25,000,000 Shares PETROHAWK ENERGY CORPORATION Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION VERSION
25,000,000 Shares
PETROHAWK ENERGY CORPORATION
Common Stock
May 8, 2008
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co.,
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1 attached hereto,
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co.,
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1 attached hereto,
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Petrohawk Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to sell
25,000,000 shares (the “Firm Stock”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the
“Common Stock”). In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the underwriters (the
“Underwriters”) named in Schedule 1 attached to this agreement (this “Agreement”) an option
to purchase up to 3,750,000 additional shares of the Common Stock on the terms set forth in Section
3 (the “Option Stock”). The Firm Stock and the Option Stock, if purchased, are hereinafter
collectively called the “Stock.” This is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the
Stock from the Company by the Underwriters.
1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company. The Company represents,
warrants and agrees that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 relating to the Stock (i) has been prepared by
the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) thereunder; (ii) has been filed with
the Commission under the Securities Act; and (iii) is effective under the Securities Act.
Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been delivered by the
Company to you as the representatives (the “Representatives”) of the Underwriters. As used
in this Agreement:
(i) “Applicable Time” means 7:30 p.m. (New York City time) May 8, 2008;
(ii) “Effective Date” means any date as of which any part of such registration
statement relating to the Stock became, or is deemed to have become, effective under
the Securities Act in accordance with the Rules and Regulations;
(iii) “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means each “free writing prospectus” (as
defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations) prepared by or on behalf of the
Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the offering of the
Stock, including any free writing prospectus identified on Schedule 4
hereto;
(iv) “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus relating to the
Stock included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations, including any preliminary prospectus
supplement thereto relating to the Stock;
(v) “Pricing Disclosure Package” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the information included in
Schedule 3 hereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by
the Company on or before the Applicable Time, other than a road show that is an
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus under Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations;
(vi) “Prospectus” means the final prospectus relating to the Stock, including
any prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Stock, as filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations; and
(vii) “Registration Statement” means, collectively, the various parts of such
registration statement, each as amended as of the Effective Date for such part,
including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and all exhibits to such
registration statement.
Any reference to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to
and include any documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-3 under the
Securities Act as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case
may be. Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer
to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b) prior to or on the date hereof (including, for purposes hereof, any
documents incorporated by reference therein prior to or on the date hereof). Any reference
to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the “Exchange Act”), after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus
or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to include any annual report of the Company on Form
10-K filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after
the Effective Date that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. The
Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or
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suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination
for such purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission. The Commission has
not notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration
Statement.
(b) The Company has been since the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement
and continues to be eligible to use the Registration Statement for the offering of the
Stock, including not having been an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405) at any such
time or date. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as
defined in Rule 405) and was filed not earlier than the date that is three years prior to
the applicable Delivery Date (as defined in Section 4).
(c) The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on
the Effective Date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and any amendment to the
Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects
when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The
most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform, in all
material respects when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the
applicable Delivery Date to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations. The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus conformed, and any further documents so incorporated will conform, when filed
with the Commission, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act or the
Securities Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(d) The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that no representation
or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for
inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).
(e) The Prospectus will not, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date,
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or
warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the
Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which
information is specified in Section 8(e).
(f) The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein
will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
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make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(g) The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained
in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of
any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in
Section 8(e).
(h) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including, without limitation, any road show
that is a free writing prospectus under Rule 433), when considered together with the Pricing
Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; provided that no representation and warranty is made with respect to any
statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon
and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company
through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion
therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).
(i) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations on the date
of first use, and the Company has complied with any filing requirements applicable to such
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Rules and Regulations. The Company has not
made any offer relating to the Stock that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
without the prior written consent of the Representatives, except as set forth on
Schedule 4 hereto. The Company has retained in accordance with the Rules and
Regulations all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant
to the Rules and Regulations.
(j) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries (as defined in Section 17) has been duly
organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation or other business
entity under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and is duly qualified to do
business and in good standing as a foreign corporation or other business entity in each
jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing
could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties,
business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material
Adverse Effect”); each of the Company and its subsidiaries has all power and authority
necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which it is
engaged. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation,
association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to
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the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year for which such
report is filed other than entities that were not required to be listed on such report.
None of the subsidiaries of the Company (other than the subsidiaries set forth on
Schedule 5 (collectively, the “Significant Subsidiaries”)) is a “significant
subsidiary” (as defined in Rule 405).
(k) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in each of the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital
stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable, conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and not in
violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right.
All of the Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or exchange any
securities for shares of the Company’s capital stock have been duly authorized and validly
issued, conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws. All of the
issued shares of capital stock or other ownership interests of each subsidiary of the
Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and
are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
equities or claims, except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus and except for (i) liens which secure obligations under the
Company’s senior revolving credit facility; and (ii) such liens, encumbrances, equities or
claims as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(l) The shares of the Stock to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters
hereunder have been duly authorized and, upon payment and delivery in accordance with this
Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will conform to the
description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, will be issued in
compliance with federal and state securities laws and will be free of statutory and
contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights.
(m) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and
perform its obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(n) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the proceeds
from the sale of the Stock as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any
of the terms or provisions of, impose any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which
the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is subject; (ii) result in any violation of the
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provisions of the charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any
order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets.
(o) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or registration with,
any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets is required for the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Stock as described
under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for the
registration of the Stock under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange Act
and applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and sale of the Stock
by the Underwriters.
(p) Except for that certain Registration Rights Agreement to be entered into among the
Company, certain subsidiaries of the Company (the “Guarantors”) and the initial purchasers
party thereto (the “Initial Purchasers”) pursuant to that certain Purchase Agreement of even
date herewith among the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers, there are no
contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such
person the right (other than rights which have been waived in writing or otherwise
satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act
with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to
require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the
Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other
registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.
(q) The Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the
offering of the Stock contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the
Rules and Regulations or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.
(r) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus,
any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity,
whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental
action, order or decree, and since such date, there has not been any change in the capital
stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any adverse change, or
any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting the condition
(financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties,
management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in
each case except as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
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(s) Since the date as of which information is given in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Company
has not (i) incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than
liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii)
entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business or (iii)
declared or paid any dividend on its capital stock.
(t) The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting
schedules) included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus
comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the
Securities Act and present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods
indicated and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted
in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.
(u) The pro forma financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for
presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events
described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those
assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper application of those
adjustments to the historical financial statement amounts in the pro forma financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
The pro forma financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of Regulation S-X under the Act.
(v) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, whose report appears in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus or is incorporated by reference therein and who have delivered the
initial letter referred to in Section 7(g) hereof, are independent public accountants as
required by the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”); and Ernst & Young LLP, whose
report appears in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or is incorporated by reference
therein and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(h) hereof, were
independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations and the rules and regulations of the PCAOB during the periods covered by the
financial statements on which they reported contained or incorporated by reference in the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(w) Netherland, Xxxxxx & Associates, Inc., an oil and gas consulting firm (“NSAI”),
whose report dated February 22, 2008, is summarized or excerpted in reports incorporated by
reference, or included, in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and who has delivered the
letter referred to in Section 7(j) hereof, was, as of the date of such report, and is, as of
the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company. The written
engineering report prepared by NSAI dated February 22, 2008, setting forth the proved
reserves attributed to the oil and gas properties of the Company
7
and its subsidiaries accurately reflects in all material respects the ownership
interests of the Company its subsidiaries in the properties therein as of December 31, 2007;
the information furnished by the Company to NSAI for purposes of preparing its report,
including, without limitation, production, costs of operation and development, current
prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of
production, was true, correct and complete in all material respects on the date supplied and
was prepared in accordance with customary industry practices, as indicated in the letter of
NSAI dated February 22, 2008.
(x) The statistical and market-related data included in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries
included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are based on
or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all
material respects.
(y) Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is, and as of the applicable Delivery Date
and, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Stock and the application of the
proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of them will be, (i) an “investment company” within the
meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment
Company Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder or (ii) a
“business development company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company
Act).
(z) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is the subject that could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect or could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby; and to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are
threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or others.
(aa) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the
one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company,
on the other hand, that is required to be described in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus which is not so described.
(bb) No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company or its subsidiaries exists
or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(cc) (i) Each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the
Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)) for which the Company or any
member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a
controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each
8
a “Plan”) has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and with the
requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code;
(ii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (a) no “reportable event”
(within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to
occur, (b) no “accumulated funding deficiency” (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA
or Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected
to occur, (c) the fair market value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value
of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund
such Plan) and (d) neither the Company or any member of its Controlled Group has incurred,
or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than
contributions to the Plan or premiums to the PBGC in the ordinary course and without
default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of
Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA); and (iii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under
Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by
failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(dd) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and
foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof,
subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due thereon, and (i) no tax
deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor (ii)
does the Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that could, in the case of
clause (i) or (ii) in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(ee) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or
the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company
or sale by the Company of the Stock.
(ff) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its charter
or by-laws (or similar organizational documents), (ii) is in default, and no event has
occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the
due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which
it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject
or (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets or has
failed to obtain any license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental
authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its
business, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such conflict,
breach, violation or default could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(gg) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and, to the knowledge
of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their
9
capacities as such, to comply with the provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and
the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.
(hh) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, patents,
franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or
regulatory authorities (“Permits”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their
properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that could not, in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and its
subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to the Permits,
and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow,
revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the
holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all
material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark
registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems
and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary
or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their
respective businesses and have no reason to believe that the conduct of their respective
businesses will conflict with, and have not received any notice of any claim of conflict
with, any such rights of others.
(jj) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are, and at all times prior hereto
were, in compliance with all laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments,
decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including
without limitation any international, national, state, provincial, regional, or local
authority, relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural
resources, or to hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants
(“Environmental Laws”) applicable to such entity, which compliance includes, without
limitation, obtaining, maintaining and complying with all permits and authorizations and
approvals required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (ii)
have not received notice of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any
potential liability for or other obligation concerning the presence, disposal or release of
hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except in the case of
clause (i) or (ii) where such non-compliance, violation, liability, or other obligation
could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (A) there are no proceedings
that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its
subsidiaries under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a party,
other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions
of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (B) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of
any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations
under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants
or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and
(C) none of the
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Company and its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures other than in
the ordinary course of business relating to Environmental Laws.
(kk) No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from
paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s
capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from
the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company
or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus.
(ll) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the
Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on
behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, has (i) used any corporate funds for any
unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political
activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic
government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of
any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe,
rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.
(mm) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at
all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements
of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money
laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any
related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any
governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or
proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any
arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money
Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, except, in each
case, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(nn) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the
Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of
Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not
directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise
make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or
entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any
U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(oo) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of any Delivery
Date and completion of the distribution of the Stock, will not distribute any offering
material in connection with the offering and sale of the Stock other than any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives
have consented in accordance with Section 1(i) or 5(a)(vii) and any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus set forth on Schedule 4 hereto.
11
(pp) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result
in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the shares of the Stock.
(qq) The Company has applied for listing of the Stock and expects the Stock to be
approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on the New York Stock
Exchange.
(rr) As of the date hereof, (i) all royalties, rentals, deposits and other amounts owed
under the oil and gas leases constituting the oil and gas properties of the Company and its
subsidiaries have been properly and timely paid (other than amounts held in suspense
accounts pending routine payments or related to disputes about the proper identification of
royalty owners), and no material amount of proceeds from the sale or production attributable
to the oil and gas properties of the Company and the subsidiaries are currently being held
in suspense by any purchaser thereof, except where such amounts due could not, individually
or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or any of the
subsidiaries, and (ii) there are no claims under take-or-pay contracts pursuant to which
natural gas purchasers have any make-up rights affecting the interests of the Company or the
subsidiaries in their oil and gas properties, except where such claims could not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or any of
the subsidiaries.
(ss) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Company and the
subsidiaries have defensible title to all of their interests in oil and gas properties
(other than interests earned under farm-out, participation or similar agreements in which an
assignment or transfer is pending) and all other real property owned by the Company and the
subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and
clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or
encumbrances of any kind except such as (i) are described in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus, (ii) liens and encumbrances under operating agreements, unitization and pooling
agreements, production sales contracts, farm-out agreements and other oil and gas
exploration participation and production agreements, in each case that secure payment of
amounts not yet due and payable for the performance of other unmatured obligations and are
of a scope and nature customary in the oil and gas industry or arise in connection with
drilling and production operations, or (iii) would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the
value of the affected property or the use made and proposed to be made of such property by
the Company or its subsidiaries, as the case may be; except as would not have a Material
Adverse Effect, all of the leases and subleases of real property of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties
described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim of
any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries under any of such leases or subleases, or affecting or questioning the rights
of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased
premises under any such lease or sublease.
12
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Stock shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase of the Stock by the Underwriters. On the basis of the representations and
warranties contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, the Company
agrees to sell 25,000,000 shares of the Firm Stock to the several Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the number of shares of the Firm Stock
set forth opposite that Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto. The respective purchase
obligations of the Underwriters with respect to the Firm Stock shall be rounded among the
Underwriters to avoid fractional shares, as the Representatives may determine.
In addition, the Company grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 3,750,000
additional shares of Option Stock. Such option is exercisable in the event that the Underwriters
sell more shares of Common Stock than the number of Firm Stock in the offering and as set forth in
Section 4 hereof. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of
shares of Option Stock (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the
Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of shares of
Option Stock to be sold on such Delivery Date as the number of shares of Firm Stock set forth in
Schedule 1 hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of shares
of Firm Stock.
The price of both the Firm Stock and any Option Stock purchased by the Underwriters shall be
$25.335 per share.
The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Firm Stock or Option Stock to be
delivered on the applicable Delivery Date, except upon payment for all such Stock to be purchased
on such Delivery Date as provided herein.
3. Offering of Stock by the Underwriters. Upon authorization by the Representatives
of the release of the Firm Stock, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Stock for sale
upon the terms and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Delivery of and Payment for the Stock. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Stock
shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the third full business day following the date
of this Agreement or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the
Representatives and the Company. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the “Initial
Delivery Date.” Delivery of the Firm Stock shall be made to the Representatives for the account of
each Underwriter against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives and of the
respective aggregate purchase prices of the Firm Stock being sold by the Company to or upon the
order of the Company of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the
accounts specified by the Company. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place
specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter
hereunder. The Company shall deliver the Firm Stock through the facilities of DTC unless the
Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
13
The option granted in Section 2 will expire 30 days after the date of this Agreement and may
be exercised in whole or from time to time in part by written notice being given to the Company by
the Representatives; provided that if such date falls on a day that is not a business day, the
option granted in Section 2 will expire on the next succeeding business day. Such notice shall set
forth the aggregate number of shares of Option Stock as to which the option is being exercised, the
names in which the shares of Option Stock are to be registered, the denominations in which the
shares of Option Stock are to be issued and the date and time, as determined by the
Representatives, when the shares of Option Stock are to be delivered; provided, however, that this
date and time shall not be earlier than the Initial Delivery Date nor earlier than the second
business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth
business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. Each date and time the
shares of Option Stock are delivered is sometimes referred to as an “Option Stock Delivery Date,”
and the Initial Delivery Date and any Option Stock Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as
a “Delivery Date.”
Delivery of the Option Stock by the Company and payment for the Option Stock by the several
Underwriters through the Representatives shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the
date specified in the corresponding notice described in the preceding paragraph or at such other
date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Company. On
the Option Stock Delivery Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered the Option Stock
to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment by the several
Underwriters through the Representatives and of the respective aggregate purchase prices of the
Option Stock being sold by the Company of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately
available funds to the accounts specified by the Company. Time shall be of the essence, and
delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the
obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Company shall deliver the Option Stock through the
facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
5. Further Agreements of the Company and the Underwriters. (a) The Company agrees:
(i) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file
such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the
Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and
delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as provided
herein; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the
time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has
been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all
reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the
Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus
is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Stock; to advise the
Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the
Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification
14
of the Stock for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening
of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose, of any notice from the Commission
objecting to the use of the form of the Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereto or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for
additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or
suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its
withdrawal;
(ii) To pay the applicable Commission filing fees relating to the Stock within the time
required by Rule 456(b)(1) without regard to the proviso therein;
(iii) To furnish promptly to each of the Representatives and to counsel for the
Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the
Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and
exhibits filed therewith;
(iv) To deliver promptly to the Representatives such number of the following documents
as the Representatives shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration
Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case
excluding exhibits other than this Agreement and the computation of per share earnings), (B)
each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, (C)
each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (D) any document incorporated by reference in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required
at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Stock or
any other securities relating thereto and if at such time any events shall have occurred as
a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when
such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be
necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any
document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities
Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such
document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in
securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of
an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect
such compliance;
(v) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Company or the
Representatives, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission;
(vi) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, any document incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus or any amendment to any document incorporated by reference in the
15
Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representatives and counsel for the
Underwriters and obtain the consent of the Representatives to the filing;
(vii) Not to make any offer relating to the Stock that would constitute an Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
(viii) To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect to any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and if at any time after the date hereof any events shall
have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or,
if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such document and
to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the
Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or
effect such compliance;
(ix) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date and in any event not later than 16
months after the date hereof, to make generally available to the Company’s security holders
and to deliver to the Representatives an earnings statement of the Company and its
subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act
and the Rules and Regulations;
(x) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may
reasonably request to qualify the Stock for offering and sale under the securities laws of
Canada and such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request and to
comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such
jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Stock;
provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a
foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so
qualify, (ii) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii)
subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject;
(xi) For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 90th day after the
date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for
sale, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is
designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in
the future of) any shares of Common Stock (including, without limitation, shares of Common
Stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Company in accordance with the
rules and regulations of the Commission and shares of Common Stock that may be issued upon
exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Common Stock (other than in any case the Stock and shares issued pursuant
to common stock purchase warrants originally
16
issued in May 2004, employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other
employee and non-employee director compensation plans existing on the date hereof), (2)
enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or
in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such shares of Common Stock,
whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by
delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for
or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any
amendments, with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or securities
convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Stock or any other securities of the
Company or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case
without the prior written consent of the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, and
to cause each officer and director of the Company set forth on Schedule 2 hereto to
furnish to the Representatives, prior to or as of the date hereof, a letter or letters,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Lock-Up Agreements”);
(xii) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Stock being sold by the Company as
set forth in the Prospectus;
(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees that such Underwriter shall not include any “issuer
information” (as defined in Rule 433) in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405)
used or referred to by such Underwriter without the prior consent of the Company (any such issuer
information with respect to whose use the Company has given its consent, “Permitted Issuer
Information”); provided that (i) no such consent shall be required with respect to any such issuer
information contained in any document filed by the Company with the Commission prior to the use of
such free writing prospectus and (ii) “issuer information,” as used in this Section 5(b), shall not
be deemed to include information prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter on the basis of or
derived from issuer information.
6. Expenses. The Company agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all costs, expenses, fees and
taxes incident to and in connection with (a) the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the
Common Stock and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation
and printing of certificates for the Stock; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the
Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein, all as provided in this
Agreement; (d) the production and distribution of this Agreement, any supplemental agreement among
Underwriters, and any other related documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and
delivery of the Stock; (e) any required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. (the “NASD”) of the terms of sale of the Stock (including related fees and expenses of counsel
to the Underwriters); (f) the listing of the Stock on the New York Stock Exchange; (g) the
qualification of the Stock under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in
Section 5(a)(x) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including
related fees and expenses of counsel to the
17
Underwriters); (h) the preparation, printing and distribution of one or more versions of the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus for distribution in Canada, often in the form of a
Canadian “wrapper” (including related fees and expenses of Canadian counsel to the Underwriters);
(i) the investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of
the Stock, including, without limitation, expenses associated with any electronic roadshow, travel
and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and the cost of any
aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (j) all other costs and expenses incident
to the performance of the obligations of the Company; provided that, except as provided in this
Section 6 and in Section 11, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses, including the
costs and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes on the Stock which they may sell and the
expenses of advertising any offering of the Stock made by the Underwriters.
7. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The respective obligations of the Underwriters
hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations
and warranties of the Company contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with
Section 5(a)(i); the Company shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the
use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no
proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the
Commission; any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with; and the
Commission shall not have notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of
the Registration Statement.
(b) No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to
such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure
Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact
which, in the opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, is material
or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required
to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(c) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization,
form and validity of this Agreement, the Stock, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all
material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to
such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them
to pass upon such matters.
18
(d) Xxxxxxxx & Knight LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives its written
opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery
Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(e) Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, general Counsel of the Company shall have furnished to the
Representatives his written opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the
Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
the Representatives.
(f) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P., counsel for
the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Delivery Date, with respect to the
issuance and sale of the Stock, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing
Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require,
and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably
request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(g) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received
from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that
they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the
rules and regulations of the PCAOB and are in compliance with the applicable requirements
relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the
Commission, and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters involving
changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial
information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of a date not more than
three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect
to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort
letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.
(h) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received
from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives,
addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that they were
independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the PCAOB during the periods covered by the financial statements on which
they reported with respect to the entities whose reports are incorporated by reference in
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and are in compliance with the applicable
requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X
of the Commission, and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters
involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial
information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of a date not more than
three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect
to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort
letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.
19
(i) With respect to the letters of Deloitte & Touche LLP and Ernst & Young LLP referred
to in the preceding paragraphs and delivered to the Representatives concurrently with the
execution of this Agreement (the “initial letter”), the Company shall have furnished to the
Representatives a letter (the “bring-down letter”) from each of such accountants, addressed
to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date (i) confirming that they were independent
public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of
the PCAOB with respect to their respective entities covered by their reports and are in
compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants
under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the
bring-down letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the
respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as
of a date not more than three days prior to the date of the bring-down letter), the
conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other
matters covered by the initial letters and (iii) confirming in all material respects the
conclusions and findings set forth in the initial letter.
(j) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received
from NSAI an initial letter (the “initial expert letter”), in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof
and a subsequent letter dated as of the Delivery Date, which such letter shall cover the
period from any initial expert letter to the Delivery Date, stating the conclusions and
findings of such firm with respect to matters pertaining to the Company’s use of NSAI’s
report on proved reserves of the Company as of December 31, 2007, as is customary to
underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.
(k) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated such
Delivery Date, of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer stating that:
(i) The representations, warranties and agreements of the Company in Section 1
are true and correct on and as of such Delivery Date, and the Company has complied
with all its agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on its
part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Delivery Date;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued; no proceedings or examination for that purpose have been instituted
or, to the knowledge of such officers, threatened; and the Commission has not
notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto; and
(iii) They have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, in their opinion, (A) (1) the Registration
Statement, as of the Effective Date, (2) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the
applicable Delivery Date, or (3) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the
Applicable Time, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a
20
material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of
the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made) not misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that
should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so
set forth;
(l) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained, since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion,
flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or
court or governmental action, order or decree or (ii) since such date there shall not have
been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or
affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’
equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is,
in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable
or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Stock being
delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
Prospectus.
(m) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement (i) no downgrading shall
have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” (as that term is defined by the Commission for
purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations), and (ii) no such organization
shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible
negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities or preferred
stock.
(n) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have
occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock
Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any
securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been
suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been
materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or
such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or
governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been
declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged
in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United
States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency, calamity, crisis or
war by the United States or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in
general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a
result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international
conditions on the financial markets in the United
21
States shall be such), as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives,
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Stock
being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
Prospectus.
(o) The New York Stock Exchange shall have approved the Stock for listing, subject only
to official notice of issuance.
(p) The Lock-Up Agreements between the Representatives and the officers, directors and
stockholders of the Company set forth on Schedule 2, delivered to the
Representatives on or before the date of this Agreement, shall be in full force and effect
on such Delivery Date.
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this
Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates,
directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from and against any loss, claim,
damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not
limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of
Stock), to which that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling
person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B)
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (C) any
Permitted Issuer Information used or referred to in any “free writing prospectus” (as
defined in Rule 405) used or referred to by any Underwriter, (D) any “road show” (as defined
in Rule 433) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (a “Non-Prospectus Road
Show”) or (E) any Blue Sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Company
(or based upon any written information furnished by the Company for use therein)
specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Stock under the securities laws
of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being
hereinafter called a “Blue Sky Application”) or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to
state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer
Information, any Non-Prospectus Road Show or any Blue Sky Application, any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
and shall reimburse each Underwriter and each such director, officer, employee or
controlling person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by that Underwriter, director, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however,
22
that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any
such amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any
Non-Prospectus Road Show or any Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Company through the
Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which
information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(e). The foregoing
indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to
any Underwriter or to any director, officer, employee or controlling person of that
Underwriter.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, officers and employees, within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act,
from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in
respect thereof, to which the Company or any such director, officer, employee or controlling
person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or Blue Sky Application,
or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or Blue Sky Application,
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Company through the
Representatives by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein,
which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 8(e). The foregoing
indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have
to the Company or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of
any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under Section 8(a) or 8(b),
notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action;
provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it
from any liability which it may have under Section 8(a) or 8(b) except to the extent it has
been materially prejudiced by such failure and, provided, further, that the failure to
notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to
an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action shall
be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof,
the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it
wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to
23
assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to
assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to
the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that the indemnified party shall have
the right to employ counsel to represent jointly the indemnified party and those other
indemnified parties and their respective directors, officers, employees and controlling
persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which
indemnity may be sought under this Section 8 if (i) the indemnified party and the
indemnifying party shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed
within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party;
(iii) the indemnified party and its directors, officers, employees and controlling persons
shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to them that are
different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the
named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the
indemnified parties or their respective directors, officers, employees or controlling
persons, on the one hand, and the indemnifying party, on the other hand, and representation
of both sets of parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or
potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the fees and expenses of
such separate counsel shall be paid by the indemnifying party. No indemnifying party shall
(i) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which
indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified
parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement,
compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include any
findings of fact or admissions of fault or culpability as to the indemnified party, or (ii)
be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the
indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and
against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or
8(b) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof,
referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such
proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company,
on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Stock or (ii)
if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause
(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the
24
Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted
in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the
one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such offering shall be deemed
to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Stock
purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the
shares of the Stock purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover
page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by
reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission
or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company
or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company
and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant
to this Section 8(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters
were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does
not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or
payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or
action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to
include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or
claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), no Underwriter shall be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the Stock underwritten by
it exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise paid or become
liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
9(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute as
provided in this Section 8(d) are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.
(e) The Underwriters severally confirm and the Company acknowledges and agrees that the
statements regarding delivery of shares by the Underwriters set forth on the cover page of,
and the concession and reallowance figures and the paragraph relating to stabilization by
the Underwriters appearing under the caption “Underwriting” in, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning
such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters
specifically for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or
in any Non-Prospectus Road Show.
9. Defaulting Underwriters. If, on any Delivery Date, any Underwriter defaults in the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters
shall be obligated to purchase the Stock that the defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to
purchase on such Delivery Date in the respective proportions which the number of
25
shares of the Firm Stock set forth opposite the name of each remaining non-defaulting
Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto bears to the total number of shares of the Firm Stock set
forth opposite the names of all the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule 1
hereto; provided, however, that the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligated to
purchase any of the Stock on such Delivery Date if the total number of shares of the Stock that the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such date exceeds 9.09% of
the total number of shares of the Stock to be purchased on such Delivery Date, and any remaining
non-defaulting Underwriter shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the number of
shares of the Stock that it agreed to purchase on such Delivery Date pursuant to the terms of
Section 2. If the foregoing maximums are exceeded, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters, or
those other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives who so agree, shall have the right,
but shall not be obligated, to purchase, in such proportion as may be agreed upon among them, all
the Stock to be purchased on such Delivery Date. If the remaining Underwriters or other
underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives do not elect to purchase the shares that the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Delivery Date, this
Agreement (or, with respect to any Option Stock Delivery Date, the obligation of the Underwriters
to purchase, and of the Company to sell, the Option Stock) shall terminate without liability on the
part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except that the Company will continue to be
liable for the payment of expenses to the extent set forth in Sections 6 and 11. As used in this
Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context
requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this
Section 9, purchases Stock that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have
to the Company for damages caused by its default. If other Underwriters are obligated or agree to
purchase the Stock of a defaulting or withdrawing Underwriter, either the Representatives or the
Company may postpone the Delivery Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any
changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be
necessary in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement.
10. Termination. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice given to and received by the Company shall have occurred or if the
Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Stock for any reason permitted under this Agreement.
11. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the Company shall fail to tender the Stock
for delivery to the Underwriters for any reason or (b) the Underwriters shall decline to purchase
the Stock for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the
Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of
counsel) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase
of the Stock, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representatives.
If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 by reason of the default of one or more
Underwriters, the Company shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account
of those expenses.
26
12. Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ research
analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment
banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such
Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations
and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from
the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company hereby waives and
releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the
Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views
expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or
inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriters’ investment
banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that each of the Underwriters is a full service
securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect
transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions
in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with this
offering, sale of the Stock or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be providing
hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties
or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriters: (i)
no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Company and any other person, on the one hand, and
the Underwriters, on the other, exists; (ii) the Underwriters are not acting as advisors, expert or
otherwise, to the Company, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the
public offering price of the Stock, and such relationship between the Company, on the one hand, and
the Underwriters, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length
negotiations; (iii) any duties and obligations that the Underwriters may have to the Company shall
be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (iv) the Underwriters
and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The
Company hereby waives any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to
any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.
14. Notices, Etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and:
(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile
transmission to Xxxxxx Brothers Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000,
Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: 000-000-0000), with a copy, in the case of any
notice pursuant to Section 8(c), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General
Counsel, Xxxxxx Brothers Inc., 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000 (Fax: 000-000-0000); Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated, 4 World
Finance Center, New York, New York 10080, Attention: Origination Counsel Group; and
(b) if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to
the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement,
27
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Executive Vice-President and General Counsel (Fax:
000-000-0000).
Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt
thereof. The Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or
agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. on behalf of the
Representatives.
15. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company, and their respective successors. This Agreement
and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (A)
the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Company contained in this
Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the affiliates, directors, officers and
employees of the Underwriters and each person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and (B) the indemnity agreement of the
Underwriters contained in Section 8(b) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of
the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who have signed the Registration
Statement and any person controlling the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities
Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than
the persons referred to in this Section 15, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or
in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.
16. Survival. The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and agreements of the
Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them,
respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Stock
and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of
any of them or any person controlling any of them.
17. Definition of the Terms “Business Day” and “Subsidiary”. For purposes of this Agreement,
(a) “business day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on
which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive
order to close and (b) “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405.
18. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York.
19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if
executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an
original but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
20. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not
intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
[Signature pages follow.]
28
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement between the Company and the Underwriters,
please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.
Very truly yours, Petrohawk Energy Corporation |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President – General Counsel and Secretary |
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement — Page 1
Accepted:
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
For themselves and as Representatives
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule 1 hereto
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule 1 hereto
By Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxx | |||
Authorized Representative | ||||
By Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
Authorized Representative | ||||
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement — Page 2
SCHEDULE 1
Number of Shares | ||||
Underwriters | of Firm Stock | |||
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. |
8,250,000 | |||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated |
7,500,000 | |||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
4,250,000 | |||
BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
1,500,000 | |||
RBC Capital Markets Corporation |
1,500,000 | |||
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc. |
1,250,000 | |||
UBS Securities LLC |
750,000 | |||
Total |
25,000,000 | |||
Schedule 1
SCHEDULE 2
PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
Directors
Xxxxx X. Christmas
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Irish III
Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Irish III
Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Officers
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
H. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Latch
Xxxx X. Xxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
H. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Latch
Xxxx X. Xxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Schedule 2
SCHEDULE 3
1.
|
Public offering price: | $26.39 per share | ||
2.
|
Number of shares offered: | 25,000,000 shares (Firm Stock) | ||
3,750,000 shares (Option Stock) | ||||
3.
|
Settlement Date: | May 13, 2008 |
Schedule 3
SCHEDULE 4
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES
Schedule 4
SCHEDULE 5
SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY
Subsidiary | Jurisdiction of Organization | |||
1.
|
Petrohawk Operating Company | Texas | ||
2.
|
P-H Energy, LLC | Texas | ||
3.
|
Petrohawk Holdings, LLC | Delaware | ||
4.
|
Petrohawk Properties, LP | Texas | ||
5.
|
Winwell Resources, Inc. | Louisiana | ||
6.
|
WSF, Inc. | Louisiana | ||
7.
|
KCS Resources, Inc. | Delaware | ||
8.
|
KCS Energy Services, Inc. | Delaware | ||
9.
|
One TEC, LLC | Texas | ||
10.
|
One TEC Operating, LLC | Texas |
Schedule 5
Exhibit A
LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co.,
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1,
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
740 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co.,
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1,
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
740 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you and certain other firms (the “Underwriters”) propose to
enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) providing for the purchase by
the Underwriters of shares (the “Stock”) of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common
Stock”), of Petrohawk Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and that the
Underwriters propose to reoffer the Stock to the public (the “Offering”).
In consideration of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the Underwriters, and for
other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, without the
prior written consent of Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. and Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated (the “Representatives”), on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not,
directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into
any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition
by any person at any time in the future of) any shares of Common Stock (including, without
limitation, shares of Common Stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned
in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and shares
of Common Stock that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, (2) enter into any swap or other
derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic
benefits or risks of ownership of shares of Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in
clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash
or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration
statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any shares of
Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or any
other securities of the Company or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing,
for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 90th day after the date of the
Prospectus relating to the Offering (such 90-day period, the “Lock-Up Period”).
Exhibit A - 1
The undersigned hereby further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any
other action that is subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement during the period from
the date of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement to and including the 34th day following the
expiration of the Lock-Up Period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not
consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation
from the Company that the Lock-Up Period has expired.
The foregoing paragraphs shall not apply to (a) bona fide gifts, sales or other dispositions
of shares of any class of the Company’s capital stock, in each case that are made exclusively
between and among the undersigned or members of the undersigned’s family, or affiliates of the
undersigned, including its partners (if a partnership) or members (if a limited liability company);
provided that it shall be a condition to any such transfer that (i) the transferee/donee agrees to
be bound by the terms of this agreement (including, without limitation, the restrictions set forth
in the preceding sentence) to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party hereto, (ii)
no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in
connection with such transfer or distribution (other than filing on a Form 5, Schedule 13D or
Schedule 13G (or 13D-A or 13G-A) made after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period), (iii) each party
(donor, donee, transferor or transferee) shall not be required by law (including without limitation
the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act) to
make, and shall agree to not voluntarily make, any public announcement of the transfer or
disposition, and (iv) the undersigned notifies the Representatives at least two business days prior
to the proposed transfer or disposition, (b) the sale or disposition of Common Stock to the Company
by the undersigned in satisfaction of any federal, state or local taxes required by law to be
withheld with respect to the award or vesting of Company restricted stock, or (c) the sale or
disposition of Common Stock to the Company by the undersigned in connection with cashless net
exercise of a warrant to purchase Common Stock in accordance with the terms of any such instrument
as in effect on or before the date hereof.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent are hereby authorized to
decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach
of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
It is understood that, if the Company notifies the Underwriters that it does not intend to
proceed with the Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the
Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall
terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Stock, the undersigned will be
released from its obligations under this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters will proceed with the
Offering in reliance on this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
Exhibit A - 2
Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market
conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of
which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.
[Signature page follows]
Exhibit A - 3
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and
authority to enter into this Lock-Up Letter Agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will
execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any
obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives,
successors and assigns of the undersigned.
Very truly yours, |
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By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Dated:
Exhibit A - 4