CREDIT AGREEMENT DATED AS OF JUNE 29, 2007 AMONG ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC, AS PARENT GUARANTOR, ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC, AS BORROWER, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS...
Exhibit
10(z)
CREDIT
AGREEMENT DATED AS OF JUNE 29, 2007 AMONG ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC, AS PARENT
GUARANTOR, ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC, AS BORROWER, JPMORGAN CHASE
BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS
SYNDICATION AGENT, AND BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., BNP PARIBAS, ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,
AND UBS LOAN FINANCE LLC, AS CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENTS, AND THE LENDERS PARTY
HERETO SOLE LEAD ARRANGER AND SOLE BOOKRUNNER X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES
INC.
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Page
|
||||
ARTICLE
I
|
||||
Definitions
and Accounting Matters
|
||||
Section
1.01
|
Terms
Defined Above
|
1
|
||
Section
1.02
|
Certain
Defined Terms
|
1
|
||
Section
1.03
|
Types
of Loans and Borrowings
|
19
|
||
Section
1.04
|
Terms
Generally; Rules of Construction
|
19
|
||
Section
1.05
|
Accounting
Terms and Determinations
|
20
|
||
ARTICLE
II
|
||||
The
Credits
|
||||
Section
2.01
|
Commitments
|
20
|
||
Section
2.02
|
Loans
and Borrowings.
|
20
|
||
Section
2.03
|
Requests
for Borrowings
|
21
|
||
Section
2.04
|
Interest
Elections.
|
22
|
||
Section
2.05
|
Funding
of Borrowings.
|
23
|
||
Section
2.06
|
Termination,
Reduction and Increase of Aggregate Maximum Credit
Amounts.
|
23
|
||
Section
2.07
|
Borrowing
Base.
|
25
|
||
Section
2.08
|
Letters
of Credit.
|
27
|
||
ARTICLE
III
|
||||
Payments
of Principal and Interest; Prepayments; Fees
|
||||
Section
3.01
|
Repayment
of Loans
|
31
|
||
Section
3.02
|
Interest.
|
31
|
||
Section
3.03
|
Alternate
Rate of Interest
|
32
|
||
Section
3.04
|
Prepayments.
|
32
|
||
Section
3.05
|
Fees.
|
33
|
||
ARTICLE
IV
|
||||
Payments;
Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.
|
||||
Section
4.01
|
Payments
Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.
|
34
|
||
Section
4.02
|
Presumption
of Payment by the Borrower
|
35
|
||
Section
4.03
|
Certain
Deductions by the Administrative Agent
|
35
|
||
Section
4.04
|
Disposition
of Proceeds
|
35
|
||
ARTICLE
V
|
||||
Increased
Costs; Break Funding Payments; Taxes
|
||||
Section
5.01
|
Increased
Costs.
|
36
|
||
Section
5.02
|
Break
Funding Payments
|
37
|
||
Section
5.03
|
Taxes.
|
37
|
||
Section
5.04
|
Designation
of Different Lending Office
|
39
|
||
Section
5.05
|
Replacement
of Lenders
|
39
|
||
ARTICLE
VI
|
||||
Conditions
Precedent
|
||||
Section
6.01
|
Effective
Date
|
40
|
||
Section
6.02
|
Each
Credit Event
|
43
|
i
ARTICLE
VII
|
||||
Representations
and Warranties
|
||||
Section
7.01
|
Organization;
Powers
|
43
|
||
Section
7.02
|
Authority;
Enforceability
|
44
|
||
Section
7.03
|
Approvals;
No Conflicts
|
44
|
||
Section
7.04
|
Financial
Condition; No Material Adverse Change.
|
44
|
||
Section
7.05
|
Litigation.
|
45
|
||
Section
7.06
|
Environmental
Matters
|
45
|
||
Section
7.07
|
Compliance
with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults.
|
46
|
||
Section
7.08
|
Investment
Company Act
|
46
|
||
Section
7.09
|
Use
of Loans and Letters of Credit
|
46
|
||
Section
7.10
|
Taxes
|
47
|
||
Section
7.11
|
ERISA
|
47
|
||
Section
7.12
|
Disclosure;
No Material Misstatements
|
48
|
||
Section
7.13
|
Insurance
|
48
|
||
Section
7.14
|
Restriction
on Liens
|
48
|
||
Section
7.15
|
Subsidiaries.
|
48
|
||
Section
7.16
|
Location
of Business and Offices
|
49
|
||
Section
7.17
|
Properties;
Titles, Etc.
|
49
|
||
Section
7.18
|
Maintenance
of Properties
|
50
|
||
Section
7.19
|
Gas
Imbalances, Prepayments
|
51
|
||
Section
7.20
|
Marketing
of Production
|
51
|
||
Section
7.21
|
Swap
Agreements
|
51
|
||
Section
7.22
|
Solvency
|
51
|
||
Section
7.23
|
Acquisition
|
51
|
||
ARTICLE
VIII
|
||||
Affirmative
Covenants
|
||||
Section
8.01
|
Financial
Statements; Other Information
|
51
|
||
Section
8.02
|
Notices
of Material Events
|
54
|
||
Section
8.03
|
Existence;
Conduct of Business
|
54
|
||
Section
8.04
|
Payment
of Obligations
|
55
|
||
Section
8.05
|
Performance
of Obligations under Loan Documents
|
55
|
||
Section
8.06
|
Operation
and Maintenance of Properties
|
55
|
||
Section
8.07
|
Insurance
|
56
|
||
Section
8.08
|
Books
and Records; Inspection Rights
|
56
|
||
Section
8.09
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
56
|
||
Section
8.10
|
Environmental
Matters.
|
56
|
||
Section
8.11
|
Further
Assurances.
|
57
|
||
Section
8.12
|
Reserve
Reports.
|
57
|
||
Section
8.13
|
Title
Information.
|
58
|
||
Section
8.14
|
Additional
Collateral; Additional Guarantors.
|
59
|
||
Section
8.15
|
ERISA
Compliance
|
60
|
||
Section
8.16
|
Swap
Agreements
|
60
|
||
Section
8.17
|
Unrestricted
Subsidiaries
|
60
|
||
ARTICLE
IX
|
||||
Negative
Covenants
|
||||
Section
9.01
|
Financial
Covenants
|
61
|
||
Section
9.02
|
Debt
|
61
|
ii
Section
9.03
|
Liens
|
62
|
||
Section
9.04
|
Restricted
Payments; Redemption of Subordinated Debt.
|
63
|
||
Section
9.05
|
Investments,
Loans and Advances
|
63
|
||
Section
9.06
|
Nature
of Business; International Operations; Foreign
Subsidiaries
|
64
|
||
Section
9.07
|
Proceeds
of Loans and Letters of Credit
|
64
|
||
Section
9.08
|
ERISA
Compliance
|
65
|
||
Section
9.09
|
Sale
or Discount of Receivables
|
66
|
||
Section
9.10
|
Mergers,
Etc
|
66
|
||
Section
9.11
|
Sale
of Properties
|
66
|
||
Section
9.12
|
Environmental
Matters
|
67
|
||
Section
9.13
|
Transactions
with Affiliates
|
67
|
||
Section
9.14
|
Subsidiaries
|
67
|
||
Section
9.15
|
Negative
Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions
|
67
|
||
Section
9.16
|
Gas
Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments
|
67
|
||
Section
9.17
|
Swap
Agreements
|
68
|
||
Section
9.18
|
Tax
Status as Partnership; Partnership Agreement
|
68
|
||
Section
9.19
|
Designation
and Conversion of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries; Debt
of
Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
|
68
|
||
ARTICLE
X
|
||||
Events
of Default; Remedies
|
||||
Section
10.01
|
Events
of Default
|
69
|
||
Section
10.02
|
Remedies.
|
71
|
||
ARTICLE
XI
|
||||
The
Agents
|
||||
Section
11.01
|
Appointment;
Powers
|
71
|
||
Section
11.02
|
Duties
and Obligations of Administrative Agent
|
72
|
||
Section
11.03
|
Action
by Administrative Agent
|
72
|
||
Section
11.04
|
Reliance
by Administrative Agent
|
73
|
||
Section
11.05
|
Subagents
|
73
|
||
Section
11.06
|
Resignation
of Agents
|
73
|
||
Section
11.07
|
Agents
as Lenders
|
74
|
||
Section
11.08
|
No
Reliance
|
74
|
||
Section
11.09
|
Authority
of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens
|
74
|
||
Section
11.10
|
Administrative
Agent May File Proofs of Claim.
|
74
|
||
Section
11.11
|
The
Arranger, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation
Agents
|
75
|
||
ARTICLE
XII
|
||||
Miscellaneous
|
||||
Section
12.01
|
Notices.
|
75
|
||
Section
12.02
|
Waivers;
Amendments.
|
76
|
||
Section
12.03
|
Expenses,
Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
|
77
|
||
Section
12.04
|
Successors
and Assigns.
|
79
|
||
Section
12.05
|
Survival;
Revival; Reinstatement.
|
81
|
||
Section
12.06
|
Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness.
|
82
|
||
Section
12.07
|
Severability
|
82
|
||
Section
12.08
|
Right
of Setoff
|
82
|
||
Section
12.09
|
GOVERNING
LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS.
|
83
|
||
Section
12.10
|
Headings
|
84
|
||
Section
12.11
|
Confidentiality
|
84
|
iii
Section
12.12
|
Interest
Rate Limitation
|
84
|
||
Section
12.13
|
No
Third Party Beneficiaries
|
85
|
||
Collateral
Matters; Swap Agreements
|
85
|
|||
Section
12.15
|
Acknowledgements
|
85
|
||
Section
12.16
|
USA
Patriot Act Notice
|
85
|
iv
Annexes,
Exhibits and Schedules
Annex
I
|
List
of Maximum Credit Amounts
|
|
Annex
II
|
Sources
and Uses Table
|
|
Exhibit
A
|
Form
of Note
|
|
Exhibit
B
|
Form
of Borrowing Request
|
|
Exhibit
C
|
Form
of Interest Election Request
|
|
Exhibit
D
|
Form
of Compliance Certificate
|
|
Exhibit
E-1
|
Form
of Legal Opinion of Ledgewood, special counsel to the
Parent Guarantor and the Borrower
|
|
Exhibit
E-2
|
Form
of Legal Opinion of Local Counsel
|
|
Exhibit
F-1
|
Security
Instruments
|
|
Exhibit
F-2
|
Form
of Guaranty and Collateral Agreement
|
|
Exhibit
G
|
Form
of Assignment and Assumption
|
|
Exhibit
H-1
|
Form
of Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate
|
|
Exhibit
H-2
|
Form
of Additional Lender Certificate
|
|
Exhibit
I
|
Form
of Reserve Report Certificate
|
|
Schedule
1.02(a)
|
Approved
Counterparties
|
|
Schedule
1.02(b)
|
Existing
Letters of Credit
|
|
Schedule
7.05
|
Litigation
|
|
Schedule
7.11
|
ERISA
|
|
Schedule
7.15
|
Subsidiaries
and Partnerships; Unrestricted Subsidiaries
|
|
Schedule
7.19
|
Gas
Imbalances
|
|
Schedule
7.20
|
Marketing
Contracts
|
|
Schedule
7.21
|
Swap
Agreements
|
|
Existing
Debt
|
||
Schedule
9.05
|
Investments
|
v
THIS
CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of June 29, 2007, is among: ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES,
LLC, a limited liability company duly formed and existing under the laws of
the
State of Delaware (the “Parent
Guarantor”);
ATLAS
ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC, a limited liability company duly formed and
existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Borrower”);
each
of the Lenders from time to time party hereto; JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (in
its
individual capacity, “JPMorgan”),
as
administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, together with its
successors in such capacity, the “Administrative
Agent”);
WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as syndication agent for the Lenders (in
such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “Syndication
Agent”);
and
BANK
OF
AMERICA, N.A., BNP PARIBAS, ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
and
UBS
LOAN
FINANCE LLC,
as
co-documentation agents for the Lenders (each, in such capacity, together with
its successors in such capacity, the “Documentation
Agent”).
RECITALS
A. The
Parent Guarantor and the Borrower have requested that the Lenders extend credit
to, and on behalf of, the Borrower; and the Agents and the Lenders have agreed
to extend credit to, and on behalf of, the Borrower, subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement.
B. Now,
therefore, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein
contained and of the loans, extensions of credit and commitments hereinafter
referred to, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
Definitions
and Accounting Matters
Section
1.01 Terms
Defined Above.
As used
in this Agreement, each term defined above has the meaning indicated
above.
Section
1.02 Certain
Defined Terms.
As used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified
below:
“ABR”,
when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or
the
Loans comprising such Borrowing, bears interest at a rate determined by
reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
“Acquisition”
means
the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the
Target pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Acquisition
Documents.
“Acquisition
Agreement”
means
the Purchase and Sale Agreement among MCN Energy Enterprises, Inc., as seller,
DTE Energy Company, as seller parent, ATN Michigan, LLC, as buyer, and the
Parent Guarantor, as buyer parent dated May 18, 2007, as amended by
1st
Amendment to Purchase and Sale Agreement dated June 29, 2007.
“Acquisition
Documents”
means
(a) the Acquisition Agreement and (b) all bills of sale, assignments,
agreements, instruments and documents executed and delivered in connection
therewith.
“Acquisition
Properties”
means
the Oil and Gas Properties of the Target and its Subsidiaries.
“Additional
Lender”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Section
2.06(c)(i).
“Additional
Lender Certificate”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Section
2.06(c)(ii)(E).
1
“Adjusted
LIBO Rate”
means,
with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest
rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal
to
(a)
the LIBO
Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b)
the
Statutory Reserve Rate.
“Administrative
Questionnaire”
means
an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative
Agent.
“Affiliate”
means,
with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under
common Control with the Person specified.
“Agents”
means,
collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent and each
Documentation Agent; and “Agent” shall mean any of the Administrative Agent, the
Syndication Agent or a Documentation Agent, as the context
requires.
“Aggregate
Maximum Credit Amounts”
at
any
time shall equal the sum of the Maximum Credit Amounts, as the same may be
increased, reduced or terminated pursuant to Section
2.06.
“Agreement”
means
this Credit Agreement, as the same may from time to time be amended, modified,
supplemented or restated.
“Alternate
Base Rate”
means,
for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in
effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such
day plus ½ of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the
Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and
including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal
Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
“Applicable
Margin”
means,
for any day, with respect to any Loan or with respect to the Commitment Fee
Rate, the applicable rate per annum set forth below based on Borrowing Base
Utilization Percentage on such day:
Borrowing
Base
Utilization Percentage
|
Eurodollar
Loans
|
ABR
Loans
|
Commitment
Fee Rate
|
|||||||
>
110% and < 125%
|
225
b.p.
|
125
b.p.
|
37.5
b.p.
|
|||||||
>
100% and < 110%
|
200
b.p.
|
100
b.p.
|
37.5
b.p.
|
|||||||
>
90% and < 100%
|
175
b.p.
|
75
b.p.
|
37.5
b.p.
|
|||||||
>
75% and < 90%
|
150
b.p.
|
50
b.p.
|
35
b.p.
|
|||||||
>
50% and < 75%
|
125
b.p.
|
25
b.p.
|
30
b.p.
|
|||||||
<
50%
|
100
b.p.
|
0
b.p.
|
25
b.p.
|
Each
change in the Applicable Margin and the Commitment Fee Rate shall apply during
the period commencing on the effective date of a change in the Borrowing Base
Utilization Percentage and ending on the date immediately preceding the
effective date of the next such change.
“Applicable
Percentage”
means,
with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the Aggregate Maximum Credit
Amounts represented by such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount as such percentage is
set forth on Annex I or as may be adjusted from time to time in accordance
with
the terms hereof.
2
“Approved
Counterparty”
means
(a) any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender, (b) any other Person whose long
term senior unsecured debt rating at the time of entry into the applicable
Swap
Agreement is A-/A3 by S&P or Xxxxx’x (or their equivalent) or higher, or (c)
with regard to Swap Agreements in respect of commodities, and subject to the
conditions set forth therein, any other Person listed on Schedule
1.02.
“Approved
Petroleum Engineers”
means
(a) Xxxxx Xxxxx Company Petroleum Consultants, L.P., (b) Netherland Xxxxxx
&
Associates, Inc., (c) Xxxxxx & Company, (d) Schlumberger Ltd. and (e) any
other independent petroleum engineers reasonably acceptable to the
Administrative Agent.
“Arranger”
means
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., in its capacities as the sole lead arranger and
sole bookrunner hereunder.
“Assignee”
has
the
meaning set forth in Section 12.04(b).
“Assignment
and Assumption”
means
an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with
the
consent of any party whose consent is required by Section
12.04(b)),
and
accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit G or any other
form
reasonably approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Available
Cash”
means,
with respect to any fiscal quarter ending prior to the Termination
Date:
(a) the
sum
of (i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Parent Guarantor and its
Subsidiaries, treated as a single consolidated entity (or the Parent Guarantor’s
proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries
that are not Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries), on hand at the end of such fiscal
quarter; and (ii) all additional cash and cash equivalents of the Parent
Guarantor and its Subsidiaries (or the Parent Guarantor’s proportionate share of
cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not Wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries) on hand on the date of determination of Available Cash with
respect to such fiscal quarter resulting from working capital borrowings
(including borrowings under this Agreement) made subsequent to the end of such
fiscal quarter, less
(b) the
amount of any cash reserves established by the board of directors of the Parent
Guarantor (or the Parent Guarantor’s proportionate share of cash and cash
equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries)
to (i) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Parent Guarantor
and its Subsidiaries (including reserves for future capital expenditures
including drilling and acquisitions and for anticipated future credit needs
of
the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries), (ii) comply with applicable law
or
any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other
agreement or obligation to which the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary is
a
party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject or (iii) provide funds
for distributions pursuant to Section 6.3(a), Section 6.4 and Section 6.5 of
the
Operating Agreement with respect to any one or more of the next four fiscal
quarters; provided,
that
disbursements made by the Parent Guarantor or its Subsidiaries or cash reserves
established, increased or reduced after the end of such fiscal quarter but
on or
before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such fiscal
quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced,
for purposes of determining Available Cash, within such fiscal quarter if the
board of directors of the Parent Guarantor so determines.
“Availability
Period”
means
the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the
Termination Date.
“Board”
means
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of
America or any successor Governmental Authority.
3
“Borrowing”
means
Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and,
in
the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in
effect.
“Borrowing
Base”
means
at any time an amount equal to the amount determined in accordance with
Section
2.07,
as the
same may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section
2.07(f),
Section
8.13(c)
or
Section
9.11(d).
“Borrowing
Base Equalization Date”
means
the date which is the earlier of (i) June 29, 2008 and (ii) the date (after
consummation of the Acquisition) on which the Parent Guarantor (and has
contributed such net cash proceeds to the Borrower) or the Borrower shall issue
equity or debt securities in an aggregate amount of net cash proceeds at least
equal to $200,000,000.
“Borrowing
Base Utilization Percentage”
means,
as of any day, the fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which
is
the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of the Lenders on such day, and the
denominator of which is the Conforming Borrowing Base (or after the Borrowing
Base Equalization Date, the Borrowing Base) in effect on such day.
“Borrowing
Request”
means
a
request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section
2.03.
“Business
Day”
means
any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks
in
New York, New York, are authorized or required by law to remain closed; and
if
such day relates to a Borrowing or continuation of, a payment or prepayment
of
principal of or interest on, or a conversion of or into, or the Interest Period
for, a Eurodollar Loan or a notice by the Borrower with respect to any such
Borrowing or continuation, payment, prepayment, conversion or Interest Period,
any day which is also a day on which dealings in dollar deposits are carried
out
in the London interbank market.
“Capital
Leases”
means,
in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have
been,
in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases on the balance sheet of
the
Person liable (whether contingent or otherwise) for the payment of rent
thereunder.
“Casualty
Event”
means
any loss, casualty or other insured damage to, or any nationalization, taking
under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of,
any
Property of the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries having a fair market
value in excess of $25,000,000.
“Change
in Control”
means
(a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of
record, by any Person or group of Persons acting in concert as a partnership
or
other “group” (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) of Equity Interests
representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented
by
the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Parent Guarantor (or its
successor by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all
of
its assets); (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats)
on the board of directors of the Parent Guarantor by Persons who were neither
(i) nominated by the board of directors of the Parent Guarantor nor (ii)
appointed by directors so nominated; (c) the Parent Guarantor ceases to be
the
sole member of the Borrower; or (d) Atlas America, Inc., a Delaware corporation,
and/or one or more of its directly or indirectly Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries
ceases to own at least 51% of the issued and outstanding voting Equity Interests
of Atlas Energy Management, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Change
in Law”
means
(a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this
Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the
interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the
date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank
(or,
for purposes of Section
5.01(b),
by any
lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding
company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having
the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date
of
this Agreement.
4
“Closing
Date MAE”
means
a
“Material Adverse Effect” as defined in the Acquisition Agreement affecting the
Target and entitling the buyer not to complete the Acquisition pursuant to
Section 9.12 of the Acquisition Agreement.
“Code”
means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any
successor statute.
“Commitment”
means,
with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans and
to
acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount
representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit
Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) modified from time to time
pursuant to Section
2.06
and (b)
modified from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant
to Section
12.04(b);
and
“Commitments”
means
the aggregate amount of the Commitments of all the Lenders. The amount
representing each Lender’s Commitment shall at any time be the lesser of
(i)
such
Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount and (ii)
such
Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the then effective Borrowing Base. As of the
Closing Date, the aggregate Commitments of the Lenders are
$850,000,000.
“Commitment
Fee Rate”
means,
for any day, the rate set forth in the definition of “Applicable
Margin”.
“Conduit
Lender”
means
any special purpose corporation organized and administered by any Lender for
the
purpose of making Loans otherwise required to be made by such Lender and
designated by such Lender in a written instrument; provided,
that
the designation by any Lender of a Conduit Lender shall not relieve the
designating Lender of any of its obligations to fund a Loan under this Agreement
if, for any reason, its Conduit Lender fails to fund any such Loan, and the
designating Lender (and not the Conduit Lender) shall have the sole right and
responsibility to deliver all consents and waivers required or requested under
this Agreement with respect to its Conduit Lender, and provided,
further,
that no
Conduit Lender shall (a) be entitled to receive any greater amount pursuant
to
Section 5.01, 5.02, 5.03 or 12.03 than the designating Lender would have been
entitled to receive in respect of the extensions of credit made by such Conduit
Lender or (b) be deemed to have any Commitment.
“Conforming
Borrowing Base”
means
at any time an amount equal to the amount determined in accordance with
Section
2.07,
as the
same may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section
2.07(f),
Section
8.13(c)
or
Section
9.11(d).
“Consolidated
Net Income”
means
with respect to the Parent Guarantor and the Consolidated Subsidiaries, for
any
period, the aggregate of the net income (or loss) of the Parent Guarantor and
the Consolidated Subsidiaries after allowances for taxes for such period
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there
shall be excluded from such net income (to the extent otherwise included
therein) the following: (a) the net income of any Person in which the Parent
Guarantor or any Consolidated Subsidiary has an interest (which interest does
not cause the net income of such other Person to be consolidated with the net
income of the Parent Guarantor and the Consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance
with GAAP), except to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions
actually paid in cash during such period by such other Person to the Parent
Guarantor or to a Consolidated Subsidiary, as the case may be; (b) the net
income (but not loss) during such period of any Consolidated Subsidiary to
the
extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions
or
transfers or loans by that Consolidated Subsidiary is not at the time permitted
by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument or
Governmental Requirement applicable to such Consolidated Subsidiary or is
otherwise restricted or prohibited, in each case determined in accordance with
GAAP; (c) the net income (or loss) of any Person acquired in a
pooling-of-interests transaction for any period prior to the date of such
transaction; (d) any extraordinary gains or losses during such period; and
(e)
any gains or losses attributable to writeups or writedowns of assets, including
write-downs under FASB 142 and FASB 144 (to the extent such amounts have been
deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income), provided, however, that any
ceiling limitation writedowns under SEC guidelines shall be treated as
capitalized costs, as if such writedowns had not occurred; and provided further
that if the Parent Guarantor or any Consolidated Subsidiary shall acquire or
dispose of any Property during such period having a fair market value in excess
of $5,000,000, then Consolidated Net Income shall be calculated after giving
pro
forma
effect
to such acquisition or disposition, as if such acquisition or disposition had
occurred on the first day of such period.
5
“Consolidated
Subsidiaries”
means
each Subsidiary (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the Parent Guarantor
(whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired) the financial statements
of which shall be (or should have been) consolidated with the financial
statements of the Parent Guarantor in accordance with GAAP.
“Control”
means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability
to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. For the purposes of this
definition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Person
that owns directly or indirectly 5% or more of the Equity Interests having
ordinary voting power for the election of the directors or other governing
body
of a Person (other than as a limited partner of such other Person) will be
deemed to “control” such other Person. “Controlling”
and
“Controlled”
have
meanings correlative thereto.
“Debt”
means,
for any Person, the sum of the following (without duplication): (a) all
obligations of such Person for borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, bankers’
acceptances, debentures, notes or other similar instruments; (b) all obligations
of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of
credit, surety or other bonds and similar instruments; (c) all accounts payable
and all accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations of such Person to
pay
the deferred purchase price of Property or services; (d) all obligations under
Capital Leases; (e) all obligations under Synthetic Leases; (f) all Debt (as
defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others secured by a Lien
on
any Property of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person;
(g) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others
guaranteed by such Person or in which such Person otherwise assures a creditor
against loss of the Debt (howsoever such assurance shall be made) to the extent
of the lesser of the amount of such Debt and the maximum stated amount of such
guarantee or assurance against loss; (h) all obligations or undertakings of
such
Person to maintain or cause to be maintained the financial position or covenants
of others or to purchase the Debt or Property of others; (i) obligations to
deliver commodities, goods or services, including, without limitation,
Hydrocarbons, in consideration of one or more advance payments for periods
in
excess of 120 days prior to the day of delivery, other than sales of
Hydrocarbons and gas balancing arrangements in the ordinary course of business;
(j) obligations to pay for goods or services whether or not such goods or
services are actually received or utilized by such Person; (k) any Debt of
a
partnership for which such Person is liable either by agreement, by operation
of
law or by a Governmental Requirement but only to the extent of such liability;
(l) Disqualified Capital Stock; and (m) the undischarged balance of any
production payment created by such Person or for the creation of which such
Person directly or indirectly received payment. The Debt of any Person shall
include all obligations of such Person of the character described above to
the
extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding
that any such obligation is not included as a liability of such Person under
GAAP.
6
“Default”
means
any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon
notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event
of
Default.
“Disqualified
Capital Stock”
means
any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into
which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening
of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable for any consideration other
than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital
Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is convertible
or
exchangeable for Debt or redeemable for any consideration other than other
Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock) at
the
option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date
that
is one year after the earlier of (a) the Maturity Date and (b) the date on
which
there are no Loans, LC Exposure or other obligations hereunder outstanding
and
all of the Commitments are terminated. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence,
any Equity Interest that would constitute Disqualified Capital Stock solely
because (i) the holders thereof have the right to require the Person to
repurchase such Equity Interests upon the occurrence of a change of control
or
an asset sale shall not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock.
“dollars”
or
“$”
refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
“Domestic
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of the United States of America
or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.
“EBITDA”
means,
for any period, the sum of Consolidated Net Income for such period plus the
following expenses or charges, without duplication and to the extent deducted
from Consolidated Net Income in such period: interest, income taxes,
depreciation, depletion, amortization and other noncash charges and expenses
(including stock based compensation under FASB 123R and noncash losses under
FASB 133 as a result of changes in the fair market value of derivatives), minus
all noncash income added to Consolidated Net Income (including all noncash
gains
under FASB 133 as a result of changes in the fair market value of derivatives);
provided that EBITDA for each of the four fiscal quarters set forth below shall
be calculated after giving pro forma effect to the Acquisition by adding the
Acquisition EBITDA amount set forth opposite such date to actual historical
EBITDA for such fiscal quarter:
September
30, 2006
|
$
|
27,325,000
|
||
December
31, 2006
|
$
|
27,325,000
|
||
$
|
24,735,000
|
|||
June
30, 2007
|
$
|
25,000,000.
|
“Effective
Date”
means
the date on which the conditions specified in Section
6.01
are
satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section
12.02).
“Engineering
Reports”
has
the
meaning assigned such term in Section
2.07(c)(i).
“Environmental
Laws”
means
any and all Governmental Requirements pertaining in any way to health, safety,
the environment, the preservation or reclamation of natural resources, or the
management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials, in effect
in any and all jurisdictions in which the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary
is
conducting, or at any time has conducted, business, or where any Property of
the
Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary is located, including, the Oil Pollution
Act
of 1990 (“OPA”),
as
amended, the Clean Air Act, as amended, the Comprehensive Environmental,
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”),
as
amended, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act of 1976 (“RCRA”),
as
amended, the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, the Toxic Substances Control
Act, as amended, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986,
as
amended, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Law, as amended, and other
environmental conservation or protection Governmental Requirements.
7
“Equity
Interests”
means
shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a
limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity
ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights
entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such Equity
Interest.
“ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any
successor statutes, and all regulations and guidances promulgated
thereunder.
“ERISA
Affiliate”
means
each trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which together with the
Parent Guarantor or a Subsidiary would be deemed to be a “single employer”
within the meaning of section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA or subsections (b), (c),
(m)
or (o) of section 414 of the Code.
“ERISA
Event”
means
(a) a “Reportable Event” described in section 4043 of ERISA, other than a
Reportable Event as to which the provisions of 30 days notice to the PBGC is
expressly waived under applicable regulations, (b) the withdrawal of the Parent
Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate from a Plan during a plan year
in
which it was a “substantial employer” as defined in section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA,
(c) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Plan or the treatment of
a
Plan amendment as a termination under section 4041 of ERISA, (d) the institution
of proceedings to terminate a Plan by the PBGC, (e) receipt of a notice of
withdrawal liability pursuant to Section 4202 of ERISA or (f) any other event
or
condition which might constitute grounds under section 4042 of ERISA for the
termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any
Plan.
“Eurodollar”,
when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or
the
Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined
by
reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
“Event
of Default”
has
the
meaning assigned such term in Section
10.01.
“Excepted
Liens”
means:
(a) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies which
are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate
action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with
GAAP; (b) Liens in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance
or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations which
are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate
action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with
GAAP; (c) statutory landlord’s liens, operators’, vendors’, carriers’,
warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, mechanics’, suppliers’, workers’, materialmen’s,
construction or other like Liens arising by operation of law in the ordinary
course of business or incident to the exploration, development, operation and
maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties each of which is in respect of obligations
that are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by
appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in
accordance with GAAP; (d) contractual Liens which arise in the ordinary course
of business under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, oil and gas
partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farm-out agreements, division
orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil and natural
gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual
interest agreements, overriding royalty agreements, marketing agreements,
processing agreements, net profits agreements, development agreements, gas
balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and
recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or other
geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are usual and
customary in the oil and gas business and are for claims which are not
delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action,
provided that any such Lien referred to in this clause does not materially
impair the use of the Property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which
such Property is held by the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary or materially
impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (e) Liens arising solely
by
virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens,
rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies and burdening only deposit
accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution,
provided that no such deposit account is a dedicated cash collateral account
or
is subject to restrictions against access by the depositor in excess of those
set forth by regulations promulgated by the Board and no such deposit account
is
intended by Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries to provide collateral
to
the depository institution; (f) easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits,
conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations in any Property of the Parent
Guarantor or any Subsidiary for the purpose of roads, pipelines, transmission
lines, transportation lines, distribution lines for the removal of gas, oil,
coal or other minerals or timber, and other like purposes, or for the joint
or
common use of real estate, rights of way, facilities and equipment which in
the
aggregate do not materially impair the use of such Property for the purposes
of
which such Property is held by the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary or
materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (g) Liens on
cash
or securities pledged to secure performance of tenders, surety and appeal bonds,
government contracts, performance and return of money bonds, bids, trade
contracts, leases, statutory obligations, regulatory obligations and other
obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business; (h)
judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default, provided
that any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for
the review of such judgment shall not have been finally terminated or the period
within which such proceeding may be initiated shall not have expired and no
action to enforce such Lien has been commenced; and (i) Liens arising from
Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases
entered into by the Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries in the ordinary course
of business covering only the Property under lease; provided, further that
(1)
Liens described in clauses (a) through (e), (g) and (h) shall remain “Excepted
Liens” only for so long as no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced and
(2) no intention to subordinate the first priority Lien granted in favor of
the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders is to be hereby implied or expressed by
the
permitted existence of any Excepted Lien.
8
“Existing
Credit Agreement”
means
that certain Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of December 18, 2006 among
the
Borrower, the guarantors, lenders and agents named therein, and Wachovia Bank,
National Association, as administrative agent.
“Existing
Letters of Credit”
means
the letters of credit set forth in Schedule 1.02(b).
“Expense
Sharing Agreement”
means
that certain Applicant’s Expense Agreement dated as of March 24, 2006 between
Anthem Securities, Inc. and Atlas Resources, LLC.
“Federal
Funds Effective Rate”
means,
for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next
1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members
of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published
on
the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or,
if
such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average
(rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations
for
such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
9
“Financial
Officer”
means,
for any Person, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer,
treasurer or controller of such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all
references herein to a Financial Officer means a Financial Officer of the Parent
Guarantor.
“Financial
Statements”
means
the financial statement or statements of the Parent Guarantor and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries referred to in Section
7.04(a).
“Foreign
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.
“GAAP”
means
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect
from
time to time.
“Governmental
Authority”
means
the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any
political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency,
authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or
administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government over the
Parent Guarantor, the Borrower any Subsidiary, any of their Properties, any
Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender.
“Governmental
Requirement”
means
any applicable law, statute, code, ordinance, order, determination, rule,
regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise, permit, certificate,
license, authorization or other directive or requirement, whether now or
hereinafter in effect, including, without limitation, Environmental Laws, energy
regulations and occupational, safety and health standards or controls, of any
Governmental Authority.
“Guarantors”
means:
·
|
the
Parent Guarantor,
|
·
|
AER
PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION, INC.,
|
·
|
AIC,
LLC,
|
·
|
ATLAS
AMERICA, LLC,
|
·
|
ATLAS
ENERGY OHIO, LLC,
|
·
|
ATLAS
NOBLE, LLC,
|
·
|
ATLAS
RESOURCES, LLC,
|
·
|
ATLAS
ENERGY MICHIGAN, LLC,
|
·
|
ATLAS
GAS & OIL COMPANY,
LLC,
|
·
|
WESTSIDE
PIPELINE COMPANY, LLC,
|
·
|
REI-NY,
LLC,
|
·
|
RESOURCE
ENERGY, LLC,
|
10
·
|
RESOURCE
WELL SERVICES, LLC,
|
·
|
VIKING
RESOURCES LLC, and
|
·
|
each
other Material Subsidiary that guarantees the Indebtedness pursuant
to
Section
8.14(b).
|
“Guaranty
Agreement”
means
an agreement executed by the Guarantors in substantially the form of Exhibit
F-2
unconditionally guarantying on a joint and several basis, payment of the
Indebtedness, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time
to
time.
“Hazardous
Material”
means
any substance regulated or as to which liability might arise under any
applicable Environmental Law including: (a) any chemical, compound, material,
product, byproduct, substance or waste defined as or included in the definition
or meaning of “hazardous substance,” “hazardous material,” “hazardous waste,”
“solid waste,” “toxic waste,” “extremely hazardous substance,” “toxic
substance,” “contaminant,” “pollutant,” or words of similar meaning or import
found in any applicable Environmental Law; (b) Hydrocarbons, petroleum products,
petroleum substances, natural gas, oil, oil and gas waste, crude oil, and any
components, fractions, or derivatives thereof; and (c) radioactive materials,
explosives, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated
biphenyls, radon, infectious or medical wastes.
“Hydrocarbon
Interests”
means
all rights, titles, interests and estates now or hereafter acquired in and
to
oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous
hydrocarbon leases, mineral fee interests, overriding royalty and royalty
interests, net profit interests and production payment interests, including
any
reserved or residual interests of whatever nature.
“Hydrocarbons”
means
oil, gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate,
distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all products refined
or separated therefrom.
“Indebtedness”
means
any and all amounts owing or to be owing by the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower
or any Subsidiary: (a) to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any
Lender under any Loan Document; (b) to any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender
under any Swap Agreement or any Specified Cash Management Agreements between
the
Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any Subsidiary and such Lender or Affiliate
of
a Lender while such Person (or in the case of its Affiliate, the Person
affiliated therewith) is a Lender hereunder and (c) all renewals, extensions
and/or rearrangements of any of the above.
“Information
Memorandum”
means
the Confidential Information Memorandum dated June 2007 relating to the Parent
Guarantor, the Borrower and the Transactions.
“Initial
Reserve Report”
means
the report of the Borrower dated February 28, 2007, with respect to certain
Oil
and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of December 31,
2006
and with respect to the Acquisition Properties the report of Schlumberger dated
as of June 4, 2007 evaluating such Properties as of June 30, 2007.
“Interest
Election Request”
means
a
request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with
Section
2.04.
“Interest
Payment Date”
means
(a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September
and December and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the
Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and,
in
the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three
months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that
occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such
Interest Period.
11
“Interest
Period”
means
with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date
of
such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar
month that is one, two, three or six months, and if available by all the
Lenders, nine months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that
(a)
if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such
Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless
such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in
which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day,
(b) no Interest Period may have a term which would extend beyond the Maturity
Date and (c) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that
commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which
there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such
Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month
of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially
shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the
effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such
Borrowing.
“Interim
Redetermination”
has
the
meaning assigned such term in Section
2.07(b).
“Interim
Redetermination Date”
means
the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to an
Interim Redetermination becomes effective as provided in Section
2.07(d).
“Investment”
means,
for any Person: (a) the acquisition (whether for cash, Property, services or
securities or otherwise) of Equity Interests of any other Person or any
agreement to make any such acquisition (including, without limitation, capital
contributions, any “short sale” or any sale of any securities at a time when
such securities are not owned by the Person entering into such short sale),
(b)
the making of any deposit with, or advance, loan or other extension of credit
to, any other Person (including the purchase of Property from another Person
subject to an understanding or agreement, contingent or otherwise, to resell
such Property to such Person, but excluding any such advance, loan or extension
of credit having a term not exceeding ninety (90) days representing the purchase
price of inventory or supplies sold by such Person in the ordinary course of
business) or (c) the entering into of any guarantee of, or other contingent
obligation (including the deposit of any Equity Interests to be sold) with
respect to, Debt or other liability of any other Person and (without
duplication) any amount committed to be advanced, lent or extended to such
Person.
“Issuing
Bank”
means JPMorgan
in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder and, as the context
requires with respect to the Existing Letters of Credit only, Wachovia Bank,
N.A. The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters
of
Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which case the term
“Issuing
Bank”
shall
include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such
Affiliate.
“LC
Commitment”
at
any
time means Fifty Million dollars ($50,000,000).
“LC
Disbursement”
means
a
payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
“LC
Exposure”
means,
at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding
Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC
Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower
at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable
Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.
12
“Lenders”
means
the Persons listed on Annex I, any Person that shall have become a party hereto
pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases
to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, and any Person
that shall have become a party hereto as an Additional Lender pursuant to
Section
2.06(c);
provided,
that
unless the context otherwise requires, each reference herein to the Lenders
shall be deemed to include any Conduit Lender.
“Letter
of Credit”
means
any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement, including the Existing
Letters of Credit.
“Letter
of Credit Agreements”
means
all letter of credit applications and other agreements (including any
amendments, modifications or supplements thereto) submitted by the Borrower
or
entered into by the Borrower with the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of
Credit.
“LIBO
Rate”
means,
with respect to each day during each Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar
Loan, the rate per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in
dollars for a period equal to such Interest Period commencing on the first
day
of such Interest Period appearing on the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page as of
11:00
A.M., London time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest
Period. In the event that such rate does not appear on such page (or otherwise
on such screen), the “LIBO
Rate”
shall
be determined by reference to such other comparable publicly available service
for displaying eurodollar rates as may be selected by the Administrative Agent
or, in the absence of such availability, by reference to the rate at which
the
Administrative Agent is offered dollar deposits at or about 11:00 A.M., London
time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period in the
interbank eurodollar market where its eurodollar and foreign currency and
exchange operations are then being conducted for delivery on the first day
of
such Interest Period for the number of days comprised therein.
“Lien”
means
any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to, or a claim by, a Person
other than the owner of the Property, whether such interest is based on the
common law, statute or contract, and whether such obligation or claim is fixed
or contingent, and including but not limited to (a) the lien or security
interest arising from a mortgage, encumbrance, pledge, security agreement,
conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for
security purposes or (b) production payments and the like payable out of Oil
and
Gas Properties. The term “Lien”
shall
include easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants,
exceptions or reservations. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Parent
Guarantor and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be the owner of any Property
which it has acquired or holds subject to a conditional sale agreement, or
leases under a financing lease or other arrangement pursuant to which title
to
the Property has been retained by or vested in some other Person in a
transaction intended to create a financing.
“Loan
Documents”
means
this Agreement, the Notes, if any, the Letter of Credit Agreements, the Letters
of Credit and the Security Instruments.
“Loan
Parties”
means
the Borrower and each Guarantor, including the Parent Guarantor.
“Loans”
means
the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement.
“Majority
Lenders”
means,
at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having greater
than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; and at any
time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders holding greater
than
fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans
or participation interests in Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale
by a
Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section
12.04(c)).
13
“Management
Agreement”
means
the Management Agreement dated as of December 18, 2006 between the Parent
Guarantor and Atlas Energy Management, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means
any event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on (a) the assets or Properties,
financial condition, businesses or operations of the Loan Parties, taken as
a
whole, (b) the ability of the Loan Parties to carry out its business as of
the
Effective Date or as proposed to be conducted on the Effective Date, or (c)
the
validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or the rights and
remedies available to the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing
Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document.
“Material
Indebtedness”
means
Debt (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect
of
one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Parent Guarantor and
its
Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $25,000,000. For
purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the
obligations of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap
Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect
to
any netting agreements) that the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary would
be
required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time, including
unpaid amounts in respect of such Swap Agreement.
“Material
Subsidiary”
means,
as of any date, any Subsidiary (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) that
(a)
is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary and (b) together with its Subsidiaries (other
than
Unrestricted Subsidiaries), owns Property having a fair market value of $250,000
or more.
“Maturity
Date”
means
June 29, 2012.
“Maximum
Credit Amount”
means,
as to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Annex I
under the caption “Maximum Credit Amounts”, as the same may be (a) reduced or
terminated from time to time in connection with a reduction or termination
of
the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section
2.06(b),
(b)
increased from time to time pursuant to Section
2.06(c)
or (c)
modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment permitted by Section
12.04(b).
As of
the Closing Date, the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts of the Lenders are
$850,000,000.
“Maximum
Credit Amount Increase Certificate”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Section
2.06(c)(ii)(D).
“Moody’s”
means
Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto that is a nationally
recognized rating agency.
“Mortgaged
Property”
means
any Property owned by any Loan Party which is subject to the Liens existing
and
to exist under the terms of the Security Instruments.
“Multiemployer
Plan”
means
a
Plan which is a multiemployer plan as defined in section 3(37) or 4001 (a)(3)
of
ERISA.
“New
Borrowing Base Notice”
has
the
meaning assigned such term in Section
2.07(d).
“Non-Recourse
Debt”
means
any Debt of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, in each case in respect of which:
(a)
the holder or holders thereof (i) shall have recourse only to, and shall have
the right to require the obligations of such Unrestricted Subsidiary to be
performed, satisfied, and paid only out of, the Property of such Unrestricted
Subsidiary and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries (but only to the extent that
such Subsidiaries are Unrestricted Subsidiaries) and/or any other Person (other
than any Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries which have not been designated
as Unrestricted Subsidiaries) and (ii) shall have no direct or indirect recourse
(including by way of guaranty, support or indemnity) to any Loan Party or any
of
their Subsidiaries which have not be designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries
or
to any of the Property of such Persons, whether for principal, interest, fees,
expenses or otherwise; and (b) the terms and conditions relating to the
non-recourse nature of such Debt are in form and substance reasonably acceptable
to the Administrative Agent.
14
“Non-US
Lender”
has
the
meaning set forth in Section
5.03(d).
“Notes”
means
the promissory notes, if any, of the Borrower described in Section
2.02(c)
and
being substantially in the form of Exhibit A, together with all amendments,
modifications, replacements, extensions and rearrangements thereof.
“Oil
and Gas Properties”
means
(a) Hydrocarbon Interests; (b) the Properties now or hereafter pooled or
unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests; (c) all presently existing or future
unitization, pooling agreements and declarations of pooled units and the units
created thereby (including without limitation all units created under orders,
regulations and rules of any Governmental Authority) which may affect all or
any
portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests; (d) all operating agreements,
contracts and other agreements, including production sharing contracts and
agreements, which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production,
sale, purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable
to
such Hydrocarbon Interests; (e) all Hydrocarbons in and under and which may
be
produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, including
all
oil in tanks, and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, revenues
and
other incomes from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests; (f) all
tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and Properties in any manner
appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests
and
(g) all Properties, rights, titles, interests and estates described or referred
to above, including any and all Property, real or personal, now owned or
hereinafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in
connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon
Interests or Property (excluding drilling rigs, automotive equipment, rental
equipment or other personal Property which may be on such premises for the
purpose of drilling a well or for other similar temporary uses) and including
any and all oil xxxxx, gas xxxxx, injection xxxxx or other xxxxx, buildings,
structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps,
pumping units, field gathering systems, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures,
valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus,
equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing
and rods, surface leases, rights-of-way, easements and servitudes together
with
all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any
and all of the foregoing.
“Operating
Agreement”
means
the Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of the Parent Guarantor dated
as of
December 18, 2006, as the same may be amended in accordance with Section
9.18.
“Other
Taxes”
means
any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise
or
Property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made
hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with
respect to, this Agreement and any other Loan Document.
“Participant”
has
the
meaning set forth in Section
12.04(c)(i).
“Partnerships”
means
the partnerships listed on Schedule 7.15 and any other partnerships which are
engaged principally in the acquisition and development of Oil and Gas Properties
as may be wholly or partially owned, directly or indirectly, by any Loan Party
from time to time hereafter.
15
“PBGC”
means
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or any successor thereto.
“Person”
means
any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint
venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other
entity.
“Plan”
means
any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in section 3(2) of ERISA, which
(a) is currently or hereafter sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the
Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate or (b) was at any time
during the six calendar years preceding the date hereof, sponsored, maintained
or contributed to by the Parent Guarantor or a Subsidiary or an ERISA
Affiliate.
“Prime
Rate”
means
the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by
JPMorgan as
its
prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York, New York; each change
in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change
is
publicly announced as being effective. Such rate is set by the Administrative
Agent as a general reference rate of interest, taking into account such factors
as the Administrative Agent may deem appropriate; it being understood that
many
of the Administrative Agent’s commercial or other loans are priced in relation
to such rate, that it is not necessarily the lowest or best rate actually
charged to any customer and that the Administrative Agent may make various
commercial or other loans at rates of interest having no relationship to such
rate.
“Property”
means
any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed,
or tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, cash, securities,
accounts and contract rights.
“Proposed
Borrowing Base”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Section
2.07(c)(i).
“Proposed
Borrowing Base Notice”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Section
2.07(c)(ii).
“Redemption”
means
with respect to any Debt, the repurchase, redemption, prepayment, repayment
or
defeasance (or the segregation of funds with respect to any of the foregoing)
of
such Debt. “Redeem”
has
the
correlative meaning thereto.
“Redetermination
Date”
means,
with respect to any Scheduled Redetermination or any Interim Redetermination,
the date that the redetermined Borrowing Base related thereto becomes effective
pursuant to Section
2.07(d).
“Register”
has
the
meaning assigned such term in Section
12.04(b)(iv).
“Regulation
D”
means
Regulation D of the Board, as the same may be amended, supplemented or replaced
from time to time.
“Related
Parties”
means,
with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the
respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors (including
attorneys, accountants and experts) of such Person and such Person’s
Affiliates.
“Release”
means
any depositing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, placing, emitting,
discarding, abandoning, emptying, discharging, migrating, injecting, escaping,
leaching, dumping, or disposing.
“Remedial
Work”
has
the
meaning assigned such term in Section
8.10.
“Reserve
Report”
means
the Initial Reserve Report and a report, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth, as of each December
31st or June 30th (or such other date in the event of an Interim
Redetermination) the oil and gas reserves attributable to the Oil and Gas
Properties of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (or the Borrower’s proportionate
share of such Oil and Gas Properties in the case of the Partnerships), together
with a projection of the rate of production and future net income, taxes,
operating expenses and capital expenditures with respect thereto as of such
date,
consistent with SEC reporting requirements at the time, together with a
supplement indicating future net income based
upon the Administrative Agent’s usual and customary pricing assumptions for oil
and gas loans then in effect, in each case reflecting Swap Agreements in place
with respect to such production. Each Reserve Report shall include a report
on a
well by well basis reflecting the working and revenue interests for the Borrower
and each Guarantor, and the net working interest and net revenue interests
for
each Partnership and such other information and in such form as may be
reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.
16
“Responsible
Officer”
means,
as to any Person, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer,
the
President, any Financial Officer or any Vice President of such Person. Unless
otherwise specified, all references to a Responsible Officer herein shall mean
a
Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor.
“Restricted
Payment”
means
any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other
Property) with respect to any Equity Interests in any Person, or any payment
(whether in cash, securities or other Property), including any sinking fund
or
similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement,
acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests or any
option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity
Interests.
“Revolving
Credit Exposure”
means,
with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal
amount of such Lender’s Loans and its LC Exposure at such time.
“Scheduled
Redetermination”
has
the
meaning assigned such term in Section
2.07(b).
“Scheduled
Redetermination Date”
means
the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to a
Scheduled Redetermination becomes effective as provided in Section
2.07(d).
“SEC”
means
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor Governmental
Authority.
“Security
Instruments”
means
the Guaranty Agreement, mortgages, deeds of trust and other agreements,
instruments or certificates described or referred to in Exhibit F-1, and any
and
all other agreements, instruments or certificates now or hereafter executed
and
delivered by any Loan Party or any other Person (other than Swap Agreements
or
Specified Cash Management Agreements with the Lenders or any Affiliate of a
Lender or participation or similar agreements between any Lender and any other
lender or creditor with respect to any Indebtedness pursuant to this Agreement)
in connection with, or as security for the payment or performance of the
Indebtedness, the Notes, if any, this Agreement, or reimbursement obligations
under the Letters of Credit, as such agreements may be amended, modified,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Senior
Notes”
means
any unsecured senior or senior subordinated notes issued by the Parent Guarantor
or the Borrower under Section 9.02(h) and any guarantees thereof by the Borrower
or a Guarantor.
“Significant
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary of the Borrower (together with the Subsidiaries of such
Subsidiary) which has total assets and liabilities in excess of
$15,000,000.
17
“Solvent”
means
when used with respect to any Person, means that, as of any date of
determination, (a) the amount of the “present fair saleable value” of the assets
of such Person will, as of such date, exceed the amount of all “liabilities of
such Person, contingent or otherwise”, as of such date, as such quoted terms are
determined in accordance with applicable federal and state laws governing
determinations of the insolvency of debtors, (b) the present fair saleable
value
of the assets of such Person will, as of such date, be greater than the amount
that will be required to pay the liability of such Person on its debts as such
debts become absolute and matured, (c) such Person will not have, as of such
date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to conduct its
business, and (d) such Person will be able to pay its debts as they mature.
“S&P”
means
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies,
Inc., and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating
agency.
“Specified
Cash Management Agreement”
means
any agreement providing for treasury, depositary, purchasing card or cash
management services, including in connection with any automated clearing house
transfers of funds or any similar transactions between the Borrower or any
Guarantor and any Lender or Affiliate thereof.
“Statutory
Reserve Rate”
means
a
fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one
and
the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum
reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental
reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the
Administrative Agent is subject for eurocurrency funding (currently referred
to
as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve
percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D.
Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to
be
subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration,
exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender
under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve
Rate
shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change
in
any reserve percentage.
“Subsidiary”
means:
(a) any Person of which at least a majority of the outstanding Equity Interests
having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the
board of directors, manager or other governing body of such Person (irrespective
of whether or not at the time Equity Interests of any other class or classes
of
such Person shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening
of
any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled
by
the Parent Guarantor and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries, (b) any partnership
of which the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries is a general partner
and (c) without duplication of clause (b), each Partnership. Unless otherwise
indicated herein, each reference to the term “Subsidiary”
shall
mean a Subsidiary of the Parent Guarantor.
“Super-Majority
Lenders”
means,
at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having at
least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-⅔%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit
Amounts; and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders
holding at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-⅔%) of the outstanding
aggregate principal amount of the Loans or participation interests in Letters
of
Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan
under Section
12.04(c)).
“Swap
Agreement”
means
any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative
transaction or option or similar agreement, whether exchange traded,
“over-the-counter” or otherwise, involving, or settled by reference to, one or
more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities,
or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial
or
pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these
transactions.
18
“Synthetic
Leases”
means,
in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have
been,
in accordance with GAAP, treated as operating leases on the financial statements
of the Person liable (whether contingently or otherwise) for the payment of
rent
thereunder and which were properly treated as indebtedness for borrowed money
for purposes of U.S. federal income taxes, if the lessee in respect thereof
is
obligated to either purchase for an amount in excess of, or pay upon early
termination an amount in excess of, 80% of the residual value of the Property
subject to such operating lease upon expiration or early termination of such
lease.
“Target”
means
DTE Gas & Oil Company, a Michigan corporation.
“Termination
Date”
means
the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the
Commitments.
“Total
Debt”
means,
at any date, all Debt of the Parent Guarantor and the Consolidated Subsidiaries
on a consolidated basis other than (i) contingent obligations in respect of
Debt
described in clause (b) and (ii) Debt described in clause (c) of the definition
of “Debt”. For the avoidance of doubt, “Total Debt” shall not include “asset
retirement obligations” as such term is used in FASB Statement 143 to the extent
such term relates to the plugging and abandonment of xxxxx.
“Transactions”
means,
with respect to (a) the Borrower, the execution, delivery and performance by
the
Borrower of this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party,
the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of
Letters of Credit hereunder, and the grant of Liens by the Borrower on Mortgaged
Properties pursuant to the Security Instruments and (b) each Guarantor, the
execution, delivery and performance by such Guarantor of each Loan Document
and
each Acquisition Document to which it is a party, consummation of the
Acquisition, the guaranteeing of the Indebtedness and the other obligations
under the Guaranty Agreement by such Guarantor and such Guarantor’s grant of the
security interests and provision of collateral thereunder, and the grant of
Liens by such Guarantor on Mortgaged Properties pursuant to the Security
Instruments.
“Transferee”
means
any Assignee or Participant.
“Type”,
when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of
interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined
by reference to the Alternate Base Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
“Unrestricted
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary designated as such on Schedule 7.15 or which the Borrower has
designated in writing to the Administrative Agent to be an Unrestricted
Subsidiary pursuant to Section
9.19.
“Wholly-Owned
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary of which all of the outstanding Equity Interests (other than
any
directors’ qualifying shares mandated by applicable law), on a fully-diluted
basis, are owned by the Parent Guarantor or one or more of the Wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries or by the Parent Guarantor and one or more of the Wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries.
Section
1.03 Types
of Loans and Borrowings.
For
purposes of this Agreement, Loans and Borrowings, respectively, may be
classified and referred to by Type (e.g.,
a
“Eurodollar
Loan”
or
a
“Eurodollar
Borrowing”).
Section
1.04 Terms
Generally;
Rules of Construction.
The
definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural
forms
of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall
include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words
“include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the
phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same
meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise
(a)
any
definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein
shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document
as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to
any
restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein),
(b)
any
reference herein to any law shall be construed as referring to such law as
amended, modified, codified or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect
from time to time, (c)
any
reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s
successors and assigns (subject to the restrictions contained herein),
(d)
the
words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be
construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular
provision hereof, (e)
with
respect to the determination of any time period, the word “from” means “from and
including” and the word “to” means “to and including” and (f)
any
reference herein to Articles, Sections, Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules shall
be
construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Annexes, Exhibits and
Schedules to, this Agreement.
19
Section
1.05 Accounting
Terms and Determinations.
Unless
otherwise specified herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature
shall
be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time;
provided
that, if
the Borrower or the Parent Guarantor notifies the Administrative Agent that
the
Borrower or the Parent Guarantor requests an amendment to any provision hereof
to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP
or
in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the
Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower or the Parent Guarantor that the
Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose),
regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change
in
GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted
on
the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall
have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such
provision amended in accordance herewith.
ARTICLE
II
The
Credits
Section
2.01 Commitments.
Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Loans
to the Borrower during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount
that will not result in (a)
such
Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment
and (b)
the
total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments. Within the
foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein,
the
Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow the Loans.
Section
2.02 Loans
and Borrowings.
(a) Borrowings;
Several Obligations.
Each
Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans made by the
Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure
of
any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any
other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments are
several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to
make Loans as required.
(b) Types
of Loans.
Subject
to Section
3.03,
each
Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the
Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may
make
any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate
of
such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall
not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance
with
the terms of this Agreement.
20
(c) Minimum
Amounts; Limitation on Number of Borrowings.
At the
commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such
Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000. At the time that each ABR Borrowing
is
made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral
multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000; provided that an ABR
Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused
balance of the total Commitments. Borrowings of more than one Type may be
outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be
more
than a total of fifteen (15) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to
request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest
Period requested with respect thereto would end after
the
Maturity Date.
(d) Notes.
If a
Lender shall make a written request to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower
to have its Loans evidenced by a promissory note, then the Borrower shall
execute and deliver a single promissory note of the Borrower in substantially
the form of Exhibit A, payable to the order of such Lender in a principal amount
equal to its Maximum Credit Amount as then in effect, and otherwise duly
completed. The date, amount, Type, interest rate and, if applicable, Interest
Period of each Loan made by each Lender, and all payments made on account of
the
principal thereof, may be recorded by such Lender on its books for its Note,
and, prior to any transfer, may be endorsed by such Lender on a schedule
attached to such Note or any continuation thereof or on any separate record
maintained by such Lender; provided that the failure to make any such notation
or to attach a schedule shall not affect any Lender’s or the Borrower’s rights
or obligations in respect of such Loans or affect the validity of such transfer
by any Lender of its Note.
Section
2.03 Requests
for Borrowings.
To
request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of
such
request by telephone or by written Borrowing Request in substantially the form
of Exhibit B and signed by the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower (a
“written
Borrowing Request”):
(a)
in the
case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York, New York
time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or
(b)
in the
case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York, New York time,
one Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each telephonic
and written Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and each telephonic Borrowing
Request shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the
Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request. Each such telephonic and
written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance
with Section
2.02:
(i) the
aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the
date
of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether
such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;
(iv) in
the
case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable
thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term
“Interest Period”;
(v) the
amount of the then effective Borrowing Base and the then effective Conforming
Borrowing Base, the current total Revolving Credit Exposures (without regard
to
the requested Borrowing) and the pro
forma
total
Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Borrowing);
and
(vi) the
location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be
disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section
2.05.
21
After
the
Borrowing Base Equalization Date, information regarding the Conforming Borrowing
Base may be omitted from subsequent Borrowing Requests.
If
no
election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing
shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect
to
any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have
selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Each Borrowing Request
shall constitute a representation that the amount of the requested Borrowing
shall not cause the total Revolving Credit Exposures to exceed the total
Commitments (i.e.,
the
lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing
Base).
Promptly
following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section
2.03,
the
Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of
the
amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested
Borrowing.
Section
2.04 Interest
Elections.
(a) Conversion
and Continuance.
Each
Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing
Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial
Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower
may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such
Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods
therefor, all as provided in this Section
2.04.
The
Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of
the
affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably
among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans
comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate
Borrowing.
(b) Interest
Election Requests.
To make
an election pursuant to this Section
2.04,
the
Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone
or
by a written Interest Election Request in substantially the form of Exhibit
C
and signed by the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower (a “written
Interest Election Request”)
by the
time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section
2.03
if the
Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election
to
be made on the effective date of such election. Each telephonic and written
Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and each telephonic Interest
Election Request shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to
the
Administrative Agent.
(c) Information
in Interest Election Requests.
Each
telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following
information in compliance with Section
2.02:
(i) the
Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different
options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the
portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case
the
information to be specified pursuant to Section
2.04(c)(iii)
and
(iv)
shall be
specified for each resulting Borrowing);
(ii) the
effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request,
which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether
the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;
and
(iv) if
the
resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be
applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period
contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.
22
If
any
such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not
specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected
an Interest Period of one month’s duration.
(d) Notice
to Lenders by the Administrative Agent.
Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative
Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s
portion of each resulting Borrowing.
(e) Effect
of Failure to Deliver Timely Interest Election Request and Events of Default
on
Interest Election.
If the
Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to
a
Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto,
then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such
Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing.
Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing: (i)
no
outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing
(and any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing
to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be
ineffective) and (ii)
unless
repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at
the
end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
Section
2.05 Funding
of Borrowings.
(a) Funding
by Lenders.
Each
Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date
thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 1:00 p.m., New York,
New York time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently
designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative
Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting
the
amounts so received, in like funds, to an account designated by the Borrower
in
the applicable Borrowing Request.
(b) Presumption
of Funding by the Lenders.
Unless
the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to
the
proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to
the
Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative
Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date
in
accordance with Section
2.05(a)
and may,
in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding
amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the
applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable
Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent
forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each
day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower
to
but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i)
in the
case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a
rate
determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry
rules
on interbank compensation or (ii)
in the
case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender
pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute
such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.
Section
2.06 Termination,
Reduction and Increase of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.
(a) Scheduled
Termination of Commitments.
Unless
previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.
If
at any time the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts or the Borrowing Base is
terminated or reduced to zero, then the Commitments shall terminate on the
effective date of such termination or reduction.
(b) Optional
Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Credit Amounts.
(i) The
Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Aggregate
Maximum Credit Amounts; provided that (A)
each
reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be in an amount that
is
an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 and (B)
the
Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts
if,
after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance
with
Section
3.04(c),
the
total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total
Commitments.
23
(ii) The
Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate
or
reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts under Section
2.06(b)(i)
at least
three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or
reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly
following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the
Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant
to this Section
2.06(b)(ii)
shall be
irrevocable. Any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit
Amounts shall be permanent and may not be reinstated except pursuant to
Section
2.06(c).
Each
reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be made ratably among
the Lenders in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage.
(c) Optional
Increase in Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.
(i) Subject
to the conditions set forth in Section
2.06(c)(ii),
the
Borrower may increase the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts then in effect with
the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent by increasing the Maximum
Credit Amount of a Lender or by causing a Person that at such time is not a
Lender to become a Lender (an “Additional
Lender”).
(ii) Any
increase in the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be subject to the
following additional conditions:
(A) such
increase shall not be less than $50,000,000 unless the Administrative Agent
otherwise consents, and no such increase shall be permitted if after giving
effect thereto the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts would exceed
$1,050,000,000;
(B) no
Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the effective date of such
increase or would result after giving effect to such increase;
(C) no
Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount may be increased without the consent of such
Lender
(such
consent to be granted in such Lender’s sole discretion);
(D) if
the
Borrower elects to increase the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts by increasing
the Maximum Credit Amount of a Lender, the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and
such Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate
substantially in the form of Exhibit H-1 (a “Maximum
Credit Amount Increase Certificate”);
and
(E) if
the
Borrower elects to increase the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts by causing
an
Additional Lender to become a party to this Agreement, then the Parent
Guarantor, the Borrower and such Additional Lender shall execute and deliver
to
the Administrative Agent a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit
H-2
(an “Additional
Lender Certificate”),
together with an Administrative Questionnaire.
(iii) Any
such
Additional Lender shall be deemed to be a party in all respects to this
Agreement and any other Loan Documents to which the Lenders are a party, and
upon the effective date set forth in such Additional Lender Certificate or
Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate, any such Lender party to a Maximum
Credit Amount Increase Certificate or an Additional Lender Certificate shall
purchase a pro rata portion of the outstanding Revolving Credit Exposure of
each
of the current Lenders such that the Lenders (including any Additional Lender,
if applicable) shall have the appropriate portion of the aggregate outstanding
Revolving Credit Exposure (based in each case of such Lender’s Applicable
Percentage, as revised pursuant to this Section).
24
Section
2.07 Borrowing
Base.
(a) Initial
Borrowing Base and Initial Conforming Borrowing Base.
For the
period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the first
Redetermination Date, the amount of the Borrowing Base shall be $850,000,000
and the amount of the Conforming Borrowing Base shall be $685,000,000; provided
that for the period from the Effective Date until the Borrowing Base
Equalization Date the Borrowing Base shall not be less than $850,000,000.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowing Base and the Conforming Borrowing
Base may be subject to further adjustments from time to time pursuant to
Section
2.07(f),
Section
8.13(c)
or
Section
9.11(d).
On
the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced to
an
amount equal to the Conforming Borrowing Base.
(b) Scheduled
and Interim Redeterminations.
The
Borrowing Base and, until the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming
Borrowing Base, shall be redetermined semi-annually
in accordance with this Section
2.07
(a
“Scheduled
Redetermination”),
and,
subject to Section
2.07(d),
such
redetermined amounts shall become effective and applicable to the Borrower,
the
Agents, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders on April 1st and October 1st of
each
year,
commencing October 1,
2007.
In
addition, the Borrower may, by notifying the Administrative Agent thereof,
and
the Administrative Agent may, at the direction of the Super-Majority Lenders,
by
notifying the Borrower thereof, one time during each six month period, elect
any
of the foregoing amounts to be redetermined between Scheduled Redeterminations
(an “Interim
Redetermination”)
in
accordance with this Section
2.07.
(c) Scheduled
and Interim Redetermination Procedure.
(i) Each
Scheduled Redetermination and each Interim Redetermination shall be effectuated
as follows: Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of (A)
the
Reserve Report and the certificate required to be delivered by the Borrower
to
the Administrative Agent, in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, pursuant
to Section
8.12(a)
and
(c),
and, in
the case of an Interim Redetermination, pursuant to Section
8.12(b)
and
(c),
and
(B)
such
other reports, data and supplemental information, including, without limitation,
the information provided pursuant to Section
8.12(c),
as may,
from time to time, be reasonably requested by the Super-Majority Lenders (the
Reserve Report, such certificate and such other reports, data and supplemental
information being the “Engineering
Reports”),
the
Administrative Agent shall evaluate the information contained in the Engineering
Reports and shall, in good faith, propose a new Borrowing Base, which prior
to
the Borrowing Base Equalization Date shall further specify a new Conforming
Borrowing Base (all such amounts being the “Proposed
Borrowing Base”)
based
upon such information and such other information (including, without limitation,
the status of title information with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties
as
described in the Engineering Reports and the existence of any other Debt) as
the
Administrative Agent deems appropriate in its sole discretion and consistent
with its normal oil and gas lending criteria as it exists at the particular
time.
(ii) The
Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Proposed
Borrowing Base (the “Proposed
Borrowing Base Notice”):
(A) in
the
case of a Scheduled Redetermination (1)
if the
Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to
be
delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section
8.12(a)
and
(c)
in a
timely and complete manner, then on or before the March 15th and September
15th
of such year following the date of delivery or (2)
if the
Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required
to
be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section
8.12(a)
and
(c)
in a
timely and complete manner, then promptly after the Administrative Agent has
received complete Engineering Reports from the Borrower and has had a reasonable
opportunity to determine the Proposed Borrowing Base in accordance with
Section
2.07(c)(i);
and
25
(B) in
the
case of an Interim Redetermination, promptly, and in any event, within fifteen
(15) days after the Administrative Agent has received the required Engineering
Reports.
(iii) Any
Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base (and prior to
the
Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) then in effect
must be approved or deemed to have been approved by all of the Lenders as
provided in this Section
2.07(c)(iii);
and any
Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base
(and
prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base)
then in effect must be approved or be deemed to have been approved by the
Super-Majority Lenders as provided in this Section
2.07(c)(iii).
Such
decisions will be made by each Lender based upon such criteria as such Lender
deems appropriate in its sole discretion and consistent with its normal oil
and
gas lending criteria as it exists at the particular time. Upon receipt of the
Proposed Borrowing Base Notice, each Lender shall have fifteen (15) days to
agree with the Proposed Borrowing Base or disagree with the Proposed Borrowing
Base by proposing an alternate Borrowing Base (which proposal must prior to
the
Borrowing Base Equalization Date also propose a Conforming Borrowing Base).
If
at the end of such fifteen (15) days, any Lender has not communicated its
approval or disapproval in writing to the Administrative Agent, such silence
shall be deemed to be an approval of the Proposed Borrowing Base. If, at the
end
of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing
Base that would increase the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base
Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) then in effect, or the
Super-Majority Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would
decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base
Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) then in effect, have approved
or deemed to have approved, as aforesaid, then the Proposed Borrowing Base
(and
prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base)
shall become the new Borrowing Base and the new Conforming Borrowing Base,
effective on the date specified in Section
2.07(d).
If,
however, at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders or the
Super-Majority Lenders, as applicable, have not approved or deemed to have
approved, as aforesaid, then the Administrative Agent shall poll the Lenders
to
ascertain the highest amount (which proposal must, prior to the Borrowing Base
Equalization Date, also propose a Conforming Borrowing Base) then acceptable
to
all of the Lenders, or the Super-Majority Lenders in the case of an amount
that
would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base
Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base), then in effect, for purposes
of this Section
2.07
and such
amount shall become the new Borrowing Base (and, prior to the Borrowing Base
Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base), effective on the date
specified in Section
2.07(d).
(d) Effectiveness
of a Redetermined Borrowing Base.
After a
redetermined Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date,
the Conforming Borrowing Base) is approved or is deemed to have been approved
by
all of the Lenders or the Super-Majority Lenders, as applicable, pursuant to
Section
2.07(c)(iii),
the
Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders (the
“New
Borrowing Base Notice”),
and
such amount (or amounts, as applicable) shall become the new Borrowing Base
(and
prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the new Conforming Borrowing
Base), effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Agents, the Issuing Bank
and the Lenders:
(i) in
the
case of a Scheduled Redetermination, (A)
if the
Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to
be
delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section
8.12(a)
and
(c)
in a
timely and complete manner, then on the April 1st or October 1st, as applicable,
following such notice, or (B)
if the
Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required
to
be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section
8.12(a)
and
(c)
in a
timely and complete manner, then on the Business Day next succeeding delivery
of
such notice; and
26
(ii) in
the
case of an Interim Redetermination, on the Business Day next succeeding delivery
of such notice.
(e) Such
amount shall then become the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base
Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) until the next Scheduled
Redetermination Date, the next Interim Redetermination Date or the next
adjustment, to the extent applicable, under Section
2.07(f),
Section
8.13(c)
or
Section
9.11,
whichever occurs first. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Scheduled
Redetermination or Interim Redetermination shall become effective until the
New
Borrowing Base Notice related thereto is received by the Borrower.
(f) Reduction
of Borrowing Base Upon Issuance of Permitted Senior Notes.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the issuance
of
any Senior Notes in accordance with Section 9.02(h), the Borrowing Base and
the
Conforming Borrowing Base then in effect shall be reduced by an amount equal
to
the product of 0.25 multiplied by the stated principal amount of such Senior
Notes (without regard to any initial issue discount), and the Borrowing Base
and
the Conforming Borrowing Base as so reduced shall become the new Borrowing
Base
and the new Conforming Base immediately upon the date of such issuance,
effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Agents, the Issuing Bank and
the
Lenders on such date until the next redetermination or modification thereof
hereunder;
provided that if the date of such issuance constitutes the Borrowing Base
Equalization Date, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced to an amount equal to
the
Conforming Borrowing Base (as in effect prior to such issuance) less the
reduction required by this Section
2.07(f).
Section
2.08 Letters
of Credit.
(a) General.
Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the
Issuing Bank to issue US dollar denominated Letters of Credit for its own
account or for the account of the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries,
in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing
Bank, at any time and from time to time during the period from the Effective
Date until the day which is five (5) Business Days prior to the end of the
Availability Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and
conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter
of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or
entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter
of
Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.
(b) Notice
of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions.
To
request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or
extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver
or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing
so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the
Administrative Agent (unless otherwise agreed by the Issuing Bank, not less
than
three (3) Business Days in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment,
renewal or extension) a notice:
(i) requesting
the issuance of a Letter of Credit or identifying the outstanding Letter of
Credit to be amended, renewed or extended;
27
(ii) specifying
the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business
Day);
(iii) specifying
the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with
Section
2.08(c));
(iv) specifying
the amount of such Letter of Credit;
(v) specifying
the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information
as
shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit;
and
(vi) specifying
the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base and the current total Revolving
Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Letter of Credit or the
requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit)
and the pro
forma
total
Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Letter of Credit
or
the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of
Credit).
Each
notice shall constitute a representation that after giving effect to the
requested issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, as applicable, (i) the
LC
Exposure shall not exceed the LC Commitment and (ii) the total Revolving Credit
Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments (i.e.,
the
lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing
Base).
If
requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit
application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request
for a Letter of Credit and shall guarantee the reimbursement of any Letter
of
Credit issued for the account of the Parent Guarantor or a
Subsidiary.
(c) Expiration
Date.
Each
Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the
earlier of (i)
the date
one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the
case of any renewal, which renewal may be provided for in the initial Letter
of
Credit, or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and
(ii)
the date
that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.
(d) Participations.
By the
issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to an existing Letter of Credit
increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of
the
Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender,
and
each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such
Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate
amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration
and
in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and
unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account
of
the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement
made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due
as
provided in Section
2.08(e),
or of
any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any
reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire
participations pursuant to this Section
2.08(d)
in
respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be
affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or
extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default
or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment
shall
be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction
whatsoever.
(e) Reimbursement.
If the
Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, the Borrower shall reimburse such
LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such
LC
Disbursement not later than the fifth (5th)
Business Day after the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC
Disbursement, together with interest on the amount disbursed from and including
the date of disbursement until payment in full of such disbursed amount at
a
varying rate per annum equal to (i) the then applicable interest rate for ABR
Loans for each day such LC Disbursement shall remain outstanding through the
fifth (5th)
Business Day following its receipt of notice of such disbursement and (ii)
thereafter, the post-default rate for ABR Loans for the period from and
including the sixth Business Day following the date of such disbursement to
and
including the date of repayment in full of such disbursed amount. If the
Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall
notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due
from
the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.
Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the
Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from
the
Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section
2.05
with
respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section
2.05
shall
apply, mutatis
mutandis,
to the
payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly
pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly
following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower
pursuant to this Section
2.08(e),
the
Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or,
to
the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this Section
2.08(e)
to
reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders as their interests may
appear.
Any
payment made by a Lender pursuant to this Section
2.08(e)
to
reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement shall not constitute a Loan
and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC
Disbursement.
28
(f) Obligations
Absolute.
The
Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in Section
2.08(e)
shall be
absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances
whatsoever and irrespective of (i)
any lack
of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit
Agreement or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii)
any
draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged,
fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue
or
inaccurate in any respect, (iii)
payment
by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft
or
other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit
or
any Letter of Credit Agreement, or (iv)
any
other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the
foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section
2.08(f),
constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff
against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent,
the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties shall have
any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance
or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any
payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in
the
preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in
transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under
or
relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a
drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any
consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank; provided
that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from
liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to
consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the
Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower
that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining
whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply
with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence
of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank,
the
Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised all requisite care in each such
determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the
generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented
which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of
a
Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept
and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further
investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or
refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are
not
in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.
29
(g) Disbursement
Procedures.
The
Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all
documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit.
The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower
by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether
the
Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided
that
any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the
Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with
respect to any such LC Disbursement.
(h) Interim
Interest.
If the
Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, until the Borrower shall
have
reimbursed the Issuing Bank for such LC Disbursement, the unpaid amount thereof
shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC
Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses
such
LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Loans. Interest
accrued pursuant to this Section
2.08(h)
shall be
for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after
the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to Section
2.08(e)
to
reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent
of such payment.
(i) Cash
Collateralization.
If
(i)
any
Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the Borrower receives notice
from the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders demanding the deposit
of
cash collateral pursuant to this Section
2.08(i),
or
(ii)
the
Borrower is required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable
to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section
3.04(c),
then
the Borrower shall deposit, in an account with the Administrative Agent, in
the
name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount
in cash equal to, in the case of an Event of Default, the LC Exposure, and
in
the case of a payment required by Section
3.04(c),
the
amount of such excess as provided in Section
3.04(c),
as of
such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the
obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective three (3)
Business Days after notice from the Administrative Agent, and such deposit
shall
become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind,
upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to any Loan Party
or
any Subsidiary described in Section
10.01(h)
or
Section
10.01(i).
The
Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the
Issuing Bank and the Lenders, an exclusive first priority and continuing
perfected security interest in and Lien on such account and all cash, checks,
drafts, certificates and instruments, if any, from time to time deposited or
held in such account, all deposits or wire transfers made thereto, any and
all
investments purchased with funds deposited in such account, all interest,
dividends, cash, instruments, financial assets and other Property from time
to
time received, receivable or otherwise payable in respect of, or in exchange
for, any or all of the foregoing, and all proceeds, products, accessions, rents,
profits, income and benefits therefrom, and any substitutions and replacements
therefor. The Borrower’s obligation to deposit amounts pursuant to this
Section
2.08(i)
shall be
absolute and unconditional, without regard to whether any beneficiary of any
such Letter of Credit has attempted to draw down all or a portion of such amount
under the terms of a Letter of Credit, and, to the fullest extent permitted
by
applicable law, shall not be subject to any defense or be affected by a right
of
set-off, counterclaim or recoupment which the Parent Guarantor, any other Loan
Party or any of its Subsidiaries may now or hereafter have against any such
beneficiary, the Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or any
other Person for any reason whatsoever. Such deposit shall be held as collateral
securing the payment and performance of the Borrower’s and the other Loan
Party’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in a
“securities account” (within the meaning of Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial
Code in effect from time to time in the State of New York, the “UCC”)
over
which the Administrative Agent shall have “control” (within the meaning of the
UCC). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may direct the Administrative
Agent and the “securities intermediary” (within the meaning of the UCC) to
invest amounts credited to the securities account, at the Borrower’s risk and
expense, in Investments described in Section
9.05(c)
through
(f).
Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such
account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent
to
reimburse, on a pro
rata basis,
the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed
and,
to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the
reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time
or,
if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, be applied to satisfy other
obligations of the Borrower and the Loan Party’s under this Agreement or the
other Loan Documents. If
the
Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a
result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, and the Borrower is not
otherwise required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable
to
an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section
3.04(c),
then
such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the
Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured
or waived.
30
(j) Existing
Letters of Credit.
On the
Effective Date, the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed issued under
this
Agreement without further action on any Person’s part.
ARTICLE
III
Payments
of Principal and Interest; Prepayments; Fees
Section
3.01 Repayment
of Loans.
The
Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent
for
the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Loan on
the
Termination Date.
Section
3.02 Interest.
(a) ABR
Loans.
The
Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base
Rate plus the Applicable Margin.
(b) Eurodollar
Loans.
The
Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted
LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the
Applicable Margin.
(c) Post-Default
Rate.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan
or
any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower or any other Loan Party
hereunder or under any other Loan Document is not paid when due, whether at
stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall
bear
interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to two
percent (2%) plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in Section
3.02(a),
or if
no rate is then applicable to such amount, at a rate per annum equal to two
percent (2%) plus the highest rate then applicable to ABR Loans as provided
in
Section
3.02(a).
(d) Interest
Payment Dates.
Accrued
interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment
Date
for such Loan and on the Termination Date; provided that (i)
interest
accrued pursuant to Section
3.02(c)
shall be
payable on demand, (ii)
in the
event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than an optional
prepayment of an ABR Loan prior to the Termination Date), accrued interest
on
the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such
repayment or prepayment, and (iii)
in the
event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current
Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on
the
effective date of such conversion.
(e) Interest
Rate Computations.
All
interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except
that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when
the
Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis
of
a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be
payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but
excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO
Rate
or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such
determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and be binding upon
the
parties hereto.
31
Section
3.03 Alternate
Rate of Interest.
If
prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar
Borrowing:
(a) the
Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent
manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining
the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period;
or
(b) the
Administrative Agent is advised by the Majority Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO
Rate or LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately
and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their
Loans
included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;
then
the
Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders
by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the
Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the
circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i)
any
Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to,
or
continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective,
and (ii)
if any
Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be
made
as an ABR Borrowing.
Section
3.04 Prepayments.
(a) Optional
Prepayments.
The
Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any
Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with
Section
3.04(b).
(b) Notice
and Terms of Optional Prepayment.
The
Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by
telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i)
in the
case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New
York, New York time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, or
(ii)
in the
case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York,
New
York time, one (1) Business Day prior to the date of prepayment. Each such
notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the
principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid. Promptly
following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative
Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment
of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case
of an
advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section
2.02.
Each
prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in
the
prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to
the
extent required by Section
3.02.
(c) Mandatory
Prepayments.
(i) If,
after
giving effect to any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit
Amounts pursuant to Section
2.06(b),
the
total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the total Commitments, then the
Borrower shall (A)
prepay
the Borrowings on the date of such termination or reduction in an aggregate
principal amount equal to such excess, and (B)
if any
excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC
Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount
equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section
2.08(i).
32
(ii) Upon
any
scheduled or interim redetermination of the amount of the Borrowing Base in
accordance with Section
2.07(d)
or
adjustment under Section
8.13(c)
at any
time, if the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the redetermined or
adjusted Borrowing Base, then the Borrower shall, within thirty (30) days after
its receipt of a New Borrowing Base Notice inform the Administrative Agent
of
the Borrower’s election to: (A) prepay the Loans in six equal monthly
installments, commencing on the 30th day following its receipt of such New
Borrowing Base Notice or notice of adjustment with each payment being equal
to
1/6th of the deficiency (provided that all payments required to be made pursuant
to this Section
3.04(c)(ii)
must be
made on or prior to the Termination Date), (B) furnish additional Oil and
Gas Properties not evaluated in the Reserve Report having a loan value (as
determined by the Lenders in their sole discretion) not less than the deficiency
or (C) undertake a combination of clauses (A) and (B) satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent and all of the Lenders. If, because of LC Exposure, a
Borrowing Base deficiency remains after prepaying all of the Loans, the Borrower
shall pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal
to such remaining Borrowing Base deficiency to be held as cash collateral as
provided in Section
2.08(i).
(iii) Upon
any
adjustments to the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section
2.07(f)
or
Section
9.11,
if the
total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base as adjusted, then
the Borrower shall (A)
prepay
Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and
(B)
if any
excess remains after prepaying all Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure,
pay
to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such
excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section
2.08(i).
The
Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment and/or deposit of cash
collateral on the date the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or such other Person
receives cash proceeds as a result of such disposition or such incurrence of
Debt.
(iv) Each
prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section
3.04(c)
shall be
applied, first, ratably to any ABR Borrowings then outstanding, and, second,
to
any Eurodollar Borrowings then outstanding as the Borrower may
direct.
(v) Each
prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section
3.04(c)
shall be
applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowings.
Prepayments pursuant to this Section
3.04(c)
shall be
accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section
3.02.
(d) No
Premium or Penalty.
Prepayments permitted or required under this Section
3.04
shall be
without premium or penalty, except as required under Section
5.02.
Section
3.05 Fees.
(a) Commitment
Fees.
The
Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each
Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the applicable Commitment Fee
Rate on the average daily amount of the unused amount of each Lender’s
Applicable Percentage of the Borrowing Base during the period from and including
the date of this Agreement to but excluding the Termination Date. Accrued
commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the third Business Day after
the
last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the
Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date
hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360
days
and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first
day but excluding the last day).
(b) Letter
of Credit Fees.
The
Borrower agrees to pay (i)
to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with
respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the
same Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Loans on the average daily amount of
such
Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed
LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this
Agreement to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s
Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any
LC
Exposure, (ii)
to the
Issuing Bank, for its own account, a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the
rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure
(excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements)
during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding
the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which
there ceases to be any LC Exposure, provided that in no event shall such fee
be
less than $500 during any year, and (iii)
to the
Issuing Bank, for its own account, its standard and customary fees with respect
to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or
processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued
through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of
each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day,
commencing on the first such date to occur after the date of this Agreement;
provided that all such fees shall be payable on the Termination Date and any
such fees accruing after the Termination Date shall be payable on demand. Any
other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section
3.05(b)
shall be
payable within 10 days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees
shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for
the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the
last day).
33
(c) Administrative
Agent Fees.
The
Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees
payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon among the Parent
Guarantor, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE
IV
Payments;
Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.
Section
4.01 Payments
Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.
(a) Payments
by the Borrower.
The
Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether
of
principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts
payable under Section
5.01,
Section
5.02,
Section
5.03
or
otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York, New York time, on the date when due,
in immediately available funds, without defense, deduction, recoupment, set-off
or counterclaim. Fees, once paid, shall be fully earned and shall not be
refundable under any circumstances. Any amounts received after such time on
any
date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have
been
received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating
interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent
at
its offices specified in Section
12.01,
except
payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank as expressly provided herein
and except that payments pursuant to Section
5.01,
Section
5.02,
Section
5.03
and
Section
12.03
shall be
made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall
distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person
to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment
hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment
shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of
any
payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period
of
such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.
(b) Application
of Insufficient Payments.
If at
any time prior the Termination Date, insufficient funds are received by and
available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal,
unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest, fees and other amounts then due
hereunder, such funds shall be applied: first,
ratably
to reimbursement of expenses and indemnities provided for in this Agreement
and
the Security Instruments; second,
to
accrued interest on the Loans; third,
to
fees; fourth,
pro
rata to outstanding principal of the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements;
and fifth,
if
applicable, to serve as cash collateral to be held by the Administrative Agent
to secure the LC Exposure, in each case, ratably among the parties entitled
thereto in accordance with the amounts then due to such parties.
34
(c) Sharing
of Payments by Lenders.
If any
Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise,
obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans
or
participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment
of
a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations
in
LC Disbursements and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received
by
any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall
purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations
in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit
of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with
the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective
Loans and participations in LC Disbursements; provided that (i)
if any
such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving
rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the
purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and
(ii)
the
provisions of this Section
4.01(c)
shall
not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and
in
accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained
by a
Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in
any
of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or
participant, other than to a Loan Party or Affiliate thereof (as to which the
provisions of this Section
4.01(c)
shall
apply). The Parent Guarantor and the Borrower consents to the foregoing and
agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any
Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may
exercise against either the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower rights of set-off
and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender
were a direct creditor of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower in the amount
of
such participation.
Section
4.02 Presumption
of Payment by the Borrower.
Unless
the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior
to
the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account
of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank that the Borrower will not make such payment,
the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment
on
such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption,
distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount
due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then
each
of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to
repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed
to such Lender or the Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from
and
including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date
of
payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds
Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance
with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
Section
4.03 Certain
Deductions by the Administrative Agent.
If any
Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to
Section
2.05(b),
Section
2.08(d),
Section
2.08(e)
or
Section
4.02
then the
Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary
provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative
Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under
such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully
paid.
Section
4.04 Disposition
of Proceeds.
The
Security Instruments contain an assignment by the Borrower and/or the Loan
Party’s unto and in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the
Lenders of all of the Borrower’s or each other Loan Party’s interest in and to
production and all proceeds attributable thereto which may be produced from
or
allocated to the Mortgaged Property. The Security Instruments further provide
in
general for the application of such proceeds to the satisfaction of the
Indebtedness and other obligations described therein and secured thereby.
Notwithstanding the assignment contained in such Security Instruments, until
the
occurrence of an Event of Default, the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree that they will neither notify the
purchaser or purchasers of such production nor take any other action to cause
such proceeds to be remitted to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, but
the
Lenders will instead permit such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower or any
other applicable Loan Party and
the
Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to take such actions as may
be
necessary to cause such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and/or such Loan
Parties.
35
ARTICLE
V
Increased
Costs; Break Funding Payments; Taxes
Section
5.01 Increased
Costs.
(a) Eurodollar
Changes in Law.
If any
Change in Law shall:
(i) impose,
modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement
against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended
by,
any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO
Rate); or
(ii) impose
on
any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this
Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender;
and
the
result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender
of
making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation
to
make any such Loan) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable
by
such Lender (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower
will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate
such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction
suffered.
(b) Capital
Requirements.
If any
Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital
requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on
such
Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the
Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or
the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender,
or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that
which
such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding
company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into
consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of
such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital
adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the
Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will
compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing
Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) Certificates.
A
certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts
necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company,
as the case may be, as specified in Section 5.01(a) or (b) and reasonably
detailed calculations therefor shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall
be
conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the
Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such
certificate within 30 days after receipt thereof.
(d) Effect
of Failure or Delay in Requesting Compensation.
Failure
or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation
pursuant to this Section 5.01 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or
the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower
shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to
this Section 5.01 for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than
one
(1) year prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case
may
be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased
costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to
claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving
rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the one (1)
year
period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive
effect thereof.
36
Section
5.02 Break
Funding Payments.
In the
event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than
on
the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result
of
an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan into an ABR
Loan
other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, or (c)
the
failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date
specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto, or (d) the assignment of
any
Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable
thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 5.05,
then,
in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss,
cost
and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such
loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount
determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of
interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had
such
event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable
to
such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the
then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow,
convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period
for
such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such
principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would
bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits
of a
comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar
market.
A
certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender
is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 5.02 shall be delivered to
the
Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall
pay
such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 30 days
after
receipt thereof.
Section
5.03 Taxes.
(a) All
payments made by any Loan Party under this Agreement or any Loan Document shall
be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on
account of, any present or future income, stamp or other taxes, levies, imposts,
duties, charges, fees, deductions or withholdings, now or hereafter imposed,
levied, collected, withheld or assessed by any Governmental Authority, excluding
net income taxes and franchise taxes (imposed in lieu of net income taxes)
imposed on the Administrative Agent or any Lender as a result of a present
or
former connection between the Administrative Agent or such Lender and the
jurisdiction of the Governmental Authority imposing such tax or any political
subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein (other than any such
connection arising solely from the Administrative Agent or such Lender having
executed, delivered or performed its obligations or received a payment under,
or
enforced, this Agreement or any other Loan Document). If any such non-excluded
taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions or withholdings
(“Non-Excluded
Taxes”)
or
Other Taxes are required to be withheld from any amounts payable to the
Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder, the amounts so payable to the
Administrative Agent or such Lender shall be increased to the extent necessary
to yield to the Administrative Agent or such Lender (after payment of all
Non-Excluded Taxes and Other Taxes) interest or any such other amounts payable
hereunder at the rates or in the amounts specified in this Agreement,
provided,
however,
that
the Borrower shall not be required to increase any such amounts payable to
any
Lender with respect to any Non-Excluded Taxes (i) that are attributable to
such
Lender’s failure to comply with the requirements of Section 5.03(d) or (e) or
(ii) that are United States withholding taxes imposed on amounts payable to
such
Lender at the time such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement, except to
the
extent that such Lender’s assignor (if any) was entitled, at the time of
assignment, to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to
such
Non-Excluded Taxes pursuant to this Section 5.03(a).
37
(b) In
addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental
Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) Whenever
any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes are payable by a Loan Party, as promptly
as possible thereafter such Loan Party shall send to the Administrative Agent
for its own account or for the account of the relevant Lender, as the case
may
be, a certified copy of an original official receipt received by such Loan
Party
showing payment thereof. If such Loan Party fails to pay any Non-Excluded Taxes
or Other Taxes when due to the appropriate taxing authority or fails to remit
to
the Administrative Agent the required receipts or other required documentary
evidence, the Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
for any incremental taxes, interest or penalties that may become payable by
the
Administrative Agent or any Lender as a result of any such failure.
(d) Each
Lender (or Transferee) that is not a “U.S. Person” as defined in Section
7701(a)(30) of the Code (a “Non-U.S.
Lender”)
shall
deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of a
Participant, to the Lender from which the related participation shall have
been
purchased) two copies of either U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or
Form W-8ECI, or, in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming exemption from U.S.
federal withholding tax under Section 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code with respect
to payments of “portfolio interest”, a statement substantially in the form of
Exhibit H and a Form W-8BEN, or any subsequent versions thereof or successors
thereto, properly completed and duly executed by such Non-U.S. Lender claiming
complete exemption from, or a reduced rate of, U.S. federal withholding tax
on
all payments by the Loan Parties under this Agreement and the other Loan
Documents. Such forms shall be delivered by each Non-U.S. Lender on or before
the date it becomes a party to this Agreement (or, in the case of any
Participant, on or before the date such Participant purchases the related
participation). In addition, each Non-U.S. Lender shall deliver such forms
promptly upon the obsolescence or invalidity of any form previously delivered
by
such Non-U.S. Lender. Each Non-U.S. Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower
at
any time it determines that it is no longer in a position to provide any
previously delivered certificate to the Borrower (or any other form of
certification adopted by the U.S. taxing authorities for such purpose).
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5.03(d), a Non-U.S. Lender
shall not be required to deliver any form pursuant to this Section 5.03(d)
that
such Non-U.S. Lender is not legally able to deliver.
(e) A
Lender
that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of non-U.S. withholding
tax
under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any
treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under
this Agreement or any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy
to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable
law
or reasonably requested by the Borrower, such properly completed and executed
documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to
be
made without withholding or at a reduced rate, provided
that
such Lender is legally entitled to complete, execute and deliver such
documentation and in such Lender’s judgment such completion, execution or
submission would not materially prejudice the legal position of such
Lender.
(f) If
the
Administrative Agent or any Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that
it
has received a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes as to which
it
has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower
has
paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 5.03, it shall pay over such
refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made,
or
additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 5.03 with respect
to
the Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all
out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without
interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority
with respect to such refund); provided,
that
the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender,
agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties,
interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to
the
Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or
such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.
This Section 5.03 shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent
or
any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating
to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other
Person.
38
(g) The
agreements in this Section 5.03 shall survive the termination of this Agreement
and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable
hereunder.
Section
5.04 Designation
of Different Lending Office.
If any
Lender requests compensation under Section 5.01, or if the Borrower is
required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental
Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 5.03, then such
Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office
for
funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations
hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment
of such Lender, such designation or assignment (a) would eliminate or reduce
amounts payable pursuant to Section 5.01 or Section 5.03, as the case may be,
in
the future and (b) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or
expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower
hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender
in
connection with any such designation or assignment.
Section
5.05 Replacement
of Lenders.
If (a)
any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.01, (b) the Borrower is
required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental
Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 5.03, (c) any Lender
defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, (d) any Lender has not
approved (or is not deemed to have approved) an increase in the Borrowing Base
proposed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.07(c)(iii) which
has
been approved by Lenders holding 75% or more of the then outstanding Commitments
or (e) any Lender has not approved a proposed waiver or amendment requiring
100%
approval or consent but which has been approved by Lenders holding 75% or more
of the then outstanding Commitments, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense
and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require
such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and
subject to the restrictions contained in Section 12.04(b)), all its interests,
rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume
such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts
such
assignment); provided
that (i)
the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative
Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall
have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its
Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, accrued interest thereon, accrued
fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the
extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the
Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such
assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 5.01 or
payments required to be made pursuant to Section 5.03, such assignment will
result in a reduction in such compensation or payments or will result in the
approval of the proposed Borrowing Base. A Lender shall not be required to
make
any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver
by
such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require
such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
39
ARTICLE
VI
Conditions
Precedent
Section
6.01 Effective
Date.
The
obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue
Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which
each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with
Section 12.02):
(a) The
Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders shall have received all
fees
and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including,
to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses
required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
(b) The
Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or
an
Assistant Secretary of the Borrower and each Guarantor setting forth (i)
resolutions of its board of directors with respect to the authorization of
the
Borrower or such Guarantor to execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which
it
is a party and to enter into the transactions contemplated in those documents,
(ii) the officers of the Borrower or such Guarantor (A) who are authorized
to
sign the Loan Documents to which the Borrower or such Guarantor is a party
and
(B) who will, until replaced by another officer or officers duly authorized
for
that purpose, act as its representative for the purposes of signing documents
and giving notices and other communications in connection with this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) specimen signatures of such
authorized officers, and (iv) the articles or certificate of incorporation
and
bylaws of the Borrower and such Guarantor, certified as being true and complete.
The Administrative Agent and the Lenders may conclusively rely on such
certificate until the Administrative Agent receives notice in writing from
the
Borrower to the contrary.
(c) The
Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of the appropriate State
agencies with respect to the existence, qualification and good standing of
the
Borrower and each Guarantor.
(d) The
Administrative Agent shall have received a compliance certificate which shall
be
substantially in the form of Exhibit D, duly and properly executed by a
Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor and dated as of the date of
Effective Date.
(e) The
Administrative Agent shall have received from each party hereto counterparts
(in
such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of this Agreement
signed on behalf of such party.
(f) The
Administrative Agent shall have received from each party thereto duly executed
counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent)
of
the Security Instruments, including the Guaranty Agreement and the other
Security Instruments described on Exhibit F-1. In connection with the execution
and delivery of the Security Instruments, the Administrative Agent
shall:
(i) be
reasonably satisfied that the Security Instruments create first priority,
perfected Liens (except that Excepted Liens identified in clauses (a) to (d)
and
(f) of the definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the
end
of such definition) on at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas
Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report; and
(ii) be
reasonably satisfied that each of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries which are not
Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall have pledged all of its partnership interests
in
each Partnership; and
40
(iii) have
received certificates, if appropriate, together with undated, blank stock powers
for each such certificate, representing all of the issued and outstanding Equity
Interests of the Borrower and each of the Guarantors (other than the Parent
Guarantor).
(g) The
Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion of (i) Ledgewood, special
counsel to the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower, substantially in the form
of
Exhibit E hereto and (ii) local counsel in each of the following states:
Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and any other jurisdictions requested by the
Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit E-2.
(h) The
Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of insurance coverage
of
the Borrower evidencing that the Borrower is carrying insurance in accordance
with Section 7.13.
(i) The
Administrative Agent shall have received title information as the Administrative
Agent may reasonably require satisfactory to the Administrative Agent setting
forth the status of title to at least 75% of the total value of the Oil and
Gas
Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report.
(j) The
Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer
of the Parent Guarantor certifying that the Parent Guarantor or a Loan Party
has
(i) received all consents and approvals required by Section 7.03, and (ii)
no
action, investigation, litigation or proceeding pending or threatened in any
court or before any Governmental Authority that could reasonably be expected
to
have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent, the Acquisition, any other
Transaction or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby.
(k) The
Administrative Agent shall have received the financial statements referred
to in
Section 7.04(a) and the Initial Reserve Report accompanied by a certificate
covering the matters described in Section 8.12(c).
(l) The
Administrative Agent shall have received appropriate UCC search certificates
reflecting no prior Liens encumbering the Properties of each Loan Party, each
Partnership and the Target and its Subsidiaries for each of the following
jurisdictions: Delaware, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and any other
jurisdiction requested by the Administrative Agent;
other
than those being assigned or released on or prior to the Effective Date or
Liens
permitted by Section 9.03.
(m) The
sources and uses of funding for the Transaction shall be substantially
consistent with the Annex II and the terms of such funding sources shall be
consistent with the terms hereof or the Transaction Agreement, as applicable;
and the Borrower shall have unused availability under this Agreement of not
less
than $150,000,000. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate
of
a Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor certifying that no provision
of
the Acquisition Agreement shall have been unenforced, waived, amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified in any respect materially adverse to the
Borrower or the Lenders without the prior consent of the Administrative
Agent.
(n) The
Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of a Responsible
Officer of the Parent Guarantor certifying: (A) that the Borrower or a Guarantor
is concurrently consummating the Acquisition in accordance with the terms of
the
Acquisition Agreement (with all of the material conditions precedent thereto
having been satisfied in all material respects by the parties thereto) and
applicable law and acquiring substantially all of the Acquisition Properties
contemplated by the Acquisition Documents; (B) as to the final purchase price
for the Acquisition Properties after giving effect to all adjustments as of
the
closing date contemplated by the Acquisition Documents and specifying, by
category (i.e.,
working
capital, cap-ex, title defect or environmental defect), the amount of such
adjustment; (C) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of the
Acquisition Properties, if any, which have been excluded from the Acquisition
pursuant to the terms of the Acquisition Documents, specifying with respect
thereto the basis of exclusion as (1) title defect or (2) environmental defect;
(D) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of all Acquisition
Properties for which any seller has elected to cure a title defect, (E) that
attached thereto is a true and complete list of all Acquisition Properties
for
which any seller has elected to remediate an adverse environmental condition,
and (F) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of all Acquisition
Properties which are currently pending final decision by a third party regarding
purchase of such property in accordance with any preferential right; (ii) a
true
and complete executed copy of the Acquisition Agreement; (iii) original
counterparts or copies, certified as true and complete, of the assignments,
deeds and leases for all of the Acquisition Properties; and (iv) such other
related documents and information as the Administrative Agent shall have
reasonably requested.
41
(o) The
Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer
of the Borrower certifying that immediately after giving effect to the
Acquisition, the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries will have no Debt or
preferred stock outstanding other than the Indebtedness under this Agreement
and
other indebtedness listed on Schedule 9.02.
(p) The
Parent Guarantor shall have entered into one or more Swap Agreements with
Approved Counterparties (collectively, the “Hedge”)
relating to the Acquisition Properties which cover at least: (i) during the
24-month period immediately following the Effective Date, the lesser of (A)
90%
of the reasonably anticipated projected production from the proved oil and
gas
interests of the Acquisition Properties, and (B) 100% of the of the reasonably
anticipated projected production from the proved developed producing oil and
gas
interests of the Acquisition Properties; (ii) during the 18-month period
immediately following the period described in clause (i), 80% of the reasonably
anticipated projected production from the proved developed producing oil and
gas
interests of the Acquisition Properties; and (iii) during the 24-month period
immediately following the period described in clause (ii), 50% of the reasonably
anticipated projected production from the proved developed producing oil and
gas
interests of the Acquisition Properties, in each case calculated separately
for
each of oil and gas, and otherwise on terms and conditions reasonably acceptable
to the Administrative Agent.
(q) The
Parent Guarantor shall have invested, as a common equity contribution in the
Borrower for subsequent investment in ATN Michigan, LLC, cash in an amount
of
not less than 25% of the total purchase price to be paid for the Acquisition
Properties in connection with the Acquisition.
(r) The
Administrative Agent shall have received evidence reasonably satisfactory to
Administrative Agent of the payment in full of all amounts due under the
Existing Credit Agreements, the termination of all commitments to lend
thereunder and the release of all Liens securing such obligations and any other
obligations secured thereby contemporaneously with the proceeds of the initial
funding under this Agreement.
(s) The
Lenders shall have received, to the extent requested, all documentation and
other information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your
customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA
Patriot Act.
(t) The
Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as the
Administrative Agent or special counsel to the Administrative Agent may
reasonably request.
The
Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective
Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing
Bank
to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each
of
the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 12.02)
at
or prior to 2:00 p.m., New York, New York time, on August 1, 2007 (and, in
the
event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall
terminate at such time).
42
Section
6.02 Each
Credit Event.
The
obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing
(including the initial funding), and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew
or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following
conditions:
(a) At
the
time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no
Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(b) At
the
time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no
Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred; provided that with respect to
the
initial funding on the Effective Date, the condition precedent shall be that
no
Closing Date MAE shall have occurred.
(c) The
representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in this Agreement
and in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the
date
of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension
of
such Letter of Credit, as applicable, except to the extent any such
representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in
which case, on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, such
representations and warranties shall continue to be true and correct as of
such
specified earlier date; provided that with respect to the initial funding on
the
Effective Date, no Loan Party will be required to make the representation
contained in Section 7.04(b) and the only representations (and related Defaults)
relating to the Acquisition Properties the making of which shall be a condition
precedent under this Section 6.02(c) on the Effective Date shall be those
representations contained in Sections 7.01, 7.02, 7.03, 7.07(a), 7.08, 7.09
and
7.23.
(d) The
making of such Loan or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such
Letter of Credit, as applicable, would not conflict with, or cause any Lender
or
the Issuing Bank to violate or exceed, any applicable Governmental Requirement,
and no Change in Law shall have occurred, and no litigation shall be pending
or
threatened, which does or, with respect to any threatened litigation, seeks
to,
enjoin, prohibit or restrain, the making or repayment of any Loan, the issuance,
amendment, renewal, extension or repayment of any Letter of Credit or any
participations therein or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by
this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(e) The
receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Request in accordance with
Section 2.03 or a request for a Letter of Credit in accordance with Section
2.08(b), as applicable.
Each
Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter
of
Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Parent
Guarantor and the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified
in
Section 6.02(a) through (e).
ARTICLE
VII
Representations
and Warranties
The
Parent Guarantor and the Borrower represent and warrant to the Lenders
that:
Section
7.01 Organization;
Powers.
Each of
the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and each of their Subsidiaries is duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority, and
has
all material governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals
necessary, to own its assets and to carry on its business as now conducted,
and
is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction
where such qualification is required, except where failure to have such power,
authority, licenses, authorizations, consents, approvals and qualifications
could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
43
Section
7.02 Authority;
Enforceability.
The
Transactions to which it is a party are within each Loan Party’s corporate
powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if
required, member action. Each Loan Document and each Acquisition Document to
which an Loan Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by it and
constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, as
applicable, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law.
Section
7.03 Approvals;
No
Conflicts.
The
Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or
filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority or any other
third Person, nor is any such consent, approval, registration, filing or other
action necessary for the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or
the
consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, except such as have
been
obtained or made and are in full force and effect other than (i) the recording
and filing of the Security Instruments as required by this Agreement and (ii)
those third party approvals or consents which, if not made or obtained, would
not cause a Default hereunder, could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect or do not have an adverse effect on the enforceability
of the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation
or
the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Loan Party or
any
order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default
under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Loan Party
or its Properties, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment
to
be made by any Loan Party and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition
of any Lien on any Property of any Loan Party (other than the Liens created
by
the Loan Documents or permitted under Section 9.03).
Section
7.04 Financial
Condition; No Material Adverse Change.
(a) The
Parent Guarantor has heretofore furnished to the Lenders (i) combined and
consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the related
combined and consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, equity,
and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2006, the three month period
ended December 31, 2005 and the years ended September 30, 2005 and 2004,
certified by its independent public accountants; and (ii) consolidated balance
sheet and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income,
equity, and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2007, certified
by
its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all
material respects, the combined or consolidated, as applicable, financial
position and results of operations and cash flows of the Parent Guarantor and
its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in
accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence
of
footnotes in the case of the unaudited quarterly financial
statements.
(b) The
Parent Guarantor has heretofore furnished to the Lenders the unaudited
consolidated balance sheet and statements of earnings and cash flows for the
Acquisition Properties for the three month period ending March 31, 2007. To
the
best of the Parent Guarantor’s knowledge, such financial statements present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Acquisition
Properties as of such date and for such period in accordance with GAAP, subject
to normal recurring year-end audit adjustments and the absence of
footnotes).
44
(c) Since
December 31, 2006, (i) there has been no event, development or circumstance
that
has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and
(ii) the business of the Loan Parties has been conducted only in the ordinary
course consistent with past business practices.
(d) No
Loan
Party or any Consolidated Subsidiary has on the date hereof any material Debt
(including Disqualified Capital Stock) or any contingent liabilities,
off-balance sheet liabilities or partnerships, liabilities for taxes, unusual
forward or long-term commitments or unrealized or anticipated losses from any
unfavorable commitments, except as referred to or reflected or provided for
in
the Financial Statements.
Section
7.05 Litigation.
(a) Except
as
set forth on Schedule 7.05, there are no actions, suits, investigations or
proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending
against or affecting the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary (i) as to which
there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination that, if adversely
determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate,
to
result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve any Loan Document
or
the Transactions.
(b) Since
the
date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the matters
disclosed in Schedule 7.05 that, individually or in the aggregate, has
resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
7.06 Environmental
Matters.
Except
for such matters as set forth on Schedule 7.06 or that, individually or in
the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect:
(a) Neither
any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary nor the operations conducted
thereon violate any order or requirement of any court or Governmental Authority
or any Environmental Laws.
(b) Without
limitation of clause (a) above, no Property of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary nor the operations currently conducted thereon or, to the best
knowledge of any Loan Party, by any prior owner or operator of such Property
or
operation, are in violation of or subject to any existing, pending or threatened
action, suit, investigation, inquiry or proceeding by or before any court or
Governmental Authority or to any remedial obligations under Environmental
Laws.
(c) All
notices, permits, licenses or similar authorizations, if any, required to be
obtained or filed in connection with the operation or use of any and all
Property of the Borrower and each Subsidiary, including without limitation
past
or present treatment, storage, disposal or release of a Hazardous Material
or
solid waste into the environment, have been duly obtained or filed, and the
Borrower and each Subsidiary are in compliance with the terms and conditions
of
all such notices, permits, licenses and similar authorizations.
(d) All
Hazardous Materials, solid waste, and oil and gas exploration and production
wastes, if any, generated at any and all Property of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary have in the past been transported, treated and disposed of in
accordance with Environmental Laws and so as not to pose an imminent and
substantial endangerment to public health or welfare or the environment, and,
to
the best knowledge of the Loan Parties, all such transport carriers and
treatment and disposal facilities have been and are operating in compliance
with
Environmental Laws and so as not to pose an imminent and substantial
endangerment to public health or welfare or the environment, and are not the
subject of any existing, pending or threatened action, investigation or inquiry
by any Governmental Authority in connection with any Environmental
Laws.
45
(e) The
Borrower has taken all steps reasonably necessary to determine and have
determined that no Hazardous Materials, solid waste, or oil and gas exploration
and production wastes, have been disposed of or otherwise Released and there
has
been no threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials on or to any Property
of
the Borrower or any Subsidiary except in compliance with Environmental Laws
and
so as not to pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health
or
welfare or the environment.
(f) To
the
extent applicable, all Property of the Borrower and each Subsidiary currently
satisfies all design, operation, and equipment requirements imposed by the
OPA
or scheduled as of the Closing Date to be imposed by OPA during the term of
this
Agreement, and the Borrower does not have any reason to believe that such
Property, to the extent subject to OPA, will not be able to maintain compliance
with the OPA requirements during the term of this Agreement.
(g) Neither
the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has any known contingent liability in connection
with any Release or threatened Release of any oil, Hazardous Material or solid
waste into the environment.
Section
7.07 Compliance
with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults.
(a) Each
of
the Parent Guarantor and each Subsidiary is in compliance with all Governmental
Requirements applicable to it or its Property and all agreements and other
instruments binding upon it or its Property, and possesses all licenses,
permits, franchises, exemptions, approvals and other governmental authorizations
necessary for the ownership of its Property and the conduct of its business,
except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could
not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Neither
the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary is in default nor has any event or
circumstance occurred which, but for the expiration of any applicable grace
period or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default or would
require the Parent Guarantor or a Subsidiary to Redeem or make any offer to
Redeem under any indenture, note, credit agreement or instrument pursuant to
which any Material Indebtedness is outstanding or by which the Parent Guarantor
or any Subsidiary or any of their Properties is bound.
(c) No
Default has occurred and is continuing.
Section
7.08 Investment
Company Act.
Neither
the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary is an “investment company” or a company
“controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of, or subject to
regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section
7.09 Use
of
Loans and Letters of Credit.
The
proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit shall be used (a) to provide
working capital for exploration and production operations, (b) to refinance
existing Debt of the Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement, (c) to
provide funding for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, including a portion of the purchase price of the Acquisition
and
the acquisition of exploration and production properties and to make capital
contributions to the Partnerships (but such capital contributions shall not
be
used for the purpose of funding Partnership distributions) and (d) for any
distribution advances of Available Cash, provided that if the Borrowing Base
Utilization Percentage is equal to or exceeds 90% before or after giving effect
to the requested Loan or Letter of Credit, then no proceeds of any Loan or
any
Letter of Credit may be used to fund Restricted Payments under Section
9.04(a)(iii). No Loan Party is engaged principally, or as one of its or their
important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose,
whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying margin stock
(within the meaning of Regulation T, U or X of the Board). No part of the
proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit will be used for any purpose which
violates the provisions of Regulations T, U or X of the Board.
46
Section
7.10 Taxes.
Each of
the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be
filed
all tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused
to be paid all taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) taxes that
are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the
Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books
adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure
to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Parent Guarantor
and its Subsidiaries in respect of taxes and other governmental charges are,
in
the reasonable opinion of the Parent Guarantor, adequate. No tax Lien has been
filed and no claim is being asserted with respect to any such tax or other
such
governmental charge.
Section
7.11 ERISA.
Except
as set forth on Schedule 7.11,
(a) The
Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiaries and each ERISA Affiliate have complied in
all
material respects with ERISA and, where applicable, the Code regarding each
Plan.
(b) Each
Plan
is, and has been, maintained in substantial compliance with ERISA and, where
applicable, the Code.
(c) No
act,
omission or transaction has occurred which could result in imposition on the
Parent Guarantor, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate (whether directly or
indirectly) of (i) either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections
(c),
(i) or (l) of section 502 of ERISA or a tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 43
of
Subtitle D of the Code or (ii) breach of fiduciary duty liability damages
under section 409 of ERISA.
(d) No
Plan
(other than a defined contribution plan) or any trust created under any such
Plan has been terminated since September 2, 1974. No liability to the PBGC
(other than for the payment of current premiums which are not past due) by
the
Parent Guarantor, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate has been or is expected
by the Parent Guarantor, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate to be incurred
with respect to any Plan. No ERISA Event with respect to any Plan has
occurred.
(e) Full
payment when due has been made of all amounts which the Parent Guarantor, the
Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate is required under the terms of each Plan
or
applicable law to have paid as contributions to such Plan as of the date hereof,
and no accumulated funding deficiency (as defined in section 302 of ERISA and
section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, exists with respect to any
Plan.
(f) The
actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under each Plan which is
subject to Title IV of ERISA does not, as of the end of the Parent
Guarantor’s most recently ended fiscal year, exceed the current value of the
assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of
ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities. The term “actuarial
present value of the benefit liabilities” shall have the meaning specified in
section 4041 of ERISA.
47
(g) Neither
the Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors,
maintains, or contributes to an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in
section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained
to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be
terminated by the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate in
its
sole discretion at any time without any material liability.
(h) Neither
the Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors,
maintains or contributes to, or has at any time in the six-year period preceding
the date hereof sponsored, maintained or contributed to, any Multiemployer
Plan.
(i) Neither
the Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate is required
to
provide security under section 401(a)(29) of the Code due to a Plan amendment
that results in an increase in current liability for the Plan.
Section
7.12 Disclosure;
No Material Misstatements.
The
Parent Guarantor and the Borrower have disclosed to the Administrative Agent
and
the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions
to
which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known
to
it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Information Memorandum nor
any
of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other information
furnished by or on behalf of the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower or any of
its
Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any of their
Affiliates in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other
Loan Document or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (as
modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any
material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary
to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they
were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial
information, the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower represent only that such
information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be
reasonable at the time; provided
that the
representations regarding Information and Projections in each case, with respect
to the Acquisition Properties, shall be limited to the best of the Parent
Guarantor’s knowledge.
Section
7.13 Insurance.
The
Parent Guarantor has, and has caused all its Subsidiaries to have, (a) all
insurance policies sufficient for the compliance by each of them with all
material Governmental Requirements and all material agreements and (b) insurance
coverage in at least amounts and against such risk (including, without
limitation, public liability) that are usually insured against by companies
similarly situated and engaged in the same or a similar business for the assets
and operations of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries. The Administrative
Agent and the Lenders have been named as additional insureds in respect of
such
liability insurance policies and the Administrative Agent has been named as
loss
payee with respect to Property loss insurance.
Section
7.14 Restriction
on Liens.
Neither
the Parent Guarantor nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any material
agreement or arrangement (other than Capital Leases creating Liens permitted
by
Section 9.03(c), but then only on the Property subject of such Capital Lease),
or subject to any order, judgment, writ or decree, which either restricts or
purports to restrict its ability to grant Liens to the Administrative Agent
and
the Lenders on or in respect of their Properties to secure the Indebtedness
and
the Loan Documents.
Section
7.15 Subsidiaries.
(a) Except
as
set forth on Schedule 7.15 or as disclosed in writing to the Administrative
Agent (which shall promptly furnish a copy to the Lenders), which shall be
a
supplement to Schedule 7.15, the Parent Guarantor has no Subsidiaries, each
Subsidiary is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary and the Parent Guarantor has no Foreign
Subsidiaries. Schedule 7.15 lists all the Partnerships owned by the Borrower
or
its Subsidiaries and their partnership interests in each such Partnership.
Schedule 7.15 identifies each Subsidiary which is an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
Neither the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary has any Foreign Subsidiaries.
As
of the Effective Date, the Borrower is the only directly owned Subsidiary of
the
Parent Guarantor.
48
(b) The
Borrower and the Guarantor’s Equity Interests in the Partnerships are free and
clear of any and all Liens, claims and encumbrances including any preferential
rights to purchase and consents to assignments.
(c) The
amount and type of the authorized Equity Interests of each of the Persons listed
on Schedule 7.15 are accurately described thereon, and all such Equity Interests
that are issued and outstanding have been validly issued and are fully paid
and
nonassessable and are owned by and issued to the Person listed as their owner
on
Schedule 7.15. The Borrower and each Guarantor have good and marketable title
to
all the Equity Interests of the Subsidiaries (except for the Unrestricted
Entities) issued to it, free and clear of all Liens, and all such Equity
Interests have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable
(except to the extent general partnership interests are assessable under
applicable law).
Section
7.16 Location
of Business and Offices.
The
Parent Guarantor’s jurisdiction of organization is Delaware; the name of the
Parent Guarantor as listed in the public records of Delaware is Atlas Energy
Resources, LLC; and the organizational identification number of the Parent
Guarantor in Delaware is 418-0472 (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice
delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.01(l) in accordance
with Section 12.01). The Borrower’s jurisdiction of organization is Delaware;
the name of the Borrower as listed in the public records of Delaware is Atlas
Energy Operating Company, LLC; and the organizational identification number
of
the Borrower in Delaware is 418-4160 (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice
delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.01(l) in accordance
with Section 12.01). The Parent Guarantor’s and the Borrower’s principal place
of business and chief executive offices are located at the address specified
in
Section 12.01 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(l)
and Section 12.01(c)). Each other Loan Parties’ jurisdiction of organization,
name as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization,
organizational identification number in its jurisdiction of organization, and
the location of its principal place of business and chief executive office
is
stated on Schedule 7.15 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to
Section 8.01(l)).
Section
7.17 Properties;
Titles, Etc.
(a) Each
Loan
Party, directly or indirectly through is percentage ownership of the
Partnerships, good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated
in the most recently delivered Reserve Report and good title to all its personal
Properties, in each case, free and clear of all Liens except Liens permitted
by
Section 9.03. After giving full effect to the Excepted Liens, each Loan Party,
directly or indirectly through is percentage ownership of the Partnerships,
specified as the owner owns the net interests in production attributable to
the
Hydrocarbon Interests as reflected in the most recently delivered Reserve
Report, and the ownership of such Properties shall not in any material respect
obligate the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary to bear the costs and expenses
relating to the maintenance, development and operations of each such Property
in
an amount in excess of the working interest of each Property set forth in the
most recently delivered Reserve Report that is not offset by a corresponding
proportionate increase in the Parent Guarantor’s or such Subsidiary’s net
revenue interest in such Property; provided that to the extent the Borrower
or a
Guarantor is a general partner of a Partnership, it is liable for all of the
costs and expenses attributable to such Partnership’s interest, but only
entitled to its percentage interest in such Partnership’s net revenues. All
information contained in the most recently delivered Reserve Report is true
and
correct in all material respects as of the date thereof.
49
(b) All
material leases and agreements necessary for the conduct of the business of
the
Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries are valid and subsisting, in full force
and effect, and there exists no default or event or circumstance which with
the
giving of notice or the passage of time or both would give rise to a default
under any such lease or leases, which could reasonably be expected to result
in
a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) The
rights and Properties presently owned, leased or licensed by the Parent
Guarantor and the Subsidiaries including, without limitation, all easements
and
rights of way, include all rights and Properties necessary to permit the Parent
Guarantor and the Subsidiaries to conduct their business in all material
respects in the same manner as its business has been conducted prior to the
date
hereof.
(d) All
of
the Properties of the Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries which are reasonably
necessary for the operation of their businesses are in good working condition
and are maintained in accordance with prudent business standards.
(e) The
Parent Guarantor and each Subsidiary owns, or is licensed to use, all
trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual Property
material to its business, and the use thereof by the Parent Guarantor and such
Subsidiary does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for
any
such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Parent Guarantor and
its
Subsidiaries either own or have valid licenses or other rights to use all
databases, geological data, geophysical data, engineering data, seismic data,
maps, interpretations and other technical information used in their businesses
as presently conducted, subject to the limitations contained in the agreements
governing the use of the same, which limitations are customary for companies
engaged in the business of the exploration and production of Hydrocarbons,
with
such exceptions as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
7.18 Maintenance
of Properties.
Except
for such acts or failures to act as could not be reasonably expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect, the Oil and Gas Properties (and Properties unitized
therewith) of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have been maintained,
operated and developed in a good and workmanlike manner and in conformity with
all Governmental Requirements and in conformity with the provisions of all
leases, subleases or other contracts comprising a part of the Hydrocarbon
Interests and other contracts and agreements forming a part of the Oil and
Gas
Properties. Specifically in connection with the foregoing, except for those
as
could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) no
Oil
and Gas Property is subject to having allowable production reduced below the
full and regular allowable (including the maximum permissible tolerance) because
of any overproduction (whether or not the same was permissible at the time)
and
(b) none of the xxxxx comprising a part of the Oil and Gas Properties (or
Properties unitized therewith) is deviated from the vertical more than the
maximum permitted by Governmental Requirements, and such xxxxx are, in fact,
bottomed under and are producing from, and the well bores are wholly within,
the
Oil and Gas Properties (or in the case of xxxxx located on Properties unitized
therewith, such unitized Properties). All pipelines, xxxxx, gas processing
plants, platforms and other material improvements, fixtures and equipment owned
in whole or in part by the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries that
are
necessary to conduct normal operations are being maintained in a state adequate
to conduct normal operations, and with respect to such of the foregoing which
are operated by the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, in a manner
consistent with the Parent Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ past practices
(other than those the failure of which to maintain in accordance with this
Section 7.18 could not reasonably be expect to have a Material Adverse
Effect).
50
Section
7.19 Gas
Imbalances,
Prepayments.
As of
the date hereof, except as set forth on Schedule 7.19 or on the most recent
certificate delivered pursuant to Section 8.12(c), on a net basis there are
no
gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments which would require the Parent
Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries to deliver Hydrocarbons produced from
the
Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving
full payment therefor exceeding three and one-half percent (3.5%) of monthly
production in the aggregate.
Section
7.20 Marketing
of Production.
Except
for contracts listed and in effect on the date hereof on Schedule 7.20, and
thereafter either disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent or included
in the most recently delivered Reserve Report (with respect to all of which
contracts the Parent Guarantor represents that it or its Subsidiaries are
receiving a price for all production sold thereunder which is computed
substantially in accordance with the terms of the relevant contract and are
not
having deliveries curtailed substantially below the subject Property’s delivery
capacity except as disclosed in Schedule 7.20 or the most recently delivered
Reserve Report), no material agreements exist which are not cancelable on 60
days notice or less without penalty or detriment for the sale of production
from
the Parent Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ Hydrocarbons (including, without
limitation, calls on or other rights to purchase, production, whether or not
the
same are currently being exercised) that (a) pertain to the sale of production
at a fixed price and (b) have a maturity or expiry date of longer than six
(6)
months from the date hereof.
Section
7.21 Swap
Agreements.
Schedule 7.21, as of the date hereof, and after the date hereof, each report
required to be delivered by the Parent Guarantor pursuant to Section 8.01(d),
sets forth, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of the Parent
Guarantor, each Subsidiary and the Partnerships, the material terms thereof
(including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts
or volumes), the net xxxx to market value thereof, all credit support agreements
relating thereto (including any margin required or supplied) and the
counterparty to each such agreement.
Section
7.22 Solvency.
Each
Loan Party is, and after giving effect to the Acquisition and the incurrence
of
all Debt and obligations being incurred in connection herewith and therewith
will be and will continue to be, Solvent.
Section
7.23 Acquisition.
The
copies of the Acquisition Documents previously delivered by the Parent Guarantor
to the Administrative Agent are true, accurate and complete and have not been
amended or modified in any manner, other than pursuant to amendments or
modifications previously delivered to the Administrative Agent. The
representations made in the Acquisition Agreement concerning the Acquisition
Properties are true and correct in all material respects.
ARTICLE
VIII
Affirmative
Covenants
Until
the
Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest
on
each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under
the
Loan Documents shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall
have
expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed,
the
Parent Guarantor and the Borrower covenant and agree with the Lenders
that:
Section
8.01 Financial
Statements; Other Information.
The
Parent Guarantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each
Lender:
(a) Annual
Financial Statements.
As soon
as available, but in any event in accordance with then applicable law and not
later than 100 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Parent Guarantor,
its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income,
stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting
forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal
year,
all reported on by independent public accountants of recognized national
standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and
without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the
effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all
material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the
Parent Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis
in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied.
51
(b) Quarterly
Financial Statements.
As soon
as available, but in any event in accordance with then applicable law and not
later than 55 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters
of
each fiscal year of the Parent Guarantor, its consolidated balance sheet and
related statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end
of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year,
setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding
period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of)
the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as
presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results
of operations of the Parent Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on
a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to
normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.
(c) Certificate
of Financial Officer - Compliance.
Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a)
or
Section 8.01(b), a compliance certificate of a Financial Officer of the Parent
Guarantor in substantially the form of Exhibit D hereto (i) certifying as to
whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the
details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect
thereto and (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating
compliance with Section 9.01.
(d) Certificate
of Financial Officer - Swap Agreements.
Concurrently with the delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a)
or
Section 8.01(b), a certificate of a Financial Officer, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth as of a
recent date, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of the Parent
Guarantor, each Subsidiary and each Partnership, the material terms thereof
(including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts
or volumes and volumes attributable to Partnership production), the net
xxxx-to-market value therefor, any new credit support agreements relating
thereto not listed on Schedule 7.21, any margin required or supplied under
any
credit support document, and the counterparty to each such
agreement.
(e) Certificate
of Insurer - Insurance Coverage.
Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a),
a
certificate of insurance coverage from each insurer with respect to the
insurance required by Section 8.07, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or any
Lender, all copies of the applicable policies.
(f) Other
Accounting Reports.
Promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of each other report or letter (except
standard and customary correspondence) submitted to the Parent Guarantor or
any
of its Subsidiaries by independent accountants in connection with any annual,
interim or special audit made by them of the books of the Parent Guarantor
or
any such Subsidiary, and a copy of any response by the Parent Guarantor or
any
such Subsidiary, or the board of directors of the Parent Guarantor or any such
Subsidiary, to such letter or report.
52
(g) SEC
and Other Filings; Reports to Shareholders.
Promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and
other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Parent
Guarantor or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or with any national securities
exchange, or distributed by the Parent Guarantor to its shareholders generally,
as the case may be. Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section
8.01(a) and Section 8.01(b) and this Section 8.01(g) may be delivered
electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered
on
the date on which the Parent Guarantor posts such documents to XXXXX (or such
other free, publicly-accessible internet database that may be established and
maintained by the SEC as a substitute for or successor to XXXXX).
(h) Notices
Under Material Instruments.
Promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any financial statement, report
or notice furnished to or by any Person pursuant to the terms of any indenture,
loan or credit or other similar agreement, other than this Agreement and not
otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to any other
provision of this Section 8.01.
(i) Lists
of Purchasers.
Promptly upon written request of the Administrative Agent, a list of Persons
purchasing Hydrocarbons from the Borrower or any Subsidiary accounting for
at
least 85% of the revenues resulting from the sale of all Hydrocarbons in the
one-year period prior to the “as of” date of such Reserve Report.
(j) Notice
of Sales of Oil and Gas Properties.
Within
30 days of the end of each calendar month, a list of all Oil or Gas Properties
or any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary disposed if the aggregate value of
all
such Properties and Equity Interests so disposed of since the last Scheduled
Redetermination Date exceeds $35,000,000.
(k) Notice
of Casualty Events.
Prompt
written notice, and in any event within three Business Days, after the Borrower
obtains knowledge thereof, of the occurrence of any Casualty Event or the
commencement of any action or proceeding that could reasonably be expected
to
result in a Casualty Event.
(l) Information
Regarding the Loan Parties.
Prompt
written notice (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days prior thereto)
of
any change (i) in any Loan Party’s corporate name or in any trade name used to
identify such Person in the conduct of its business or in the ownership of
its
Properties, (ii) in the location of any Loan Party’s chief executive office or
principal place of business, (iii) in any Loan Party’s identity or corporate
structure or in the jurisdiction in which such Person is incorporated or formed,
(iv) in any Loan Party’s jurisdiction of organization or such Person’s
organizational identification number in such jurisdiction of organization,
and
(v) in any Loan Party’s federal taxpayer identification number.
(m) Production
Report and Lease Operating Statements.
Promptly upon written request of the Administrative Agent, a report setting
forth, for the current fiscal year to date, the volume of production and sales
attributable to production (and the prices at which such sales were made and
the
revenues derived from such sales) from the Oil and Gas Properties, and setting
forth the related ad valorem, severance and production taxes and lease operating
expenses attributable thereto and incurred.
(n) Notices
of Certain Changes.
Promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days after the execution
thereof, copies of any amendment, modification or supplement to the certificate
or articles of incorporation, by-laws, any preferred stock designation or any
other organic document of the Parent Guarantor or any Loan Party.
53
(o) Notices
Relating to Acquisition.
In the
event that after the Effective Date: (i) any material matter being disputed
in
accordance with the terms of the Acquisition Documents is resolved, (ii) the
Parent Guarantor or any Loan Party asserts a claim for indemnification or such
a
claim is resolved or (iii) a Loan Party and the seller(s) calculate and agree
upon the “closing statement” or “final closing statement” as contemplated by the
Acquisition Documents, then, in each such case, the Borrower shall promptly
give
the Administrative Agent notice in reasonable detail of such
circumstances.
(p) Certificate
of Financial Officer - Consolidating Information.
If, at
any time, any of the Subsidiaries of the Parent Guarantor are Unrestricted
Subsidiaries, then concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under
Section 8.01(a) or Section 8.01(b), a certificate of a Financial Officer setting
forth consolidating spreadsheets that show all Unrestricted Subsidiaries and
the
eliminating entries, in such form as would be presentable to the auditors of
the
Parent Guarantor or other reconciliation of cash flows for such Unrestricted
Subsidiaries.
(q) Issuance
of Senior Notes.
In the
event the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower intends to issue any Senior Notes,
prior written notice of such intended offering therefor, the amount thereof
and
the anticipated date of closing and will furnish a copy of the preliminary
offering memorandum (if any) and the final offering memorandum (if
any).
(r) Other
Requested Information.
Promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the
operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Parent Guarantor
or
any Subsidiary (including, without limitation, any Plan or Multiemployer Plan
and any reports or other information required to be filed under ERISA and such
information about any Partnership), or compliance with the terms of this
Agreement or any other Loan Document, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender
may reasonably request.
Section
8.02 Notices
of Material Events.
The
Parent Guarantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice
of the following:
(a) the
occurrence of any Event of Default;
(b) the
filing or commencement of any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or
arbitration by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against the
Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary thereof not previously disclosed in writing
to the Lenders or any material adverse development in any action, suit,
proceeding, investigation or arbitration previously disclosed to the Lenders
that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in
liability in excess of $25,000,000;
(c) the
occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA
Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability
of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding
$10,000,000; and
(d) any
other
development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in,
a
Material Adverse Effect.
Each
notice delivered under this Section 8.02 shall be accompanied by a statement
of
a Responsible Officer setting forth the details of the event or development
requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect
thereto.
Section
8.03 Existence;
Conduct of Business.
The
Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Loan Party to, do or cause to be
done
all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its
legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises
material to the conduct of its business and maintain, if necessary, its
qualification to do business in each other jurisdiction in which the nature
of
the business conducted by it requires such qualification, except where the
failure to so qualify could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger,
consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section
9.10.
54
Section
8.04 Payment
of Obligations.
The
Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay its obligations,
including tax liabilities of the Parent Guarantor and all of its Subsidiaries
before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the
validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings, (b) the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary has set aside on its
books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c)
the
failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected
to
result in a Material Adverse Effect or result in the seizure or levy of any
material Property of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary.
Section
8.05 Performance
of Obligations under Loan Documents.
The
Borrower will pay the Loans according to the reading, tenor and effect thereof,
and the Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, do and perform
every act and discharge all of the obligations to be performed and discharged
by
them under the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, this Agreement,
at
the time or times and in the manner specified.
Section
8.06 Operation
and Maintenance of Properties.
The
Parent Guarantor, at its own expense, will, and will cause each Subsidiary
to:
(a) operate
its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties or cause such Oil
and
Gas Properties and other material Properties to be operated in a careful and
efficient manner in accordance with the practices of the industry and in
compliance with all applicable contracts and agreements and in compliance with
all Governmental Requirements, including, without limitation, applicable pro
ration requirements and Environmental Laws, and all applicable laws, rules
and
regulations of every other Governmental Authority from time to time constituted
to regulate the development and operation of its Oil and Gas Properties and
the
production and sale of Hydrocarbons and other minerals therefrom, except, in
each case, where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to
have
a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) keep
and
maintain all Property material to the conduct of its business in good working
order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted preserve, maintain and
keep
in good repair, working order and efficiency (ordinary wear and tear excepted)
all of its material Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties,
including, without limitation, all equipment, machinery and facilities, except
to the extent a portion of such Property is no longer capable of producing
Hydrocarbons in economically reasonable amounts.
(c) promptly
pay and discharge, or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be
paid
and discharged, all delay rentals, royalties, expenses and indebtedness accruing
under the leases or other agreements affecting or pertaining to its Oil and
Gas
Properties and will do all other things necessary to keep unimpaired their
rights with respect thereto and prevent any forfeiture thereof or default
thereunder.
(d) promptly
perform or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be performed,
in
accordance with industry standards, the obligations required by each and all
of
the assignments, deeds, leases, sub-leases, contracts and agreements affecting
its interests in its Oil and Gas Properties and other material
Properties.
55
(e) to
the
extent the Borrower is not the operator of any Property, the Borrower shall
use
reasonable efforts to cause the operator to comply with this Section
8.06.
Section
8.07 Insurance.
The
Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, maintain, with
financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts
and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in
the
same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations. The
loss
payable clauses or provisions in said insurance policy or policies insuring
any
of the collateral for the Loans shall be endorsed in favor of and made payable
to the Administrative Agent as its interests may appear and such policies shall
name the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as “additional insureds” and
provide that the insurer will endeavor to give at least 30 days prior notice
of
any cancellation to the Administrative Agent.
Section
8.08 Books
and Records; Inspection Rights.
The
Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, keep proper books
of
record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all
dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Parent
Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, permit any representatives
designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior
notice, to visit and inspect its Properties, to examine and make extracts from
its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with
its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times during
normal business hours and as often as reasonably requested.
Section
8.09 Compliance
with Laws.
The
Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, comply with all laws,
rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it
or
its Property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
8.10 Environmental
Matters.
(a) The
Parent Guarantor shall
at
its sole expense: (i) comply, and shall cause its Properties and operations
and
each Subsidiary and each Subsidiary’s Properties and operations to comply, with
all applicable Environmental Laws, the breach of which could be reasonably
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) not Release or threaten to
Release, and shall cause each Subsidiary not to Release or threaten to Release,
any Hazardous Material on, under, about or from any of the Parent Guarantor’s or
its Subsidiaries’ Properties or any other property offsite the Property to the
extent caused by the Parent Guarantor’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ operations
except in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, the Release or
threatened Release of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect; (iii) timely obtain or file, and shall cause each Subsidiary
to
timely obtain or file, all environmental permits, if any, required under
applicable Environmental Laws to be obtained or filed in connection with the
operation or use of the Parent Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties,
which failure to obtain or file could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect; (iv) promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion,
and shall cause each Subsidiary to promptly commence and diligently prosecute
to
completion, any assessment, evaluation, investigation, monitoring, containment,
cleanup, removal, repair, restoration, remediation or other remedial obligations
(collectively, the “Remedial
Work”)
in the
event any Remedial Work is required or reasonably necessary under applicable
Environmental Laws because of or in connection with the actual or suspected
past, present or future Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material
on, under, about or from any of the Parent Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’
Properties, which failure to commence and diligently prosecute to completion
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (v) conduct,
and
cause its Subsidiaries to conduct, their respective operations and businesses
in
a manner that will not expose any Property or Person to Hazardous Materials
that
could reasonably be expected to form the basis for a claim for damages or
compensation that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect; and (vi) establish and implement, and shall cause each Subsidiary to
establish and implement, such procedures as may be necessary to continuously
determine and assure that the Parent Guarantor’s and its Subsidiaries’
obligations under this Section 8.10 are timely and fully satisfied, which
failure to establish and implement could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
56
(b) The
Parent Guarantor will promptly, but in no event later than five days of the
occurrence of a triggering event, notify the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders in writing of any action, investigation or inquiry by any Governmental
Authority or any demand or lawsuit by any Person against the Parent Guarantor
or
its Subsidiaries or their Properties of which the Parent Guarantor has knowledge
in connection with any Environmental Laws if the Parent Guarantor could
reasonably anticipate that such action will result in liability (whether
individually or in the aggregate) in excess of $10,000,000, not fully covered
by
insurance, subject to normal deductibles.
(c) The
Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, provide environmental
assessments, audits and tests in accordance with the most current version of
the
American Society of Testing Materials standards upon request by the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders and no more than once per year in the
absence of any Event of Default (or as otherwise required to be obtained by
the
Administrative Agent or the Lenders by any Governmental Authority), in
connection with any future acquisitions of Oil and Gas Properties or other
Properties.
Section
8.11 Further
Assurances.
(a) The
Parent Guarantor at its expense will, and will cause each Subsidiary to,
promptly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent all such other
documents, agreements and instruments reasonably requested by the Administrative
Agent to comply with, cure any defects or accomplish the conditions precedent,
covenants and agreements of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary, as the
case
may be, in the Loan Documents, including the Notes, if any, or to further
evidence and more fully describe the collateral intended as security for the
Indebtedness, or to correct any omissions in this Agreement or the Security
Instruments, or to state more fully the obligations secured therein, or to
perfect, protect or preserve any Liens created pursuant to this Agreement or
any
of the Security Instruments or the priority thereof, or to make any recordings,
file any notices or obtain any consents, all as may be reasonably necessary
or
appropriate, in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent, in
connection therewith.
(b) The
Borrower and the Parent Guarantor hereby authorize the Administrative Agent
to
file one or more financing or continuation statements, and amendments thereto,
relative to all or any part of the Mortgaged Property without the signature
of
any Loan Party where permitted by law. A carbon, photographic or other
reproduction of the Security Instruments or any financing statement covering
the
Mortgaged Property or any part thereof shall be sufficient as a financing
statement where permitted by law.
Section
8.12 Reserve
Reports.
(a) On
or
before March 1st and September 1st of each year, commencing September 1, 2007,
the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve
Report. The Reserve Report as of December 31 of each year shall be prepared
by
one or more Approved Petroleum Engineers or by or under the supervision of
the
chief engineer of the Borrower and audited or reviewed by one or more Approved
Petroleum Engineers, and all other Reserve Reports shall be prepared by or
under
the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower and otherwise in a manner
consistent with the preceding December 31st Reserve Report. Each Reserve Report
prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower
shall
be certified by the chief engineer to be true and accurate in all material
respects and to have been prepared in accordance with the procedures used in
the
immediately preceding December 31st Reserve Report.
57
(b) In
the
event of an Interim Redetermination, the Borrower shall furnish to the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report prepared by or under
the
supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower who shall certify such Reserve
Report to be true and accurate in all material respects and to have been
prepared in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding
December 31 Reserve Report. For any Interim Redetermination requested by the
Administrative Agent or the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.07(b), the Borrower
shall provide such Reserve Report with an “as of” date as required by the
Administrative Agent as soon as possible, but in any event no later than
forty-five (45) days following the receipt of such request.
(c) With
the
delivery of each Reserve Report, the Borrower shall provide to the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders a certificate substantially in the form
of
Exhibit I from a Responsible Officer certifying that in all material respects:
(i) the information contained in the Reserve Report and any other information
delivered in connection therewith is true and correct, (ii) the Borrower or
its
Subsidiaries owns good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties
evaluated in such Reserve Report and such Properties are free of all Liens
except for Liens permitted by Section 9.03, (iii) except as set forth on an
exhibit to the certificate, on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take
or
pay or other prepayments in excess of the volume specified in Section 7.19
with
respect to its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report which
would require the Borrower or any Subsidiary to deliver Hydrocarbons either
generally or produced from such Oil and Gas Properties at some future time
without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor, (iv) none of their
Oil and Gas Properties have been sold since the date of the last Borrowing
Base
determination except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, which
certificate shall list all of its Oil and Gas Properties sold and in such detail
as reasonably required by the Administrative Agent, (v) attached to the
certificate is a list of all marketing agreements entered into subsequent to
the
later of the date hereof or the most recently delivered Reserve Report which
the
Borrower could reasonably be expected to have been obligated to list on Schedule
7.20 had such agreement been in effect on the date hereof and (vi) attached
thereto is a schedule of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve
Report that are Mortgaged Properties and demonstrating the percentage of the
Borrowing Base that the value of such Mortgaged Properties
represent.
Section
8.13 Title
Information.
(a) On
or
before the delivery to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of each Reserve
Report required by Section 8.12(a), the Borrower will deliver, if requested
by
the Administrative Agent, title information in form and substance reasonably
acceptable to the Administrative Agent covering enough of the Oil and Gas
Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that were not included in the
immediately preceding Reserve Report, so that the Administrative Agent shall
have received together with title information previously delivered to the
Administrative Agent, reasonably satisfactory title information on at least
75%
of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve
Report.
(b) If
the
Borrower has provided title information for additional Properties under Section
8.13(a), the Borrower shall, within 60 days of notice from the Administrative
Agent that title defects or exceptions exist with respect to such additional
Properties, either (i) cure any such title defects or exceptions (including
defects or exceptions as to priority) which are not permitted by Section 9.03
raised by such information, (ii) substitute acceptable Mortgaged Properties
with
no title defects or exceptions except for Excepted Liens (other than Excepted
Liens described in clauses (e), (g) and (h) of such definition) having an
equivalent value or (iii) deliver title information in form and substance
reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent so that the Administrative
Agent shall have received, together with title information previously delivered
to the Administrative Agent, reasonably satisfactory title information on at
least 75% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve
Report.
58
(c) If
the
Borrower is unable to cure any title defect requested by the Administrative
Agent or the Lenders to be cured within the 60-day period or the Borrower does
not comply with the requirements to provide acceptable title information
covering 75% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most
recent Reserve Report, such default shall not be a Default, but instead the
Administrative Agent and/or the Super-Majority Lenders shall have the right
to
exercise the following remedy in their sole discretion from time to time, and
any failure to so exercise this remedy at any time shall not be a waiver as
to
future exercise of the remedy by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders. To
the
extent that the Administrative Agent or the Super-Majority Lenders are not
satisfied with title to any Mortgaged Property after the 60-day period has
elapsed, such unacceptable Mortgaged Property shall not count towards the 75%
requirement, and the Administrative Agent may send a notice to the Borrower
and
the Lenders that the then outstanding Borrowing Base shall be reduced by an
amount as determined by the Super-Majority Lenders to cause the Borrower to
be
in compliance with the requirement to provide acceptable title information
on
75% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties. This new Borrowing Base shall
become effective immediately after receipt of such notice.
Section
8.14 Additional
Collateral; Additional Guarantors.
(a) In
connection with each redetermination of the Borrowing Base, the Borrower shall
review the Reserve Report and the list of current Mortgaged Properties (as
described in Section 8.12(c)(vi)) to ascertain whether the Mortgaged Properties
represent at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties
evaluated in the most recently completed Reserve Report after giving effect
to
exploration and production activities, acquisitions, dispositions and
production. In the event that the Mortgaged Properties do not represent at
least
80% of such total value, then the Borrower shall, and shall cause its
Subsidiaries to, grant within thirty (30) days of the delivery of the
certificate referred to in Section 8.12(c) to the Administrative Agent as
security for the Indebtedness a first-priority Lien interest (provided that
Excepted Liens of the type described in clauses (a) to (d) and (f) of the
definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the end of such
definition) on additional Oil and Gas Properties not already subject to a Lien
of the Security Instruments such that after giving effect thereto, the Mortgaged
Properties will represent at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas
Properties included in the then effective Borrowing Base. All such Liens will
be
created and perfected by and in accordance with the provisions of deeds of
trust, security agreements and financing statements or other Security
Instruments, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent and in sufficient executed (and acknowledged where
necessary or appropriate) counterparts for recording purposes. In order to
comply with the foregoing, if any Subsidiary places a Lien on its Oil and Gas
Properties and such Subsidiary is not a Guarantor, then it shall become a
Guarantor and comply with Section 8.14(b).
(b) The
Parent Guarantor shall promptly cause each Material Subsidiary to guarantee
the
Indebtedness pursuant to the Guaranty Agreement. In connection with any such
guaranty, the Parent Guarantor shall, or shall cause such Subsidiary to, (i)
execute and deliver a supplement to the Guaranty Agreement executed by such
Subsidiary, (ii) grant a first-priority security interest in all of the Equity
Interests of such Subsidiary (including, without limitation, delivery of
original certificates evidencing the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary, as
appropriate, together with undated stock powers for each certificate duly
executed in blank by the registered owner thereof) and (iii) execute and deliver
such other additional documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall
reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent.
59
(c) In
the
event that the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary becomes a partner in a
Partnership or acquire additional interest in a Partnership, then the Borrower
shall, or shall cause such Subsidiary to, (i) grant a first-priority security
interest in all the Equity Interests owned by such Person in such Partnership
and (ii) execute and deliver such other additional documents, certificates
and
legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative
Agent.
Section
8.15 ERISA
Compliance.
The
Parent Guarantor will promptly furnish and will cause the Subsidiaries and
any
ERISA Affiliate to promptly furnish to the Administrative Agent (a) promptly
after the filing thereof with the United States Secretary of Labor, the Internal
Revenue Service or the PBGC, copies of each annual and other report with respect
to each Plan or any trust created thereunder, (b) promptly upon becoming aware
of the occurrence of any ERISA Event or of any “prohibited transaction,” as
described in section 406 of ERISA or in section 4975 of the Code, in connection
with any Plan or any trust created thereunder, a written notice signed by the
President or the principal Financial Officer, the Subsidiary or the ERISA
Affiliate, as the case may be, specifying the nature thereof, what action the
Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate is taking or proposes
to
take with respect thereto, and, when known, any action taken or proposed by
the
Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor or the PBGC with respect
thereto, and (c) promptly upon receipt thereof, copies of any notice of the
PBGC’s intention to terminate or to have a trustee appointed to administer any
Plan. With respect to each Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan), the Parent
Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary and ERISA Affiliate to, (i)
satisfy in full and in a timely manner, without incurring any late payment
or
underpayment charge or penalty and without giving rise to any lien, all of
the
contribution and funding requirements of section 412 of the Code (determined
without regard to subsections (d), (e), (f) and (k) thereof) and of section
302
of ERISA (determined without regard to sections 303, 304 and 306 of ERISA),
and
(ii) pay, or cause to be paid, to the PBGC in a timely manner, without incurring
any late payment or underpayment charge or penalty, all premiums required
pursuant to sections 4006 and 4007 of ERISA.
Section
8.16 Swap
Agreements.
The
Parent Guarantor shall maintain the hedge position established by the Swap
Agreements required under Section 6.01(p) during the period specified therein
and shall neither assign, terminate or unwind any such Swap Agreements nor
sell
any Swap Agreements if the effect of such action (when taken together with
any
other Swap Agreements executed contemporaneously with the taking of such action)
would have the effect of canceling its positions under such Swap Agreements
required hereby.
Section
8.17 Unrestricted
Subsidiaries.
The
Parent Guarantor:
(a) will
cause the management, business and affairs of each of the Parent Guarantor
and
its Subsidiaries to be conducted in such a manner (including, without
limitation, by keeping separate books of account, furnishing separate financial
statements of Unrestricted Subsidiaries to creditors and potential creditors
thereof and by not permitting Properties of the Parent Guarantor and its
respective Subsidiaries to be commingled) so that each Unrestricted Subsidiary
that is a corporation will be treated as a corporate entity separate and
distinct from Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries; provided that the foregoing
will not prohibit payments under the Expense Sharing Agreement or other expense
sharing agreements with such Unrestricted Subsidiaries which are consistent
with
past practices and/or required by any applicable Governmental
Authority.
(b) will
not,
and will not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, incur, assume, guarantee or
be
or become liable for any Debt of any of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
(c) will
not
permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to hold any Equity Interest in, or any Debt
of, the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary.
60
ARTICLE
IX
Negative
Covenants
Until
the
Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on
each
Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the
Loan
Documents have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or
terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Parent
Guarantor and the Borrower covenant and agree with the Lenders
that:
Section
9.01 Financial
Covenants
(a) Ratio
of Total Debt to EBITDA.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, as of any date of determination, permit its ratio
of
Total Debt as of such day to EBITDA for the four fiscal quarters ending on
the
last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date of determination
for which financial statements are available to be greater than:
(i) for
the
period beginning on the Closing Date through December 31, 2008:
4.0:1,
(ii) for
the
period beginning after December 31, 2008 through December 31, 2009: 3.75:1,
and
(iii) thereafter:
3.5:1.
For
the
avoidance of doubt, the foregoing ratio shall be calculated to exclude Total
Debt and EBITDA attributable to the Unrestricted Subsidiaries (but to include
cash distributions from Anthem Securities paid to the Borrower or other Loan
Party).
(b) Current
Ratio.
The
Parent Guarantor will not permit, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter,
its
ratio of (i) consolidated current assets (including the unused amount of the
total Commitments, but excluding non-cash assets under FAS 133) to (ii)
consolidated current liabilities (excluding non-cash obligations under FAS
133,
current maturities of Loans and those portions of advance payments received
by
the Loan Parties for drilling and completion of oil and gas xxxxx that exceed
the cost to the Loan Parties and are classified as current liabilities) to
be
less than 1.0 to 1.0; provided that for purposes of this covenant, current
assets and current liabilities of Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall be
excluded.
Section
9.02 Debt.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary (other than
Unrestricted Subsidiaries) to, incur, create, assume or suffer to exist any
Debt, except:
(a) the
Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents or any guaranty of or suretyship
arrangement for the Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents.
(b) Debt
of
the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries existing on the date hereof that
is
reflected in the Financial Statements and Schedule 9.02 and any renewals and
extensions thereof (but not any increases).
(c) accounts
payable and accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations to pay the
deferred purchase price of Property or services, from time to time incurred
in
the ordinary course of business which are not greater than ninety (90) days
past
the date of invoice or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate
action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with
GAAP.
61
(d) Debt
under Capital Leases not to exceed $25,000,000 (excluding capitalized leases
of
Hydrocarbon Interests).
(e) Debt
associated with worker’s compensation claims, performance, bid, surety or
similar bonds or surety obligations required by Governmental Requirements or
third parties in connection with the operation of the Oil and Gas
Properties.
(f) intercompany
Debt between the Parent Guarantor and any Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries
to
the extent permitted by Section 9.05(g); provided
that
such Debt is not held, assigned, transferred, negotiated or pledged to any
Person other than the Parent Guarantor or one of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries,
and, provided further, that any such Debt owed by either the Parent Guarantor
or
a Guarantor shall be subordinated to the Indebtedness on terms set forth in
the
Guaranty Agreement.
(g) endorsements
of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of
business.
(h) Senior
Notes provided that (i) at the time of incurring such Debt (A) no Default has
occurred and is then continuing and (B) no Default would result from the
incurrence of such Debt after giving effect to the incurrence of such Debt
(and
any concurrent repayment of Debt with the proceeds of such incurrence), (ii)
such Debt does not have any scheduled amortization prior to one year after
the
Maturity Date, (iii) such Debt does not mature sooner than one year after the
Maturity Date, (iv) the terms of such Debt are not materially more onerous,
taken as a whole, than the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents
and (v) such Debt and any guarantees thereof are on prevailing market terms
for
similar situated companies.
(i) Debt
owed
to Atlas America, Inc. not to exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate; provided,
that, all such debt shall be unsecured and subordinated to the Indebtedness
on
terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent.
(j) other
Debt not to exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time
outstanding.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, no Subsidiary which is a Partnership shall incur or become liable
in respect of any Debt.
Section
9.03 Liens.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur,
assume or permit to exist any Lien on any of its Properties (now owned or
hereafter acquired), except:
(a) Liens
securing the payment of any Indebtedness.
(b) Excepted
Liens.
(c) Liens
securing Capital Leases permitted by Section 9.02(d) but only on the Property
under lease.
(d) Liens
on
Property of Unrestricted Subsidiaries securing Non-Recourse Debt of such
Unrestricted Subsidiaries permitted by Section 9.20(d).
(e) Liens
on
cash and securities pledged to secure Swap Agreements, provided the aggregate
amount of all such cash and securities shall not exceed
$25,000,000.
62
(f) Liens
on
Property not constituting collateral for the Indebtedness and not otherwise
permitted by the foregoing clauses of this Section 9.03; provided that the
aggregate principal or face amount of all Debt secured under this Section
9.03(f) shall not exceed $10,000,000 at any time.
Section
9.04 Restricted
Payments; Redemption of Subordinated Debt.
(a) Restricted
Payments.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted
Payment, return any capital to its stockholders or make any distribution of
its
Property to its Equity Interest holders, except (i) the Parent Guarantor may
declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely
in
additional shares of its Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital
Stock), (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect
to
their Equity Interests and (iii) so long as no Borrowing Base deficiency or
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom,
and,
subject to the proviso in Section 7.09(d), the Parent Guarantor may declare
and
pay quarterly cash dividends to its members of Available Cash in accordance
with
the Operating Agreement.
(b) Redemption
of Senior Notes.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, prior to
the
date that is one year after the Maturity Date: (i) call, make or offer to make
any optional or voluntary Redemption of or otherwise optionally or voluntarily
Redeem (whether in whole or in part) any Senior Notes permitted to be incurred
hereunder, provided that the Parent Guarantor may Redeem such Debt with the
net
cash proceeds of any sale of Equity Interests of the Parent Guarantor (other
than Disqualified Capital Stock); or (ii) amend, modify, waive or otherwise
change, consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change
to, any of the terms of the Senior Notes or any indenture, agreement,
instrument, certificate or other document relating to the Senior Notes permitted
hereunder other than supplemental indentures to add guarantors if such Person
has become a Guarantor of the Indebtedness.
Section
9.05 Investments,
Loans and Advances.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make or permit
to remain outstanding any Investments in or to any Person, except that the
foregoing restriction shall not apply to:
(a) Investments
reflected in the Financial Statements or which are disclosed to the Lenders
in
Schedule 9.05.
(b) accounts
receivable arising in the ordinary course of business.
(c) direct
obligations of the United States or any agency thereof, or obligations
guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof, in each case maturing
within one year from the date of creation thereof.
(d) commercial
paper maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof rated no lower
than A2 or P2 by S&P or Xxxxx’x,
respectively.
(e) deposits
maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof with, including
certificates of deposit issued by, any Lender or any office located in the
United States of any other bank or trust company which is organized under the
laws of the United States or any state thereof, has capital, surplus and
undivided profits aggregating at least $100,000,000 (as of the date of such
bank
or trust company’s most recent financial reports) and has a short term deposit
rating of no lower than A2 or P2, as such rating is set forth from time to
time,
by S&P or Xxxxx’x, respectively.
63
(f) deposits
in money market funds investing exclusively in Investments described in Section
9.05(c), Section 9.05(d) or Section 9.05(e).
(g) Investments
(i) made by the Parent Guarantor in or to the Borrower, (ii) made by the
Borrower in or to any Subsidiary of the Borrower which is a Guarantor, (iii)
made by any Subsidiary in or to the Borrower or any Guarantor,
and
(iv) made by the Borrower or any Guarantor (other than the Parent Guarantor)
or
any Subsidiary in or to any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor in an aggregate
amount in all such Subsidiaries at any one time outstanding not to exceed
$5,000,000.
(h) Investments
(including, without limitation, capital contributions), in the Partnerships.
(i) loans
or
advances to employees, officers or directors of the Parent Guarantor or any
of
its Subsidiaries, in each case in the ordinary course of business and consistent
with past practices.
(j) Investments
in stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts arising
from
Investments permitted under this Section 9.05 owing to the Parent Guarantor
or
any Subsidiary as a result of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding of
the
obligor in respect of such debts or upon the enforcement of any Lien in favor
of
the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries
(k) Non-hostile
acquisitions of Equity Interests or assets constituting a business unit of
any
Person, provided
that:
(i)
immediately prior to and after giving effect to such acquisition, no Default
or
Event of Default exists or would result therefrom; (ii) if such acquisition
is
of Equity Interests, substantially all of the Equity Interests of such Person
are acquired and such Person becomes a Guarantor; (iii) such Person is
principally engaged in the same business as the Obligors; (iv) the Borrower
shall be in pro forma compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 9.01
based on the trailing four (4) quarters and as adjusted on a pro forma basis
for
such acquisition; (v) such acquired Person or assets shall not be subject to
any
material liabilities except as permitted by this Agreement and Loan Documents;
and (vi) a first priority perfected Lien shall be granted to the Administrative
Agent for the benefit of the Lenders in such acquired assets.
(l) Investments
in Unrestricted Subsidiaries not to exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate at
any
time.
(m) other
Investments not to exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate at any time.
Section
9.06 Nature
of Business; International Operations;
Foreign Subsidiaries.
Neither
the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary will allow any material change to be
made in the character of its business as a domestic independent oil and gas
exploration and production company. From and after the date hereof, the Parent
Guarantor and its Subsidiaries will not acquire or make any other expenditure
(whether such expenditure is capital, operating or otherwise) in or related
to,
any Oil and Gas Properties not located within the geographical boundaries of
the
United States.
Section
9.07 Proceeds
of Loans and Letters of Credit.
The
Parent Guarantor will not permit the proceeds of the Loans to be used for any
purpose other than those permitted by Section 7.09. Neither the Parent Guarantor
nor any Person acting on behalf of the Parent Guarantor has taken or will take
any action which might cause any of the Loan Documents to violate Regulations
T,
U or X or any other regulation of the Board or to violate Section 7 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation thereunder, in each
case as now in effect or as the same may hereinafter be in effect. If requested
by the Administrative Agent, the Parent Guarantor will furnish to the
Administrative Agent and each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in
conformity with the requirements of FR Form U-1 or such other form referred
to
in Regulation U, Regulation T or Regulation X of the Board, as the case may
be.
64
Section
9.08 ERISA
Compliance.
The
Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries will not at any time:
(a) engage
in, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to engage in, any transaction in connection
with which the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate could
be
subjected to either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i)
or
(l) of section 502 of ERISA or a tax imposed by Chapter 43 of
Subtitle D of the Code, if either of which would have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) terminate,
or permit any ERISA Affiliate to terminate, any Plan in a manner, or take any
other action with respect to any Plan, which could reasonably be expected to
result in any liability of the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA
Affiliate to the PBGC.
(c) fail
to
make, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to fail to make, full payment when due
of
all amounts which, under the provisions of any Plan, agreement relating thereto
or applicable law, the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate
is
required to pay as contributions thereto if such failure could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) permit
to
exist, or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit to exist, any accumulated funding
deficiency within the meaning of section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the
Code, whether or not waived, with respect to any Plan which exceeds
$2,000,000.
(e) permit,
or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit, the actuarial present value of the
benefit liabilities under any Plan maintained by the Parent Guarantor, a
Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate which is regulated under Title IV of
ERISA to exceed the current value of the assets (computed on a plan termination
basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such
benefit liabilities. The term “actuarial present value of the benefit
liabilities” shall have the meaning specified in section 4041 of
ERISA.
(f) contribute
to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate
to
contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, any Multiemployer
Plan.
(g) acquire,
or permit any ERISA Affiliate to acquire, an interest in any Person that causes
such Person to become an ERISA Affiliate with respect to the Parent Guarantor
or
a Subsidiary or with respect to any ERISA Affiliate of the Parent Guarantor
or a
Subsidiary if such Person sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or at any
time
in the six-year period preceding such acquisition has sponsored, maintained,
or
contributed to, (i) any Multiemployer Plan, or (ii) any other Plan that is
subject to Title IV of ERISA under which the actuarial present value of the
benefit liabilities under such Plan exceeds the current value of the assets
(computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA)
of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities by any amount in excess
of
$2,000,000.
(h) incur,
or
permit any ERISA Affiliate to incur, a liability to or on account of a Plan
under sections 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA.
(i) contribute
to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate
to
contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, any employee welfare
benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without
limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees
of
such entities, that may not be terminated by such entities in their sole
discretion at any time without any material liability.
65
(j) amend,
or
permit any ERISA Affiliate to amend, a Plan resulting in a material increase
in
current liability such that the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA
Affiliate is required to provide security to such Plan under section 401(a)(29)
of the Code.
Section
9.09 Sale
or Discount of Receivables.
Except
for receivables obtained by the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary out of the
ordinary course of business or the settlement of joint interest billing accounts
in the ordinary course of business or discounts granted to settle collection
of
accounts receivable or the sale of defaulted accounts arising in the ordinary
course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof
and
not in connection with any financing transaction, neither the Parent Guarantor
nor any Subsidiary will discount or sell (with or without recourse) to any
other
Person that is not the Parent Guarantor or a Guarantor any of its notes
receivable or accounts receivable.
Section
9.10 Mergers,
Etc.
Neither
the Parent Guarantor nor any Loan Party will merge into or with or consolidate
with any other Person, or sell, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one
transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its
Property to any other Person (any such transaction, a “consolidation”);
provided
that:
(a) any
Subsidiary (other than the Borrower) may participate in a consolidation with
the
Parent Guarantor (provided that the Parent Guarantor shall be the continuing
or
surviving Person), and
(b) any
Subsidiary of the Borrower may participate in a consolidation with the Borrower
(provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person) or
any
other Subsidiary (provided that if a Party to such consolidation is a Guarantor
or the surviving Person is a Material Subsidiary, then the survivor is either
a
Guarantor or becomes a Guarantor under Section 8.14(b), and if one of such
Subsidiaries party to such consolidation is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, then
the
surviving Person shall be a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary).
Section
9.11 Sale
of Properties.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, assign,
farm-out, convey or otherwise transfer any Property except for (a) the sale
of
Hydrocarbons in the ordinary course of business; (b) farmouts of undeveloped
acreage, zones or depths and assignments in connection with such farmouts;
(c)
the sale or transfer of equipment that is no longer necessary for the business
of the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary or is replaced by equipment of at
least comparable value and use; (d) the sale or other disposition (including
Casualty Events) of any Oil and Gas Property or any interest therein or any
Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties; provided that (i) 100% of the
consideration received in respect of such sale or other disposition shall be
cash or other similar Oil and Gas Properties, (ii) the consideration received
in
respect of such sale or other disposition shall be equal to or greater than
the
fair market value of the Oil and Gas Property, interest therein or Subsidiary
subject of such sale or other disposition (as reasonably determined by the
board
of directors of the Parent Guarantor and, if requested by the Administrative
Agent, the Parent Guarantor shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer
of the Parent Guarantor certifying to that effect), (iii) if such sale or other
disposition of Oil and Gas Property (including farm-outs under Section 9.11(b))
or Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties included in the most recently
delivered Reserve Report during any period between two successive Scheduled
Redetermination Dates has a fair market value in excess of ten percent (10%)
of
the then effective Borrowing Base, individually or in the aggregate, the
Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the
Conforming Borrowing Base) shall be reduced, effective immediately upon such
sale or disposition, by an amount equal to the allocated value, if any, assigned
such Property in the most recently delivered Borrowing Base and (iv) if any
such
sale or other disposition is of a Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties,
such
sale or other disposition shall include all the Equity Interests of such
Subsidiary; and (e) sales and other dispositions of Properties not regulated
by
Section 9.11(a) to (d) having a fair market value not to exceed $10,000,000
during any 6-month period.
66
Section
9.12 Environmental
Matters.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, cause or
permit any of its Property to be in violation of, or do anything or permit
anything to be done which will subject any such Property to a Release or
threatened Release of Hazardous Materials, exposure to any Hazardous Materials,
or to any Remedial Work under any applicable Environmental Laws, assuming
disclosure to the applicable Governmental Authority of all relevant facts,
conditions and circumstances, if any, pertaining to such Property where such
violations, Release or threatened Release, exposure, or remedial obligations
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
9.13 Transactions
with Affiliates.
Except
for the Management Agreement and the Expense Sharing Agreement, the Parent
Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any
transaction, including, without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease or
exchange of Property or the rendering of any service, with any Affiliate (other
than the Guarantors and Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of the Parent Guarantor)
unless such transactions are otherwise permitted under this Agreement and are
upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to it than it would obtain
in a
comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate.
Section
9.14 Subsidiaries.
The
Parent Guarantor shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, create
or
acquire any additional Subsidiary or designate or redesignate a Subsidiary
as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary unless the Parent Guarantor gives written notice to
the
Administrative Agent of such creation or acquisition and complies with Section
8.14(b). The Parent Guarantor shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary
to,
sell, assign or otherwise dispose of any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary
except in compliance with Section 9.11(d). Neither the Parent Guarantor nor
any
Subsidiary shall have any Foreign Subsidiaries.
Section
9.15 Negative
Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur,
assume or suffer to exist any contract, agreement or understanding which in
any
way prohibits or restricts the granting, conveying, creation or imposition
of
any Lien on any of its Property in favor of the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders or restricts any Subsidiary from paying dividends or making
distributions to the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any other Loan Party,
or
which requires the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection
therewith; provided, however, that the preceding restrictions will not apply
to
encumbrances or restrictions arising under or by reason of (a) this Agreement
or
the Security Instruments, (b) any leases or licenses or similar contracts as
they affect any Property or Lien subject to a lease or license, (c) any
contract, agreement or understanding creating Liens on Capital Leases permitted
by Section 9.03(c) (but only to the extent related to the Property on which
such
Liens were created), (d) any restriction with respect to a Subsidiary imposed
pursuant to an agreement entered into for the direct or indirect sale or
disposition of all or substantially all the equity or Property of such
Subsidiary (or the Property that is subject to such restriction) pending the
closing of such sale or disposition, or (e) customary provisions with respect
to
the distribution of Property in joint venture agreements.
Section
9.16 Gas
Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments.
The
Parent Guarantor will not allow gas imbalances, take-or-pay or other prepayments
with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Parent Guarantor or any
Subsidiary that would require the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary to deliver
Hydrocarbons at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full
payment therefor to exceeding three and one-half percent (3.5%) of monthly
production in the aggregate.
67
Section
9.17 Swap
Agreements.
The
Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into
any
Swap Agreements with any Person other than:
(a) Swap
Agreements listed on Schedule 7.21 and other Swap Agreements (other than
purchase options) in respect of commodities entered into by the Borrower fixing
prices on oil and/or gas expected to be produced by the Loan Parties and the
Partnerships provided that (i) such contracts shall be with an Approved
Counterparty, (ii) no such contract shall be entered into by the Borrower on
behalf of another Person, except where the Borrower has the contractual
authority to enter into such Swap Agreements on behalf of such Person and the
obligations under such Swap Agreements are fully recourse to such Person and
(iii) the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with other commodity
Swap
Agreements then in effect other than basis differential swaps on volumes already
hedged pursuant to other Swap Agreements) do not exceed, as of the date such
Swap Agreement is executed: (A) during the 24-month period immediately following
the date on which such Swap Agreement is entered: the lesser of (1) 90% of
the
reasonably anticipated projected production from its and its Subsidiaries’ and
the Partnerships proved Oil and Gas Properties (including the Acquisition
Properties) and (2) 100% of the reasonably anticipated projected production
from
its and its Subsidiaries’ and the Partnerships proved developed producing Oil
and Gas Properties (including the Acquisition Properties), and (B) for the
24-month period immediately following the period described in clause (A), 85%
of
the reasonably anticipated projected production from its, its Subsidiaries
and
the Partnerships’ proved, developed, producing Oil and Gas Properties. Any such
projections to be adjusted as follows: (A) Oil and Gas Properties evaluated
in
the most recently delivered Reserve Report shall reflect the actual historical
decline profile of such Oil and Gas Properties and (B) Oil and Gas Properties
not evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report shall reflect a
reasonable decline profile based upon actual historical decline profiles of
similar or analogous Oil and Gas Properties) for each month during the period
during which such Swap Agreement is in effect for each of crude oil and natural
gas, calculated separately.
(b) Swap
Agreements in respect of interest rates with an Approved Counterparty, as
follows: (i) Swap Agreements effectively converting interest rates from fixed
to
floating, the notional amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Swap
Agreements of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries then in effect
effectively converting interest rates from fixed to floating) do not exceed
50%
of the then outstanding principal amount of the Parent Guarantor’s Debt for
borrowed money which bears interest at a fixed rate and (ii) Swap Agreements
effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed, the notional
amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Swap Agreements of the Parent
Guarantor and its Subsidiaries then in effect effectively converting interest
rates from floating to fixed) do not exceed 75% of the then outstanding
principal amount of the Parent Guarantor’s Debt for borrowed money which bears
interest at a floating rate.
(c) Except
as
set forth in Section 9.03(e), in no event shall any Swap Agreement contain
any
requirement, agreement or covenant for the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary
to
post collateral or margin to secure their obligations under such Swap Agreement
or to cover market exposures.
Section
9.18 Tax
Status as Partnership; Partnership Agreement.
The
Parent Guarantor shall not alter its status as a partnership for purposes of
United States Federal Income taxes. The Parent Guarantor shall not, and shall
not permit any Subsidiary to, amend or modify any provision of the Operating
Agreement or any other organizational document, or any agreements with
Affiliates of the type referred to in Section 9.13, if such amendment or
modification could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
9.19 Designation
and Conversion of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries; Debt of Unrestricted
Subsidiaries.
68
(a) Unless
designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary on Schedule 7.15 as of the date hereof
or thereafter, assuming compliance with Section 9.19(b), any Person that becomes
a Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall be classified
as a
Subsidiary.
(b) The
Borrower may designate by written notification thereof to the Administrative
Agent, any Subsidiary, including a newly formed or newly acquired Subsidiary,
as
an Unrestricted Subsidiary if prior, and after giving effect, to such
designation, neither a Default nor a Borrowing Base deficiency would exist
and such designation is deemed to be an Investment in an Unrestricted
Subsidiary in an amount equal to the fair market value as of the date of such
designation of the Borrower’s direct and indirect ownership interest in such
Subsidiary and such Investment would be permitted to be made at the time of
such
designation under Section 9.05(l). Except as provided in this Section 9.19(b),
no Subsidiary may be redesignated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
(c) The
Borrower may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Subsidiary if after
giving effect to such designation, the representations and warranties of
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries contained in each of the Loan Documents are
true and correct on and as of such date as if made on and as of the date of
such
redesignation (or, if stated to have been made expressly as of an earlier date,
were true and correct as of such date), no Default would exist and the
Borrower complies with the requirements of Section 8.14, Section 8.17 and
Section 9.14. Any such designation shall be treated as a cash dividend in an
amount equal to the lesser of the fair market value of the Borrower’s direct and
indirect ownership interest in such Subsidiary or the amount of the Borrower’s
cash investment previously made for purposes of the limitation on Investments
under Section 9.05(l).
(d) The
Borrower shall not permit the aggregate principal amount of all Non-Recourse
Debt outstanding at any one time to exceed $25,000,000.
ARTICLE
X
Events
of Default; Remedies
Section
10.01 Events
of Default.
One or
more of the following events shall constitute an “Event
of Default”:
(a) the
Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement
obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become
due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for payment
or prepayment thereof or otherwise.
(b) the
Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other
amount (other than an amount referred to in Section 10.01(a)) payable under
any
Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such
failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three Business
Days.
(c) any
representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Parent
Guarantor or any Subsidiary in or in connection with any Loan Document or any
amendment or modification of any Loan Document or waiver under such Loan
Document, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document
furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment
or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect
when made or deemed made.
(d) the
Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary shall fail to observe or perform any
covenant, condition or agreement contained Section 8.02(a) or in ARTICLE
IX.
69
(e) the
Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary shall fail to observe or perform any
covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those
specified in Section 10.01(a), Section 10.01(b) or Section 10.01(d)) or any
other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period
of
30 days after the earlier to occur of (i) notice thereof from the Administrative
Agent or any Lender to the Borrower or (ii) a Responsible Officer of the Parent
Guarantor or such Subsidiary otherwise becoming aware of such
default.
(f) the
Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether
of
principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material
Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable.
(g) any
event
or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due
prior
to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving
of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material
Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any
Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the Redemption thereof or
any
offer to Redeem to be made in respect thereof (other than as permitted by the
definition of Disqualified Capital Stock), prior to its scheduled maturity
or
require the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary to make an offer in respect
thereof.
(h) an
involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall
be
filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of
any
Loan Party or any Significant Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial
part
of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment
of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official
for any Loan Party or any Significant Subsidiary or for a substantial part
of
its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue
undismissed for 30 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of
the
foregoing shall be entered.
(i) any
Loan
Party or any Significant Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any
proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other
relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership
or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution
of,
or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or
petition described in Section 10.01(h), (iii) apply for or consent to the
appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or
similar official for any Loan Party or any Significant Subsidiary or for a
substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material
allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make
a
general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for
the
purpose of effecting any of the foregoing.
(j) any
Loan
Party or any Significant Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its
inability, or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due.
(k) one
or
more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of
$25,000,000 shall be rendered against Parent Guarantor, any of its Subsidiaries,
including the Borrower, or any combination thereof and the same shall remain
undischarged (or provision shall not be made for such discharge), or a stay
of
execution thereof shall not be procured, within the period of time prescribed
by
applicable rules of civil procedure in which to perfect an appeal
thereof.
(l) the
Loan
Documents after delivery thereof shall for any reason, except to the extent
permitted by the terms thereof, cease to be in full force and effect and valid,
binding and enforceable in accordance with their terms against any Loan Party
or
shall be repudiated, or cease to create a valid and perfected Lien of the
priority required thereby on any of the collateral purported to be covered
thereby, except to the extent permitted by the terms of this Agreement, or
any
Loan Party shall so state in writing.
70
(m) an
ERISA
Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, when
taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably
be expected to result in liability of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries
in an aggregate amount exceeding $25,000,000.
(n) a
Change
in Control shall occur.
Section
10.02 Remedies.
(a) In
the
case of an Event of Default other than one described in Section 10.01(h),
Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j), at any time thereafter during the
continuance of such Event of Default, the Majority Lenders may, by notice to
the
Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different
times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall
terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Notes and the Loans then outstanding
to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not
so
declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and
payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and
payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other
obligations of the Loan Parties accrued hereunder and under the Notes and the
other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash
collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.08(i)), shall
become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest, notice
of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration or other notice of any kind,
all
of which are hereby waived by each Loan Party; and in case of an Event of
Default described in Section 10.01(h), Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j),
the
Commitments shall automatically terminate and the Notes and the principal of
the
Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees
and
the other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors accrued hereunder
and
under the Notes and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation,
the
payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section
2.08(i)), shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment,
demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived
by
each Loan Party.
(b) In
the
case of the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and
each
Lender will have all other rights and remedies available to it or them at law
and equity.
(c) All
proceeds realized from the liquidation or other disposition of collateral or
otherwise received after the Termination Date, whether by acceleration or
otherwise, shall be applied: first,
to
reimbursement of expenses and indemnities provided for in this Agreement and
the
Security Instruments; second,
to
accrued interest on the Loans; third,
to
fees; fourth,
pro
rata to outstanding principal of the Loans, to serve as cash collateral to
be
held by the Administrative Agent to secure the LC Exposure and Indebtedness
referred to in Clause (b) of the definition of Indebtedness owing to a Lender
or
an Affiliate of a Lender; fifth,
to any
other Indebtedness; and any excess shall be paid to the Borrower or as otherwise
required by any Governmental Requirement.
ARTICLE
XI
The
Agents
Section
11.01 Appointment;
Powers.
Each of
the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably (subject to Section 11.06)
appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative
Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are
delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof and the other Loan
Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental
thereto.
71
Section
11.02 Duties
and Obligations of Administrative Agent.
The
Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those
expressly set forth in the Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality
of
the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any
fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred
and is continuing (the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan
Documents with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote
any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency
doctrine of any applicable law; rather, such term is used merely as a matter
of
market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative
relationship between independent contracting parties), (b) the Administrative
Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise
any
discretionary powers, except as provided in Section 11.03, and (c) except as
expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty
to
disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information
relating to the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated
to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its
Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to
have
knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to
the
Administrative Agent by the Parent Guarantor or a Lender, and shall not be
responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement,
warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or
any
other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other
document delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document or in connection
herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the
covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or in any
other Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or
genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement,
instrument or document, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in
ARTICLE VI or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly
required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or as to those conditions
precedent specifically required to be to the Administrative Agent’s
satisfaction, (vi) the existence, value, perfection or priority of any
collateral security or the financial or other condition of the Parent Guarantor
and its Subsidiaries or any other obligor or guarantor, or (vii) any failure
by
the Parent Guarantor or any other Person (other than itself) to perform any
of
its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document or the performance
or
observance of any covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth
herein or therein. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions
specified in Article VI, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to,
approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter
required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or
satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received
written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed closing date specifying
its objection thereto.
Section
11.03 Action
by Administrative Agent.
The
Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action
or
exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers
expressly contemplated hereby or by any of the Loan Documents that the
Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the
Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall
be
necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.02) and in all
cases
the Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to
act
hereunder or under any other Loan Documents unless it shall (a) receive written
instructions from the Majority Lenders or the Lenders, as applicable, (or such
other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the
circumstances as provided in Section 12.02) specifying the action to be taken
and (b) be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all
liability and expenses which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or
continuing to take any such action. The instructions as aforesaid and any action
taken or failure to act pursuant thereto by the Administrative Agent shall
be
binding on all of the Lenders. If a Default has occurred and is continuing,
then
the Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default
as
shall be directed by the requisite Lenders in the written instructions (with
indemnities) described in this Section 11.03, provided that, unless and until
the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative
Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from
taking such action, with respect to such Default as it shall deem advisable
in
the best interests of the Lenders. In no event, however, shall the
Administrative Agent be required to take any action which exposes the
Administrative Agent to personal liability or which is contrary to this
Agreement, the Loan Documents or applicable law. If a Default has occurred
and
is continuing, neither the Syndication Agent nor the Documentation Agents shall
have any obligation to perform any act in respect thereof. No Agent shall be
liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the
request of the Majority Lenders or the Lenders (or such other number or
percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as
provided in Section 12.02), and otherwise no Agent shall be liable for any
action taken or not taken by it hereunder or under any other Loan Document
or
under any other document or instrument referred to or provided for herein or
therein or in connection herewith or therewith INCLUDING ITS OWN ORDINARY
NEGLIGENCE, except for its own gross negligence or willful
misconduct.
72
Section
11.04 Reliance
by Administrative Agent.
The
Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any
liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent,
statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine
and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent
also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed
by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for
relying thereon and each of the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, the Lenders
and
the Issuing Bank hereby waives the right to dispute the Administrative Agent’s
record of such statement, except in the case of gross negligence or willful
misconduct by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may consult
with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent
accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any
action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such
counsel, accountants or experts. The Agents may deem and treat the payee of
any
Note as the holder thereof for all purposes hereof unless and until a written
notice of the assignment or transfer thereof permitted hereunder shall have
been
filed with the Administrative Agent.
Section
11.05 Subagents.
The
Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights
and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the
Administrative Agent in good faith after due inquiry. The Administrative Agent
and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its
rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory
provisions of the preceding Sections of this ARTICLE XI shall apply to any
such
sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such
sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with
the
syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities
as Administrative Agent.
Section
11.06 Resignation
of Agents.
Subject
to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Agent as provided in this
Section 11.06, any Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the
Issuing Bank and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Majority Lenders
shall have the right, in consultation with and upon the approval of the Borrower
(so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), which approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld, to appoint a successor. If no successor
shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders and shall have accepted
such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its
resignation, then the retiring Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the
Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Agent which shall be a bank with an office
in
New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of
its
appointment as Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed
to
and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the
retiring Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties
and
obligations hereunder. After the Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions
of this ARTICLE XI and Section 12.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit
of
such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in
respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it
was
acting as Agent.
73
Section
11.07 Agents
as Lenders.
Each
bank serving as an Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in
its
capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though
it
were not an Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from,
lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Parent
Guarantor or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not an
Agent hereunder.
Section
11.08 No
Reliance.
Each
Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the
Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any other Lender and based on such
documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit
analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement and each other Loan Document
to which it is a party. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will,
independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any other
Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it
shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions
in
taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan
Document, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or
thereunder. The Agents shall not be required to keep themselves informed as
to
the performance or observance by the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries
of this Agreement, the Loan Documents or any other document referred to or
provided for herein or to inspect the Properties or books of the Parent
Guarantor or its Subsidiaries. Except for notices, reports and other documents
and information expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the
Administrative Agent hereunder, no Agent or the Arranger shall have any duty
or
responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information
concerning the affairs, financial condition or business of the Parent Guarantor
(or any of its Affiliates) which may come into the possession of such Agent
or
any of its Affiliates. In this regard, each Lender acknowledges that Xxxxxx
& Xxxxxx L.L.P. is acting in this transaction as special counsel to the
Administrative Agent only, except to the extent otherwise expressly stated
in
any legal opinion or any Loan Document. Each other party hereto will consult
with its own legal counsel to the extent that it deems necessary in connection
with the Loan Documents and the matters contemplated therein.
Section
11.09 Authority
of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens.
Each
Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to
release any collateral that is permitted to be sold or released pursuant to
the
terms of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby authorizes
the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver to the Borrower, at the
Borrower’s sole cost and expense, any and all releases of Liens, termination
statements, assignments or other documents reasonably requested by the Borrower
in connection with any sale or other disposition of Property to the extent
such
sale or other disposition is permitted by the terms of Section 9.11 or Section
12.02(b).
Section
11.10 Administrative
Agent May File Proofs of Claim.
(a) In
case
of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial
proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective
of
whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein
expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the
Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be
entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or
otherwise:
(i) to
file
and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing
and
unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Indebtedness that are owing and
unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in
order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including
any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances
of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and
counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent
under
Section 12.03) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
74
(ii) to
collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on
any
such claims and to distribute the same;
and
any
custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other
similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each
Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event
that
the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly
to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the
reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due
the
Administrative Agent under Section 12.03.
(b) Nothing
contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to
authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan
of
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the
Indebtedness or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative
Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such
proceeding.
Section
11.11 The
Arranger, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agents.
The
Arranger, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agents shall have no
duties, responsibilities or liabilities under this Agreement and the other
Loan
Documents other than their duties, responsibilities and liabilities in their
capacity as Lenders hereunder.
ARTICLE
XII
Miscellaneous
Section
12.01 Notices.
(a) Except
in
the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given
by
telephone (and subject to Section 12.01(b)), all notices and other
communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered
by
hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or
sent by telecopy, as follows:
(i) if
to the
Borrower, to it at West Pointe Corporate Center I, 0000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxx,
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, (Telecopy
No.
215.546.4785/Email: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx);
(ii) if
to the
Administrative Agent, to it at: 1 Chase Tower, 10 South Dearborn, IL1-0010,
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 Attention: Mi Y Xxx, Phone No. 000.000.0000, Fax No.
000.000.0000, and for all other correspondence other than borrowings,
continuation, conversion and Letter of Credit requests 000 Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx,
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx (Telecopy No.
713.216.4117); and
(iii) if
to any
other Lender, in its capacity as such, or any other Lender in its capacity
as
the Issuing Bank, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its
Administrative Questionnaire.
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(b) Notices
and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished
by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the
Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices
pursuant to ARTICLE II, ARTICLE III, ARTICLE IV and ARTICLE V unless otherwise
agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative
Agent may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications
to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved
by
it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular
notices or communications.
(c) Any
party
hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other
communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices
and
other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions
of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of
receipt.
Section
12.02 Waivers;
Amendments.
(a) No
failure on the part of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender
to exercise and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect
to, any right, power or privilege, or any abandonment or discontinuance of
steps
to enforce such right, power or privilege, under any of the Loan Documents
shall
operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any
right, power or privilege under any of the Loan Documents preclude any other
or
further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.
The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the
Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are
not
exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver
of
any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any
departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless
the
same shall be permitted by Section 12.02(b), and then such waiver or consent
shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which
given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan
or
issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any
Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the
Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the
time.
(b) Neither
this Agreement nor any provision hereof nor any Security Instrument nor any
provision thereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an
agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Parent Guarantor, the
Borrower and the Majority Lenders or by the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower
and
the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Majority Lenders; provided
that
no such agreement shall (i) increase the Maximum Credit Amount of any Lender
without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) increase the Borrowing Base
or
the Conforming Borrowing Base without the written consent of all Lenders,
decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base or the Conforming Borrowing Base without
the consent of the Super-Majority Lenders, or modify Section 2.07 without the
consent of each Lender, (iii) extend or post-pone the Borrowing Base
Equalization Date without the written consent of each Lender, (iv) reduce the
principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest
thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, or reduce any other Indebtedness
hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written consent of
each
Lender affected thereby, (v) postpone the scheduled date of payment or
prepayment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any
interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or any other Indebtedness
hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or reduce the amount of, waive
or
excuse any such payment, or postpone or extend the Termination Date without
the
written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (vi) change Section 4.01(b)
or
Section 4.01(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments
required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (vii) release
any
Guarantor (except as set forth in the Guaranty Agreement), release any of the
collateral (other than as provided in Section 11.09), or reduce the percentage
set forth in Section 8.14(a) to less than 80%, without the written consent
of
each Lender, or (viii) change any of the provisions of this Section 12.02(b)
or
the definitions of “Super-Majority Lenders” or “Majority Lenders” or any other
provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to
waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or under any other Loan Documents
or
make any determination or grant any consent hereunder or any other Loan
Documents, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that
no
such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties
of
the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or the Issuing Bank hereunder or
under
any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative
Agent, such other Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, any supplement to Schedule 7.15 (Subsidiaries) shall be effective
simply by delivering to the Administrative Agent a supplemental schedule clearly
marked as such and, upon receipt, the Administrative Agent will promptly deliver
a copy thereof to the Lenders.
76
Section
12.03 Expenses,
Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a) The
Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the
Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, the
reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel and other outside
consultants for the Administrative Agent, the reasonable travel, photocopy,
mailing, courier, telephone and other similar expenses, and the cost of
environmental audits and surveys and appraisals, in connection with the
syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation,
negotiation, execution, delivery and administration (both before and after
the
execution hereof and including advice of counsel to the Administrative Agent
as
to the rights and duties of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with
respect thereto) of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any
amendments, modifications or waivers of or consents related to the provisions
hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all costs, expenses, taxes, assessments
and
other charges incurred by any Agent or any Lender in connection with any filing,
registration, recording or perfection of any security interest contemplated
by
this Agreement or any Security Instrument or any other document referred to
therein and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Agent, the Issuing
Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel
for any Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the
enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement or
any
other Loan Document, including its rights under this Section 12.03, or in
connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including,
without limitation, all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout,
restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of
Credit.
(b) THE
BORROWER SHALL INDEMNIFY THE ARRANGER, EACH AGENT, THE ISSUING BANK AND EACH
LENDER, AND EACH RELATED PARTY OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING PERSONS (EACH SUCH PERSON
BEING CALLED AN “INDEMNITEE”)
AGAINST, DEFEND AND HOLD EACH INDEMNITEE HARMLESS FROM, ANY AND ALL LOSSES,
CLAIMS, DAMAGES, PENALITIES, LIABILITIES AND RELATED EXPENSES, INCLUDING THE
REASONABLE FEES, CHARGES AND DISBURSEMENTS OF ANY COUNSEL FOR ANY INDEMNITEE,
INCURRED BY OR ASSERTED AGAINST ANY INDEMNITEE ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION
WITH, OR AS A RESULT OF (i) THE EXECUTION OR DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR
ANY
OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ANY AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR
THEREBY, THE PERFORMANCE BY THE PARTIES HERETO OR THE PARTIES TO ANY OTHER
LOAN
DOCUMENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR THE
CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR BY ANY OTHER LOAN
DOCUMENT, (ii) THE FAILURE OF THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY LOAN PARTY TO COMPLY
WITH THE TERMS OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THIS AGREEMENT, OR WITH ANY
GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENT, (iii) ANY INACCURACY OF ANY REPRESENTATION OR ANY
BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY OR COVENANT OF THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY GUARANTOR
SET
FORTH IN ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY INSTRUMENTS, DOCUMENTS OR
CERTIFICATIONS DELIVERED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (iv) ANY LOAN OR LETTER OF
CREDIT OR THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS THEREFROM, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION,
(A)
ANY REFUSAL BY THE ISSUING BANK TO HONOR A DEMAND FOR PAYMENT UNDER A LETTER
OF
CREDIT IF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH DEMAND DO NOT STRICTLY
COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT, OR (B) THE PAYMENT OF A DRAWING
UNDER ANY LETTER OF CREDIT NOTWITHSTANDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE, NON-DELIVERY
OR
OTHER IMPROPER PRESENTATION OF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH,
(v) ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, (vi) THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUSINESS
OF THE PARENT GUARANTOR AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (vii) ANY ASSERTION THAT THE
LENDERS WERE NOT ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE PROCEEDS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE
SECURITY INSTRUMENTS, (viii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE PARENT
GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT
LIMITATION, THE PRESENCE, GENERATION, STORAGE, RELEASE, THREATENED RELEASE,
USE,
TRANSPORT, DISPOSAL, ARRANGEMENT OF DISPOSAL OR TREATMENT OF OIL, OIL AND GAS
WASTES, SOLID WASTES OR HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, (ix)
THE BREACH OR NON-COMPLIANCE BY THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY WITH
ANY
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY, (x)
THE
PAST OWNERSHIP BY THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OF ANY OF THEIR
PROPERTIES OR PAST ACTIVITY ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES WHICH, THOUGH LAWFUL
AND
FULLY PERMISSIBLE AT THE TIME, COULD RESULT IN PRESENT LIABILITY, (xi) THE
PRESENCE, USE, RELEASE, STORAGE, TREATMENT, DISPOSAL, GENERATION, THREATENED
RELEASE, TRANSPORT, ARRANGEMENT FOR TRANSPORT OR ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPOSAL OF
OIL, OIL AND GAS WASTES, SOLID WASTES OR HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ON OR AT ANY
OF
THE PROPERTIES OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY
OR
ANY ACTUAL OR ALLEGED PRESENCE OR RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OR FROM
ANY
PROPERTY OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES,
(xii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY RELATED IN ANY WAY TO THE PARENT GUARANTOR
OR
ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, OR (xiii) ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH OR SAFETY
CONDITION IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, OR (xiv) ANY ACTUAL OR
PROSPECTIVE CLAIM, LITIGATION, INVESTIGATION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO ANY
OF
THE FOREGOING, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY AND
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY INDEMNITEE IS A PARTY THERETO, AND SUCH INDEMNITY
SHALL EXTEND TO EACH INDEMNITEE NOTWITHSTANDING THE SOLE OR CONCURRENT
NEGLIGENCE OF EVERY KIND OR CHARACTER WHATSOEVER, WHETHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE,
WHETHER AN AFFIRMATIVE ACT OR AN OMISSION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL
TYPES OF NEGLIGENT CONDUCT IDENTIFIED IN THE RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS
OF
ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES OR BY REASON OF STRICT LIABILITY IMPOSED WITHOUT
FAULT ON ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES; PROVIDED THAT SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL
NOT, AS TO ANY INDEMNITEE, BE AVAILABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH LOSSES, CLAIMS,
DAMAGES, LIABILITIES OR RELATED EXPENSES HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE
OR WILFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH INDEMNITEE.
77
(c) To
the
extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it
to
any Agent or the Issuing Bank under Section 12.03(a) or (b), each Lender
severally agrees to pay to such Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may
be,
such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the
applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid
amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim,
damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or
asserted against such Agent or the Issuing Bank in its capacity as
such.
78
(d) To
the
extent permitted by applicable law, the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower shall
not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory
of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as
opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or
as a
result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or
instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter
of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.
(e) All
amounts due under this Section 12.03 shall be payable promptly after written
demand therefor.
Section
12.04 Successors
and Assigns.
(a) The
provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit
of
the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby
(including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit),
except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its
rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender
(and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent
shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer
its
rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section 12.04.
Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer
upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors
and
assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that
issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in Section
12.04(c)) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties
of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any
legal
or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this
Agreement
(b) (i)
Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender
may
assign to one or more assignees (each, an “Assignee”)
all or
a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all
or a
portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior
written consent of:
(A) the
Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), provided
that no
consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an
Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund (as defined below) or, if an Event
of
Default has occurred and is continuing, any other Person; and
(B) the
Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank (such consent not to be unreasonably
withheld).
(ii) Assignments
shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A) except
in
the case of an assignment to a Lender, an affiliate of a Lender or an Approved
Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s
Commitment or Loans, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning
Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment
and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the
Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the
Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided
that (1)
no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing and (2) such amounts shall be aggregated in respect
of each Lender and its Affiliates or Approved Funds, if any;
79
(B) the
parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative
Agent
an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee
of
$3,500; and
(C) the
Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative
Agent
an Administrative Questionnaire.
For
the
purposes of this Section 12.04, “Approved
Fund”
means
any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing,
holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the
ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a)
a
Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) Person or an Affiliate of a Person
that administers or manages a Lender.
(iii) Subject
to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) below,
from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption
the Assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the
interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and
obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender
thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment
and
Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in
the
case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s
rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be
a
party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of
Sections 5.01, 5.02, 5.03 and 12.03). Any assignment or transfer by a
Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with
this Section 12.04(b) shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a
sale
by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance
with Section 12.04(c).
(iv) The
Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower,
shall
maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption
delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses
of
the Lenders, and the Maximum Credit Amount of, and principal amount of the
Loans
and LC Exposures owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time
to
time (the “Register”).
The
entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders may treat each Person
whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender
hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the
contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the
Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon
reasonable prior notice.
(v) Upon
its
receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning
Lender and an Assignee, the Assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire
(unless the Assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and
recordation fee referred to in Section 12.04(b) and any written consent to
such
assignment required by Section 12.04(b), the Administrative Agent shall accept
such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein
in
the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement
unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this Section
12.04(b).
(c) (i)
Any
Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent,
sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”)
in all
or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement
(including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it);
provided
that (A)
such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such
Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the
performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent,
the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and
directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and
obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement pursuant to which a Lender
sells
such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right
to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver
of any provision of this Agreement; provided
that
such agreement may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of
the
Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver that (1) requires
the consent of each Lender directly affected thereby pursuant to the proviso
to
the second sentence of Section 12.02 and (2) directly affects such Participant.
Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each
Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 5.01, 5.02 and 5.03
to
the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by
assignment pursuant to Section 12.04(b). To the extent permitted by law, each
Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 12.08 as
though it were a Lender, provided such Participant shall be subject to
Section 4.01 as though it were a Lender.
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(ii) A
Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section
5.01 or 5.03 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive
with
respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the
participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written
consent. Any Participant that is a Non-U.S. Lender shall not be entitled to
the
benefits of Section 5.03 unless such Participant complies with Section
5.03(d).
(d) Any
Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any
portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender,
including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve
Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of
a
security interest; provided
that no
such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from
any
of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or Assignee for
such
Lender as a party hereto.
(e) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, any Conduit Lender may assign any or all of the Loans it may
have
funded hereunder to its designating Lender without the consent of the Borrower
or the Administrative Agent and without regard to the limitations set forth
in
Section 12.04(b). Each of the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, each Lender and
the Administrative Agent hereby confirms that it will not institute against
a
Conduit Lender or join any other Person in instituting against a Conduit Lender
any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation
proceeding under any state bankruptcy or similar law, for one year and one
day
after the payment in full of the latest maturing commercial paper note issued
by
such Conduit Lender; provided,
however,
that
each Lender designating any Conduit Lender hereby agrees to indemnify, save
and
hold harmless each other party hereto for any loss, cost, damage or expense
arising out of its inability to institute such a proceeding against such Conduit
Lender during such period of forbearance.
Section
12.05 Survival;
Revival; Reinstatement.
(a) All
covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Parent
Guarantor and the Borrower herein and by the Loan Parties in the certificates
or
other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement
or
any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the
other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit,
regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf
and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing
Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect
representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and
shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any
accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this
Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding
and
so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of
Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 and Section 12.03 and ARTICLE XI shall
survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation
of
the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration
or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination
of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or
thereof.
81
(b) To
the
extent that any payments on the Indebtedness or proceeds of any collateral
are
subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside
or required to be repaid to a trustee, debtor in possession, receiver or other
Person under any bankruptcy law, common law or equitable cause, then to such
extent, the Indebtedness so satisfied shall be revived and continue as if such
payment or proceeds had not been received and the Administrative Agent’s and the
Lenders’ Liens, security interests, rights, powers and remedies under this
Agreement and each Loan Document shall continue in full force and effect. In
such event, each Loan Document shall be automatically reinstated and the Parent
Guarantor and the Borrower shall take (and shall cause each other Loan Party
to
take) such action as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent
and
the Lenders to effect such reinstatement.
Section
12.06 Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness.
(a) This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto
on
different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all
of
which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.
(b) This
Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with
respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire
contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof
and
supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written,
relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof. This Agreement and the other
Loan Documents represent the final agreement among the parties hereto and
thereto and may not be contradicted by evidence of prior, contemporaneous or
subsequent oral agreements of the parties. There are no unwritten oral
agreements between the parties.
(c) Except
as
provided in Section 6.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall
have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative
Agent
shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the
signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature
page
of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually
executed counterpart of this Agreement.
Section
12.07 Severability.
Any
provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document held to be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction,
be
ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability
without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions hereof or thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision
in a
particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other
jurisdiction.
Section
12.08 Right
of Setoff.
If an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each
of
its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits
(general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held
and
other obligations (of whatsoever kind, including, without limitations
obligations under Swap Agreements) at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate
to or for the credit or the account of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary
against any of and all the obligations of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary
owed to such Lender now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other
Loan Document, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any
demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such
obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section
12.08
are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff)
which such Lender or its Affiliates may have.
82
Section
12.09 GOVERNING
LAW; JURISDICTION;
CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS.
(a) THIS
AGREEMENT AND THE NOTES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH,
THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT UNITED STATES
FEDERAL LAW PERMITS ANY LENDER TO CONTRACT FOR, CHARGE, RECEIVE, RESERVE OR
TAKE
INTEREST AT THE RATE ALLOWED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE WHERE SUCH LENDER IS
LOCATED.
(b) ANY
LEGAL
ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THE LOAN DOCUMENTS SHALL BE BROUGHT IN
THE
COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT,
EACH PARTY HEREBY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW) IN
RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE JURISDICTION OF
THE
AFORESAID COURTS. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING,
WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS
OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING
OF
ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS. THIS SUBMISSION
TO JURISDICTION IS NON-EXCLUSIVE AND DOES NOT PRECLUDE A PARTY FROM OBTAINING
JURISDICTION OVER ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY COURT OTHERWISE HAVING
JURISDICTION.
(c) EACH
PARTY IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE SERVICE OF PROCESS OF ANY OF THE
AFOREMENTIONED COURTS IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY THE MAILING OF COPIES
THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, TO IT AT THE ADDRESS
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 12.01 OR SUCH OTHER ADDRESS AS IS SPECIFIED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 12.01 (OR ITS ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION), SUCH SERVICE TO BECOME
EFFECTIVE THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER SUCH MAILING. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT
THE
RIGHT OF A PARTY OR ANY HOLDER OF A NOTE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER
PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO COMMENCE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR OTHERWISE PROCEED AGAINST
ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.
(d) EACH
PARTY HEREBY (i) IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT
PERMITTED BY LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING
TO
THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN;
(ii)
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT
IT
MAY HAVE TO CLAIM OR RECOVER IN ANY SUCH LITIGATION ANY SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY,
PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES OTHER THAN, OR IN ADDITION TO,
ACTUAL DAMAGES; (iii) CERTIFIES THAT NO PARTY HERETO NOR ANY REPRESENTATIVE
OR
AGENT OF COUNSEL FOR ANY PARTY HERETO HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE,
OR IMPLIED THAT SUCH PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO
ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVERS, AND (iv) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED
TO
ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT, THE LOAN DOCUMENTS AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY AND THEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS
CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 12.09.
83
Section
12.10 Headings.
Article
and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience
of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the
construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this
Agreement
Section
12.11 Confidentiality.
Each of
the Administrative Agent and each Lender agrees to keep confidential all
non-public information provided to it by the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower
or
any of their Subsidiaries, the Administrative Agent or any Lender pursuant
to or
in connection with this Agreement that is designated by the provider thereof
as
confidential; provided
that
nothing herein shall prevent the Administrative Agent or any Lender from
disclosing any such information (a) to the Administrative Agent, any other
Lender or any affiliate thereof, (b) subject to an agreement to comply with
the
provisions of this Section, to any actual or prospective Transferee or any
direct or indirect counterparty to any Swap Agreement (or any professional
advisor to such counterparty), (c) to its employees, directors, agents,
attorneys, accountants and other professional advisors or those of any of its
affiliates, (d) upon the request or demand of any Governmental Authority, (e)
in
response to any order of any court or other Governmental Authority or as may
otherwise be required pursuant to any Governmental Requirement, (f) if requested
or required to do so in connection with any litigation or similar proceeding,
(g) that has been publicly disclosed, (h) to the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners or any similar organization or any nationally recognized
rating agency that requires access to information about a Lender’s investment
portfolio in connection with ratings issued with respect to such Lender, or
(i)
in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder or under any other
Loan
Document.
Each
Lender acknowledges that information furnished to it pursuant to this Agreement
or the other Loan Documents may include material non-public information
concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their
respective securities, and confirms that it has developed compliance procedures
regarding the use of material non-public information and that it will handle
such material non-public information in accordance with those procedures and
applicable law, including Federal and state securities laws.
All
information, including requests for waivers and amendments, furnished by the
Borrower or the Administrative Agent pursuant to, or in the course of
administering, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents will be
syndicate-level information, which may contain material non-public information
about the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their
respective securities. Accordingly, each Lender represents to the Borrower
and
the Administrative Agent that it has identified in its Administrative
Questionnaire a credit contact who may receive information that may contain
material non-public information in accordance with its compliance procedures
and
applicable law, including Federal and state securities laws.
Section
12.12 Interest
Rate
Limitation.
It is
the intention of the parties hereto that each Lender shall conform strictly
to
usury laws applicable to it. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
if
at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees,
charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under
applicable law (collectively the “Charges”),
shall
exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum
Rate”)
which
may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender
holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest
payable in respect of such Loan, together with all Charges payable in respect
thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the
interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but
were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated
and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans
or
periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until
such
cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective
Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such
Lender.
84
Section
12.13 No
Third Party Beneficiaries.
This
Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the agreement of the Lenders to make
Loans and the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend Letters of Credit
hereunder are solely for the benefit of the Borrower, and no other Person
(including, without limitation, the Parent Guarantor and any Subsidiary of
the
Borrower, any obligor, contractor, subcontractor, supplier or materialman)
shall
have any rights, claims, remedies or privileges hereunder or under any other
Loan Document against the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing
Bank or any Lender for any reason whatsoever. There are no third party
beneficiaries.
Section
12.14 Collateral
Matters; Swap Agreements.
The
benefit of the Security Instruments and of the provisions of this Agreement
relating to any collateral securing the Indebtedness shall also extend to and
be
available to those Lenders or their Affiliates which are counterparties to
any
Swap Agreement with the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries on a pro
rata
basis in
respect of any obligations of the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any of
its
Subsidiaries which arise under any such Swap Agreement while such Person or
its
Affiliate is a Lender, but only while such Person or its Affiliate is a Lender,
including any Swap Agreements between such Persons in existence prior to the
date hereof. No Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender shall have any voting rights
under any Loan Document as a result of the existence of obligations owed to
it
under any such Swap Agreements.
Section
12.15 Acknowledgements.
Each of
the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower hereby acknowledges that:
(a) it
has
been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents;
(b) neither
the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary relationship with
or
duty to the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower arising out of or in connection
with this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship
between Administrative Agent and Lenders, on one hand, and the Parent Guarantor
and the Borrower, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is
solely that of debtor and creditor; and
no
joint
venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists
by
virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among the
Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and the Lenders.
Section
12.16 USA
Patriot Act Notice.
Each
Lender hereby notifies the Parent Guarantor that pursuant to the requirements
of
the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26,
2001)) (the “Act”),
it is
required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Parent
Guarantor and the Borrower, which information includes the name and address
of
the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower and other information that will allow
such
Lender to identify the Parent Guarantor in accordance with the
Act.
[SIGNATURES
BEGIN NEXT PAGE]
85
The
parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day
and
year first above written.
BORROWER:
|
ATLAS
ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
|
|
By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC,
its
sole member
|
||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx |
||
Chief
Financial Officer
|
PARENT
GUARANTOR:
|
ATLAS
ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC,
a
Delaware limited liability company
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx |
||
Chief
Financial Officer
|
SIGNATURE
PAGE 1
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as
a Lender
and
as Administrative
Agent
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 2
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as
a Lender and as Syndication
Agent
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxx Xxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 3
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
BANK
OF AMERICA, N.A.,as
a Lender and as
Co-Documentation
Agent
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxx X. Xxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 4
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
BNP
PARIBAS,
as
a Lender and as
Co-Documentation
Agent
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Managing Director |
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 5
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,
as
a Lender and as
Co-Documentation
Agent
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 6
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
UBS LOAN FINANCE LLC,
as
a Lender and as
Co-Documentation
Agent
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Director |
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxx X. Xxxx |
|
Title: | Associate Director |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 7
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
BMO
CAPITAL MARKETS FINANCING,
INC.,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Director |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 8
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
THE
BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Director |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 9
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
CALYON
NEW YORK BRANCH,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Managing Director |
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxx Xxxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Managing Director |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 10
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
BANK
OF SCOTLAND,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxx Xxxxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 11
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
THE ROYAL
BANK OF SCOTLAND plc,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xx. |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 12
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
RZB
FINANCE LLC,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx |
|
Title: | Assistant Vice President |
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
|
Title: | First Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 13
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
CITIBANK,
N.A.,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Senior Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 14
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
SOCIETE
GENERALE,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Director |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 15
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
XXXXX
FARGO BANK, N.A.,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 16
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
U.S.
BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 17
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
WESTLB
AG NEW YORK BRANCH
(f/k/a
WESTDEUTSCHE LANDESBANK
GIROZENTRALE),
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Executive Director |
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxx Xx Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Director |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 18
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
COMPASS
BANK,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 19
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
COMERICA
BANK,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxx Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Assistant Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 20
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
DZ
BANK AG DEUTSCHE ZENTRAL-GENOSSENSCHAFTSBANK
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, NEW YORK BRANCH,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx |
|
Title: | First Vice President |
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | First Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 21
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
KEYBANK,
NA,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxx Xxxxx |
|
Title: | Senior Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 22
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
UNION
BANK OF CALIFORNIA, N.A.,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 23
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
SUMITOMO
MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx |
|
Title: | General Manager |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 24
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
MIZUHO
CORPORATE BANK, LTD.,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Hidekatsu Take |
|
Title: | Deputy General Manager |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 25
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
FORTIS
CAPITAL CORP.,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx |
|
Title: | Senior Vice President |
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx |
|
Title: | Managing Director |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 26
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
GUARANTY
BANK,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx III |
|
Title: | Senior Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 27
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
|
CITIZENS
BANK OF PENNSYLVANIA,
as a Lender
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ | |
Name: |
Euclid X. Xxxxx |
|
Title: | Vice President |
SIGNATURE
PAGE 28
TO
CREDIT AGREEMENT
ANNEX
I
LIST
OF MAXIMUM CREDIT AMOUNTS
Name
of Lender
|
Applicable
Percentage
|
Maximum
Credit Amount
|
|||||
JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A.
|
5.2941
|
%
|
$
|
45,000,000
|
|||
Wachovia
Bank, National Association
|
4.8235
|
%
|
$
|
41,000,000
|
|||
Bank
of America, N.A.
|
4.8235
|
%
|
$
|
41,000,000
|
|||
BNP
Paribas
|
4.8235
|
%
|
$
|
41,000,000
|
|||
Royal
Bank of Canada
|
4.8235
|
%
|
$
|
41,000,000
|
|||
UBS
Loan Finance LLC
|
4.8235
|
%
|
$
|
41,000,000
|
|||
BMO
Capital Markets Financing, Inc.
|
4.1176
|
%
|
$
|
35,000,000
|
|||
The
Bank of Nova Scotia
|
4.1176
|
%
|
$
|
35,000,000
|
|||
Calyon
New York Branch
|
4.1176
|
%
|
$
|
35,000,000
|
|||
Bank
of Scotland New York Branch
|
4.1176
|
%
|
$
|
35,000,000
|
|||
The
Royal Bank of Scotland plc
|
3.5294
|
%
|
$
|
30,000,000
|
|||
RZB
Finance LLC
|
3.5294
|
%
|
$
|
30,000,000
|
|||
Citibank,
N.A.
|
3.5294
|
%
|
$
|
30,000,000
|
|||
Societe
Generale
|
3.5294
|
%
|
$
|
30,000,000
|
|||
Xxxxx
Fargo Bank, N.A.
|
3.5294
|
%
|
$
|
30,000,000
|
|||
U.S.
Bank National Association
|
3.5294
|
%
|
$
|
30,000,000
|
|||
WestLB
AG, New York Branch
|
3.5294
|
%
|
$
|
30,000,000
|
|||
Compass
Bank
|
3.2353
|
%
|
$
|
27,500,000
|
|||
Comerica
Bank
|
3.2353
|
%
|
$
|
27,500,000
|
|||
DZ
Bank AG
|
3.2353
|
%
|
$
|
27,500,000
|
|||
KeyBank
National Association
|
3.2353
|
%
|
$
|
27,500,000
|
|||
Union
Bank of California, N.A.
|
3.2353
|
%
|
$
|
27,500,000
|
|||
Sumitomo
Mitsui Banking Corporation
|
3.2353
|
%
|
$
|
27,500,000
|
|||
Mizuho
Corporate Bank, Ltd.
|
2.9412
|
%
|
$
|
25,000,000
|
|||
Fortis
Capital Corp.
|
2.9412
|
%
|
$
|
25,000,000
|
|||
Guaranty
Bank
|
2.9412
|
%
|
$
|
25,000,000
|
|||
Citizens
Bank of Pennsylvania
|
1.1765
|
%
|
$
|
10,000,000
|
|||
Total
|
100
|
%
|
$
|
850,000,000
|
Annex
I -
1
ANNEX
II
SOURCES
AND USES TABLE
Sources:
|
||||
Senior
Secured Revolving Facility
|
$
|
650,000,000*
|
||
Equity
Commitment
|
$
|
600,000,000
|
||
Total
Sources
|
$
|
1,250,000,000
|
||
Uses:
|
||||
Purchase
Price
|
$
|
1,225,000,000
|
||
Payment
of Fees and Expenses
|
$
|
25,000,000
|
||
Total
Uses
|
$
|
1,250,000,000
|
*May
be
increased to $725,000,000.
Annex
II - 1
EXHIBIT
A
[FORM
OF] NOTE
$[__________] |
[_________],
200[__]
|
FOR
VALUE
RECEIVED, Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (the “Borrower”)
hereby
promises to pay to the order of [_______] (the “Lender”),
at
the principal office of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (the “Administrative
Agent”),
at
[___________], the principal sum of [___________] Dollars ($[___________])
(or
such lesser amount as shall equal the aggregate unpaid principal amount of
the
Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement, as
hereinafter defined), in lawful money of the United States of America and in
immediately available funds, on the dates and in the principal amounts provided
in the Credit Agreement, and to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount
of
each such Loan, at such office, in like money and funds, for the period
commencing on the date of such Loan until such Loan shall be paid in full,
at
the rates per annum and on the dates provided in the Credit
Agreement.
The
date,
amount, Type, interest rate, Interest Period and maturity of each Loan made
by
the Lender to the Borrower, and each payment made on account of the principal
thereof, shall be recorded by the Lender on its books and, prior to any transfer
of this Note, may be endorsed by the Lender on the schedules attached hereto
or
any continuation thereof or on any separate record maintained by the Lender.
Failure to make any such notation or to attach a schedule shall not affect
any
Lender’s or the Borrower’s rights or obligations in respect of such Loans or
affect the validity of such transfer by any Lender of this Note.
This
Note
is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement, dated as of June 29,
2007, among Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, as parent guarantor, the Borrower,
the
Administrative Agent, and the other agents and lenders signatory thereto
(including the Lender), and evidences Loans made by the Lender thereunder (such
Credit Agreement as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise
modified from time to time, the “Credit
Agreement”).
Capitalized terms used in this Note have the respective meanings assigned to
them in the Credit Agreement.
This
Note
is issued pursuant to the Credit Agreement and is entitled to the benefits
provided for in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Credit
Agreement provides for the acceleration of the maturity of this Note upon the
occurrence of certain events, for prepayments of Loans upon the terms and
conditions specified therein and other provisions relevant to this
Note.
THIS
NOTE
SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE
OF
NEW YORK.
|
ATLAS
ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole
member
|
|
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
|
|
Title: |
|
|
|
Exhibit A-1
EXHIBIT
B
FORM
OF BORROWING REQUEST
[______________],
200[__]
Atlas
Energy Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
“Borrower”),
pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007,
(together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications
thereto, the “Credit
Agreement”),
among
the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative
Agent and the other agents and lenders (the “Lenders”)
which
are or become parties thereto (unless otherwise defined herein, each capitalized
term used herein is defined in the Credit Agreement), hereby requests a
Borrowing as follows:
(i) Aggregate
amount of the requested Borrowing is $[___________];
(ii) Date
of
such Borrowing is [___________], 200[__];
(iii) Requested
Borrowing is to be [an ABR Borrowing] [a Eurodollar Borrowing];
(iv) In
the
case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period applicable thereto
is [___________];
(v) Amount
of
Borrowing Base [add if applicable: the Conforming Borrowing Base] in effect
on
the date hereof is $[___________]; [$[___________] and
$[___________]];
(vi) Total
Revolving Credit Exposures [add if applicable: the Conforming Borrowing Base]
on
the date hereof (i.e., outstanding principal amount of Loans and total LC
Exposure) is $[___________]; [$[___________] and
$[___________]];and
(vii) Pro
forma
total Revolving Credit Exposures [add if applicable: the Conforming Borrowing
Base] (giving effect to the requested Borrowing) is $[___________];
[$[____________] and $[___________]];and
(viii) Location
and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which
shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.05 of the Credit Agreement,
is
as follows:
[
]
[
]
[
]
[
]
[
]
Exhibit B-1
The
undersigned certifies that he/she is the [_________] of the Parent Guarantor
and
the Borrower, and that as such he/she is authorized to execute this certificate
on behalf of each of them. The undersigned further certifies, represents and
warrants on behalf of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower that the Borrower
is
entitled to receive the requested Borrowing under the terms and conditions
of
the Credit Agreement.
PARENT
GUARANTOR:
|
ATLAS
ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
|
|
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
|
|
Title: |
BORROWER:
|
ATLAS
ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
By:
Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole member
|
|
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
|
|
Title: |
Exhibit B-2
EXHIBIT
C
FORM
OF INTEREST ELECTION REQUEST
[_________],
200[__]
Atlas
Energy Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
“Borrower”),
pursuant to Section 2.04 of the Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007,
(together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications
thereto, the “Credit
Agreement”),
among
Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, as parent guarantor, the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent and the other agents and lenders (the
“Lenders”)
which
are or become parties thereto (unless otherwise defined herein, each capitalized
term used herein is defined in the Credit Agreement), hereby makes an Interest
Election Request as follows:
(i) The
Borrowing to which this Interest Election Request applies, and if different
options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the
portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case
the
information specified pursuant to (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for
each resulting Borrowing) is [___________];
(ii) The
effective date of the election made pursuant to this Interest Election Request
is [___________], 200[__];[and]
(iii) The
resulting Borrowing is to be [an ABR Borrowing] [a Eurodollar Borrowing][;
and
[(iv) [If
the
resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing] The Interest Period applicable
to
the resulting Borrowing after giving effect to such election is
[___________]].
The
undersigned certifies that he/she is the [___________] of the Parent Guarantor
and the Borrower, and that as such he/she is authorized to execute this
certificate on behalf of each of them. The undersigned further certifies,
represents and warrants on behalf of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower
that
the Borrower is entitled to receive the requested continuation or conversion
under the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement.
PARENT
GUARANTOR:
|
ATLAS
ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
|
|
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
|
|
Title: |
BORROWER:
|
ATLAS
ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC,
its sole
member
|
|
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
|
|
Title: |
Exhibit C-1
EXHIBIT
D
[FORM
OF]
COMPLIANCE
CERTIFICATE
The
undersigned hereby certifies that he/she is the [___________] of Atlas Energy
Resources, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Parent
Guarantor”),
and
that as such he/she is authorized to execute this certificate on behalf of
the
Parent Guarantor and Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (the “Borrower”).
With
reference to the Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007, (together with
all
amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto being
the
“Agreement”),
among
the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative
Agent, and the other agents and lenders (the “Lenders”)
which
are or become a party thereto, and such Lenders, the undersigned represents
and
warrants as follows (each capitalized term used herein having the same meaning
given to it in the Agreement unless otherwise specified):
(a) The
representations and warranties of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower
contained in Article VII of the Agreement and in the Loan Documents and
otherwise made in writing by or on behalf of either the Parent Guarantor or
the
Borrower pursuant to the Agreement and the Loan Documents were true and correct
when made, and are repeated at and as of the time of delivery hereof and are
true and correct in all material respects at and as of the time of delivery
hereof, except to the extent such representations and warranties are expressly
limited to an earlier date or the Majority Lenders have expressly consented
in
writing to the contrary.
(b) The
Parent Guarantor and the Borrower has performed and complied with all agreements
and conditions contained in the Agreement and in the Loan Documents required
to
be performed or complied with by it prior to or at the time of delivery hereof
[or specify default and describe].
(c) Since
December 31, 2006, no change has occurred, either in any case or in the
aggregate, in the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Parent Guarantor,
the Borrower or any Subsidiary which could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect [or specify event].
(d) There
exists no Default or Event of Default [or specify Default and
describe].
(e) Attached
hereto are the detailed computations necessary to determine whether the Parent
Guarantor is in compliance with Section
9.01
as of
the end of the [fiscal quarter][fiscal year] ending [___________].
EXECUTED
AND DELIVERED this [___________] day of [___________].
|
ATLAS
ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
|
|
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
|
|
Title: |
|
|
|
Exhibit D-1
EXHIBIT
E-1
FORM
OF LEGAL OPINION
Exhibit E-1-1
EXHIBIT
E-2
FORM
OF LEGAL OPINION OF LOCAL COUNSEL
[____________]
[___], 2007
JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A.
as
Administrative Agent
Re:
|
Credit
Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007 among Atlas Energy Resources,
LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company, as parent guarantor, Atlas Energy
Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
“Borrower”),
the banks now or hereafter signatory thereto (the “Lenders”),
and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent for the Lenders
(in
such capacity the “Administrative
Agent”),
and other agents for the Lenders (the “Credit
Agreement”).
|
Gentlemen:
We
have
acted as special [___________] counsel to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries,
including [___________], a [___________] (“Mortgagor”),
in
connection with the execution and delivery of that certain Deed of Trust,
Mortgage, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement and
Financing Statement dated June 29, 2007 by the Mortgagor in favor of the
Administrative Agent, for its benefit and the benefit of the Lenders and others
(the “Mortgage”).
This
opinion is being furnished to you pursuant to Section 6.01(g) of the Credit
Agreement. All capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the same meanings
assigned to them in the Credit Agreement. In connection with the opinions set
forth herein, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise
identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (the “Loan
Documents”):
[(A)] the
Mortgage[; and]
[(B)
|
the
UCC-1 Financing Statement covering as-extracted collateral and goods
that
are or are to become fixtures prepared in connection with the Mortgage
(the “Financing
Statement”)].1
|
In
rendering the opinions set forth herein, we have relied upon certificates of
officers of the Mortgagor, certificates or telegrams of public officials and
such other documents, records and information as we have deemed necessary or
appropriate. We have assumed that all signatures are genuine; that all documents
submitted to us as originals are authentic; that all documents submitted to
us
as copies conform to the originals; and that the facts stated in all such
documents are true and correct. In rendering this opinion, we have not made
any
independent investigation as to accuracy or completeness of any facts or
representations, warranties, data or other information, whether written or
oral,
that may have been made by or on behalf of the parties, except as specifically
set forth herein.
Based
upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications set forth herein, it
is
our opinion that:
1. The
form
of the Mortgage, including the form of acknowledgments thereto, [and the
Financing Statement,] comply with the laws of the State of [___________],
including all applicable recording, filing and registration laws and
regulations, and are adequate and legally sufficient for the purposes intended
to be accomplished thereby.
1 Under Section 9.502 of UCC, a record of our form of mortgage is effective as a financing statement filed as a fixture filing or as a financing statement covering as-extracted collateral or timber to be cut. Some counties, however, maintain separate indexes for UCC filings, and in such case, a UCC-1 financing statement covering such collateral should be prepared and filed separately.
Exhibit E-2-1
2. The
descriptions of those portions of the Mortgaged Property located within the
State of [___________] which are shown on Exhibit “A” attached to the Mortgage
are legally sufficient descriptions for the purpose of creating and maintaining
the Liens purported to be created by the Mortgage and for the purposes of all
applicable recording, filing and registration laws in the State of
[___________].
3. So
far as
the law of the State of [___________] is concerned, the Mortgage constitutes
legal, valid and binding obligations of the Mortgagor enforceable against it
in
accordance with their terms except as limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws of general application relating
to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of
equity.
4. The
Mortgage is effective to create in favor of the Administrative Agent (or the
Trustee named therein, as applicable) for the benefit of the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders, for the payment of the obligations described therein,
a
valid mortgage Lien on all of the Mortgagor’s right, title and interest in and
to the portion of the Mortgaged Property constituting real property described
in
the Mortgage as being mortgaged thereby and a valid security interest in all
of
the Mortgagor’s right, title and interest in and to as-extracted collateral
located in the county in which the Mortgaged Property is situated and all
fixtures located on the real property described in the Mortgage.
5. Fully
executed counterparts of the Mortgage and the Financing Statement should be
filed for record in each county in the State of [___________] where any portion
of the Mortgaged Property is located [or if other, please specify]. Other than
the foregoing, no authorization, consent, approval, license or exemption of,
or
filing or registration with, any Governmental Authority of the State of
[___________] is necessary for either the due execution and delivery by the
Mortgagor of the Mortgage, the perfection of the Liens intended to be created
thereby or with the holding and enforcement by the Administrative Agent of
the
Mortgage or the obligations secured thereby.
6. After
the
recordings and filings specified in paragraph 5 have occurred, the Liens created
by the Mortgage will be perfected.
7. After
the
recordings and filings specified in paragraph 5 have occurred, no instruments
need be recorded, registered or filed or re-recorded, re-registered or re-filed
in any public office in the State of [___________] in connection with the
execution and delivery of the Mortgage in order to maintain the perfection
and
priority of the Liens created thereby after the date of recordation, other
than
[state rule if necessary] and continuation statements as required by the Uniform
Commercial Code as in effect in the State of [___________].
8. No
state
or local recording tax, stamp tax or other similar fee, tax or governmental
charge (other than statutory filing and recording fees to be paid upon the
filing of the Mortgage [or the Financing Statement]) is required to be paid
in
connection with the filing and recording of [either] the Mortgage [or the
Financing Statement][, except as follows: explain if necessary].
9. The
execution, delivery and performance by the Mortgagor of its obligations under
the Mortgage will not result in a violation of any laws, rules and regulations
of the State of [___________] which, in our experience, exercising customary
professional diligence, are normally applicable to transactions of the type
provided for in the Loan Documents.
Exhibit E-2-2
10. A
[___________] state court of competent jurisdiction or a federal court sitting
in the State of [___________] of competent jurisdiction and applying conflicts
of laws principles of the State of [___________], if properly presented with
a
choice of law issue, will honor the choice of New York law to govern the Credit
Agreement, the Notes and the Mortgage that state such documents shall be
governed by the laws of the State of New York.
The
foregoing opinions are subject to the following additional assumptions and
qualifications:
[add
appropriate qualifications, if any].
The
opinions rendered herein are for the sole benefit of, and may only be relied
upon by, the addressee and the Persons from time to time Lenders under the
Credit Agreement, and the opinions herein expressed are not to be used,
circulated or otherwise referred to in connection with any transaction other
than those contemplated by the Loan Documents. This opinion is specifically
limited to the presently effective laws of the State of [___________]. We have
not been asked to, and we do not, render any opinion as to any matter except
as
specifically set forth herein.
Very
truly yours,
Exhibit E-2-3
EXHIBIT
F-1
SECURITY
INSTRUMENTS
1) Guaranty
and Collateral Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007 by the Parent Guarantor,
the
Borrower, and each other Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and
the
Lenders.
2) Financing
Statements in respect of item 1.
3) Stock
Powers delivered in respect of item 1.
a) AER
Pipeline Construction, Inc.
4) Open-End
Mortgage dated
June 29, 2007 by Atlas Gas & Oil Company, LLC, a Michigan
limited liability company, as Mortgagor (filed in various Michigan
counties).
5) Financing
Statement in respect of item 4.
6) Open-End
Mortgage, Indenture, Security Agreement, Financing Statement, Fixture Filing
and
Assignment of Production dated June 29, 2007 from Resource Energy,
LLC,
a
Delaware limited liability company, and Viking Resources, LLC,
a
Pennsylvania limited liability company, as Mortgagors (filed in various Ohio
counties).
7) Financing
Statements in respect of item 6.
8) Open-End
Mortgage, Security Agreement, Financing Statement, Fixture Filing and Assignment
of Production dated June 29, 2007 by Atlas
Resources,
LLC,
a
Pennsylvania
limited liability company, Atlas
America,
LLC,
a
Pennsylvania limited liability company, and Viking
Resources,
LLC,
a
Pennsylvania limited liability company, as Mortgagors (filed in various
Pennsylvania counties).
9) Financing
Statements in respect of item 8.
10) Open-End
Mortgage, Indenture, Security Agreement, Financing Statement and Assignment
of
Production dated June 29, 2007 from Resource Energy,
LLC,
a
Delaware limited liability company, REI-NY, LLC,
a
Delaware limited liability company, as Mortgagors (filed in Chautauqua County,
New York).
11) Financing
Statements in respect of item 10.
12) Fee
Letter dated May 18, 2007 among the Parent Guarantor, the Administrative Agent
and the Arranger.
Exhibit F-1-1
EXHIBIT
F-2
FORM
OF GUARANTY AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT
Exhibit F-2-1
EXHIBIT
G
FORM
OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
This
Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment
and Assumption”)
is
dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and
between [Insert
name of Assignor]
(the
“Assignor”)
and
[Insert
name of Assignee]
(the
“Assignee”).
Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given
to
them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, the “Credit
Agreement”),
receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard
Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed
to
and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and
Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
For
an
agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to
the
Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the
Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions
and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the
Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and
obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any
other
documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to
the
amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding
rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities
identified below (including any letters of credit and guarantees included in
such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under
applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of
the
Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or
unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other
documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions
governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing,
including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims
and
all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations
sold
and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold
and
assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein
collectively as the “Assigned
Interest”).
Such
sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly
provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty
by the Assignor.
1.
|
Assignor:
|
______________________________
|
|
2.
|
Assignee:
|
______________________________
|
|
[and
is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify
Lender]2]
|
|||
3.
|
Borrower:
|
Atlas
Energy Operating Company, LLC
|
|
4.
|
Administrative
Agent:
|
JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit
Agreement
|
|
5.
|
Credit
Agreement:
|
The
Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007 among Atlas Energy Resources,
LLC, as parent guarantor, Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC,
as
borrower, the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
as
Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties
thereto
|
|
6.
|
Assigned
Interest:
|
Commitment
Assigned
|
Aggregate
Amount of Commitment/Loans for all Lenders
|
Amount
of Commitment/Loans Assigned
|
Percentage
Assigned of Commitment/Loans3
|
|||
$
|
$
|
%
|
||||
$
|
$
|
%
|
||||
$
|
$
|
%
|
2
Select as applicable.
3
Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans
of all Lenders thereunder.
Exhibit G-1
Effective
Date: _____________ ___, 20___ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND
WHICH
SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER
THEREFOR.]
The
terms
set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:
ASSIGNOR
[NAME
OF ASSIGNOR]
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title: |
|
|
ASSIGNEE
[NAME
OF ASSIGNEE]
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title: |
|
The
undersigned hereby consent to the within assignment:4
ATLAS
ENERGY OPERATING
COMPANY, LLC
|
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
|
|||
By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC,
its sole member
|
||||
By: | By: | |||
Name: |
|
Name: |
|
|
Title: | Title:] |
4
Consents to be included to the extent required by Section 12.04(b) of the
Credit
Agreement.
Exhibit G-2
ANNEX
1
STANDARD
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT
AND ASSUMPTION
1.
Representations
and Warranties.
1.1
Assignor.
The
Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial
owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear
of
any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and
authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this
Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements,
warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement
or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity,
enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or
any
collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of
its
Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any
Loan
Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its
Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective
obligations under any Loan Document.
1.2.
Assignee.
The
Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority,
and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment
and
Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become
a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if
any,
specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in
order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and
after
the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement
as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have
the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the
Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements
delivered pursuant to Section
8.01
thereof,
as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed
appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this
Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis
of
which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance
on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Non-US
Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required
to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly
completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will,
independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor
or
any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem
appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking
or
not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in
accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the
Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
2.
Payments.
From
and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments
in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest,
fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but
excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued
from and after the Effective Date.
3.
General
Provisions.
This
Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of,
the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment
and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together
shall constitute one instrument. Delivery
of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment
and
Assumption
by
telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart
of
this Assignment
and
Assumption.
This
Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the law of the State of New York.
Exhibit G-3
EXHIBIT
H-1
FORM
OF MAXIMUM CREDIT AMOUNT INCREASE CERTIFICATE
[___________],
200[__]
To: |
JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A.,
as
Administrative Agent
|
The
Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Agents
and certain Lenders have heretofore entered into the Credit Agreement, dated
as
of June 29, 2007, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified
from
time to time (the “Credit
Agreement”).
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning given
to
such terms in the Credit Agreement.
This
Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate is being delivered pursuant to
Section
2.06(c)
of the
Credit Agreement.
Please
be
advised that the undersigned has agreed to (a) increase its Maximum Credit
Amount under the Credit Agreement effective [___________], 200[__] from
$[___________] to $[___________] and (b) that it shall continue to be a party
in
all respect to the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
The
[Borrower/Lender] shall pay the fee payable to the Administrative Agent pursuant
to Section
2.06(c)(ii)
of the
Credit Agreement.
PARENT
GUARANTOR:
|
Very truly yours,
ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
|
|
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
|
|
Title: |
BORROWER:
|
ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY,
LLC
By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC,
its sole
member
|
|
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
|
|
Title: |
Exhibit H-1-1
Accepted
and Agreed:
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as
Administrative Agent
By: | ||||
Name: |
|
|||
Title: |
|
|||
|
Accepted
and Agreed:
[ ]
By: | ||||
Name: |
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Title: |
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Exhibit X-0-0
XXXXXXX
X-0
FORM
OF ADDITIONAL LENDER CERTIFICATE
[___________],
200[__]
To: |
JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A.,
as
Administrative Agent
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To:
The
Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Agents
and certain Lenders have heretofore entered into the Credit Agreement, dated
as
of June 29, 2007, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified
from
time to time (the “Credit
Agreement”).
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning given
to
such terms in the Credit Agreement.
This
Additional Lender Certificate is being delivered pursuant to Section
2.06(c)
of the
Credit Agreement.
Please
be
advised that the undersigned has agreed (a) to become a Lender under the Credit
Agreement effective [_________], 200[__] with a Maximum Credit Amount of
$[_________] and (b) that it shall be a party in all respect to the Credit
Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
This
Additional Lender Certificate is being delivered to the Administrative Agent
together with (i) if the Additional Lender is a Non-US Lender, any documentation
required to be delivered by such Additional Lender pursuant to Section 5.03(d)
of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Additional Lender,
and (ii) an Administrative Questionnaire in the form supplied by the
Administrative Agent, duly completed by the Additional Lender. The
[Borrower/Additional Lender] shall pay the fee payable to the Administrative
Agent pursuant to Section
2.06(c)(ii)
of the
Credit Agreement.
PARENT
GUARANTOR:
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Very
truly yours,
ATLAS
ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
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______ | By: | |
Name: |
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Title: |
Exhibit H-2-1
BORROWER:
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ATLAS
ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
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By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole member | ||
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______ | By: | |
Name: |
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Title: |
Accepted
and Agreed:
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as
Administrative Agent
By: | ||||
Name: |
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Title: |
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Accepted
and Agreed:
[ ]
By: | ||||
Name: |
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Title: |
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Exhibit H-2-2
EXHIBIT
I
FORM
OF RESERVE REPORT CERTIFICATE
[September]/[March]
1, [year]
This
Reserve Report Certificate (“Certificate”)
is
executed and delivered pursuant to Section 8.12 (c) of that certain Credit
Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007 among Atlas Energy Resources, LLC
(“Parent
Guarantor”),
Atlas
Energy Operating Company, LLC (“Borrower”),
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (“Administrative
Agent”)
and
the Lenders named therein and as may be amended, restated, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time (the “Credit
Agreement”).
Unless otherwise defined herein, all capitalized terms shall have the meaning
set forth in the Credit Agreement.
The
undersigned, a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, hereby certifies to the
Administrative Agent and Lenders that in all material respects:
(i)
the
information contained in the Reserve Report attached hereto as Attachment
1
to this
Certificate (“Reserve
Report”)
and
any other information delivered in connection therewith is true and correct;
(ii)
the
Borrower or its Subsidiaries owns good and defensible title to the Oil and
Gas
Properties evaluated in the Reserve Report and such Properties are free of
all
Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 9.03 of the Credit Agreement;
(iii)
except as set forth in Attachment
2
to this
Certificate, on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other
prepayments in excess of the volume specified in Section 7.19 of the Credit
Agreement with respect to its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Reserve
Report which would require the Borrower or any Subsidiary to deliver
Hydrocarbons either generally or produced from such Oil and Gas Properties
at
some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor;
(iv)
except as listed in Attachment
3
to this
Certificate, no Oil and Gas Properties have been sold since the date of the
last
Borrowing Base determination;
(v)
attached hereto as Attachment
4
to this
Certificate is a list of all marketing agreements entered into subsequent to
the
later of the date hereof or the most recently delivered Reserve Report which
the
Borrower could reasonably be expected to have been obligated to list on Schedule
7.20 of the Credit Agreement had such agreement been in effect on the date
hereof; and
(vi)
attached hereto as Attachment
5
to this
Certificate is a schedule of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by the Reserve
Report that are Mortgaged Properties and showing the percentage of the Borrowing
Base that the value of such Mortgaged Properties represent.
Exhibit I-1
IN
WITNESS WHEROF, I have hereunto signed this Certificate as of the ____ day
of
[Month],
[Year].
BORROWER:
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Address for Notice: | ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC | |
West
Point Corporate Center I
0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx
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By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC,
its
sole member
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Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Fax No.: 000.000.0000 | By: | |
E-mail:xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx |
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Chief
Financial Officer
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Exhibit I-2
ATTACHMENT
1
RESERVE
REPORT
Exhibit I-3
ATTACHMENT
2
GAS
IMBALANCES, TAKE OR PAY, OR OTHER PREPAYMENTS
Exhibit I-4
ATTACHMENT
3
OIL
& GAS PROPERTIES SOLD
Exhibit I-5
ATTACHMENT
4
MARKETING
AGREEMENTS ENTERED INTO SUBSEQUENT TO [date]
Exhibit I-6
ATTACHMENT
5
OIL
& GAS PROPERTIES that are MORTGAGED PROPERTIES
Mortgaged
Property Name
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Percentage
of the Borrowing Base that the value of Mortgaged Property
represents
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Exhibit I-7