Dated 7 August 2005 KM DENMARK OVERSEAS APS ALNERY NO. 2524 LIMITED KERR-MCGEE CORPORATION
Dated
7 August 2005
KM
DENMARK OVERSEAS APS
ALNERY
NO. 2524 LIMITED
XXXX-XXXXX
CORPORATION
X.X.
XXXXXX - MAERSK A/S
AGREEMENT
FOR THE SALE AND PURCHASE
OF
THE SHARES IN
XXXX-XXXXX
(G.B.) LIMITED AND
XXXX-XXXXX
NORWAY AS
CONTENTS
CLAUSE
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PAGE
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1.
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DEFINITIONS
AND INTERPRETATION…………………………………..
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1
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2.
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SALE
AND PURCHASE……………………………………………………..
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13
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3.
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PRICE…………………………………………………………………………
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14
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4.
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COMPLETION
CONDITIONS………………………………………………
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14
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5.
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PRE-COMPLETION
UNDERTAKINGS…………………………...……….
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18
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6.
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COMPLETION………………………………………………………..……..
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19
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7.
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XXXX-XXXXX
WARRANTIES AND LIMITATIONS……………..……..
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19
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8.
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THE
BUYER’S WARRANTIES……………………………………………..
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22
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9.
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COMPLETION
ADJUSTMENTS……………………………………………
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23
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10.
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INFORMATION,
RECORDS AND ASSISTANCE POST COMPLETION
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28
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11.
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ENVIRONMENT
AND DECOMMISSIONING…………………………….
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30
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12.
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SALE
OF ASSETS AND INDEMNITY……………………………………..
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33
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13.
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CONDUCT
OF CLAIMS…………………………………………………….
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34
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14.
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NO
RIGHTS OF RESCISSION OR TERMINATION……………………….
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35
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15.
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PAYMENT
OF INTER-COMPANY PAYABLES AND RECEIVABLES…
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36
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16.
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GUARANTEES
AND OTHER THIRD PARTY ASSURANCES…………..
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36
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17.
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TAX…………………………………………………………………………...
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37
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18.
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INSURANCE…………………………………………………………………
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37
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19.
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CHANGES
OF NAME……………………………………………………….
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38
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20.
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GUARANTEES………………………………………………………………
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39
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21.
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PAYMENTS………………………………………………………………….
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43
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22.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS………………..………………………………………
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43
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23.
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CONFIDENTIALITY…………………………………………………………
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44
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24.
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FURTHER
ASSURANCE……………………………………………………
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45
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25.
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COSTS………………………………………………………………………..
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46
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26.
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NOTICES……………………………………………………………………...
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46
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27.
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CONFLICT
WITH OTHER AGREEMENTS………………………………..
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48
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28.
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ENTIRE
AGREEEMNT………………………………………………………
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48
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29.
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WAIVERS,
RIGHTS AND REMEDIES……………………………………..
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49
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30.
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CONTRACTS
(RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES) XXX 0000………………...
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49
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31.
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GENERAL…………………………………………………………………….
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49
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32.
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GOVERNING
LAW, JURISDICTION AND SERVICE OF PROCESS…….
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50
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SCHEDULE
1 DETAILS OF KM NORWAY, KM GB AND THE SUBSIDIARIES
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52
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PART
A DETAILS OF KM NORWAY AND KM GB I……………………..
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52
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II………………………………………………………………………………..
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53
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PART
B - DETAILS OF THE SUBSIDIARIES OF KM GB………………..
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54
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SCHEDULE
2 XXXX-XXXXX WARRANTIES…………………………………………..
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60
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PART
A GENERAL/COMMERCIAL………………………………………..
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60
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PART
B IP/IT………………………………………………………………….
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67
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PART
C REAL ESTATE……………………………………………………...
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68
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PART
D TAXATION…………………………………………………………
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69
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PART
E ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH AND SAFETY MATTERS..
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71
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PART
F VESSELS…………………………………………………………….
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72
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PART
G EMPLOYMENT…………………………………………………….
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73
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PART
H RETIREMENT BENEFITS…………………………………………
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75
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SCHEDULE
3 THE BUYER WARRANTIES…………………………………………….
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79
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SCHEDULE
4 LIMITATIONS ON LIABILITY………………………………………….
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81
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SCHEDULE
5 CONDUCT OF THE TARGET COMPANIES PRE-COMPLETION……
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86
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SCHEDULE
6 COMPLETION ADJUSTMENTS…………………………………………
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91
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PART
A………………………………………………………………………..
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91
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PART
B………………………………………………………………………..
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91
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PART
C SPECIFIC ACCOUNTING TREATMENTS……………………….
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92
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PART
D………………………………………………………………………..
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93
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SCHEDULE
7 COMPLETION ARRANGEMENTS……………………………………...
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98
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SCHEDULE
8 TAX COVENANT…………………………………………………………
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100
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SCHEDULE
9………………………………………………………………………………
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117
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PART
A - OPERATING AGREEMENTS……………………….…………..
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117
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PART
B - UNITISATION AND UNIT OPERATING AGREEMENTS…….
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120
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SCHEDULE
10 LICENCES………………….…………………………………………….
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121
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SCHEDULE
11 PROPERTIES…………………………………………………………….
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126
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SCHEDULE
12 RESTRUCTURING STEPS SCHEDULE……………………………….
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127
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SCHEDULE
13 THIRD PARTY ASSURANCES………………………………………..
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129
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THIS
AGREEMENT is
made this 7th
day of August 2005
Between:
(1) |
KM
DENMARK OVERSEAS ApS, a
private company limited by shares incorporated in Denmark and having
its
registered office at Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00, 0., XX-0000
Xxxxxxxxxx X,
Xxxxxxx (Xxxx-XxXxx);
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(2) |
ALNERY
NO. 2524 LIMITED,
a company incorporated in England and having its registered office
at 0 Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0X 0XX (the Buyer);
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(3) |
XXXX-XXXXX
CORPORATION,
a Delaware corporation having its office at 123 Xxxxxx X.
Xxxx
Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102, United States of America (the
Xxxx-XxXxx
Guarantor);
and
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(4) |
X.X.
XXXXXX - MAERSK A/S, a
company incorporated in Denmark and having its registered office
at 50
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX - 0000 Xxxxxxxxxx X, Xxxxxxx (the Buyer
Guarantor).
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Whereas:
(A) Xxxx-XxXxx
(G.B.) Limited (KM
GB)
is a private company incorporated in England and Wales, Xxxx-XxXxx Norway AS
(KM
Norway)
is a private company incorporated in Norway.
(B) Xxxx-XxXxx
wishes to sell and the Buyer wishes to purchase all of the issued share capital
of each of KM Norway and KM GB.
(C) Xxxx-XxXxx
Guarantor is the ultimate holding company of Xxxx-XxXxx and is willing to
guarantee the obligations of Xxxx-XxXxx under this Agreement. The Buyer
Guarantor is the ultimate holding company of the Buyer and is willing to
guarantee the obligations of the Buyer under this Agreement.
(D) The
parties acknowledge that, in relation to Completion, this Agreement is
suspensive by reason of conditions precedent to Completion set out in this
Agreement.
NOW
THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY AGREED as
follows:
1. Definitions
and Interpretation
1.1 In
this Agreement, the following expressions shall, except where the context
otherwise requires, have the following meanings:
2004
Accounts
means in relation to each of the Target Companies which is incorporated in
the
United Kingdom:
(a) |
the
audited balance sheet of that company as at 31 December 2004;
and
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(b) |
the
audited profit and loss account of that company as at 31 December
2004;
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in
the Agreed Form together with any notes, reports, statements or documents
included in or annexed or attached to them;
1
Accrual
Basis of Accounting means
the basis of accounting under which costs and benefits are regarded as
applicable to the period in which the liability to the cost is incurred or
the
right to the benefit arises regardless of when invoiced, paid or
received;
Adjustment
has
the meaning given in clause 9.1;
Adjustment
Clauses has
the meaning given in clause 9.1;
Affected
Party has
the meaning given in Schedule 7
(Completion Arrangements);
Affiliate
means:
(a) |
if
the Party is a subsidiary undertaking of another company, the Party’s
ultimate holding company and any subsidiary undertaking (other than
the
Party itself) of the Party’s ultimate holding company;
or
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(b) |
if
the Party is not a subsidiary undertaking of another company, any
subsidiary undertaking of the
Party.
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For
the purpose of this definition, holding company and subsidiary undertaking
shall
have the meanings given to those expressions in Sections 736 and 258 of the
Companies Xxx 0000, as amended by Section 144 of the Companies Xxx
0000;
Agreement
means this agreement including its Schedules;
Agreed
Form
means, in relation to a document, the form of that document which has been
initialled on the date of this Agreement for the purpose of identification
by or
on behalf of Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer (in each case with such amendments as
may
be agreed by or on behalf of Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer);
Asset
Adjustments means
the Working Capital Adjustment, the Billed Invoice Adjustment, the NPR
Adjustment, the Petroleum Sales Adjustment, the Interest Adjustment and the
Taxation Adjustment all as defined in, and determined in accordance with the
terms of, each of the Asset Sale Agreements;
Asset
Base Consideration
means the aggregate of the Base Consideration under, and as defined in, each
of
the Asset Sale Agreements;
Asset
Buyer
means Centrica Resources Limited;
Asset
Final Completion Statements means
the Final Completion Statements (as defined in each of the Asset Sale
Agreements) delivered by Xxxx-XxXxx on behalf of the Asset Sellers pursuant
to
clause 8.4
of each of the Asset Sale Agreements;
Asset
Losses means
any liability, Losses and Expenses of each of the Asset Sellers:
(a) |
subject
to (c) below, under or arising out of the relevant Asset Sale Agreements
or any breach thereof including without
limitation:
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(i) |
the
Xxxx XxXxx Warranties (as defined in each of the Asset Sale
Agreements);
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2
(ii) |
the
obligations of the Asset Sellers under clauses 12.2 and/or 12.4(b)
of each
of the Asset Sale Agreements; or
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(iii) |
the
performance of the Asset Sellers’ obligations under the relevant Asset
Sale Agreements,
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in
each case whether relating to the period before, on or after Completion or
the
Effective Date (both as defined in each of the Asset Sale
Agreements);
(b) |
subject
to (c)
below, under or arising out of any obligations relating to the period
before the Effective Date (each as defined in each of the Asset Sale
Agreements);
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(c) |
Notwithstanding
(a)
and (b)
above, Asset Losses shall not
include:
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(i) |
any
liability, Losses and Expenses under or arising out of clause 8
of each of the Asset Sale
Agreements;
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(ii) |
any
Environmental Liabilities or Decommissioning Liabilities (both as
defined
in each of the Asset Sale Agreements) or any liabilities, Costs and
Expenses relating thereto;
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(iii) |
any
liability, Losses and Expenses under or arising out of any post Completion
(as defined in each of the Asset Sale Agreements) breach by either
of the
Asset Sellers of any of the Asset Sale
Agreements;
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Asset
Net Adjustment Amount
means the aggregate of all the Working Capital Adjustments determined under
each
of the Asset Sale Agreements;
Assets
means
the assets (including, for the avoidance of doubt, all of the issued shares
in
Xxxx-XxXxx Canada Limited) to be sold pursuant to the Asset Sale
Agreements;
Asset
Sale Adjustment has
the meaning set out in Schedule 6;
Asset
Sale Agreements means
the agreements between the Asset Sellers and the Asset Buyer for the sale and
purchase of certain assets, and the Canada Share Sale Agreement, dated
6 August, 2005 each in the Agreed Form;
Asset
Sale Transaction
means the sale and purchase of the Assets contemplated by the Asset Sale
Agreements and the sale and purchase of the shares contemplated by the Canada
Share Sale Agreement;
Asset
Sellers means
Xxxx-XxXxx Oil (U.K.) Limited and Xxxx-XxXxx North Sea (U.K.)
Limited;
Base
Consideration means
two billion nine hundred and fifty million United States Dollars (US
$2,950,000,000.00);
Benefits
means
all income, receipts, assets and other amounts or benefits in connection with
or
arising out of the Assets or pursuant to the Asset Sale Agreements (including
in
respect of tax but excluding any such benefits arising under
clause 8
of each of the Asset Sale Agreements) to which either of the Asset Sellers
is
entitled pursuant to the relevant Asset Sale Agreements;
3
Business
Day means
a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which banks are or, as the context
may require, were generally open for normal business in Copenhagen, London
and
New York;
the
Buyer’s Account means
a bank account to be notified by the Buyer to Xxxx-XxXxx not later than two
(2)
Business Days prior to the Completion Date;
Buyer
Group means
the Buyer and its Affiliates from time to time including after Completion the
Target Companies; and a member
of the Buyer Group shall
mean any of the foregoing;
Buyer
Warranties means
the warranties set out in Schedule 3;
Buyer
Warranty Claim means
any claim against the Buyer for breach of the Buyer Warranties;
Canada
Share Sale Agreement
means the agreement between Xxxx-XxXxx and the Asset Buyer for the sale and
purchase of the entire share capital of Xxxx-XxXxx Canada Limited;
Claim
means
any claim by the Buyer or its Affiliates under or for breach of this Agreement,
including, without limitation, any Xxxx-XxXxx Warranty Claim or a claim under
the Tax Covenant or any indemnity;
Completion
means
the completion of the sale and purchase of the Shares in accordance with this
Agreement;
Completion
Date means,
subject to clause 4.13
and any time period of the kind referred to in clause 7.13,
the date occurring five (5) Business Days after the Conditions Precedent
referred to in clauses 4.1(a) to 4.1(d) have been satisfied (or, where
applicable, waived) without a Material Adverse Change occurring, or such other
date as shall be agreed between the Parties;
Completion
Inter-Company Payables means,
in relation to each Target Company, any amounts, including inter-company
advances, owed as at Completion by that Target Company to any member of
Xxxx-XxXxx Group on any account whatsoever including any unpaid dividends,
and
Completion
Inter-Company Payable shall
be construed accordingly;
Completion
Inter-Company Receivables means,
in relation to each Target Company, any amounts, including inter-company
advances, owed as at Completion to that Target Company from any member of
Xxxx-XxXxx Group on any account whatsoever, including any outstanding
inter-company loan notes and Completion
Inter-Company Receivable shall
be construed accordingly;
Completion
Venue means
the offices of Freshfields Bruckhaus Xxxxxxxx, 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, XX0X
0XX
or such other location as the Parties may agree;
Conditions
Precedent means
the conditions specified in clause 4.1;
Connected
Persons
means in relation to a person any of its Affiliates (including for the avoidance
of doubt, in relation to the Buyer, after Completion the Target Companies and,
in relation to Xxxx-XxXxx, any of its Affiliates at the date hereof) or any
of
the directors, officers and employees, of that person or any of such
Affiliates;
4
Contribution
Adjustment has
the meaning set out in Schedule 6;
Costs
means
losses, damages, costs (including reasonable legal costs) and expenses, in
each
case of any nature whatsoever;
Damages
Payment has
the meaning given in Schedule 4
(Limitations on Liability);
Data
Protection Legislation
means all statutes, common law, regulations, directives, decisions and the
like
(whether in the United Kingdom or the European Union) concerning the protection
and/or processing of personal data;
Data
Room means
the data room agreed for the purposes of this Agreement between Xxxx-XxXxx
and
the Buyer relating to the Target Companies as made available to the Buyer and
its advisers and referred to in the Disclosure Letter;
Decommissioning
Liabilities means
any and all claims, costs, charges, expenses, liabilities or obligations
reasonably incurred in relation to decommissioning, abandonment, removing or
making safe all of the property relating to the Target Company Business
(including platforms, pipelines, plant, machinery, xxxxx (including well
cuttings), facilities and all other offshore and onshore installations and
structures), whether such claims, costs, charges, expenses, liabilities or
obligations are incurred under or pursuant to, or in relation to any operations
under, any of the Licensed Interest Documents or any former licences or
operating agreements, or licensed interest documents or other agreement to
which
a Target Company is or was a party or under statutory obligation, common law,
international law or international convention or other obligation including
any
decommissioning plans or IMO Guidelines and Standards or regulations under
OSPAR
Decision 98/3 or any subsequent decisions of OSPAR and including any residual
liability for necessary or continuing maintenance and monitoring
costs;
Disclosure
Letter means
the letter in the Agreed Form of even date herewith to the Buyer from Xxxx-XxXxx
as amended pursuant to clause 7.5;
Disputed
Amounts has
the meaning given in clause 9.4;
Distribution
Adjustment has
the meaning set out in Schedule 6;
DTI
means
the Department of Trade and Industry;
E&D
Claim
means a claim brought by Xxxx-XxXxx pursuant to or arising out of clause
11;
E&D
Liabilities means
any Environmental Liabilities, any Decommissioning Liabilities and any Losses
and Expenses arising out of or in connection with any Environmental Liabilities
and Decommissioning Liabilities;
Effective
Date means
00.01 hours (London time) on 1 July 2005;
Effective
Date Accounts means
the balance sheet of KM Norway and the consolidated balance sheet of KM GB
and
the Subsidiaries both as at the Effective Date and in the Agreed
Form;
Employees
means
all employees employed by Xxxx-XxXxx North Sea (U.K.) Limited immediately prior
to Completion;
5
Encumbrance
means
any interest or equity of any person (including any right to acquire, option
or
right of pre-emption or conversion) or any mortgage, charge (fixed or floating),
pledge, lien, assignment by way of security, hypothecation, security interest,
title retention or any other security agreement or arrangement, or any agreement
to create any of the above;
Environment
means
all or any of the following, alone or in combination, the air (including the
air
within buildings and the air within any other natural or man-made structures
above or below ground or above or below water), water (including seawater inside
or outside any territorial limits, freshwater and water under or within land
or
in pipes or sewerage systems), soil and land (including the seabed, subsoil
and
land under water), flora, fauna, fish and any ecological systems and living
organisms supported by those media including man;
Environmental
Consents means
any permit, licence, authorisation, permission, accreditation, consent,
exemption or other approval required in relation to the Target Company Business
under or pursuant to any Environmental Law or Operational Law;
Environmental
Law means
all European Union law, international treaties, national, federal, provincial,
state or local statutes or regulations, the common law, and any codes and
conventions of law (having legal effect), from time to time, in any relevant
jurisdiction including any guidelines, notes for industry on decommissioning
offshore installations and pipelines made under the Xxxxxxxxx Xxx 0000 or other
relevant legislation and decommissioning programmes in effect from time to
time
concerning:
(a) |
harm
or damage to or protection of the Environment or the provision of
remedies
in respect of or compensation for harm or damage to the
Environment;
|
(b) |
emissions,
discharges, releases or escapes into or the presence in the Environment
of
Hazardous Substances or the production, processing, management, treatment,
storage, transport, handling or disposal of Hazardous Substances
or the
disposal or abandonment of any oil platform;
|
(c) |
worker
or public health and safety; or
|
(d) |
decommissioning,
abandonment, removing or making safe any property (including platforms,
pipelines, plant, machinery, xxxxx (including well cuttings), facilities
and all other offshore and onshore installations and
structures),
|
and
any bylaws, regulations or subordinate legislation, judgements, decisions,
notices, orders, circulars, technical instructions, licences or permits and
codes of practice issued or made thereunder from time to time;
Environmental
Liabilities
means any and all claims, costs, charges, expenses, liabilities or obligations
reasonably incurred in respect of the Target Company Business under any
Environmental Law or in relation to cleaning
up, decontamination of, removing and disposing of debris or any property
(including platforms, pipelines, plant, machinery, xxxxx (including well
cuttings), facilities and all other offshore and onshore installations and
structures) from and for reinstating or preventing or continuing contamination
of any area of land, foreshore or seabed (including the subsoil), wherever
situated, (in all cases in connection with the Target Company Business) whether
such claims, costs, charges, expenses, liabilities or obligations are incurred
under or pursuant to or in relation to any operations under former licences
or
any operating agreements, licensed interest documents or other agreement to
which a Target Company is or was a party or under any Environmental Law or
any
other obligation and including, without limitation, any residual liability
for
anticipated and/or necessary continuing maintenance and monitoring
costs;
6
EU
Allowance
means a unit of account representing 1 metric tonne of CO2 equivalent issued
by
an EU member state government or agency to an installation obliged to
participate in the EU emissions trading scheme in accordance with the provisions
of Directive 2003/87/EC as amended;
EU
CER means
a certified emission reduction issued pursuant to Article 12 of the Kyoto
Protocol and represents 1 metric tonne of CO2 equivalent which is capable of
being converted into an EU Allowance or is otherwise accepted for use in the
EU
emissions trading scheme in accordance with the provisions of Directive
2003/87/EC as amended;
Exchange
Rate means
the completion mid-point spot exchange rate for the applicable currency against
United States Dollars as quoted in the London Financial Times published one
(1)
Business Day prior to the relevant date;
Final
Completion Statement means
the final completion statement as defined in clause 9.4;
Financial
Debt means
borrowings and indebtedness in the nature of borrowing or money raised
(including by way of acceptance credits, discounting or similar facilities,
debt
factoring, loan stocks, bonds, debentures, notes, overdrafts or any other
similar arrangements the purpose of which is to raise money) owed to any
banking, financial, acceptance credit, lending or other institution, entity,
person or organisation;
Hazardous
Substances
means any wastes, pollutants, contaminants and any other natural or artificial
substances (whether in the form of a solid, liquid, gas or vapour, and whether
alone or in combination) or contained in any pipes, cables, containers,
structures, plant or equipment which are capable of causing harm or damage
to
the Environment and/or the disposal or emission of which into the Environment
is
regulated, prohibited or penalised or made actionable pursuant to any
Environmental Law;
HMRC
means Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs;
IMO
Guidelines and Standards means
the International Maritime Organisation Guidelines and Standards for the Removal
of Offshore Installations and Structures on the Continental Shelf and in the
Exclusive Economic Zone;
Intellectual
Property Rights or
IPR means
patents, trade marks, service marks, logos, get-up, trade names, internet domain
names, rights in designs, copyright (including rights in computer software)
and
moral rights, database rights, semi-conductor topography rights, utility models,
rights in know-how and other intellectual property rights, in each case whether
registered or unregistered and including applications for registration, and
all
rights or forms of protection having equivalent or similar effect anywhere
in
the world;
Inter-Company
Notes Receivables means
the aggregate amount owed to Xxxx-XxXxx (G.B.) Limited as at the Effective
Date
in respect of notes issued by members of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group, being
$739,999,999.99;
Interest
Adjustment has
the meaning set out in Schedule 6;
7
Interim
Completion Statement has
the meaning given in clause 9.3(b);
Interim
Net Adjustment Amount
has the meaning given in clause 9.3(a);
Internal
IT Systems means
the material information and communications technologies used by the Target
Companies (including without limitation hardware, proprietary and third party
software, networks, peripherals and associated documentation);
Joint
Property means
all materials, equipment, plant, machinery, platforms, pipelines, rigs, subsea
facilities, transportation facilities, xxxxx and all other offshore and onshore
installations and structures relating to the Licence Interests owned under
any
Licensed Interest Documents;
Xxxx-XxXxx’x
Account means
a bank account to be notified by Xxxx-XxXxx to the Buyer no later than two
(2)
Business Days prior to the Completion Date;
Xxxx-XxXxx
Group means
Xxxx-XxXxx and its Affiliates from time to time but excluding the Target
Companies;
Xxxx-XxXxx
Group Insurance Policy
means all current and expired insurance contracts, other than occurrence based
employers’ liability policies, as at the Effective Date and as at the Completion
Date which as at either such date provide insurance protection for the
Xxxx-XxXxx Group and the Target Companies and their respective directors,
officers and employees against loss, liability, cost or expense, and all other
expired policies which provided coverage for the Xxxx-XxXxx Group and the Target
Companies under which any Target Companies have notified actual or potential
claims which remain open;
Xxxx-XxXxx
Parent Company Guarantee
means the guarantee from the Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor to the Buyer pursuant to
clause 20;
Xxxx-XxXxx
Warranties means
the warranties set out in Schedule 2
(Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties);
Xxxx-XxXxx
Warranty Claim
means any claim against Xxxx-XxXxx for breach of the Xxxx-XxXxx
Warranties;
XX
Xxxxxx 0000 Accounts
means the trial balance of KM Norway as at 31 December 2004 in the Agreed
Form;
Licences
means
the licences as detailed in Schedule 10
(Licences) and, where the context so admits, any one or more of such
licences;
Licences
In means
any material licence of Intellectual Property Rights which has been granted
by a
third party to a Target Company in relation to its business or any part of
it;
Licence
Interests means
the undivided legal and beneficial interests in the following, as more
particularly described in Schedule 10
(Licences):
(a) |
the
Licences and blocks of the Licences specified in Schedule 10;
|
8
(b) |
each
Operating Agreement and each Unit Agreement with such right, title
and
interest being the relevant percentage interest specified in Schedule 10
as at the date of this Agreement;
|
(c) |
the
other Licensed Interest Documents;
|
(d) |
the
Joint Property;
|
(e) |
the
Target Company Asset Data;
|
Licensed
Interest Documents means
the licences, deeds, agreements, letters and offer documents to which a Target
Company is a party specified in and relating to the interests specified in
Schedule 10
(Licences) (including, but not limited to, the Licences, the Operating
Agreements and the Unit Agreements) and, where the context so admits, any one
or
more of such documents;
Licences
Out means
any material licence of Intellectual Property Rights which has been granted
by a
Target Company to a third party;
Longstop
Date means
four (4) months after the date of signing of this Agreement or such other date
as set out in clause 4.4
or clause 4.5;
Losses
and Expenses means
reasonably incurred losses, damages, liabilities (including for the avoidance
of
doubt in relation to tax or amounts in respect of tax), costs and expenses
including fines, penalties, clean-up costs, reasonable legal and other
professional fees and any VAT payable in relation to any such matter,
circumstances or item;
Maritime
Laws means
all national and international laws, ordinances, rules regulations, rules of
common law, conventions and agreements pertaining to the operation of the
Vessels (including, without limitation, the Offshore Installations
(Registration) Regulations 1972, the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment)
Regulations 1999 and any comparable United Kingdom laws);
Material
Adverse Change means
destruction of or damage to any platforms, pipelines, xxxxx, facilities and
all
other offshore and onshore installations and structure relating to the Target
Company Business, such that the aggregate of the reduction in the net present
value of all cash revenues less all cash expenditures and taxation which the
Target Companies are entitled to receive, assuming a 8 per cent. discount
rate, no reduction or increase in the price of Petroleum after the date hereof
and no changes in the hydrocarbon accumulations in any fields to which the
Licences relate after the date hereof and determined on an objective basis,
which is caused by such destruction or damage exceeds $737,500,000;
Material
Environmental Contracts
means all contracts, agreements, binding obligations or covenants which concern
(in whole or in part) a Hazardous Substance, the protection of, or prevention
of
harm to, the Environment or the carrying out of any Remedial Action and which
are, or are likely to be, material to any member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group or
any
Target Company's business, profits, assets (including properties) or
prospects;
Net
Adjustment Amount means
the cash amount expressed in United States Dollars to be calculated by adding
together all the relevant Adjustments in accordance with clause 9,
and which, if positive, shall increase the Base Consideration and, if negative,
shall reduce the Base Consideration;
9
Nominated
Independent Accountant
has the meaning given in clause 9;
Non-Tax
Claim
means a Claim other than a claim for breach of any of the Tax Warranties or
a
claim under the Tax Covenant;
NORM
has the meaning given in clause 11;
Objection
Notice
has the meaning given in clause 9.4;
Operator
means
the person designated for the time being as the operator under the relevant
Operating Agreement or Unit Agreement (as the case may be);
Operating
Agreements means
the operating agreements as detailed in Schedule 9
(Operating Agreements and Unit Agreements) to which a Target Company is a party,
and where the context so admits, any one or more of such
agreements;
Operational
Laws means
all national and international laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, rules
of
common law, conventions and agreements pertaining to operation of the Vessels
or
protection of human health or health and safety of employees (including, without
limitation, the Health and Safety at Work etc Xxx 0000, the Offshore
Installations (Safety Case) Regulations 1992, Offshore Installations
(Registration) Regulations 1972, the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment)
Regulations 1999 and any comparable United Kingdom laws);
Party
means Xxxx-XxXxx, the Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor, the Buyer or the Buyer Guarantor
and
Parties
means
any of them;
Petroleum
has the meaning ascribed thereto in the Licences;
Pre-Completion
Restructuring
means the restructuring of the Target Companies pursuant to the Restructuring
Steps Schedule;
Pounds
Sterling
or £
means the lawful currency of the United Kingdom from time to time;
Properties
means
the leasehold interests of the Target Companies brief particulars of which
are
set out in Schedule 11
(Properties);
Proposed
Transaction means
the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents;
Records
has
the meaning set out in clause 10;
Reference
Interest Rate
means the rate quoted by the Royal Bank of Scotland to prime banks in the London
Interbank Market at or about 11.30 a.m. British Standard Time for one (1) month
deposits in United States Dollars in the amount (or as close an amount thereto
as is practicable) of the sum due but unpaid. In respect of any date which
is
not a Business Day the rate set for the immediately preceding Business Day
shall
apply;
relief
has
the meaning given in Schedule 8
(Tax Covenant);
10
Remedial
Action
means any works or action limiting, mitigating, remediating, preventing,
removing, ameliorating or containing the presence or effect of any Hazardous
Substance in or on the Environment; or any investigation, sampling or monitoring
in connection with any such works or action under or pursuant to any
Environmental Law or Material Environmental Contract;
Restructuring
Steps Schedule
means the steps it is proposed to take in implementing the Pre-Completion
Restructuring as set out in Schedule 12
and including for the avoidance of doubt the Asset Sale Transaction but
excluding the execution and completion of the sale and purchase pursuant to
this
Agreement;
Schedules
means the schedules to this Agreement;
Secretary
of State
means the Minister as defined under the Licences or his successor in office
or
any other person for the time being responsible for carrying out the function
at
present carried out by the Minister in respect of the Licences;
Shares
means
the shares comprising the entire issued share capital of each of KM Norway
and
KM GB ;
Subsidiaries
means
the companies details of which are set out in Part B
of Schedule 1
and Subsidiary
means
any one of them;
Target
Companies
means KM GB, KM Norway and the Subsidiaries and Target
Company
means any of them;
Target
Company Asset Data means
all data, reports and other information held by the Target Companies relating
directly to the Licence Interests and forming part of the property jointly
owned
by the Target Companies and the other parties to an Operating Agreement in
accordance with its terms, but excluding all internal communications within
Xxxx-XxXxx and between Xxxx-XxXxx and its Affiliates and internal memoranda,
reports, interpretations and documents created for Xxxx-XxXxx’x (or its
Affiliates’ (other than the Target Companies’)) own use and excluding Target
Company Traded Data and the Licensed Interest Documents;
Target
Company Business means
the oil and gas exploration, production and development business, including
the
production and/or storage and offloading of Petroleum on the Vessels, of the
Target Companies;
Target
Company Insurance Policy
means any current or former insurance policy, other than a Xxxx-XxXxx Group
Insurance Policy, under which any of the Target Companies is or was an insured
party and, for the avoidance of doubt, includes occurrence based employers’
liability policies (whether arranged on a group basis or
otherwise);
Target
Company IPR means
the registered Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Target
Companies;
Target
Company Traded Data means
data acquired from a third party by Xxxx-XxXxx or its Affiliates by trade,
purchase or otherwise which cannot be provided to the Buyer because such
transfer is prohibited by the agreement pursuant to which it is was acquired
by
Xxxx-XxXxx or its Affiliates;
tax
and
taxation have
the meaning given in Schedule 8
(Tax Covenant);
11
tax
authority has
the meaning given in Schedule 8
(Tax Covenant);
Tax
Covenant
means the covenant (and provisions) relating to tax set out in Schedule 8
(Tax Covenant);
Tax
Claim
means any Claim in respect of any of the Tax Warranties or under the Tax
Covenant;
Taxes
Act means
the Income and Corporation Taxes Xxx 0000;
Tax
Warranties
means the warranties set out in paragraph 2
of Part A
and in Part D
of Schedule 2;
Third
Party Assurances means
all guarantees, indemnities, counter-indemnities and letters of comfort of
any
nature whatsoever:
(a) |
given
to a third party by a Target Company in respect of any obligation
of a
member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group; and/or (as the context may require);
|
(b) |
given
to a third party by a member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group in respect of any
obligation of a Target Company.
|
Third
Party Claim
has the meaning given to it in clause 13;
Title
Warranties means
the warranties set out in paragraphs 1.2,
1.3,
5.3 and 5.4 of Part A
of Schedule 2;
Total
Consideration means
the Base Consideration as adjusted by the Adjustments as determined pursuant
to
clauses 9.3
to 9.11;
Tradable
Environmental Instrument
means any credit, allowance, certificate, permit or right relating to the use
or
exploitation of any environmental resource or the pollution of the Environment
and including any EU Allowance or EU CER;
Transaction
Documents means
this Agreement and, once agreed, the TSA;
TSA
has
the meaning given in clause 10.7;
Unaffected
Party
has the meaning given in Schedule 7
(Completion Arrangements);
Unit
Agreements means
any unit operating agreement more particularly described in Schedule 9
(Operating Agreements and Unit Agreements);
United
States Dollars,
US$
and $
means the lawful currency of the United States of America from time to
time;
US
Expatriate Employees
means Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xx Xxxxx and Xxxx Xxxxxxx, all of whom are employed by Xxxx
XxXxx Oil & Gas Corporation and are currently seconded to Xxxx-XxXxx North
Sea (U.K.) Limited;
US
GAAP
means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of
America;
12
Value
Added Tax
or VAT
means value added tax as imposed by the Value Added Tax Act 1994 (as amended
from time to time) or any other provision or regulation including any interest
and penalties thereon; and
Vessels
means together, GRYPHON A, GLOBAL PRODUCER III and XXXXXX A;
Working
Capital Adjustment has
the meaning set out in Schedule 6.
1.2 All
references to clauses and Schedules are, unless otherwise expressly stated,
references to clauses of and schedules to this Agreement.
1.3 The
headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall be
ignored in construing this Agreement.
1.4 Any
reference to any statute or statutory instrument in this Agreement shall be
a
reference to the same as amended, supplemented or re-enacted from time to time.
1.5 Unless
the context otherwise requires, reference to the singular shall include the
plural and vice
versa,
reference to any gender shall include all genders, and references to persons
shall include natural persons, bodies corporate, unincorporated associations
and
partnerships.
1.6 The
Schedules form part of this Agreement and shall be construed and have the same
force and effect as if expressly set out in the main body of this Agreement.
1.7 Any
reference to any agreement in this Agreement shall be a reference to the same
as
amended, supplemented or novated from time to time.
1.8 Where
a Xxxx-XxXxx Warranty is qualified by the words “so far as Xxxx-XxXxx is aware”,
or any similar expression, such warranty is given only to the extent that any
of
Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxx
are
actually aware of the matters to which it refers as at the date hereof.
1.9 References
in this Agreement to the words ‘include’, ‘including’ and ‘other’ shall be
construed without limitation.
1.10 A
reference in this Agreement to any English legal term for any action, remedy,
method or form of judicial proceeding, legal document, court or any other legal
concept or matter shall be deemed to include a reference to the corresponding
or
most similar legal term in any jurisdiction other than England, to the extent
that such jurisdiction is relevant to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or the terms of this Agreement.
1.11 Any
reference to a time of day is to London time.
2. Sale
and Purchase
2.1 Subject
to and in accordance with this Agreement, Xxxx-XxXxx
shall sell
and transfer (or procure the sale and transfer of), and the Buyer shall
purchase, the Shares free from Encumbrance with effect from Completion, together
with all rights attaching to them at Completion including the right to receive
all dividends and distributions and any return of capital declared, paid or
made
in respect of the Shares on or after Completion.
13
2.2 Xxxx-XxXxx
covenants with the Buyer that it has the right to sell and transfer the full
legal and beneficial interests in the Shares to the Buyer on the terms set
out
in this Agreement.
2.3 The
Parties acknowledge that the transfers of the Shares shall be completed on
the
basis of the share transfer and other arrangements set out or referred to in
clause 6
and Schedule 7
(Completion Arrangements).
2.4 Xxxx-XxXxx
and the Buyer shall negotiate in good faith with a view to agreeing before
the
Completion Date the final form of any Transaction Document, which is not in
Agreed Form at the date of this Agreement.
3. Price
The
consideration for the transfer of the Shares shall be the payment by the Buyer
to Xxxx-XxXxx of the Base Consideration as adjusted pursuant to this Agreement.
The Base Consideration shall be allocated between the Shares so
that:
(a) |
$1
is allocated to the shares in KM Norway;
and
|
(b) |
the
remainder of the Base Consideration is allocated to the shares in
KM
GB.
|
Any
adjustments to the consideration pursuant to this Agreement shall be allocated
to the shares in KM GB.
4. Completion
conditions
4.1 The
obligations of the Parties under clauses 2.1
to 2.4 and clause 6
are conditional upon:
(a) |
receipt
of any required consent, approval or confirmation having been duly
obtained from the Secretary of State, including but not limited to
confirmation that he does not intend to exercise his power, under
any of
the model clauses in any of the Licences or otherwise, to revoke
any of
the Licences or to require a further change of control of any Target
Company as a result of Completion under this
Agreement;
|
(b) |
subject
to clause 4.5,
completion of the sale of each of the Assets pursuant to the Asset
Sale
Agreements or pursuant to the exercise of any pre-emption right in
respect
thereof;
|
(c) |
to
the extent that the Proposed Transaction constitutes or is deemed
to
constitute a concentration with a Community dimension under Council
Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 (the Regulation):
|
(i) |
the
EC Commission declaring in terms reasonably satisfactory to the Buyer
that
the concentration is compatible with the common market pursuant to
Article
6(1)(b) of the Regulation (or having been deemed to have made such
a
declaration under Article 10(6) of the
Regulation);
|
(ii) |
in
the event of the initiating of proceedings under Article 6(1)(c)
of
the Regulation, the EC Commission declaring in terms reasonably
satisfactory to the Buyer that the concentration is compatible with
the
common market pursuant to Article 8(2) of the Regulation (or
having
been deemed to have made such a declaration under Article 10(6)
of
the Regulation);
|
14
(iii) |
in
the event that a request under Article 9(2) of the Regulation has
been
made by one or more Member States or under Article 6(1) of Protocol
XXIV
to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA
Agreement)
by one or more parties to the EEA Agreement, and the EC Commission
has
taken a decision (or is deemed to have taken a decision) to refer
the
Proposed Transaction, or any aspect thereof, to a competent authority
of
such Member State in accordance with Article 6(1) of Protocol XXIV
to the
EEA Agreement:
|
(A) |
each
such competent authority having taken or been deemed to have taken
a
decision with equivalent effect to clause 4.1(c)(i) or clause
4.1(c)(ii) with respect to those parts of the Proposed Transaction
referred to it provided that where the reference is made to the competent
authority of a Member State or Party the national legislation of
which
does not prohibit Completion before the authority has approved the
Proposed Transaction, Completion shall not be conditional upon that
authority (or, if more than one, those authorities) having taken
such a
decision; and
|
(B) |
the
EC Commission having taken or having been deemed to have taken a
decision
under clause 4.1(c)(i) or clause 4.1(c)(ii) with respect
to any
part of the Proposed Transaction not referred to any such competent
authority or authorities;
|
(d) |
receipt,
in a form acceptable to Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer (acting reasonably
and in
good faith), of a Code of Practice 10 ruling from HMRC (in response
to a
letter seeking such ruling, a copy of the final form of which will
be
provided to the Buyer) confirming that the substantial shareholding
exemption, contained in Schedule 7AC of the Taxation of Chargeable
Gains Xxx 0000, will apply to the sale of the Shares in KM GB;
and
|
(e) |
no
Material Adverse Change having occurred after the date of this
Agreement.
|
4.2 The
Conditions Precedent set forth in clauses 4.1(b),
4.1(c)
and 4.1(d)
may not be waived by any Party, without the written consent of each other Party.
The Conditions Precedent set forth in clauses 4.1(a)
and 4.1(e)
may be waived by the Buyer by notice to Xxxx-XxXxx and the Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor
to such extent as it thinks fit, but without prejudice to any other right which
it may have under this Agreement.
4.3 The
Parties shall use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the Conditions
Precedent are satisfied as soon as reasonably practicable and in any event
before the Longstop Date. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing,
Xxxx-XxXxx shall provide all assistance reasonably requested by the Buyer prior
to Completion to satisfy the DTI that the Target Companies which are Operators
will continue to be suitable operators of the relevant assets after Completion
including:
(a) |
assist
the Buyer in the preparation of all drafts of submissions and
communications to the DTI;
|
15
(b) |
as
requested by the Buyer attend all meetings whether in person, by
telephone
or by other means with the DTI and, where appropriate, to make oral
submissions at such meetings;
|
(c) |
comply
with all reasonable requests of the Buyer in relation to the conduct
of
the meetings referred to in paragraph (b)
above;
|
(d) |
assist
the Buyer to comply with all reasonable requests of the Secretary
of State
or the DTI; and
|
(e) |
not
take any action which would prejudice the Buyer obtaining the confirmation
specified in clause 4.1(a).
|
Any
necessary notifications or other filings to be made in connection with
clause 4.1(c)
shall be prepared and made by the Buyer without delay and in accordance with
any
applicable time limits for doing so, with the co-operation of Xxxx-XxXxx
provided that Xxxx-XxXxx shall be entitled to review and comment upon drafts
of
the same subject to the protection of business secrets and other confidential
information, and the Buyer shall take reasonable account of any such comments
provided to it. The Buyer shall similarly afford to Xxxx-XxXxx the opportunity
to review and comment on any other communications with any relevant Governmental
or regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the EC Commission and
any competent authority referred to in clause 4.1(c)(iii))
and to attend any meeting or participate in any conference call with any such
authority (excluding communications of an administrative nature). The Parties
shall keep each other promptly informed of the progress in satisfying these
conditions (including of any fact or circumstance which might prevent or
materially delay the satisfaction of any of the Conditions Precedent of which
any Party becomes aware) and the date when they have been fulfilled.
4.4 In
the event of the initiation of proceedings referred to in clause 4.1(c)(ii)
by the EC Commission (and/or of equivalent proceedings by one or more competent
authority referred to in clause 4.1(c)(iii)), (i) the Longstop Date
shall
be extended by an additional 5 (five) months, and (ii) the Buyer shall in order
to procure the satisfaction of the condition in clause 4.1(c)(ii) (and/or
the condition in clause 4.1(c)(iii)), propose and comply with suitable
remedies to any competition concerns identified by the EC Commission (and/or
the
competent authority in relation to clause 4.1(c)(iii)) within any relevant
time limit, including without limitation agreeing to hold separate or dispose
of
any part of the business of the Target Companies, or any other structural or
behavioural remedy, provided that this clause 4.4 shall not require
the
Buyer to give any remedy which would not be commercially reasonable to
give.
4.5 In
the event Xxxx-XxXxx determines that the sale of any of the Assets pursuant
to
any of the Asset Sale Agreements will not be completed prior to the Long Stop
Date, it shall promptly give written notice of that fact to the Buyer,
whereupon:
(a) |
the
Long Stop Date (if not already extended pursuant to clause 4.4)
will be extended by an additional 3 (three) months;
and
|
(b) |
the
condition in clause 4.1(b)
will be replaced by the condition that the Asset Sellers shall have
completed the sale of each of the Assets to any person or persons
other
than the Target Companies (including potentially the Buyer or any
of its
Connected Persons) on such terms as Xxxx-XxXxx shall determine provided
that the Buyer is not materially prejudiced thereby;
|
16
(c) |
Xxxx-XxXxx
will use reasonable endeavours to procure that the condition described
in
clause 4.5(b)
is fulfilled as soon as reasonably practicable provided that it shall
not
be obliged to procure the sale of any of the Assets at less than
market
value; and
|
(d) |
Xxxx-XxXxx
shall be capable of satisfying the condition in clause 4.5(b) by
purchasing some or all of the Assets itself or procuring an affiliate
to
purchase some or all of the Assets, provided that it shall be under
no
obligation to do so.
|
4.6 If
prior to Completion either of the Asset Sellers becomes free to sell any of
the
Assets to the Buyer (by virtue of any of the Asset Sale Agreements terminating
in circumstances where no third party has exercised a pre-emption right to
acquire that Asset), Xxxx-XxXxx shall promptly notify the Buyer in writing
of
that fact and the Buyer shall have the option, exercisable within 14 days
thereafter by notice in writing served on Xxxx-XxXxx, to purchase that Asset
on
the terms (including as to price) of the relevant Ashvale Sale
Agreement.
4.7 If
the Conditions Precedent have not been satisfied or waived before the Longstop
Date either the Buyer or Xxxx-XxXxx shall have the right, after such date,
to
serve written notice on each other Party terminating this Agreement, whereupon
this Agreement shall terminate with effect from the date of such notice and
no
Party shall have any liability to another under this Agreement except in respect
of clauses 21, 22
and 23
and any breach of the other terms hereof committed before such
date.
4.8 If
the Buyer has reasonable cause to believe a Material Adverse Change has occurred
between the signing of this Agreement and before the Completion Date, it may
serve on Xxxx-XxXxx written notice, giving reasonable details of the Material
Adverse Change claimed (the MAC
Claim).
4.9 If
within five Business Days of the receipt by Xxxx-XxXxx of the written notice
of
the MAC Claim (excluding the day of receipt) Xxxx-XxXxx fails to give the Buyer
notice in writing (the MAC
Disagreement Notice)
of any respect in which it is not satisfied with the basis or validity of the
MAC Claim, the said MAC Claim shall be accepted as satisfying the definition
of
Material Adverse Change and shall be final and binding between the Parties
(as
it shall be if within the period of five Business Days Xxxx-XxXxx gives written
notice to the Buyer that it so satisfies such definition).
4.10 If
Xxxx-XxXxx does give a MAC Disagreement Notice within five Business Days of
it
receiving the MAC Claim (excluding the day of receipt), Xxxx-XxXxx and the
Buyer
shall use their reasonable endeavours to resolve the matters in dispute. If
within 10 Business Days of the Buyer receiving the MAC Disagreement Notice
(excluding the day of receipt), Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer have failed to resolve
the matters in dispute, those matters remaining in dispute shall be referred
either by Xxxx-XxXxx or the Buyer for final determination to an umpire (the
MAC
Umpire),
who shall act as an expert and not as an arbitrator. The decision of the MAC
Umpire as to the validity of the MAC Claim shall be final and binding between
the Parties. The provisions of clauses 4.11
and 4.12
shall apply in relation to any reference to such MAC Umpire.
17
4.11 The
MAC Umpire shall be as agreed between Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer or, if they
cannot agree on such within five Business Days of either of them giving notice
in writing to the other that it desires a MAC Umpire to be appointed, as
nominated, on the application of either of them, by the President for the time
being of the Energy Institute in England.
4.12 Xxxx-XxXxx
and the Buyer hereby agree and undertake that if any MAC Claim under this
Agreement is referred to the MAC Umpire:
(a) |
they
will instruct the MAC Umpire to determine the matters in dispute
and, as a
result, shall request the MAC Umpire to notify its decision to Xxxx-XxXxx
and the Buyer within 20 Business Days of being instructed;
|
(b) |
they
will each use all reasonable endeavours to co-operate with the MAC
Umpire
in resolving such disagreement or dispute, and for that purpose will
provide to him all such information and documentation as he may reasonably
require;
|
(c) |
the
MAC Umpire shall have the right to seek such professional assistance
and
advice as he may require in fulfilling his duties; and
|
(d) |
the
fees of the MAC Umpire (and any professional fees incurred by him)
shall
be borne as to half by the Buyer and as to half by Xxxx-XxXxx provided
that if either Party fails to pay its share of any such fee within
five
Business Days of the relevant invoice being rendered to them or either
of
them the other shall be entitled to pay the full amount of the fee
and
thereafter to recover one half from the first-mentioned one of them
as a
debt due and payable on demand.
|
4.13 If
on or by one of the dates fixed for Completion a MAC Claim is outstanding (that
is to say a notice has been served by the Buyer pursuant to clause 4.8
and by the relevant date Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer have neither agreed, nor
has
the MAC Umpire determined, whether the MAC Claim is valid), then Completion
shall take place on the second Business Day following the later of:
(a) |
the
date on which the Conditions Precedent set out in clause 4.1(a) to
4.1(d)
(inclusive) are satisfied; and
|
(b) |
the
date on which the MAC Claim is either agreed by the Parties not to
constitute a Material Adverse Change or determined by the MAC Umpire
(in
accordance with the foregoing provisions of this clause 4) not to
be
valid.
|
If
it is determined pursuant to clause 4.9
or 4.10
that a Material Adverse Change has occurred before the Completion Date, the
Buyer shall have the right, after such date, to serve written notice on each
other Party terminating this Agreement, whereupon this Agreement shall terminate
with effect from the date of such notice and no Party shall have any liability
to another under this Agreement except in respect of clauses 21, 22
and 23
and any breach of the other terms hereof committed before such
date.
5. Pre-completion
Undertakings
5.1 During
the period from the date of this Agreement to Completion, Xxxx-XxXxx shall
perform its obligations set out in Schedule 5
(Conduct of the Target Companies Pre-Completion).
18
6. Completion
6.1 Completion
of the transfer of the Shares shall take place on the Completion Date at the
Completion Venue.
6.2 At
Completion each of Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer shall deliver or perform (or procure
that there is delivered or performed) all those documents, items and actions
respectively listed in relation to that Party or the members of Xxxx-XxXxx
Group
or the Buyer Group (as the case may be) in Schedule 7
(Completion Arrangements).
6.3 Each
of the Parties shall, and shall procure that its respective Affiliates shall,
execute such other documents and do all such other acts and things as may
reasonably be required in order to effect the transfer of the Shares to the
Buyer and otherwise carry out the true intent of this Agreement.
6.4 The
Tax Covenant shall come into full force and effect at Completion.
7. Xxxx-XxXxx
Warranties
and Limitations
7.1 Subject
to the provisions of this clause 7,
Xxxx-XxXxx hereby warrants to the Buyer in the terms set out in Schedule 2
(Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties) as at the date hereof.
7.2 Subject
to the provisions of this clause 7
and subject to the matters notified pursuant to clause 7.5,
the Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties under paragraphs 1.1,
1.2,
1.3,
1.4,
5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 8.1,
8.2,
9.2
and 10
of Part A
of Schedule 2
(Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties) shall be repeated at Completion to the extent that
they
relate to the conduct of Xxxx-XxXxx by reference to the facts and circumstances
then existing.
7.3 The
Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties are given subject to:
(a) |
other
than in respect of the warranty contained in Schedule 2
Part D, paragraph 7(b), any matters fairly disclosed by or under
this
Agreement, any Transaction Document, the Disclosure Letter, or by
or under
any information, document or material contained in the Data Room;
|
(b) |
the
other limitations and qualifications set out in this clause 7
and in Schedule 4
(Limitations on Liability); and
|
(c) |
so
far as the Tax Warranties only are concerned, the additional limitations
and qualifications set out in the Tax Covenant insofar as they are
expressed to apply to the Tax Warranties save that in respect of
the
warranty contained in Schedule 2 Part D 7(b) the only
additional
limitation or qualification set out in the Tax Covenant that will
apply is
that contained in
paragraph 3.1(h).
|
7.4 The
Buyer acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) |
subject
to clause 7.3(c), any Claims shall be subject to the limitations
on
liabilities and other provisions set out in Schedule 4
(Limitations on Liability) (to the extent provided therein) and any
Tax
Claims shall be subject to the limitation on liabilities and other
provisions set out in the Tax Covenant (to the extent provided
therein);
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19
(b) |
the
Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties are the only warranties or representations
of any
kind given by or on behalf of Xxxx-XxXxx or any of its Affiliates
on which
the Buyer may rely in entering into this Agreement;
and
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(c) |
no
other statement, promise or forecast made by or on behalf of Xxxx-XxXxx
or
any of its Connected Persons, other than the Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties
or any
covenant in any Transaction Document may form the basis of any claim
by
the Buyer or any of its Connected Persons under or in connection
with this
Agreement or any other Transaction Document and all responsibility
for any
such statement, promise or forecast is disclaimed; without limitation,
the
Buyer acknowledges and agrees that neither Xxxx-XxXxx nor any of
its
Connected Persons makes any representation or warranty as to: (i)
the
accuracy of any forecasts, estimates, projections, statements of
intent or
statements of opinion provided to the Buyer or its Connected Persons
or to
its or their advisers on or prior to the date of this Agreement,
including
those contained in any documents in the Data Room; (ii) except
as
expressly set out in the Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties, the accuracy of any
information, documents or materials furnished to or for the Buyer
or any
other person by Xxxx-XxXxx or any of its Connected Persons including
any
information, documents or material made available to the Buyer in
the Data
Room, management presentation or any other form in expectation of
the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (iii) the amounts, quality
or
deliverability of reserves of crude oil, natural gas or other hydrocarbons
attributable to the Target Companies; (iv) any geological, geographical,
engineering, economic or other interpretations, forecasts or evaluations;
(v) any forecast of expenditures, budgets or financial projections;
(vi)
any geological formation, drilling prospect or hydrocarbon reserve;
or
(vii) except as expressly set out in the Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties, the
condition, performance or operability of any of the assets related
to the
Target Companies.
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7.5 Xxxx-XxXxx
shall promptly notify the Buyer in writing of (i) any breach of the Xxxx-XxXxx
Warranties which becomes known to it after the date of this Agreement but before
Completion and (ii) any circumstances, facts or matters which arise following
execution of this Agreement and become known to it prior to Completion which,
in
relation to any of the Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties to be repeated at Completion
pursuant to clause 7.2,
would if subsisting at Completion be inconsistent with any of those warranties
(as repeated). The Parties agree that the Disclosure Letter shall be deemed
(other than in respect of the Title Warranties and other than for the purposes
of clause 7.6) to be amended with effect on and from the date of this Agreement
to reflect such circumstances, facts or matters described in (ii) above. Such
notice shall state that it is served pursuant to this clause 7.5.
Any circumstances, facts or matters referred to in such notice shall not
constitute a disclosure against any of the Title Warranties of Part A
of Schedule 2
or for the purposes of clause 7.6.
7.6 In
the event that any circumstance, fact or matter is notified by Xxxx-XxXxx in
accordance with clause 7.5
or otherwise becomes known to the Buyer following execution of this Agreement
which would if subsisting at Completion be inconsistent with any of the
Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties under paragraphs 1.1,
1.2,
1.3,
1.4,
5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 8.1,
8.2,
9.2
and 10
of Part A
of Schedule 2
(Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties) to the extent that they relate to the conduct of
Xxxx-XxXxx (as repeated at the Completion Date pursuant to clause 7.2)
in a respect which materially affects the value of the Shares,
then:
(a) |
if
the inconsistency is capable of remedy, Xxxx-XxXxx shall have the
opportunity to remedy the same at its own expense and, if it chooses
to
exercise that right, it shall promptly notify the Buyer of its decision
to
do so and shall use reasonable endeavours to ensure remedy of the
inconsistency as soon as practicable;
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20
(b) |
if
the inconsistency has not been so remedied prior to the day falling
five
Business Days before (and excluding) the Completion Date, Xxxx-XxXxx
and
the Buyer shall prior to Completion discuss the effects on the value
of
the Shares and whether the terms hereof could be amended prior to
Completion to take account of any such change in circumstance, fact
or
matter;
|
(c) |
subject
to clauses 7.6(a)
and 7.6(b)
and in the absence of agreement between Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer,
the
Buyer shall not be obliged to complete the acquisition of the Shares
and
shall be entitled by notice in writing to Xxxx-XxXxx prior to Completion
to rescind this Agreement; and
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(d) |
in
the circumstances contemplated by this clause 7.6,
such rights shall be the Buyer’s only remedy and whether or not the Buyer
chooses to rescind this Agreement pursuant to clause 7.6(c)
it shall not be entitled to make any claim for breach of warranty
in
respect of the circumstance, fact or matter notified or to any other
remedy in respect thereof.
|
For
the purposes of this clause 7.6,
the value of the Shares shall be deemed to be materially affected if (i) the
total loss suffered or incurred, or, likely to be suffered or incurred by the
Buyer pursuant to this clause 7.6 and clause 7.13 would exceed an amount equal
to 15% of the Base Consideration, or (ii) the relevant circumstance, fact or
matter would if subsisting at Completion be inconsistent with either of the
Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties given under paragraphs 10.1 and 10.2 of Part A of Schedule
2 insofar as such Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties relate to the Xxxx-XxXxx
Guarantor.
7.7 Other
than in respect of the warranty contained in Schedule 2
Part D, paragraph 7(b), the Buyer warrants to Xxxx-XxXxx that there are no
circumstances, facts or matters within the actual knowledge at the date hereof
of the Buyer which the Buyer is aware would entitle it to make any Claim against
Xxxx-XxXxx and, insofar as there are any such circumstances, facts or matters
within the actual knowledge at the date hereof of the Buyer which the Buyer
is
aware would entitle it to make any such claim, the Buyer shall not be entitled
to make any Claim in respect thereof provided however that the foregoing shall
not prejudice any right of the Buyer to claim for breach of the warranty set
out
in paragraph 7(b) of Part D of Schedule 2.
For the purposes of this clause 7.7 references to the knowledge or awareness
of
the Buyer are to the actual knowledge or awareness of any of Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Jesper Bramming, Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx-Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx
Naesby, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxx.
7.8 The
Buyer undertakes to Xxxx-XxXxx (for the Buyer itself and each of its Connected
Persons) that, except in the case of fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation,
it
waives and shall not make any claim against any Connected Persons of Xxxx-XxXxx
on whom it may have relied in relation to any information supplied or omitted
to
be supplied by any such person in connection with this Agreement provided
however that nothing in this clause 7.8 shall affect the rights of the Buyer
to
make a claim under the Xxxx-XxXxx Parent Company Guarantee in respect of the
obligations of Xxxx-XxXxx under this Agreement.
7.9 Each
of the paragraphs in Schedule 2:
21
(a) |
shall
be construed as a separate and independent warranty; and
|
(b) |
unless
expressly provided in this Agreement (including the Tax Covenant),
shall
not be limited by reference to any other paragraph in Schedule 2
or by any
other provision of this Agreement or the Tax Covenant,
|
and
the Buyer shall have a separate claim and right of action in respect of every
breach of a Xxxx-XxXxx Warranty.
7.10 The
Xxxx-XxXxx Warranties shall not in any respect be extinguished or affected
by
Completion.
7.11 Each
of Xxxx-XxXxx and the Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor undertakes to the Buyer (for itself
and each of its Connected Persons) that, except in the case of fraud or
misrepresentation, it waives and shall not make any claim against any Connected
Persons of the Buyer on whom it may have relied in relation to any information
supplied or omitted to be supplied by any such person in connection with this
Agreement.
7.12 None
of the limitations in this clause 7
or in Schedule 4
(Limitations on Liability) shall apply to any Claim which arises (or to the
extent that it is increased) as a consequence of fraud or fraudulent
misrepresentation by Xxxx-XxXxx or any of its Affiliates.
7.13 If
prior to Completion it shall be found that there has been a material breach
of
the obligations contained in clause 5.1 and such breach is incapable of remedy
or, if capable of remedy, is not remedied by Xxxx-XxXxx within 30 days of notice
to Xxxx-XxXxx of the breach (or within such longer period as is agreed in
writing between Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer if such breach is capable of remedy),
the Buyer shall be entitled to terminate this Agreement by notice to
Xxxx-XxXxx.
7.14 For
the purposes of clause 7.13, a material
breach
shall be deemed to arise where the total loss suffered or incurred, or likely
to
be suffered or incurred by the Buyer pursuant to clause 7.13 and clause 7.6
would exceed an amount equal to 15% of the Base Consideration.
8. The
Buyer’s Warranties
8.1 Subject
to the provisions of this clause 8,
the Buyer hereby warrants to Xxxx-XxXxx in the terms set out in Schedule 3
(The Buyer Warranties) as at the date hereof.
8.2 The
Buyer’s Warranties will be repeated at Completion to the extent that they relate
to the conduct of the Buyer by reference to the facts and circumstances then
existing.
8.3 If
the Buyer pays to Xxxx-XxXxx an amount pursuant to a Buyer Warranty Claim and
Xxxx-XxXxx is entitled to recover from some other person any sum to which it
would not have been or become entitled but for the circumstances giving rise
to
such Buyer Warranty Claim, subject to Xxxx-XxXxx being indemnified against
all
reasonable out-of-pocket third party costs and expenses properly incurred by
Xxxx-XxXxx or the relevant member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group, Xxxx-XxXxx shall
promptly undertake all steps (whether by way of a claim against its insurers
or
otherwise including but without limitation proceedings) to enforce such recovery
and shall as soon as practicable following any such recovery repay to the Buyer
the lesser of: (i) the amount paid to it by the Buyer pursuant to the Buyer
Warranty Claim; and (ii) the amount recovered from the third party in each
case
less all out-of-pocket third party costs, charges and expenses reasonably and
properly incurred by Xxxx-XxXxx in obtaining that payment and in recovering
that
amount from the third party and net of any tax payable on the amount received
or
that would have been payable but for the use of set off of any
relief.
22
8.4 The
Buyer shall notify Xxxx-XxXxx in writing of any circumstances, facts or matters
which following execution of this Agreement become known to it prior to
Completion which are inconsistent with any of the Buyer Warranties or which
would if subsisting at Completion be inconsistent with any of those warranties
(as repeated at the Completion Date pursuant to clause 8.2).
Such notice shall state that it is served pursuant to this clause 8.4.
9. Completion
Adjustments
9.1 Where
any sums are taken into account in:
(a) |
the
Working Capital Adjustment;
|
(b) |
the
Distribution Adjustment;
|
(c) |
the
Contribution Adjustment;
|
(d) |
the
Asset Sale Adjustment; and
|
(e) |
the
Interest Adjustment,
|
(together,
the Adjustments
(with Adjustment
meaning
any or all of the above (as the context may require)), or are payable by the
Buyer to Xxxx-XxXxx or by Xxxx-XxXxx to the Buyer pursuant to this clause
9,
Schedule 6 or Schedule 8 (together the Adjustment
Clauses)
or pursuant to a Xxxx-XxXxx Warranty Claim under clause 7
or a Buyer Warranty Claim under clause 8,
or are payable by the Buyer pursuant to clause 11 or by Xxxx-XxXxx pursuant
to
clause 12, the same shall operate by way of increases or decreases, as the
case
may be, in the Base Consideration.
9.2 The
following principles shall apply in respect of the Adjustments and the Base
Consideration:
(a) |
the
Base Consideration shall be adjusted by the
Adjustments;
|
(b) |
no
item taken into account in calculating any one Adjustment or other
increases or decreases as the case may be under the Adjustment Clauses
or
clauses 7,
8,
11
or 12
shall be taken into account in calculating any of the other Adjustments
so
as to result in a Party making or receiving payment twice in respect
thereof.
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9.3
(a) |
Xxxx-XxXxx
shall provide the Buyer with a written statement specifying (i) its
best
estimate of the sum of all the Adjustments as at the Completion Date
(the
Interim
Net Adjustment Amount)
which if positive shall increase the Base Consideration payable by
the
Buyer at Completion and if negative shall reduce the Base Consideration
payable by the Buyer at Completion;
and (ii) its best estimate of each Completion Inter-Company Payable
and
each Completion Inter-Company
Receivable.
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23
(b) |
Such
statement (the Interim
Completion Statement)
shall be provided no later than two (2) Business Days prior to Completion
in the format set out in Schedule 6
(Completion Adjustments).
|
9.3A In
addition to the other provisions of the Adjustments Clauses, the following
shall
also apply to the determination of the Working Capital Adjustment:
(a) |
Within
15 Business Days of the date of this Agreement, Xxxx-XxXxx may elect
to
notify the Buyer in writing (such notification being the IWCS Final
Statement) of any adjustment it wishes to make to the Initial Working
Capital Statement attached to this Agreement as Annex 1 (the IWCS)
as a
result of:
|
(i) |
any
error or omission in the IWCS; or
|
(ii) |
any
of the line items in the IWCS: (1) Products Inventory and Materials
Inventory; (2) Overlift or Underlift; (3) Revenue-Accruals Estimate;
and
(4) Provisions for Current Income Taxes or such other line items
as may be
determined in good faith between Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer, being
calculated otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of Schedule
6.
The IWCS Final Statement shall set out the details of Xxxx-XxXxx’x
reasons, the specific adjustments which, in Xxxx-XxXxx’x opinion, should
be made to each relevant item in the IWCS, and set out details of
the
revised balances.
|
(b) |
If
Xxxx-XxXxx fails to deliver a IWCS Final Statement to the Buyer in
accordance with clause 9.3A(a), then, notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement, the IWCS shall be deemed to constitute the Working
Capital Adjustment for the purposes of the Interim Completion
Statement.
|
(c) |
Within
the earlier of: (1) 60 days of receipt of the IWCS Final Statement;
and
(2) two (2) Business Days prior to Completion, the Buyer shall notify
Xxxx-XxXxx in writing whether or not it accepts the IWCS Final Statement.
If the Buyer notifies Xxxx-XxXxx in writing within such time that
it
agrees with the IWCS Final Statement, or if the Buyer fails to deliver
such notice within the required time, then, notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, the relevant amount in the IWCS Final
Statement shall be deemed to constitute, and have been agreed by
Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer as, the final and binding Working Capital
Adjustment for the purposes of both the Interim Completion Statement
and
the Final Completion Statement.
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(d) |
If
the Buyer notifies Xxxx-XxXxx within the time specified in clause
9.3A(c)
that it does not accept the IWCS Final Statement, then the Buyer
and
Xxxx-XxXxx shall use all reasonable endeavours: (1) to meet and discuss
the objections of the Buyer; and (2) to reach agreement upon the
adjustments (if any) required to be made to the IWCS Final Statement,
within the earlier of: (1) a period of ten (10) Business Days after
receipt by Xxxx-XxXxx of such notice and (2) two (2) Business Day
prior to
Completion. During such period Xxxx-XxXxx shall make available to
the
Buyer and its representatives for their review the supporting papers
of
Xxxx-XxXxx and its representatives relating to the IWCS Final Statement
and the basis therefore.
|
(e) |
If
Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer do not agree within the period referred
to in
clause 9.3A(d) on the adjustments required to the IWCS Final Statement,
then, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
IWCS
shall constitute the Working Capital Adjustment for the purposes
of the
Interim Completion Statement.
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24
(f) |
If
Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer agree within the period referred to in clause
9.3A(d) on the adjustments required to the IWCS Final Statement,
then,
notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the relevant
amount
in the IWCS Final Statement as adjusted shall be deemed to constitute,
and
have been agreed by Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer as, the final and binding
Working Capital Adjustment for the purposes of both the Interim Completion
Statement and the Final Completion
Statement.
|
(g) |
Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, Xxxx-XxXxx shall not be entitled
to
require or propose any change or adjustment to the Working Capital
Adjustment other than those set out in the IWCS Final
Statement.
|
9.4 Within
sixty (60) days after Completion, Xxxx-XxXxx shall provide the Buyer with a
written statement (in the format set out in Schedule 6
(Completion Adjustments)) giving its calculation of the final amounts of each
of:
(a) |
the
Adjustments;
|
(b) |
the
Net Adjustment Amount;
|
(c) |
the
balance payable by Xxxx-XxXxx or the Buyer after taking into account
the
Interim Net Adjustment Amount which adjusted the Base Consideration
paid
at Completion; and
|
(d) |
the
Completion Inter-Company Payables and Completion Inter-Company
Receivables.
|
(the
Final
Completion Statement)
provided however that the Asset Net Adjustment Amount element of the Asset
Sale
Adjustment shall be included at an amount equal to the Asset Net Adjustment
Amount included in the Asset Final Completion Statements or as otherwise
determined prior to the date of the Final Completion Statement in accordance
with clause 8.7 of the Asset Sale Agreements. The Buyer shall notify
Xxxx-XxXxx in writing (such notification being an Objection
Notice)
within sixty (60) days after receipt whether or not it accepts that the Final
Completion Statement has been prepared in accordance with the relevant
provisions of this Agreement. The Buyer shall include in any notice indicating
that the Buyer does not so accept the Final Completion Statement details of
the
Buyer’s reasons for such non-acceptance, the adjustments which, in the Buyer’s
opinion, should be made to the Final Completion Statement in order to comply
with the provisions of this Agreement and sets out the specific items that
are
in dispute accompanied by the Buyer’s calculation at its best estimate of each
of the items that are in dispute (the Disputed
Amounts).
Except for Disputed Amounts, the Buyer shall be deemed to have accepted the
Final Completion Statement in full.
9.5 If
the Buyer serves an Objection Notice in accordance with clause 9.4,
then the Buyer and Xxxx-XxXxx shall use all reasonable endeavours: (a) to meet
and discuss the objections of the Buyer; and (b) to reach agreement upon the
adjustments (if any) required to be made to the Final Completion Statement,
within a period of ten (10) Business Days after receipt by Xxxx-XxXxx of the
Objection Notice.
During such ten (10) Business Days period the Buyer shall make available to
Xxxx-XxXxx and its representatives for their review the supporting papers of
the
Buyer and its representatives relating to the Objection Notice and the basis
therefor.
25
9.6 If
the Buyer notifies Xxxx-XxXxx in writing that it is satisfied with the Final
Completion Statement (either as originally submitted or after adjustments agreed
between Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer pursuant to clause 9.5)
or if the Buyer fails to give a valid Objection Notice within the sixty (60)
days period referred to in clause 9.4,
then (a)
if on the date of such written notification or such failure to give a valid
Objection Notice, the Asset Net Adjustment Amount has been agreed or determined
pursuant to clause 8
of the Asset Sale Agreements, the payment of the Net Adjustment Amount (after
taking into account the Interim Net Adjustment Amount which adjusted the Base
Consideration paid at Completion) due in accordance with the Final Completion
Statement (but with the Asset Net Adjustment Amount as so agreed or determined
replacing the amount in respect of the Asset Net Adjustment Agreement in such
calculation) shall be made within three (3) Business Days of such written
notification or such failure to give a valid Objection Notice (as the case
may
be), together with simple interest on such amount from and including the
Completion Date up to and excluding the date of payment calculated on a daily
basis on the basis of a 360 day year at the rate of 1% per annum above the
Reference Interest Rate and (b) if on the date of such written notification
or
such failure to give a valid Objection Notice, the Asset Net Adjustment Amount
has not been agreed or determined pursuant to clause 8
of the Asset Sale Agreements, (i) the Net Adjustment Amount (after taking into
account the Interim Net Adjustment Amount) due in accordance with the Final
Completion Statement shall be recalculated when the Asset Net Adjustment Amount
has been so agreed or determined by substituting such Asset Net Adjustment
Amount for the amount included in respect of the Asset Net Adjustment Amount
in
the Asset Sale Adjustment component of the Net Adjustment Amount and (ii)
payment of such Net Adjustment Amount (after taking into account the Interim
Net
Adjustment Amount) as so recalculated shall be made within three (3) Business
Days of such recalculation of the Net Adjustment Amount, together with simple
interest on such amount from and including the Completion Date up to and
excluding the date of payment calculated on a daily basis on the basis of a
360
day year at the rate of 1% per annum above the Reference Interest
Rate.
9.7 If
the Parties cannot reach agreement as specified in clause 9.5
within the time limit provided in that clause, the Disputed Amounts may be
referred by any Party for determination by an independent chartered accountant
nominated by the Parties or, in the absence of agreement between the Parties
within five (5) Business Days of a Party notifying the other that it proposes
to
refer the dispute to an expert, by the President of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in England and Wales (the Nominated
Independent Accountant).
The Parties shall instruct the Nominated Independent Accountant to render its
decision within sixty (60) days of its selection. The Nominated Independent
Accountant shall be afforded such access to books, records, accounts and
documents in the possession of the Parties as he may reasonably request, and
he
shall act as expert not as arbitrator. The Nominated Independent Accountant’s
determination shall, in the absence of fraud or manifest error, be final and
binding on the Parties, his fees and disbursements shall be borne
by Xxxx-XxXxx as to one half and the Buyer as to the other half and each Party
shall bear its own costs in respect of such reference.
26
(a) |
If,
on the date of such determination, the Asset Net Adjustment Amount
has
been agreed or determined pursuant to clause 8
of the Asset Sale Agreements, payment of the Net Adjustment Amount
(after
taking into account the Interim Net Adjustment Amount which adjusted
the
Base Consideration paid at Completion) (the Adjustment
Amount)
in accordance with the Nominated Independent Accountant’s determination of
any Disputed Amounts in respect of the Net Adjustment Amount and
in
accordance with the Final Completion Statement in respect of all
other
items (but with the Asset Net Adjustment Amount as so agreed or determined
pursuant to clause 8
of the Asset Sale Agreements replacing the amount in respect of the
Asset
Net Adjustment Amount, if different, in the Asset Sale Adjustment
component of the Net Adjustment Amount) shall be made within three
(3)
Business Days of the determination of the Nominated Independent
Accountant
of the Disputed Amounts, together with simple interest on the Adjustment
Amount from and including the Completion Date up to and excluding
the date
of payment calculated on a daily basis on the basis of a 360 day
year at
the Reference Interest Rate.
|
(b) |
If
on the date of such determination, the Asset Net Adjustment Amount
has not
been agreed or determined pursuant to clause 8
of the Asset Sale Agreements, the Net Adjustment Amount (after taking
into
account the Interim Net Adjustment Amount which adjusted the Base
Consideration paid at Completion) in accordance with the Nominated
Independent Accountant’s determination of any Disputed Amounts and in
accordance with the Final Completion Statement in respect of all
other
items shall be recalculated when the Asset Net Adjustment Amount
has been
so agreed or determined by substituting such Asset Net Adjustment
Amount
for the amount included in respect of the Asset Net Adjustment Amount
in
the Asset Sale Adjustment component of the Net Adjustment Amount,
and the
amount after such recalculation shall be paid, within three (3) Business
Days of such recalculation, together with simple interest thereon
from and
including the Completion Date up to and excluding the date of payment
calculated on a daily basis on the basis of a 360 day year at the
Reference Interest Rate.
|
9.8 Xxxx-XxXxx
shall provide the Buyer with copies of all Operator’s reports, billing
statements and correspondence and any and all other relevant documentation
in
its possession or under its control reasonably necessary to support the
statements referred to in clauses 9.3
and 9.4.
The Parties shall liaise on the compilation and agreement of the said
statements.
9.9 Subject
to clause 9.10, to enable Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer to meet their obligations
and
exercise their rights under this clause 9,
they shall each provide to each other and to their respective
accountants:
(a) |
all
information, supporting documentation and explanations in their respective
possession or control relating to the Target Companies (including
access
at all reasonable times to all relevant books and records, and reasonable
cooperation and assistance from
employees);
|
(b) |
such
copies (including electronic copies) (at the other's expense) of
the
relevant books and records and such other assistance as may be reasonably
requested by the other to facilitate the agreement of the Final Completion
Statement.
|
Each
of Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer hereby agrees to use reasonable endeavours not
to
take any action which would impede or delay the agreement of the Final
Completion Statement or the determination of the Total Consideration in the
manner and using the methods required by this Agreement.
27
9.10 For
the avoidance of doubt, nothing in clause 9.9 shall entitle Xxxx-XxXxx or the
Buyer or any of their respective advisers to have access to any correspondence
between Xxxx-XxXxx and its advisers or the Buyer and its advisers, as the case
may be, concerning disputes or potentially disputed items in the Final
Completion Statement.
9.11 Xxxx-XxXxx
shall, within five (5) Business Days after receipt of a demand in respect
thereof and evidence of the calculation thereof, pay to the Buyer (by way,
so
far as possible, of adjustment to the consideration for the sale of the Shares)
an amount equal to any amount payable by the Asset Sellers pursuant to
paragraph 3.5 of Schedule 8 to the Asset Sale Agreements provided
however that no amount shall be payable by Xxxx-XxXxx hereunder on any date
prior to the due date for payment pursuant to such paragraph 3.5. The
Buyer
shall within two (2) Business Days of payment of an amount to the Asset Sellers
pursuant to paragraph 3.5 of Schedule 8 to the Asset Sale Agreements,
pay an amount equal to such payment to Xxxx-XxXxx (by way, so far as possible,
of adjustment to the consideration for the sale of the Shares).
10. Information,
Records and Assistance Post Completion
10.1 Each
of Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer shall provide (and upon reasonable request procure
that its respective Affiliates provide) the other with reasonable access to
(and
the right, at the cost of the Party making the request, to take copies of)
the
books, accounts and all other records held by any member of the Buyer Group
or
the Xxxx-XxXxx Group respectively after Completion to the extent that such
books, accounts and records relate to the Target Companies and to the period
up
to Completion (the Records).
This obligation is subject to:
(a) |
the
provisions of clause 23;
|
(b) |
the
person seeking access providing reasonable justification that the
same is
required;
|
(c) |
access
being given only during working hours and at a time acceptable to
the
holder of the relevant Records;
|
(d) |
the
provisions of the Tax Covenant;
|
(e) |
any
restrictions on access imposed by law or the terms of any agreement;
and
|
(f) |
any
claim for legal privilege.
|
10.2 For
a period of seven years following the Completion Date, neither Xxxx-XxXxx nor
the Buyer shall dispose of or destroy (and each shall procure that its
respective Affiliates do not dispose of or destroy) any of the Records without
first giving the other at least two months’ notice of its intention to do so and
giving the other a reasonable opportunity to remove and retain any of them
(at
that other person’s expense).
10.3 Without
prejudice to any information, access or assistance required under clauses
9.8,
9.9
or 13.5,
the Buyer shall (and shall procure that each member of the Buyer Group shall),
at the Buyer’s expense (other than reasonable out of pocket costs properly
incurred by it, which will be borne by Xxxx-XxXxx) and on reasonable notice
from
Xxxx-XxXxx, give such assistance to any member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group as
Xxxx-XxXxx may reasonably request in relation to any third party proceedings
by
or against any member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group so far as the same relate to
the
Target Companies, including solely in relation to any third party proceedings
against any member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group, proceedings relating to taxation.
28
10.4 This
clause 10
shall not apply to the process for ascertaining the Final Completion Statement
or in relation to any investigation of any actual or potential claim or dispute
in connection with this Agreement.
10.5 The
following principles shall apply in respect of post Completion exercises of
options:
(a) |
in
the event of any exercise of an option or vesting of an award held
by an
Employee or former Employee under either of the Share Plans (a
Share
Plan Event),
Xxxx-XxXxx shall within five Business Days give notice of that fact
to the
Buyer and provide the Buyer with all information reasonably required
to
calculate the amount of any Employee Tax Liability that will arise
as a
result of that exercise or vesting, including the amount of employment
income arising to that Employee or former Employee, the date by which
any
Employee Tax Liability in respect of that exercise or vesting must
be paid
to HMRC and whether that Employee or former Employee has entered
into a
joint election under paragraph 3B of Schedule 1 to the Social Security
Contributions and Benefits Xxx 0000 or an agreement under paragraph
3A of
Schedule 1 to that Act in relation to that exercise or
vesting;
|
(b) |
in
relation to each Share Plan Event, the Buyer shall procure that the
member
of the Buyer Group (the Relevant
Company)
that employs or employed the Employee or former Employee concerned
gives
notice to Xxxx-XxXxx of the amount of the Employee Tax Liability
to be
accounted for in respect of the applicable exercise or vesting within
five
Business Days after the giving of the notice, referred to in clause
10.5(a);
|
(c) |
in
relation to each Share Plan Event, Xxxx-XxXxx shall, to the extent
Xxxx-XxXxx is allowed to recover the Employee Tax Liability in accordance
with the rules of the Share Plans and any grant documentation, recover
from the Employee or former Employee concerned the maximum Employee
Tax
Liability that is payable by an Employee in relation to that exercise
or
vesting (the Recovered
Amount)
and the Buyer shall procure that the Relevant Company will provide
any
assistance to Xxxx-XxXxx in relation to that recovery as shall be
reasonably requested by Xxxx-XxXxx and permitted by
law;
|
(d) |
in
relation to each Share Plan Event, Xxxx-XxXxx shall pay an amount
equal to
the Recovered Amount to the Relevant Company not less than five Business
Days before the date on which that liability must be accounted for
to
HMRC;
|
(e) |
in
relation to each Share Plan Event, the Buyer shall procure that the
Relevant Company will account for the relevant Employee Tax Liability
to
HMRC on or before the date referred to in clause 10.5(d) or, if later,
on
or before the fifth Business Day after the date on which the relevant
Employee Tax Liability payment is received by it from Xxxx-XxXxx
under
clause 10.5(d), in either case expressly acting (if necessary under
the
relevant legislation) as agent of
Xxxx-XxXxx;
|
29
(f) |
in
relation to each Share Plan Event, Xxxx-XxXxx shall provide the Buyer
with
all information reasonably required to be reported to HMRC in relation
to
that exercise or vesting within the appropriate time;
|
(g) |
in
this clause 10.5, Employee
Tax Liability
means any income tax and primary and, if applicable, secondary Class
1
National Insurance contributions payable by an Employee or former
Employee
and for which a Relevant Company is liable to account under PAYE;
and
Share
Plan
has the same meaning as in paragraph 7,
Part G
of Schedule 2.
|
10.6 The
Buyer intends to ensure that the gross remuneration of the Employees (including,
but not limited to awards under any long-term incentive plan) is not adversely
affected as a result of this transaction.
10.7 Certain
systems and services used by the Target Companies are currently provided, or
have been provided in the normal course of business during the 12 months prior
to the date of this Agreement, for or procured by retained companies in the
Xxxx-XxXxx Group (the Services).
Arrangement for the ongoing provision of the Services will be set out in a
transitional service agreement to be negotiated in good faith between the
Parties following signature of this Agreement and prior to the Completion Date
(the TSA).
The Services shall in particular include (without limitation): (i) crude oil
sales and trading (in particular then-current trading data), (ii) treasury,
(iii) corporate taxation and accounting, (iv) support of the Target Companies
by
Xxxx-XxXxx expatriate employees (in particular in relation to obtaining DTI
operational approval for the business of the Target Companies), (v) information
technology services (in particular provided on the basis of Oracle, PeopleSoft
and Livelink systems), and (vi) reasonable access to relevant staff, data and
records. The Services will be provided or procured by companies of the
Xxxx-XxXxx Group to the Target Companies for 12 months after Completion Date
(subject to termination, without penalty, of any Service by the Buyer on no
less
than 30 days' prior written notice), for a service charge of an amount to be
agreed but calculated as being reflective of the anticipated direct costs
incurred by the Xxxx-XxXxx Group (without any xxxx up) in providing them. The
costs of third parties’ consent to authorise Xxxx-XxXxx to provide the Services,
if any, shall be shared between the Buyer and Xxxx-XxXxx on an equal basis.
All
costs incurred by the Buyer in relation to acquiring its own systems and
services to replace the Services will be borne exclusively by the Buyer. The
Services shall be provided to a standard at least as high as provided to the
Target Companies in the 12 months prior to the date of this Agreement but
recognising that the relevant service provider (if a member of the Xxxx-XxXxx
Group) is not in the business of providing the Services on a commercial
arms-length basis. The TSA shall include an agreed migration plan for the Target
Companies' migration away from the information technology systems of the
Xxxx-XxXxx Group. From the date of this Agreement until the Completion Date
(and
thereafter in accordance with the terms of the TSA), Xxxx-XxXxx shall provide
or
procure the provision to the Target Companies of reasonable access to its or
members of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group's (as applicable) relevant staff, data and
records to facilitate the running of the business of the Target
Companies.
30
11. Environment
and Decommissioning
11.1 The
Buyer shall at its cost and expense perform and shall be responsible for any
Losses and Expenses associated with decommissioning, abandonment, removing
and
making safe all plant, equipment and machinery, xxxxx and other installations
(including offshore installations, pipelines and submarine pipelines) and
facilities relating to operations, activities or assets under or that are the
subject of (a) any of the Licences and/or any Operating Agreement or
other
Licensed Interest Document whether incurred or required under or pursuant to
any
of the Licensed Interest Documents or under or pursuant to any statutory
obligation, common law, international law, or international convention or any
other obligation in connection with the Target Company Business; or (b) any
former licences and/or each and any operating agreement, licensed interest
document or other agreements to which a Target Company was, but no longer is,
a
party or any interests previously owned by a Target Company, whether such Losses
and Expenses are incurred under or pursuant to any of such licensed interest
documents or other agreements or under statutory, common law, international
law,
international convention
or other obligation.
11.2 The
Buyer covenants that it shall indemnify (on an after-tax basis) and hold
Xxxx-XxXxx and its Connected Persons harmless against:
(a) |
any
and all Losses and Expenses which Xxxx-XxXxx or any of its Connected
Persons incurs arising out of or in connection with the Decommissioning
Liabilities regardless of whensoever such Decommissioning Liabilities
may
arise or may have arisen, regardless of whosoever is or was a licensee
under the relevant licence or a party to the relevant operating agreement
or owned or leased the relevant property and regardless of whether
such
Losses and Expenses arise as a consequence of negligence on the part
of
Xxxx-XxXxx or any of its Connected Persons or any other operator
or person
provided that the Buyer shall not be required to reimburse Xxxx-XxXxx
for
amounts spent by Xxxx-XxXxx or any other person prior to the Completion
Date
in respect of Decommissioning Liabilities; and
|
(b) |
any
Losses and Expenses which Xxxx-XxXxx or any of its Connected Persons
incurs arising out of or in connection with the Environmental Liabilities
regardless of whensoever such Environmental Liabilities may arise
or may
have arisen, regardless of whosoever is or was a licensee under the
relevant licence or a party to the relevant operating agreement or
owned
or leased the relevant property and regardless of whether such Losses
and
Expenses arise
as a consequence of negligence or breach of any Environmental Law
on the
part of Xxxx-XxXxx or any of its Connected Persons or any other person
provided that the Buyer shall not be required to reimburse Xxxx-XxXxx
for
amounts spent by Xxxx-XxXxx or any other person prior to the Completion
Date in respect of Environmental
Liabilities.
|
11.3 Upon
Xxxx-XxXxx’x request from time to time, the Buyer will support any application
by Xxxx-XxXxx or any other member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group to obtain from the
relevant authorities an irrevocable release of Xxxx-XxXxx and/or any other
member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group from its obligations and liabilities in
connection with the Target Company Business under the Xxxxxxxxx Xxx 0000 or
other relevant statute, regulation, order or requirement of any competent
authority or guideline, notice or demand served and issued or otherwise received
under, pursuant or with reference thereto. Without prejudice to the foregoing,
if, following the Completion Date, the Secretary of State requests that
Xxxx-XxXxx prepares and implements a programme or makes any requirement for
or
in respect of any part of the Decommissioning Liabilities, whether pursuant
to
the terms of the Xxxxxxxxx Xxx 0000 or other relevant statute, regulation,
order
or requirement by any competent authority, guideline, notice or demand,
Xxxx-XxXxx shall do so in accordance with the requirements of the Xxxxxxxxx
Xxx
0000 or other relevant statute, regulation, order or guideline, notice or demand
as the case may be, and all other relevant statutes, regulations, orders,
guidelines requirements, notices or demands and the indemnity in clause
11.2
shall extend to all Losses and Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Xxxx-XxXxx
in the preparation and implementation of such programme.
31
11.4 The
Buyer is hereby notified that detectable amounts of Hazardous Substances
(including chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, and reproductive
harm
or any other harm) may be found in, on, or around the property of the Target
Companies. In addition, the Buyer acknowledges that some oil field production
equipment used in the Target Company Business may contain naturally occurring
radioactive material (NORM),
asbestos and/or other Hazardous Substances. In this regard, the Buyer expressly
understands that NORM and/or other Hazardous Substances may affix or attach
itself to the inside of xxxxx, materials and equipment as scale or in other
forms, and that xxxxx, materials and equipment located on the assets of the
Target Companies may contain NORM, asbestos and other Hazardous Substances
and
that materials containing NORM, asbestos and/or other Hazardous Substances
may
be buried or have been otherwise disposed of on or in or under the assets of
the
Target Companies. The Buyer also expressly understands that special procedures
may be required for the removal and disposal of NORM, asbestos and other
Hazardous Substances from the properties of the Target Companies where it may
be
found, and that the Buyer assumes all liability and responsibility for such
activities.
11.5 Xxxx-XxXxx
shall (and shall procure that any of its Connected Persons shall) make all
reasonable endeavours to pursue claims and/or other remedies against any third
parties (including insurers) who may have any liability to Xxxx-XxXxx or any
of
its Connected Persons (other than the Target Companies) in respect of any
Environmental Liabilities and/or Decommissioning Liabilities and/or any Losses
and Expenses associated therewith.
11.6 If
Xxxx-XxXxx becomes aware of any facts, matters or circumstances which could
reasonably be expected to result in an E&D Claim being made (an E&D
Matter),
Xxxx-XxXxx shall:
(a) |
promptly,
and in any event within thirty (30) days of it becoming aware of
the
E&D Matter, give written notice thereof to the Buyer (and, thereafter,
will keep the Buyer fully informed of all material developments relating
thereto of which it becomes aware). Such written notice shall include
to
the extent available reasonable details of any actual or potential
E&D
Liabilities;
|
(b) |
not
make (and procure that any relevant Connected Person shall not make)
any
admission of liability, agreement, compromise with or payment to
any
person, body or authority in relation to the E&D Matter without in
good faith taking into consideration any requests which the Buyer
may make
regarding such E&D Matter;
|
11.7 Upon
becoming aware of an E&D Matter, Xxxx-XxXxx shall, subject to Xxxx-XxXxx
being indemnified by the Buyer against all reasonable out of pocket third party
costs and expenses properly incurred in respect thereof:
(a) |
take
(and shall procure that each relevant Connected Person shall take)
such
action as the Buyer may reasonably request to avoid, reduce, limit,
minimise, resist, dispute, appeal, compromise or defend any E&D
Liabilities and will act in good faith in responding to, defending,
settling or otherwise dealing with any E&D
Liabilities;
|
(b) |
if
applicable, consult with the Buyer regarding any steps proposed to
be
taken (including any E&D Works to be undertaken) in respect of the
relevant E&D Matter and not undertake any E&D Works at any
property owned or operated by any Target Company without the Buyer’s prior
written approval (not to be unreasonably withheld or
delayed);
|
32
(c) |
if
applicable, give the Buyer (and/or its advisers) a reasonable opportunity
to:
|
(i) |
attend
any site visits or meetings;
|
(ii) |
comment
in advance on any instruction, scope of work, specification, proposals,
statements, reports or other material documents or correspondence;
and
|
(iii) |
attend
and inspect the carrying out of any E&D Works at any time whilst they
are being carried out; and
|
(d) |
use
all reasonable efforts to avoid disruption to the business of the
Buyer or
the Target Company Business.
|
11.8 Failure
of Xxxx-XxXxx to give notice in accordance with clause 11.6(a)
shall not relieve the Buyer of any of its obligations relating to any E&D
Claim under this Agreement.
12. Sale
of Assets and indemnity
12.1 The
provisions of this clause 12
shall only take effect once Completion has occurred.
12.2 For
the avoidance of doubt, clause 12.3
shall not apply in respect of any Asset Losses or any other obligations, costs,
changes, liabilities or expenses relating to or arising in connection with
tax
or amounts in respect of tax, in respect of which the provisions of the Tax
Covenant shall apply.
12.3 Subject
to clause 12.4,
Xxxx-XxXxx shall indemnify the Buyer for any Asset Losses and any out-of-pocket
third-party costs and expenses reasonably incurred by any member of the Buyer
Group in performing obligations under the Asset Sale Agreements.
12.4 The
indemnity in clause 12.3
is subject to the limitations and qualifications set out in Schedule 4
relating to Claims.
12.5 The
Buyer shall and shall procure that each member of the Buyer Group shall, subject
to Xxxx-XxXxx indemnifying the Buyer against any reasonable out-of-pocket third
party costs properly incurred thereby:
(a) |
take
such actions as Xxxx-XxXxx may reasonably
request;
|
(b) |
keep
Xxxx-XxXxx promptly informed of any action taken by any person and
any
Benefits to which the Asset Sellers is or may become entitled and
provide
Xxxx-XxXxx with such information, co-operation and assistance (including
access at reasonable times to relevant records and cooperation and
assistance from employees) as Xxxx-XxXxx may reasonably
request;
|
(c) |
allow
Xxxx-XxXxx to take over the conduct of any negotiations, discussions,
actions or proceedings,
|
33
in
relation to any of the rights of the Asset Buyer or the Asset Seller under
the
Asset Sale Agreements and not take any action or omit to take any action which
might prejudice the Asset Seller’s rights and not assign, waive, amend or create
any security interest over any of such rights. Without prejudice to the
foregoing, the Buyer shall procure that the Asset Sellers shall deliver the
Interim Completion Statement and the Final Completion Statement pursuant to
clause 8 of the Asset Sale Agreements in a form and with a content approved
by
Xxxx-XxXxx and take and only take such other action pursuant to such clause
as
Xxxx-XxXxx may reasonably direct (in each case only in so far as this is
consistent with the performance of the Asset Seller’s obligations under the
Asset Sale Agreements). The Buyer shall, and shall procure that the Asset
Sellers shall, (in each case only in so far as the Asset Sale Agreements permit
the Asset Sellers to do so) provide such information, co-operation and
assistance and access during working hours to records and personnel as
Xxxx-XxXxx may reasonably require in relation thereto, exercise the Asset
Seller’s rights under such clause so as to allow Xxxx-XxXxx to have access,
copies and the co-operation of the Asset Buyer as specified thereunder and
give
Xxxx-XxXxx full control over all discussions and negotiations in relation
thereto and over the appointment and all dealings with the Nominated Independent
Accountant referred to therein. For the avoidance of doubt, the Buyer shall
procure that the Asset Sellers calculates and agrees all Taxation Adjustments
(as defined in the Asset Sale Agreements), whether on an estimated basis or
not,
in accordance with the prior instructions of Xxxx-XxXxx (but only in so far
as
this is consistent with the performance of the Asset Seller’s obligations under
the Asset Sale Agreements). If the Buyer, the Asset Sellers or any other member
of the Buyer Group or any of their respective Connected Persons receives or
accrues any Benefits pursuant to the Asset Sale Agreements or in relation to
any
of the Assets, the Buyer shall procure that an amount equal to such Benefits
is
promptly paid by the Buyer to Xxxx-XxXxx.
13. Conduct
of Claims
13.1 If
the Buyer or any member of the Buyer Group becomes aware of any claim or
potential claim by a third party or any assessment, action or demand against
it
or any other matter (each a
Third Party Claim)
which could reasonably be expected to result in a Non-Tax Claim being made,
the
Buyer shall:
(a) |
promptly,
and in any event within thirty (30) days of it becoming aware of
it, give
notice of such Third Party Claim to Xxxx-XxXxx, stating the nature,
basis
and amount thereof, to the extent known, along with copies of the
relevant
documents evidencing such Third Party Claim, and use its reasonable
endeavours to procure that Xxxx-XxXxx and its representatives are
given
all reasonable facilities to investigate it at Xxxx-XxXxx’x
cost;
|
(b) |
not
make (and procure that each member of the Buyer Group shall not make)
any
admission of liability, agreement, compromise with or payment to
any
person, body or authority in relation to that Third Party Claim without
the prior written approval of
Xxxx-XxXxx;
|
(c) |
subject
to the Buyer or the relevant member of the Buyer Group being indemnified
by Xxxx-XxXxx against all reasonable out-of-pocket third party costs
and
expenses properly incurred in respect
thereof:
|
(i) |
take
(and procure that each member of the Buyer Group or any Target Company
shall take) such action as Xxxx-XxXxx may reasonably request to avoid,
resist, dispute, appeal, compromise or defend such Third Party Claim;
and
|
34
(ii) |
allow
(and, as appropriate, procure that the relevant member of the Buyer
Group
shall allow) Xxxx-XxXxx to take over the conduct of all proceedings
and/or
negotiations of whatsoever nature arising in connection with the
Third
Party Claim in question;
and
|
(d) |
provide
(and procure that the relevant member of the Buyer Group shall provide)
such information and assistance (including access to personnel during
working hours) of the Target Companies as Xxxx-XxXxx may reasonably
require in connection with the preparation for and conduct of any
proceedings and/or negotiations relating to that Third Party Claim
or
otherwise in relation to that Third Party
Claim.
|
13.2 Without
prejudice to clause 13.1
and the provisions of the Tax Covenant, the Parties will use their reasonable
best efforts to minimise Losses and Expenses from Third Party Claims (other
than
any Third Party Claims pursuant to the Tax Covenant) and will act in good faith
in responding to, defending against, settling or otherwise dealing with such
claims.
13.3 Without
prejudice to paragraph 1 of Schedule 3,
failure of the Buyer to give notice in accordance with clause 13.1(a)
shall not relieve Xxxx-XxXxx of any of its obligations relating to Non-Tax
Claims under this Agreement.
13.4 Whether
or not Xxxx-XxXxx has assumed the conduct of proceedings or negotiations (in
accordance with clause 13.1(c)(ii)
above),
Xxxx-XxXxx shall not be liable under any Non-Tax Claim for any admission of
liability, agreement, compromise or payment that was consented to without
Xxxx-XxXxx’x prior written approval which relates to such Non-Tax
Claim.
13.5 If
the Buyer makes a Non-Tax Claim or notifies Xxxx-XxXxx of any Third Party Claim
which could reasonably be expected to lead to such a claim being made, the
Buyer
shall
at the Buyer’s cost:
(a) |
make
available to accountants and other representatives appointed by Xxxx-XxXxx
such access to personnel, records and information as Xxxx-XxXxx reasonably
requests in connection with such Non-Tax Claim or Third Party
Claim
(other than any Third Party Claim which might give rise to any Tax
Claim);
and
|
(b) |
to
the extent reasonably requested by Xxxx-XxXxx, use all reasonable
endeavours to procure that the auditors (both past and then current)
relating to any relevant Target Company make available their audit
working
papers in respect of audits of the accounts of that Target Company
for any
accounting period relevant to such Non-Tax Claim or Third Party Claim
(other than any Third Party Claim which might give rise to any Tax
Claim).
|
14. No
Rights of Rescission or Termination
Without
prejudice to any provision of this Agreement which expressly confers on the
Buyer a right to terminate this Agreement in certain circumstances, the sole
remedy of the Buyer for any breach of any of the Buyer Warranties or any other
breach of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document by Xxxx-XxXxx or
any
member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group shall be an action for damages. The Buyer shall
not
be entitled to rescind or terminate this Agreement in any circumstances
whatsoever (whether before or after Completion), other than pursuant to any
such
rights which arise in respect of fraudulent misrepresentation or which arise
under clause 4 or clause 7.
35
15. Payment
of Inter-Company Payables and Receivables
15.1 On
the date on which payment is due under clause 9.6
or 9.7:
(a) |
the
Buyer shall procure that each Target Company pays to Xxxx-XxXxx (for
itself or, as the case may be, as agent for the members of the Xxxx-XxXxx
Group to which Completion Inter-Company Payables are owed) an amount
in
the applicable currency equal to each of the Completion Inter-Company
Payables (if any) of each relevant Target Company which are owed
to any
member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group and the Completion Inter-Company Payable
shall be treated as discharged to the extent of that payment;
and
|
(b) |
Xxxx-XxXxx
shall (for itself or, as the case may be, as agent for each relevant
member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group) pay to the Buyer (for itself or,
as the
case may be, as agent for the Target Companies to which Completion
Inter-Company Receivables are owed) an amount in the applicable currency
equal to each of the Completion Inter-Company Receivables (if any)
of each
Target Company which are owed by any member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group
and
the Completion Inter-Company Receivable
shall be treated as discharged to the extent of that
payment.
|
16. Guarantees
and other Third party assurances
16.1 The
Buyer shall use all reasonable endeavours to procure that on or as soon as
reasonably practicable after Completion each member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group is
released in full from all Third Party Assurances listed in Schedule 13
given by such company in respect of obligations of any Target
Company.
16.2 Without
prejudice to clause 16.1:
(a) |
after
Completion, the Buyer shall use its reasonable endeavours to procure
that,
as soon as reasonably practicable after becoming aware of any Third
Party
Assurance not listed in Schedule 13
in respect of any obligations of any Target Company, each member
of
Xxxx-XxXxx Group is released in full from such Third Party Assurance;
and
|
(b) |
pending
release of any Third Party Assurance referred to in clause 16.1
or clause 16.2(a),
the Buyer undertakes with Xxxx-XxXxx (for itself and on behalf of
each of
Xxxx-XxXxx’x Affiliates) to indemnify Xxxx-XxXxx and each of its
Affiliates against any and all Costs arising after Completion under
or by
reason of that Third Party Assurance (whether as a result of any
breach by
any Target Company after Completion of its obligations to which such
Third
Party Assurance relates or
otherwise).
|
16.3 After
Completion, Xxxx-XxXxx shall use its reasonable endeavours to procure that,
as
soon as reasonably practicable after becoming aware of any Third Party Assurance
in respect of any obligations of any member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group, each Target
Company is released in full from such Third Party Assurance.
36
16.4 Xxxx-XxXxx
(for itself and on behalf of each of Xxxx-XxXxx’x Affiliates) undertakes with
the Buyer (for itself and on behalf of each of the Buyer's Affiliates) to
indemnify the Buyer and each of its Affiliates against any and all Costs arising
after Completion under or by reason of any Third Party Assurance in respect
of
any obligations of any member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group (whether as a result
of
any breach by any member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group after Completion of its obligations
to which such Third Party Assurance relates or otherwise).
16.5 Xxxx-XxXxx
shall indemnify and keep indemnified the Buyer and each of its Affiliates
against any and all costs arising in respect of any liability incurred by the
Buyer or any member of the Buyer's Group in relation to the payment of any
bonuses to any Employee, contractor or consultant in connection with the sale
of
KM Norway and KM GB.
16.6 Xxxx-XxXxx
will perform and discharge all its obligations in respect of all the US
Expatriate Employees including, without limitation, any obligation to discharge
bonus and incentive payments, holiday pay and any other remuneration or
liability, including, but not limited to, any costs associated with the
repatriation of the US Expatriate Employees. If the US Expatriate Employees'
employment transfers to Xxxx-XxXxx North Sea (UK) Limited, Xxxx-XxXxx
indemnifies the Buyer and any member of the Buyer's Group against all costs
associated with the termination of the US Expatriate Employees’
employment.
17. Tax
17.1 Xxxx-XxXxx
and the Buyer shall, with effect from Completion, comply with the provisions
of
Schedule 8
(Tax Covenant).
17.2 All
sums payable under this Agreement shall be paid free and clear of all deductions
or withholdings whatsoever save only as provided in this Agreement or as may
be
required by law.
17.3 All
sums payable under this Agreement are (unless expressly stated otherwise)
exclusive of any applicable VAT.
18. Insurance
18.1 Subject
to clause 18.2,
upon Completion, all insurance cover provided in relation to the Target
Companies by the Xxxx-XxXxx Group under all Xxxx-XxXxx Group Insurance Policies
(whether under policies maintained with third party insurers or other members
of
the Xxxx-XxXxx Group) shall cease and the Buyer shall procure that no Target
Company or member of the Buyer Group shall make any claim under any such
policies in relation to any event, fact, circumstance or matter arising before
or after Completion other than the pursuit of any claims notified by or on
behalf of any Target Company before Completion. Xxxx-XxXxx shall be entitled
to
make arrangements with its insurers to reflect the principle of this
clause 18.1.
In relation to the occurrence-based employers’ liability insurance this
insurance shall from Completion be cancelled as to post-Completion
exposure.
18.2 Nothing
in clause 18.1
shall prevent the Target Companies from continuing after the Effective Date
and
after Completion to have the benefit of all Target Company Insurance Policies
to
the extent permitted by their current terms. No member of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group
shall have any interest or right in, or in respect of, any Target Company’s
rights under any such insurance.
37
18.3 In
respect of any pre-Completion exposure under any Target Company Insurance Policy
Xxxx-XxXxx shall not, and shall procure that none of the Xxxx-XxXxx Group shall,
at any time between the date hereof and Completion (or after the date hereof
in
the case of employers’ liability insurance contracts where a Target Company is
an insured party), cancel, assign or change such insurances or do any such
act
(or deliberately omit to take any action required by the policy knowing that
the
omission could have the result) such that any Target Company ceases to have
the
continuing right after Completion to be insured and to claim under such
insurances in respect of such pre-Completion exposure, or which would render
any
such insurance, or any claim by any Target Company under it, void or voidable
or
liable to termination for breach of contract. For the avoidance of doubt,
Xxxx-XxXxx shall not be restricted from cancelling the occurrence-based
employers’ liability insurance in relation to any post-Completion
exposure.
18.4
(a) |
The
Buyer or any member of the Buyer Group shall not be entitled to any
proceeds received by any member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group under any Xxxx-XxXxx
Group Insurance Policy to the extent that such proceeds relate to
a claim
in respect of:
|
(i) |
a
matter other than the carrying on of the business of the Target Companies
prior to Completion;
|
(ii) |
any
loss of profits arising in a period prior to the Effective Date;
and
|
(iii) |
any
matters for which Xxxx-XxXxx or a member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group has
already
reimbursed the relevant Target Company or for which payment has been
made
to any member of the Buyer Group pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
or any other Transaction Document;
|
(b) |
Nothing
in this clause 18
shall prevent any member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group from making any claim
and
receiving and retaining the proceeds under any Xxxx-XxXxx Group Insurance
Policy to the extent that it relates to a loss suffered or incurred
by
such member.
|
18.5 Any
deductible or excess applicable to any claim by the Target Companies under
the
Xxxx-XxXxx Group Insurance Policies in accordance with clause 18
or the Target Company Insurance Policies shall be for the account of the
Buyer.
19. Changes
of name
19.1 The
Buyer acknowledges that, as between the Buyer and Xxxx-XxXxx, Xxxx-XxXxx and/or
its Affiliates have the absolute and exclusive proprietary right to all trade
or
service names or marks, business names, logos or domain names incorporating
the
word “Xxxx-XxXxx” or any derivation thereof and any corporate symbols or logos
related thereto. The Buyer agrees that it will not, and will cause its
Affiliates not to, use the word “Xxxx-XxXxx” or any symbol or logo incorporating
any such word in connection with the sale of any goods or services or otherwise
in the conduct of its or their businesses.
38
19.2 Without
prejudice to the foregoing, the Buyer undertakes to Xxxx-XxXxx to procure
that:
(a) |
as
soon as reasonably practicable after the Completion Date and in any
event
within 60 (sixty) days afterwards, the name of any Target Company
which
consists of or incorporates the word “Xxxx-XxXxx” is changed to a name
which does not include the word “Xxxx-XxXxx” or any name which, in the
reasonable opinion of Xxxx-XxXxx, is substantially or confusingly
similar;
|
(b) |
as
soon as reasonably practicable after the Completion Date and in any
event
within 60 (sixty) days afterwards, the Target Companies shall cease
in any
manner whatsoever to use or display any trade or service name or
xxxx,
business name, logo or domain name used or held by any member of
Xxxx-XxXxx Group or trade or service name or xxxx, business name,
logo or
domain name which, in the reasonable opinion of Xxxx-XxXxx, is
substantially or confusingly similar to any of them.
|
20. Guarantees
20.1 The
Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor, as primary obligor, unconditionally and irrevocably
guarantees, by way of continuing guarantee to the Buyer, the payment and
performance by Xxxx-XxXxx, when due, of all amounts and obligations under the
Transaction Documents. This guarantee shall remain in full force and effect
until all such amounts and obligations have been irrevocably paid and discharged
in full.
20.2 The
Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor's obligations under this clause:
(a) |
constitute
direct, primary and unconditional obligations to pay on demand by
the
Buyer any sum which Xxxx-XxXxx is liable to pay under this Agreement
and
to perform on demand any obligation of Xxxx-XxXxx under this Agreement
without requiring the Buyer first to take any steps against Xxxx-XxXxx
or
any other person; and
|
(b) |
shall
not be affected by any matter or thing which but for this provision
might
operate to affect or prejudice those obligations,
including:
|
(i) |
any
time or indulgence granted to, or composition with, Xxxx-XxXxx or
any
other person; or
|
(ii) |
any
amendment of this Agreement; or
|
(iii) |
the
taking, variation, renewal or release of, or refusal or neglect to
perfect
or enforce, any right, remedy or security against Xxxx-XxXxx or any
other
person; or
|
(iv) |
any
legal limitation, disability or other circumstance relating to Xxxx-XxXxx
or any unenforceability or invalidity of any obligation of Xxxx-XxXxx
under this Agreement.
|
20.3 The
Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor warrants that:
39
(a) |
it
is validly incorporated, in existence and duly registered under the
laws
of its jurisdiction and has full power to conduct its business as
conducted at the date of this
Agreement;
|
(b) |
it
has obtained all corporate authorisations and (other than, in the
period
prior to Completion, to the extent relevant to the Conditions Precedent)
all other applicable governmental, statutory, regulatory or other
consents, licences, authorisations, waivers or exemptions required
to
empower it to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement
and any other Transaction Document to which it is (or is proposed
to be) a
party;
|
(c) |
this
Agreement and any other Transaction Document which are to be entered
into
by it will, when executed, constitute its valid and binding
obligations;
|
(d) |
entry
into and performance by it of this Agreement and any other Transaction
Document to which it is a party will not violate or conflict with
the
provisions of its memorandum and articles of association, certificate
of
incorporation, by-laws, or in any way that would materially and adversely
affect its ability to enter into or perform its obligations under
this
Agreement and any other Transaction Document to which it is a
party;
|
(e) |
subject
to fulfilment of the Conditions Precedent neither entry into this
Agreement nor entry into, and implementation of, the Proposed Transaction
will:
|
(i) |
result
in violation or breach of any applicable laws or regulations in any
relevant jurisdiction; or
|
(ii) |
amount
to a violation or default with respect to any statute, regulation,
order,
decree or judgment of any court or any governmental or regulatory
authority in any jurisdiction;
|
which,
in each case, would materially and adversely affect its ability to enter into
or
perform its obligations under this Agreement and any other Transaction Document
to which it is a party;
(f) |
neither
entry into this Agreement nor entry into, and implementation of,
the
Proposed Transaction will (subject to fulfilment of the Conditions
Precedent) result in a requirement for it to obtain any consent or
approval, or give any notice to or make any registration with, any
governmental regulatory or other authority which has not been obtained
or
made as at the date of this
Agreement;
|
(g) |
no
order has been made, petition presented (and not withdrawn within
20 days)
or meeting convened for its winding up, or for the appointment of
any
provisional liquidator (or equivalent in the jurisdiction of its
incorporation), and the Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor has not received any
written
notice threatening such an order, petition or meeting;
|
(h) |
no
administrator or receiver (including any administrative receiver
or the
equivalent to an administrator, receiver or administrative receiver
in the
relevant jurisdiction) has been appointed in respect of it or the
whole or
any material part of its property, assets and/or undertaking, and
it has
not received any written notice threatening such an
appointment;
|
40
(i) |
it
has not made any compromise or arrangement with any of its
creditors;
|
(j) |
it
has not stopped or suspended payment of its debts, become unable
to pay
its debts or otherwise become insolvent in any competent
jurisdiction;
|
(k) |
no
circumstances have arisen which entitle any person to take any action,
appoint any person, commence any proceedings or obtain any order
of a type
mentioned in any of the subparagraphs (g) to (j) above in any competent
jurisdiction.
|
20.4 The
Buyer Guarantor, as primary obligor, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees,
by way of continuing guarantee to Xxxx-XxXxx, the payment and performance by
the
Buyer, when due, of all amounts and obligations under the Transaction Documents.
This guarantee shall remain in full force and effect until all such amounts
and
obligations have been irrevocably paid and discharged in full.
20.5 The
Buyer Guarantor's obligations under this clause:
(a) |
constitute
direct, primary and unconditional obligations to pay on demand by
Xxxx-XxXxx any sum which the Buyer is liable to pay under this Agreement
and to perform on demand any obligation of the Buyer under this Agreement
without requiring Xxxx-XxXxx first to take any steps against the
Buyer or
any other person; and
|
(b) |
shall
not be affected by any matter or thing which but for this provision
might
operate to affect or prejudice those obligations,
including:
|
(i) |
any
time or indulgence granted to, or composition with, the Buyer or
any other
person; or
|
(ii) |
any
amendment of this Agreement; or
|
(iii) |
the
taking, variation, renewal or release of, or refusal or neglect to
perfect
or enforce, any right, remedy or security against the Buyer or any
other
person; or
|
(iv) |
any
legal limitation, disability or other circumstance relating to the
Buyer
or any unenforceability or invalidity of any obligation of the Buyer
under
this Agreement.
|
20.6 The
Buyer Guarantor warrants that:
(a) |
it
is validly incorporated, in existence and duly registered under the
laws
of its jurisdiction and has full power to conduct its business as
conducted at the date of this
Agreement;
|
(b) |
it
has obtained all corporate authorisations and (other than, in the
period
prior to Completion, to the extent relevant to the Conditions Precedent)
all other applicable governmental, statutory, regulatory or other
consents, licences, authorisations, waivers or exemptions required
to
empower it to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement
and any other Transaction Document to which it is (or is proposed
to be) a
party;
|
41
(c) |
this
Agreement and any other Transaction Document which are to be entered
into
by it will, when executed, constitute its valid and binding
obligations;
|
(d) |
entry
into and performance by it of this Agreement and any other Transaction
Document to which it is a party will not violate or conflict with
the
provisions of its memorandum and articles of association, certificate
of
incorporation, by-laws, or in any way that would materially and adversely
affect its ability to enter into or perform its obligations under
this
Agreement and any other Transaction Document to which it is a
party;
|
(e) |
subject
to fulfilment of the Conditions Precedent neither entry into this
Agreement nor entry into, and implementation of, the Proposed Transaction
will:
|
(i) |
result
in violation or breach of any applicable laws or regulations in any
relevant jurisdiction; or
|
(ii) |
amount
to a violation or default with respect to any statute, regulation,
order,
decree or judgment of any court or any governmental or regulatory
authority in any jurisdiction;
|
which,
in each case, would materially and adversely affect its ability to enter into
or
perform its obligations under this Agreement and any other Transaction Document
to which it is a party;
(f) |
neither
entry into this Agreement nor entry into, and implementation of,
the
Proposed Transaction will (subject to fulfilment of the Conditions
Precedent) result in a requirement for it to obtain any consent or
approval, or give any notice to or make any registration with, any
governmental regulatory or other authority which has not been obtained
or
made as at the date of this
Agreement;
|
(g) |
no
order has been made, petition presented (and not withdrawn within
20 days)
or meeting convened for its winding up or for the appointment of
any
provisional liquidator (or equivalent in the jurisdiction of its
incorporation), and the Buyer Guarantor has not received any written
notice threatening such an order, petition or meeting;
|
(h) |
no
administrator or receiver (including any administrative receiver
or the
equivalent to an administrator, receiver or administrative receiver
in the
relevant jurisdiction) has been appointed in respect of it or the
whole or
any material part of its property, assets and/or undertaking, and
it has
not received any written notice threatening such an
appointment;
|
(i) |
it
has not made any compromise or arrangement with any of its
creditors;
|
(j) |
it
has not stopped or suspended payment of its debts, become unable
to pay
its debts or otherwise become insolvent in any competent
jurisdiction;
|
42
(k) |
no
circumstances have arisen which entitle any person to take any action,
appoint any person, commence any proceedings or obtain any order
of a type
mentioned in any of the subparagraphs (g)
to (j)
above
in any competent jurisdiction.
|
21. Payments
21.1 Any
payment to be made pursuant to this Agreement or any of the other Transaction
Documents by the Buyer or any member of the Buyer Group shall be made to
Xxxx-XxXxx’x Account, or such other account as Xxxx-XxXxx shall nominate in
writing, in cash in immediately available funds by electronic transfer in United
States Dollars unless otherwise agreed on the due date for payment. All payments
made or received in currencies other than United States Dollars shall be
converted into United States Dollars at the Exchange Rate. Xxxx-XxXxx agrees
to
pay each member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group that part of each payment to which it is
entitled. Receipt of such sums in the relevant bank account shall be an
effective discharge of the obligation of the Buyer or any member of the Buyer
Group to pay such sums to Xxxx-XxXxx or a member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group, as the
case may be, and neither the Buyer nor any member of the Buyer’s Group shall be
concerned to see to the application or be answerable for loss or misapplication
of such amount.
21.2 Any
payment to be made pursuant to this Agreement or any of the other Transaction
Documents by Xxxx-XxXxx or any member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group shall be made to
the
Buyer’s Account, or such other account as the Buyer shall nominate in writing,
in cash in immediately available funds by electronic transfer in United States
Dollars unless otherwise agreed on the due date for payment. All payments made
or received in currencies other than United States Dollars shall be converted
into United States Dollars at the Exchange Rate. The Buyer agrees to pay each
member of the Buyer Group that part of each payment to which it is entitled.
Receipt of such sums in the relevant bank account shall be an effective
discharge of the obligation of Xxxx-XxXxx or any member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group
to
pay such sums to the Buyer or a member of the Buyer Group, as the case may
be,
and neither Xxxx-XxXxx nor any member of Xxxx-XxXxx Group shall be concerned
to
see to the application or be answerable for loss or misapplication of such
amount.
21.3 Where,
in this Agreement, any date is specified as being the due date for payment
and
payment is not made on that date, simple interest calculated on the basis of
a
360 day year shall be paid on the amount outstanding on a daily basis (after
as
well as before any judgement) from the start of the due date to the end of
the
day preceding the date of actual payment at the rate of three per cent (3%)
per
annum above the Reference Interest Rate.
22. Announcements
No
Party (Announcing
Party)
shall make a public announcement or statement regarding the execution or
existence of this Agreement without the prior agreement of (if the Announcing
Party is Xxxx-XxXxx or Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor) the Buyer or (if the Announcing
Party is the Buyer) Xxxx-XxXxx, such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld
or delayed; provided, however, that any such Party may make any public
disclosure it believes, in good faith, is required by applicable law including
the rules and regulations of any applicable stock exchange or governmental
or
regulatory authority (in which case the disclosing Party shall use its
reasonable endeavours to advise each other Party prior to making such
disclosure).
43
23. Confidentiality
23.1 For
the purposes of this clause 23:
(a) |
Confidential
Information means:
|
(i) |
(in
relation to the obligations of the Buyer under this clause 23)
any information received or held by the Buyer (or any of its
Representatives) where such information relates to the Xxxx-XxXxx
Group
or, prior to Completion, any of the Target Companies, and the Buyer
shall
be the Recipient
Party,
and Xxxx-XxXxx shall be the Disclosing
Party,
in respect of such information; or
|
(ii) |
(in
relation to the obligations of Xxxx-XxXxx and the Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor
under this clause 23)
any information received or held by Xxxx-XxXxx or Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor
(or
any of its Representatives) where such information relates to the
Buyer
Group or, following Completion, any of the Target Companies, and
Xxxx-XxXxx or the Xxxx-XxXxx-Guarantor (as the case may be) shall
be the
Recipient
Party,
and the Buyer shall be the Disclosing
Party,
in respect of such information; and
|
(iii) |
information
relating to the provisions and subject matter of, and negotiations
leading
to, this Agreement and any other Transaction
Document;
|
and
includes not only written information but information transferred or obtained
orally, visually, electronically or by any other means; and
(b) |
Representatives
means, in relation to a Party, its respective Affiliates and the
directors, officers, employees, agents, external legal advisers,
accountants, consultants and financial advisers of that Party and/or
of
its respective Affiliates.
|
23.2 Each
Party undertakes that it shall (and shall procure that each of its
Representatives shall) maintain Confidential Information in confidence and
not
disclose that Confidential Information to any person except as permitted by
this
clause 23
or envisaged in the Tax Covenant or with the prior written approval of the
other
relevant Disclosing Party.
23.3 The
confidentiality obligation under clause 23.2
shall not apply if and to the extent that the Recipient Party can demonstrate
that:
(a) |
such
disclosure is required by law or regulation or by any stock exchange
or
any regulatory, governmental or antitrust body (including, for the
avoidance of doubt, any tax authority) having applicable jurisdiction
(provided that, in such circumstances, the disclosing Recipient Party
shall first inform the Disclosing Party of its intention to disclose
such
information and take into account the reasonable comments of the
Disclosing Party);
|
(b) |
the
Confidential Information concerned was lawfully in the relevant Recipient
Party’s possession or the possession of any of its Representatives (in
either case as evidenced by written records) and not subject to any
obligation of secrecy on its part prior to its being received or
held as
described in clause 23.2;
|
44
(c) |
the
Confidential Information concerned has come into the public domain
other
than through its fault (or that of its Representatives) or the fault
of
any person to whom such Confidential Information has been disclosed
in
accordance with this clause 23.3;
or
|
(d) |
the
disclosure is required for the purpose of any arbitral or judicial
proceedings arising out of this Agreement or any other Transaction
Document.
|
23.4 Each
Party undertakes that it (and its Affiliates) shall only disclose Confidential
Information to Representatives if it is reasonably required for the purposes
of
exercising the rights or performing the obligations under this Agreement or
any
other Transaction Document and only if the Representatives are informed of
the
confidential nature of the Confidential Information.
23.5 If
this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, the Recipient Party
shall as soon as practicable on request by the Disclosing Party:
(a) |
return
to the Recipient Party all written documents and other materials
relating
to the Disclosing Party or the subject matter of this Agreement (including
any Confidential Information) which have been provided to the Recipient
Party (or its Representatives) by the Disclosing Party (or its
Representatives) without keeping any copies
thereof;
|
(b) |
destroy
all information or other documents derived from such Confidential
Information; and
|
(c) |
so
far as it is practicable to do so, expunge such Confidential Information
from any computer, word processor or other
device.
|
23.6 The
provisions of this clause 23
shall survive termination and/or Completion of this Agreement.
23.7 With
effect from the date of this Agreement, Maersk Olie og Gas AS and Xxxx-XxXxx
North Sea (U.K.) Limited shall be released from their respective obligations
under the confidentiality agreement between them dated 21 June
2005.
24. Further
Assurance
24.1 Xxxx-XxXxx
shall, from time to time on being required to do so by the Buyer, promptly
and
at the cost and expense of Xxxx-XxXxx do or procure the doing of all such acts
and/or execute or procure the execution of all such documents in a form
satisfactory to the Buyer as the Buyer may reasonably consider necessary for
giving full effect to this Agreement (or to such parts of it as remain operative
after termination) and securing to the Buyer the full benefit of the rights,
powers and remedies conferred by Xxxx-XxXxx in this Agreement.
24.2 The
Buyer shall, from time to time on being required to do so by Xxxx-XxXxx,
promptly and at the cost and expense of the Buyer do or procure the doing of
all
such acts and/or execute or procure the execution of all such documents in
a
form satisfactory to Xxxx-XxXxx as Xxxx-XxXxx may reasonably consider necessary
for giving full effect to this Agreement (or to such parts of it as remain
operative after termination) and securing to Xxxx-XxXxx the full benefit of
the
rights, powers and remedies conferred by the Buyer in this
Agreement.
45
25. Costs
25.1 Subject
to clause 25.2
and except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, each Party shall be
responsible for its own costs, charges and other expenses (including in the
case
of Xxxx-XxXxx the fees of banking, legal and other advisers in connection with
the Asset Sale Transaction) incurred in connection with the negotiation,
preparation, entering into and Completion of this Agreement and any other
Transaction Document.
25.2 Xxxx-XxXxx
shall bear any UK stamp duty or, stamp duty reserve tax (including interest
and
penalties thereon) payable on the stock transfer forms executed to effect the
transfer of the shares in KM GB pursuant to this Agreement. The Buyer or its
Affiliates shall bear all other stamp, notarisation fees or other documentary
or
transaction duties, stamp duty reserve tax and any other similar transfer taxes
(including interest and penalties thereon|) arising in respect of the
acquisition of the Shares
or the Transaction Documents.
26. Notices
26.1 Any
notice pursuant to this Agreement may be given by facsimile transmission
(promptly followed by a hard copy delivered in accordance with this clause
26.1)
or letter delivered to the Party to be served at the address stated in clause
26.3
or such other address as may be given for the purposes of this Agreement by
written notice to the other Parties.
26.2 A
notice given by facsimile transmission shall be deemed to be served on the
first
(1st)
Business Day following the date of dispatch but a notice sent by post or
delivered personally shall not be deemed to be delivered until received. A
notice sent by email shall be for information only and shall not be deemed
to be
served until served by facsimile transmission or letter in accordance with
clause 26.1.
26.3 The
respective addresses for service are:
Xxxx-XxXxx:
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx
|
|
Xxxxxx
|
|
Xxxxxxxx
|
|
XX00
0XX
|
|
Fax:
00000 000000
|
|
For
the attention of the Legal Director
|
|
With
a copy to and following Completion only to:
|
|
X.X.
Xxx 00000, XX-00
|
|
000
Xxxxxx X. Xxxx Xxx.
|
|
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx, XX, XXX 00000
|
|
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
|
|
For
the attention of Xxxx-XxXxx Corporation’s General
Counsel
|
46
Xxxx-XxXxx
|
|
Guarantor:
|
P.O.
Box 25861, MT-29
|
000
Xxxxxx X. Xxxx Xxx.
|
|
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx, XX, XXX 00000
|
|
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
|
|
For
the attention of the Xxxx-XxXxx Guarantor's General
Counsel
|
|
The
Buyer:
|
00
Xxxxxxxxxx
|
XX-0000
Xxxxxxxxxx
|
|
Xxxxxxx
|
|
Fax:
x00 00 00 0000
|
|
For
the attention of the Buyer Guarantor’s General Counsel
|
|
Buyer
|
|
Xxxxxxxxx
|
00
Xxxxxxxxxx
|
XX-0000
Xxxxxxxxxx
|
|
Xxxxxxx
|
|
Fax:
x00 00 00 0000
|
|
For
the attention of the Buyer’s General
Counsel
|
26.4 A
Party may notify another Party to this Agreement of a change to its name,
relevant addressee, address or fax number for the purposes of this clause
26,
provided that such notice shall only be effective on:
(a) |
the
date specified in the notice as the date on which the change is to
take
place; or
|
(b) |
if
no date is specified or the date specified is less than five (5)
Business
Days after the date on which notice is given, the date which is the
fifth
(5th)
Business Day after notice of any change has been
given.
|
26.5 In
proving such service it shall be sufficient to prove that the envelope
containing such notice was properly addressed and delivered either to the
address shown thereon or into the custody of the postal authorities as a
pre-paid recorded delivery, special delivery or registered post letter, or
that
the notice was transmitted by fax to the fax number of the relevant Party set
out in this clause 26
(or as otherwise notified under it).
26.6 The
Parties agree that the provisions of this clause 26
shall not apply to the service of any claim form, application notice, order
or
judgment.
26.7 All
notices, demands, requests, statements, certificates or other communications
under this Agreement shall be in English unless otherwise agreed in
writing.
47
27. Conflict
with other Agreements
In
the event of any conflict between this Agreement and any other agreement
relating to the Proposed Transaction, this Agreement shall prevail (as between
the parties to this Agreement and as between any other members of Xxxx-XxXxx
Group and the Buyer Group) unless:
(a) |
such
other agreement expressly states that it (or any part of it) overrides
this Agreement in any respect and the relevant Parties are either
also
parties to that other agreement or otherwise expressly agree in writing
that such other agreement shall override this Agreement in that respect;
or
|
(b) |
the
contrary is expressly provided elsewhere in this
Agreement.
|
28. Entire
Agreement
28.1 This
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents set out the entire agreement
and
understanding between the Parties relating to the Proposed Transactions. This
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents supersede all prior agreements,
understandings or arrangements (whether oral or written) relating to the sale
and purchase of the Shares which shall cease to have any further force or
effect. It is agreed that:
(a) |
no
Party has entered into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents
in reliance upon, nor shall any Party have any claim or remedy in
respect
of, any statement, representation, warranty, undertaking, assurance,
collateral contract or other provision made by or on behalf of another
Party (or any of its Connected Persons, agents or advisers) which
is not
expressly set out in this Agreement or any of the other Transaction
Documents;
|
(b) |
the
only right or remedy of a Party in relation to any statement,
representation, warranty, undertaking, assurance, collateral contract
or
other provision set out in this Agreement or any other Transaction
Document shall be for breach of this Agreement or the relevant Transaction
Document to the extent of all other rights and remedies;
and
|
(c) |
except
for any liability which a Party (or any of its Connected Persons,
agents
or advisers) has under or in respect of any breach of this Agreement
or
any of the other Transaction Documents, no Party (or any of its Connected
Persons, agents or advisers) shall owe any duty of care or have any
liability in tort or otherwise to any other Party (or its respective
Connected Persons, agents or advisers) in respect of, arising out
of, or
in any way relating to the Proposed
Transaction,
|
provided
that this clause shall not exclude any liability for (or remedy in respect
of)
fraudulent misrepresentation.
28.2 The
agreements and undertakings in this clause 28
are given by each Party on its own behalf and as agent for each of its Connected
Persons. Each Party acknowledges that the other Party gives such agreements
and
undertakings as agent with the full knowledge and authority of each of is
respective Connected Persons.
48
29. Waivers,
Rights and Remedies
Except
as otherwise provided in this Agreement, no failure or delay by any Party in
exercising any right or remedy provided by law or under or pursuant to this
Agreement or any other Transaction Document shall impair such right or remedy
or
operate or be construed as a waiver or variation of it or preclude its exercise
at any subsequent time and no single or partial exercise of any such right
or
remedy shall preclude any further exercise of it or the exercise of any other
remedy.
30. Contracts
(Rights of Third Parties) Xxx 0000
30.1 Subject
to clause 30.2,
each Party undertakes to the other Parties that Connected Persons shall have
the
right to enforce the terms of clauses 11
and 28
under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Xxx 0000.
30.2 The
rights of Connected Persons under clause 30.1
are subject to:
(a) |
the
term that the Parties to this Agreement may by agreement terminate
or
rescind or vary it or any element of it in any way without the consent
of
any Connected Person; and
|
(b) |
the
other terms and conditions of this
Agreement.
|
30.3 Except
as provided in clause 30.1,
a person who is not a Party to this Agreement shall have no right under the
Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Xxx 0000 to enforce any of its
terms.
31. General
31.1 This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the Parties
on
separate counterparts, each of which is an original but all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
31.2 No
amendment, variation or waiver of this Agreement or any other Transaction
Document shall be valid unless it is in writing and duly executed by or on
behalf of the Parties. The expression variation
shall
include any variation, supplement, deletion or replacement howsoever
effected.
Unless expressly agreed, no variation shall constitute a general waiver of
any
provision of this Agreement, nor shall it affect any rights, obligations or
liabilities under or pursuant to this Agreement which have already accrued
up to
the date of variation, and the rights and obligations under or pursuant to
this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect except and only to the extent
that they are so varied.
31.3 Each
of the provisions of this Agreement and any other Transaction Document is
severable. If any such provision is held to be or becomes illegal, invalid
or
unenforceable in any respect under the law of any jurisdiction:
(a) |
so
far as it is illegal, invalid or unenforceable, it shall be given
no
effect and shall be deemed not to be included in this Agreement or
the
relevant Transaction Document but it shall not affect or impair the
legality, validity or enforceability in that jurisdiction of any
other
provisions of this Agreement or the relevant Transaction Document
(or of
the provisions of this Agreement or that Transaction Document in
any other
jurisdiction); and
|
49
(b) |
the
Parties shall use all reasonable endeavours to replace it with a
valid and
enforceable substitute provision or provisions but differing from
the
replaced provision as little as possible and the effect of which
is as
close to the intended effect of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable
provision.
|
31.4 Except
insofar as any term or provision of this Agreement is satisfied on Completion,
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect after
Completion.
31.5 No
Party shall have the right to assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of its
rights and obligations under this Agreement without the consent of the other
Party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed save that
Xxxx-XxXxx shall have the right to assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of
its
rights under this Agreement to any of its Affiliates without the consent of
the
Buyer. If Xxxx-XxXxx assigns, transfers or disposes its rights under this
Agreement to any of its Affiliates and the assignee ceases to be a member of
the
Xxxx-XxXxx Group for the time being, Xxxx-XxXxx shall procure that the benefit
of this Agreement is re-assigned to Xxxx-XxXxx or assigned to another member
of
the Xxxx-XxXxx'x Group for the time being.
31.6 This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective
successors and permitted assigns of the Parties.
31.7 Notwithstanding
anything herein provided to the contrary, Xxxx-XxXxx and the Buyer do hereby
covenant and agree that the recovery by either Party hereto of any damages
suffered or incurred by it as a result of any breach by the other Party of
any
of its covenants, agreements, representations, guaranties, warranties,
indemnities, disclaimers, waivers or continuing obligations under this Agreement
shall be limited to the actual damages suffered or incurred by the non-breaching
Party as a result of such breach, and in no event shall such recovery include
any indirect, consequential, exemplary or punitive damages.
31.8 Nothing
in this Agreement shall be read or construed as excluding any liability or
remedy in respect of fraud.
32. Governing
law, jurisdiction and Service of Process
32.1 This
Agreement and the legal relationships established by or otherwise arising in
connection with this Agreement shall be governed by, and interpreted in
accordance with, English law.
32.2 Each
of the Parties agrees that any disputes arising out of or in connection with
this contract, including any question regarding its existence, validity or
termination, shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration under
the
LCIA Rules from time to time in force, which Rules are deemed to be incorporated
by reference into this clause. The number of arbitrators shall be three. The
seat, or legal place, of arbitration shall be London. The language to be used
in
the arbitration shall be English.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF this Agreement has been duly executed on the day and year first
above written.
Signed
for and on behalf of
KM
DENMARK OVERSEAS APS
50
Signed
for and on behalf of
ALNERY
NO. 2524 LIMITED
Signed
for and on behalf of
XXXX-XXXXX
CORPORATION
Signed
for and on behalf of
X.X.
XXXXXX - MAERSK A/S
51