies in any manner;
(ii) to purchase, condemn, expropriate, or recapture or to designate a purchaser
of any of the Acquired Assets; (iii) to use such property in a manner which
does not materially impair the use of such property for the purposes for
which
it is currently owned and operated and (iv) to enforce any obligations or
duties affecting the Acquired Assets or the Transferred Companies to any
Governmental Entity, with respect to any franchise, grant, license, Permit
or
applicable Law;
(h) rights
of
a common owner of any interest in rights-of-way or easements currently held
by
Quicksilver or its Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies), as the
case
may be, and such common owner as tenants in common or through common
ownership;
(i) easements,
conditions, covenants, restrictions, servitudes, permits, rights-of-way,
surface
leases and other rights in the Acquired Assets for the purpose of surface
operations, roads, alleys, highways, railways, pipelines, transmission lines,
transportation lines, distribution lines, power lines, telephone lines, and
removal of timber, grazing, logging operations, canals, ditches, reservoirs,
and
other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real estate,
rights-of-way, facilities, and equipment, which do not materially impair
the use
of the Acquired Assets as currently owned and operated;
(j) zoning
and planning ordinances and municipal regulations;
(k) vendors,
carriers, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, mechanics, workmen’s, materialmen’s,
construction or other like liens arising in the ordinary course of business
or
incident to the construction or improvement of any property in respect of
obligations which are not yet due or which are being contested in good faith
by
appropriate proceedings by or on behalf of Quicksilver or the Transferred
Companies, as the case may be;
-14-
(l) Liens
created under leases and/or operating agreements or by operation of Law in
respect of obligations that are not yet due or that are being contested in
good
faith by appropriate proceedings by or on behalf of Quicksilver or the
Transferred Companies, as the case may be;
(m) any
encumbrance affecting the Xxxxx, well locations or other Acquired Assets
which
is set forth under any Disclosed Contract, or is expressly assumed, bonded
or
paid by BreitBurn, or which is discharged at or prior to Closing;
(n) calls
on
production under (i) existing Contracts that provide that the holder of such
call on production must pay an index-based price for any production purchased
by
virtue of such call on production and (ii) those Contracts identified on
the
Disclosure Schedules;
(o) any
matters reflected, disclosed or referenced on Exhibits X-0, X-0,
X-0, X-0, X-0 or A-6;
(p) matters
that would otherwise be considered Title Defects but are valued at less than
$200,000;
(q) Imbalances
associated with the Acquired Assets; and
(r) the
terms
and provisions of all leases, Contracts, or other agreements, instruments,
obligations, defects, and irregularities affecting the Acquired Assets, that,
individually, or in the aggregate, do not materially interfere with the
operation or use of any of the Acquired Assets (as currently owned and
operated), do not reduce the Net Revenue Interest of Quicksilver and its
Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies), in the aggregate, in any Well
or
well location (or the specified zone(s) therein) to an amount less than the
Net
Revenue Interest set forth on Exhibit A-1 therefor, and do not obligate
Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies), in the
aggregate, to bear a Working Interest for such Well or well location (or
the
specified zone(s) therein) in an amount greater than the Working Interest
set
forth on Exhibit A-1 therefor (unless the Net Revenue Interest for such
Well or well location is proportionately increased).
“Person”
shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
association, trust, incorporated organization, or any other entity or group
(as
defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act).
“Personal
Property” shall have the meaning specified in the definition of “Acquired
Assets.”
“Pre-Closing
Tax Period” shall mean any taxable period ending on or before the Closing
Date or with respect to any taxable period that begins on or before the Closing
Date and ends after the Closing Date, the portion of such taxable period
ending
on the Closing Date.
“Preferential
Purchase Right” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.13(a).
“Preferential
Right Property” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.13(b).
-15-
“Preliminary
Allocated Value” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.12(a).
“Preliminary
Settlement Statement” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.5(b).
“Prime
Rate” shall mean the annual rate of interest published from time to time as
the “Prime Rate” in the “Money Rates” section of The Wall Street
Journal.
“QRI
Assets” shall mean, collectively, those Acquired Assets that are directly
owned or held by Quicksilver (and the term “QRI Assets” shall exclude any of the
Acquired Assets that are directly owned or held by any of the Transferred
Companies).
“QRI
Assets Equity Consideration” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.1(a).
“Quicksilver”
shall have the meaning specified in the Preamble.
“Quicksilver
Group” shall mean the affiliated group of corporations of which Quicksilver
Resources Inc. is the common parent, which join in the filing of a consolidated
federal income Tax Return (and any similar group under state law).
“Quicksilver
Indemnified Parties” shall have the meaning specified in Section
9.3(a).
“Quicksilver’s
Auditor” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.15(a).
“Quicksilver’s
Deductible” shall have the meaning specified in Section
9.2(b)(iii).
“Quicksilver’s
Policies” shall have the meaning specified in Section
4.15.
“Real
Property Interests” shall have the meaning specified in the definition of
“Acquired Assets.”
“Registration
Rights Agreement” shall mean a Registration Rights Agreement substantially
in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F.
“Resolution
Period” shall have the meaning specified in Section
2.5(c).
“Retained
Liabilities” shall mean the following obligations of Quicksilver to the
extent resulting or arising from, or attributable to, the use, ownership
or
operation of the QRI Assets by Quicksilver and attributable to periods prior
to
the Effective Time:
(a) any
disposal or burial of Hazardous Materials by Quicksilver or any Person engaged
by Quicksilver off the real property interests comprising the QRI
Assets;
(b) all
obligations and amounts owed to any Business Employees or other employees
of
Quicksilver relating to the employment of such individuals by Quicksilver
or
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(c) to
the
extent occurring prior to the Effective Time, any bodily injury to, death
of or
illness affecting (i) any Business Employee or other employee of Quicksilver
relating to the employment of such individuals by Quicksilver or (ii) any
other
individual not employed by or relating to Quicksilver or BreitBurn to the
extent
such injury, death or illness is covered by or which, if properly reported,
would be covered by any insurance maintained by or on behalf of Quicksilver
with
a third-party insurance provider, it being agreed that such injuries and
illnesses which are of a continuous or ongoing nature and extend over the
Effective Time shall be apportioned to the Retained Liabilities on the basis
of
the respective portions of the injury or illness suffered before the Effective
Time, with Retained Liabilities including only that portion of the injury
or
illness suffered before the Effective Time; provided, however, that
Retained Liabilities shall not in any event include any Environmental
Liabilities;
(d) all
obligations and liabilities owed to any Business Employees or other employees
of
Quicksilver arising under any employee benefit or welfare plan maintained
by
Quicksilver;
(e) all
obligations and liabilities resulting from or arising out of the audits listed
on Schedule 1.1;
(f) all
obligations and liabilities of Quicksilver for income Taxes attributable
to the
QRI Assets;
(g) all
obligations and liabilities relating to or arising under the Contracts described
in item 1 and item 2 of Schedule 4.8; and
(h) any
third
party property damage which, if properly reported, would be covered by any
insurance maintained by or on behalf of Quicksilver with a third-party insurance
provider; provided, however, that Retained Liabilities shall not in any
event include any Environmental Liabilities.
“Saginaw”
shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.11(g).
“SEC”
shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.15(a).
“Securities
Act” shall have the meaning specified in Section 5.5.
“Section
754 Consents” shall have the meaning specified in Section
10.11.
“Section
754 Election” shall have the meaning specified in Section
4.11(g).
“Special
Financial Statements” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.15(a).
“Subject
Contracts” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.23(c).
-18-
“Subsidiary”
of any Person shall mean any corporation, partnership, joint venture or other
legal entity of which such Person (either alone or through or together with
any
other Subsidiary), owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the stock
or
other equity interests the holder of which is generally entitled to vote
for the
election of the board of directors or other governing body of such corporation,
partnership, joint venture or other legal entity.
“Survival
Period” shall have the meaning specified in Section
9.1(a).
“Suspended
Funds” shall mean those proceeds from the sale of Hydrocarbons attributable
to the Acquired Assets and payable to owners of working interests, royalties,
overriding royalties and other similar interests that are held by Quicksilver
in
suspense as of the Closing Date, including, without limitation, royalty proceeds
held in suspense.
“Target
Net Working Capital Amount” shall mean $0.00.
“Tax”
shall mean any and all federal, state, local, foreign and other taxes, levies,
fees, imposts and duties of whatever kind (including any interest, penalties
or
additions to the tax imposed in connection therewith or with respect thereon),
including taxes imposed on, or measured by, income, franchise, profits or
gross
receipts, alternative minimum taxes, estimated taxes and also ad valorem,
value
added, sales, use, service, real or personal property, capital stock, business
license, license, payroll, withholding, employment, social security, workers’
compensation, unemployment, compensation, utility, severance, production,
excise, stamp, occupation, premium, windfall profits, real estate transfer,
transfer and gains taxes, customs, tariffs, imposts assessments, obligation
and
charges of the same or of a similar nature to any of the foregoing, and
including any liability for any of the foregoing items that arises by reason
of
a contract, assumption, transferee or successor liability, operation of law,
Treasury Regulation section 1.1502-6 (or any predecessor or successor thereof
or
any analogous provision under state, local or other law) or
otherwise.
“Tax
Allocated Value” and “Tax Allocated Values” shall each have the
meaning specified in Section 10.4.
“Tax
Claim” shall have the meaning specified in Section
10.9(a).
“Tax
Construct” shall have the meaning specified in Section
10.5.
“Taxing
Authority” shall mean, with respect to any Tax, the Governmental Entity or
political subdivision thereof that imposes such Tax, and the agent (if any)
charged with the collection of such Tax for such Governmental Entity or
subdivision.
“Tax
Items” shall have the meaning specified in Section
10.1(d).
“Tax
Return” shall mean any return, report, exhibit, schedule, information return
or statement and other documentation (including any additional or supporting
material, attachment, amendment or supplement thereto) filed or maintained,
or
required to be filed or maintained, in connection with the calculation,
determination, assessment or collection of any Tax and shall include an amended
return or claim for refund.
“Terra”
shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals.
“Third-Party
Approvals” shall mean any approval, consent, waiver, variance, exemption or
any other authorization of or from any Person that is not a Governmental
Entity.
“Third-Party
Lender” shall mean any Person who is not BreitBurn, Quicksilver, or any of
the Transferred Companies.
“Title
Arbitrator” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.12(i).
“Title
Benefit” shall mean any right, circumstance or condition that operates (a)
to increase the Net Revenue Interest of Quicksilver and its Affiliates
(including the Acquired Companies), in the aggregate, in any Well or well
location (or the specified zone(s) therein), above that shown therefor in
Exhibit A-1, to the extent the same does not cause a greater than
proportionate increase in the applicable Working Interest therefor, or (b)
to
decrease the Working Interest of Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the
Acquired Companies), in the aggregate, in any Well or well location (or the
specified zone(s) therein), below that shown for the same in Exhibit A-1,
to the extent the same causes a decrease in the Working Interest of Quicksilver
and its Affiliates (including the Acquired Companies), in the aggregate,
that is
proportionately greater than the decrease in the applicable Net Revenue Interest
therefor.
“Title
Benefit Amount” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.12(e).
“Title
Benefit Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.12(b).
“Title
Claim Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.12(a).
“Title
Defect” means, with respect to the Acquired Assets, any particular defect in
or failure of ownership that causes Quicksilver and its Affiliates (including
the Acquired Companies), in the aggregate, to not have Defensible Title thereto
as of the Effective Time; provided, however, that the following shall
NOT be considered Title Defects:
(a) defects
in the chain of title consisting of the failure to recite marital status
in a
document or omissions of successions of heirship or estate proceedings, unless
BreitBurn provides affirmative evidence that such failure or omission has
resulted in another Person’s superior claim of title to the relevant Acquired
Assets;
(b) defects
arising out of lack of survey, unless a survey is expressly required by
applicable Law;
(c) defects
arising out of lack of evidence of record of corporate or other authorization
or
approval, unless BreitBurn provides affirmative evidence that such corporate
or
other entity action was not authorized and results in another Person’s superior
claim of title to the relevant Acquired Assets;
(d) defects
that have been cured by applicable Law of limitations or
prescription;
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(e) defects,
irregularities or matters affecting title which arose or resulted from
occurrences, conditions or events happening ten (10) years or more prior
to the
Effective Time and for which no written claim or demand relating thereto
has
been received by Quicksilver or the Acquired Companies from any third parties;
and
(f) defects
or irregularities resulting from or related to probate proceedings or the
lack
of evidence of record thereof which defects or irregularities have been
outstanding for five years or more.
“Title
Defect Amount” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.12(d)(i).
“Title
Defect Notice” and “Title Defect Notices” shall each have the meaning
specified in Section 6.12(a).
“Title
Defect Property” shall have the meaning specified in Section
6.12(a).
“Title
Indemnity Agreement” shall mean an indemnity agreement from Quicksilver to
BreitBurn, in a form mutually satisfactory to BreitBurn and Quicksilver,
pursuant to which Quicksilver would agree to indemnify BreitBurn against
third-party claims of title regarding a particular Title Defect, as contemplated
in Section 6.12(d)(iii); provided, however, that under no
circumstances shall Quicksilver’s aggregate liability thereunder exceed the
Preliminary Allocated Value for the Title Defect Property made the subject
thereof.
“Total
Consideration” shall have the meaning specified in Section
10.4.
“Transferred
Companies” shall mean the Acquired Companies, together with Quicksilver’s
rights, titles and interests in WCGP.
“Transferred
Company Liabilities” shall mean all obligations and liabilities of any kind
whatsoever of the Transferred Companies arising from or relating to the
Interests, the Acquired Assets or the Business, whether known or unknown,
liquidated or contingent, and regardless of whether the same are deemed to
have
arisen, accrued or are attributable to periods prior to, on or after the
Effective Time, including, without limitation obligations and liabilities
of the
Transferred Companies concerning: (a) the use, ownership or operation of
the
Acquired Assets and the other Interests, (b) any obligations under or relating
to any Contracts, (c) furnishing makeup Hydrocarbons and/or settling and
paying
for Imbalances according to the terms of applicable operating agreements,
gas
balancing agreements, Hydrocarbon sales, processing, gathering or transportation
Contracts, and other Contracts, (d) paying all obligations owed to working
interest, royalty, overriding royalty and other interest owners and operators
relating to the Acquired Assets or the other Interests, including their share
of
any revenues or proceeds attributable to production or sales of Hydrocarbons,
(e) properly plugging, re-plugging and abandoning any and all Xxxxx (including
inactive xxxxx or temporarily abandoned xxxxx) drilled on the Acquired Assets
or
otherwise attributable or allocable thereto pursuant to the Contracts, (f)
any
obligation or liability for the dismantling, decommissioning, abandoning
and
removing of any Xxxxx, Fixed Facilities or Personal Property of whatever
kind
related to or associated with operations and activities conducted by whomever,
(g) any obligation or liability for the cleaning up, restoration and/or
remediation of the premises covered by or related to the Acquired Assets
or the
other Interests in accordance with applicable Contracts, Laws and
all
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(i) all
obligations and liabilities resulting from or arising out of the audits listed
on Schedule 1.1;
(ii) any
bodily injury to, death of or illness affecting any individual not employed
by
or relating to Quicksilver or BreitBurn to the extent such injury, death
or
illness is covered by or which, if properly reported, would be covered by
any
insurance maintained by or on behalf of Quicksilver with a third-party insurance
provider, it being agreed that such injuries and illnesses which are of a
continuous or ongoing nature and extend over the Effective Time shall be
apportioned to the Transferred Company Liabilities on the basis of the
respective portions of the injury or illness suffered after the Effective
Time,
with Transferred Company Liabilities including only that portion of the injury
or illness suffered after the Effective Time; provided, however, that
this exclusion from Transferred Company Liabilities shall not in any event
include any Environmental Liabilities;
(iii) all
obligations and liabilities relating to or arising under the Contracts described
in item 1 and item 2 of Schedule 4.8; and
(iv) any
third party property damage which, if properly reported, would be covered
by any
insurance maintained by or on behalf of a Transferred Company with a third-party
insurance provider; provided, however, that this exclusion from
Transferred Company Liabilities shall not in any event include any Environmental
Liabilities.
“Transfer
Taxes” shall have the meaning specified in Section 10.3.
“Transition
Services Agreement” shall mean a Transition Services Agreement substantially
in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E.
“Treasury
Regulations” shall mean the regulations promulgated by the United States
Department of the Treasury pursuant to and in respect of provisions of the
Code. All references herein to sections of the Treasury Regulations
shall include any corresponding provision or provisions of succeeding, similar,
substitute or final Treasury Regulations.
“TWPP”
shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.11(g).
“Unitholders”
shall mean the holders of Common Units.
“Venture
Interest Assignments” shall mean the contribution agreement, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C-2, from
Quicksilver to BreitBurn, pursuant to which Quicksilver contributes and assigns
all of its rights, titles and interests in and to the Transferred
Companies.
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“WARN”
shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.6.
“WCGP”
shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals.
“Well”
and “Xxxxx” shall each have the meaning specified in the definition of
“Acquired Assets.”
“Working
Interest” (or “WI”) means that share of the costs and expenses for
exploration, maintenance, development and operations attributable to
Quicksilver’s and its Affiliates’ (including the Acquired Companies’), in the
aggregate, interest in the applicable Well or well location, expressed as
a
percentage or a decimal.
Section
1.2 Interpretation. When
reference is made in this Agreement to an “Article”, a “Section”, an “Exhibit”
or a “Schedule”, such reference shall be to an Article, a Section, an Exhibit or
a Schedule of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The headings
contained in this Agreement are for convenience of reference purposes only
and
shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) words defined in
the singular will have the corresponding meanings in the plural and vice
versa,
(b) words of one gender shall be deemed to include the other gender as the
context requires, (c) if a word is defined as one part of speech (such as a
noun), it shall have a corresponding meaning when used as another part of
speech
(such as a verb), (d) the terms “hereof”, “herein”, “herewith” and
“hereunder” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be
construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
provision of this Agreement, (e) the words “include”, “includes” and
“including” shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation” and
(f) captions to articles, sections and subsections of, and schedules and
exhibits to, this Agreement are included for convenience and reference only
and
shall not constitute a part of this Agreement or affect the meaning or
construction of any provision hereof. This Agreement shall be
construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction
or
interpretation against the Party drafting or causing any instrument to be
drafted. As used in this Agreement, the phrase “well location” shall
be deemed to refer to the Oil and Gas Property relating to each “POSS”, “PUD”,
“PROB” or “ORRI” listed under the column entitled “INT TYPE” on Exhibit
A-1 and such Oil and Gas Property shall be treated as if an oil and gas
well
had been drilled and completed on such Oil and Gas Property and was in existence
as of the date of this Agreement.
Section
1.3 WCGP. Notwithstanding
anything stated in this Agreement to the contrary, any reference to “WCGP” (or
to WCGP’s assets, interests, obligations or liabilities) shall mean and refer
only to Quicksilver’s ownership therein, being a 5.5385% limited partnership
interest in WCGP; and any calculations under this Agreement regarding WCGP,
as
well as any representations, covenants, calculations, liabilities, claims
or
interests relating to WCGP, shall be proportionately reduced to reflect
Quicksilver’s ownership interest therein. Without limiting the
generality of the immediately prior sentence, this proportionate reduction
shall
apply with regard to calculations of the Net Working Capital, Current Assets,
Current Liabilities and Closing Cash, as well as with regard to Quicksilver’s
indemnification liability concerning any breach of any representations,
warranties, or covenants, insofar as the same relate to
WCGP. Further: (a) to the extent that Quicksilver makes any
representations or warranties regarding WCGP under this Agreement or in any
certificate, instrument or document delivered in
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ARTICLE
II
CONSIDERATION;
CLOSING
Section
2.1 Contribution.
(a) Agreement
of Contribution; Consideration. Subject to and in accordance with
the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Quicksilver hereby agrees to
contribute to BreitBurn, and BreitBurn hereby agrees to acquire from
Quicksilver, (i) the QRI Assets in exchange for Seven Hundred Fifty Million
Dollars ($750,000,000) (provided, BreitBurn may increase such cash consideration
by notice to Quicksilver no later than the third (3rd) Business
Day
preceding the scheduled Closing Date), plus 10,216,529 Common Units (the
“QRI
Assets Equity Consideration”), and (ii) the Equity Interests in exchange for
11,131,443 Common Units (the “Equity Interests Equity Consideration”)
(collectively, the “Initial Consideration”), as adjusted in accordance
with the other terms of this Agreement. The number of Common Units
comprising the Equity Consideration was established by Quicksilver and BreitBurn
based on the closing price of the Common Units as of August 24,
2007. The number of Common Units included in the Equity Consideration
multiplied by the closing price of the Common Units on August 24, 2007, when
added to $750,000,000 in cash consideration, equals $1,450,000,000.
(b) Closing
Date Consideration; Final Consideration.
(i) At
Closing, BreitBurn shall pay to Quicksilver, in accordance with Section
2.1(b)(ii) below, the Initial Consideration, adjusted as
follows: (i) plus or minus the adjustments set forth in Sections 2.3-2.6
below, (ii) plus or minus the adjustments, if any, set forth in Section
6.12, (iii) minus the adjustments, if any, set forth in Section 6.13,
and (iv) minus the adjustments, if any, set forth in Section 6.14 (the
Initial Consideration, as so adjusted at Closing, is herein referred to as
the
“Closing Date Consideration”). The Closing Date Consideration
shall be further adjusted post-Closing in accordance with the terms of
Sections 2.5-2.6 (the Closing Date Consideration, as so adjusted, the
“Final Consideration”). Any upward or downward adjustment to
be made pursuant to clauses (i) through (iv) above shall be made by increasing
or reducing (as applicable) the Equity Interests Equity Consideration by
a
number of Common Units determined by dividing (A) the difference between
the
Initial Consideration and the Closing Date Consideration, by (B) $32.79;
provided, if either such adjustment involves an increase in the Initial
Consideration or Closing Date Consideration, BreitBurn may elect to pay such
increase in cash.
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(ii) The
Closing Date Consideration shall be paid as follows: (A) Seven Hundred Fifty
Million Dollars ($750,000,000) (or such greater amount as may be designated
by
BreitBurn pursuant to a notice given to Quicksilver pursuant to Section
2.1(a)(i)) of the Closing Date Consideration shall be paid via wire transfer
of
immediately available funds to the account(s) designated by Quicksilver (the
“Cash Consideration”); and (B) the remainder of the Closing Date
Consideration shall be paid through the issuance of the QRI Assets Equity
Consideration and the Equity Interests Equity Consideration; provided, if
the
Cash Consideration exceeds $750,000,000 (such excess being herein referred
to as
“Additional Cash Consideration”), the QRI Assets Equity Consideration
shall be reduced by a number of Common Units determined by dividing the
Additional Cash Consideration by $32.79.
(iii) If
the
number of Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration does not result
in a
whole number then it shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number of Common
Units. If BreitBurn Parent shall at any time prior to the Closing
subdivide its Common Units, by split-up or otherwise, or combine its Common
Units, or issue additional Common Units as a dividend or distribution with
respect to any Common Units, appropriate adjustments shall be made to the
number
of Common Units issuable to Quicksilver hereunder. Quicksilver shall
designate in writing the account(s) for payment of the Cash Consideration
at
least three (3) days prior to Closing.
Section
2.2 Deposit.
(a) Concurrently
with the execution of this Agreement, BreitBurn has deposited by wire transfer
in same day funds into escrow with Quicksilver the sum of Thirty-Five Million
Dollars ($35,000,000) (the “Deposit”). If Closing occurs, the
Deposit shall be applied toward (and thus shall be deemed the payment by
BreitBurn of an equivalent amount of) the Cash Consideration at Closing,
without
any interest earned thereon.
(b) If
(i) all conditions precedent to the obligations of BreitBurn to consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement set forth in Article VII
have been met, and (ii) this Agreement is terminated prior to Closing for
reasons described in Section 8.1(e), then, in such event, Quicksilver
shall be entitled to recover from BreitBurn an amount equal to the Damages
Quicksilver suffers as a result of such termination and shall have the right,
upon such termination, to retain the Deposit, and if the amount of such Damages
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or by the mutual agreement
of
the Parties (x) is equal to or in excess of the Deposit, apply the Deposit
toward the amount of such Damages so determined or (y) is less than the Deposit,
promptly return to BreitBurn an amount equal to the amount by which the Deposit
exceeds such Damages.
(c) If
this
Agreement is terminated prior to Closing, for any reason described in Section
8.1 (other than Section 8.1(e)), then within five (5) Business Days
following such termination, BreitBurn shall be entitled to the return and
delivery of the Deposit, without any interest or earnings thereon; and except
as
expressly set forth in Article VIII, BreitBurn and
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Section
2.3 Adjustments
to Initial Consideration Regarding QRI Assets and Certain Other
Adjustments. The
Initial Consideration shall be adjusted with regard to the QRI Assets as
follows:
(a) At
Closing the Initial Consideration shall be adjusted upward by the following
amounts (without duplication):
(i) an
amount
equal to the value of all Hydrocarbons attributable to the QRI Assets in
storage
or existing in stock tanks, pipelines, plants and/or platforms (including
inventory) as of the Effective Time, with the value to be based upon the
Contract price in effect as of the Effective Time (or the market value, if
there
is no Contract price, in effect as of the Effective Time), less amounts payable
as royalties, overriding royalties, and other burdens upon, measured by,
or
payable out of such production, and less amounts of any severance taxes deducted
by the purchaser of such production;
(ii) an
amount
equal to all Operating Expenses, capital expenditures and other costs and
expenses paid by Quicksilver that are attributable to the QRI Assets from
and
after the Effective Time, whether paid before or after the Effective Time,
including, without limitation, (A) insurance premiums and premiums for the
Bonds paid by or on behalf of Quicksilver for periods from and after the
Effective Time, (B) royalties or other burdens upon, measured by or payable
out of proceeds of production, (C) rentals and other lease maintenance
payments and (D) ad valorem, property, severance and production taxes and
any other Taxes (exclusive of income taxes) based upon or measured by the
ownership of the QRI Assets, the production of Hydrocarbons, or the receipt
of
proceeds therefrom;
(iii) if
Quicksilver is the operator under a joint operating agreement covering any
of
the QRI Assets, an amount equal to the costs and expenses paid by Quicksilver
on
behalf of the other joint interest owners that are attributable to the periods
from and after the Effective Time;
(iv) without
duplication of any other amounts set forth in this Section 2.3(a), the
amount of all Tax, if any, prorated to BreitBurn in accordance with this
Agreement but paid by Quicksilver;
(v) to
the
extent that Quicksilver or any of its Affiliates (including any Acquired
Company) is underproduced or has an over-delivered position with respect
to any
Acquired Asset as of the Effective Time, as complete and final settlement
between Quicksilver and BreitBurn with respect to all such Imbalances (but
without limiting BreitBurn’s assumption of the Assumed Liabilities), the sum of
the Gas Strip Price per MMBTU included in such Imbalances; and
-25-
(vi) any
other
amount provided for elsewhere in this Agreement or otherwise agreed upon
by
Quicksilver and BreitBurn.
(b) At
Closing, the Initial Consideration shall be adjusted downward by the following
amounts (without duplication):
(i) without
duplication of any other amounts set forth in this Section 2.3(b)(i), the
amount of all Tax, if any, prorated to Quicksilver in accordance with this
Agreement but payable by BreitBurn;
(ii) to
the
extent that Quicksilver or any of its Affiliates (including any Acquired
Company) is overproduced or has an under-delivered position with respect
to any
Acquired Asset as of the Effective Time, as complete and final settlement
between Quicksilver and BreitBurn with respect to all such Imbalances (but
without limiting BreitBurn’s assumption of the Assumed Liabilities), the sum of
the Gas Strip Price per MMBTU included in such Imbalances;
(iii) an
amount
equal to the Suspended Funds, as contemplated in Section 2.8;
and
(iv) any
other
amount provided for elsewhere in this Agreement regarding the QRI Assets
or
otherwise agreed upon by Quicksilver and BreitBurn.
Section
2.4 Adjustment
to Initial Consideration Regarding Transferred Companies. Not
less than three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, Quicksilver
shall
deliver to BreitBurn, in the Preliminary Settlement Statement, Quicksilver’s
good faith estimate of the following, as of the close of business on the
Closing
Date: (a) the Net Working Capital of the Transferred Companies
(the “Estimated Net Working Capital”) and (b) all of the cash and
cash equivalents of the Transferred Companies as of the Closing Date (excluding
cash proceeds received with respect to any casualty event or loss incurred
on or
after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time and any cash to be
eliminated at Closing pursuant to Section 6.7) (collectively, the
“Estimated Cash”). At Closing, the Initial Consideration shall
be (x) increased or decreased by the amount of the Estimated Net Working
Capital
Adjustment, as the case may be, depending on whether the Estimated Net Working
Capital Adjustment is a positive or negative number and (y) increased by
the
amount of the Estimated Cash.
Section
2.5 Adjustment
Methodology; Preliminary Settlement Statement; Final Settlement
Statement.
(a) Actual
Figures and Estimates. For purposes of the adjustments described
in this Article II, when available, actual figures will be used for all
adjustments to the Initial Consideration at Closing. To the extent
actual figures are not available, estimates will be used subject to final
adjustments in accordance with the terms hereof.
(b) Preliminary
Settlement Statement. Not less than three (3) Business
Days prior to Closing, Quicksilver shall prepare and submit to BreitBurn
for
review a draft settlement statement that shall set forth the Closing Date
Consideration, reflecting each adjustment to the Initial Consideration made
in
accordance with Sections 2.3, 2.4, 6.12, 6.13 and
6.14, the
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(c) Final
Settlement Statement. On or before one hundred twenty (120) days
after Closing, BreitBurn shall prepare and deliver to Quicksilver a proposed
final settlement statement (the “Final Settlement Statement”), setting
forth (i) all adjustments contemplated under Sections 2.3 and 2.4,
based on actual income, expenses and other amounts contemplated in Sections
2.3 and 2.4; and (ii) BreitBurn’s calculation, as of the Closing
Date, of: (A) Net Working Capital of the Transferred Companies (the
“Closing Net Working Capital”) and (B) all of the cash and cash
equivalents of the Transferred Companies (excluding cash proceeds received
with
respect to any casualty event or loss incurred on or after the date hereof
and
any cash to be eliminated at Closing pursuant to Section 6.7)
(collectively, the “Closing Cash”); and (iii) any further payments
required under Sections 6.12, 6.13 or 6.14, if
any. BreitBurn shall at Quicksilver’s request promptly deliver to
Quicksilver reasonable documentation available to support any credit, charge,
receipt or other item included in the Final Settlement Statement. As
soon as practicable, and in any event within thirty (30) days, after
receipt of the Final Settlement Statement, Quicksilver shall return a written
report containing any proposed changes to the Final Settlement Statement
and an
explanation of any such changes and the reasons therefor (the “Dispute
Notice”). Within twenty (20) days following the date of delivery
of the Dispute Notice (the “Resolution Period”), the Parties shall
attempt to agree on all items in the Final Settlement Statement and any proposed
changes to the Final Settlement Statement set forth in the Dispute
Notice. If the Final Settlement Statement (including proposed changes
thereto) is mutually agreed upon by Quicksilver and BreitBurn in writing,
the
Final Settlement Statement (including any changes mutually agreed upon by
Quicksilver and BreitBurn in writing), shall be final and binding on the
Parties. Any disputes with respect to the items in the Final
Settlement Statement and the Dispute Notice raised in writing prior to the
end
of the Resolution Period shall be resolved in accordance with Section 2.6
below. Any disputes with respect to the items in the Final Settlement
Statement and the Dispute Notice that are not raised in writing by BreitBurn
or
Quicksilver prior to the end of the Resolution Period shall be waived, except
disputes with respect to Title Defects, Environmental Defects, Taxes and
other
matters that are expressly provided to be determined pursuant to other
provisions of this Agreement. Any difference in the Closing Date
Consideration as paid at Closing pursuant to the Preliminary Settlement
Statement and the amounts set forth in the Final Adjustment Statement (as
defined in Section 2.6) shall be paid by the owing Party to the owed
Party within ten (10) days following the date on which (x) the Final
Adjustment Statement is mutually agreed upon by Quicksilver and BreitBurn
or (y)
the final determination is made by the Neutral Auditor in accordance with
Section 2.6, as applicable.
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All
amounts paid pursuant to this Section 2.5(c) shall be delivered in United
States currency by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account
specified in writing by the relevant Party. Payments due under this
Section 2.5(c) shall be paid to the applicable Party together with
interest at the Interest Rate from, and including, the Closing Date to, but
excluding, the date of payment.
Section
2.6 Disputes. If
after Closing, either Quicksilver or BreitBurn, as the case may be, timely
notifies the other of any disputed items with regard to the post-Closing
adjustments contemplated in Section 2.5(c) in accordance with the terms
thereof, and if at the conclusion of the Resolution Period under Section
2.5(c) Quicksilver and BreitBurn have not reached an agreement on such
disputed items, then all items remaining in dispute, and not waived pursuant
to
Section 2.5(c), shall be submitted by Quicksilver and BreitBurn to a
nationally recognized independent auditor as to which the Parties shall
reasonably agree within ten (10) days following the expiration of the Resolution
Period (the “Neutral Auditor”). All fees and expenses relating
to the work, if any, to be performed by the Neutral Auditor pursuant to this
Section 2.6 shall be borne fifty percent (50%) by Quicksilver and fifty
percent (50%) by BreitBurn. Except as provided in the preceding
sentence, all other costs and expenses incurred by the Parties in connection
with resolving any dispute hereunder before the Neutral Auditor shall be
borne
by the Party incurring such cost and expense. The Neutral Auditor
shall act as an arbitrator to determine only those items still in dispute
at the
end of the Resolution Period, and may not award damages or penalties to either
Party with respect to any matter. The Neutral Auditor shall not
determine any matter required to be determined by the Title Arbitrator or
the
Independent Expert pursuant to Section 6.12 or Section
6.14. The Neutral Auditor shall conduct the arbitration
proceedings in Dallas, Texas in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration
Rules
of the American Arbitration Association, to the extent such rules do not
conflict with the terms of this Section. In no event shall the
Neutral Auditor’s determination be outside of the range of amounts claimed by
the respective Parties with respect to those items in dispute. The
Parties shall instruct the Neutral Auditor to render its reasoned written
decision as soon as practicable but in no event later than sixty (60) days
after
its engagement (which engagement shall be made no later than ten (10) Business
Days after the end of the Resolution Period). Such decision shall be
set forth in a written statement delivered to Quicksilver and BreitBurn and
shall be final, binding, conclusive and nonappealable for all purposes of
this
Agreement. The term “Final Adjustment Statement” shall mean
the definitive Final Settlement Statement, as the case may be, agreed to
(or
deemed agreed to) by Quicksilver and BreitBurn in accordance herewith or
the
definitive adjustments resulting from the determination made by the Neutral
Auditor in accordance with this Section 2.6, in each case setting forth
the final adjustments so determined. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
to the extent an amount in the Final Settlement Statement is based on estimated
(rather than assessed) Taxes, the Parties’ respective obligations regarding such
Taxes shall be adjusted and paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement
relating to such Taxes when the actual amount of such Taxes becomes
known.
Section
2.7 Pre-Closing
Distributions. At
any time and from time to time prior to Closing, including, without limitation,
on the Closing Date, Quicksilver may cause any of the Transferred Companies
to
distribute all or any portion of cash and cash equivalents held by such
Transferred Companies to Quicksilver.
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Section
2.8 Suspended
Proceeds. If
Quicksilver is holding any Suspended Funds as of the Closing Date, then (i)
in
lieu of Quicksilver transferring these funds directly to BreitBurn at Closing,
Quicksilver shall retain the Suspended Funds held in its accounts and the
Initial Consideration shall be adjusted downward in accordance with Section
2.3(b) above, and (ii) from and after Closing, BreitBurn shall be
responsible for the proper payment and distribution of the Suspended Funds
to
those third parties entitled to receive the Suspended Funds and shall
DEFEND, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS Quicksilver from claims
asserted by third parties arising from or related to administering the
distribution of such Suspended Funds.
Section
2.9 Assumed
Liabilities Regarding the Acquired Assets. Upon
Closing, BreitBurn assumes and hereby agrees to fulfill, perform, be bound
by,
pay and discharge (or cause to be fulfilled, performed, paid or discharged)
all
obligations and liabilities of any kind whatsoever of Quicksilver arising
from
or relating to the QRI Assets or the Business relating to the QRI Assets,
whether known or unknown, liquidated or contingent, and regardless of whether
the same are deemed to have arisen, accrued or are attributable to periods
prior
to, on or after the Effective Time, including, without limitation obligations
and liabilities of Quicksilver concerning: (a) the use, ownership or operation
of the QRI Assets, (b) any obligations under or relating to any Contracts,
(c)
furnishing makeup Hydrocarbons and/or settling and paying for Imbalances
according to the terms of applicable operating agreements, gas balancing
agreements, Hydrocarbon sales, processing, gathering or transportation
Contracts, and other Contracts, (d) paying all obligations owed to working
interest, royalty, overriding royalty and other interest owners and operators
relating to the QRI Assets, including their share of any revenues or proceeds
attributable to production or sales of Hydrocarbons, (e) properly plugging,
re-plugging and abandoning any and all Xxxxx (including inactive xxxxx or
temporarily abandoned xxxxx) drilled on the QRI Assets or otherwise attributable
or allocable thereto pursuant to the Contracts, (f) any obligation or liability
for the dismantling, decommissioning, abandoning and removing of any Xxxxx,
Fixed Facilities or Personal Property of whatever kind related to or associated
with operations and activities conducted with respect to the QRI Assets by
whomever, (g) any obligation or liability for the cleaning up, restoration
and/or remediation of the premises covered by or related to the QRI Assets
in
accordance with applicable Contracts, Law and all Environmental Laws and
(h) any
obligation or liability regarding the Bonds or Permits (all of the obligations
and liabilities described in this Section 2.9 are collectively referred
to as the “Assumed Liabilities”); provided, BreitBurn does not assume the
Retained Liabilities or any obligations or liabilities of Quicksilver to
the
extent that they are attributable to or arise out of the ownership, use or
operation of the Excluded Assets.
Section
2.10 Closing. Unless
this Agreement shall have been terminated and the transactions contemplated
hereby shall have been abandoned pursuant to Article VIII, the closing of
the contribution of the Interests contemplated by this Agreement (the
“Closing”) shall take place at the offices of Fulbright &
Xxxxxxxx L.L.P. in Houston, Texas, at 10:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, on
November 1, 2007, or if all conditions in Article VII to be satisfied
prior to Closing have not yet been satisfied or waived, as soon thereafter
as
such conditions have been satisfied or waived (the actual date and time of
Closing being the “Closing Date”).
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Section
2.11 Closing
Deliveries of BreitBurn. At
Closing, BreitBurn shall deliver to Quicksilver:
(a) an
amount
equal to the Cash Consideration via wire transfer of immediately available
funds;
(b) certificate(s)
representing the Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration;
(c) a
certificate from an authorized officer of BreitBurn, dated as of the Closing
Date, certifying that the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(a) and
Section 7.2(b) have been satisfied;
(d) an
incumbency certificate relating to the Person(s) executing any document on
behalf of BreitBurn;
(e) a
cross-receipt acknowledging the receipt of the Interests;
(f) evidence
of approval of all of the Governmental Entities required by
BreitBurn;
(g) three
(3)
original, duly executed counterpart copies of the Asset
Assignments;
(h) three
(3)
original, duly executed counterpart copies of the Venture Interest
Assignments;
(i) a
cross-receipt, acknowledging agreement to the Closing Consideration Allocation
Schedule;
(j) two
(2)
original, duly executed counterpart copies of the Transition Services
Agreement;
(k) two
(2)
original, duly executed counterpart copies of the Registration Rights Agreement;
and
(l) all
other
documents required to be delivered by BreitBurn on or prior to the Closing
Date
pursuant to this Agreement.
Section
2.12 Closing
Deliveries of Quicksilver. At
Closing, Quicksilver shall deliver to BreitBurn:
(a) three
(3)
original, duly executed counterpart copies of the Venture Interest
Assignments;
(b) three
(3)
original, duly executed counterpart copies of the Asset
Assignments;
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(c) a
certificate from an authorized officer of Quicksilver, dated as of the Closing
Date, certifying that the conditions set forth (i) in Section 7.3(a) have
been satisfied, with such exceptions thereto which are scheduled in such
certificate with respect to matters discovered, occurring or arising after
the
date of this Agreement as may be necessary to make the statements contained
therein true and correct (provided that any such exceptions shall not operate
to
impair or impede BreitBurn’s right to not consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement because the condition set forth in Section
7.3(a) is not or was not satisfied or waived in writing by BreitBurn), and
(ii) Section 7.3(b) have been satisfied;
(d) an
incumbency certificate relating to the Person(s) executing any document on
behalf of Quicksilver;
(e) a
cross-receipt, acknowledging the receipt of the Closing Date
Consideration;
(f) evidence
of resignations or terminations of all of the officers and directors of the
Acquired Companies, effective as of the Closing Date;
(g) certification
of the non-foreign status of Quicksilver, in a form and manner which complies
with the requirements of Code Section 1445 and the Treasury Regulations
thereunder;
(h) evidence
of the consummation of the Conversion;
(i) a
cross-receipt, acknowledging agreement to the Closing Consideration Allocation
Schedule;
(j) two
(2)
original, duly executed counterpart copies of the Transition Services
Agreement;
(k) two
(2)
original, duly executed counterpart copies of the Registration Rights
Agreement;
(l) to
the
extent obtained, the Section 754 Consents;
(m) a
schedule setting the information relative to the Suspended Funds retained
by
Quicksilver pursuant to Section 2.8(i); and
(n) all
other
documents required to be delivered by Quicksilver on or prior to the Closing
Date pursuant to this Agreement.
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO QUICKSILVER
Quicksilver
hereby represents and warrants to BreitBurn, as of the date of this Agreement
or
as of such other date as may be expressly provided below, as
follows:
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Section
3.1 Due
Incorporation and Power of Quicksilver. Quicksilver
is duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of
Delaware. Quicksilver has the requisite corporate power and authority
to conduct its business as it is now being conducted, and to own, lease and
operate its assets and properties. Quicksilver is duly authorized,
qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing in every jurisdiction wherein the failure to be so qualified would
materially and adversely impair or impact its ability to perform its obligations
hereunder.
Section
3.2 Authorization
and Validity of Agreement. This
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have
been
duly authorized by all requisite corporate action by Quicksilver, and
Quicksilver has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this
Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder. This Agreement
has been duly executed and delivered by Quicksilver and constitutes a valid
and
legally binding obligation of Quicksilver enforceable in accordance with
its
terms except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or
other
similar Law affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally as well as
to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability
is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
Section
3.3 Non-Contravention. The
execution and delivery by Quicksilver of this Agreement do not, and the
consummation by Quicksilver of the transactions contemplated hereby will
not
(a) violate or conflict with any provision of the certificate of
incorporation or bylaws or other governing document of Quicksilver, or
(b) assuming that all Permits, Third-Party Approvals and other approvals
described on Schedule 4.3(a) have been obtained or made,
(i) violate any Law or Order to which Quicksilver is subject or
(ii) constitute a breach or violation of, or default under, or trigger any
“change of control” rights or remedies under, or give rise to any Lien (other
than Permitted Liens) or any Preferential Purchase Rights (other than those
Preferential Purchase Rights addressed under Section 6.13) under any
Contract to which Quicksilver or any of the QRI Assets are bound.
Section
3.4 Equity
Interests.
(a) As
of the
date of this Agreement, except as set forth on Schedule 3.4: (i) the
Equity Interests have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid
and nonassessable, (ii) none of the Equity Interests have been issued in
violation of any preemptive rights, and (iii) Quicksilver holds of record
and
owns beneficially the Equity Interests free and clear of all Liens, other
than
Liens for Taxes, assessments and other governmental charges not yet due and
payable (or, if due, not delinquent or being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings), and other than transfer restrictions under applicable
Law, and, with regard to WCGP, as may be set forth in WCGP’s applicable
formation or organization documents. As of Closing, the
representations and warranties in the immediately prior sentence shall be
true
and correct, in all material respects, with regard to the Equity Interests
of
the Acquired Companies post-Conversion.
(b) As
of the
date of this Agreement, except as set forth on Schedule 3.4, there
are no outstanding options, warrants or other rights of any kind relating
to the
transfer, sale, ownership, issuance or voting of any of the Equity Interests
which have been issued, granted, acknowledged or entered into by Quicksilver
or
any securities convertible into or evidencing the
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(c) Quicksilver
owns, directly, 50% of the limited liability company interests of Beaver
Creek
(with the remaining 50% being owned by Mercury); and Quicksilver owns a 5.5385%
limited partnership interest in WCGP.
Section
3.5 Investment
Intent. Quicksilver
is aware that the Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration have not
been
registered under the Securities Act or under any state or foreign securities
Laws. Quicksilver is not an underwriter, as such term is defined
under the Securities Act, and Quicksilver is acquiring the Common Units
comprising the Equity Consideration solely for investment, with no intention
to
distribute any such Common Units to any Person in violation of any state
or
foreign securities Laws.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO ACQUIRED COMPANIES, TRANSFERRED COMPANIES AND
THE
ACQUIRED ASSETS
Quicksilver
hereby represents and warrants to BreitBurn, as of the date of this Agreement
or
as of such other date as may be expressly provided below, as
follows:
Section
4.1 Due
Incorporation. Each
of the Acquired Companies is duly formed, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation. Each of the
Acquired Companies has the requisite company power and authority to own its
properties and assets and to carry on its business as presently
conducted. As of the date of this Agreement, each of the Acquired
Companies is duly authorized, qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign
company and is in good standing in every jurisdiction wherein the failure
to be
so qualified would have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set
forth on Schedule 4.1, none of the Acquired Companies owns any
equity interest in any other Person.
Section
4.2 Non-Contravention. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Quicksilver and the consummation
by
Quicksilver of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (a) violate or
conflict with any provision of the certificate of incorporation, bylaws,
partnership agreement or other formation documents of any of the Transferred
Companies and (b) assuming that all Permits and Third-Party Approvals set
forth in Schedule 4.3(a) have been obtained or made,
(i) violate any Law or Order to which any of the Transferred Companies is
subject or (ii) constitute any default under, or give rise to any Lien
(other than Permitted Liens) or any Preferential Purchase Rights (other than
those Preferential Purchase Rights addressed under Section 6.13) under
any Contract to which Quicksilver, any of the Acquired Companies or any of
the
Acquired Assets are bound.
Section
4.3 Governmental
Approvals; Consents and Actions.
(a) Except
as
set forth in Schedule 4.3(a) and except as would not have a Material
Adverse Effect, no Permit from or of any Governmental Entity is required,
no
Third-Party Approval is required under any Disclosed Contract, and no
Third-Party Approval is required under any other Contract.
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(b) Except
as
set forth on Schedule 4.3(b), no Action or Order is pending or, to
Quicksilver’s Knowledge, threatened against any of the Transferred Companies
challenging or seeking to restrain, delay or prohibit any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, or which would hinder or delay
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
Section
4.4 Financial
Statements.
(a) Schedule 4.4
contains a true and complete copy of (i) the unaudited balance sheets of
each of
the Acquired Companies (other than Beaver Creek) as of December 31, 2006,
and
the related statements of income for the same period and (ii) the unaudited
balance sheets of each of the Acquired Companies (other than Beaver Creek)
as of
June 30, 2007, and the related statements of income for the same period (the
“Financial Statements”).
(b) Each
of
the Financial Statements fairly presents in all material respects the financial
condition and the results of the operations of each of the Acquired Companies
(other than Beaver Creek), respectively, as of the dates and for the periods
indicated. The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance
with GAAP, in all material respects, consistent with historical internal
practices of such companies, except as otherwise disclosed in
Schedule 4.4.
Section
4.5 Books
and Records. The
minute books of each of the Acquired Companies contain accurate records of
all
meetings and accurately reflect all corporate action of the shareholders
and the
board of directors of such Acquired Company, insofar as the failure to have
the
same would constitute a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.6 No
Undisclosed Liabilities. To
Quicksilver’s Knowledge, except as set forth in Schedule 4.6 or as
otherwise disclosed in this Agreement or in the Disclosure Schedules, none
of
the Acquired Companies for which Financial Statements have been furnished
has
any liabilities or obligations that are of a nature required under GAAP to
be
disclosed, reflected or reserved against on the Financial Statements, except
for
liabilities or obligations (i) disclosed, reflected or reserved against in
the
Financial Statements, (ii) incurred since the end of the period covered by
the
Financial Statements in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice of such Acquired Companies, or (iii) which in the aggregate would
not
have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.7 Absence
of Changes. Except
as otherwise disclosed in Schedule 4.7 or elsewhere in the Disclosure
Schedules or in this Agreement, since June 30, 2007, to Quicksilver’s Knowledge,
and except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect:
(a) the
Business has been conducted in the ordinary course consistent with past
practices; and
(b) none
of
the Acquired Companies has taken any of the following actions:
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(i) except
to
the extent contemplated in Section 6.7, waived, released, canceled,
settled or compromised any debts, Action or right, pertaining to the
Business;
(ii) incurred,
assumed or guaranteed any indebtedness for borrowed money, or issued any
notes,
bonds, debentures or other similar securities, of any of the Acquired
Companies;
(iii) except
as
required as a result of a change in Law or in GAAP (or as will be applied
in
connection with the Conversion), changed any of the accounting methods or
principles used by any of the Acquired Companies; or
(iv) made
any
capital expenditure or made any commitment to make any capital expenditure
in
excess of $5,000,000, other than (A) pursuant to existing commitments,
approved budgets or approved business plans, (B) to repair, maintain or
replace any assets, properties or facilities in the ordinary course of business
or (C) as necessary to maintain or restore safe operations of the Business
or respond to any catastrophe or other emergency situation.
Section
4.8 Contracts.
(a) Schedule 4.8
is a true and complete listing of each Contract which satisfies one or more
of
the following descriptions, excluding any contracts or agreements constituting
any of the Excluded Assets (each such Contract, a “Disclosed Contract”,
and collectively, the “Disclosed Contracts”):
(i) that
involves required, firm payments of more than $2,500,000 per annum or more
than
$15,000,000 in the aggregate, other than payments that may be made in the
ordinary course under joint operating agreements, production sales contracts,
and gathering and transportation contracts;
(ii) that
contain any warranty, guaranty, indemnity or other similar undertaking with
respect to a contractual performance extended by Quicksilver or any Acquired
Company other than in connection with Contracts entered into in the ordinary
course of business and which could reasonably be expected to result in a
liability to Quicksilver (with regard to the QRI Assets) or any Acquired
Company
of more than $1,000,000;
(iii) that
contain a covenant not to compete, restricting Quicksilver (with regard to
the
QRI Assets) or a Acquired Company from competing in any line of business
or in
any region;
(iv) under
which any Acquired Company has (A) created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed
(or may create, incur, assume or guarantee) indebtedness for borrowed money,
or
(B) granted a Lien on its assets, whether tangible or intangible, other
than a Permitted Lien;
(v) that
is
an Affiliate Agreement that will remain in force and effect after the
Closing;
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(vi) that
is a
Contract for the employment of any individual on a full-time, part-time,
consulting or other basis;
(vii) is
a
contract which involves the licensing of Intellectual Property used in
connection with the Business;
(viii) that
is a
Contract or collective bargaining agreement with any labor union or
representative of employees;
(ix) that
is a
gas purchase contract that contains as of the date of this Agreement below
market rates; or
(x) that
is
any amendment, supplement or restatement or other modification relating to
any
of the foregoing.
(b) Quicksilver
has furnished or made available to BreitBurn a true and complete copy of
each
Disclosed Contract. As to each Disclosed Contract,
(i) to
Quicksilver’s Knowledge, it is valid, binding and in full force and effect and
is enforceable against Quicksilver and each Acquired Company, as applicable,
and
each other party thereto, according to its terms, except as the enforceability
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or other similar Laws affecting
the
enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of
equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding
in equity or at law);
(ii) Quicksilver
and each Acquired Company has performed its obligations required to be performed
to date thereunder, except where such non-performance would not have a Material
Adverse Effect;
(iii) to
Quicksilver’s Knowledge, there has not occurred any termination event or any
default or event that with the lapse of time or the giving of notice could
constitute a default by any other party thereunder, except where such
termination event or default or event would not have a Material Adverse Effect;
and
(iv) no
written notice of termination or non-renewal thereof, breach or default
thereunder, any significant dispute with respect thereto, any claim for
indemnification with respect thereto, or any other pending claims thereunder
has
been delivered to Quicksilver or any Acquired Company, except to the extent
such
matter (1) has been fully resolved in accordance with such Disclosed Contract
without any ongoing liability of Quicksilver or any Acquired Company with
respect thereto or (2) would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.9 Litigation. Except
as set forth in Schedule 4.9, there are no Actions pending and, to
Quicksilver’s Knowledge, there is no Action threatened in Law or in equity or
before any Governmental Entity, against either of Quicksilver (with regard
to
the QRI Assets) or
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Section
4.10 Compliance
with Laws. Except
as disclosed on Schedule 4.10 and except for circumstances or
conditions that would not have a Material Adverse
Effect: (i) each of Quicksilver (with regard to the QRI Assets)
and the Acquired Companies has complied in all material respects with all
applicable orders, writs, judgments, injunctions, decrees, statutes, ordinances,
rules, or regulations of any Governmental Entity, (ii) each of the Acquired
Companies and Quicksilver (with regard to the QRI Assets) has all Permits
issued
by Governmental Entities and required thereby for the operation of the Acquired
Assets, a true and correct copy of each material Permit has been or will
be made
available to BreitBurn and/or any of BreitBurn’s representatives for review or
copy, and all such Permits are in full force and effect, and (iii) neither
Quicksilver (with regard to the QRI Assets) nor any Acquired Company is in
violation of the terms of any Permit and no Action is pending, or, to
Quicksilver’s Knowledge, threatened, that could reasonably result in the
suspension, revocation, termination of, or loss of any material benefits
under,
any such Permit. Quicksilver is not making any representation or
warranty in this Section 4.10 with respect to any Tax matters, employment
matters, or any environmental matter, as such matters are exclusively addressed
in Sections 4.11-4.13, respectively.
Section
4.11 Tax
Matters. Except
as set forth on Schedule 4.11:
(a) each
of
the Acquired Companies and Quicksilver (with regard to the QRI Assets) has
timely filed all material Tax Returns required to be filed on or prior to
the
Closing Date, all such Tax Returns are true and complete in all material
respects and all material Taxes owed by each Acquired Company or Quicksilver
(whether or not shown on any Tax Return) have been timely paid;
(b) no
Acquired Company is currently the beneficiary of any extension of time within
which to file any Tax Return;
(c) there
is
no Action pending, or to Quicksilver’s Knowledge, threatened against, or with
respect to any of the Acquired Companies or Quicksilver (with regard to the
QRI
Assets) in respect of any Tax or Tax assessment, nor has any unresolved written
claim for additional Tax or Tax assessment been asserted or, to Quicksilver’s
Knowledge, been proposed by any Tax Authority;
(d) no
Acquired Company has waived any statute of limitations in respect of Taxes
or
agreed to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or
deficiency;
(e) no
Acquired Company (i) has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other
than the Quicksilver Group) under Treasury Regulations section 1.1502-6 (or
any
similar provision of state, local or foreign law), (ii) has any liability
for the Taxes of any Person as a transferee or successor, or (iii) is a
party to any Contract providing for the payment of Taxes, payment for Tax
losses, entitlements to refunds or similar Tax matters;
(f) each
of
the Acquired Companies and Quicksilver (with regard to the QRI Assets) has
complied in all material respects with all laws relating to the withholding
of
Taxes
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(g) each
of
WCGP, Wilderness-Xxxxxxx LLC, a Michigan limited liability company (“W-C
LLC”), Saginaw Bay Lateral LP, a Michigan limited partnership
(“Saginaw”), Terra Westside Processing Partnership, a Michigan general
partnership (“TWPP”), Wilderness Energy L.C., a Michigan limited
liability company (“W-E LC”), Wilderness Energy Services LP, a Michigan
limited partnership (“W-E LP”), and Xxxxxxxx XXX LP, a Virginia limited
partnership (“Xxxxxxxx”), is classified as a partnership for United
States federal income tax purposes; under its current partnership agreement
or
operating agreement, as applicable, each of WCGP and W-C LLC is required
to make
the election provided in Section 754 of the Code (a “Section 754
Election”); under its current partnership agreement or operating agreement,
as applicable, each of W-E LC, W-E LP and Xxxxxxxx is required to make a
Section
754 Election upon request from any partner or member, as applicable; and
under
its current partnership agreement, each of Saginaw and TWPP may make a Section
754 Election with the consent of its respective partners;
(h) except
for the assets held by WCGP, W-C LLC, Saginaw, TWPP, W-E LC, W-E LP and
Xxxxxxxx, none of the Contributed Assets are deemed by agreement or applicable
law to be held by a partnership for United States federal income Tax
purposes;
(i) except
for Permitted Liens, there are no Liens on any of the assets of the Acquired
Companies or the QRI Assets that arose in connection with any failure (or
alleged failure) to pay any Tax;
(j) the
Acquired Companies have not (i) participated, within the meaning of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.6011-4(c), in any “listed transaction” or any other
“reportable transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section
1.6011-4, or (ii) engaged in any transaction that gives rise to (x) a
registration obligation under Section 6111 of the Code and the Treasury
Regulations thereunder, or (y) a list maintenance obligation under Section
6112
of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, in each case as amended
by
any guidance published by the Internal Revenue Service applicable at the
time of
any “listed transaction” or any other “reportable transaction”; and
(k) as
of the
Closing Date, pursuant to the Conversions, each of the Acquired Companies
will
be a disregarded entity for United States federal income Tax
purposes.
Section
4.12 Employee
and Labor Matters.
(a) The
Acquired Companies do not have any employees, nor do any of the Acquired
Companies sponsor, maintain, contribute to, or have an obligation to contribute
to, any employee benefit or employee retirement
plans. Schedule 4.12 sets forth a true and complete list,
as of the date set forth therein, of the Business Employees. Within
ten (10) Business Days following execution of this Agreement, Quicksilver
shall
provide to BreitBurn a description of each such employee’s name, job title, work
location, employer’s name and current base salary or base wages. No
changes in such base salary or
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(b) Quicksilver
has complied in all material respects with all legal requirements relating
to
employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, equal employment
opportunity, nondiscrimination, immigration, wages, hours, benefits, and
other
requirements under applicable state and federal law, the payment of social
security and similar Taxes and occupational safety and health for the Business
Employees. Neither Quicksilver nor any Acquired Company is liable for
the payment of any Taxes, fines, penalties, or other amounts, however
designated, for failure to comply with any of the foregoing legal
requirements.
(c) Quicksilver
is not a party to, bound by, or in negotiation with respect to any agreement
involving the Business Employees with any employee organization or other
employee group, nor, to the Knowledge of Quicksilver, are any Business Employees
represented by any employee organization. No employee organization
has been certified or recognized as the collective bargaining representative
of
any Business Employee. To Quicksilver’s Knowledge, there are no
employee organizational campaigns or representation proceedings under way
or
threatened with respect to any Business Employees. There are no
existing or, to the Knowledge of Quicksilver, threatened, labor strikes,
work
stoppages, slowdowns, grievances, unfair labor practice charges, discrimination
charges, or labor arbitration proceedings affecting the Business.
Section
4.13 Environmental
Matters. Within
ten (10) days following the date of this Agreement, Quicksilver and the Acquired
Companies will make available to BreitBurn all material environmental
investigations or audits in possession of Quicksilver and the Acquired Companies
addressing the Acquired Assets and the operations of Quicksilver (with respect
to the QRI Assets) and the Acquired Companies. Except as set forth on
Schedule 4.13 and except as would not reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect: (a) the Acquired Assets,
Quicksilver (with respect to the QRI Assets) and the Acquired Companies are
and,
within any unexpired statute of limitations period, have been, in compliance
with all applicable Environmental Laws, (b) there are no pending or, to the
Knowledge of Quicksilver, threatened, enforcement, clean-up, removal,
remediation, mitigation or other claims or Actions against Quicksilver or
any
Acquired Company under any Environmental Law (including any claim resulting
from
off-site disposal), and the Acquired Assets are not subject to any unfulfilled
presently required remedial obligation imposed under applicable Environmental
Laws, (c) Quicksilver or the Acquired Companies, as the case may be,
possess all Permits required under applicable Environmental Laws for the
ownership and operation of the Business as presently conducted, all such
Permits
are in full force and effect and no Action is pending to revoke any such
Permit,
and Quicksilver and the Acquired Companies are in material compliance with
such
Permits, (d) neither Quicksilver nor the Acquired Companies has received
any written notice of alleged violation of or potential liability under
applicable Environmental Laws relating to the Acquired Assets that has not
been
resolved to the satisfaction of a Governmental Entity, and (e) none of the
Acquired Assets are subject to any unresolved Action
-39-
initiated
by any Governmental Entity pursuant to applicable Environmental
Laws. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section or
elsewhere in this Agreement, Quicksilver makes no, and disclaims any,
representation or warranty, express or implied, with respect to the presence
or
absence of naturally occurring radioactive material (“NORM”), asbestos,
asbestos containing materials, mercury, drilling fluids and chemicals, and
produced waters and Hydrocarbons (including oil, gas and other substances
of the
type included within the definition of Hydrocarbons) in or on the Acquired
Assets in quantities typical for oilfield operations in the areas in which
the
Oil and Gas Properties and equipment are located.
Section
4.14 Finders;
Brokers. There
is no basis for any claims upon BreitBurn or any of the Transferred Companies
for brokerage commissions, finder’s fees or like payments in connection with
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby resulting from any
action
taken by Quicksilver, or by any other Person on Quicksilver’s
behalf.
Section
4.15 Insurance. Schedule 4.15
sets forth a true and complete list of all of the policies of insurance carried
by Quicksilver, and any of the Acquired Companies that insure the operation
of
the Business on or prior to the Closing Date (collectively, “Quicksilver’s
Policies”). All premiums payable under Quicksilver’s Policies
have been paid in a timely manner. With respect to Quicksilver’s
Policies, (a) all are in full force and effect, (b) all have been
complied with in all material respects and (c) there is no claim under any
such policy as to which coverage has been denied or disputed by the underwriters
or issuers thereof.
Section
4.16 Bank
Accounts. Schedule 4.16
contains a true and complete list of the name of each bank and trust company
with which each Acquired Company has an account, safe deposit box or vault
and
the names of all Persons authorized to draw upon such account or who have
authorized access to any such safe deposit box or vault.
Section
4.17 Officers
and Directors. Schedule 4.17
contains a true and complete list of all officers or directors of each of
the
Acquired Companies.
Section
4.18 Oil
and Gas Properties.
(a) Except
as
set forth on Schedule 4.18(a):
(i) to
the
Knowledge of Quicksilver, as of the date of this Agreement, neither Quicksilver
nor any Acquired Company has received written notice from any Governmental
Entity, which remains unresolved, that any of the Xxxxx listed on Exhibit
A-1 are being overproduced; and
(ii) neither
Quicksilver nor any Acquired Company has received written notice that there
has
been any change proposed in the production allowables for any Xxxxx listed
on
Exhibit A-1 except where a proposed change (if adopted or approved) would
not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except
as
set forth on Schedule 4.18(b), neither Quicksilver nor any Acquired
Company is obligated by virtue of a take or pay payment, advance payment
or
other similar payment (other than royalties, overriding royalties and similar
arrangements established in the O&G Interests or reflected on Exhibit
X-0, Xxxxxxx X-0 or Exhibit A-3), to deliver
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(c) Except
as
set forth on Schedule 4.18(c), as of the date identified on such
Schedule, there were no contracts for the purchase, sale or exchange of
Hydrocarbons produced from or attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties
that
will be binding on BreitBurn or the Acquired Companies after Closing that
BreitBurn (or the applicable Acquired Company) will not be entitled to terminate
at will (without penalty) on 90 days notice or less.
(d) To
Quicksilver’s Knowledge, Schedule 4.18(d) sets forth all material
Imbalances as of the respective dates set forth therein with respect to the
Oil
and Gas Properties.
Section
4.19 Gas
Regulatory Matters. Except
as set forth on Schedule 4.19, (i) neither Quicksilver nor any Acquired
Company is a “natural-gas company” within the meaning of the Natural Gas Act of
1938 and (ii) neither Quicksilver nor any Acquired Company has operated or
provided services on its gathering facilities in a manner that would subject
it
to the jurisdiction of, or regulation by, the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission under the Natural Gas Act of 1938. Neither Quicksilver nor
any Acquired Company has performed services, and is subject to regulation,
under
Section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978.
Section
4.20 Affiliate
Transactions. Except
as set forth on Schedule 6.7(a), neither Quicksilver nor any Affiliate of
Quicksilver (other than any of the Transferred Companies) provides or causes
to
be provided to any Transferred Company any products, services, equipment,
facilities or similar items that, individually or in the aggregate, are or
may
reasonably be expected to be material to the Business or the Acquired
Assets.
Section
4.21 Special
Warranty of Title. The
Interests are free from the claims of any Person lawfully claiming or to
claim
the same or any part thereof, by, through or under Quicksilver, by virtue
of any
prior conveyance, lien or encumbrance made, done or suffered by Quicksilver,
except for Permitted Liens.
Section
4.22 Accuracy
of Data. To
Quicksilver’s Knowledge, the historical factual information, excluding title
information, supplied by Quicksilver or its Affiliates to Schlumberger Data
and
Consulting Services in the preparation of its report dated as of July 12,
2007
with respect to the Acquired Assets located in Michigan and located in the
virtual data room in subfolders 1.01.01 and July 16, 2007 with respect to
the
Acquired Assets located in Indiana and Kentucky and located in the virtual
data
room in subfolders 2.01.01 is accurate and complete in all material
respects. To Quicksilver’s Knowledge, the historical production data
on the publications entitled (a) 2.01.03.001 Indiana and
Kentucky Aries Database in the data-room folder 2.01.03
Indiana and Kentucky Aries Database, and (b) 1.01.03.002 Aries Database in
the
data-room folder 1.01.03 Michigan Aries Database, to the extent relating
to the
Acquired Assets, is accurate and complete in all material respects.
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ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO BREITBURN AND BREITBURN
PARENT
BreitBurn
hereby represents and warrants to Quicksilver, as of the date of this Agreement
or as of such other date as may be expressly provided below, as
follows:
Section
5.1 Due
Organization and Power of BreitBurn. BreitBurn
is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
Delaware and has the requisite limited partnership power and authority to
own,
lease and operate the properties used in its business and to carry on its
business as the same is now being conducted. BreitBurn is duly authorized,
qualified or licensed to do business as a limited partnership and in good
standing in every jurisdiction wherein, by reason of the nature of its business,
it is required to be.
Section
5.2 Authorization
and Validity of Agreement. This
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have
been
duly authorized by all requisite partner action, and BreitBurn has full limited
partnership power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and
to
perform its obligations hereunder. This Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by BreitBurn and constitutes a valid and legally binding
obligation of BreitBurn, enforceable in accordance with its terms except
as
enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar
Laws
affecting creditor’s rights generally as well as to general principles of equity
(regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding
in
equity or at law).
Section
5.3 Non-Contravention. The
execution and delivery by BreitBurn of this Agreement does not, and the
consummation by BreitBurn of the transactions contemplated hereby will not,
(a) violate or conflict with any provision of the formation, organization,
partnership agreement or other governing documents of BreitBurn or
(b) assuming all Permits and Third-Party Approvals set forth on
Schedule 5.4(a) are obtained or made, (i) violate any Law or
Order to which BreitBurn is subject or (ii) result in any breach or
creation of any Lien or constitute default under any contract to which BreitBurn
is subject or is a party.
Section
5.4 Governmental
Approvals; Consents and Actions.
(a) Except
as
set forth in Schedule 5.4(a) and except as contemplated under the
Registration Rights Agreement, no Permit from or of any Governmental Entity
or
any Third-Party Approval is required on the part of BreitBurn in connection
with
the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby except for such Permits or Third-Party
Approvals which have been obtained.
(b) Except
as
set forth in Schedule 5.4(b), there are no (i) Orders against
or affecting BreitBurn or its Affiliates or (ii) Actions pending or, to the
Knowledge of BreitBurn, threatened against or affecting BreitBurn or its
Affiliates (A) challenging or seeking to restrain, delay or prohibit any of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (B) preventing BreitBurn
from performing in all material respects its obligations under this Agreement
or
(C) which would hinder or delay the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
-42-
Section
5.5 Investment
Intent. BreitBurn
is aware that the Equity Interests are not registered under the Securities
Act
of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or under any state or foreign
securities Laws. BreitBurn is not an underwriter, as such term is
defined under the Securities Act, and BreitBurn is purchasing the Equity
Interests, solely for investment, with no intention to distribute any of
the
Equity Interests to any Person.
Section
5.6 Independent
Decision; Hazardous Materials. BreitBurn
(i) has knowledge and experience in financial and business matters,
(ii) has the capability of evaluating the merits and risks of investing in
the Interests, (iii) can bear the economic risk of the transactions
contemplated hereby and an investment in the Interests (and BreitBurn can
afford
a complete loss of such investment), and (iv) is not in a disparate
bargaining position with Quicksilver.
(a) BREITBURN
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE ACQUIRED ASSETS, AS WELL AS THE PROPERTIES AND ASSETS
OF
THE ACQUIRED COMPANIES AND WCGP, HAVE BEEN USED FOR EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT,
AND PRODUCTION OF OIL AND GAS AND THAT THERE MAY BE PETROLEUM, PRODUCED WATER,
WASTES, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES OR MATERIALS LOCATED IN, ON OR UNDER THE ACQUIRED
ASSETS (OR ASSETS OF WCGP) OR ASSOCIATED THEREWITH. PERSONAL PROPERTY
AND SITES INCLUDED IN SUCH ACQUIRED ASSETS AND PROPERTIES MAY CONTAIN ASBESTOS,
NORM OR OTHER HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. NORM MAY AFFIX OR ATTACH ITSELF TO
THE INSIDE OF XXXXX, MATERIALS, AND EQUIPMENT AS SCALE, OR IN OTHER
FORMS. THE XXXXX, MATERIALS, AND EQUIPMENT LOCATED ON, OR INCLUDED IN
SUCH ACQUIRED ASSETS (OR ASSETS OF WCGP) MAY CONTAIN NORM, ASBESTOS AND OTHER
WASTES OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. NORM, ASBESTOS OR ASBESTOS CONTAINING
MATERIAL AND/OR OTHER WASTES OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MAY HAVE COME IN CONTACT
WITH VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIA AND EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION,
WATER, SOILS OR SEDIMENT. SPECIAL PROCEDURES MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THE
ASSESSMENT, REMEDIATION, REMOVAL, TRANSPORTATION, OR DISPOSAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL
MEDIA OR EQUIPMENT, WASTES, ASBESTOS, NORM AND OTHER HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
FROM
SUCH ACQUIRED ASSETS OR PROPERTIES. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING STATED
IN THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, BUT WITHOUT LIMITING BREITBURN’S RIGHTS
HEREUNDER FOR A BREACH OF SECTION 4.13, THE EXISTENCE OF NORM, ASBESTOS
OR ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIAL IN, ON OR RELATING TO ANY OF THE ACQUIRED
ASSETS, OR ANY OF THE PROPERTIES AND ASSETS OF THE ACQUIRED COMPANIES AND
WCGP,
SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE OR GIVE RISE TO ANY CLAIMS BY
BREITBURN.
Section
5.7 Financial
Capacity; No Financing Condition. BreitBurn
will have available to it as of the Closing Date funds sufficient to consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. BreitBurn
understands that its obligations to effect the transactions contemplated
hereby
are not subject to the availability of financing to BreitBurn or any other
Person.
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Section
5.8 Finders;
Brokers. Neither
BreitBurn nor its Affiliates is a party to any contract with any finder or
broker, or in any way obligated to any finder or broker for any commissions,
fees or expenses, in connection with the origin, negotiation, execution or
performance of this Agreement, for which Quicksilver shall incur any
liability.
Section
5.9 No
Knowledge of Quicksilver’s Breach. BreitBurn
does not have Knowledge of any breach of any representation or warranty by
Quicksilver or, as of the date hereof, of any other condition or circumstance
that would excuse BreitBurn from its timely performance of its obligations
hereunder.
Section
5.10 Capitalization
of BreitBurn Parent and Valid Issuance of Common Units.
(a) BreitBurn
has made available to Quicksilver a true and correct copy of the Partnership
Agreement, as amended through the date hereof. The Common Units
comprising the Equity Consideration shall have those rights, preferences,
privileges and restrictions governing the Common Units as set forth in the
Partnership Agreement.
(b) As
of the
date of this Agreement, the issued and outstanding limited partner interests
of
BreitBurn Parent consist of 29,006,002 Common Units. The only issued
and outstanding general partner interests of BreitBurn Parent are the interests
of the General Partner described in the Partnership Agreement. All
outstanding Common Units and the limited partner interests represented thereby
have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with applicable
Law
and the Partnership Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required
by
applicable Law and the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as
such
nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Section 17-303,
17-607
and 17-804 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the
“Delaware LP Act”)). All general partner interests of
BreitBurn Parent have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance
with
the Partnership Agreement.
(c) Except
as
set forth in Schedule 5.10(c), BreitBurn Parent has no equity
compensation plans that contemplate the issuance of partnership interests
of
BreitBurn Parent (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for partnership
interests of BreitBurn Parent). No indebtedness having the right to
vote (or convertible into or exchangeable for securities having the right
to
vote) on any matters on which the Unitholders may vote is issued or
outstanding. Except as set forth in Schedule 5.10(c), as
contemplated by this Agreement, or as are contained in the Partnership
Agreement, there are no outstanding or authorized (i) options, warrants,
preemptive rights, subscriptions, calls or other rights, convertible or
exchangeable securities, agreements, claims or commitments of any character
obligating BreitBurn Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, transfer
or
sell any partnership interests or other equity interests in BreitBurn Parent
or
any of its Subsidiaries or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
such
partnership interests, (ii) obligations of BreitBurn Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any partnership
interests or equity interests in BreitBurn Parent or any of its Subsidiaries
or
any such securities or agreements listed in clause (i) of this sentence,
or
(iii) voting trusts or similar agreements to which BreitBurn Parent or any
of
its Subsidiaries is a party with respect to the voting of the equity interests
of BreitBurn Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
(d) (i) All
of the issued and outstanding equity interests of each of BreitBurn Parent’s
Subsidiaries are owned, directly or indirectly, by BreitBurn Parent free
and
clear of any Liens (except for such restrictions as may exist under applicable
Law and except for such Liens as may be set forth in Schedule 5.10(d))
and all such ownership interests have been duly authorized, validly issued
and
are fully paid (to the extent required by applicable Law or in the
organizational documents of BreitBurn Parent’s Subsidiaries, as applicable) and
nonassessable (except as nonassessability may be affected by matters described
in Section 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act and Sections
18-607
and 18-804 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “Delaware LLC
Act”)) and are free of preemptive rights with no personal liability
attaching to the ownership thereof; and (ii) except as disclosed in the
BreitBurn Parent SEC Documents, neither BreitBurn Parent nor any of its
Subsidiaries owns any shares of capital stock or other securities of, or
interest in, any other Person, or is obligated to make any capital contribution
to or other investment in any other Person.
-44-
(e) The
issuance of the Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration and the
limited
partner interests represented thereby has been duly authorized by BreitBurn
Parent pursuant to the Partnership Agreement and, when issued and delivered
to
Quicksilver in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly
issued, fully paid (to the extent required by applicable Law and the Partnership
Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected
by
Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act) and will be free
of
any and all Liens and restrictions on transfer, other than restrictions on
transfer under the Partnership Agreement, this Agreement and under applicable
state and federal securities Laws and other than such Liens as are created
by
Quicksilver.
(f) The
Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration will be issued in compliance
with all applicable rules of The Nasdaq Global Market. Prior to the
Closing Date, BreitBurn Parent will submit to The Nasdaq Global Market a
Notification Form: Listing of Additional Common Units with respect to
the Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration. BreitBurn
Parent’s currently outstanding Common Units are quoted on The Nasdaq Global
Market and BreitBurn Parent has not received any notice of
delisting.
Section
5.11 SEC
Documents. BreitBurn Parent has filed timely with the SEC all
forms, registration statements, reports, schedules and statements required
to be
filed by it under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act (all such documents
filed on or prior to the date of this Agreement, collectively, the “BreitBurn
Parent SEC Documents”). The BreitBurn Parent SEC Documents,
including, without limitation, any audited or unaudited financial statements
and
any notes thereto or schedules included therein (the “BreitBurn Parent
Financial Statements”), at the time filed (in the case of registration
statements, solely on the dates of effectiveness) (except to the extent
corrected by a subsequently filed BreitBurn Parent SEC Document filed prior
to
the date hereof) (i) did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
in
order to make the statements therein (in the case of any prospectus, in light
of
the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (ii) complied
as
to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the
Exchange Act and the Securities Act, as applicable, (iii) in the case of
the
BreitBurn Parent Financial Statements, complied as to form in all material
respects with applicable accounting requirements and with the published rules
and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, (iv) in the case of the
BreitBurn Parent Financial Statements, were prepared in accordance with GAAP
applied on a
-45-
Section
5.12 Tax. For
United States federal Tax purposes (and state, local, and foreign Tax purposes
where applicable), BreitBurn is disregarded as an entity separate from BreitBurn
Parent. BreitBurn Parent is, and has only been, classified as either
a disregarded entity or a partnership for United States federal Tax purposes
(and state, local, and foreign Tax purposes where
applicable). BreitBurn Parent does, and reasonably expects to
continue to, meet the gross income requirements of Section 7704(c)(2) of
the
Code, and BreitBurn Parent is not, and does not reasonably expect to be,
treated
as a corporation under Section 7704(a) of the Code or Treasury Regulations
section 301.7701-2.
Section
5.13 Investment
Company Status. BreitBurn Parent is not now, and after the
issuance of the Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration will not
be,
and is not controlled by or under common control with, an “investment company”
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
Section
5.14 Offering. Assuming
the accuracy of the representations and warranties of Quicksilver contained
in
Section 3.5 of this Agreement, the issuance of the Common Units
comprising the Equity Consideration pursuant to this Agreement is exempt
from
the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and neither BreitBurn
Parent nor any authorized representative acting on its behalf has taken or
will
take any action hereafter that would cause the loss of such
exemption.
Section
5.15 Internal
Accounting Controls. BreitBurn Parent and its Subsidiaries
maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide
reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded
as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity
with
GAAP and to maintain asset accountability and (iii) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific
authorization.
Section
5.16 Material
Agreements. BreitBurn has provided Quicksilver with, or made
available to Quicksilver through the BreitBurn Parent SEC Documents, correct
and
complete copies of all material agreements (as defined in Section 601(b)(10)
of
Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC) and of all exhibits to the BreitBurn
Parent SEC Documents, including amendments to or other modifications of
pre-existing material agreements, entered into by BreitBurn Parent.
-46-
ARTICLE
VI
AGREEMENTS
OF BREITBURN AND QUICKSILVER
Section
6.1 Operation
of the Business. Except
as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth in
Schedule 6.1 (and any actions, matters or expenditures described or
referred to on Schedule 6.1 are hereby deemed approved and authorized in
all respects), from the date of this Agreement and continuing until Closing,
Quicksilver:
(a)
shall, with respect to the QRI Assets, and
(b)
shall
cause each of the Acquired Companies, with respect to the other Acquired
Assets
owned by them, to:
(i)
operate and maintain such Acquired Assets in the ordinary course, consistent
with its respective past practices, and (ii) not take any of the following
actions, without the prior written approval of BreitBurn:
(A) sell,
transfer or otherwise dispose of or encumber any of the Acquired Assets,
including any right under any Contract or Permit or any proprietary right
or
other intangible asset, except (1) with respect to any of the Acquired
Assets other than Oil and Gas Properties and Xxxxx, in the ordinary course
of
business, (2) for Permitted Liens, and (3) as contemplated in this
Agreement;
(B) waive,
release, cancel, settle or compromise any Action for an amount in excess
of
$1,000,000;
(C) make
any loan to or enter into any transaction with any Business Employees or
any
directors, officers or employees of the Acquired Companies, except for the
payment of salaries and benefits to which all similarly situated employees
are
generally entitled, and except for such other payments that BreitBurn and
the
Acquired Companies will not be responsible for after Closing;
(D) incur,
assume or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money, or issue any notes,
bonds, debentures or other similar securities, or grant any option, warrant
or
right to purchase any of the same, or issue any security convertible or
exchangeable or exercisable for debt securities of any of the Acquired
Companies;
(E) make
or change any material Tax elections (except as required by Law and except
in
connection with the Conversion), or settle or compromise any material Tax
liability;
(F) except
as may be required as a result of a change in Law or in GAAP, materially
change
any of the accounting methods or principles used by any of the Acquired
Companies (other than with regard to the Conversion);
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(G) make
any capital expenditure or make any commitment to make any capital expenditure
in excess of $2,500,000, other than (1) to repair, maintain or replace any
assets, properties or facilities in the ordinary course of business or
(2) as may be necessary to maintain or restore safe operations of the
Business or respond to any catastrophe or other emergency
situation;
(H) declare
or make dividends or other distributions with regard to the Equity Interests,
other than cash dividends;
(I) adopt
a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring,
recapitalization or other restructuring, except in connection with the
Conversion;
(J) pledge
or mortgage any of the Acquired Assets or otherwise cause or permit a Lien
(other than a Permitted Lien) to exist against any of the Acquired
Assets;
(K) effect
any split, combination or reclassification of the securities of any of the
Acquired Companies, except in connection with the Conversion;
(L) knowingly
allow any Permits held by any of the Acquired Companies (or any Permit
constituting part of the Acquired Assets) to terminate or lapse, unless no
longer required by Law in connection with the Business;
(M) amend,
modify, terminate or allow to lapse or expire any Disclosed Contract; provided
that Quicksilver may terminate any Affiliate Agreement prior to
Closing;
(N) create
any Liens on any of the QRI Assets or the Acquired Companies’ assets, other than
Permitted Liens;
(O) except
as required by Law, enter into, amend, or revise (and Quicksilver shall not
permit to be entered into, amended or revised) any employment agreement or
grant
(and Quicksilver shall not permit to be granted) any material increase in
the
compensation or benefits of any Business Employee unless such increase applies
to substantially all of the other employees covered under the applicable
employee benefit program; or
(P) agree,
whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing.
BreitBurn’s
approval of any action restricted by clause (B), (G), (M) or (P) of this
Section 6.1(b)(ii) shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed and
shall be considered granted within ten (10) days (unless a shorter time is
reasonably required by the circumstances and such shorter time is specified
in
Quicksilver’s notice) of Quicksilver’s notice to BreitBurn requesting such
consent unless BreitBurn notifies Quicksilver to the contrary during that
period. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section
6.1, in the event of an emergency, Quicksilver may take such action as
reasonably necessary and shall notify BreitBurn of such action promptly
thereafter.
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Section
6.2 Efforts;
Cooperation; HSR and Other Filings.
(a) Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the Parties will use
commercially reasonable efforts to refrain from taking any action within
its
control which would cause a breach of any of its representations and warranties
contained in this Agreement or which would prevent it from delivering to
the
other Party the certificates which it is required to deliver pursuant to
Section 2.11(c) or 2.12(c), as the case may be.
(b) BreitBurn
and Quicksilver shall timely and promptly make all filings which may be required
by any of them by Law in connection with the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, those filings required
under
the Xxxx-Xxxxx Act; provided, however, that the Parties shall make all
filings required by either of them under the Xxxx-Xxxxx Act within ten (10)
Business Days after the date hereof. Each Party shall furnish to the
other Party such necessary information and assistance as such other Party
may
reasonably request in connection with the preparation of any necessary filings
or submissions by it to any Governmental Entity and correspondence, filings
or
communications (or memoranda setting forth the substance thereof) between
such
Party and its representatives and the Federal Trade Commission, the Antitrust
Division of the United States Department of Justice or any other Governmental
Entity and members of their respective staffs with respect to this Agreement
and
the transactions contemplated hereby. With the exception of payment
of the required filing fees and the Parties’ costs and expenses necessary to
prosecute such filings, neither Quicksilver nor BreitBurn shall be required
to
make any material monetary expenditures, commence or participate in any material
litigation, or offer or grant any material accommodation (financial or
otherwise) to any third Person in connection therewith; provided,
however, that any filing fees incurred in connection with filings made in
accordance with the Xxxx-Xxxxx Act in connection with the consummation of
the
transactions contemplated in this Agreement, shall be paid and borne solely
by
BreitBurn.
Section
6.3 Public
Disclosures. Prior
to the Closing Date and for a period of thirty (30) days following the Closing
Date, no Party will (and each Party will ensure that its Affiliates and their
respective representatives will not) issue any press release or make any
public
disclosure concerning the transactions contemplated by this Agreement without
the prior written consent of the other Party, which shall not be unreasonably
withheld, delayed or conditioned. Notwithstanding the above, nothing
in this Section 6.3 will preclude any Person from making any disclosures
it reasonably believes are required by Law or stock exchange rules or necessary
and proper in conjunction with the filing of any Tax Return or other document
required to be filed with any Governmental Entity; provided that the respective
Party shall endeavor to allow the other Party reasonable time to review and
comment thereon in advance of such disclosure.
Section
6.4 Pre-Closing
Access; Post-Closing Delivery and Access to Records and
Personnel.
(a) Pre-Closing
Access. From and after the date of this Agreement, but subject
to the other provisions of this Section 6.4, Section 6.14(a) and
subject to obtaining any required consents of third-party operators, Quicksilver
will, and will cause the Acquired Companies to, afford BreitBurn and its
representatives access, during normal business hours, to the Acquired Assets
and
offices, personnel and all books and records of Quicksilver and the
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(i) BreitBurn
agrees to promptly provide Quicksilver, but in no less than five (5) Business
Days after receipt or creation, copies of all reports and test results, prepared
by BreitBurn and/or any of BreitBurn’s representatives and which contain data
collected or generated from BreitBurn’s due diligence with respect to the
Acquired Assets. Quicksilver shall not be deemed by its receipt of
said documents or otherwise to have made any representation or warranty,
expressed, implied or statutory, as to the condition to the Acquired Assets
or
to the accuracy of said documents or the information contained
therein.
(ii)
Upon
completion of BreitBurn’s due diligence, BreitBurn shall, at its sole cost and
expense and without any cost or expense to Quicksilver or the Transferred
Companies: (1) repair all damage done to the Acquired Assets in connection
with
BreitBurn’s due diligence, (2) restore the Acquired Assets to the approximate
same or better condition than it was prior to commencement of BreitBurn’s due
diligence and (3) remove all equipment, tools or other property brought onto
the
Acquired Assets in connection with BreitBurn’s due diligence. Any
disturbance to the Acquired Assets (including, without limitation, the real
property associated with such Acquired Assets) resulting from BreitBurn’s due
diligence will be promptly corrected by BreitBurn.
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(iii) BreitBurn
hereby agrees to DEFEND, RELEASE, INDEMNIFY and HOLD HARMLESS each of
Quicksilver, the Transferred Companies, any third-party operators of any
of the
Acquired Assets, and each of the other Quicksilver Indemnified Parties, from
and
against any and all Damages arising out of, resulting from or relating to
any
field visit, Environmental Assessment, or other due diligence activity conducted
by BreitBurn or any of BreitBurn’s employees, agents, consultants, or
representatives, EVEN IF SUCH DAMAGES ARISE OUT OF OR RESULT FROM,
SOLELY OR IN PART, THE SOLE, ACTIVE, PASSIVE, CONCURRENT OR COMPARATIVE
NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHER FAULT OR VIOLATION OF LAW OF OR BY
QUICKSILVER, ANY OF THE TRANSFERRED COMPANIES, ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE
QUICKSILVER INDEMNIFIED PARTIES OR ANY OTHER PERSON, EXCLUDING QUICKSILVER’S OR
ANY TRANSFERRED COMPANY’S GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION
6.4(a)(iii), DAMAGES SHALL NOT INCLUDE DAMAGES TO THE
EXTENT RESULTING SOLELY FROM THE DISCOVERY BY BREITBURN, ITS OFFICERS,
DIRECTORS, AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES, EMPLOYEES, SUCCESSORS OR ASSIGNS OF ANY
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION.
(b) Post-Closing
Delivery of Books and Records. Quicksilver shall deliver to
BreitBurn, within fifteen (15) Business Days following the Closing Date,
all
books, records, documents, instruments, accounts, correspondence, writings,
Contracts, evidences of title and other papers (in each case, including
electronic versions thereof) relating to the Acquired Assets or the Transferred
Companies, to the extent in the possession of Quicksilver or any Affiliate
of
Quicksilver (including the Acquired Companies) and to the extent not
constituting the Excluded Assets (collectively, the “Books and
Records”). Quicksilver may retain copies of any or all of the
Books and Records for its files.
(c) Post-Closing
Retention of Books and Records. BreitBurn shall retain the Books
and Records for the period of time set forth in its records retention policies
on the Closing Date which shall not be less
than six (6) years (or for tax records, seven
years), or for such longer period as may be required by Law or any applicable
court Order, or for the term required by BreitBurn’s records retention
policy. At any time during such period, Quicksilver may, upon its
request and at its expense, copy all or any part of such Books and Records
as
Quicksilver may reasonably require. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
BreitBurn shall retain (or cause the Acquired Companies to retain) for such
longer periods any and all Books and Records that relate to any ongoing Action
until such time as BreitBurn is notified of the final conclusion of such
matter.
(d) Reasonable
Post-Closing Access. After Closing, the Parties will allow each
other reasonable access to the Books and Records, and to personnel having
knowledge of the whereabouts or contents of such Books and Records, for
legitimate legal, tax or accounting reasons, such as the preparation of Tax
Returns, the defense of Actions and responding to data requests from
Governmental Entities. Subject to Article IX, each Party shall
be entitled to
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Section
6.5 Employee
Matters.
(a) Quicksilver
shall use its good faith efforts to make available to BreitBurn all of the
Business Employees listed on Schedule 4.12, to discuss potential
employment with BreitBurn or an Affiliate of BreitBurn on and after Closing
(such entity that makes any employment offers is herein referred to as the
“BreitBurn Employer”). BreitBurn shall provide Quicksilver, in
writing, not later than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the Closing
Date, a
list of those Business Employees to whom BreitBurn intends to make offers
of
employment effective as of the Closing Date, together with the proposed terms
of
such employment (collectively, the “Designated Employees”); and BreitBurn
shall cause the BreitBurn Employer to make offers of employment to the
Designated Employees on the terms provided to Quicksilver, effective as of
the
Closing Date. BreitBurn’s determination as to which Business
Employees shall be Designated Employees and the proposed terms of employment
offered by the BreitBurn Employer, shall be within the sole discretion of
BreitBurn; provided, however, that its election and determination shall
be made in accordance with all applicable Law (and upon delivery of the written
notification of the Designated Employees to Quicksilver, as described above,
BreitBurn shall be deemed to have represented, warranted and certified to
Quicksilver that its determination has been made in accordance with all
applicable Law).
(b) For
a
period of two (2) years following the Closing Date, Quicksilver shall not,
directly or indirectly solicit for employment, by Quicksilver or any Affiliate
of Quicksilver, any Designated Employee who accepts a job with BreitBurn
or an
Affiliate of BreitBurn pursuant to the offers of employment made pursuant
to
Section 6.5(a), unless (in each case prior to any such solicitation) such
Designated Employee is no longer employed by BreitBurn or BreitBurn’s
Affiliates; provided, however, that Quicksilver shall not be precluded
from hiring any employee who has been terminated by BreitBurn or BreitBurn’s
Affiliate prior to commencement of employment discussions between Quicksilver
and such employee. Quicksilver acknowledges that the purpose of this
covenant is to enable BreitBurn to maintain a stable workforce in order to
remain in Business, and that it would disrupt, damage, impair and interfere
with
the Business if Quicksilver were to engage in the solicitation prohibited
hereby.
Section
6.6 Workforce
Reduction Notices. Quicksilver
shall be responsible for any workforce reductions carried out on or before
the
Closing Date and such reductions, if any, shall be done in accordance with
all
applicable Laws and regulations governing the employment relationship and
termination thereof, including, if applicable, the Worker Adjustment and
Retraining Notification Act (“WARN”) and regulations promulgated
thereunder, and any comparable state or local Law. BreitBurn shall
not be responsible for any obligations under WARN or its equivalent state
statutes and any applicable regulations thereunder with respect to any
employment terminations on or prior to the Closing Date.
Section
6.7 Inter-Company
Transactions; Insurance.
(a) Except
as
set forth in Schedule 6.7(a), effective as of Closing, all inter-company
receivables or payables then existing between Quicksilver and any Affiliates
of
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(b) Notwithstanding
their exclusion from Current Assets, any insurance proceeds receivable of
the
Acquired Companies for casualty losses suffered by the Acquired Companies
before, on or after the date of this Agreement shall remain with the Acquired
Companies, as applicable, after Closing. If any casualty losses are
incurred by the Acquired Companies after the date of this Agreement and prior
to
Closing, and such losses are insured by Quicksilver’s insurance policies, then
Quicksilver shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make claims relating
to
those losses and Quicksilver shall pay to the Acquired Companies any amounts
received by Quicksilver pursuant to such claims, less any collection
costs. The Acquired Companies may use any proceeds of such insurance
receivables to repair property damage or replace the property on account
of
which such casualty insurance proceeds have been paid to a Acquired
Company.
Section
6.8 Release
of Guarantees and Bonds. BreitBurn
acknowledges that none of the bonds, letters of credit and guarantees, if
any,
posted by Quicksilver or its Affiliates with Governmental Entities and relating
to the Acquired Assets or the other Interests and set forth on Schedule
6.8 (collectively, the “Bonds”) are transferable to
BreitBurn. On or before the Closing Date, BreitBurn shall obtain, or
cause to be obtained in the name of BreitBurn or its designee, replacements
for
such Bonds to the extent such replacements are necessary to permit the
cancellation and complete release of the Bonds posted by Quicksilver and/or
such
Affiliates. In addition, at or prior to Closing, BreitBurn shall
deliver to Quicksilver evidence of the posting of bonds or other security
with
all applicable Governmental Entities meeting the requirements of such
authorities to own and, where appropriate, operate, the Acquired Assets,
the
Acquired Companies, or the other Interests.
Section
6.9 Amendments
of Disclosure Schedules.
(a) Prior
to
Closing, Quicksilver may, from time to time, by delivering a written copy
thereof to BreitBurn, supplement or amend its disclosure schedules attached
to
this Agreement relating to any representations or warranties of Quicksilver
(collectively, the “Disclosure Schedules”), to include reference to any
matter relating to Quicksilver, the Acquired Assets, the Interests or the
Transferred Companies which first arises or occurs after the date of execution
of this Agreement and does not result from a breach by Quicksilver of any
covenant set forth in Article VI.
(b) Any
such
supplement or amendment of any such Disclosure Schedule by Quicksilver under
Section 6.9(a) above will be effective to cure and correct any breach of
any representation or warranty that would have existed absent such amendment
or
supplement, and BreitBurn shall have no right, and hereby waives any and
all
rights, to bring any claim in respect of or relating to such breach of
representation or warranty.
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Section
6.10 Removal
of Quicksilver Identification. BreitBurn
shall, and shall cause its Affiliates and Subsidiaries to, not use the
name
“Quicksilver” (or any variations or derivatives thereof); and, within ninety
(90) days after the Closing Date, BreitBurn shall, and shall cause the
Acquired
Companies, to remove, destroy or completely obscure (e.g., paint over)
all visible names, symbols, tradenames, trademarks and logos of “Quicksilver”
with regard to any assets of the Acquired Companies or with regard to the
Acquired Assets.
Section
6.12 Title
Defects; Title Defect Procedure and Adjustments.
(a) Title
Defect Notices. On or before 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) of the
fifth (5th) day
before Closing (the “Title Claim Date”), BreitBurn may deliver claim
notices to Quicksilver meeting the requirements of this Section 6.12(a)
(collectively the “Title Defect Notices” and individually a “Title
Defect Notice”) setting forth any matters which, in BreitBurn’s good faith
opinion, constitute Title Defects and which BreitBurn intends to assert as
a
Title Defect pursuant to this Section 6.12. For all purposes
of this Agreement and notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, BreitBurn
shall be deemed to have waived, and Quicksilver shall have no liability for,
any
Title Defect which BreitBurn fails to assert as a Title Defect by a Title
Defect
Notice received by Quicksilver on or before the Title Claim
Date. To
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(b) Title
Benefit Notices. Quicksilver shall have the right, but not the
obligation, to deliver to BreitBurn on or before the Title Claim Date with
respect to each Title Benefit a notice (a “Title Benefit Notice”)
including (i) a description of the Title Benefit, (ii) the Xxxxx or well
location(s) (and the applicable zone(s) therein) and/or other Acquired Assets
affected by the Title Benefit, and (iii) the amount by which Quicksilver
reasonably believes the Preliminary Allocated Value of those Well(s) or well
location(s) (and the applicable zone(s) therein) and/or other Acquired Assets
have increased by the Title Benefit, and the computations upon which
Quicksilver’s belief is based.
(c) Quicksilver’s
Right to Cure Title Defects. Quicksilver shall have the right,
but not the obligation, to attempt, at its sole cost, to cure any asserted
Title
Defects at any time prior to Closing (the “Cure Period”). If a
Title Defect is reasonably susceptible of being cured but is not cured on
or
before the Closing Date, BreitBurn and Quicksilver agree that Quicksilver
will
also have the right to elect to (i) exclude the affected Title Defect Property
(other than Fixed Facilities that constitute Title Defect Properties) from
the
contribution at Closing (and to the extent that such excluded Title Defect
Property is currently held by a Acquired Company, then it will be transferred
to
Quicksilver prior to Closing), (ii) attempt to cure such defect (and attempt
to
cure any such defect with respect to Fixed Facilities that constitute Title
Defect Properties) for a period of up to ninety (90) days after the Closing
Date, and until cured, the Preliminary Allocated Value of such excluded Title
Defect Property (and, in the case of Fixed Facilities that constitute Title
Defect Properties, the Title Defect Amount determined under this Section
6.12 with respect thereto) will be withheld from the Closing Date
Consideration at Closing. If cured within this 90-day period, then,
within five (5) Business Days after such Title Defect is cured, (x) BreitBurn
shall pay and deliver to Quicksilver the Preliminary Allocated Value (or
the
Title Defect Amount) therefor, as applicable, which was deducted from the
Closing Date Consideration, together with interest at the Interest Rate from,
and including, the Closing Date to, but excluding, the date of payment, and
(y)
Quicksilver will deliver to BreitBurn an assignment of such Title Defect
Property if withheld at Closing, upon the same terms and conditions set forth
in
the Asset Assignments. BreitBurn shall provide Quicksilver and
their
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(d) Remedies
for Title Defects. Subject to Quicksilver’s continuing right to
dispute the existence of a Title Defect and/or the Title Defect Amount asserted
with respect thereto, in the event that any Title Defect timely asserted
by
BreitBurn in accordance with this Section 6.12 is not waived in writing
by BreitBurn or cured on or before Closing, Quicksilver shall, at its sole
option, elect to either:
(i) subject
to the Individual Title Defect Threshold and the Aggregate Deductible, reduce
the Initial Consideration by an amount determined pursuant to
Sections 6.12(f), 6.12(h) and 6.12(i) as being the value of
such Title Defect (the “Title Defect Amount”); or
(ii) retain
the entirety of the Title Defect Property that is subject to such Title Defect
in which event the Initial Consideration shall be reduced by an amount equal
to
the Preliminary Allocated Value of such Title Defect Property; or
(iii) provide
BreitBurn with an indemnity (the terms of such indemnity to be reasonably
satisfactory to BreitBurn) for such Title Defect under the Title Indemnity
Agreement (but in no case shall Quicksilver’s liability with regard thereto
exceed the Preliminary Allocated Value for the applicable Title Defect
Property), in which case the Title Defect Property shall be sold to BreitBurn
at
Closing with no adjustment to the Initial Consideration; or
(iv) if
applicable, terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section
8.1(c).
(e) Remedies
for Title Benefits. Subject to Section 6.12(h), with
respect to each Well, well location or Oil and Gas Property (and the applicable
zone(s) therein) and/or other Acquired Assets affected by Title Benefits
reported under Section 6.12(a) or Section 6.12(b), the Initial
Consideration shall be increased by an amount equal to the increase in the
Preliminary Allocated Value for such Xxxxx and well locations (and the
applicable zone(s) therein) and/or other Acquired Assets caused by such Title
Benefits, as determined pursuant to Section 6.12(g), 6.12(h)
and 6.12(i) (the “Title Benefit Amount”).
(f) Title
Defect Amount. The Title Defect Amount for any applicable Title
Defect shall be determined in accordance with the following terms and
conditions:
(i) if
BreitBurn and Quicksilver agree on the Title Defect Amount, then that amount
shall be the Title Defect Amount;
(ii) if
the
Title Defect is a Lien or encumbrance that is undisputed and liquidated in
amount, then the Title Defect Amount shall be the amount necessary
-56-
to
be
paid to remove the Title Defect from the Title Defect Property, not to
exceed,
however, the Preliminary Allocated Value thereof;
(iii) if
the
Title Defect represents a discrepancy between (1) the Net Revenue Interest
for
any Title Defect Property and (2) the Net Revenue Interest for such property
as
stated in Exhibit A-1, then the Title Defect Amount shall be the product
of the Preliminary Allocated Value of such Title Defect Property multiplied
by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the decreased Net Revenue Interest and
the
denominator of which is the Net Revenue Interest stated in Exhibit A-1
therefor;
(iv) if
the
Title Defect results from the failure to own a valid right to use the land
on
which a portion of the Fixed Facilities is located, the Title Defect Amount
with
respect to such Title Defect shall be the lesser of the cost per rod (or
per
acre in the case of tracts outside the pipeline right-of-way) prevailing
in the
area of such portion of the Fixed Facilities for the acquisition of easements,
rights-of-way, surface leases, fee parcels or licenses covering such land
that
are similar to those on which the adjacent Fixed Facilities are located or
the
actual acquisition cost paid by BreitBurn, a Acquired Company or their
respective Affiliate for such similar easements, rights-of-way, surface leases,
fee parcels or licenses covering such land;
(v) if
the
Title Defect represents an obligation or encumbrance upon or other defect
in
title to the Title Defect Property of a type not described above, the Title
Defect Amount shall be determined by taking into account the Preliminary
Allocated Value of the Title Defect Property, the portion of the Title Defect
Property affected by the Title Defect, the legal effect of the Title Defect,
the
potential economic effect of the Title Defect over the life of the Title
Defect
Property, the values placed upon the Title Defect by BreitBurn and Quicksilver
and such other reasonable factors as are necessary to make a proper evaluation,
not to exceed, however, the Preliminary Allocated Value thereof;
(vi) the
Title
Defect Amount with respect to a Title Defect Property shall be determined
without duplication of any costs or losses included in any other Title Defect
Amount hereunder; and
(vii) notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Section 6.12, the aggregate Title Defect
Amounts attributable to the effects of all Title Defects upon any Title Defect
Property shall not exceed the Preliminary Allocated Value of the Title Defect
Property.
(g) Title
Benefit Amount. The Title Benefit Amount resulting from a Title
Benefit shall be determined in accordance with the following methodology,
terms
and conditions:
(i) if
BreitBurn and Quicksilver agree on the Title Benefit Amount, then that amount
shall be the Title Benefit Amount;
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(ii) if
the
Title Benefit represents a discrepancy between (1) the Net Revenue Interest
for
any Well or well location (or the specified zone(s) therein) and (2) the
Net
Revenue Interest stated in Exhibit A-1, then the Title Benefit Amount
shall be the product of the Preliminary Allocated Value of the affected Well
or
well location (or the specified zone(s) therein) multiplied by a fraction,
the
numerator of which is the increased Net Revenue Interest and the denominator
of
which is the Net Revenue Interest stated in Exhibit A-1; and
(iii) if
the
Title Benefit represents a decrease in the Working Interest stated in Exhibit
A-1, the Title Benefit Amount shall be determined by taking into account
the
Preliminary Allocated Value of the property affected thereby, the portion
of
such property affected by the Title Benefit, the legal effect of the Title
Benefit, the potential economic effect of the Title Benefit over the life
of
such property, the values placed upon the Title Benefit by BreitBurn and
Quicksilver and such other reasonable factors as are necessary to make a
proper
evaluation.
(h) Individual
Title Defect Thresholds; Aggregate Deductible. Notwithstanding
anything stated herein to the contrary and subject to the overall cap provided
in this Section 6.12(h), (i) in no event shall there be any adjustments
to the Initial Consideration or other remedies provided by Quicksilver for
any
individual Title Defect for which the Title Defect Amount does not exceed
the
Individual Title Defect Threshold (nor shall there be an adjustment for any
individual Title Benefit for which the Title Benefit Amount does not exceed
an
amount equal to the Individual Title Defect Threshold); and (ii) in no event
shall there be any adjustments to the Initial Consideration or other remedies
provided by Quicksilver for those Title Defects that exceed the Individual
Title
Defect Threshold (each, a “Material Title Claim”, and collectively,
“Material Title Claims”) unless the sum of all of the Material Title
Claims plus all of the Material Environmental Claims exceeds the Aggregate
Deductible, and after which point BreitBurn shall only be entitled to
adjustments to the Initial Consideration to the extent that the sum of (A)
the
aggregate Title Defect Amounts for all Material Title Claims plus (B) the
aggregate Environmental Defect Amounts for all Material Environmental Claims
exceeds the Aggregate Deductible. Material Title Claims shall not
include any Title Defect that is cured by Quicksilver. Similarly,
Quicksilver shall be entitled to an upward adjustment to the Initial
Consideration for Title Benefits only to the extent that the sum of those
Title
Benefit Amounts which, individually, exceed the Individual Title Defect
Threshold, exceeds an amount equal to the Aggregate
Deductible. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY
CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT, THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ALL REMEDIES PROVIDED
BY
QUICKSILVER FOR ANY TITLE DEFECTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEFECTS, INCLUDING ALL
DOWNWARD ADJUSTMENTS TO THE INITIAL CONSIDERATION FOR TITLE DEFECTS AND
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFECTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION 6.12 AND
SECTION
6.14, SHALL NOT EXCEED AN
AMOUNT EQUAL TO $145,000,000.
(i) Title
Dispute Resolution. Quicksilver and BreitBurn shall attempt to
agree on all Title Defects, Title Benefits, Title Defect Amounts and Title
Benefit Amounts prior to Closing. If Quicksilver and BreitBurn are
unable to agree by Closing, (1) all Title Defects, Title Benefits, Title
Defect
Amounts and Title Benefit Amounts in dispute shall be exclusively and finally
resolved pursuant to this Section 6.12(i), (2) there shall be no
reduction or increase in the
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(j) General
Disclaimer of Title Warranties and Representations. Except for
BreitBurn’s remedies for Title Defects set forth in this Section 6.12 and
except to the extent provided in Section 4.21, Quicksilver makes no
warranty or representation, express, implied, statutory or otherwise, with
respect to Quicksilver’s title to any of the QRI Assets (or the Acquired
Companies’ title to any of the other Acquired Assets) and BreitBurn hereby
acknowledges and agrees that BreitBurn’s sole remedy for any (x) breach of the
representation set forth in Section 4.21 shall be as set forth in
Section 9.2(a)(i), and (y) defect of title, including any Title Defect,
with respect to any of the Acquired Assets shall be as set forth in Section
6.12. No warranty of title shall be contained in the Asset
Assignments.
(k) Exclusive
Remedy.SECTION 6.12 SHALL BE THE EXCLUSIVE
RIGHT AND REMEDY OF BREITBURN WITH RESPECT TO QUICKSILVER’S (OR THE ACQUIRED
COMPANIES’) FAILURE TO HAVE DEFENSIBLE TITLE WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE ACQUIRED
ASSETS; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER,
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Section
6.13 Preferential
Purchase Rights.
(a) Preferential
Purchase Right Procedures. With respect to any preferential
purchase right pertaining to any of the Interests that would be triggered
by the
transactions contemplated hereby (each, a “Preferential Purchase Right”),
Quicksilver shall send, within ten (10) Business Days following the execution
of
this Agreement, to the holder of each such right a written notice, in material
compliance with the contractual provisions applicable to such Preferential
Purchase Right.
(b) Exercise
of Preferential Rights. If, prior to Closing, any holder of a
Preferential Purchase Right notifies Quicksilver that it intends to consummate
the purchase of any part of the Interests and/or Acquired Assets to which
its
Preferential Purchase Right applies (in such case, a “Preferential Right
Property”), that Preferential Right Property shall be excluded from the
Interests to be assigned and sold to BreitBurn hereunder, and the Initial
Consideration shall be reduced by the Preliminary Allocated Value of the
excluded Preferential Right Property. Quicksilver shall be entitled
to all proceeds from the holder of a Preferential Purchase Right who exercises
its right to purchase a Preferential Right Property prior to
Closing. If the holder of such Preferential Right Property thereafter
fails to consummate the purchase of the Preferential Right Property covered
by
such right on or before sixty (60) days following the Closing Date, then
Quicksilver may notify BreitBurn, and BreitBurn, if notified, shall purchase,
on
or before ten (10) Business Days following receipt of such notice, the
Preferential Right Property from Quicksilver, under the terms of this Agreement
for a price equal to the Preliminary Allocated Value of the applicable
Preferential Right Property (as the same may be otherwise adjusted in accordance
with the terms hereof).
(c) Expiration
of Election Periods; Post-Closing. If by Closing a Preferential
Purchase Right burdening any Preferential Right Property has not been exercised,
the time for exercising such Preferential Purchase Right has not expired
and
such Preferential Purchase Right has not been waived, then that Preferential
Right Property shall be excluded from the Interests to be assigned and sold
to
BreitBurn hereunder, and the Initial Consideration shall be reduced by the
Preliminary Allocated Value of such excluded Preferential Right
Property. If the time for the exercise of the Preferential Purchase
Right with respect to any excluded Preferential Right Property described
in this
Section 6.13(c) expires following the Closing without the exercise of
such Preferential Purchase Right by the holder thereof or such Preferential
Purchase Right is waived, then Quicksilver may notify BreitBurn, and BreitBurn,
if notified, shall purchase, on or before ten (10) Business Days following
receipt of such notice, such Preferential Right Property from Quicksilver,
under
the terms of this Agreement for a price equal to the Preliminary Allocated
Value
of such Preferential Right Property (as the same may be otherwise adjusted
in
accordance with the terms hereof; provided, in no event shall BreitBurn have
any
obligation to purchase any such Preferential Right Property pursuant to this
Section 6.13(c) after 90 days following the Closing Date, unless
BreitBurn has failed to comply with its obligations under this Section
6.13(c) to purchase such Preferential Right Property during such 90-day
period following the Closing Date). All Preferential Right Properties
for which applicable Preferential
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Section
6.14 Environmental
Defects; Environmental Defect Procedure and Adjustments.
(a) Environmental
Assessment. Upon notice to Quicksilver, BreitBurn shall, subject
to the provisions of Section 6.4(a) and this Section 6.14(a), have
the right to conduct an environmental assessment of all or any portion of
the
Acquired Assets (the “Environmental Assessment”) to be conducted by a
reputable environmental consulting or engineering firm approved in advance
in
writing by Quicksilver but only to the extent that Quicksilver may grant
such
right without violating any obligations to any third party. The
Environmental Assessment shall be conducted at the sole cost, risk and expense
of BreitBurn, and shall be subject to the indemnity provisions of Section
6.4(a) and Section 9.3. Prior to conducting any sampling,
boring, drilling or other invasive investigative activity with respect to
the
Acquired Assets (“Invasive Activity”), BreitBurn shall furnish for
Quicksilver’s review a proposed scope of such Invasive Activity, including a
description of the activities to be conducted and a description of the
approximate locations of such activities. Any Invasive Activity shall
be subject to the prior written approval of Quicksilver, and Quicksilver
may
require reasonable modifications of the proposed Invasive Activity as a
condition of such approval. Quicksilver shall have the right to be
present during any Environmental Assessment of the Acquired Assets and shall
have the right, at its option and expense, to split samples with
BreitBurn. After completing any Environmental Assessment of the
Acquired Assets, BreitBurn shall, at its sole cost and expense, restore the
Acquired Assets to approximately their original condition prior to the
commencement of such Environmental Assessment, unless Quicksilver agrees
that
such restoration is unnecessary, and shall promptly dispose of all drill
cuttings, corings, or other investigative-derived wastes generated in the
course
of the Environmental Assessment. BreitBurn shall maintain, and shall
cause its officers, employees, representatives, consultants and advisors
to
maintain, all information obtained by BreitBurn pursuant to any Environmental
Assessment or other due diligence activity as strictly confidential prior
to
Closing or in perpetuity if Closing does not occur, unless disclosure of
any
facts discovered through such Environmental Assessment is required under
any
Environmental Laws. BreitBurn shall provide Quicksilver with a copy
of the final draft of all environmental reports prepared by, or on behalf
of,
BreitBurn with respect to any Environmental Assessment or Invasive Activity
conducted on the Acquired Assets. In the event that any necessary
disclosures under applicable Environmental Laws are required prior to Closing
with respect to matters discovered by any Environmental Assessment conducted
by,
for or on behalf of BreitBurn, BreitBurn agrees that Quicksilver shall be
the
responsible party for disclosing such matters to the appropriate Governmental
Entities.
(b) Environmental
Defects.
(i) If,
as a
result of its investigation pursuant to Section 6.14(a), BreitBurn
determines that with respect to the Acquired Assets, there exists an
Environmental Condition (other than with respect to asbestos, asbestos
containing materials or NORM, and excluding any matter set forth on Schedule
4.13) (in each case, an “Environmental Defect”), then on or prior to
the Title Claim Date,
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BreitBurn
may give Quicksilver a written notice of such Environmental Defect that
sets
forth the information required by this Section 6.14(b) (an
“Environmental Defect Notice”). For all purposes of this
Agreement, BreitBurn shall be deemed to have waived any Environmental Defect
which BreitBurn fails to timely and properly assert as an Environmental
Defect
by an Environmental Defect Notice received by Quicksilver on or before
the Title
Claim Date. To be effective, an Environmental Defect Notice must set
forth (i) a description of the matter constituting the alleged Environmental
Defect, (ii) a description of each Acquired Asset (or portion thereof)
affected
by the alleged Environmental Defect, (iii) the proportionate share attributable
to the Acquired Assets of the estimated Lowest Cost Response to eliminate
the
alleged Environmental Defect (the “Environmental Defect Amount”), and
(iv) supporting documents reasonably necessary for Quicksilver to verify
the
existence of the alleged Environmental Defect and the Environmental Defect
Amount. BreitBurn shall furnish Quicksilver once every two (2) weeks
from and after the date hereof until the Title Claim Date with Environmental
Defect Notices with respect to any Environmental Defects that any employee
or
representative of BreitBurn discovers or becomes aware of during such two
(2)
week period.
(ii) Quicksilver
shall have the right, but not the obligation, to attempt, at its sole cost,
to
cure or remediate at any time prior to Closing any Environmental Defects
of
which it has been advised by BreitBurn pursuant to an Environmental Defect
Notice delivered before the Title Claim Date.
(iii) In
the
event that any Environmental Defect asserted by BreitBurn pursuant to an
Environmental Defect Notice delivered before the Title Claim Date is not
waived
by BreitBurn or cured on or before the Closing Date, Quicksilver shall, at
its
sole election, elect (at the Closing, for Environmental Defects with respect
to
which no dispute exists) to do one of the following:
(1) subject
to the Individual Environmental Defect Threshold and Aggregate Deductible,
reduce the Initial Consideration by the amount of the Environmental Defect
Amount relating to such Environmental Defect as agreed upon by Quicksilver
and
BreitBurn or determined pursuant to Section 6.14(b)(v);
(2) provided
that the Parties shall have agreed to the general plan of remediation with
respect to such Environmental Defect and the time period by which such
remediation shall take place, cure such Environmental Defect after
Closing;
(3) if
such Environmental Defect can be cured by paying a fine or penalty, Quicksilver
may cure such Environmental Defect by electing to pay such fine or penalty;
or
(4) if
applicable, terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section
8.1(c).
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(iv) Section
6.14(b)(iii) shall be the exclusive right and remedy of BreitBurn with
respect to Environmental Defects asserted by BreitBurn pursuant to Section
6.14(b)(i).
(v) Prior
to
Closing, Quicksilver and BreitBurn shall attempt to agree on all Environmental
Defects and Environmental Defect Amounts that are the subject of timely and
properly asserted Environmental Defect Notices. If Quicksilver and
BreitBurn are unable to agree by Closing, (1) all Environmental Defects and/or
Environmental Defect Amounts in dispute shall be exclusively and finally
resolved by arbitration pursuant to this Section 6.14(b)(v), (2) there
shall be no reduction in the Initial Consideration at Closing with respect
to
the Environmental Defects and/or Environmental Defect Amounts in dispute,
and
(3) all adjustments and payments, if any, with respect thereto following
Closing
shall be made pursuant to this Section 6.14(b)(v). The
arbitrator shall be an environmental consultant approved in writing by
Quicksilver and BreitBurn who is experienced in environmental corrective
action
at oil and gas properties in the relevant jurisdiction and who shall not
have
performed professional services for either Party or any of their respective
Affiliates during the previous five years, as selected by mutual agreement
of
BreitBurn and Quicksilver within fifteen (15) days after the end of the Cure
Period, and absent such agreement, by the Dallas office of the American
Arbitration Association (the “Independent Expert”). The
arbitration proceeding shall be held in Dallas, Texas and shall be conducted
in
accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration
Association, to the extent such rules do not conflict with the terms of this
Section. The Independent Expert’s determination shall be made within
twenty (20) days after submission of the matters in dispute and shall be
final
and binding upon both Parties, without right of appeal. In making his
determination, the Independent Expert shall be bound by the rules set forth
in
this Section 6.14 and, subject to the foregoing, may consider such
matters as in the opinion of the Independent Expert are necessary or helpful
to
make a proper determination. Additionally, the Independent Expert may
consult with and engage disinterested third parties to advise the Independent
Expert. The Independent Expert, however, may not award BreitBurn a
greater Environmental Defect Amount than the Environmental Defect Amount
claimed
by BreitBurn in its applicable Environmental Defect Notice. The
Independent Expert shall act as an expert for the limited purpose of determining
the specific disputed Environmental Defects and/or Environmental Defect Amounts
submitted by either Party pursuant to this Section 6.14(b)(v) and may not
award damages, interest or penalties to either Party with respect to any
matter. Quicksilver and BreitBurn shall each bear its own legal fees
and other costs of presenting its case to the Independent Expert. Each Party
shall bear one-half of the costs and expenses of the Independent
Expert. To the extent that the award of the Independent Expert with
respect to any Environmental Defect Amount is not taken into account as an
adjustment to the Initial Consideration at Closing pursuant to this Section
6.14, then within ten (10) days after the Independent Expert delivers
written notice to BreitBurn and Quicksilver of his award with respect to
an
Environmental Defect Amount, (i) BreitBurn shall pay to Quicksilver the amount,
if any, so awarded by the Independent Expert to
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Quicksilver
and (ii) Quicksilver shall pay to BreitBurn the amount, if any, so awarded
by
the Independent Expert to BreitBurn.
(vi) Notwithstanding
anything stated herein to the contrary and subject to the overall cap provided
in Section 6.12(h), (1) in no event shall there be any adjustments to the
Initial Consideration or other remedies provided by Quicksilver for any
individual Environmental Defect for which the Environmental Defect Amount
does
not exceed $300,000 (the “Individual Environmental Defect Threshold”);
and (2) in no event shall there be any adjustments to the Initial Consideration
or other remedies provided by Quicksilver for those Environmental Defects
that
exceed the Individual Environmental Defect Threshold (each, a “Material
Environmental Claim”, and collectively, “Material Environmental
Claims”) unless the sum of all of the Material Environmental Claims plus all
of the Material Title Claims exceeds the Aggregate Deductible, and after
which
point BreitBurn shall only be entitled to adjustments to the Initial
Consideration to the extent that the sum of (A) the aggregate Environmental
Defect Amounts for all Material Environmental Claims plus (B) the aggregate
Title Defect Amounts for all Material Title Claims exceeds the Aggregate
Deductible. Material Environmental Claims shall not include any
Environmental Defect that Quicksilver elects to cure pursuant to Section
6.14(b)(iii)(2) or Section 6.14(b)(iii)(3).
Section
6.15 Historical
Financial Statements.
(a) Quicksilver
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prepare, at the sole cost
and
expense of BreitBurn, the financial statements required by the Securities
and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (the “Special Financial Statements”),
that will be required of BreitBurn or any of its Affiliates by the SEC in
connection with reports, registration statements and other filings to be
made by
BreitBurn or any of its Affiliates related to the transactions contemplated
by
this Agreement with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act, or the Exchange
Act,
in such form that such statements and the notes thereto can be audited by
Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Quicksilver’s
Auditor”). Quicksilver (x) shall cooperate with and permit
BreitBurn to reasonably participate in the preparation of the Special Financial
Statements and (y) shall provide BreitBurn and its representatives with
reasonable access to the personnel of Quicksilver and its Affiliates who
engage
in the preparation of the Special Financial Statements.
(b) Quicksilver
shall execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered to Quicksilver’s
Auditor such representation letters, in form and substance customary for
representation letters provided to external audit firms by management of
Quicksilver (if the financial statements are the subject of an audit or are
the
subject of a review pursuant to Statement of Accounting Standards 100 (Interim
Financial Information)), as may be reasonably requested by Quicksilver’s
Auditor, with respect to the Special Financial Statements. BreitBurn
agrees that (i) to the extent any such representation letter is delivered
by
Quicksilver’s management, or on its behalf, BreitBurn shall indemnify and hold
harmless Quicksilver’s management and provide a defense for Quicksilver’s
management (INCLUDING,
IN EACH CASE, WITH RESPECT TO THEIR OWN NEGLIGENCE) with regard
to the execution, delivery or any other action related to the provision of
such
representation letters to the same
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(c) Quicksilver
has engaged Quicksilver’s Auditor to perform an audit of the Special Financial
Statements and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause Quicksilver’s
Auditor to issue unqualified opinions with respect to the Special Financial
Statements (the Special Financial Statements and related audit opinions being
hereinafter referred to as the “Audited Special Financial Statements”)
and provide its written consent for the use of its audit reports with respect
to
the Special Financial Statements in reports, registration statements or other
documents filed by BreitBurn or any of its Affiliates under the Exchange
Act or
the Securities Act, as needed. BreitBurn shall reimburse Quicksilver
for all fees charged by Quicksilver’s Auditor with respect to the preparation
and delivery by Quicksilver’s Auditor to BreitBurn of the Audited Special
Financial Statements and any other fees charged by Quicksilver’s Auditor to
facilitate BreitBurn’s ongoing compliance with SEC rules and
regulations. Quicksilver shall take all reasonable action as may be
necessary to facilitate the completion of such audit and delivery of the
Audited
Special Financial Statements to BreitBurn or any of its Affiliates as soon
as
reasonably practicable, but no later than the Closing Date. BreitBurn
shall reimburse Quicksilver for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred
by
Quicksilver in complying with this Section 6.15.
Section
6.16 Operatorship. Within
ten (10) Business Days after execution of this Agreement, Quicksilver shall
send
notices to all co-owners of the QRI Assets that it currently operates indicating
that it is resigning as operator contingent upon and effective at Closing,
and
nominating and recommending BreitBurn (or, at BreitBurn’s request, BreitBurn’s
designated Affiliate under Section 11.3) as successor operator, subject
to and in reliance on BreitBurn’s representations, warranties, covenants and
agreements in this Section 6.16. Quicksilver will, upon
BreitBurn’s request, assist BreitBurn in its efforts to succeed Quicksilver as
operator of the applicable QRI Assets, but without being obligated to pay
any
consideration or waive or release any right or privilege as part of such
assistance. BreitBurn shall promptly, following Closing, file all
appropriate forms, and declarations or bonds with federal and state agencies
relative to its assumption of operatorship if BreitBurn elects to assume
operatorship. For all Quicksilver-operated QRI Assets for which
BreitBurn wishes to assume operatorship, Quicksilver, subject to compliance
with
all applicable operating agreements, shall execute and deliver to BreitBurn
at
Closing and BreitBurn shall promptly file all the appropriate forms with
the
applicable regulatory agency transferring operatorship of such QRI Assets
to
BreitBurn. BreitBurn represents and warrants to, and covenants and
agrees with Quicksilver, that BreitBurn (or any Affiliate of BreitBurn that
BreitBurn requests be nominated and recommended as successor operator pursuant
to this Section 6.16), as applicable, is qualified and has the
operational capability to succeed Quicksilver as operator and conduct operations
to at least the same standard as Quicksilver in accordance with the terms
of the
applicable operating agreement (or before assuming such operatorship will
be so
qualified and have such operational capacity).
Section
6.17 Cash
Items. After
Closing, all proceeds, accounts receivable, notes receivable, income, revenues,
monies and other items included in or attributable to the Excluded Assets
and
all other Excluded Assets shall belong to and be paid over to Quicksilver,
and
all
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Section
6.18 Standstill. Each
Party agrees that, so long as the other Party is not in material breach of
the
terms of this Agreement, such Party will not, and will cause each of its
Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, managers, partners,
employees, agents or representatives (including any financial or legal advisors
or other representatives) not to, directly or indirectly, (a) solicit, initiate
or facilitate (by way of furnishing information) any inquiries or proposals
regarding any transaction involving, or in any way relating to, the sale
of the
Acquired Companies and/or the sale of all or substantially all of the Acquired
Assets other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (a
“Competing Transaction”), (b) participate in discussions or negotiations
regarding, or furnish to any Person any information in connection with, a
Competing Transaction, or (c) enter into any agreement regarding any Competing
Transaction.
Section
6.19 Release. On
or before Closing, Quicksilver shall cause (a) the Acquired Companies to
be
released from any obligations in respect of the Disclosed Contracts listed
in
item 1 and item 2 of Schedule 4.8 and (b) any Liens encumbering any of
the Interests that secure the payment of Long Term Debt or any other
indebtedness for borrowed money to be released.
Section
6.20 Quicksilver
Lock-Up. Without the prior written consent of BreitBurn,
Quicksilver agrees that it will not effect a sale or distribution of any
of the
Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration prior to the first anniversary
of the Closing Date (the “Lock-Up Date”). From and after the
Lock-Up Date and until eighteen (18) months after the Closing Date, Quicksilver
may sell up to fifty percent (50%) of the Common Units comprising the Equity
Consideration. Quicksilver shall be free to sell all or any portion
of the Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration after eighteen (18)
months from the Closing Date. Notwithstanding the prohibitions in
this Section 6.20, Quicksilver may at any time: (a) transfer the Common
Units comprising the Equity Consideration to an Affiliate of Quicksilver
(provided that such Affiliate agrees to the restrictions in this Section
6.20); and (b) pledge or grant a security interest in the Common Units
comprising the Equity Consideration (provided such pledgee agrees to the
restrictions in this Section 6.20), and any pledgee of such Common
Units shall be permitted to transfer the Common Units in connection with
any
exercise of its rights against Quicksilver or any of its Affiliates (provided
that the transferee agrees to the restrictions in this Section
6.20).
Section
6.21 Redemption
Prohibition. BreitBurn shall not, and shall cause its Affiliates
(including BreitBurn Parent) not to, repurchase or redeem Common Units or
take
any other action that would cause Quicksilver to own fifty percent (50%)
or more
of the outstanding limited partner interests of BreitBurn Parent.
Section
6.22 Consent. BreitBurn
shall obtain the consent required pursuant to the document listed under item
1
of Schedule 5.4(a).
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Section
6.23 End
User Contracts.
(a) If
any of
the Contracts provide for the sale of Hydrocarbons by Quicksilver or any
of its
Affiliates to a Person who is using such Hydrocarbons rather than acting
as a
reseller or marketer of such Hydrocarbons (the “End User Contracts”),
then the following provisions of this Section 6.23 shall
apply.
(b) Quicksilver
and BreitBurn shall use commercially reasonable efforts to identify all End
User
Contracts within twenty five (25) days after the date of this
Agreement. Each Party shall notify the other of those Contracts which
it has identified as End User Contracts.
(c) Breitburn
may notify Quicksilver of its election to include any one or more of the
End
User Contracts identified and notified by either Party pursuant to clause
(b)
above in the Excluded Assets, in which case such End User Contracts shall
be
deemed part of the Excluded Assets (the “Subject
Contracts”). The aforesaid notice shall be given by BreitBurn to
Quicksilver within thirty (30) days after the date of this
Agreement. Any End User Contracts not included in Excluded Assets
pursuant to such notice shall remain part of the Acquired Assets. If any
Subject
Contract is held by an Affiliate of Quicksilver, then such Subject Contract
shall be assigned by such Affiliate to Quicksilver, to the extent such Subject
Contract is assignable, prior to the Closing.
(d) As
to
each Subject Contract, at Closing BreitBurn and Quicksilver shall enter into
an
agreement whereby BreitBurn agrees to (i) sell to Quicksilver the volumes
of
Hydrocarbons covered by such Subject Contract on the same terms and conditions
that are contained in such Subject Contract; provided, the sales price to
Quicksilver for each MMBtu or other applicable unit of measure shall be the
MMBtu price or other unit price applicable under the Subject Contract less
$0.02
mcfe and (ii) provide everything necessary and perform every action necessary
(other than nomination, scheduling and marketing services that shall be provided
by Quicksilver at its sole cost and expense), including, without limitation,
providing transportation, at BreitBurn’s sole cost and expense, for Quicksilver
to comply in all respects with its obligations under such Subject
Contract. By way of clarification, BreitBurn shall have the same
termination and non-renewal rights that Quicksilver or its Affiliate have
under
the Subject Contract and applicable law. BreitBurn acknowledges and
agrees that Quicksilver shall have the right to terminate any of the Subject
Contracts as provided therein and shall have no obligation to extend or renew
any of the Subject Contracts.
(e) Following
the Closing, BreitBurn may notify Quicksilver of its election to accept the
assignment of any one or more of the Subject Contracts, in which case
Quicksilver shall assign such Subject Contracts to BreitBurn (without recourse,
representation or warranty by Quicksilver but free and clear of any Liens
created by, through or under Quicksilver encumbering such Subject Contracts
other than Permitted Liens), subject to obtaining any required consent from
the
counterparty under such Subject Contracts. Any Subject Contract so
assigned by Quicksilver to BreitBurn pursuant to this Section 6.23(d)
shall automatically be deemed to be an Acquired Asset.
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ARTICLE
VII
CONDITIONS
Section
7.1 Conditions
Precedent to Obligations of BreitBurn and Quicksilver. The
respective obligations of BreitBurn and Quicksilver to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement are subject to satisfaction or
waiver, at or prior to the Closing Date, of each of the following
conditions:
(a) No
Orders or Actions. There shall have been no Order of any nature
by any Governmental Entity that is in effect that restrains or prohibits
the
consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and
no
Action before any Governmental Entity shall have been instituted or threatened
by any Person which seeks to prevent or delay the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or which challenges the
enforceability of this Agreement.
(b) Regulatory
Authorizations. All Permits of any Governmental Entity (other
than any Customary Post-Closing Consents) as are necessary in connection
with
the transfer of the Interests to BreitBurn (except where the failure to have
received such Permit would not have a Material Adverse Effect) and the issuance
of Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration to Quicksilver have been
obtained; and all applicable waiting periods specified under the
Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (the “Xxxx-Xxxxx
Act”) with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall
have lapsed or terminated.
Section
7.2 Conditions
Precedent to Obligation of Quicksilver. The
obligation of Quicksilver to consummate the transactions contemplated by
this
Agreement is subject to satisfaction or waiver of each of the following
conditions:
(a) Representations
and Warranties. BreitBurn’s representations and warranties made
in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects (and
in all
respects, in the case of representations and warranties which are qualified
by
materiality) as though made on the Closing Date, except to the extent such
representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (disregarding
the reference to the date of this Agreement set forth in the provision
immediately before Section 5.1), in which case they shall be true and
correct in all material respects (and in all respect, in the case of
representations and warranties which are qualified by materiality) as of
such
earlier date.
(b) Performance
of Covenants. BreitBurn shall have performed and complied in all
material respects with all obligations and covenants required by this Agreement
to be performed by BreitBurn prior to or at Closing.
(c) Officer’s
Certificate. BreitBurn shall have delivered to Quicksilver
certificates signed by authorized officers of BreitBurn, dated as of the
Closing
Date, to the effect that the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(a) and
Section 7.2(b) have been satisfied.
(d) Listing
of Common Units. The Nasdaq Global Market shall have approved the
Common Units comprising the Equity Consideration for listing, subject only
to
official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory
distribution.
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(e) Tax
Opinions. Breitburn shall have provided to Quicksilver on the
Closing Date a copy of an opinion of counsel addressed to BreitBrun and
BreitBurn Parent, in the form attached as Exhibit G hereto, dated as of
the Closing Date, to the effect that (i) Breitburn Parent is classified as
a
partnership and Breitburn is disregarded as an entity separate from Breitburn
Parent for United States federal Tax purposes and (ii) at least 90% of Breitburn
Parent’s current gross income constitutes “qualifying income” within the meaning
of Section 7704(d) of the Code.
Section
7.3 Conditions
Precedent to Obligation of BreitBurn. The
obligation of BreitBurn to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement is subject to satisfaction or waiver of each of the following
conditions:
(a) Representations
and Warranties. Quicksilver’s representations and warranties made
in this Agreement (i) shall be true and correct in all respects as to those
representations and warranties qualified by the requirement of a Material
Adverse Effect and (ii) as to all representations and warranties not covered
by
clause (i) preceding, shall be true and correct in all respects with the
exception of inaccuracies and breaches that individually or in the aggregate
have not resulted in or given rise to, or would reasonably not be expected
to
result in or give rise to, a Material Adverse Effect, in each case, on the
Closing Date as though made on the Closing Date (except to the extent such
representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (disregarding
the reference to the date of this Agreement set forth in the provision
immediately before Section 3.1 and Section 4.1), in which case as
to such representations and warranties referenced in the immediately preceding
provision shall be deemed to refer to the earlier date referenced in such
representation and warranty) and in each case subject to any supplement or
amendment to the Disclosure Schedules permitted by Section
6.9.
(b) Performance
of Covenants. Quicksilver shall have performed and complied in
all material respects with all obligations and covenants required by this
Agreement to be performed by Quicksilver prior to or at Closing.
(c) Officer’s
Certificate. Quicksilver shall have delivered to BreitBurn a
certificate signed by an authorized officer of Quicksilver, dated as of the
Closing Date, to the effect that the conditions set forth in Section
7.3(a) and Section 7.3(b) have been satisfied.
(d) Pre-Closing
Conversion. Quicksilver shall have provided documentation
reasonably satisfactory to BreitBurn evidencing that the Conversions shall
have
been consummated and are effective under applicable state law.
(e) Audited
Special Financial Statements. Quicksilver shall have delivered to
BreitBurn the Audited Special Financial Statements.
ARTICLE
VIII
TERMINATION
Section
8.1 Termination
Events. This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to Closing:
(a) by
the
mutual written consent of BreitBurn and Quicksilver;
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(b) by
either
BreitBurn or Quicksilver if Closing has not occurred by the close of business
on
December 31, 2007 (provided the Party seeking to terminate this Agreement
is not
in material default of any of its representations, warranties, covenants
or
agreements under this Agreement), provided, however, that such date
shall be extended to accommodate any cure period specified in Section
8.1(d) or Section 8.1(e), as applicable;
(c) by
Quicksilver or BreitBurn, upon written notice to the other Party, in the
event
that the sum of (i) the downward adjustments to the Initial Consideration
for
Title Defects in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.12, in the
aggregate, plus (ii) the downward adjustments to the Initial Consideration
on
account for Environmental Defects in accordance with the provisions of
Section 6.14 equals or exceeds $145,000,000; provided, however,
that if BreitBurn and Quicksilver have not agreed upon the aforesaid downward
adjustment in the Initial Consideration attributable to any Title Defect
or
Environmental Defect, then the downward adjustment asserted by BreitBurn
for
such Title Defect or Environmental Defect shall be used only for purposes
of
determining Quicksilver’s right to terminate under this clause (c);
(d) by
BreitBurn, if Quicksilver shall have breached or failed to perform in any
material respect any of its representations, warranties, covenants or other
agreements contained in this Agreement, which breach or failure to perform
would
give rise to the failure of a condition set forth in Section 7.3;
provided, however, that the breaching Party shall first be entitled to
ten (10) days’ notice and the opportunity to cure and provided
furthermore that the Party seeking to so terminate not be in breach at such
time;
(e) by
Quicksilver, if BreitBurn shall have breached or failed to perform in any
material respect any of its representations, warranties, covenants or other
agreements contained in this Agreement, which breach or failure to perform
would
give rise to the failure of a condition set forth in Section 7.2;
provided, however, that the breaching Party shall first be entitled to
ten (10) days’ notice and the opportunity to cure and provided
furthermore that the Party seeking to so terminate not be in breach at such
time; or
(f) by
either
BreitBurn or Quicksilver if any Law or Order or rule becomes final and
effective, prohibiting or making illegal the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, upon notification to the non-terminating
Party
by the terminating Party.
Section
8.2 Effect
of Termination.
(a) In
the
event of any termination of this Agreement as provided in Section 8.1,
this Agreement shall forthwith be of no further force and effect and, except
for
the obligations regarding the Deposit (under Section 2.2), BreitBurn’s
indemnification obligations under Section 6.4(a)(iii), the Parties’
respective obligations under Section 11.2, and BreitBurn’s obligations
under the Confidentiality Agreement, all of which shall expressly survive
the
termination of this Agreement, neither Party shall have any further obligation
or liability to the other with regard to this Agreement, the transactions
contemplated hereby, or the termination hereof except to the limited extent
provided in Section 2.2(b) and Section 8.2(b).
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(b) If
all
conditions precedent to the obligations of Quicksilver to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement set forth in Article VII have
been met and this Agreement is terminated prior to Closing pursuant to
Section 8.1(d) as a result of (i) Quicksilver’s breach of any of
Quicksilver’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or (ii)
Quicksilver’s (A) intentional failure to perform in any material respect any of
the covenants or agreements contained in Section 2.12 (assuming the
conditions precedent to the obligations of Quicksilver to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement set forth in Article VII have
been met), Section 6.2(b), Section 6.15, Section 6.18 or
Section 6.19 or (B) intentional failure to perform in
any material
respect any remaining material covenants or agreements contained in this
Agreement which failure (that is, a failure referenced in this clause (B))
is
designed by Quicksilver to cause one or more of the conditions to Closing
set
forth in Article VII not to be met, and the collective failure to perform
under clauses (A) and (B) preceding results in Damages suffered by BreitBurn
as
a result of such termination (including any costs resulting from the unwinding
or termination of any xxxxxx or contingent xxxxxx) of $72,500,000 or more,
then
notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Breitburn, in
addition to the return of the Deposit, shall be entitled to recover from
Quicksilver an amount equal to the Damages BreitBurn suffers as a result
of such
termination (including any costs resulting from the unwinding or termination
of
any xxxxxx or contingent xxxxxx; and the Parties acknowledge and agree that
any
such costs will constitute direct damages and thus are not covered by
Section 11.13).
ARTICLE
IX
SURVIVAL;
INDEMNIFICATION
Section
9.1 Survival.
(a) The
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth in this
Agreement shall survive Closing and the delivery of the Asset Assignments,
the
Venture Assignments and any other Closing documents; provided, however,
that (i) except as provided in clause (ii) below, and except for representations
and warranties made in Section 4.11 with respect to Taxes, which are
addressed in Article X, the representations and warranties made in
Article III and Article IV and any corresponding representations
and warranties made in any certificate delivered by or on behalf of Quicksilver
at Closing pursuant to Section 2.12 (as well as any indemnification
obligations or liabilities therefor) shall only survive until the date that
is
nine (9) months following the Closing Date, (ii) the representations and
warranties made in Section 4.13, Section 4.18(d) or in any
certificates or documents relating thereto delivered in connection with this
Agreement shall terminate as of the Closing Date (and Quicksilver shall not
have
any indemnification obligations or liabilities therefor), (iii) except as
provided in clause (i) above, the representations and warranties, if any,
made
by Quicksilver in any certificates or documents delivered in connection with
this Agreement shall terminate as of the Closing Date (and Quicksilver shall
not
have any indemnification obligations or liabilities therefor), (iv) all
covenants and agreements set forth in Section 6.1 (as well as any
indemnification obligations or liabilities therefor) shall only survive until
the date that is nine (9) months following the Closing Date, and (v) all
covenants and agreements of Quicksilver contemplated to be complied with
or
performed prior to the Closing (as well as any indemnification obligations
or
liabilities therefor) shall only survive until the date that is nine (9)
months
following the Closing Date. The survival
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(b) No
Action
for Damages or other relief of any kind (including an Action under
Section 9.2(a) or Section 9.3(a)) arising out of or
relating to any breach of representation, warranty, covenant or agreement
under
this Agreement or in any certificate or documents delivered in connection
with
this Agreement may be brought unless a written notice describing the nature
of
the Action, the theory of liability or the nature of the relief sought and
the
material factual assertions upon which the Action is based (a “Claim
Notice”) is given to the other Party before the termination of the
applicable Survival Period. Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, a claim for a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant
or
agreement that would otherwise terminate shall continue to survive for any
Damages with respect to which a Claim Notice is given pursuant to this Agreement
prior to the end of the applicable Survival Period, until such claim is finally
resolved and all related Damages are paid, subject to the limitations and
restrictions set forth herein, and any such Claim Notice made as to Damages
that
may also be recoverable from third parties or insurance pursued by BreitBurn
as
contemplated in Section 9.4 below shall nevertheless be valid
Damages for purposes of tolling the applicable Survival Period notwithstanding
the pendency of any such potential recoveries.
Section
9.2 Indemnification
by Quicksilver.
(a) General
Indemnity from Quicksilver. Except as otherwise provided in
Article X and subject to the further provisions hereof, if Closing
occurs, then upon, from and after Closing Quicksilver shall DEFEND,
INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS BreitBurn, the Acquired Companies and their
respective successors and permitted assigns and their respective shareholders,
members, partners (general and limited), officers, directors, managers,
employees (other than the Business Employees and any other employee of
Quicksilver relating to the QRI Assets), agents and representatives and each
of
their heirs, executors, successors and assigns (collectively, the “BreitBurn
Indemnified Parties”), from and against and in respect of any and all
Damages, which arise out of (i) any breach of any of the representations
and warranties (other than those which do not survive the Closing as stated
in
Section 9.1(a)) made in Article III, Article IV (other than
representations and warranties made in Section 4.11 with respect to
Taxes, which are addressed in Article X), or any corresponding
representations and warranties made in any certificate delivered by or on
behalf
of Quicksilver at Closing pursuant to Section 2.12, (ii) any breach
of any of the covenants of Quicksilver in this Agreement, or (iii) the
Retained Liabilities.
(b) Limitations
on Quicksilver’s Indemnity Obligations. The obligation to
indemnify BreitBurn Indemnified Parties set forth in Section 9.2(a)
shall be subject to each of the following limitations:
(i) Quicksilver’s
indemnification obligations under Section 9.2(a)(i) as to breach of
a particular representation or warranty shall terminate upon expiration of
the
respective Survival Period, except as set forth in
Section 9.1(b).
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(ii) Excluding
the Retained Liabilities, any individual indemnification claim for Damages
asserted by BreitBurn or any other BreitBurn Indemnified Parties under this
Section 9.2 must equal or exceed the sum of $1,000,000 (“De Minimis
BreitBurn Losses”); and any such individual indemnification claim for
Damages asserted by BreitBurn or any BreitBurn Indemnified Parties that does
not
meet or exceed the De Minimis BreitBurn Losses shall be excluded in their
entirety, and Quicksilver, shall have no liability hereunder to BreitBurn
or any
other BreitBurn Indemnified Parties for any such individual indemnification
claim for Damages that does not meet or exceed the De Minimis BreitBurn
Losses;
(iii) To
the
extent that BreitBurn or BreitBurn Indemnified Parties timely and properly
assert indemnification claims for Damages which individually meet or exceed
the
De Minimis BreitBurn Losses (each, a “Material Claim”, and, collectively,
the “Material Claims”), Quicksilver shall have no indemnification,
reimbursement or payment obligations for any Damages pursuant to this Section
9.2, unless and until, and then only to the extent, the cumulative aggregate
amount of all Material Claims exceed $45,000,000 (“Quicksilver’s
Deductible”), after which point, Quicksilver shall only be liable for the
amount by which such Material Claims exceed Quicksilver’s Deductible, subject to
the further limitations set forth in Sections 9.2(b)(iv) and Section
9.2(b)(v); provided, the preceding provisions of this subsection (iii) shall
not apply to Retained Liabilities.
(iv) The
limitations described in Section 1.3 above; and
(v) NOTWITHSTANDING
ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT BUT SUBJECT TO
SECTION 8.2(b), QUICKSILVER’S AGGREGATE
LIABILITY TO BREITBURN AND ANY BREITBURN INDEMNIFIED PARTIES FOR ALL ACTIONS
OR
DAMAGES UNDER OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY, INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO THE INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS SET FORTH
IN
THIS ARTICLE IX OR ANY APPLICABLE
PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE X, OR ANY
BREACH BY QUICKSILVER OF THIS AGREEMENT, SHALL NOT EXCEED AN AMOUNT EQUAL
TO (i)
$145,000,000 LESS (ii) THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ALL DOWNWARD ADJUSTMENTS TO
THE
INITIAL CONSIDERATION FOR TITLE DEFECTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEFECTS IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTIONS 6.12
AND 6.14 (THE
“AGGREGATE
INDEMNITY CAP”); AND ANY
CLAIMS, ACTIONS OR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER IN EXCESS OF THE AGGREGATE
INDEMNITY CAP ARE HEREBY WAIVED AND RELEASED BY BREITBURN AND ALL OTHER
BREITBURN INDEMNIFIED PARTIES IN ALL RESPECTS (AND BREITBURN SHALL INDEMNIFY,
DEFEND AND HOLD QUICKSILVER AND THE OTHER QUICKSILVER
INDEMNIFIED
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PARTIES
HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY SUCH CLAIMS, ACTIONS OR DAMAGES IN EXCESS OF
SUCH
AGGREGATE INDEMNITY CAP), IN EACH CASE, REGARDLESS OF THE SOLE, JOINT,
CONCURRENT, COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY, ACTIVE, PASSIVE OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE,
WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHER FAULT OR RESPONSIBILITY OF
ANY
KIND OF QUICKSILVER, BREITBURN, THE TRANSFERRED COMPANIES, OR ANY OTHER PARTY
OR
PERSON.
(c) Survival;
Exclusive Remedy. The indemnities provided in this Section
9.2 and Article X shall survive Closing, as contemplated in
Section 9.1. Except as provided in Article X or in
Section 11.13, the indemnity provided in this Section 9.2 shall be
the sole and exclusive remedy of BreitBurn and any other BreitBurn Indemnified
Parties from and after Closing against Quicksilver, at Law, in equity or
otherwise, relating to this Agreement (including, without limitation, any
alleged breach hereof) or the transactions contemplated hereby.
(d) Claim
Procedure. BreitBurn shall give Quicksilver prompt written
notice of any third party Action or other Damages claims which may give rise
to
any indemnity obligation under this Section 9.2, together with the
estimated amount of such Action or Damages, and Quicksilver shall have the
right
to assume the defense of any such Action through counsel of its own choosing,
by
so notifying BreitBurn within sixty (60) days of receipt of BreitBurn’s written
notice; provided, however, that Quicksilver’s counsel shall be
reasonably satisfactory to BreitBurn. Failure to give prompt notice
shall not affect the indemnification obligations hereunder in the absence
of
actual prejudice. If BreitBurn desires to participate in, but not
control, any such defense assumed by Quicksilver, it may do so at its sole
cost
and expense. If Quicksilver declines to assume any such defense, it
shall be liable for all reasonable costs and expenses of defending such Action
incurred by BreitBurn, including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
in
the event it is ultimately determined that Quicksilver is liable for such
Action
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. If Quicksilver has assumed
any such defense, but thereafter Quicksilver has failed to diligently maintain
such defense, then BreitBurn shall give Quicksilver written notice thereof
and,
if Quicksilver does not take reasonable action to remedy such failure within
thirty (30) days after receipt, then BreitBurn may assume such defense and
Quicksilver shall continue to be liable for all reasonable costs and expenses
incurred in defending such actions, provided that BreitBurn thereafter
diligently maintains such defense and is commercially reasonable (given the
size
and nature of the claim involved) in the manner of defense and the costs
and
expenses incurred. Quicksilver shall not, without the written consent
of a BreitBurn Indemnified Party, settle any Action or claim against such
BreitBurn Indemnified Party or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect
thereto that (i) does not result in a final resolution of the BreitBurn
Indemnified Party’s liability with respect to such Action or claim (including,
in the case of a settlement, an unconditional written release of the BreitBurn
Indemnified Party from all further liability in respect of such Action or
claim)
or (ii) would result in the imposition of a consent order, injunction or
decree
which would materially and adversely restrict the future activity or conduct
of
the BreitBurn Indemnified Party, other than conduct which violates a
Law.
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Section
9.3 Indemnification
by BreitBurn.
(a) General
Indemnity from BreitBurn; Assumed Liabilities. Upon, from and
after Closing, BreitBurn shall DEFEND, INDEMNIFY AND
HOLD HARMLESS Quicksilver, its
respective successors and permitted assigns and their respective shareholders,
members, partners (general and limited), officers, directors, managers,
employees, agents and representatives and each of their heirs, executors,
successors and assigns (collectively, the “Quicksilver Indemnified
Parties”), from and against and in respect of any and all Damages arising
out of (i) any breach of any of the representations and warranties made in
Article V, or any corresponding representations and warranties made in
any certificate delivered by or on behalf of BreitBurn at Closing pursuant
to
Section 2.11, (ii) any breach of any of the covenants of BreitBurn
in this Agreement, (iii) any Assumed Liabilities, (iv) any Transferred
Company Liabilities, (v) any of the Subject Contracts or any other contract
ancillary thereto and (vi) BreitBurn’s failure to perform under any of the
agreements to be entered into between BreitBurn and Quicksilver pursuant
to
Section 6.23(d), IN EACH CASE, REGARDLESS OF THE SOLE, JOINT,
CONCURRENT, COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY, ACTIVE, PASSIVE OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE
OR
WILLFUL MISCONDUCT (OTHER THAN THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT
RELATING TO QUICKSILVER’S OBLIGATIONS TO PROVIDE NOMINATION, SCHEDULING AND
MARKETING SERVICES WITH RESPECT TO THE SUBJECT CONTRACTS), STRICT LIABILITY
OR
OTHER FAULT OR RESPONSIBILITY OF ANY KIND OF QUICKSILVER, BREITBURN, THE
TRANSFERRED COMPANIES, OR ANY OTHER PARTY OR PERSON.
(b) Environmental
Indemnity and Release. Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, in addition to the indemnities set forth in Section 9.3(a),
effective as of Closing, BreitBurn and its successors and assigns hereby
assume,
agree to be responsible for and pay on a current basis, and agree to
DEFEND, INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS
AND FOREVER
RELEASE the Quicksilver Indemnified Parties from
and against any and all Actions or Damages arising from, based upon, related
to
or associated with any Environmental Liabilities or other environmental matter
related or attributable to the Acquired Assets, or assets or properties of
any
of the Transferred Companies, regardless of whether such Actions or Damages
arose prior to, on or after the Effective Time, whether known or unknown,
including, without limitation, the presence, disposal or release of any
Hazardous Material or other material of any kind in, on or under the Acquired
Assets, properties or assets of any Transferred Companies or other property
(whether neighboring or otherwise) and including any liability of any
Quicksilver Indemnified Party with respect to the Acquired Assets, or assets
or
properties of any Transferred Companies, under the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. §§ 9601
et. seq.), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C.
§ 6901
et. seq.), the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. §§ 466 et. seq.), the Safe Drinking
Water Act (14 U.S.C. §§ 1401-1450), the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
(49 U.S.C. §§ 1801 et. seq.), the Toxic Substance Control Act (15 U.S.C. §§
2601-2629), the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. § 7401 et. seq.), as amended, and the
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, and all other federal, state and local
Environmental Laws, IN EACH CASE, REGARDLESS OF THE SOLE, JOINT,
CONCURRENT, COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY, ACTIVE, PASSIVE OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE,
WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHER FAULT OR RESPONSIBILITY OF
ANY
KIND OF QUICKSILVER,
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(c) Claim
Procedures. Quicksilver shall give BreitBurn prompt written
notice of any third party Action or other Damages claims which may give rise
to
any indemnity obligation under this Section 9.3, together with the
estimated amount of such Action or Damage, and BreitBurn shall have the right
to
assume the defense of any such Action through counsel of its own choosing,
by so
notifying Quicksilver within sixty (60) days of receipt of Quicksilver’s written
notice; provided, however, that BreitBurn’s counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to Quicksilver. Failure to give prompt notice shall not
affect the indemnification obligations hereunder in the absence of actual
prejudice. If Quicksilver desires to participate in any such defense
assumed by BreitBurn it may do so at its sole cost and expense. If
BreitBurn declines to assume any such defense, it shall be liable for all
reasonable costs and expenses of defending such Action incurred by Quicksilver,
including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel in the event it is
ultimately determined that BreitBurn is liable for such Action pursuant to
the
terms of this Agreement. If BreitBurn has assumed any such defense,
but thereafter BreitBurn has failed to diligently maintain such defense,
then
Quicksilver shall give BreitBurn written notice thereof and, if BreitBurn
does
not take reasonable action to remedy such failure within thirty (30) days
after
receipt, then Quicksilver may assume such defense and BreitBurn shall continue
to be liable for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred in defending
such
actions, provided that Quicksilver diligently maintains such defense
and is commercially reasonable (given the size and nature of the claim involved)
in the manner of defense and the costs and expenses
incurred. BreitBurn shall not, without the written consent of a
Quicksilver Indemnified Party, settle any Action or claim against such
Quicksilver Indemnified Party or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect thereto that (i) does not result in a final resolution of the
Quicksilver Indemnified Party’s liability with respect to such Action or claim
(including, in the case of a settlement, an unconditional written release
of the
Quicksilver Indemnified Party from all further liability in respect of such
Action or claim) or (ii) would result in the imposition of a consent order,
injunction or decree which would materially and adversely restrict the future
activity or conduct of the Quicksilver Indemnified Party, other than conduct
which violates a Law.
Section
9.4 Other
Indemnification Matters and Limitations.
(a) The
amount of any Damages for which indemnification is provided under this
Article IX shall be computed net of any (i) insurance or other proceeds
received by the indemnified party in connection with such Damages (net of
any
collection costs, and excluding the proceeds of any insurance policy issued
or
underwritten by the indemnified party or its
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(b) Each
indemnified party agrees that it shall pursue in good faith claims under
any
applicable insurance policies (excluding any insurance policy issued or
underwritten by the indemnified person or its Affiliates) and against other
third parties (other than its Affiliates) who may be responsible for
Damages.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Parties agree that
the
indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement shall not apply to
any
Damages to the extent such Damages are accounted for in the calculations
of the
adjustments set forth in Article II.
Section
9.5 Materiality
Exclusion. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
this Agreement, for the purposes of determining if after the Closing there
has
been a breach of any representation or warranty hereunder and the amount
of the
Damages in respect thereof, the representations and warranties shall, for
purposes of this Article IX, be read without giving effect to any
materiality, Material Adverse Effect or qualification with a similar meaning
contained or incorporated directly or indirectly in such representation or
warranty.
ARTICLE
X
TAX
MATTERS
Section
10.1 Preparation
and Filing of Tax Returns.
(a) To
the
extent permitted by Law or administrative practice the taxable year of each
Acquired Company (which, for purposes of this Article X, includes Terra Pipeline
Company) that includes the Closing Date shall be treated as closing on (and
including) the Closing Date.
(b) For
purposes of determining the Taxes attributable to a Pre-Closing Tax
Period: (i) in the case of Taxes that are either (x) based
upon or related to income or receipts or (y) imposed in connection with any
sale or other transfer or assignment of property (real or personal, tangible
or
intangible), shall be deemed equal to the amount which would be payable if
the
taxable period ended on and included the Closing Date and (ii) in the case
of Taxes imposed on a periodic basis or otherwise measured by the level of
any
item, deemed to be the amount of such Taxes for the entire period (or, in
the
case of such Taxes determined on an arrears basis, the amount of such Taxes
for
the immediately preceding period), multiplied by a fraction the numerator
of
which is the number of days in the Pre-Closing Tax Period and the denominator
of
which is the number of days in the entire taxable period.
(c) Except
as
provided in Section 10.3 and Section 10.7, as between BreitBurn
and its Affiliates and Quicksilver and its Affiliates, Quicksilver and its
Affiliates shall be responsible and indemnify BreitBurn for the payment of
(i)
100% of any and all Taxes due from or with respect to the Acquired Companies
for
any Pre-Closing Tax Period, including any Tax liability that arises as a
result
of the Conversions, under Treasury Regulation section 1.1502-6 or any analogous
state, local or foreign law or regulation, or pursuant to a Tax sharing or
indemnification agreement or arrangement, (ii) any Taxes attributable to
the
transfer of the
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(d) Quicksilver
shall ensure that (i) all items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit
(“Tax Items”) of the Acquired Companies that are required to be included
in the consolidated federal income Tax Returns (and the state income Tax
Returns
of any state that permits consolidated, combined or unitary income Tax Returns,
if any) of the Quicksilver Group are so included therein, (ii) any such Tax
Returns that include Tax Items of the Acquired Companies are timely filed
with
the appropriate Taxing Authorities, and (iv) all such Taxes owed with
respect to such Tax Items (whether or not shown on any such Tax Return) are
timely paid.
(e) For
all
Tax Returns of each of the Acquired Companies covering periods ending on
or
prior to the Closing Date that are filed after the Closing Date and are not
described in paragraph (d) above, BreitBurn shall cause such Tax Returns
to be
prepared in a manner consistent with practices followed in prior years, except
as otherwise required by Law. BreitBurn shall cause to be included in
each such Tax Return all Tax Items required to be included therein, and shall
furnish a copy of each such Tax Return to Quicksilver at least fifteen (15)
days
prior to the due date (including extensions) for filing such Tax Return,
along
with a statement setting forth (i) for the Acquired Companies, the amount
of the
Taxes shown to be due on such Tax Return and (ii) for WCGP, 5.5385% of the
amount of the Taxes shown to be due on such Tax Return. BreitBurn
shall permit Quicksilver to review and comment on such Tax Returns and shall
make such revisions to such Tax Returns as reasonably requested by Quicksilver
not later than three (3) days prior to the due date (including extensions)
of
such Tax Return. Quicksilver shall deliver to BreitBurn the amount
shown on such statement no later than three days prior to the due date
(including extensions) for filing such Tax Return but only to the extent
that
such amount has not been given effect in the calculations of the Initial
Consideration adjustment set forth in
Section 2.1(b). BreitBurn shall timely file or cause the
Acquired Companies to timely file such Tax Returns and pay all Taxes due
with
respect to such Tax Returns. Quicksilver shall be entitled to any
refund of Taxes due with respect to any Pre-Closing Period, and BreitBurn
shall
pay over to Quicksilver any such refund, within fifteen (15) days after receipt
thereof net of any Taxes or costs resulting from the receipt of such
refund. Tax items of each of the Acquired Companies shall be
apportioned for all income Tax purposes by closing the books of each of the
Acquired Companies at the end of the Closing Date.
(f) With
respect to any Tax Return covering a taxable period beginning on or before
the
Closing Date and ending after the Closing Date that is required to be filed
after the Closing Date with respect to a Acquired Company, BreitBurn shall
cause
such Tax Return to be prepared in a manner consistent with practices followed
in
prior years, except as otherwise
-78-
(g) Except
as
may be required by Law, no amended Tax Return shall be filed, and no change
in
any Tax accounting method or Tax election shall be made by, on behalf of,
or
with respect to a Acquired Company, for any Pre-Closing Tax Period without
the
consent of Quicksilver, which may be withheld in Quicksilver’s reasonable
discretion.
(h) BreitBurn
and Quicksilver agree to provide such assistance as may reasonably be requested
by the other Party in connection with the preparation of any Tax Return,
any
Action or other examination by any Taxing Authority or any Action relating
to
liability for Taxes, and each will retain and provide the requesting Party
with
any records or information which may be relevant to such return, audit or
examination, proceedings or determination. Any information obtained
pursuant to this Section 10.1 or pursuant to any other Section
hereof providing for the sharing of information relating to or review of
any Tax
Return or other schedule relating to Taxes shall be kept
confidential.
(i) BreitBurn
and Quicksilver will preserve and retain all schedules, work papers and other
documents relating to any Tax Returns of the Acquired Companies or to any
claims, audits or other proceeding affecting the Acquired Companies until
the
expiration of the statute of limitations (including extensions) applicable
to
the taxable period to which such documents relate or until the final
determination of any controversy with respect to such taxable period, and
until
the final determination of any payments that may be required with respect
to
such taxable period under this Agreement.
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Section
10.2 Tax
Treatment of Payments. Except
as required by Law, the Parties shall treat any indemnification payment or
adjustment to the Initial Consideration made pursuant to this Agreement as
an
adjustment to the Final Consideration for Tax purposes.
Section
10.3 Transfer
Taxes. All
Transfer Taxes incurred in connection with this Agreement, the contribution
of
the Interests and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be borne solely
by
BreitBurn. The Party with primary responsibility under applicable Law
shall file, to the extent required by applicable Law, all necessary Tax Returns
and other documentation with respect to such Transfer Taxes. For
purposes of this Agreement, “Transfer Taxes” shall mean transfer,
documentary, sales, use, goods and services, registration, stamp duty, gross
receipts, excise, transfer and conveyance and other similar Taxes, duties,
fees
or charges (including all applicable real estate transfer taxes), together
with
any interest thereon, penalties, fines, costs, fees, additions to Tax or
additional amounts with respect thereto.
Section
10.4 Allocation
of Consideration. The
Initial Consideration, as adjusted by the other provisions of Article II
or Section 6.12 or 6.13 and any indemnification payments, plus the
amount of the Acquired Company Liabilities (the “Total Consideration”),
shall be allocated among the QRI Assets and the assets and properties of
the
Acquired Companies (collectively with the QRI Assets, the “Contributed
Assets”) in accordance with Section 1060 of the Code and the Treasury
regulations thereunder (and any similar provision of state, local or foreign
Law, as appropriate) (the “Consideration
Allocation”). BreitBurn and Quicksilver agree that the unadjusted
Total Consideration shall be allocated among the Contributed Assets in
accordance with the principles of Section 1060 of the Code and the Treasury
Regulations, as set forth in Exhibit D of this Agreement
(individually, a “Tax Allocated Value”, and collectively, the “Tax
Allocated Values”). Prior to Closing, the Parties shall prepare a
mutually agreed schedule setting forth any necessary adjustments to the Tax
Allocated Values, based upon the Closing Date Consideration (the “Closing
Consideration Allocation Schedule”). Any post-Closing adjustments
with respect to the consideration for the Contributed Assets shall be treated
as
adjustments to the Consideration Allocation, which shall be made in accordance
with Section 1060 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder (and
any
similar provision of state, local or foreign Law, as
appropriate). Quicksilver and BreitBurn shall report the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement in a manner consistent with the Consideration
Allocation, such as reporting of asset values and other items for purposes
of
all federal, state, and local Tax Returns, including without limitation,
Internal Revenue Service Form 8594. Quicksilver and BreitBurn
shall not take any position in any Tax Return, Tax proceeding or Tax audit
that
is inconsistent with the Consideration Allocation, except as required by
Law;
provided, however, that neither BreitBurn nor Quicksilver shall be
unreasonably impeded in its ability to settle any Tax audit or other Action
related to Taxes.
Section
10.5 Tax
Treatment of Transaction. Before
the Closing Date, each of Terra, GTG, Mercury and Terra Pipeline Company
will
merge into a newly-formed, single-member limited liability company
(collectively, the “Conversions”), with the result that each of the
Acquired Companies will be disregarded as an entity separate from Quicksilver
for United States federal Tax purposes (and state, local, and foreign Tax
purposes where applicable). Accordingly, as a result of each of the
Acquired Companies being disregarded as an entity separate from Quicksilver
and
BreitBurn being disregarded as an entity separate from BreitBurn Parent for
United States federal Tax purposes (and state, local, and foreign Tax purposes
where
-80-
Section
10.6 BreitBurn’s
Tax Indemnity. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to
the contrary, including any provision in Section 10.1(c) and Article
IX, as between Quicksilver and its Affiliates and BreitBurn and its
Affiliates, BreitBurn and its Affiliates shall be responsible and indemnify
Quicksilver for (i) any liability for Taxes imposed on and losses suffered
by
Quicksilver and its Affiliates as a result of a breach of the representations
set forth in Section 5.12, and (ii) any liabilities, costs, expenses
(including, without limitation, reasonable expenses of investigation and
attorneys’ and accountants’ fees and expenses) arising out of or incident to the
imposition, assessment or assertion of any Tax or loss described in clause
(i),
including those incurred in the contest in good faith in appropriate proceedings
relating to the imposition, assessment or assertion of such Tax, in each
case
incurred or suffered by Quicksilver or any of its Affiliates after the Closing
Date.
Section
10.7 Tax
Sharing Agreements. All Tax sharing or similar Contracts
with respect to or involving any of the Acquired Companies shall be terminated
as of the Closing Date and, after the Closing Date, none of such companies
shall
be bound thereby or have any liability thereunder (whether relating to any
pre-Closing or post-Closing period).
Section
10.8 Conflict. In
the event of a conflict between the provisions of this Article X and any
other provisions of this Agreement, this Article X shall
control.
Section
10.9 Procedures
Relating to Indemnification of Tax Claims.
(a) If
a
claim shall be made by any Taxing Authority, for which Quicksilver is or
may be
liable pursuant to this Agreement, BreitBurn shall notify Quicksilver in
writing
within ten (10) Business Days of receipt by BreitBurn of notice of such claim
(a
“Tax Claim”). Failure to give prompt notice shall not affect
the indemnification obligations hereunder in the absence of actual material
prejudice.
(b) With
respect to any Tax Claim, Quicksilver, at Quicksilver’s expense, shall control
all proceedings taken in connection with such Tax Claim (including selection
of
counsel), and BreitBurn shall execute or cause to be executed powers of attorney
or other documents necessary to enable Quicksilver to take all actions that
do
not materially adversely affect BreitBurn or its Affiliates, or the Acquired
Companies, or the direct or indirect owners of
-81-
Section
10.10 Like
Kind Exchange. Any Party may elect to structure the assignment
and conveyance of the portion of the QRI Assets for which the Cash Consideration
is treated as having been paid as part of a like-kind exchange under Section
1031 of the Code. The parties agree to cooperate with one another
with respect to the like-kind exchange and to execute all documents, conveyances
and other instruments necessary to effectuate an exchange. The Party
requesting a like-kind exchange shall bear all costs and expenses and liability
associated therewith.
Section
10.11 Consents. If
either Saginaw or TWPP does not currently have in effect a Section 754 Election,
Quicksilver shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any required
consents from the partners of Saginaw and TWPP, as applicable, to authorize
Saginaw and TWPP to make a Section 754 Election that will be effective on
the
Closing Date (the “Section 754 Consents”); provided that Quicksilver
shall not be obligated to pay any consideration or waive or release any right
or
privilege as part of such efforts.
-82-
Section
10.12 Survival. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all representations, warranties,
covenants, agreements and indemnities relating to Taxes contained in this
Agreement (and any certificates or documents relating thereto delivered in
connection with this Agreement) shall survive the Closing and shall not
terminate until the date that is sixty (60) days after the expiration of
the
applicable statute of limitations, including extensions thereof, with respect
to
such Tax matter.
ARTICLE
XI
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
11.1 Notices. All
communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed
to
be given when delivered in person or by private courier with receipt, when
sent
by facsimile and received, or when delivered by United States mail, first-class,
registered or certified, return receipt requested, with postage paid
and,
If
to
BreitBurn:
BreitBurn
Operating L.P.
000
X.
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx. 0000
Xxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx, Co-CEO
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
and
BreitBurn
Operating L.P.
000
X.
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx. 0000
Xxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx, Executive Vice-President and General Counsel
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
with
a
copy (which shall not itself constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxx
& Xxxxxx LLP
First
City Tower
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000-0000
Attention: Rell
Xxxxxx
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
If
to
Quicksilver:
000
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xx.
Xxxx
Xxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
with
a
copy (which shall not itself constitute notice) to:
Fulbright &
Xxxxxxxx L.L.P.
0000
XxXxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
or
to
such other address as any such Party shall designate by written notice to
the
other Party.
Section
11.2 Expenses. Quicksilver
and BreitBurn shall each pay their respective expenses (such as legal,
investment banker and accounting fees) incurred in connection with the
origination, negotiation, execution and performance of this Agreement,
provided, however, that BreitBurn shall pay all Transfer Taxes, as
provided under Section 10.3, and BreitBurn shall be solely responsible
for any filing fees under the Xxxx-Xxxxx Act, as provided in Section
6.2(b).
-83-
Section
11.3 Non-Assignability. This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding on the Parties and
their
respective successors and permitted assigns. This Agreement shall not
be assigned by any Party without the express prior written consent of the
other
Party, in its sole discretion, and any attempted assignment, without such
consent, shall be null and void. In no event shall any assignment or
transfer hereunder serve to release or discharge the assigning Party from
any of
its duties and obligations hereunder, unless expressly released, in writing,
by
the non-assigning Party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, BreitBurn may
designate one or more of its Affiliates as the party to whom title to all
or any
part of the Interests will be conveyed, assigned and transferred at the Closing;
provided, however, such designation and the transfer of title to such
designee shall not serve to release or discharge BreitBurn from any of its
duties and obligations hereunder.
Section
11.4 Amendment;
Waiver. Except
as otherwise provided in Section 6.9, this Agreement may be amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified only by a written instrument executed
by each
of the Parties hereto. No waiver by any Party of any of the
provisions hereof shall be effective unless explicitly set forth in writing
and
executed by the Party so waiving. Except as provided in the preceding
sentence, no action taken pursuant to this Agreement, including any
investigation by or on behalf of any Party, shall be deemed to constitute
a
waiver by the Party taking such action of compliance with any representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements contained herein, and in any documents
delivered or to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement and in connection
with
Closing hereunder. The waiver by any Party of a breach of any
provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver
of any
subsequent breach.
Section
11.5 No
Third Party Beneficiaries. Except
to the extent a third party is expressly given rights herein, including in
Article IX, this Agreement is not intended, nor shall it be deemed,
construed or interpreted, to confer upon any Person not a Party (or a successor
and assign permitted herein) any rights or remedies hereunder. Each
BreitBurn Indemnified Party and each Quicksilver Indemnified Party is a third
party beneficiary to the extent of the indemnity, defense and hold harmless
obligations owed to such Person under Article IX; provided,
however, that any claim to be indemnified, defended or held harmless
hereunder on behalf of a BreitBurn Indemnified Party or a Quicksilver
Indemnified Party must be made and administered by a Party to this Agreement
or
its successors or permitted assigns. Quicksilver shall not have any
direct liability or obligation to any Quicksilver Indemnified Party under
this
Agreement or be liable to any Quicksilver Indemnified Party for any election
or
non-election or any act or failure to act under or in regard to any term
of this
Agreement, and BreitBurn shall not have any direct liability or obligation
to
any BreitBurn Indemnified Party under this Agreement or be liable to any
BreitBurn Indemnified Party for any election or non-election or any act or
failure to act under or in regard to any term of this Agreement.
Section
11.6 Governing
Law. This
Agreement and the rights and duties of the Parties hereunder shall be governed
by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Texas (excluding
any conflict of laws rule or principle that might refer the governance or
construction of this Agreement to the law of another jurisdiction), other
than
matters dealing with the ownership of real property or interests therein,
which
shall be governed by the laws of the state where such property is
located.
-84-
Section
11.7 Consent
to Jurisdiction. Each
of the Parties hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of
the
United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas
Division, located in Dallas, Texas, or if such court does not have jurisdiction,
then any Texas State or Federal Court sitting in the State of Texas, for
the
purposes of any Action arising out of this Agreement or any transaction
contemplated hereby. Each of the Parties hereto further agrees that
service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail
to
such Party’s respective address set forth in Section 11.1 shall be
effective service of process for any Action in Texas with respect to any
matters
to which it has submitted to jurisdiction as set forth above in the immediately
preceding sentence. Each of the Parties hereto irrevocably and
unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any Action
arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in
the
United States District Court for the for the Northern District of Texas,
Dallas
Division, located in Dallas, Texas, or if such court does not have jurisdiction,
then any Texas State or Federal Court sitting in the State of Texas, and
hereby
further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or
claim
in any such court that any such Action brought in any such court has been
brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section
11.8 Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement and the schedules and exhibits hereto and the Confidentiality
Agreement sets forth the entire understanding of the Parties with respect
to the
subject matter hereof and supersede and replace all prior agreements between
the
Parties related to the subject matter hereof, whether oral or
written.
Section
11.9 Severability. If
any provision of this Agreement shall be declared by any court of competent
jurisdiction to be illegal, void or unenforceable, all other provisions of
this
Agreement shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and
effect.
Section
11.10 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed by facsimile and in any number of counterparts,
each
of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall
be
deemed to be one and the same instrument.
Section
11.11 Further
Assurances. Upon
request from time to time, Quicksilver and BreitBurn shall execute and/or
cause
to be executed and delivered such other documents and instruments and shall
do
such other acts that may be reasonably necessary or desirable, to consummate
the
transactions contemplated hereby and to carry out the intent of this
Agreement.
Section
11.12 Schedules
and Exhibits. All
exhibits and schedules hereto are hereby incorporated by reference and made
a
part of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this Agreement or in any Disclosure Schedule, any information
disclosed in any Disclosure Schedule, to the extent that a reasonable Person
would consider such information to have been disclosed as an exception to
a
representation or warranty clearly enough so as to be responsive in respect
of
another representation and warranty for which such information was not disclosed
separately, shall be deemed to be disclosed with respect
hereto. Certain information set forth in the Disclosure Schedules is
included solely for informational purposes and may not be required to be
disclosed pursuant to this Agreement. The disclosure of any
information shall not be deemed to be an acknowledgment that such information
is
required to be disclosed in connection with the representations and warranties
made or that it is material, and such information shall not be deemed to
establish a standard of materiality.
-85-
Section
11.13 Specific
Performance; Limitation on Damages. The
Parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event any provision
of
this Agreement was not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and
that
the Parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof,
in
addition to any other remedy at law or in equity. IN NO
EVENT, HOWEVER, SHALL ANY PARTY AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY
CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES CLAIMED BY A PARTY HERETO
OR ANY BREITBURN INDEMNIFIED PARTIES OR QUICKSILVER INDEMNIFIED PARTIES ARISING
FROM OR RELATING TO (A) ANY ACTIONS FOR INDEMNIFICATION UNDER
ARTICLE IX OR
ARTICLE X,
(B) ANY ACTIONS
RELATING TO ANY BREACH BY A PARTY IN THE EVENT OF A TERMINATION OF THIS
AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO
ARTICLE VIII, OR (C) ANY
OTHER BREACH OR ALLEGED BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, THAT THE FOREGOING SHALL NOT BAR RECOVERY BY ONE
PARTY AGAINST ANOTHER PARTY FOR INDEMNIFIED DAMAGES HEREUNDER TO THE EXTENT
SUCH
DAMAGES ARE OWED BY THE CLAIMING PARTY TO AN UNAFFILIATED THIRD PARTY (WHICH
SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY BREITBURN INDEMNIFIED PARTIES, QUICKSILVER INDEMNIFIED
PARTIES, ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, AND ANY OF THE TRANSFERRED
COMPANIES).
Section
11.14 Waiver
of Jury Trial. THE
PARTIES HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION ARISING OUT
OF OR
RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, WHETHER
NOW
EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT OR
OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ANY OF THEM MAY FILE A COPY OF THIS
PARAGRAPH WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE KNOWING, VOLUNTARY AND
BARGAINED-FOR AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY TO WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY
AND
THAT ANY ACTION WHATSOEVER BETWEEN THEM RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY
TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY SHALL INSTEAD BE TRIED IN A COURT OF COMPETENT
JURISDICTION BY A JUDGE SITTING WITHOUT A JURY.
Section
11.15 Time. Time
is of the essence in the performance of this Agreement in all
respects.
Section
11.16 No
Further Representations; Disclaimers. EXCEPT
FOR THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT,
THE INTERESTS ARE BEING SOLD AND TRANSFERRED “AS IS, WHERE IS,” AND QUICKSILVER
IS NOT MAKING ANY OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, WRITTEN OR ORAL,
STATUTORY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, CONCERNING SUCH INTERESTS, THE ACQUIRED ASSETS,
THE ACQUIRED COMPANIES OR WCGP, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY
REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, ALL OF WHICH ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED AND
DISCLAIMED. IN ADDITION, WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE PRIOR
SENTENCE, QUICKSILVER MAKES NO, AND
-86-
Section
11.17 Confidentiality. At
the Closing Quicksilver and BreitBurn shall take (or cause to be taken) such
actions as are necessary to terminate the Confidentiality
Agreement.
[SIGNATURE
PAGE FOLLOWS]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed as of the date first above written.
a
Delaware corporation
By: /s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
President
and Chief
Executive Officer
BREITBURN
OPERATING L.P.,
a
Delaware limited partnership
By: BreitBurn
Operating GP, LLC,
a
Delaware limited liability
company,
its
General Partner
By:
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
Title:
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Signature
Page to Contribution
Agreement