Exhibit
10.1
Execution
Dated as of June 27, 2008
among
VOC BRAZOS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.,
as Borrower,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender
and
L/C Issuer,
and
The Other Lenders Party Hereto
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Section |
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Page |
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ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS |
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1 |
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1.01 |
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Defined Terms |
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1 |
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1.02 |
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Other Interpretive Provisions |
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21 |
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1.03 |
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Accounting Terms |
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22 |
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1.04 |
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Rounding |
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22 |
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1.05 |
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Times of Day |
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22 |
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1.06 |
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Letter of Credit Amounts |
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22 |
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ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS |
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23 |
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2.01 |
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Committed Loans |
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23 |
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2.02 |
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Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans |
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23 |
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2.03 |
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Letters of Credit |
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25 |
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2.04 |
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Swing Line Loans |
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33 |
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2.05 |
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Prepayments |
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36 |
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2.06 |
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Reduction of Commitments or Reduction of Commitments Termination |
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38 |
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2.07 |
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Repayment of Loans |
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38 |
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2.08 |
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Interest |
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38 |
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2.09 |
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Fees |
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39 |
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2.10 |
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Computation of Interest and Fees |
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39 |
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2.11 |
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Evidence of Debt |
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40 |
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2.12 |
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Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback |
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40 |
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2.13 |
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Sharing of Payments |
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42 |
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2.14 |
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Initial Borrowing Base |
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43 |
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2.15 |
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Subsequent Determinations of Borrowing Base |
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43 |
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ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY |
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44 |
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3.01 |
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Taxes |
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44 |
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3.02 |
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Illegality |
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48 |
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3.03 |
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Inability to Determine Rates |
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49 |
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3.04 |
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Increased Costs |
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49 |
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3.05 |
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Compensation for Losses |
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50 |
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3.06 |
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Mitigation Obligations |
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51 |
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3.07 |
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Survival |
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51 |
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ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS |
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51 |
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4.01 |
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Conditions of Initial Credit Extension |
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51 |
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4.02 |
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Conditions to all Credit Extensions |
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54 |
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ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
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54 |
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5.01 |
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Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws |
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54 |
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5.02 |
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Authorization; No Contravention |
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55 |
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5.03 |
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Governmental Authorization; Other Consents |
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55 |
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5.04 |
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Binding Effect |
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55 |
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5.05 |
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Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect |
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55 |
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[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
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Section |
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Page |
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5.06 |
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Litigation |
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56 |
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5.07 |
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No Default |
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56 |
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5.08 |
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Ownership of Property; Liens |
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56 |
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5.09 |
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Environmental Compliance |
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56 |
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5.10 |
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Insurance |
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57 |
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5.11 |
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Taxes |
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57 |
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5.12 |
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ERISA Compliance |
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57 |
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5.13 |
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Subsidiaries |
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57 |
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5.14 |
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Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act; Public Utility Holding Company Act |
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58 |
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5.15 |
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Disclosure |
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58 |
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5.16 |
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Compliance with Laws |
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58 |
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5.17 |
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Leases; Contracts; Licenses, Etc |
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58 |
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5.18 |
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Sale of Production |
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59 |
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5.19 |
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Operation of Oil and Gas Properties |
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60 |
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5.20 |
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Ad Valorem and Severance Taxes; Litigation |
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61 |
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5.21 |
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Intellectual Property; Licenses,
Etc. |
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61 |
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5.22 |
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Solvency |
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61 |
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ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS |
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61 |
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6.01 |
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Financial Statements |
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61 |
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6.02 |
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Certificates; Other Information |
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62 |
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6.03 |
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Notices |
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64 |
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6.04 |
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Payment of Obligations |
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64 |
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6.05 |
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Preservation of Existence, Etc. |
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64 |
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6.06 |
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Maintenance of Properties |
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65 |
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6.07 |
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Maintenance of Insurance |
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65 |
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6.08 |
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Compliance with Laws |
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66 |
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6.09 |
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Books and Records |
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66 |
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6.10 |
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Inspection Rights |
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66 |
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6.11 |
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Use of Proceeds |
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66 |
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6.12 |
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Agreement to Deliver Security Documents |
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66 |
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6.13 |
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Liens on Mortgaged Properties Acquired or Completed in the Future |
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67 |
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6.14 |
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Production Proceeds |
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67 |
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6.15 |
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Mortgaged Property Covenants |
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67 |
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6.16 |
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Guaranties of Borrower’s Subsidiaries |
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68 |
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6.17 |
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Hedging Program |
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68 |
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6.18 |
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Environmental Matters; Environmental Reviews |
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68 |
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ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS |
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69 |
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7.01 |
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Liens |
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69 |
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7.02 |
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Investments |
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69 |
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7.03 |
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Indebtedness |
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70 |
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7.04 |
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Fundamental Changes |
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70 |
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7.05 |
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Dispositions |
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70 |
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7.06 |
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Restricted Payments |
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71 |
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7.07 |
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Change in Nature of Business |
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72 |
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Section |
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Page |
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7.08 |
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Transactions with Affiliates |
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72 |
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7.09 |
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Burdensome Agreements |
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72 |
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7.10 |
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Use of Proceeds |
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72 |
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7.11 |
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Hedging Contracts |
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72 |
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7.12 |
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Financial Covenants |
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73 |
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ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES |
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73 |
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8.01 |
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Events of Default |
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73 |
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8.02 |
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Remedies Upon Event of Default |
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75 |
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8.03 |
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Application of Funds |
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76 |
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ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT |
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77 |
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9.01 |
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Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent |
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77 |
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9.02 |
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Rights as a Lender |
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77 |
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9.03 |
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Exculpatory Provisions |
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77 |
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9.04 |
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Reliance by Administrative Agent |
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78 |
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9.05 |
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Delegation of Duties |
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79 |
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9.06 |
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Resignation of Administrative Agent |
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79 |
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9.07 |
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Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders |
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80 |
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9.08 |
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No Other Duties, Etc. |
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80 |
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9.09 |
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Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim |
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80 |
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9.10 |
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Guaranty Matters |
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81 |
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9.11 |
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Collateral Matters |
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81 |
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ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS |
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82 |
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10.01 |
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Amendments, Etc. |
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82 |
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10.02 |
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Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications |
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84 |
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10.03 |
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No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement |
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86 |
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10.04 |
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Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver |
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86 |
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10.05 |
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Payments Set Aside |
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88 |
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10.06 |
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Successors and Assigns |
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89 |
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10.07 |
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Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality |
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92 |
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10.08 |
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Right of Setoff |
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93 |
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10.09 |
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Interest Rate Limitation |
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93 |
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10.10 |
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Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness |
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93 |
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10.11 |
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Survival of Representations and Warranties |
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94 |
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10.12 |
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Replacement of Lenders |
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94 |
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10.13 |
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Severability |
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94 |
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10.14 |
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Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc. |
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95 |
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10.15 |
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Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury |
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95 |
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10.16 |
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USA PATRIOT Act |
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96 |
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10.17 |
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No General Partner’s Liability |
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96 |
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10.18 |
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Time of the Essence |
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96 |
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10.19 |
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Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents |
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96 |
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SCHEDULES |
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1 |
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Lenders’ Commitments and Applicable Percentages |
2 |
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Security Documents |
3 |
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Disclosure Schedule |
4 |
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Addresses |
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EXHIBITS |
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Form of |
A |
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Committed Loan Notice |
B |
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Swing Line Loan Notice |
C |
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Note |
D |
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Compliance Certificate |
E-1 |
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Assignment and Assumption |
E-2 |
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Administrative Questionnaire |
F |
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Legal Opinion |
CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “
Agreement”) is entered into as of June 27, 2008, among VOC
BRAZOS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P., a Texas limited partnership (“
Borrower”), each lender from
time to time party hereto (collectively, “
Lenders” and individually, a “
Lender”),
and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer.
Borrower has requested that Lenders provide a revolving credit facility, and Lenders are
willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein. In consideration of the mutual
covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set
forth below:
“Acquisition” means the purchase or redemption by Borrower of all of the limited
partnership interests of the Borrower owed by TIFD III-X LLC, pursuant to a certain Redemption
Agreement of even date herewith between the Borrower and such limited partner.
“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as Administrative Agent
under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor Administrative Agent.
“Administrative Agent’s Office” means Administrative Agent’s address and, as
appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 4, or such other address or account as
Administrative Agent may from time to time notify Borrower and Lenders.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially
the form of Exhibit E-2 or any other form approved by Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any 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.
“Administrative Agent Fee Letter” has the meaning specified in Section 2.09
(b).
“Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all Lenders, but in no event to
exceed the Maximum Credit Amount.
“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage
(carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s
Commitment at such time. If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the
L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or
if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of
each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most
recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable
Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 1
or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as
applicable.
“Applicable Rate” means, from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based
upon the Borrowing Base Usage:
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Pricing |
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Borrowing Base |
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Eurodollar Rate + |
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Level |
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Usage |
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Unused Fee |
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Letters of Credit |
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Base Rate |
I |
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greater than or
equal to 90% |
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0.500 |
% |
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2.25 |
% |
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1.25 |
% |
II |
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less than 90% but
greater than or
equal to 75% |
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0.375 |
% |
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2.00 |
% |
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1.00 |
% |
III |
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less than 75% but
greater than or
equal to 50% |
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0.375 |
% |
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1.75 |
% |
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0.75 |
% |
IV |
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less than 50% |
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0.250 |
% |
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1.50 |
% |
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0.50 |
% |
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a
Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by
Section 10.06(b), and accepted by Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of
Exhibit E-1 or any other form approved by Administrative Agent.
“Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease of
any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person
prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease
Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that
would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if
such lease were accounted for as a capital lease.
“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of
Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, and the related
consolidated statements of income or operations, partners’ capital and cash flows for such fiscal
year of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the
earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments
pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender
to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to
Section 8.02.
“Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
2
“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the higher of
(a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as
publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a
rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and
desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for
pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in
such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day
specified in the public announcement of such change.
“Base Rate Committed Loan” means a Committed Loan that is a Base Rate Loan.
“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.
“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Borrowing” means a Committed Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may
require.
“Borrowing Base” means, at the particular time in question, either the amount provided
for in Section 2.14 or the amount determined by Administrative Agent and Required Lenders
(or all Lenders in the case of an increase in the Borrowing Base) in accordance with the provisions
of Section 2.15; provided, however, that in no event shall the Borrowing Base ever exceed
the Aggregate Commitments.
“Borrowing Base Deficiency” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(c).
“Borrowing Base Period” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).
“Borrowing Base Usage” means on any date the percentage, at the close of business on
such day, equivalent to the (i) Facility Usage divided by (ii) the Borrowing Base.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which
commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state
where Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate
Loan, means any such day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between
banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.
“Cash Collateralize” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(g).
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the
following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change
in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application
thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or
directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority.
“Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
3
(a) General Partner ceases to be the sole general partner of Borrower; or
(b) Any Person, other than J. Xxxxxxx Xxxx or companies or trusts Controlled by or
established for the benefit of such individual or his heirs at law (such as companies or
trusts established for estate planning purposes), shall directly or indirectly Control the
General Partner; or
(c) Any individual other than J. Xxxxxxx Xxxx shall be the chief executive officer of
the manager of the General Partner or shall be actively performing the duties customarily
associated with such position.
“Closing Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section
4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01.
“Closing Equity Issuance” means the issuance by the Borrower of limited partnership
interest to VAP-III, LLC in consideration of a cash investment of $40,050,000.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Collateral” means all property of any kind which is subject to a Lien in favor of
Lenders (or in favor of Administrative Agent for the benefit of Lenders) or which, under the terms
of any Security Document, is purported to be subject to such a Lien.
“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Committed Loans to
Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c)
purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time
outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1 or
in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as
applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.
“Committed Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of
the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by
each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
“Committed Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
“Committed Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a conversion
of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans,
pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of
Exhibit A.
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit
D.
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on
a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a)
the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated
Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for Federal, state and local income taxes
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
4
payable by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, and (iii) depreciation,
depletion and amortization expense and other non-cash charges (including those resulting from the
FASB 133, as amended, or FASB 143 or FASB 144.
“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, for the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal
amount of all obligations, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including Obligations
hereunder) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other
similar instruments, (b) all purchase money Indebtedness, (c) all direct obligations arising under
letters of credit (including standby and commercial, and Letters of Credit hereunder), bankers’
acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments, (d) all obligations in respect
of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the
ordinary course of business), (e) Attributable Indebtedness in respect of capital leases and
Synthetic Lease Obligations, (f) without duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding
Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (e) above of Persons other than the
Borrower or any Subsidiary, and (g) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a)
through (f) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a
corporation or limited liability company) in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary is a general
partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to the Borrower
or such Subsidiary.
“Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount,
fees, charges and related expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with borrowed
money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets,
in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the
portion of rent expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with respect to such period under
capital leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
on a consolidated basis, the net income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding
extraordinary gains but including extraordinary losses) for that period.
“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued
by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party
or by which it or any of its property is bound.
“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. “Controlling” and “Controlled”
have meanings correlative thereto.
“Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit
Extension.
“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other
liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium,
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
5
rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the
United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the
rights of creditors generally.
“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that,
with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
“Default Rate” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than L/C Fees an
interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable
to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with
respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest
rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b)
when used with respect to L/C Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.
“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the
Committed Loans, participations in L/C Obligations or participations in Swing Line Loans required
to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it
hereunder, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to Administrative Agent or any other Lender any
other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due,
unless the subject of a good faith dispute, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject
of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.
“Determination Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).
“Disclosure Schedule” means Schedule 3 hereto.
“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other
disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including
any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or
accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.
“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.
“Eligible Assignee” means (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of a Lender; and (c) any
other Person (other than a natural person) approved by (i) Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and
Swing Line Lender, and (ii) unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, Borrower
(each such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that
notwithstanding the foregoing, “Eligible Assignee” shall not include Borrower or any of Borrower’s
Affiliates or Subsidiaries.
“Engineering Report” means the Initial Engineering Report and each engineering report
delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(d) or Section 6.02 (e).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes,
laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants,
franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the
protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
6
those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or
public systems.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any
liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of
Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly
resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use,
handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure
to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into
the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which
liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital
stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or
other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or
other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or
exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person
or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or
such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership,
member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares,
warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under
common control with Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections
414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).
“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a
withdrawal by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA
during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of
ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of
ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer
Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of
intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or
4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or
Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA
for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or
Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for
PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate.
“Eurodollar Base Rate” has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurodollar Rate.
“Eurodollar Rate” means for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate
Loan, a rate per annum determined by Administrative Agent pursuant to the following formula:
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|
|
|
|
|
Eurodollar Rate =
|
|
Eurodollar Base Rate
|
|
|
|
|
1.00 — Eurodollar Reserve Percentage |
|
|
Where,
“Eurodollar Base Rate” means, for such Interest Period (rounded upwards, as necessary,
to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate
(“BBA LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing
quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately
11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for
Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to
such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the
“Eurodollar Base Rate” for such Interest Period (rounded upwards, as necessary, to the
nearest 1/100 of 1%) shall be the rate per annum determined by Administrative Agent to be the
rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in
same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being made, continued or
converted by Bank of America and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by
Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their
request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of
such Interest Period.
“Eurodollar Reserve Percentage” means, for any day during any Interest Period, the
reserve percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five decimal places) in effect on such
day, whether or not applicable to any Lender, under regulations issued from time to time by the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States for determining the maximum
reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement)
with respect to Eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities”).
The Eurodollar Rate for each outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be adjusted automatically as
of the effective date of any change in the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.
“Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Committed Loan that bears interest at a rate based on
the Eurodollar Rate.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.
“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C
Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the
Borrower hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however
denominated), and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income taxes), by the jurisdiction
(or any political subdivision thereof) under the Laws of which such recipient is organized or in
which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable
Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States or any similar
tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, (c) any backup withholding
tax that is required by the Code to be withheld from amounts payable to a Lender that has failed to
comply with clause (A) of Section 3.01(e)(ii), and (d) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than
an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 10.12), any United States
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
8
withholding tax that (i) is required to be imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender
pursuant to the Laws in force at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates
a new Lending Office) or (ii) is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other
than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with clause (B) of Section 3.01(e)(ii), except to
the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of
designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the
Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii).
“Facility Usage” means, at the time in question, the Outstanding Amount of Loans and
L/C Obligations.
“
Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted
average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve
System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day;
provided that (a) if such day is not
a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the
next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such
rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day
shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%)
charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by Administrative Agent.
“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction
other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes (including such a Lender when
acting in the capacity of the L/C Issuer). For purposes of this definition, the United States,
each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single
jurisdiction.
“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth
in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting
Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the
accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date
of determination, consistently applied.
“General Partner” means Xxxx Texas Partners, L.L.C., a Kansas limited liability
company.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other
nation, or of 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 (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central
Bank).
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9
“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, any (a) any obligation, contingent or
otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any
Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”)
in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct
or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of)
such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services
for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the
payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working
capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of
income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such
Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other
manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or
performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in
part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation
of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person
(or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such
Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or
determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such
Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability
in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term
“Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
“Guarantor” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower.
“Guaranty” means the Guaranty made by the Guarantor in favor of Administrative Agent
for the benefit of the Lenders, in form and substance satisfactory to Administrative Agent.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all
hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum
distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas,
infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to
any Environmental Law.
“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all
of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:
(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;
(b) all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit
(including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and
similar instruments;
(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;
(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services
(other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and, in each case,
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
10
not past due for more than 60 days after the date on which such trade account payable was
created);
(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or
being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other
title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such
Person or is limited in recourse;
(f) capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations;
(g) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any
payment in respect of any Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person, valued, in the case
of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation
preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and
(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.
For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any
partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited
liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such
Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under
any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such
date. The amount of any capital lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed
to be the amount of Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.
“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).
“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.
“Initial Engineering Report” means collectively (i) the engineering report concerning
oil and gas properties of Loan Parties dated March 7, 2008, prepared by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx &
Associates reflecting reserve values as of January 1, 2008.
“Interest Charges” means, for any period, the sum of (a) all interest, premium
payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses of the Borrower in connection with
borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price
of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the
portion of rent expense of the Borrower with respect to such period under capital leases that is
treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, all calculated on a consolidated basis.
“Interest Coverage Ratio” means, for any period of, the ratio of (a) Consolidated
EBITDA for such period to (b) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period.
“Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the
last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided,
however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the
respective dates
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
11
that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be
Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last
Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.
“Interest Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the
date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan
and ending on the date one, two, three or six months or, to the extent available to all Lenders,
twelve months thereafter, as selected by Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice; provided
that:
(i) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day
shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in
another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding
Business Day;
(ii) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or
on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the
end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the
end of such Interest Period; and
(iii) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.
“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment
by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other
securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or
assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation
or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other
Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor Guarantees Indebtedness of such other
Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions)
of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance,
the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for
subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby
Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such
later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).
“Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the L/C Application,
and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and Borrower (or
any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to any such Letter of Credit.
“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local
statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or
judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental
Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof,
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
12
and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses,
authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case
whether or not having the force of law.
“L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its
participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
“L/C Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of
a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.
“L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter
of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Committed
Borrowing.
“L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance
thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.
“L/C Expiration Date” means the day that is thirty days prior to the Maturity Date
then in effect.
“L/C Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(i).
“L/C Issuer” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit
hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.
“L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount
available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all
Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available
to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in
accordance with Section 1.06. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of
determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn
thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be
deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.
“L/C Sublimit” means an amount equal to $10,000,000. The L/C Sublimit is part of, and
not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.
“Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, as the
context requires, includes Swing Line Lender.
“Lender Counterparty” means a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.
“Lender Swap Obligations” means all obligations arising from time to time under Swap
Contracts entered into from time to time between Borrower and a Lender Counterparty; provided that
if such Lender Counterparty ceases to be a Lender hereunder or an Affiliate of a Lender hereunder,
Lender Swap Obligations shall not include such obligations.
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13
“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender
described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as
a Lender may from time to time notify Borrower and Administrative Agent.
“Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder.
“Lien” means, with respect to any property or assets, any right or interest therein of
a creditor to secure Indebtedness owed to it or any other arrangement with such creditor which
provides for the payment of such Indebtedness out of such property or assets or which allows such
creditor to have such Indebtedness satisfied out of such property or assets prior to the general
creditors of any owner thereof, including any lien, mortgage, security interest, pledge, deposit,
production payment, rights of a vendor under any title retention or conditional sale agreement or
lease substantially equivalent thereto, tax lien, mechanic’s or materialman’s lien, or any other
charge or encumbrance for security purposes, whether arising by Law or agreement or otherwise, but
excluding any right of offset which arises without agreement in the ordinary course of business.
“Lien” also means any filed financing statement, any registration of a pledge (such as with an
issuer of uncertificated securities), or any other arrangement or action which would serve to
perfect a Lien described in the preceding sentence, regardless of whether such financing statement
is filed, such registration is made, or such arrangement or action is undertaken before or after
such Lien exists.
“Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to Borrower under Article II
in the form of a Committed Loan or a Swing Line Loan.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, the
Administrative Agent Fee Letter and each Security Document.
“Loan Parties” means, collectively, Borrower and each Person (other than
Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, Swing Line Lender, or any Lender) executing a Loan Document
including, without limitation, each Guarantor.
“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material
adverse effect upon, the business, assets, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent),
operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken
as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations
under any Loan Document to which it is a party; (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality,
validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it
is a party; or (d) a material adverse effect on the rights and/or remedies of the Administrative
Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document.
“Maturity Date” means June 27, 2013.
“Maximum Credit Amount” means $100,000,000.
“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section
4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
14
to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to
make contributions.
“Net Cash Proceeds” means:
(a) with respect to the sale of any Oil and Gas Properties by the Borrower or any Subsidiary
pursuant to Section 7.05(f) or (g), the excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and cash
equivalents received in connection with such sale (including any cash received by way of deferred
payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so
received) over (ii) the sum of (A) the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Borrower or any
Subsidiary in connection with such sale and (B) income taxes reasonably estimated to be actually
payable within two years of the date of the relevant asset sale as a result of any gain recognized
in connection therewith;
(b) with respect to casualty, condemnation or payment in respect of indemnification, the
excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and cash equivalents received in connection with such
casualty, condemnation or payment in respect of indemnification (including any cash received by way
of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as
and when so received) over (ii) the sum of (A) the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Borrower
or any Subsidiary in connection with recovery of such amounts and (B) the amount applied to repair
or replacement or the payment to any Person (other than Borrower or any Subsidiary) in respect of
such casualty, condemnation or indemnification;
(c) with respect to the sale of any capital stock or other equity interest by the Borrower,
the excess of (i) the sum of the cash and cash equivalents received in connection with such sale
over (ii) the underwriting discounts and commissions, and other out-of-pocket expenses, incurred by
the Borrower in connection with such sale; and
(d) with respect to the incurrence of any Indebtedness for borrowed money (but without this
provision being construed to permit the incurrence of Indebtedness not otherwise permitted by
Section 7.03) by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, the excess of (i) the sum of the cash and
cash equivalents received in connection with such incurrence over (ii) the arrangement, upfront or
underwriting fees, and other out-of-pocket expenses, incurred by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in
connection with such incurrence; provided that Borrower may elect from time to time to treat any
amounts received under clauses (a) and (b) above as not constituting Net Cash Proceeds up to an
aggregate amount not to exceed $50,000 at any one time.
“Note” means a promissory note made by Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans
made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
“Obligations” means the Lender Swap Obligations and all advances to, and debts,
liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document
or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including
those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or
hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against
any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
15
Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest
and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
“Oil and Gas Properties” means all oil, gas and/or mineral leases, oil, gas or mineral
properties, mineral servitudes and/or mineral rights of any kind (including, without limitation,
mineral fee interests, lease interests, farmout interests, overriding royalty and royalty
interests, net profits interests, oil payment interests, production payment interests and other
types of mineral interests), and all oil and gas gathering, treating, storage, processing and
handling assets.
“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate
or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents
with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the
certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect
to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint
venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument,
filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with
the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if
applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.
“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, intangible or documentary taxes or
any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made
hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or
otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
“Outstanding Amount” means (i) with respect to Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans on
any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings
and prepayments or repayments of Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be,
occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of
such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such
date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date,
including as a result of any reimbursements by Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.
“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).
“Partnership Agreement” means that certain Agreement of Limited Partnership of VOC
Brazos Energy Partners, L.P. dated as of May 16, 2003.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in
Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and
is sponsored or maintained by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or to which Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or
other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the
immediately preceding five plan years.
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16
“Permits” means any permit, approval, authorization, license, registration,
certificate, concession, grant, franchise, variance or permission from any Governmental Authority.
“Permitted Liens” means:
(a) statutory Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies which are
not yet 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) landlords’, operators’, carriers’, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s,
or other like Liens which do not secure Indebtedness, in each case only to the extent arising in
the ordinary course of business and only to the extent securing obligations which are not
delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which
adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP;
(c) minor defects and irregularities in title to any property, so long as such defects and
irregularities neither secure Indebtedness nor materially impair the value of such property or the
use of such property for the purposes for which such property is held;
(d) deposits of cash or securities to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases,
statutory obligations and other obligations of a like nature (excluding appeal bonds) incurred in
the ordinary course of business;
(e) Liens under the Security Documents; and
(f) with respect only to property subject to any particular Security Document, Liens burdening
such property which are expressly allowed by such Security Document.
“Permitted Tax Distributions” means, for any Fiscal Year, the product of (a) the
lesser of (i) the highest combined federal and state income tax marginal rate applicable to
individual residents of Kansas or (ii) forty percent (40%) (twenty percent (20%) in the case of and with
respect to net long term capital gains of the Borrower), and (b) Borrower’s taxable income (or
taxable gain, as applicable) under the Code.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust,
joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of
ERISA) established by Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of
the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.
“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Projected Oil and Gas Production” means the projected production of oil or gas
(measured by volume unit or BTU equivalent, not sales price) for the term of any Swap Contract or
for a particular month, as applicable, from properties and interests owned by any Loan Party which
are located in or offshore of the United States and which have attributable to them Proved
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17
Developed Producing Reserves, as such production is projected in the most recent report
delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(f) or (g), after deducting projected production
from any properties or interests sold or under contract for sale that had been included in such
report and after adding projected production from any properties or interests that had not been
reflected in such report but that are reflected in a separate or supplemental reports meeting the
requirements of such Section 6.02(d) or (e) and otherwise are satisfactory to
Administrative Agent.
“Proved Developed Producing Reserves” means Proved Reserves as defined in Definitions
for Oil and Gas Reserves (in this paragraph, the “Definitions”) promulgated by the Society of
Petroleum Engineers (or any generally recognized successor) as in effect at the time in question,
which are categorized as both “Developed” and “Producing” in the Definitions.
“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the
partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of such Person and of such
Person’s Affiliates.
“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA,
other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.
“Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or
continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit
Extension, a L/C Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan
Notice.
“Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than
66.67% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the
obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to
Section 8.02, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 66.67% of the Total Outstandings
(with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C
Obligations and Swing Line Loans being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this
definition); provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings
held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a
determination of Required Lenders.
“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial
officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer of a Loan Party. Any document delivered hereunder that
is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been
authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan
Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such
Loan Party.
“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash,
securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of
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18
Borrower or any Subsidiary, 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 capital stock or other Equity Interest or on
account of any return of capital to Borrower’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent
Person thereof).
“Scheduled Determinations” of the Borrowing Base means a determination of the
Borrowing Base made pursuant to Section 2.15(a).
“Security Documents” means the instruments listed in the Security Schedule and all
other security agreements, deeds of trust, mortgages, chattel mortgages, pledges, guaranties,
financing statements, continuation statements, extension agreements and other agreements or
instruments now, heretofore, or hereafter delivered by any Loan Party to Administrative Agent in
connection with this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby to secure or guarantee the
payment of any part of the Obligations or the performance of any Loan Party’s other duties and
obligations under the Loan Documents.
“Security Schedule” means Schedule 2 hereto.
“Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on a particular
date, that on such date both (a) (i) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than
the total amount of liabilities, including, without limitation, contingent liabilities, of such Person, (ii)
the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will
be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and
matured, (iii) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or
liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature, and (iv)
such Person is not engaged in business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in business or
a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute an unreasonably small capital, and
(b) such Loan Party is “solvent” within the meaning given that term and similar terms under
applicable laws relating to fraudulent transfers and conveyances. The amount of contingent
liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all the facts and
circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to
become an actual or matured liability (irrespective of whether such contingent liabilities meet the
criteria for accrual under Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 5).
“Special Determinations” of the Borrowing Base has the meaning specified in
Section 2.15(c).
“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited
liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other
interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other
than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency)
are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly,
or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise
specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary
or Subsidiaries of Borrower.
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19
“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit
derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward
commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index
swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest
rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar
transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options,
spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing
(including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is
governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and
the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any
form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc.,
any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master
agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such
obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after
taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap
Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and
termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any
date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the xxxx-to-market
value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily
available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a
Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
“Swing Line” means the revolving credit facility which may be made available by Swing
Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04. The Swing Line will not be available under this
Agreement unless a Swing Line Sublimit is established by an amendment to this Agreement at the sole
discretion of Lenders and Swing Line Lender.
“Swing Line Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section
2.04.
“Swing Line Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line
Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.
“Swing Line Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).
“Swing Line Loan Notice” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to
Section 2.04(b), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit
B.
“Swing Line Sublimit” means zero.
“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a
so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or
possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such
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20
Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as
the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).
“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions,
withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any
Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
“Threshold Amount” means $250,000.
“Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C
Obligations.
“Type” means, with respect to a Committed Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a
Eurodollar Rate Loan.
“Unfunded Pension Liability” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities
under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets,
determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section
412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.
“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.
“Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).
“Unused Borrowing Base” means, at any time of determination, the Borrowing Base minus
the Facility Usage.
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document,
unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) 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, (i) any definition of or reference to any
agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) 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 or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any
Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words
“herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used
in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to
any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections,
Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and
Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law
shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or
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21
interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise
specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time,
and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same
meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties,
including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date,
the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and
“until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to
and including.”
(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of
reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document.
1.03 Accounting Terms.
(a) Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein
shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and
other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be
prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time,
applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements,
except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.
(b) Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation
of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either Borrower or the
Required Lenders shall so request, Administrative Agent, Lenders and Borrower shall negotiate in
good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of
such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided
that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in
accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) Borrower shall provide to
Administrative Agent and Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this
Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations
of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.
1.04 Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component,
carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed
herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no
nearest number).
1.05 Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be
references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein the amount of a Letter of Credit
at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such
time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its
terms
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
22
or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic
increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be
the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases,
whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
2.01 Committed Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally
agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Committed Loan”) to Borrower from time to time, on
any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time
outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Borrowing Base;
provided, however, that after giving effect to any Committed Borrowing, (i) the
Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Borrowing Base, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount
of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the
Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the
Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the
limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, Borrower
may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under
this Section 2.01. Committed Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as
further provided herein.
2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans.
(a) Each Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other,
and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon Borrower’s irrevocable notice to
Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by
Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date
of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion
of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Committed Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any
Borrowing of Base Rate Committed Loans; provided, however, that if Borrower wishes
to request Eurodollar Rate Loans having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six
months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period”, the applicable notice must
be received by Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business Days prior to the
requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, whereupon Administrative Agent shall
give prompt notice to Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period
is acceptable to all of them. Not later than 11:00 a.m., three Business Days before the requested
date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, Administrative Agent shall notify Borrower
(which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented
to by all Lenders. Each telephonic notice by Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a)
must be confirmed promptly by delivery to Administrative Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice,
appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of Borrower. Each Borrowing of,
conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of
$1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Sections
2.03(c) and 2.04(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Committed Loans
shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof.
Each
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23
Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether Borrower is
requesting a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a
continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or
continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of
Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Committed Loans to be
borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the
duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If Borrower fails to specify a Type of
Committed Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting
a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Committed Loans shall be made as, or converted
to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of
the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate
Loans. If Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate
Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be
deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.
(b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, Administrative Agent shall promptly notify
each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Committed Loans, and if
no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by Borrower, Administrative Agent
shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described
in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each Lender shall make the
amount of its Committed Loan available to Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at
Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the
applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in
Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section
4.01), Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to Borrower in like
funds as received by Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of Borrower on the
books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in
each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to)
Administrative Agent by Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date the
Committed Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by Borrower, there are L/C
Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing first, shall be applied, to the
payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second, shall be made available to
Borrower as provided above.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted
only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of
a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans
without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that any or all
of the then outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans be converted immediately to Base Rate Committed
Loans and Borrower agrees to pay all amounts due under Section 3.05 in accordance with the
terms thereof due to any such conversion.
(d) Administrative Agent shall promptly notify Borrower and Lenders of the interest rate
applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest
rate.
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24
(e) After giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans
from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the same Type, there shall
not be more than five Interest Periods in effect with respect to Committed Loans.
2.03 Letters of Credit.
(a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.
(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in
reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03,
(1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the
L/C Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account of Borrower, and to amend or
extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below,
and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree
to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of Borrower and any drawings
thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with
respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Borrowing
Base, (y) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender,
plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C
Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of
all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, or (z) the Outstanding
Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the L/C Sublimit. Each request by Borrower
for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation
by Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set
forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to
the terms and conditions hereof, Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be
fully revolving, and accordingly Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters
of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and
reimbursed.
(ii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:
(A) subject to Section 2.03(b)(iv), the expiry date of such requested
Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or
last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or
(B) the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the
L/C Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date.
(iii) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:
(A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator
shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such
Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or
directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority
with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
25
request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit
generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer
with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital
requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in
effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed
loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C
Issuer in good xxxxx xxxxx material to it;
(B) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of
the L/C Issuer;
(C) except as otherwise agreed by Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, such
Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $500,000;
(D) such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than
Dollars;
(E) a default of any Lender’s obligations to fund under Section 2.03(c)
exists or any Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, unless the L/C
Issuer has entered into satisfactory arrangements with Borrower or such Lender to
eliminate the L/C Issuer’s risk with respect to such Lender; or
(F) unless specifically provided for in this Agreement, such Letter of Credit
contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any
drawing thereunder.
(iv) The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be
permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms
hereof.
(v) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A)
the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its
amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does
not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.
(vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of
Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have
all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to Administrative Agent in Article
IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection
with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents
pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” or
“Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to
such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C
Issuer.
(b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of
Credit.
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
26
(i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the
request of Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to Administrative Agent) in the
form of a L/C Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of
Borrower. Such L/C Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and Administrative Agent
not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as
Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole
discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be.
In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such L/C Application
shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance
date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount
thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof;
(E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F)
the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing
thereunder; and (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such
other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of
any outstanding Letter of Credit, such L/C Application shall specify in form and detail
satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date
of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed
amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, Borrower
shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and Administrative Agent such other documents and
information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including
any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or Administrative Agent may require.
(ii) Promptly after receipt of any L/C Application at the address set forth in
Section 10.02 for receiving L/C Applications and related correspondence, the L/C
Issuer will confirm with Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that
Administrative Agent has received a copy of such L/C Application from Borrower and, if not,
the L/C Issuer will provide Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer
has received written notice from any Lender, Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at
least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the
applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions in Article IV
shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C
Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of Borrower or
enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the
L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each
Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally
agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an
amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount
of such Letter of Credit.
(iii) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter
of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C
Issuer will also deliver to Borrower and Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of
such Letter of Credit or amendment.
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
27
(iv) If Borrower so requests in any applicable L/C Application, the L/C Issuer may, in
its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic
extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any
such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such
extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of
such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a
day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed
upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C
Issuer, Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any
such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall
be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of
such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the L/C Expiration Date;
provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C
Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such
time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof
(by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or
otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or
before the day that is five Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from
Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or
(2) from Administrative Agent, any Lender or Borrower that one or more of the applicable
conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case
directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.
(v) If Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C
Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that
permits the automatic reinstatement of all or a portion of the stated amount thereof after
any drawing thereunder (each, an “Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit”). Unless
otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, Borrower shall not be required to make a specific
request to the L/C Issuer to permit such reinstatement. Once an Auto-Reinstatement Letter
of Credit has been issued, except as provided in the following sentence, the Lenders shall
be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to reinstate all or a
portion of the stated amount thereof in accordance with the provisions of such Letter of
Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit permits
the L/C Issuer to decline to reinstate all or any portion of the stated amount thereof after
a drawing thereunder by giving notice of such non-reinstatement within a specified number of
days after such drawing (the “Non-Reinstatement Deadline”), the L/C Issuer shall not
permit such reinstatement if it has received a notice (which may be by telephone or in
writing) on or before the day that is five Business Days before the Non-Reinstatement
Deadline (A) from Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit
such reinstatement or (B) from Administrative Agent, any Lender or Borrower that one or more
of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied
(treating such reinstatement as an L/C Credit Extension for purposes of this clause) and, in
each case, directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such reinstatement.
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
28
(c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.
(i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a
drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify Borrower and Administrative
Agent thereof. Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under
a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “Honor Date”), Borrower shall reimburse the
L/C Issuer through Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing.
If Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, Administrative Agent shall
promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the
“Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage
thereof. In such event, Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Committed Borrowing of
Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed
Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for
the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion
of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other
than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or
Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone
if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate
confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.
(ii) Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make
funds available to Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer at the
Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the
Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by
Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii),
each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed
Loan to Borrower in such amount. Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to
the L/C Issuer.
(iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a
Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section
4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, Borrower shall be deemed to have
incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that
is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with
interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment
to Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section
2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C
Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its
participation obligation under this Section 2.03.
(iv) Until each Lender funds its Committed Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this
Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of
Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be
solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
29
(v) Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the
L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section
2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any
circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right
which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, Borrower or any other Person for any
reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other
occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing;
provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans
pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in
Section 4.02 (other than delivery by Borrower of a Committed Loan Notice). No such
making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of Borrower to
reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any
Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.
(vi) If any Lender fails to make available to Administrative Agent for the account of
the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section
2.03(c)(ii), the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting
through Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period
from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately
available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds
Rate and a rate determined by the L/C issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on
interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees
customarily charged by the LC/ Issuer in connection with the foregoing. A certificate of
the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through Administrative Agent) with respect to any
amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d) Repayment of Participations.
(i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and
has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in
accordance with Section 2.03(c), if Administrative Agent receives for the account of
the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon
(whether directly from Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied
thereto by Administrative Agent), Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its
Applicable Percentage thereof (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to
reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s L/C Advance was outstanding) in the
same funds as those received by Administrative Agent.
(ii) If any payment received by Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer
pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the
circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement
entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to Administrative
Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of
Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such
amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
30
from time to time in effect. The obligations of Lenders under this clause shall
survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(e) Obligations Absolute. The obligation of Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for
each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute,
unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:
(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or
any other Loan Document;
(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that
Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of
such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee
may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this
Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement
or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;
(iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of
Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any
statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the
transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such
Letter of Credit;
(iv) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of
a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of
Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person
purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of
creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary
or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any
proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or
(v) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of
the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense
available to, or a discharge of, Borrower or any Subsidiary.
Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto
that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with Borrower’s
instructions or other irregularity, Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. Borrower
shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its
correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.
(f) Role of L/C Issuer. Each Lender and Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing
under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document
(other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of
Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the
authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
31
Issuer, Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent,
participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken
or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of Lenders or the Required
Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or
willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any
document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. Borrower hereby
assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its
use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not
intended to, and shall not, preclude Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have
against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C
Issuer, Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent,
participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer, shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters
described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.03(e); provided,
however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, Borrower may have
a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to Borrower, to the extent, but
only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by
Borrower which Borrower proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross
negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the
presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with
the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the
foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without
responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary,
and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument
transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or
benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or
ineffective for any reason.
(g) Cash Collateral. Upon the request of Administrative Agent, (i) if the L/C Issuer
has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has
resulted in an L/C Borrowing, or (ii) if, as of the L/C Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for
any reason remains outstanding, Borrower shall, in each case, immediately Cash Collateralize the
then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations. Sections 2.05 and 8.02(c) set
forth certain additional requirements to deliver Cash Collateral hereunder. For purposes hereof,
“Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to Administrative Agent,
for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, as collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or
deposit account balances pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to
Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to by Lenders).
Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings. Borrower hereby grants to Administrative
Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and Lenders, a security interest in all such cash,
deposit accounts and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Cash collateral
shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America.
(h) Applicability of ISP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and
Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter
of Credit.
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
32
(i) L/C Fees. Borrower shall pay to Administrative Agent for the account of each
Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a L/C fee (the “L/C Fee”) for each
Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn
under such Letter of Credit. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn
under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance
with Section 1.06. L/C Fees shall be (i) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears and
(ii) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and
December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of
Credit, on the L/C Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. If there is any change in the
Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of
Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during
such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all
L/C Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.
(j) Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer.
Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to
each Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Administrative Agent Fee Letter,
computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit and on a quarterly
basis in arrears. Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the
end of each March, June, September and December, in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly
period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date
to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the L/C Expiration Date and thereafter on
demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of
Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section
1.06. In addition, Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the
customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs
and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such
individual customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are
nonrefundable.
(k) Conflict with Issuer Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms
hereof and the terms of any Issuer Documents, the terms hereof shall control.
2.04 Swing Line Loans.
(a) The Swing Line. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, Swing Line
Lender agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section
2.04, to consider in its sole and absolute discretion making loans (each such loan, a
“Swing Line Loan”) to Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the
Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the
Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the
Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and L/C Obligations of the
Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment;
provided, however, that after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total
Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
33
aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s
Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s
Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such
Lender’s Commitment. The Swing Line is a discretionary, uncommitted facility and Swing Line
Lender may terminate or suspend the Swing Line at any time in its sole discretion upon notice to
Borrower which notice may be given by Swing Line Lender before or after Borrower requests a Swing
Line Loan hereunder. Each Swing Line Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan. Immediately upon the making
of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally
agrees to, purchase from Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an
amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of
such Swing Line Loan.
(b) Borrowing Procedures. Unless the Swing Line has been terminated or suspended by
the Swing Line Lender as provided in subsection (a) above, each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made
upon Borrower’s irrevocable notice to Swing Line Lender and Administrative Agent, which may be
given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by Swing Line Lender and Administrative
Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount
to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $100,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which
shall be a Business Day. Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to
Swing Line Lender and Administrative Agent of a written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately
completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of Borrower. Promptly after receipt by Swing Line
Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, Swing Line Lender will confirm with
Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that Administrative Agent has also received such
Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, Swing Line Lender will notify Administrative Agent (by
telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless (x) the Swing Line has been terminated
or suspended by the Swing Line Lender as provided in subsection (a) above, or (y) the Swing Line
Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from Administrative Agent (including at
the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A)
directing Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set
forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or
more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied, then,
subject to the terms and conditions hereof, Swing Line Lender will, not later than 1:00 p.m. on
the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line
Loan available to Borrower at its office by crediting the account of Borrower on the books of
Swing Line Lender in immediately available funds. Lenders agree that Swing Line Lender may agree
to modify the borrowing procedures used in connection with the Swing Line in its discretion and
without affecting any of the obligations of Lenders hereunder other than notifying Administrative
Agent of a Swing Line Loan Notice.
(c) Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.
(i) Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request, on
behalf of Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes Swing Line Lender to so request on
its behalf), that each Lender make a Base Rate Committed Loan in an amount equal to such
Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
34
Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request
shall be deemed to be a Committed Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with
the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples
specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized
portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02.
Swing Line Lender shall furnish Borrower with a copy of the applicable Committed Loan Notice
promptly after delivering such notice to Administrative Agent. Each Lender shall make an
amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Committed Loan
Notice available to Administrative Agent in immediately available funds for the account of
Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day
specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii),
each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed
Loan to Borrower in such amount. Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to
Swing Line Lender.
(ii) If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Committed
Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Base Rate Committed
Loans submitted by Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by
Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing
Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to Administrative Agent for the account of Swing Line
Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such
participation.
(iii) If any Lender fails to make available to Administrative Agent for the account of
Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section
2.04(c)(i), Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting
through Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period
from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately
available to Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds
Rate and a rate determined by Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on
interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees
customarily charged by swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing. A certificate of
Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through Administrative Agent) with respect to any
amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(iv) Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or to purchase and fund risk
participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be
absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any
setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against
Swing Line Lender, Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the
occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition,
whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each
Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c)
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is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02. No such funding of risk
participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of Borrower to repay Swing
Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.
(d) Repayment of Participations.
(i) At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a
Swing Line Loan, if Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line
Loan, Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage of such
payment (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of
time during which such Lender’s risk participation was funded) in the same funds as those
received by Swing Line Lender.
(ii) If any payment received by Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest
on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by Swing Line Lender under any of the
circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement
entered into by Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to Swing Line
Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of Administrative Agent, plus interest
thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per
annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate. Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the
request of Swing Line Lender. The obligations of Lenders under this clause shall survive
the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(e) Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender. Swing Line Lender shall be
responsible for invoicing Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Lender funds
its Base Rate Committed Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to
refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such
Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of Swing Line Lender.
(f) Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender. Borrower shall make all payments of
principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to Swing Line Lender.
2.05 Prepayments.
(a) Borrower may, upon notice to Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time
voluntarily prepay Committed Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty;
provided that (i) such notice must be received by Administrative Agent not later than
11:00 a.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and
(B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate
Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess
thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of
$500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire
principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of
such prepayment and the Type(s) of Committed Loans to be prepaid. Administrative Agent will
promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s
Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such
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notice is given by Borrower, Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount
specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment
of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid,
together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Each such
prepayment shall be applied to the Committed Loans of Lenders in accordance with their respective
Applicable Percentages.
(b) Borrower may, upon notice to Swing Line Lender (with a copy to Administrative Agent), at
any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without
premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by Swing Line Lender
and Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such
prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000. Each such notice shall specify the
date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by Borrower, Borrower shall make such
prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date
specified therein.
(c) If at any time the Facility Usage exceeds the Borrowing Base (such excess being herein
called a “Borrowing Base Deficiency”), Borrower shall (except as set forth in 2.05(d)),
within ten days after Administrative Agent gives notice of such fact to Borrower, either:
(i) give notice to Administrative Agent electing to prepay the principal of the Loans
(and after all Loans are repaid in full, Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in
accordance with Section 2.03(g)) within 30 days of such notice by Borrower in an
aggregate amount at least equal to such Borrowing Base Deficiency, or
(ii) give notice to Administrative Agent that Borrower desires to provide
Administrative Agent with deeds of trust, mortgages, chattel mortgages, security agreements,
financing statements and other security documents in form and substance satisfactory to
Administrative Agent, granting, confirming, and perfecting first and prior liens or security
interests in collateral acceptable to Required Lenders, to the extent needed to allow
Required Lenders to increase the Borrowing Base (as they in their reasonable discretion deem
consistent with prudent oil and gas banking industry lending standards at the time) to an
amount which eliminates such Borrowing Base Deficiency, and then provide such security
documents within thirty days after such notice by Borrower. If, prior to any such
specification by Administrative Agent, Required Lenders determine that the giving of such
security documents will not serve to eliminate such Borrowing Base Deficiency, then, within
five Business Days after receiving notice of such determination from Administrative Agent,
Borrower will elect to make, and thereafter make, the prepayments specified in either of the
preceding subsections (i) of this subsection (c).
(d) The Borrowing Base shall be reduced and the Aggregate Commitments shall be permanently
reduced by the amount of any Net Cash Proceeds received after the Closing Date. If the Facility
Usage exceeds the resulting Borrowing Base, Borrower shall immediately prepay the principal of the
Loans (and after all Loans are repaid in full, Cash Collateralize the
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37
L/C Obligations in accordance with Section 2.03(g)) in an aggregate amount at least
equal to such excess.
2.06 Reduction of Commitments or Reduction of Commitments Termination. Borrower may, upon notice
to Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently
reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by
Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five Business Days prior to the date of termination
or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $2,000,000 or any
whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof, (iii) Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the
Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder,
the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to
any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the L/C Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the
amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of
such excess. If following any such reduction or termination, the Borrowing Base exceeds the
Aggregate Commitments, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced to the amount of the Aggregate
Commitments automatically without further action by any Person. Administrative Agent will promptly
notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments.
Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender
according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any
termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.
2.07 Repayment of Loans.
(a) Borrower shall repay to Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of
Committed Loans outstanding on such date.
(b) Borrower shall repay to Swing Line Lender each Swing Line Loan on the Maturity Date.
2.08 Interest.
(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall
bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per
annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii)
each Base Rate Committed Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from
the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate;
and (iii) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof
from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the
Applicable Rate.
(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any
applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount
shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the
Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
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(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by Borrower under any
Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether
at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required
Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum
at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists,
Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder
at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due
interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date
applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall
be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and
after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
2.09 Fees. In addition to certain fees described in subsections (i) and (j) of Section
2.03:
(a) Unused Fee. Borrower shall pay to Administrative Agent for the account of each
Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, an unused fee equal to the Applicable Rate
times the Unused Borrowing Base. The unused fee shall accrue at all times during the
Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in
Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last
Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to
occur after the Closing Date, and on the Maturity Date. The unused fee shall be calculated
quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the
actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each
period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. For purposes of computing such
unused fee, Swing Line Loans shall not be counted towards or considered Facility Usage.
(b) Administrative Agent’s Fees. Borrower shall pay to Administrative Agent for
Administrative Agent’s own account, fees in the amounts and at the times specified in that certain
fee letter dated June 23, 2008 between the Borrower, Bank of America and Bank of America Securities
LLC. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall be nonrefundable for any reason
whatsoever.
2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the
Base Rate is determined by Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of
365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and
interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in
more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the
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39
basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is
made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such
portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made
shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by
Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all
purposes, absent manifest error.
2.11 Evidence of Debt.
(a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or
records maintained by such Lender and by Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business.
The accounts or records maintained by Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive
absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by Lenders to Borrower and the
interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not,
however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing
with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records
maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of Administrative Agent in respect of such
matters, the accounts and records of Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest
error. Upon the request of any Lender made through Administrative Agent, Borrower shall execute
and deliver to such Lender (through Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such
Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its
Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and
payments with respect thereto.
(b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and
Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records
evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing
Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by
Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the
accounts and records of Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.
2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.
(a) General. All payments to be made by Borrower shall be made without condition or
deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly
provided herein, all payments by Borrower hereunder shall be made to Administrative Agent, for the
account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s
Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 12:00 noon on the date
specified herein. Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable
Percentage(or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received
by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by Administrative Agent
after 12:00 noon shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable
interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by Borrower shall come due on
a day other than a
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40
Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of
time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
(i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless
Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of
any Committed Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Committed Borrowing
of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Committed Borrowing) that such
Lender will not make available to Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Committed
Borrowing, Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on
such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Committed Borrowing
of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at
the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make
available to Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact
made its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing available to Administrative Agent, then
the applicable Lender and Borrower severally agree to pay to Administrative Agent forthwith
on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon,
for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to Borrower to but
excluding the date of payment to Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be
made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by
Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation,
plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by Administrative
Agent in connection with the foregoing and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by
Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If Borrower and such Lender
shall pay such interest to Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period,
Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to Borrower the amount of such interest paid by
Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Committed
Borrowing to Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s
Committed Loan included in such Committed Borrowing. Any payment by Borrower shall be
without prejudice to any claim Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to
make such payment to Administrative Agent.
(ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless
Administrative Agent shall have received notice from Borrower prior to the date on which any
payment is due to Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer
hereunder that Borrower will not make such payment, Administrative Agent may assume that
Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon
such assumption, distribute to Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount
due. In such event, if Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of Lenders or
the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to Administrative Agent
forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in
immediately available funds 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 Administrative
Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by Administrative
Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. A notice of
Administrative Agent to any Lender or Borrower
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41
with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent
manifest error.
(b) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to
Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing
provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to Borrower by
Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in
Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, Administrative
Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without
interest.
(c) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of Lenders hereunder to make
Committed Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make
payments under Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to
make any Committed Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section
10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its
corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure
of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan, purchase its participation or to make its
payment under Section 10.04(c):
(d) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain
the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any
Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or
manner.
2.13 Sharing of Payments. If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim
or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Committed
Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line Loans held by it
resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such
Committed Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro
rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion
shall (a) notify Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value)
participations in the Committed Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans
of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, 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 Committed Loans and other amounts owing them,
provided that:
(i) if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any
portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or
subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such
recovery, without interest; and
(ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment
made by Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or
(y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a
participation in any of its Committed Loans or subparticipations in L/C
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42
Obligations or Swing Line Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to Borrower
or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
Each Loan Party 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 such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to
such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the
amount of such participation.
2.14 Initial Borrowing Base. The Borrowing Base shall be $37,000,000 until the first
Determination Date under Section 2.15(a), in each case unless the Borrowing Base is
otherwise subject to a regular Determination under Section 2.15(a) or a Special
Determination under Section 2.15(c).
2.15 Subsequent Determinations of Borrowing Base.
(a) By April 1 and October 1 of each year, beginning October 1, 2008, Borrower shall furnish
to each Lender all information, reports and data which Administrative Agent has then requested
concerning Loan Parties’ businesses and properties (including their oil and gas properties and
interests and the reserves and production relating thereto), together with, as applicable, the
Engineering Report as of January 1 described in Section 6.02(d) or as of July 1 described
in Section 6.02(e). Within thirty calendar days after receiving such information, reports
and data, or as promptly thereafter as practicable, Administrative Agent shall determine the
amount of a proposed Borrowing Base. Administrative Agent shall then deliver to each Lender such
proposed Borrowing Base. Within fifteen calendar days after the Lender’s receipt of thereof, or
as promptly thereafter as practicable, all Lenders shall agree upon an amount for the Borrowing
Base (provided that all Lenders must agree upon any increase in the Borrowing Base), which need
not be equal to such proposed Borrowing Base. The Lenders shall determine the amount of the
Borrowing Base based upon the loan collateral value which they in their discretion assign to the
discounted net present value of the various oil and gas properties included in the Collateral of
Loan Parties at the time in question and based upon such other credit factors (including without
limitation the assets, liabilities, cash flow, hedged and unhedged exposure to price, foreign
exchange rate, and interest rate changes, business, properties, prospects, management and
ownership of Loan Parties and their Affiliates) as they in their discretion deem significant. If
all Lenders have not approved the Borrowing Base within the fifteen calendar day period after
their receipt of such proposed Borrowing Base, Administrative Agent shall poll Lenders to
ascertain the highest Borrowing Base then acceptable to all Lenders and such amount shall then
become the Borrowing Base. Administrative Agent shall by notice to Borrower designate such amount
as the new Borrowing Base available to Borrower hereunder, which designation shall take effect
immediately on the date such notice is sent (herein called a “Determination Date”) and
shall remain in effect until but not including the next date as of which the Borrowing Base is
redetermined (each a “Borrowing Base Period”). IT IS EXPRESSLY UNDERSTOOD THAT LENDERS
AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO AGREE UPON OR DESIGNATE THE BORROWING BASE AT ANY
PARTICULAR AMOUNT, WHETHER IN RELATION TO THE MAXIMUM CREDIT AMOUNT OR
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43
OTHERWISE, AND THAT LENDERS’ COMMITMENTS TO ADVANCE FUNDS HEREUNDER IS DETERMINED BY
REFERENCE TO THE BORROWING BASE FROM TIME TO TIME IN EFFECT, WHICH BORROWING BASE SHALL BE USED
FOR CALCULATING UNUSED FEES UNDER SECTION 2.09 AND, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW AND
REGULATORY AUTHORITIES, FOR THE PURPOSES OF CAPITAL ADEQUACY DETERMINATION AND REIMBURSEMENTS
UNDER SECTION 3.04.
(b) If Borrower does not furnish all such information, reports and data by the date specified
in the first sentence of subsection (a) of this section, Administrative Agent may nonetheless
designate the Borrowing Base at any amount that all Lenders determine and may redesignate the
Borrowing Base from time to time thereafter until each Lender receives all such information,
reports and data, whereupon all Lenders shall designate a new Borrowing Base as described above.
(c) In addition to the redeterminations of the Borrowing Base pursuant to subsections (a) and
(b) of this section, Borrower and Administrative Agent (or Administrative Agent at the request of
Required Lenders) may each request additional determinations (“Special Determinations”) of
the Borrowing Base from time to time; provided, that Borrower may request no more than two (2)
Special Determinations in any calendar year and Administrative Agent (or Administrative Agent at
the Request of Required Lenders) may request no more than two (2) Special Determinations prior to
April 30, 2009, may request no more than one (1) Special Determinations during the remainder of the
calendar year ended December 31, 2009, and may request no more than one (1) Special Determinations
in any calendar year thereafter. In the event Administrative Agent (or Administrative Agent at the
request of Required Lenders) requests such a Special Determination, Administrative Agent shall
promptly deliver notice of such request to Borrower and Borrower shall, within twenty (20) calendar
days following the date of such request, deliver to Lenders an Engineering Report prepared by
petroleum engineers who are employees of Borrower as of the last day of the calendar month
preceding the date of such request and such other information which Administrative Agent shall have
requested. In the event Borrower requests a Special Determination, Borrower shall deliver written
notice of such request to Lenders which shall include (i) an Engineering Report prepared as of a
date not more than thirty (30) days prior to the date of such request (or, in the case of a request
made on the 31st day of any calendar month, thirty-one (31) days), (ii) the amount of
the Borrowing Base requested by Borrower and to become effective on the Determination Date
applicable to such Special Determination and (iii) such other information which Administrative
Agent shall have requested. Upon receipt of such Engineering Report and other information,
Administrative Agent shall, subject to approval of all Lenders, redetermine the Borrowing Base in
accordance with the procedure set forth in subsection (a) of this section, which Borrowing Base
shall become effective on the Determination Date (or as soon thereafter as Administrative Agent and
all Lenders approve such Borrowing Base and provide notice thereof to Borrower).
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01 Taxes.
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44
(a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.
(i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder
or under any other Loan Document shall to the extent permitted by applicable Laws be made
free and clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Taxes. If, however,
applicable Laws require the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to withhold or deduct any
Tax, such Tax shall be withheld or deducted in accordance with such Laws as determined by
the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, upon the basis of the
information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.
(ii) If the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Code to
withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States Federal backup withholding and
withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or
make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon
the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the
Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant
Governmental Authority in accordance with the Code, and (C) to the extent that the
withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, the sum
payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required
withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to
additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or L/C Issuer,
as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such
withholding or deduction been made.
(b) Payment of Other Taxes by Borrower. Without limiting the provisions of
subsection (a) above, Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental
Authority in accordance with applicable Laws.
(c) Tax Indemnifications.
(i) Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, the Borrower shall,
and does hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and
shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full
amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes
imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) withheld or
deducted by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent or paid by the Administrative Agent,
such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and any penalties, interest and
reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the
relevant Governmental Authority. The Borrower shall also, and does hereby, indemnify the
Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand
therefor, for any amount which a Lender or the L/C Issuer for any reason fails to pay
indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required by clause
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(ii) of this subsection. A certificate as to the amount of any such payment or
liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the
Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a
Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(ii) Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, each Lender and
the L/C Issuer shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent,
and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, against any
and all Taxes and any and all related losses, claims, liabilities, penalties, interest and
expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Borrower or
the Administrative Agent) incurred by or asserted against the Borrower or the Administrative
Agent by any Governmental Authority as a result of the failure by such Lender or the L/C
Issuer, as the case may be, to deliver, or as a result of the inaccuracy, inadequacy or
deficiency of, any documentation required to be delivered by such Lender or the L/C Issuer,
as the case may be, to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (e).
Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and
apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case
may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the
Administrative Agent under this clause (ii). The agreements in this clause (ii) shall
survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of
rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the termination of the
Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.
(d) Evidence of Payments. Upon request by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent,
as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a
Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the
Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may
be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing
such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of
such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may
be.
(e) Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.
(i) Each Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent, at the
time or times prescribed by applicable Laws or when reasonably requested by the Borrower or
the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by
applicable Laws or by the taxing authorities of any jurisdiction and such other reasonably
requested information as will permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case
may be, to determine (A) whether or not payments made hereunder or under any other Loan
Document are subject to Taxes, (B) if applicable, the required rate of withholding or
deduction, and (C) such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction
of, applicable Taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Lender by the Borrower
pursuant to this Agreement
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or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax purposes in the
applicable jurisdiction.
(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Borrower is resident for
tax purposes in the United States,
(A) any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section
7701(a)(30) of the Code shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent
executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or such other documentation
or information prescribed by applicable Laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower
or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent,
as the case may be, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup
withholding or information reporting requirements; and
(B) each Foreign Lender that is entitled under the Code or any applicable
treaty to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax with respect to payments
hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the
recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender
under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the
Borrower or the Administrative Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally
entitled to do so), whichever of the following is applicable:
(I) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming
eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States
is a party,
(II) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,
(III) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY and
all required supporting documentation,
(IV) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the
exemption for portfolio interest under section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a
certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank”
within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent
shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of
the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in section
881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) executed originals of Internal Revenue
Service Form W-8BEN, or
(V) executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable Laws
as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States
Federal withholding tax together with such supplementary
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documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Laws to permit the
Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or
deduction required to be made.
(iii) Each Lender shall promptly (A) notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent
of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption or
reduction, and (B) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the
reasonable judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably necessary (including the
re-designation of its Lending Office) to avoid any requirement of applicable Laws of any
jurisdiction that the Borrower or the Administrative Agent make any withholding or deduction
for taxes from amounts payable to such Lender.
(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time
shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a
Lender or the L/C Issuer, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or the L/C Issuer, any
refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or the L/C
Issuer, as the case may be. If Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines, in
its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has
been indemnified by Borrower or with respect to which Borrower has paid additional amounts
pursuant to this Section, it shall pay to Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the
extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by Borrower under this Section with
respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses
incurred by Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and without
interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such
refund), provided that Borrower, upon the request of Administrative Agent, such Lender or
the L/C Issuer, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest
or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to Administrative Agent, such
Lender or the L/C Issuer in the event Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer is
required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be
construed to require Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer to make available its tax
returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the
Borrower or any other Person.
3.02 Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any
Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending
Office to make, maintain or fund Eurodollar Rate Loans, or to determine or charge interest rates
based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on
the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London
interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to Borrower through Administrative Agent,
any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate
Committed Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until such Lender notifies
Administrative Agent and Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no
longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a
copy to Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such
Lender to Base Rate Loans, either on the last day of
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48
the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate
Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such
Eurodollar Rate Loans. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, Borrower shall also pay accrued
interest on the amount so prepaid or converted and all amounts due under Section 3.05 in
accordance with the terms thereof due to such prepayment or conversion.
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates. If Administrative Agent determines in connection with any
request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar
deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the
applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable
means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Base Rate for any requested Interest Period with
respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Base Rate for any requested
Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly
reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, Administrative Agent will promptly so notify
Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, the obligation of Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar
Rate Loans shall be suspended until Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required
Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, Borrower may revoke any pending request
for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will
be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate
Loans in the amount specified therein.
3.04 Increased Costs.
(a) Increased Costs Generally; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans. If any Change in
Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan,
insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account
of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement
reflected in the Eurodollar Rate) or the L/C Issuer;
(ii) subject any Lender or the L/C Issuer to any tax of any kind whatsoever with
respect to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any participation in a Letter of Credit or
any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such
Lender or the L/C Issuer in respect thereof (except for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes
covered by Section 3.01 and the imposition of, or any change in the rate of, any
Excluded Tax payable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer); or
(iii) impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other
condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such
Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or
maintaining any Eurodollar Rate Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or
to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining
any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of
Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C
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49
Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such
Lender or the L/C Issuer, Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be,
such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may
be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change
in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such
Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital requirements has or would
have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on
the capital of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this
Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of
Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below
that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company
could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the L/C
Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company with
respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C
Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or
the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction
suffered.
(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer
setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its
holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and
delivered to Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Borrower shall pay such Lender
or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 30
days after receipt thereof.
(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer
to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a
waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided
that Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the
foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more
than nine months prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be,
notifies Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of
such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the
Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the
nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect
thereof).
3.05 Compensation for Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to Administrative Agent) from
time to time, Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from
any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:
(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate
Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary,
mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise); or
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50
(b) any failure by Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make
a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or
in the amount notified by Borrower;
including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or
reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the
deposits from which such funds were obtained. Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative
fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing. For purposes of calculating amounts
payable by Borrower to Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have
funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Base Rate used in determining the
Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank
eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such
Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.
3.06 Mitigation Obligations. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or
the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender, the L/C Issuer, or any
Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section
3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then such Lender or the
L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, 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 or the L/C Issuer, such
designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section
3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice
pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such
Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not
otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. The Borrower
hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in
connection with any such designation or assignment.
3.07 Survival. All of Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive
termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and
resignation of the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
4.01 Conditions of Initial Credit Extension. The obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to
make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions
precedent:
(a) Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or
telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by
a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of
certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form
and substance satisfactory to Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders:
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(i) executed counterparts of this Agreement and each Security Document listed in the
Security Schedule, sufficient in number for distribution to Administrative Agent, each
Lender and Borrower;
(ii) a Note executed by Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Note;
(iii) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or
other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as Administrative Agent may
require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof
authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other
Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;
(iv) such documents and certifications as Administrative Agent may reasonably require
to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that each Loan Party is
validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in each jurisdiction
where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business
requires such qualification, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(v) favorable opinions of counsel to the Loan Parties from counsel acceptable to
Administrative Agent, addressed to Administrative Agent and each Lender, as to the matters
concerning the Loan Parties and the Loan Documents set forth in Exhibit F, in form and
substance satisfactory to Administrative Agent;
(vi) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party either (A) attaching
copies of all consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the execution,
delivery and performance by such Loan Party and the validity against such Loan Party of the
Loan Documents to which it is a party, and such consents, licenses and approvals shall be in
full force and effect, or (B) stating that no such consents, licenses or approvals are so
required;
(vii) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of Borrower certifying (A) that the
conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied, and
(B) that there has been no event or circumstance since the date of the Audited Financial
Statements that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either individually or in
the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;
(viii) evidence that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to this Agreement
has been obtained and is in effect;
(ix) title opinions in form, substance and authorship satisfactory to Administrative
Agent, with respect to Borrower’s oil and gas reserves representing a percentage of the
present discounted value of the Loan Parties proved oil and gas reserves satisfactory to
each Lender;
(x) appropriate UCC search certificates reflecting no prior Liens, except for Permitted
Liens;
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52
(xi) evidence of the absence of any actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes
pending or, to the knowledge of Borrower after due and diligent investigation, threatened or
contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or
against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues
that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(xii) with respect to Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (i) the Audited Financial
Statements, (ii) the unaudited financial statements referred to in Section 5.05(b) and (iii)
information regarding litigation, insurance, contingent liabilities, pension liabilities
(actual and contingent), agreements with employees, books of account, records, material
contracts, all in form and substance satisfactory to Administrative Agent;
(xiii) environmental assessment reports relating to the Oil and Gas Properties of
Borrower and its Subsidiaries as may be requested by Agent, including environmental audits
or other environmental reports of any nature whatsoever (whether prepared internally or by
third party consultants), each in form and substance satisfactory to Administrative Agent;
(xiv) the Initial Engineering Report in form and substance satisfactory to
Administrative Agent; and
(xv) such other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as
Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, Swing Line Lender or the Required Lenders reasonably
may require.
(b) Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date shall have been paid.
(c) Unless waived by Administrative Agent, Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and
disbursements of counsel to Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing
Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its
reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it
through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude
a final settling of accounts between Borrower and Administrative Agent).
(d) The Closing Date shall have occurred on or before June 27, 2008.
(e) There shall be no less than $3,000,000 of availability hereunder after giving effect to
the initial Credit Extensions on the Closing Date, the consummation of the Acquisition, the
payment of fees and expenses in connection with this Agreement, the Closing Equity Issuance and
the Acquisition and maintaining compliance with Section 7.12(a).
(f) The Closing Equity Issuance shall have been consummated and the Borrower shall have
received net cash proceeds from such issuance of not less than $40,000,000.
(g) The Acquisition shall have been consummated or shall be consummated contemporaneously
with the initial Loans hereunder.
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(h) On a pro forma basis using the financial statements referred to in Section 5.05(b),
assuming for such purposes that Loans in the amount of $34,000,000 had been outstanding during the
four fiscal quarter period ending on such date and using the interest rate in effect on the
Closing Date, after giving effect to the initial Loans, the payment of fees, closing costs and
expenses in connection with this Agreement, Borrower would have been in compliance with
Sections 7.12(a), (b) and (c).
Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section 9.04, for purposes of
determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that
has signed this Agreement 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 Administrative Agent shall have received notice
from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.
4.02 Conditions to all Credit Extensions. The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for
Credit Extension is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a) The representations and warranties of Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in
Article V or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at
any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct on and as of the
date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties
specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such
earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and
warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer
to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of
Section 6.01.
(b) No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the
application of the proceeds thereof.
(c) Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender shall have
received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.
(d) Administrative Agent shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory to it, such
other assurances, certificates, documents or consents related to the foregoing as Administrative
Agent or the Required Lenders reasonably may require.
Each Request for Credit Extension submitted by Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation
and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been
satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Borrower represents and warrants to Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:
5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary
thereof (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of
the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all
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54
requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and
approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and
perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and
is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or
operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license, and
(d) is in compliance with all Laws; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i), (c) or (d),
to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
5.02 Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party
of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any
of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention
of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any Contractual
Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such
Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental
Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any
Law. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof is in compliance with all Contractual Obligations
referred to in clause (b)(i), except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. No approval, consent, exemption, authorization,
or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is
necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement
against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.04 Binding Effect. This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered
hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto.
This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a
legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that is
party thereto in accordance with its terms.
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.
(a) The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently
applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii)
fairly present the financial condition of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and
their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently
applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and
(iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of Borrower and
its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and
Indebtedness.
(b) The unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated March
31, 2008, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations,
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55
shareholders’ equity
and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared
in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as
otherwise expressly noted therein, (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered
thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (iii) show all material indebtedness and
other liabilities, direct or contingent, of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof,
including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness; subject, in the case of
clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments
(c) Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or
circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.06 Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the
knowledge of Borrower after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in
equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain
to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby
(including any which challenge or otherwise pertain to any Loan Party’s title to any Collateral),
or (b) except as specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule, either individually or in the
aggregate, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect,
and there has been no adverse change in the status, or financial effect on any Loan Party or any
Subsidiary thereof, of the matters described in the Disclosure Schedule.
5.07 No Default. Neither Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default under or with respect to any
Contractual Obligation that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens. Each of Borrower and each Subsidiary has good record and
marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or
used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The
property of Borrower and its Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by
Section 7.01.
5.09 Environmental Compliance. Borrower and its Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of
business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential
liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses,
operations and properties, and as a result thereof Borrower has reasonably concluded that, except
as specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule, such Environmental Laws and claims could not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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5.10 Insurance. The properties of Borrower and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound
and reputable insurance companies, not Affiliates of Borrower, in such amounts (after giving effect
to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards), with such deductibles and covering
such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar
properties in localities where Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary operates.
5.11 Taxes. Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed all Federal, state and other material tax
returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all Federal, state and other material
taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their
properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in
good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have
been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment against Borrower or any
Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.12 ERISA Compliance.
(a) Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of
ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state Laws. Each Plan that is intended to qualify under
Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an
application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with respect thereto and, to
the best knowledge of Borrower, nothing has occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of,
such qualification. Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to
each Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an
extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Code has been made with
respect to any Plan.
(b) There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of Borrower, threatened claims, actions or
lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could be
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited
transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has
resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Pension Plan
has any Unfunded Pension Liability; (iii) neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred,
or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension
Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA); (iv) neither
Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and
no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result
in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and
(v) neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to
Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.
5.13 Subsidiaries. As of the Closing Date, Borrower has no Subsidiaries other than those
specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in
such Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are
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owned by a Loan Party in the amounts specified in the Disclosure Schedule free and clear of all
Liens. Borrower has no equity investments in any other corporation or entity other than those
specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule. All of the outstanding Equity Interests in
Borrower have been validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.
5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act; Public Utility Holding Company Act.
(a) Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important
activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of
Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying
margin stock.
(b) None of Borrower, any Person Controlling Borrower, or any Subsidiary (i) is a “holding
company,” or a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” or an “affiliate” of a “holding
company” or of a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” within the meaning of the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 that is not exempt from regulation thereunder, or (ii) is or
is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
5.15 Disclosure. Borrower has disclosed to Administrative Agent and 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. No report, financial statement, certificate or
other information, taken as a whole, furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of
any Loan Party to Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other
Loan Document (in each case, 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, Borrower
represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to
be reasonable at the time.
5.16 Compliance with Laws. Each of Borrower and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material
respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees
applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of
Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in
the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.17 Leases; Contracts; Licenses, Etc. The leases, contracts, servitudes and other agreements
forming a part of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Loan Parties covered by the Initial Engineering
Report and each subsequent Engineering Report are in full force and effect. No Loan Party is in
default with respect to its obligations (and no Loan Party is aware of any default by any third
party with respect to such third party’s obligations) under any such leases,
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58
contracts, servitudes and other agreements, or under any Permitted Liens, or otherwise attendant to
the ownership or operation of any part of the Oil and Gas Properties, where such default could
adversely affect the ownership or operation of any Oil and Gas Properties. No Loan Party is
currently accounting for any royalties, or overriding royalties or other payments out of
production, on a basis (other than delivery in kind) less favorable to such Loan Party than
proceeds received by such Loan Party (calculated at the well) from sale of production, and no Loan
Party has any liability (or alleged liability) to account for the same on any such less favorable
basis. Each Loan Party has good and defensible title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all of
the Collateral owned or leased by such Loan Party and all of its other material properties and
assets necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, free and clear of all Liens,
encumbrances, or adverse claims other than Permitted Liens and of all impediments to the use of
such properties and assets in such Loan Party’s business, except that no representation or warranty
is made with respect to any oil, gas or mineral property or interest to which no proved oil or gas
reserves are properly attributed. Each Loan Party owns the net interests in production
attributable to the xxxxx and units evaluated in the Initial Engineering Report. The ownership of
such Properties does not in the aggregate in any material respect obligate such Loan Party to bear
the costs and expenses relating to the maintenance, development and operations of such Properties
in an amount materially in excess of the working interest of such Properties set forth in the
Initial Engineering Reports. Upon delivery of each Engineering Report furnished to the Lenders
pursuant to Sections 6.02(f) and (g), the statements made in the preceding
sentences of this section shall be true with respect to such Engineering Report. Each Loan Party
possesses all licenses, permits, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names, and
other intellectual property (or otherwise possesses the right to use such intellectual property
without violation of the rights of any other Person) which are necessary to carry out its business
as presently conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted hereafter, and no Loan Party is in
violation in any material respect of the terms under which it possesses such intellectual property
or the right to use such intellectual property.
5.18 Sale of Production. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, no Oil and
Gas Property is subject to any contractual or other arrangement (i) whereby payment for production
is or can be deferred for a substantial period after the month in which such production is
delivered (in the case of oil, not in excess of 60 days, and in the case of gas, not in excess of
90 days) or (ii) whereby payments are made to a Loan Party other than by checks, drafts, wire
transfer advises or other similar writings, instruments or communications for the immediate payment
of money. Except for production sales contracts, processing agreements, transportation agreements
and other agreements relating to the marketing of production that are listed on the Disclosure
Schedule in connection with the Oil and Gas Properties to which such contract or agreement relates:
(i) no Oil and Gas Property is subject to any contractual or other arrangement for the sale,
processing or transportation of production (or otherwise related to the marketing of production)
which cannot be canceled on 120 days’ (or less) notice and (ii) all contractual or other
arrangements for the sale, processing or transportation of production (or otherwise related to the
marketing of production) are bona fide arm’s length transactions made on the best terms available
with third parties not affiliated with Loan Parties. Each Loan Party is presently receiving a
price for all production from (or attributable to) each Oil and Gas Property covered by a
production sales contract or marketing contract listed on the Disclosure Schedule that is computed
in accordance with the terms of such contract, and no Loan Party is having deliveries
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of production from such Oil and Gas Property curtailed substantially below such property’s
delivery capacity. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, no Loan Party, nor any Loan
Party’s predecessors in title, has received prepayments (including payments for gas not taken
pursuant to “take or pay” or other similar arrangements) for any oil, gas or other hydrocarbons
produced or to be produced from any Oil and Gas Properties after the date hereof. Except as set
forth in the Disclosure Schedule, no Oil and Gas Property is subject to any “take or pay” or other
similar arrangement (i) which can be satisfied in whole or in part by the production or
transportation of gas from other properties or (ii) as a result of which production from any Oil
and Gas Property may be required to be delivered to one or more third parties without payment (or
without full payment) therefor as a result of payments made, or other actions taken, with respect
to other properties. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, there is no Oil and Gas
Property with respect to which any Loan Party, or any Loan Party’s predecessors in title, has,
prior to the date hereof, taken more (“overproduced”), or less (“underproduced”), gas from the
lands covered thereby (or pooled or unitized therewith) than its ownership interest in such Oil and
Gas Property would entitle it to take; and the Disclosure Schedule accurately reflects, for each
well or unit with respect to which such an imbalance is shown thereon to exist, (i) whether such
Loan Party is overproduced or underproduced and (ii) the volumes (in cubic feet or British thermal
units) of such overproduction or underproduction and the effective date of such information.
Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, no Oil and Gas Property is subject to a gas
balancing arrangement under which one or more third parties may take a portion of the production
attributable to such Oil and Gas Property without payment (or without full payment) therefor as a
result of production having been taken from, or as a result of other actions or inactions with
respect to, other properties. No Oil and Gas Property is subject at the present time to any
regulatory refund obligation and, to the best of Loan Party’s knowledge, no facts exist which might
cause the same to be imposed.
5.19 Operation of Oil and Gas Properties. The Oil and Gas Properties (and all
properties unitized therewith) are being (and, to the extent the same could adversely affect the
ownership or operation of the Oil and Gas Properties after the date hereof, have in the past been)
maintained, operated and developed in a good and workmanlike manner, in accordance with prudent
industry standards and in conformity in all material respects with all applicable Laws and in
conformity in all material respect with all oil, gas or other mineral leases and other contracts
and agreements forming a part of the Oil and Gas Property and in conformity with the Permitted
Liens. No Oil and Gas Property is subject to having allowable production after the date hereof
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) prior to the date
hereof and (ii) none of the xxxxx located on the Oil and Gas Properties (or properties unitized
therewith) are or will be deviated from the vertical more than the maximum permitted by applicable
laws, regulations, rules and orders, and such xxxxx are bottomed under and producing from, with the
well bores wholly within, the Oil and Gas Properties (or, in the case of xxxxx located on
properties unitized therewith, such unitized properties). There are no dry holes, or otherwise
inactive xxxxx currently required to be plugged and abandoned by the Texas Railroad Commission,
located on the Oil and Gas Properties or on lands pooled or unitized therewith, except for xxxxx
that have been properly plugged and abandoned. Each Loan Party has all material governmental
licenses and permits necessary or appropriate to own and
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operate its Oil and Gas Property, and no Loan Party has received notice of any material
violations in respect of any such licenses or permits.
5.20 Ad Valorem and Severance Taxes; Litigation.
(a) Each Loan Party has paid and discharged all ad valorem taxes assessed against its Oil and
Gas Property or any part thereof and all production, severance and other taxes assessed against,
or measured by, the production or the value, or proceeds, of the production therefrom, except
those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and
for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There are no suits,
actions, claims, investigations, inquiries, proceedings or demands pending (or, to any Loan
Party’s knowledge, threatened) which might affect the Oil and Gas Property, including any which
challenge or otherwise pertain to any Loan Party’s title to any Oil and Gas Property or rights to
produce and sell oil and gas therefrom.
5.21 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. Borrower and its Subsidiaries own, or possess
the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent
rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights that are reasonably necessary
for the operation of their respective businesses, without conflict with the rights of any other
Person. To the best knowledge of Borrower, no slogan or other advertising device, product,
process, method, substance, part or other material now employed, or now contemplated to be
employed, by Borrower or any Subsidiary infringes upon any rights held by any other Person. No
claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or, to the best knowledge of
Borrower, threatened, which, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.22 Solvency. The Borrower and each Subsidiary are Solvent.
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation
hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding,
Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01,
6.02, and 6.03) cause each Subsidiary to:
6.01 Financial Statements. Deliver to Administrative Agent a sufficient number of copies for
delivery by Administrative Agent to each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to Administrative
Agent and the Required Lenders:
(a) as soon as available, but in any event within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year
of Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such
fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, changes in
shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in
comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared
in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by reports and opinions of an independent
certified public accountant firm of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the
Required Lenders, which reports and opinions shall be prepared in
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accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going
concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of
such audit; and
(b) as soon as available, but in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first
three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of Borrower
and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, the related consolidated statements of
income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of Borrower’s fiscal year then
ended, and the related consolidated statements of changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows
for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, in each case setting forth in
comparative form, as applicable, the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous
fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail,
certified by a Responsible Officer of Borrower as fairly presenting the financial condition,
results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of such Persons in accordance with
GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.
6.02 Certificates; Other Information. Deliver to Administrative Agent a sufficient number of
copies for delivery by Administrative Agent to each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to
Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:
(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section
6.01(a), a certificate of its independent certified public accountants certifying such
financial statements and stating that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge
was obtained of any Default or, if any such Default shall exist, stating the nature and status of
such event;
(b) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections
6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible
Officer of Borrower;
(c) promptly after any request by Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of any detailed
audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the
audit committee of the board of directors) of Borrower by independent accountants in connection
with the accounts or books of Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them;
(d) by April 1 of each year, commencing April 1, 2009, an Engineering Report prepared by
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx & Associates, or other independent petroleum engineers chosen by Borrower and
acceptable to Required Lenders, concerning all Oil and Gas Properties owned by any Loan Party
which are located in or offshore of the United States and which have attributable to them proved
oil or gas reserves prepared as of the preceding January 1. This report shall be satisfactory to
Administrative Agent, shall take into account any “over-produced” status under gas balancing
arrangements, and shall contain information and analysis comparable in scope to that contained in
the Initial Engineering Report. This report shall distinguish (or shall be delivered together
with a certificate from an appropriate officer of
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Borrower which distinguishes) those properties treated in the report which are Collateral
from those properties treated in the report which are not Collateral;
(e) by October 1 of each year, commencing October 1, 2008, and promptly following notice of a
Special Determination under Section 2.15(c), an Engineering Report prepared as of the
preceding July 1 (or the last day of the preceding calendar month in the case of a Special
Determination) by petroleum engineers who are employees of Borrower (or by the independent
engineers named above), together with an accompanying report on property sales, property purchases
and changes in categories, both in the same form and scope as the reports in (d) above;
(f) as soon as available, and in any event within forty-five (45) days after the end of each
calendar quarter, a report describing by lease or unit the gross volume of production and sales
attributable to production during such month from the properties described in the most recent
Engineering Report and describing the related severance taxes, other taxes, and leasehold
operating expenses attributable thereto and incurred during such month;
(g) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections
6.01(a) and (b), a report describing the Swap Contracts of the Loan Parties, in form
acceptable to Administrative Agent; and
(h) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate
affairs of Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as
Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.
Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) Administrative Agent will make available to Lenders and the
L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of Borrower hereunder
(collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another
similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a
“Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public
information with respect to Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the
foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to
such Persons’ securities. Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be
made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a
minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x)
by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized Administrative
Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any
material non-public information with respect to Borrower or its securities for purposes of United
States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower
Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.07); (y)
all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the
Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) Administrative Agent shall be entitled to
treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a
portion of the Platform that is not designated “Public Side Information.
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6.03 Notices. Promptly notify Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) of the occurrence of any Default;
(b) of any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect, including (i) breach or non-performance of, or any default under, a Contractual
Obligation of Borrower or any Subsidiary; (ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding
or suspension between Borrower or any Subsidiary and any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the
commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting Borrower
or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws;
(c) of the occurrence of any ERISA Event;
(d) of the receipt of Net Cash Proceeds; and
(e) of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by
Borrower or any Subsidiary.
Each notice pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer
of Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action
Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section
6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any
other Loan Document that have been breached.
6.04 Payment of Obligations. Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its
obligations and liabilities, including (a) all tax liabilities, assessments and governmental
charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP
are being maintained by Borrower or such Subsidiary; (b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would
by law become a Lien upon its property; and (c) all Indebtedness, as and when due and payable, but
subject to any subordination provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such
Indebtedness.
6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc.
(a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good
standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted
by Section 7.04 or 7.05;
(b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and
franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that
failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
(c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service
marks, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
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6.06 Maintenance of Properties.
(a) Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in
the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear
excepted;
(b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the
failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
(c) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its
facilities.
6.07 Maintenance of Insurance.
(a) Borrower shall at all times maintain (at its own expense) with financially sound and
reputable insurance companies, not Affiliates of Borrower, insurance with respect to its
properties and business against loss, damage and liability of the kinds customarily insured by
Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts as are
customarily carried under similar circumstances by Persons similarly situated. All insurance
policies covering Collateral shall be endorsed (a) to provide for payment of losses to
Administrative Agent as its interests may appear, (b) to provide that such policies may not be
canceled or reduced or affected in any material manner for any reason without thirty (30) days
prior notice to Administrative Agent, (c) to provide for any other matters specified in any
applicable Security Document or which Administrative Agent may reasonably require, and (d) to
provide for insurance against fire, casualty and any other hazards normally insured against, in
the amount of the full value (less a reasonable deductible not to exceed amounts customary in the
industry for similarly situated businesses and properties) of the property insured.
(b) Each policy for liability insurance shall provide for all losses to be paid on behalf of
Administrative Agent (for the benefit of Lenders) and Loan Parties as their respective interests
may appear, and each policy insuring loss or damage to Collateral shall provide for all losses to
be paid directly to Administrative Agent. Each such policy shall in addition (A) name the
appropriate Loan Party and Administrative Agent and Lenders as insured parties thereunder (without
any representation or warranty by or obligation upon Administrative Agent or Lenders) as their
interests may appear, (B) contain the agreement by the insurer that any loss thereunder shall be
payable to Administrative Agent notwithstanding any action, inaction or breach of representation
or warranty by any Loan Party, (C) provide that there shall be no recourse against Administrative
Agent or Lenders for payment of premiums or other amounts with respect thereto and (D) provide
that at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice of cancellation or of lapse shall be given to
Administrative Agent by the insurer. Each Loan Party will, if so requested by Administrative
Agent, deliver to Administrative Agent original or duplicate policies of such insurance and, as
often as Administrative Agent may reasonably request, a report of a reputable insurance broker
with respect to such insurance. Each Loan Party will also, at the request of Administrative
Agent, duly execute and deliver instruments of assignment of such insurance policies and cause the
respective insurers to acknowledge notice of such assignment. Administrative Agent is hereby
authorized to enforce payment under all
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such insurance policies and to compromise and settle any claims thereunder, in its own name
or in the name of the Loan Parties.
6.08 Compliance with Laws. Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and
all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except
in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, write, injunction or decree is
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure
to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.09 Books and Records.
(a) Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in
conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters
involving the assets and business of Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and
(b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable
requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over Borrower or such
Subsidiary, as the case may be.
6.10 Inspection Rights. Permit representatives and independent contractors of Administrative Agent
and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and
operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs,
finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the
expense of Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may
be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to Borrower; provided,
however, that when an Event of Default exists Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of
their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the
expense of Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.
6.11 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of the Credit Extension (i) on the Closing Date to
partially finance the Acquisition and finance costs incurred in connection with the Acquisition and
the closing of this Agreement and (ii) at any other time, for work capital purposes (including the
issuance of Letters of Credit), capital expenditures, acquisition of additional Oil and Gas
Properties permitted hereunder, and other general company purposes not in contravention of any Law
or of any Loan Document.
6.12 Agreement to Deliver Security Documents. Borrower agrees to deliver and to cause each other
Loan Party to deliver, to further secure the Obligations whenever requested by Administrative Agent
in its sole and absolute discretion, deeds of trust, mortgages, chattel mortgages, security
agreements, financing statements and other Security Documents in form and substance satisfactory to
Administrative Agent for the purpose of granting, confirming, and perfecting first and prior liens
or security interests in any real or personal property which is at such time Collateral or which
was intended to be Collateral pursuant to any Security Document previously executed and not then
released by Administrative Agent. Borrower agrees to deliver
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and to cause each other Loan Party to deliver, whenever requested by Administrative Agent, in its
sole and absolute discretion, transfer orders or letters in lieu thereof with respect to the
production and proceeds of production from the Collateral, in form and substance satisfactory to
Administrative Agent.
6.13 Liens on Mortgaged Properties Acquired or Completed in the Future. Within thirty (30)
days following each Determination Date, Borrower will execute and deliver documentation in form and
substance satisfactory to Administrative Agent, granting to Administrative Agent first perfected
Liens on and in the oil, gas and mineral lease(s) covering each well (a) acquired or completed
since the prior Determination Date which is capable of production of oil, gas or other hydrocarbons
in paying quantities, insofar as such lease(s) cover the proration unit assigned to such well, and
(b) which is to be added to the Borrowing Base. Prior to the granting of such Liens, Borrower will
furnish to Administrative Agent title opinions in form, substance and authorship satisfactory to
Required Lenders, concerning not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the aggregate value of
such properties and will furnish all other documents and information relating to such properties as
Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
6.14 Production Proceeds. Notwithstanding that, by the terms of the various Security Documents,
Loan Parties are and will be assigning to Administrative Agent and Lenders all of the “Production
Proceeds” (as defined therein) accruing to the property covered thereby and have agreed to
execute transfer orders, division orders and other instruments that may be requested by Agent or
that may be required by any purchaser of any production for the purpose of effectuating payment of
such Production Proceeds to Agent, so long as no Default has occurred (i) Loan Parties may
continue to receive from the purchasers of production all such Production Proceeds, subject,
however, to the Liens created under the Security Documents, which Liens are hereby affirmed and
ratified and (ii) Agent will not exercise such rights contained in any Security Document to require
Borrower to execute and deliver transfer orders, division orders and other instruments effectuating
payment of such Production Proceeds to Agent. Upon the occurrence of a Default, Administrative
Agent and Lenders may exercise all rights and remedies granted under the Security Documents,
including the right to obtain possession of all Production Proceeds then held by Loan Parties or to
receive directly from the purchasers of production all other Production Proceeds. In no case shall
any failure, whether purposed or inadvertent, by Administrative Agent or Lenders to collect
directly any such Production Proceeds constitute in any way a waiver, remission or release of any
of their rights under the Security Documents, nor shall any release of any Production Proceeds by
Administrative Agent or Lenders to Loan Parties constitute a waiver, remission, or release of any
other Production Proceeds or of any rights of Administrative Agent or Lenders to collect other
Production Proceeds thereafter.
6.15 Mortgaged Property Covenants.
(a) Leases and Contracts; Performance of Obligations. Except to the extent Disposed
of (including abandonment) pursuant to Section 7.05(f), each Loan Party will maintain in
full force and effect all oil, gas or mineral leases, contracts, servitudes and other agreements
forming a part of any Oil and Gas Property, to the extent the same cover or otherwise relate to
such Oil and Gas Property, and each Loan Party will timely perform all of its obligations
thereunder. Each Loan Party will promptly notify Administrative Agent of any
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claim (or any conclusion by such Loan Party) that such Loan Party is obligated to account for
any royalties, or overriding royalties or other payments out of production, on a basis (other than
delivery in kind) less favorable to such Loan Party than proceeds received by Loan Party
(calculated at the well) from sale of production.
(b) Representation to Continue to be True. Each Loan Party will carry out its sales
of production, will operate the Oil and Gas Properties, and will otherwise deal with the Oil and
Gas Properties and the production, in such a way that the representations and warranties in
Sections 5.18, 5.19 and 5.20 remain true and correct at, and as of, all
times that this Agreement is in effect (and not just at, and as of, the times such representations
and warranties are made).
6.16 Guaranties of Borrower’s Subsidiaries(a) . Each Subsidiary of Borrower now
existing or created, acquired or coming into existence after the date hereof shall, promptly upon
request by Administrative Agent, execute and deliver to Administrative Agent the Guaranty or a
supplement to the Guaranty in the form attached thereto guaranteeing the timely repayment of the
Obligations and the due and punctual performance of the obligations of Borrower hereunder.
Borrower will cause each of its Subsidiaries to deliver to Administrative Agent, simultaneously
with its delivery of such a Guaranty or supplement, written evidence satisfactory to
Administrative Agent and its counsel that such Subsidiary has taken all company action necessary
to duly approve and authorize its execution, delivery and performance of such Guaranty or
supplement and any other documents which it is required to execute.
6.17 Hedging Program. Within thirty days of the Closing Date, Borrower shall have entered
into and will maintain Swap Contracts fixing prices or fixing a floor for prices on Projected Oil
and Gas Production for production expected to be produced by Borrower and its Subsidiaries for not
less than the calendar years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 for at least seventy-five percent (75%) of
the aggregate Projected Oil and Gas Production for such period.
6.18 Environmental Matters; Environmental Reviews.
(a) Each Loan Party will comply in all material respects with all Environmental Laws now or
hereafter applicable to such Loan Party, as well as all contractual obligations and agreements
with respect to environmental remediation or other environmental matters, and shall obtain, at or
prior to the time required by applicable Environmental Laws, all environmental, health and safety
Permits and other authorizations necessary for its operations and will maintain such
authorizations in full force and effect. No Loan Party will do anything or permit anything to be
done which will subject any of its properties to any remedial obligations under, or result in
noncompliance with applicable Permits issued under, any applicable Environmental Laws, assuming
disclosure to the applicable governmental authorities of all relevant facts, conditions and
circumstances. Upon Administrative Agent’s reasonable request, at any time (but not in excess of
one inspection conducted at Borrower’s expense hereunder during any 18 consecutive month period),
Borrower will provide at its own expense an environmental inspection of any of the Loan Parties’
material real properties and audit of their environmental compliance procedures and practices, in
each case from an engineering or consulting firm approved by Administrative Agent.
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(b) Borrower will promptly furnish to Administrative Agent all written notices of violation,
orders, claims, citations, complaints, penalty assessments, suits or other proceedings received by
any Loan Party, or of which Borrower otherwise has notice, pending or threatened against any Loan
Party by any Governmental Authority with respect to any alleged violation of or non-compliance
with any Environmental Laws or any Permits or other authorizations in connection with any Loan
Party’s ownership or use of its properties or the operation of its business that might result in a
Loan Party being liable for $250,000 or more.
(c) Borrower will promptly furnish to Administrative Agent all requests for information,
notices of claim, demand letters, and other notifications, received by Borrower in connection with
any Loan Party’s ownership or use of its properties or the conduct of its business, relating to
potential responsibility with respect to any investigation or clean-up of Hazardous Material at
any location that might result in a Loan Party being liable for $250,000 or more.
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation
hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding,
Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:
7.01 Liens. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or
revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than Permitted Liens.
7.02 Investments. Make any Investments, except:
(a) Investments held by Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of cash equivalents or
short-term marketable debt securities or marketable obligations, maturing within twelve months
after acquisition thereof, issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the United States of America or
an instrumentality or agency thereof and entitled to the full faith and credit of the United
states of America;
(b) advances to officers, directors and employees of Borrower and Subsidiaries in an
aggregate amount not to exceed $100,000 at any time outstanding, for travel, entertainment,
relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes;
(c) Investments of Borrower in any wholly-owned Subsidiary that is a Guarantor and
Investments of any wholly-owned Subsidiary in Borrower or in another wholly-owned Subsidiary;
(d) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or
notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and
Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled
account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss; and
(e) Guarantees permitted by Section 7.03.
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7.03 Indebtedness. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;
(b) Guarantees of Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of Indebtedness otherwise permitted
hereunder of Borrower or any wholly-owned Subsidiary;
(c) obligations (contingent or otherwise) of Borrower or any Subsidiary existing or arising
under any Swap Contract, provided that (i) such obligations are (or were) entered into by
such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks
associated with liabilities, commitments, investments, assets, or property held or reasonably
anticipated by such Person, or changes in the value of securities issued by such Person, and not
for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain
any provision exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on
outstanding transactions to the defaulting party; (iii) and such Swap Contract does not violate
the terms of Section 7.11; and
(d) Indebtedness to Affiliates in an aggregate amount not to exceed $100,000.
7.04 Fundamental Changes. Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or
Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of
its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that, so
long as no Default exists or would result therefrom:
(a) any Subsidiary may merge with (i) Borrower, provided that Borrower shall be the
continuing or surviving Person, or (ii) any one or more other Subsidiaries, provided that
when any wholly-owned Subsidiary is merging with another Subsidiary, the wholly-owned Subsidiary
shall be the continuing or surviving Person, and, provided further that if a
Guarantor is merging with another Subsidiary, the Guarantor shall be the surviving Person; and
(b) any Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary
liquidation or otherwise) to Borrower or to another Subsidiary; provided that if the
transferor in such a transaction is a wholly-owned Subsidiary, then the transferee must either be
Borrower or a wholly-owned Subsidiary and, provided further that if the transferor of such assets
is a Guarantor, the transferee must either be Borrower or a Guarantor.
7.05 Dispositions. Make any Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition,
except:
(a) Dispositions of obsolete or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired,
in the ordinary course of business;
(b) Dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business;
(c) Dispositions of equipment to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit
against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such
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Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement
property;
(d) Dispositions of property by any Subsidiary to Borrower or to a wholly-owned Subsidiary;
provided that if the transferor of such property is a Guarantor, the transferee thereof
must either be Borrower or a Guarantor;
(e) Dispositions permitted by Section 7.04;
(f) Dispositions of interests in oil and gas leases, or portions thereof (if released or
abandoned but not otherwise sold or transferred), so long as no well situated on any such lease,
or located on any unit containing all or any part thereof, is capable (or is subject to being made
capable through commercially feasible operations) of producing oil, gas or other hydrocarbons or
minerals in commercial quantities; and
(g) Dispositions of Oil and Gas Properties that are sold for fair consideration to a Person
who is not an Affiliate, provided that (i) the maximum aggregate amount of such sales in the
period between two regular Determination Dates is limited to Oil and Gas Properties that account
for no more than 10% of the Borrowing Base then in effect (“Permitted Property Sales”),
(ii) at least 90% of the consideration received in connection with such Permitted Property Sales
must be in cash or cash equivalents; (iii) the Borrowing Base shall be decreased by the Borrowing
Base value attributable to such Oil and Gas Properties (or if greater, the Net Cash Proceeds from
such Permitted Property Sale) and, after giving effect to any Permitted Property Sale and to the
application of the proceeds to outstanding Credit Extensions, no Borrowing Base Deficiency shall
exist; and (iv) after giving effect to any Permitted Property Sale no Default or Event of Default
shall exist;
provided, however, that any Disposition pursuant to clauses (a) through (g) shall
be for fair market value.
No Loan Party will abandon or consent to the abandonment of, any oil or gas well constituting
Collateral so long as such well is capable (or is subject to being made capable through drilling,
reworking or other operations which it would be commercially feasible to conduct) of producing oil,
gas, or other hydrocarbons or other minerals in commercial quantities (as determined without
considering the effect of any Mortgage). No Loan Party will elect not to participate in a proposed
operation on any oil and gas property constituting Collateral where the effect of such election
would be the forfeiture either temporarily (e.g., until a certain sum of money is received out of
the forfeited interest) or permanently of any interest in the Collateral.
7.06 Restricted Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or
incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, or issue or sell any Equity Interests,
except that, so long as no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of any action
described below or would result therefrom:
(a) Each Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to Borrower;
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(b) Borrower may purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire Equity Interests issued by it with the
proceeds received from the substantially concurrent issue of new shares of its common Equity
Interests; and
(c) Borrower may make Permitted Tax Distributions.
7.07 Change in Nature of Business. Engage in any material line of business substantially different
from those lines of business conducted by Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof or any
business substantially related or incidental thereto.
7.08 Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of
Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable
terms substantially as favorable to Borrower or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by Borrower
or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an
Affiliate, provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to transactions between or among
Borrower and any Guarantor or between and among Guarantors.
7.09 Burdensome Agreements. Enter into any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or
any other Loan Document) that (a) limits the ability (i) of any Subsidiary to make Restricted
Payments to Borrower or to otherwise transfer property to Borrower, (ii) of any Subsidiary to
Guarantee the Indebtedness of Borrower or (iii) of Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur,
assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person; provided, however, that
this clause (iii) shall not prohibit any negative pledge incurred or provided in favor of any
holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e) solely to the extent any such
negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness; or (b)
requires the grant of a Lien to secure an obligation of such Person if a Lien is granted to secure
another obligation of such Person.
7.10 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly,
and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the
meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or
carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.
7.11 Hedging Contracts. No Loan Party will be a party to or in any manner be liable on any
Swap Contract except:
(a) Swap Contracts existing on the date hereof.
(b) Swap Contracts entered into with the purpose and effect of fixing prices on Projected Oil
and Gas Production for production expected to be produced no more than 48 months in the future
that do not exceed for any single month during such term (i) ninety percent (90%), excluding puts
and floors or (ii) one hundred (100%), including puts and floors, in each case of the aggregate
Projected Oil and Gas Production for such month.
(c) Except for Letters of Credit and the Collateral under the Security Documents with respect
to Swap Obligations owing to Lenders, no Swap Contract shall require any Loan
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Party to put up money, assets, or other security against the event of its nonperformance
prior to actual default by such Loan Party in performing its obligations thereunder, and each such
contract is with a counterparty or has a guarantor of the obligation of the counterparty who
(unless such counterparty is a Lender or one of its Affiliates) at the time the contract is made
has long-term obligations rated AA or Aa2 or better, respectively, by either Rating Agency.
(d) Contracts entered into by a Loan Party with the purpose and effect of fixing interest
rates on a principal amount of indebtedness of such Loan Party that is accruing interest at a
variable rate, provided that (i) at the time such Swap Contract is entered into, the aggregate
notional amount of such contracts does not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the anticipated
outstanding principal balance of the indebtedness to be hedged by such contracts or an average of
such principal balances calculated using a generally accepted method of matching interest swap
contracts to declining principal balances, (ii) the floating rate index of each such contract
generally matches the index used to determine the floating rates of interest on the corresponding
indebtedness to be hedged by such contract and (iii) each such contract is with a counterparty or
has a guarantor of the obligation of the counterparty who (unless such counterparty is a Lender or
one of its Affiliates) at the time the contract is made has long-term obligations rated AA or Aa2
or better, respectively, by either Rating Agency.
7.12 Financial Covenants.
(a) Current Ratio. Borrower will not permit the ratio of its consolidated current
assets plus the amount of its Unused Borrowing Base to its consolidated current liabilities
(excluding current maturities of the Loans and excluding current liabilities resulting from any
xxxx to market under SFAS 133) as of the end of any Fiscal Quarter to be less than 1.0 to 1.0.
(b) Interest Coverage Ratio. Borrower will not permit the Interest Coverage Ratio to
be less than 2.50 to 1.0 (i) for the one fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2008, (ii) for the
two fiscal quarter period ending December 31, 2008, (iii) for the three fiscal quarter period
ending March 31, 2009 or (iv) for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on or
after June 30, 2009.
(c) Maximum Leverage Ratio. Borrower will not at any time permit the ratio of its
Consolidated Funded Indebtedness at such time to its Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four
consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended for which financial statements contemplated by
Section 6.01(a) or (b) are available to the Borrower to exceed (i) at any time
prior to the date that the financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 are
available to the Borrower, 4.0 to 1.0 and (ii) at any time thereafter, 3.5 to 1.0.
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
8.01 Events of Default. Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) Non-Payment. Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as
required to be paid herein any Loan or any L/C Obligation, or (ii) within three (3) Business Days
after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, or any
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fee due hereunder, or (iii) within three (3) days after the same becomes due, any other
amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or
(b) Specific Covenants. Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or
agreement contained in any of Section 6.03, 6.05, 6.10, 6.11,
6.12, 6.13, 6.14, 6.15 or 6.16 or Article VII; or
(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or
agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its
part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for 30 days or any default or Event of
Default occurs under any other Loan Document; or
(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or
statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of Borrower or any other Loan Party herein,
in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall
be incorrect or misleading when made or deemed made; or
(e) Cross-Default. (i) Borrower or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when
due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in
respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under
Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available
amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit
arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other
agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any
instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the
effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such
Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on
behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of
notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased,
prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay,
defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to
become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under
any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A)
any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which Borrower or any Subsidiary is the
Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined)
under such Swap Contract as to which Borrower or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so
defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by Borrower or such Subsidiary as a
result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or
(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries
institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes
an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any
receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or
for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator,
liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of
such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or
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any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any
material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues
undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such
proceeding; or
(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) Borrower or any Subsidiary becomes
unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due,
or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied
against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated
or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or levy; or
(h) Judgments. There is entered against Borrower or any Subsidiary (i) a final
judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount
(to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not
dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and,
in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or
order, or (B) there is a period of 10 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such
judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(i) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer
Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of Borrower under
Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in
excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due,
after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its
withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount
in excess of the Threshold Amount; or
(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document or any provision thereof, at any
time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted
hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force
and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or
enforceability of any Loan Document or any provision thereof; or any Loan Party denies that it has
any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate
or rescind any Loan Document or any provision thereof; or
(k) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control; or
(l) Material Adverse Effect. There occurs any event of circumstance that has a
Material Adverse Effect.
8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing,
Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders,
take any or all of the following actions:
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(a) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C
Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation
shall be terminated;
(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and
unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document
to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any
kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by Borrower;
(c) require that Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the
then Outstanding Amount thereof); and
(d) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and
the Lenders under the Loan Documents;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an
order for relief with respect to Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the
obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit
Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and
all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the
obligation of Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically
become effective, in each case without further act of Administrative Agent or any Lender.
8.03 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or
after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have
automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section
8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by Administrative
Agent in the following order:
First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees,
indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of
counsel to Administrative Agent (including fees and time charges for attorneys who may be
employees of Administrative Agent) and amounts payable under Article III) payable to
Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees,
indemnities and other amounts (other than principal interest and L/C Fees) payable to
Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the
respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees and time charges for attorneys who may
be employees of any Lender or the L/C Issuer) and amounts payable under Article
III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this
clause Second payable to them;
Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and
unpaid L/C Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations, ratably
among Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this
clause Third payable to them;
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Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid
principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings and to the Lender Swap Obligations, ratably among
Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Lender Counterparties in proportion to the respective
amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;
Fifth, to Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash
Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of
Letters of Credit; and
Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly
paid in full, to Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
Subject to Section 2.03(c), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn
amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be applied to satisfy
drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash
Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining
amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.
ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
9.01 Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent. Each of the Lenders and the L/C issuer
hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as Administrative Agent hereunder
and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes Administrative Agent to take such actions on its
behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to Administrative Agent by the terms hereof and
thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The
provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the
L/C Issuer, and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party
beneficiary of any of such provisions.
9.02 Rights as a Lender. The Person serving as Administrative 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 Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise
expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as
Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may
accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity
for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other
Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to
account therefor to Lenders.
9.03 Exculpatory Provisions. Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except
those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, Administrative Agent:
(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a
Default has occurred and is continuing;
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(b) 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 the other Loan
Documents that Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required
Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for
herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that Administrative Agent shall not be
required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose
Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law; and
(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any
duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to
Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as
Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
(d) Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with
the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the
Lenders as shall be necessary, or as Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be
necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 8.02 and 10.01) or (ii)
in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. Administrative Agent shall be
deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice describing such
Default is given to Administrative Agent by Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer. Administrative
Agent 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 thereunder 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 therein or the
occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this
Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the
satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to
confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to Administrative Agent.
9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent. 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 (including any electronic message, Internet or
intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been
signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. Administrative Agent also may rely
upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the
proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance
with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that
by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, Administrative
Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless
Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer
prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. Administrative Agent
may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for Borrower), independent accountants and other
experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action
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taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
9.05 Delegation of Duties. Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise
its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub
agents appointed by Administrative Agent. Administrative Agent and any such sub agent may perform
any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related
Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub agent and to the
Related Parties of 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.
9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent. Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its
resignation to Lenders, the L/C Issuer and Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of
resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with Borrower, to appoint a
successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such
bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the
Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring
Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on
behalf of Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the
qualifications set forth above; provided that if Administrative Agent shall notify the
Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such
resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring
Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the
other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by Administrative
Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring
Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor
Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided
to be made by, to or through Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and
the L/C Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative
Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as
Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the
rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and the
retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder
or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this
Section). The fees payable by Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as
those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between Borrower and such successor.
After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents,
the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit
of such retiring Administrative 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 the retiring
Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
Any resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also
constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender. Upon the acceptance
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of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (a) such successor shall
succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring
L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be
discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan
Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the
Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements
satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring L/C
Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.
9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer
acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon Administrative Agent or any other
Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed
appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender
and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon
Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties 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 or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
9.08 No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no Lender holding a
title listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this
Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as
Administrative Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership,
insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other
judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the
principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by
declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether Administrative Agent shall have made any
demand on Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or
otherwise
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and
unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and
unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the
claims of Lenders, the L/C Issuer and Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable
compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of Lenders, the L/C Issuer and Administrative
Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due Lenders, the L/C Issuer
and Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(i) and (j), 2.09 and
10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(b) 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 and the L/C Issuer to make
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such payments to Administrative Agent and, in the event that Administrative Agent shall consent to
the making of such payments directly to Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to Administrative Agent
any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of
Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due Administrative Agent
under Sections 2.09 and 10.04. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to
authorize Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any
Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition
affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize Administrative Agent to vote
in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.
9.10 Guaranty Matters. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably authorizes Administrative
Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the
Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder.
Upon request by Administrative Agent at any time, each Lender and the L/C Issuer will confirm in
writing Administrative Agent’s authority to enter into the transactions described in this
Section 9.10.
9.11 Collateral Matters. (a) Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably authorizes and
directs Administrative Agent to enter into the Security Documents for the benefit of such Lender
and the L/C Issuer. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby agrees, and each holder of any Note by
the acceptance thereof will be deemed to agree, that, except as otherwise set forth in Section
10.01, any action taken by the Required Lenders, in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement or the Security Documents, and the exercise by the Required Lenders of the powers set
forth herein or therein, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto,
shall be authorized and binding upon all of Lenders and the L/C Issuer. Administrative Agent is
hereby authorized (but not obligated) on behalf of all of Lenders and the L/C Issuer, without the
necessity of any notice to or further consent from any Lender or the L/C Issuer from time to time
prior to, an Event of Default, to take any action with respect to any Collateral or Security
Documents which may be necessary to perfect and maintain perfected the Liens upon the Collateral
granted pursuant to the Security Documents.
(b) Each Lender and the L/C issuer hereby irrevocably authorize Administrative Agent, at its
option and in its discretion,
(i) to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by Administrative Agent under any Loan
Document (A) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations
(other than contingent indemnification obligations) and the expiration or termination of all
Letters of Credit, (B) that is sold or to be sold as part of or in connection with any sale
permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (C) subject to Section 10.01, if
approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, or (D) in connection with any
foreclosure sale or other disposition of Collateral after the occurrence of an Event of Default;
and
(ii) to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by Administrative Agent under any
Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by this Agreement or any
other Loan Document.
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Upon request by Administrative Agent at any time, each Lender and the L/C Issuer will confirm in
writing Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types
or items of Collateral pursuant to this Section 9.11.
(c) Subject to (b) above, Administrative Agent shall (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by
each Lender and the L/C Issuer , to execute such documents as may be necessary to evidence the
release or subordination of the Liens granted to Administrative Agent for the benefit of
Administrative Agent and Lenders and the L/C Issuer herein or pursuant hereto upon the applicable
Collateral; provided that (i) Administrative Agent shall not be required to execute any such
document on terms which, in Administrative Agent’s opinion, would expose Administrative Agent to or
create any liability or entail any consequence other than the release or subordination of such
Liens without recourse or warranty and (ii) such release or subordination shall not in any manner
discharge, affect or impair the Obligations or any Liens upon (or obligations of Borrower or any
other Loan Party in respect of) all interests retained by Borrower or any other Loan Party,
including the proceeds of the sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the
Collateral. In the event of any sale or transfer of Collateral, or any foreclosure with respect to
any of the Collateral, Administrative Agent shall be authorized to deduct all expenses reasonably
incurred by Administrative Agent from the proceeds of any such sale, transfer or foreclosure.
(d) Administrative Agent shall have no obligation whatsoever to any Lender, the L/C Issuer or
any other Person to assure that the Collateral exists or is owned by Borrower or any other Loan
Party or is cared for, protected or insured or that the Liens granted to Administrative Agent
herein or in any of the Security Documents or pursuant hereto or thereto have been properly or
sufficiently or lawfully created, perfected, protected or enforced or are entitled to any
particular priority, or to exercise or to continue exercising at all or in any manner or under any
duty of care, disclosure or fidelity any of the rights, authorities and powers granted or available
to Administrative Agent in this Section 9.11 or in any of the Security Documents, it being
understood and agreed that in respect of the Collateral, or any act, omission or event related
thereto, Administrative Agent may act in any manner it may deem appropriate, in its sole
discretion, given Administrative Agent’s own interest in the Collateral as one of Lenders and that
Administrative Agent shall have no duty or liability whatsoever to Lenders or the L/C Issuer.
(e) Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby appoints each other Lender as Administrative Agent
for the purpose of perfecting Lenders’ and the L/C Issuer’s security interest in assets which, in
accordance with Article 9 of the UCC can be perfected only by possession. Should any Lender or the
L/C Issuer (other than Administrative Agent) obtain possession of any such Collateral, such Lender
or the L/C Issuer shall notify Administrative Agent thereof, and, promptly upon Administrative
Agent’s request therefor shall deliver such Collateral to Administrative Agent or in accordance
with Administrative Agent’s instructions.
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS
10.01 Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, and no consent to any departure by Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be
effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and
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Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by Administrative
Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the
specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver
or consent shall:
(a) waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the written consent of
each Lender; provided, however, in the sole discretion of Administrative Agent,
only a waiver by Administrative Agent shall be required with respect to immaterial matters or
items specified in Section 4.01(a) (iii) or (iv) with respect to which Borrower
has given assurances satisfactory to Administrative Agent that such items shall be delivered
promptly following the Closing Date;
(b) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated
pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender;
(c) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment
(excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to Lenders (or
any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender
directly affected thereby;
(d) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C
Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01) any
fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written
consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the
consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the definition of “Default
Rate” or to waive any obligation of Borrower to pay interest or L/C Fees at the Default Rate;
(e) amend Section 7.12 (or any defined term used therein) without the written consent
of each Lender;
(f) change Section 2.13 or Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro
rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;
(g) change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or
any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive
or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder,
without the written consent of each Lender; or
(h) release any Guarantor from the Guaranty or release the Liens on all or substantially all
of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions except in accordance with
the terms of any Loan Document, without the written consent of each Lender;
and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless
in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the
rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any
Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless
in writing and signed by Swing Line Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the
rights or
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duties of Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall,
unless in writing and signed by Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above,
affect the rights or duties of Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan
Document; and (iv) the Administrative Agent Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges
thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any
amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that the Commitment of such Lender may not be
increased or extended without the consent of such Lender.
10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.
(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications
expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), 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 telecopier as
follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by
telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
(i) if to Borrower, Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, to the
address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such
Person on Schedule 4; and
(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address
or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.
Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by
certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other
communications sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not
given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the
opening of business on the next business day for the recipient). Notices and other communications
delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall
be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to Lenders and the
L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail
and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by Administrative Agent,
provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to
Article II if such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable has notified the Administrative Agent
that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.
Administrative Agent or Borrower 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.
Unless Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an
e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the
intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return
e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other
communication is not sent during the
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normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have
been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient, and (ii) notices
or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the
deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing
clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the
website address therefor.
(c) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE
BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN
OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY,
INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF
THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall
Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Administrative Agent
Parties”) have any liability to Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or
otherwise) arising out of Borrower’s or Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials
through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment
to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Administrative Agent
Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Administrative Agent Party have any liability
to Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental,
consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).
(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower, Administrative Agent, the L/C
Issuer and Swing Line Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices
and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may
change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder
by notice to Borrower, Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender. In addition,
each Lender agrees to notify Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that Administrative
Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number
and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii)
accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at
least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the
“Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the
Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public
Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state
securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the
“Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public
information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal
or state securities laws.
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(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders. Administrative Agent,
the L/C Issuer and Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including
telephonic Committed Loan Notices and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf
of Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete
or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms
thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. Borrower shall
indemnify Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of
them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person
on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other
telephonic communications with Administrative Agent may be recorded by Administrative Agent, and
each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement. No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or
Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy,
power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial
exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise
thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies,
powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies,
powers and privileges provided by law.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the
authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the
Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law
in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the
Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and
the L/C Issuer; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative
Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely
in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C
Issuer or the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit
(solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under
the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with
Section 10.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (d) any Lender from filing
proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a
proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if
at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan
Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the
Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth
in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any
Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to
it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.
10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a) Costs and Expenses. Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out of pocket expenses
incurred by Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees,
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charges and disbursements of counsel for Administrative Agent), in connection with the
syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution,
delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments,
modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out of pocket expenses
incurred by the L/C Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any
Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out of pocket expenses
incurred by Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (including the fees, charges and
disbursements of any counsel for Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), and shall
pay all fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of Administrative Agent, any
Lender or the L/C Issuer, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in
connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this
Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including
all such out of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in
respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
(b) Indemnification by the Borrower. Borrower shall indemnify Administrative Agent
(and any sub-Administrative Agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and each Related Party
of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against,
and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
related expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel (including any
in-house counsel) for any Indemnitee), and shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee from
all fees and time charges and disbursements for attorneys who may be employees of any Indemnitee,
incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by Borrower or
any other Loan Party arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or
delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated
hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder
or thereunder, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the
case of Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the
administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters
addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use
of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer 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), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release
of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding
relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether
brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any
Indemnitee is a party thereto, in all cases, whether or not caused by or arising, in whole or in
part, out of the comparative, contributory or sole negligence of the Indemnitee; provided
that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or
willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by Borrower or any other
Loan Party
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against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or
under any other Loan Document, if Borrower or such other Loan Party has obtained a final and
nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction.
(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that Borrower for any reason fails to
indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it
to Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer or any Related Party of any of
the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to Administrative Agent (or any such
sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or such Related Party, 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 Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or the L/C Issuer in its capacity
as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for Administrative Agent (or
any such sub-agent) or L/C Issuer in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the
Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).
(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law, 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, the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.
No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the
use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through
telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this
Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten
Business Days after demand therefor.
(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of
Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the
Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
10.05 Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of Borrower is made to
Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any
Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part
thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or
required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer
or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in
connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of
such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived
and continued in full force and effect as if such payment
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had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and the L/C Issuer severally
agrees to pay to Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any
amount so recovered from or repaid by Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of
such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate
from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of
the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of
this Agreement.
10.06 Successors and Assigns.
(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. 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, except that neither Borrower nor any other Loan Party may assign or
otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of
Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise
transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an Eligible Assignee in
accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in
accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or
assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section
(and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).
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,
Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly
contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the
Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more
Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including
all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b),
participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it);
provided that (i) except in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of
the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an
assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which
for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in
effect, the principal outstanding balance of the 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 Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment
and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of
Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, Borrower
otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); (ii) each
partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning
Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment
assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to rights in respect of Swing Line Loans;
(iii) any assignment of a Commitment must be approved by Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and
Swing Line Lender unless the Person that is the
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proposed assignee is itself a Lender (whether or not the proposed assignee would otherwise
qualify as an Eligible Assignee); and (iv) the parties to each assignment shall execute and
deliver to Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and
recordation fee of $3,500 and the Eligible Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to
Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire. Subject to acceptance and recording thereof
by Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective
date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the Eligible Assignee thereunder shall be a
party to this Agreement 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 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 10.04 with respect to facts and
circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment. Upon request, Borrower
(at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or
transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this
subsection 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 subsection (d) of this Section.
(c) Register. Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of
Borrower, shall maintain at Administrative Agent’s Office 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 Commitments of, and principal amounts of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender
pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the
Register shall be conclusive, and Borrower, Administrative Agent 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 each of Borrower and the L/C Issuer, at any reasonable time and from
time to time upon reasonable prior notice. In addition, at any time that a request for a consent
for a material or substantive change to the Loan Documents is pending, any Lender may request and
receive from Administrative Agent a copy of the Register.
(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice
to, Borrower or Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural
person or Borrower or any of Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a
“Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this
Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s
participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i)
such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall
remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and
(iii) Borrower, Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the 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 or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a
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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 or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without
the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in
the first proviso to Section 10.01 that affects such Participant. Subject to subsection
(e) of this Section, Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of
Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and
had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent
permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08
as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section
2.13 as though it were a Lender.
(e) Limitations upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to
receive any greater payment under Section 3.01 or 3.04 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 Borrower’s prior written
consent.
(f) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest
in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to
secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a
Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender
from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender
as a party hereto.
(g) Deemed Consent of Borrower. If the consent of Borrower to an assignment to an
Eligible Assignee is required hereunder (including a consent to an assignment which does not meet
the minimum assignment threshold specified in clause (i) of the proviso to the first sentence of
Section 10.06(b)), Borrower shall be deemed to have given its consent five Business Days
after the date notice thereof has been delivered to Borrower by the assigning Lender (through
Administrative Agent) unless such consent is expressly refused by Borrower prior to such fifth
Business Day.
(h) Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment and Loans
pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, (i) upon 30 days’ notice to Borrower and
the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon 30 days’ notice to Borrower, resign as Swing
Line Lender. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, Borrower
shall be entitled to appoint from among Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender
hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by Borrower to appoint any such
successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as
the case may be. If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights,
powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit
outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with
respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Committed Loans or
fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)). If Bank of
America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights
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of Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and
outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the
Lenders to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line
Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c). Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or
Swing Line Lender, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights,
powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be,
and (b) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of
Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory
to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such
Letters of Credit.
10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality. Each of Administrative Agent, Lenders and
the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except
that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective
partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, Administrative Agent, trustees, advisors and
representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be
informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information
confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, purporting to have
jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any
subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the
exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding
relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or
thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of
this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or
Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or
prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to
Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of Borrower or (h) to the extent such
Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or
(y) becomes available to Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their
respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than Borrower. For purposes
of this Section, “Information” means all information received from Borrower or any
Subsidiary relating to Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than
any such information that is available to Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a
nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that, in
the case of information received from Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof, such
information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to
maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have
complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to
maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own
confidential information. Each of Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer
acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the
Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding
the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public
information in accordance with applicable Law, including Federal and state securities Laws.
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10.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender,
the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from
time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of Administrative Agent, to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special,
time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations
(in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or
for the credit or the account of Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the
obligations of Borrower or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any
other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate, irrespective of whether
or not such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other
Loan Document and although such obligations of Borrower or such Loan Party may be contingent or
unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the
branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness. The rights of each
Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other
rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their
respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify Borrower and
Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the
failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.
10.09 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan
Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the
maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If
Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum
Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such
unpaid principal, refunded to Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for,
charged, or received by Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may,
to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an
expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects
thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount
of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts
(and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an
original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement
and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the
subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or
written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this
Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by Administrative Agent and when
Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the
signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature
page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery
of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
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10.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made
hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or
in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof.
Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by Administrative Agent and
each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their
behalf and notwithstanding that Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge
of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as
long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter
of Credit shall remain outstanding.
10.12 Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, 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 3.01, or if any Lender is a
Defaulting Lender, or if any Lender fails to agree to upon a proposed Borrowing Base pursuant to
Section 2.15 that is the same as or is a decrease of the then existing Borrowing Base if
Lenders constituting the Required Lenders have agreed to such proposed Borrowing Base, 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, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its
interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an
assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender
accepts such assignment), provided that: (a) the Borrower shall have paid to the
Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 10.06; (b) such Lender shall
have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C
Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and
under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) 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); (c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for
compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section
3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;
and (d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws.
A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or 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.
10.13 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be
illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining
provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby
and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or
unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as
possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a
provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision
in any other jurisdiction.
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10.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.
(a)
GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF
NEW YORK.
(b)
SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY
AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE
COURTS OF THE STATE OF
NEW YORK SITTING IN ADA COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF
THE STATE OF
NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING
ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR
ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES
THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH
NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT.
EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE
CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER
MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY
RIGHT THAT ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR THE L/C ISSUER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY
ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR
ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND
UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT
MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR
RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF
THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT
PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH
ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS
IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL
AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE
LAW.
10.15 Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
95
LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY
ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY
HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON
HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF
LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES
HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER
THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
10.16 USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and
Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies Borrower 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 Borrower, which information includes the name and address of Borrower and other
information that will allow such Lender or Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify
Borrower in accordance with the Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the
Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the
Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under
applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.
10.17 No General Partner’s Liability. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree for
themselves and their respective successors and assigns, including any subsequent holder of any
Note, that no claim under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document shall be made against the
General Partner, and that no judgment, order or execution entered in any suit, action or
proceeding, whether legal or equitable, hereunder or on any other Loan Document shall be obtained
or enforced, against the General Partner or its assets for the purpose of obtaining satisfaction
and payment of amounts owed under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
10.18 Time of the Essence. Time is of the essence of the Loan Documents.
10.19 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “execution,”
“signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any
amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include
electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the
same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a
paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any
applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act,
the
New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on
the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
96
[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
97
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of
the date first above written.
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VOC BRAZOS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
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By: |
Xxxx Texas Partners, L.L.C., its General
Partner
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By: |
/s/
J. Xxxxxxx Xxxx |
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J. Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Managing Member |
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[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT]
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BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as
Administrative Agent
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By: |
/s/
Xxxxxxxx X. Carry |
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Name: |
Xxxxxxxx X. Carry |
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Title: |
Vice
President |
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BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender,
L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender
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By: |
/s/
Xxxx X. Xxx |
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Name: |
Xxxx X. Xxx |
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Title: |
Vice
President |
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[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT]
SCHEDULE 1
APPLICABLE PERCENTAGES,
MAXIMUM CREDIT AMOUNT AND
INITIAL BORROWING BASE
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Maximum |
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Credit |
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Initial |
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Applicable |
Lender |
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Amount |
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Borrowing Base |
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Percentage |
Bank of America, N.A. |
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$ |
100,000,000 |
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$ |
37,000,000 |
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100.000000000 |
% |
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Total |
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$ |
100,000,000 |
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$ |
37,000,000 |
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100.000000000 |
% |
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
SCHEDULE 2
SECURITY DOCUMENTS
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1. |
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Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Assignment, Security Agreement, Fixture Filing and
Financing Statement by the Borrower |
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2. |
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UCC-1 financing statement naming the Borrower as debtor and Administrative
Agent as secured party covering all assets of the Borrower. |
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
SCHEDULE 3
DISCLOSURE SCHEDULE
Litigation:
None
Subsidiaries and other Equity Investments:
None
Existing Liens:
None
Existing Indebtedness:
None
Sale of Production (Section 5.18):
None
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
SCHEDULE 4
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S OFFICE,
CERTAIN ADDRESSES FOR NOTICES
BORROWER:
VOC Brazos Energy Partners, L.P.
0000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
Telephone: (000) 000-0000, x 109
Telecopier: (000) 000-0000
Electronic Mail: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
Website Address: none
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND SWING LINE LENDER
Notices (other than Requests for Extensions of Credit):
Bank of America, N.A.
Attn: Xxxxxxxx Carry
CA5-701-05-19
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Tel: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Electronic Mail: xxxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
With a copy to:
Att: Xxxx Xxx
Bank of America, N.A.
000 X. XxXxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Tel: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Electronic Mail: xxxx.x.xxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
For Payments and Requests for Extensions of Credit:
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
NC1-001-04-39
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Electronic Mail: xxxxxxx.x.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Payments:
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Bank of America, N.A.
New York NY
ABA # : 000000000
Acct # : 1366212250600
Attn: Corporate Credit Services
Reference: VOC Brazos Energy Partners, L.P.
L/C ISSUER:
Letters of Credit:
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxx
Bank of America, N.A.
Trade Operations — Xxxxxxxx
0 Xxxxx Xxx
Mail Code: PA6-580-02-30
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
2
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF COMMITTED LOAN NOTICE
Date: ___________, 20___
To: Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of June 27, 2008 (as amended,
restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the
“Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among VOC Brazos
Energy Partners, L.P., a Texas limited partnership (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time
party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Swing Line
Lender.
The undersigned hereby requests (select one):
o A Borrowing of Committed Loans o A conversion or continuation of
Committed Loans
1. On _________________________ (a Business Day).
2. In the amount of $__________________________.
3. Comprised of _______________________________.
[Type of Committed Loan requested]
4. For Eurodollar Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of ______ months.
The Committed Borrowing, if any, requested herein complies with the provisos to the first
sentence of Section 2.01 of the Agreement.
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VOC BRAZOS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
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By: |
Xxxx Texas Partners, L.L.C., its General
Partner
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By: |
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J. Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Managing Member |
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[CREDIT AGREEMENT]
A-1
Form of Committed Loan Notice
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE
Date: ___________, _____
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To: |
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Bank of America, N.A., as Swing Line Lender
Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent |
|
Ladies and Gentlemen: |
Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of June 27, 2008 (as amended,
restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the
“Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among VOC Brazos
Energy Partners, L.P., a Texas limited partnership (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time
party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Swing Line
Lender.
The undersigned hereby requests a Swing Line Loan:
1. On ______________________ (a Business Day).
2. In the amount of $______________________.
The Swing Line Borrowing requested herein complies with the requirements of the provisos to
the first sentence of Section 2.04(a) of the Agreement.
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VOC BRAZOS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
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By: |
Xxxx Texas Partners, L.L.C., its General
Partner
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By: |
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J. Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Managing Member |
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B-1
FORM OF SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF NOTE
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (“Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to
_____________________ or registered assigns (“Lender”), in accordance with the provisions
of the Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of each Loan from time to time made
by the Lender to Borrower under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of June 27, 2008 (as
amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the
“Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among
Borrower, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative
Agent, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender.
Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Loan from the date of
such Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as
provided in the Agreement. Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.04(f) of the
Agreement with respect to Swing Line Loans, all payments of principal and interest shall be made to
Administrative Agent for the account of the Lender in Dollars in immediately available funds at the
Administrative Agent’s Office. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid
amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of
actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in
the Agreement.
This Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Agreement, is entitled to the benefits
thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided
therein. Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in
the Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Note shall become, or may be declared to
be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Agreement. Loans made by the Lender shall
be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Lender in the ordinary
course of business. The Lender may also attach schedules to this Note and endorse thereon the date,
amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment,
protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Note.
THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
NEW
YORK.
C-1
FORM OF NOTE
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VOC BRAZOS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
By: Xxxx Texas Partners, L.L.C., its General
Partner
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By: |
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J. Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Managing Member |
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C-2
FORM OF NOTE
LOANS AND PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT THERETO
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Amount of |
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Principal or |
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Outstanding |
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End of |
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Interest |
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Principal |
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Type of |
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Amount of |
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Interest |
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Paid This |
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Balance This |
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Notation |
Date |
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Loan Made |
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Loan Made |
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Period |
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Date |
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Date |
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Made By |
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C-3
FORM OF NOTE
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
Financial Statement Date:
To: Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of June 27, 2008 (as amended,
restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the
“Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among VOC
Brazos Energy Partners, L.P., a Texas limited partnership (“Borrower”), the Lenders from
time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and
Swing Line Lender.
The undersigned Responsible Officer hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he is the
acting managing member of Xxxx Texas Partners, L.L.C., a Kansas limited liability company, which is
the sole general partner of Borrower, and that, as such, he is authorized to execute and deliver
this Certificate to Administrative Agent on the behalf of Borrower, and that:
[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal year-end financial statements]
1. The Borrower has delivered the year-end audited financial statements required by
Section 6.01(a) of the Agreement for the fiscal year of Borrower ended as of the above
date, together with the report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant required
by such section.
[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal quarter-end financial statements]
1. The Borrower has delivered the unaudited financial statements required by Section
6.01(b) of the Agreement for the fiscal quarter of Borrower ended as of the above date. Such
financial statements fairly present the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows
of Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for such period,
subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.
2. The undersigned has reviewed and is familiar with the terms of the Agreement and has made,
or has caused to be made under his/her supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and
condition (financial or otherwise) of Borrower during the accounting period covered by such
financial statements.
3. A review of the activities of Borrower during such fiscal period has been made under the
supervision of the undersigned with a view to determining whether during such fiscal period
Borrower performed and observed all its Obligations under the Loan Documents, and
D-1
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
[select one:]
[to the best knowledge of the undersigned during such fiscal period, Borrower performed and
observed each covenant and condition of the Loan Documents applicable to it, and no Default has
occurred and is continuing.]
—or—
[the following covenants or conditions have not been performed or observed and the following
is a list of each such Default and its nature and status:]
4. The representations and warranties of Borrower contained in Article V of the
Agreement, and/or any representations and warranties of Borrower or any other Loan Party that are
contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection with the Loan Documents, are
true and correct on and as of the date hereof, except to the extent that such representations and
warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of
such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Compliance Certificate, the representations
and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 of the Agreement shall
be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b),
respectively, of Section 6.01 of the Agreement, including the statements in connection with
which this Compliance Certificate is delivered.
5. The financial covenant analyses and information set forth on Schedule 1 attached
hereto are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of
, .
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VOC BRAZOS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
|
|
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By: Xxxx Texas Partners, L.L.C., its General
Partner
|
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By: |
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J. Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Managing Member |
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D-2
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
For the Quarter/Year ended (“Reporting Date”)
SCHEDULE 1
to the Compliance Certificate
($ in 000’s)
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|
I. Section 7.12(a) —Current Ratio |
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(A) Consolidated current assets of Borrower
as of Reporting Date: |
|
$ |
|
|
(B) Unused Borrowing Base: |
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|
|
1. Borrowing Base
as of the Reporting
Date: |
|
$ |
|
|
2. Facility Usage: |
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|
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a) Outstanding
Amount of Loans as
of Reporting Date: |
|
$ |
|
|
b) Outstanding
Amount of L/C
Obligations as of
Reporting Date: |
|
$ |
|
|
c) Facility Usage
(Line I.B.2.a. +
Line I.B.2.b.): |
|
$ |
|
|
3. Unused Borrowing
Base as of
Reporting Date
(Line I.B.1 - Line
I.B.2.c.): |
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$ |
|
|
(C) Consolidated current liabilities of
Borrower as of Reporting Date: |
|
$ |
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|
(D) Current Ratio ((Line I.A. + Line I.B.3)
¸ Line I.C.) |
|
to 1 |
(E) Minimum required: |
|
to 1 |
I. Section 7.12(b) —Interest Coverage Ratio. |
|
|
|
|
(A) Consolidated EBITDA of Borrower and its
Subsidiaries for the four Fiscal Quarter
period ending on the Reporting Date (“Subject
Period”): |
|
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|
1. Consolidated Net
Income of Borrower
and its
Subsidiaries for
Subject Period: |
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$ |
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|
D-3
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
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2. Consolidated
Interest Charges
for Subject Period*
(Line II.B.3.): |
|
$ |
|
|
3. Federal, state
and local income
taxes for Subject
Period:* |
|
$ |
|
|
4. Depreciation
expenses for
Subject Period:* |
|
$ |
|
|
5. Amortization
expenses for
Subject Period:* |
|
$ |
|
|
6. Depletion
expenses for
Subject Period:* |
|
$ |
|
|
7. Other non-cash
charges for Subject
Period:* |
|
$ |
|
|
8. Consolidated
EBITDA (Lines
II.A.1 + 2 + 3 + 4
+ 5 + 6 + 7): |
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$ |
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(B) Consolidated Interest Charges: |
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|
1. Interest,
premium payments,
debt discount,
fees, charges and
related expenses of
the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries in
connection with
borrowed money
(including
capitalized
interest) or in
connection with the
deferred purchase
price of assets for
Subject Period: |
|
$ |
|
|
2. Portion of rent
expense of the
Borrower and its
Subsidiaries under
capital leases for
Subject Period: |
|
$ |
|
|
3. Consolidated
Interest Charges
(Line II.B.1. +
Line II.B.2.) |
|
$ |
|
|
(C) Interest Coverage Ratio (Line II.A.8
¸ Line II.B.3): |
|
to 1 |
(D) Minimum required: |
|
to 1 |
III Section 7.12(c) —Leverage Ratio |
|
|
|
|
(A) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness of
Borrower as of Reporting Date: |
|
$ |
|
|
D-4
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
|
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|
(B) Consolidated EBITDA for the four fiscal
quarter period ended on the Reporting Date as
of Reporting Date (from attached sheet): |
|
$ |
|
|
(C) Ratio of Consolidated Funded Indebtedness
to Consolidated EBITDA |
|
to 1 |
(D) Maximum Allowed: |
|
to 1 |
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* |
|
include only to the extent that it has been deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income |
D-5
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
For the Fiscal Quarter/Year ended (“Reporting Date”)
Quarterly Information for Schedule 1
to the Compliance Certificate
($ in 000’s)
Consolidated EBITDA
(in accordance with the definition of Consolidated EBITDA
as set forth in the Agreement)
|
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Twelve |
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Consolidated |
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Quarter |
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Quarter |
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Quarter |
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Quarter |
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Months |
|
EBITDA |
|
Ended |
|
|
Ended |
|
|
Ended |
|
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Ended |
|
|
Ended |
|
Consolidated Net
Income of Borrower
and its
Subsidiaries |
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+ Consolidated
Interest Charges |
|
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+ Federal, state
and local income
taxes |
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+ depreciation
expense |
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+ amortization
expense |
|
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+ depletion expense |
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+ other non-cash
charges |
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= Consolidated
EBITDA |
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D-6
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT E-1
FORM
OF
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
This Assignment and Assumption (this “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 (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 Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s
rights and obligations 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, without limitation, the Letters of Credit and
Swing Line Loans 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, but not limited to, 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 of [identify Lender]]
3. Borrower(s): ____________________
4. Administrative Agent: Bank of America, N. A., as the Administrative Agent under the Credit Agreement
E-1-1
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
5. Credit Agreement: Credit Agreement, dated as of June 27, 2008 among VOC Brazos Energy Partners,
L.P., a Texas limited partnership, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, Bank of America,
N.A., as Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender
6. Assigned Interest:
|
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Aggregate Amount of |
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Amount of |
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Facility |
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Commitment/Loans |
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Commitment/Loans |
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Percentage Assigned |
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Assigned |
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for all Lenders* |
|
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Assigned* |
|
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of Commitment/Loans |
|
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CUSIP No. |
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$ |
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$ |
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________ |
% |
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$ |
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$ |
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________ |
% |
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$ |
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$ |
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________ |
% |
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[7. Trade Date: __________________]
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:
|
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ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
|
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By: |
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Title: |
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ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
|
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By: |
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Title: |
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[Consented to and] Accepted:
Bank of America, N. A., as
Administrative Agent
|
|
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By: |
_____________________________
|
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E-1-2
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
Title:_____________________
|
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[Consented to:]
|
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By: |
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Title: |
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E-1-3
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
ANNEX 1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
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 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 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 meets all requirements of an Eligible
Assignee under the Credit Agreement (subject to receipt of such consents as may be required
under the Credit Agreement), (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, and (iv) it has
received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial
statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 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 Administrative Agent or any other Lender; and (b) agrees that (i) it will,
independently and without reliance on 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, 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.
E-1-4
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
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.
E-1-5
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
EXHIBIT E-2
FORM OF ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE
EXHIBIT E-2
FORM OF ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE
ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS REPLY FORM — US DOLLAR ONLY CONFIDENTIAL
FAX ALONG WITH COMMITMENT LETTER TO;
FAX#
I. Borrower Name: VOC Brazos Energy Partners L.P.
S ............ Type of Credit Facility
[I. Legal Name of Lender of Record for Signature Page:
• Signing Credit Agreement YES .. NO
* Coming in via Assignment ....................... YES NO
III. Type of Lender:
(Bank, Asset Manager, Broker/Dealer, CLO/CDO, Finance Company, Hedge Fund, Insurance, Mutual Fund,
Pension Fund, Other Regulated Investment Fund, Special Purpose Vehicle, Other — please specify)
IV. Domestic Address: V. Eurodollar Address:
VI, Contact Information;
Syndicate level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower
and its related parties or their respective securities will be made available to the Credit
Contact(s). The Credit Contacts identified must be able to receive such information in accordance
with his/her institution’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and State
securities laws.
PrimarySecondary
Credit ContactOperations ContactOperations Contact
Name:
Title:
Address:
Telephone:
Facsimile:
E Mail Address:
Does Secondary Operations Contact need copy of notices? .. YES ............. NO
E-2-1
Form of Administrative Questionnaire |
E-2-1
Form of Administrative Questionnaire
ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS REPLY FORM — US DOLLAR ONLY
CONFIDENTIAL
Letter of Credit Draft Documentation
Contact Contact Legal Counsel
Name: ............
Title: ...........
Address: .........
Telephone: .......
Facsimile: .......
E Mail Address: ..
Vlt. Lender’s Standby Letter of Credit, Commercial Letter of Credit, and Bankers’ Acceptance Fed
Wire Payment Instructions (if applicable):
Pay to:
(Bank Name) (ABA#) (Account #j (Attention)
VIII. Lender’s Fed Wire Payment Instructions:
Pay to:
(Bank Name)
(ABA#) (City/State)
(Account #) (Account Name)
(Attention)
Form of Administrative Questionnaire |
E-2-2
Form of Administrative Questionnaire
ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS REPLY FORM — US DOLLAR ONLY CONFIDENTIAL
IX. Organizational Structure and Tax Status
Please refer to the enclosed withholding tax instructions below and then complete this section
accordingly:
Lender Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN): ...... -
Tax Withholding Form Delivered to Bank of America*:
X-0
X-0XXX
. X-0XXX
W-SEXP
W-8IMYNON-U. S. LENDER INSTITUTIONS
1. Corporations:
If your institution is incorporated outside of the United States for U .S. federal income tax
purposes, and is the beneficial owner of the interest and other income it receives, you must
complete one of the following three tax forms, as applicable to your institution: a.) Form W-8BEN
(Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner), b.) Form W-SECI (Income Effectively Connected
to a U.S. Trade or Business), or c) Form W-8EXP (Certificate of Foreign Government or Governmental
Agency).
A U.S. taxpayer identification number is required for any institution submitting a Form W-8 XX X.
It is also required on Form W-8BEN for certain institutions claiming the benefits of a tax treaty
with the U.S. Please refer to the instructions when completing the form applicable to your
institution. In addition, please be advised that U.S. tax regulations do not permit the acceptance
of faxed forms An original tax form must be submitted.
2. Flow-Through Entities
If your institution is organized outside the U.S., and is classified for U.S. federal income tax
purposes as either a Partnership, Trust, Qualified or Non-Qualified Intermediary, or other non-U.S.
flow-through entity, an original Form W-81 MY (Certificate of Foreign Intermediary, Foreign
Flow-Through Entity, or Certain U.S. branches for United States
Tax Withholding) must be completed by the intermediary together with a withholding statement. Flow-
through entities other than Qualified Intermediaries are required to include tax forms for each of
the underlying beneficial owners.
Please refer to the instructions when completing this form. In addition, please be advised that
U.S. tax regulations do not permit the acceptance of faxed forms Original tax form(s) must be
submitted
Bank of America
004726 000048 DALLAS 2362731.6
E-2-3
Form of Administrative Questionnaire |
E-2-3
Form of Administrative Questionnaire
ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS REPLY FORM — US DOLLAR ONLY
CONFIDENTIAL
U.S. LENDER INSTITUTIONS:
If your institution is incorporated or organized within the United States, you must complete and
return Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification). Please be advised
that we require art original form W-9.
Pursuant to the language contained in the tax section of the Credit Agreement, the applicable tax
form for your institution must be completed and returned on or prior to the date on which your
institution becomes a lender under this Credit Agreement Failure to provide the proper tax form
when requested will subject your institution to U.S. tax withholding.
* Additional guidance and instructions as to where to submit this documentation can be found at
this link:
ABA #000000000 New York. NY
Acct. #
Attn: Corporate Credit Services Ref: Name of Facility
Tax Form Tool Kit (2006) (2).doc
X. Bank of America Payment Instructions:
Pay to: Bank of America, N.A.
4
004726 000048 DALLAS 2362731.6 |
E-2-4
Form of Administrative Questionnaire
EXHIBIT F
OPINIONS OF COUNSEL TO LOAN PARTIES