2,250,000 Shares Common Stock, Par Value $0.15 Per Share Energy West, Incorporated UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT April ___, 2008

Exhibit 1.1

2,250,000 Shares
Common Stock, Par Value $0.15 Per Share
Energy West, Incorporated

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

April ___, 2008

XXXXXX, XXXXX XXXXX, INCORPORATED
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000


LADENBURG XXXXXXXX & CO. INC.
000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Introductory. Energy West, Incorporated, a Montana corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A (each an “Underwriter” and collectively, the “Underwriters”), an aggregate of 2,250,000 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of its common stock, par value $.15 per share (the “Shares”). In addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 337,500 Shares (the “Option Shares”), as provided in Section 2. The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised, the Option Shares, are collectively called the “Offered Shares.” To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule A other than you, the term Underwriters as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters.

     The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-149668), which contains a form of prospectus to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Offered Shares. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form it was declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (“Securities Act Regulations”), including any information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is called the “Registration Statement.” Any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to confirm sales of the Offered Shares or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act, is called the “Prospectus.” As used herein, “Applicable Time” is 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on April ___, 2008. As used herein, "free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the Preliminary Prospectus, as amended or supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time, together with the free

writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B hereto, and each “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act), if any, related to the offering of the Offered Shares contemplated hereby that is a “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (each such road show, a “Road Show”). As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement”, “Preliminary Prospectus”, “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. All references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. All references in this Agreement to (i) the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“XXXXX”) and (ii) the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the “electronic Prospectus” provided for use in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares as contemplated by Section 3(n) of this Agreement.

     All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which are “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

     The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the Underwriters as follows:

     Section 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company.

     The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Underwriters, as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and covenants with the Underwriters, as follows:

     (a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information, if applicable. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are threatened by the Commission.

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     The Preliminary Prospectus dated April 21, 2008, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to XXXXX (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Shares. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at all subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, the Time of Sale Prospectus did not, and at the time of each sale of the Offered Shares and at the First Closing Date (as defined below) and each Option Closing Date (as defined below), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent times, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Underwriters furnished to the Company in writing by Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Incorporated (“Xxxxxx”) expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by Xxxxxx to the Company consists of the information described in Section 9(b) below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required.

     The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such free writing prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts with or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

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     (b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters. The Company has delivered to the Underwriters one complete manually signed copy of the Registration Statement, each amendment thereto and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement, each amendment thereto and any Preliminary Prospectuses, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, and any free writing prospectus reviewed and consented to by Xxxxxx, in such quantities and at such places as the Underwriters have reasonably requested.

     (c) Distribution of Offering Materials by the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the latest of (i) the expiration or termination of the option granted to the Underwriters in Section 2, (ii) the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Offered Shares, and (iii) the expiration of twenty-five (25) days after the date of the Prospectus, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Shares other than a Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus reviewed and consented to by Xxxxxx, or the Registration Statement.

     (d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.

     (e) Authorization of the Offered Shares. The Offered Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares is not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase the Offered Shares. The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock—Common Stock,” insofar as it purports to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common Stock, are accurate and complete in all material respects; no holder of the Shares will be subject to personal liability under the Montana Business Corporation Act by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

     (f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.

     (g) Incorporated Documents. Each document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply when filed with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”), and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the date of the Prospectus and at each Closing Date, did not and will not include

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an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

     (h) Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm — Xxxx & Associates LLP. The accountants, Xxxx & Associates LLP, who have certified certain audited financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), are (A) an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company, as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations, (B) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X and (C) a registered public accounting firm as defined by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the "PCAOB”) whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.

     (i) Financial Statements. The historical financial statements of the Company, including any amendments, filed as part of the Registration Statement or included or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, present fairly the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified. Such financial statements, including any amendments, have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) applied, except as disclosed therein, on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. All financial statements, including any amendments, required to be included in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, under Item 11 of Form S-1 have been so included or incorporated, and to the extent such financial statements are required by Rule 3-05 of Regulation S-X present fairly the financial information contained therein as of the dates and periods specified in conformity with GAAP, and to the extent such financial statements constitute pro forma financial statements such financial statements present fairly the information contained therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus. The financial data set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus or any applicable

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Prospectus under the captions “Prospectus Summary — Summary Financial Data,” “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and “Capitalization” fairly present the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

     (j) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given therein: (A) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business affairs, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined herein), considered as one entity (a “Material Adverse Change”); (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business, nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other Subsidiaries, any of its Subsidiaries, on any class of capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any class of capital stock; and (D) there has not been any change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.

     (k) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its “significant subsidiaries” within the meaning of Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X all of which are identified on Schedule C attached hereto (individually a “Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has the power and authority (corporate or other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in the case of the Company, to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or limited liability company, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity or ownership interest of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and nonassessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than (i) the subsidiaries listed in Schedule C

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attached hereto and (ii) such other entities omitted from Schedule C which, when such omitted entities are considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, would not constitute a “significant subsidiary” within the meaning of Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X.

     (l) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. All of the shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws, are fully paid and non assessable and conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. All of the Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or exchange any securities for shares of the Company’s capital stock have been duly and validly authorized and issued, were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws, and conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company were issued in violation of preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase any securities of the Company of any securityholder of the Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than those accurately described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

     (m) Authorization and Description of Shares. The Offered Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The Shares (including the Offered Shares) conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

     (n) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in material violation of its charter, bylaws, partnership or operating agreement or other governing documents, as applicable, or in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (collectively, including without limitation, the credit agreements to which the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries are a party and any “Loan Documents,” as such term is defined under any credit agreement, and any documents related to note agreements to which the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries are a party, “Agreements and Instruments”). The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Shares as described in the Prospectus in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the Prospectus) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have

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been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments, nor will such action result in any violation of (A) the provisions of any charter, bylaws, partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement or other governing documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their assets, properties or operations, which violations, in the case of clause (B), would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition that gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except for permits, consents, approvals and similar authorizations required under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of certain jurisdictions, and except for such permits, consents, approvals and authorizations which have been obtained, no permit, consent, approval, authorization or order of any court, governmental agency or body or financial institution is required in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

     (o) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

     (p) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign now pending, or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) which has as a subject thereof any officer or director or, or property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case (A) which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), (B) which (individually or in the aggregate) could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change or to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the Company or (C) which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject that are not described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

     (q) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto that have not been

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so described and filed as required.

     (r) Absence of Further Requirements. The Montana Public Service Commission (the “MPSC”) and the Public Service Commission of Wyoming (the “WPSC”) have authorized the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares, and said authorizations are in full force and effect and no further filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency (including, but not limited to, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”), the Maine Public Utilities Commission or the North Carolina Utilities Commission) is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Offered Shares hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (A) for such as may be required in connection with post-filing requirements with FERC due after the date hereof; (B) for such required under the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations and state securities or “Blue Sky” laws; (C) for such which have been, or prior to the applicable date of delivery of the Offered Shares will be, obtained; or (D) for such which, if not obtained, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change.

     (s) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights, adequate know-how (including unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) or other intellectual property (collectively, "Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and except with respect to that certain coexistence agreement provided to Xxxxxx, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries therein.

     (t) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess all such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, subject to such qualifications as may be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and except for such permits which, if not obtained, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change; the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, subject to such qualifications as may be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus and except for such noncompliance which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, subject to such qualifications as may be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and except where such invalidity or lack of force or effect would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses.

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     (u) Title to Property. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and indefeasible title to all of their interests in oil and gas properties (other than interests earned under farm-out, participation or similar agreements in which an assignment or transfer is pending) and all other real property owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind, except such as (A) are described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (B) liens and encumbrances under any credit agreements or purchase agreements, (C) liens and encumbrances under operating agreements, unitization and pooling agreements, production sales contracts, farm-out agreements and other oil and gas exploration participation, production and transportation agreements, in each case that secure payment of amounts not yet due and payable for the performance of other inchoate obligations and are of a scope and nature customary in the oil and gas industry or arise in connection with drilling and production operations, or (D) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of the affected property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, all of the leases and subleases of real property that are material to the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any of such leases or subleases, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

     (v) Certain Oil and Gas Matters. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, as of the date hereof and each Closing Date, (A) all royalties, rentals, deposits and other amounts owed under the oil and gas leases constituting the oil and gas properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries have been properly and timely paid (other than amounts held in routine suspense accounts pending payments), and no material amount of proceeds from the sale or production attributable to the oil and gas properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries are currently being held in suspense by any purchaser thereof, except where such amounts due could not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and (B) there are no claims under take-or-pay contracts pursuant to which natural gas purchasers have any make-up rights affecting the interests of the Company or its Subsidiaries in their oil and gas properties, except where such claims could not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

     (w) Investment Company Act. The Company has been advised of the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment

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company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act and will conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.

     (x) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and then only to the extent described therein, or where a violation, failure to receive required permits, authorizations and approvals or failure to comply with the requirements of such permits, authorizations and approvals, action or liabilities related to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change: (A) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws for their business and operations and are each in compliance with their requirements; (C) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and (D) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no events or circumstances (including any spill, discharge, leak, emission or release of Hazardous Materials) that could reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

     (y) Registration Rights. There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.

     (z) Stabilizing Transactions. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.

     (aa) Statistical and Market Data. The statistical, demographic and market related data

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included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.

     (bb) Finders’ Fee. The Company knows of no outstanding claims for services, in the nature of a finder’s fee or origination fee or other similar claim, with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, other than the underwriting fees and compensation to be paid to the Underwriters in accordance with this Agreement.

     (cc) Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed (or extensions with respect to such tax returns have been obtained). All taxes shown by such filed tax returns or otherwise assessed, that are due and payable, have been paid, except those which are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. The Company has not received any notice from the Internal Revenue Service that it intends to audit the Company’s federal income tax returns for any year during the three year period ended June 30, 2007 and no audit proceeding by the Internal Revenue Service has been conducted during such period. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns (or obtained extensions with respect to such tax returns) that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law, and have paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its Subsidiaries, except those which are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate in all material respects to meet any assessments or reassessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined.

     (dd) Company’s Accounting System. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries make and keep accurate books and records and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. There has not been and is no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and since June 30, 2007, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

     (ee) Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance with insurers that, to the Company’s knowledge, are financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their

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respective businesses and the volume of their respective properties as is customarily maintained by companies similar to the Company engaged in the same or substantially similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any Subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither of the Company nor any Subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

     (ff) Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and any director, officer, stockholder, customer or supplier of any of them, on the other hand, which is required by the Securities Act or by the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which is not so described or is not described as required.

     (gg) Compliance with Laws. The Company has not been advised, and has no reason to believe, that it or any of its Subsidiaries is not conducting business in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which it is conducting business, except where failure to be so in compliance would not result in a Material Adverse Change.

     (hh) No Integration. Except as described in the Prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, the Company has not sold or issued any shares of Common Stock during the six month period preceding the date of the Prospectus, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulations D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, stock options plans or other officer, director or employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, convertible preferred stock, rights or warrants.

     (ii) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx. The principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company have made all certifications required by the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act or any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission, and the statements contained in any such certification are complete and correct. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)), which (A) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being prepared; (B) have been evaluated by management of the Company for effectiveness as of a date within 90 days prior to the earlier of the date that the Company filed its most recent annual or quarterly report with the Commission and the date of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; and (C) are effective at the reasonable assurance level to perform the functions for which they were established. Based on the most recent evaluation of its disclosure controls and procedures, the Company is not aware of (i) any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a

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significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is otherwise in compliance in all material respects with all applicable effective provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission.

     (jj) Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, has used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

     (kk) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are, and have been conducted at all times, in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar applicable rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

     (ll) OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

     (mm) Exchange Act Reporting. The Company has been subject to the requirements of Section 12 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and has filed all the material required to be filed pursuant to Section 13, 14, or 15(d) for a period of at least thirty-six (36) calendar months immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement.

     (nn) ERISA Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or a subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,

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and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

     (oo) Certain Operating Agreements. The participation, joint development, joint operating, farm-out and other agreements relating to rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to the ownership, lease or operation of oil and gas properties or the exploration for development of, or production of oil and gas reserves thereon, constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries that are parties thereto and, to the knowledge of the Company, of the other parties thereto, and to the Company’s knowledge, are enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.

     (pp) FINRA Matters. All of the information provided to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters by the Company, its officers and directors and, to the knowledge of the Company, the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) pursuant to NASD Conduct Rules 2710 or 2720 is true, complete and accurate.

     (qq) Parties to Lock-up Agreements. Each of the Company’s directors and executive officers has executed and delivered to the Underwriters a lock-up agreement in the form of Exhibit E hereto. Exhibit D contains a true, complete and correct list of all directors and executive officers of the Company. If any additional persons shall become directors or executive officers of the Company prior to the end of the Company Lock-up Period (as defined below), the Company shall cause each such person, prior to or contemporaneously with their appointment or election as a director or executive officer of the Company, to execute and deliver to the Underwriters an agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.

     (rr) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

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     (ss) No Outstanding Loans or Other Extensions of Credit. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed any extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or from any director or executive officer (or equivalent thereof) of the Company and/or such Subsidiary except for such extensions of credit as are expressly permitted by Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

     Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to any of the Underwriters or to counsel for any of the Underwriter shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

     The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to any of the Underwriters, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

     Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Offered Shares.

     (a) The Offered Shares. Upon the terms herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters the Firm Shares. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A. The purchase price per Firm Share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be $  per share.

     (b) The First Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Xxxxxx at 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and Xxxxxx) at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time, on April ___, 2008, or such other time and date not later than 1:30 p.m. Eastern time, on April ___, 2008 (the time and date of such closing are called the “First Closing Date”). The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under which Xxxxxx may provide notice to postpone the First Closing Date as originally scheduled include, but are in no way limited to, any determination by the Company or Xxxxxx to recirculate to the public copies of an amended or supplemented Prospectus.

     (c) The Option Shares; Option Closing Date. In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an aggregate of 337,500 Option Shares from the Company at the purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriter for the Firm Shares. The option granted hereunder is for use by the Underwriters solely in covering any over-allotments in connection with the sale and distribution of the Firm Shares. The option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time and from time to time in whole or in part upon notice by Xxxxxx to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30 days from the date of this Agreement. Such notice shall set forth (i) the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the

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Underwriters are exercising the option, (ii) the names and denominations in which the certificates for the Option Shares are to be registered and (iii) the time, date and place at which such certificates will be delivered (which time and date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the First Closing Date; and in such case the term “First Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of delivery of certificates for the Firm Shares and such Option Shares). Such time and date of delivery, if subsequent to the First Closing Date, is called an “Option Closing Date” and shall be determined by Xxxxxx and shall not be earlier than three (3) nor later than five (5) full business days after delivery of such notice of exercise. Together with the First Closing Date, each Option Closing Date may each be referred to herein as a “Closing Date.” If any Option Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as Xxxxxx may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Option Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth on Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares. Xxxxxx may cancel the option at any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.

     (d) Public Offering of the Offered Shares. Xxxxxx hereby advises the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, initially on the terms set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Offered Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been declared effective as Xxxxxx, in its sole judgment, has determined is advisable and practicable.

     (e) Payment for the Offered Shares. Payment for the Offered Shares to be sold by the Company shall be made at each Closing Date by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company.

     It is understood that Xxxxxx has been authorized, for its own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Shares and any Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. Xxxxxx, individually and not in a representative capacity for the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Offered Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by Xxxxxx by the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.

     (f) Delivery of the Offered Shares. The Offered Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter hereunder shall be represented by one or more definitive global certificates in book-entry form which will be deposited by or on behalf of the Company with The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its designated custodian. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, the Firm Shares to Xxxxxx for the account of the several Underwriters at the First Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor, by causing DTC to credit the Firm Shares to the account of the Underwriters at DTC. The Company shall also deliver, or cause to be delivered, the Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase at the First Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, to Xxxxxx for the account of the several Underwriters,

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against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor, by causing DTC to credit the Option Shares to the account of the Underwriters at DTC. The certificates for the Offered Shares shall be registered in such names and denominations as Xxxxxx shall have requested at least two full business days prior to the First Closing Date (or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be) and shall be made available for inspection on the business day preceding the First Closing Date (or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be) at a location in New York City as Xxxxxx may designate. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.

     Section 3.Additional Covenants of the Company.

     The Company further covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

     (a) Delivery of Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus. The Company shall furnish to you, without charge, [___] signed copies of the Registration Statement, any amendments thereto and shall furnish to you in Baltimore, Maryland, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. Eastern time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 3(e) or 3(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

     (b) Xxxxxx’ Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. Prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus (including any amendment or supplement through incorporation of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish to Xxxxxx for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without Xxxxxx’ consent, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

     (c) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to Xxxxxx for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without Xxxxxx’ consent, provided such consent is not unreasonably withheld or delayed. The Company shall furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, or used by the Company, as such Underwriter may reasonably request. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Offered Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including each Closing Date) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue

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statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict so that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to Xxxxxx for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing prospectus without Xxxxxx’ consent, provided such consent is not unreasonably withheld or delayed.

     (d) Filing of Underwriter Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

     (e) Amendments and Supplements to Time of Sale Prospectus. If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the Time of Sale Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when delivered to a prospective purchaser, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company shall (subject to Sections 3(b) and 3(c)) forthwith prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when delivered to a prospective purchaser, not misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including the Securities Act.

     (f) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective and shall promptly advise Xxxxxx in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus or the

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Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b), Rule 433 and Rule 430A, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission.

     (g) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of Xxxxxx or counsel for the Underwriters it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Section 3(b) and 3(c)) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to dealers, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including the Securities Act. Neither Xxxxxx’ consent to, or delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Sections 3(b) or (c).

     (h) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with Xxxxxx and counsel for the Underwriters to qualify or register the Offered Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) those jurisdictions designated by Xxxxxx, and shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Offered Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise Xxxxxx promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Offered Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.

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     (i) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Offered Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.

     (j) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.

     (k) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, but in any event no later than sixteen months after the date of this Agreement, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to Xxxxxx an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

     (l) Periodic Reporting Obligations. The Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Offered Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

     (m) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to maintain the listing of the Offered Shares and the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC.

     (n) Company to Provide Copy of the Prospectus in Form That May be Downloaded from the Internet. The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered, at its expense, within one business day from the effective date of this Agreement, to Xxxxxx an “electronic Prospectus” to be used by the Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Shares. As used herein, the term “electronic Prospectus” means a form of Time of Sale Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of the following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format, satisfactory to Xxxxxx, that may be transmitted electronically by the Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the Offered Shares; (ii) it shall disclose the same information as the paper Time of Sale Prospectus, except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced in the electronic Prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular representation of such material, as appropriate; and (iii) it shall be in or convertible into a paper format or an electronic format, satisfactory to Xxxxxx, that will allow investors to store and have continuously ready access to the Time of Sale Prospectus at any future time, without charge to investors (other than any fee charged for subscription to the Internet as a whole and for on-line time). The Company hereby confirms that it has included or will include in the Prospectus filed pursuant to XXXXX or otherwise with the Commission and in the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective an undertaking that, upon receipt of a request by an investor or his or her representative, the Company shall transmit or cause to be transmitted promptly, without charge, a paper copy of the Time of Sale Prospectus.

     (o) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Shares. During the period commencing on and including the date hereof and ending on and including the 180^th day

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following the date of this Agreement (as the same may be extended as described below, the “Lock-up Period”), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of Xxxxxx), directly or indirectly, sell (including, without limitation, any short sale), offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any Shares, options, rights or warrants to acquire Shares or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Offered Shares) or publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing; provided, however, that the Company (1) may issue Shares or options to purchase Shares upon exercise of options any may file registration statements on Form S-8 related or pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in each Prospectus or (2) may issue Shares to acquire interests in Cut Bank Gas Company as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) during the last 17 days of the Lock-up Period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (ii) prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-up Period, then in each case the Lock-up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless Xxxxxx waives, in writing, such extension (which waiver may be withheld at the sole discretion of Xxxxxx), except that such extension will not apply if, (i) within three business days prior to the 15th calendar day before the last day of the Lock-up Period, the Company delivers a certificate, signed by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certifying on behalf of the Company that (i) the Shares are “actively traded securities” (as defined in Regulation M), (ii) the Company meets the applicable requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 139 under the Securities Act in the manner contemplated by NASD Conduct Rule 2711(f)(4), and (iii) the provisions of NASD Conduct Rule 2711(f)(4) are not applicable to any research reports relating to the Company published or distributed by the Underwriters during the 15 days before or after the last day of the Lock-up Period (before giving effect to such extension). The Company will provide Xxxxxx with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to an extension of the Lock-up Period.

     (p) Investment Company Act. The Company will take such steps as shall be necessary to ensure that neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall become an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act.

     (q) No Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Offered Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from Xxxxxx (or, if later, at the time stated

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in the notice), the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply.

     (r) Existing Lock-Up Agreements. During the Lock-Up period, the Company will enforce all existing agreements between the Company and its executive officers and directors that prohibit the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation of any of the Company’s securities. In addition, the Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon any such securities of the Company that are bound by such existing “lock-up” agreements for the duration of the periods contemplated in such agreements, including, without limitation “lock-up” agreements entered into by the Company’s officers and directors pursuant to Section 6(h).

     (s) Future Reports to Xxxxxx. During the period of five years hereafter the Company will furnish to Xxxxxx at 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attn: Corporate Finance: (i) as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such fiscal year and statements of income, stockholder’s equity and cash flows for the fiscal year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company’s independent public or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the Company with the Commission, the NASD or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its capital stock; provided, however, that the Company shall be deemed to satisfy the requirement to furnish such documents if such documents are filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX.

     Xxxxxx may, in its sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by the Company of any one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.

     Section 4. Payment of Expenses.

     The Company agrees to pay for itself all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Offered Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares, (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, each Preliminary Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or filing fees incurred by the Underwriters in connection with

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qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Offered Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by Xxxxxx, preparing and printing a "Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations, determinations and exemptions, (vii) the filing fees incident to FINRA’s review, if any, and approval of the Underwriters’ participation in the offering and distribution of the Offered Shares, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Offered Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic roadshow, expenses associated with the production of roadshow slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the roadshow presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and of Xxxxxx and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the roadshow, (ix) the fees and expenses associated with including the Offered Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC, and (x) all other fees, costs and expenses of the nature referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement. In addition, the Company agrees to reimburse Xxxxxx for fees and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, Xxxxxx has incurred relating to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities, including, but not limited to, the formation of an underwriting group, due diligence, and negotiation of this Agreement, in an amount not to exceed $125,000. Except as provided in this Section 4, Section 7, Section 9 and Section 10 hereof, the Underwriter shall pay its own expenses.

     Section 5. Covenant of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter severally and not jointly, covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

     Section 6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Offered Shares as provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, each Option Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as though then made and, with respect to the Option Shares, as of each Option Closing Date as though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:

     (a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, Xxxxxx shall have received from Xxxx & Associates LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for the Company, (i) a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to Xxxxxx, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, and each free writing prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus, and (ii)

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confirming that they are (A) an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and (B) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

     (b) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection from FINRA. For the period from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to each Closing Date:

          (i) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the final pricing and any other information previously omitted pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;

          (ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with; and

          (iii) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

     (c) No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, each Option Closing Date:

          (i) in the reasonable judgment of Xxxxxx there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change; and

          (ii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act.

     (d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date Xxxxxx shall have received each of the following opinions from each of the following counsels for the Company each dated as of such Closing Date:

          (i) the opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx P.L.L., the form of which is attached as Exhibit A;

          (ii) the opinion of Xxxxxxxx, Kaleczyk, Xxxxx & Xxxxx, P.C., the form of which is attached as Exhibit B; and

          (iii) the opinions of each of Associated Legal Group, LLC, Blanchard, Miller,

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Xxxxx & Xxxxxx PA, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxx, and Xxxxxxxxxx & Cross, LLP, each in the form attached as Exhibit C.

     (e) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date Xxxxxx shall have received the opinion of Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to Xxxxxx, dated as of such Closing Date. In rendering such opinion, Xxxxxxx LLP may rely upon the opinion of Browning, Kaleczyc, Xxxxx & Xxxxx, P.C. as to matters of Montana law.

     (f) Officers’ Certificate. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, Xxxxxx shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, to the effect set forth in subsections (b)(ii) and (c)(ii) of this Section 6, and further to the effect that:

          (i) for the period from and after the date of this Agreement through and prior to such Closing Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;

          (ii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such Closing Date; and

          (iii) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date.

     (g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, Xxxxxx shall have received from Xxxx & Associates LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to Xxxxxx, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 6, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be.

     (h) Lock-Up Agreement from Certain Securityholders of the Company. On or prior to the date hereof, the Company shall have furnished to Xxxxxx an agreement in the form of Exhibit C hereto from each director and executive officer of the Company, and such agreement shall be in full force and effect on each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date.

     (i) Misstatement or Omission. None of the Underwriters shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to each Closing Date that the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

     (j) Maintenance of Listing. At the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date,

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the Company shall have maintained a listing of the Company’s common stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC.

     (k) Additional Documents. On or before each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, Xxxxxx and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably request for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as contemplated herein and in connection with the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be satisfactory in form and substance to Xxxxxx and counsel to the Underwriters.

     If any condition specified in this Section 6 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied in the reasonable determination of Xxxxxx, this Agreement may be terminated by Xxxxxx by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, at any time prior to the applicable Option Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 7, Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

     Section 7. Reimbursement of Underwriter Expenses. If the sale to the Underwriters of the Offered Shares on the First Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Offered Shares, including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.

     Section 8. Effectiveness of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto.

     Section 9. Indemnification.

     (a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Offered Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof

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pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Offered Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or (ii) above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (iii) to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by such Underwriter through its bad faith or willful misconduct; and to reimburse each Underwriter and each such officer, employee and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Xxxxxx) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying (subject to paragraph (d) below) any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by Xxxxxx expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any such free writing prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by Xxxxxx to the Company consists of the information described in subsection (b) below. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

     (b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated

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therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, such free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of Xxxxxx expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying (subject to paragraph (d) below) any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that Xxxxxx has furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.

     (c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 9, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 9 to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 9 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be

29

liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by Xxxxxx (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 9(a) above) or by the Company (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 9(b) above)), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have assumed the defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.

     (d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 9 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 9(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding.

     Section 10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 9 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as

30

the total net proceeds from the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Offered Shares as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

     The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9(c), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 9(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 10; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 9(c) for purposes of indemnification.

     The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 10.

     Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions received by it in connection with the Offered Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 10 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 10, each officer and employee of an Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

     Section 11. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the purchase of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters on the First Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by Xxxxxx by notice given to the Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum

31

prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal, New York or Maryland authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, that in the reasonable judgment of Xxxxxx is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to market the Offered Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the reasonable judgment of Xxxxxx there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change; or (v) the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as in the reasonable judgment of Xxxxxx may interfere materially with the conduct of the business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have been insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 11 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, (b) any Underwriter to the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

     Section 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Offered Shares and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has an obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

     Section 13. Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research department are required to and should be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and as such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company understands that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its account or the account of its customers and hold long and short positions in

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debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

     Section 14. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of its partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

     Section 15. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

If to the Underwriters:

Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Incorporated
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Finance

Ladenburg Xxxxxxxx & Co. Inc.
000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxx

with a copy to:

Xxxxxxx LLP
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Xx., Esq.

If to the Company:

Energy West, Incorporated
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000

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Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx

with a copy to:

Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxx P.L.L.
0000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.

     Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.

     Section 16. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 9 and Section 10, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Offered Shares as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.

     Section 17. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

     Section 18. Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Maryland applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in [Baltimore, Maryland or the courts of the State of Maryland in each case located in the city of Baltimore] (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

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     Section 19. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Table of Contents and the Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

     Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 9 and the contribution provisions of Section 10, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 9 and 10 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, each free writing prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

[Signature page follows.]

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     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.

Very truly yours,


Energy West, Incorporated
 

By:  

Name:  

Title:  

     The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by each of the Underwriters as of the date first above written.

Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Incorporated
 

By:  

Name:  

Title:  

Ladenburg Xxxxxxxx & Co. Inc.
 

By:  

Name:  

Title:  

Signature page to Underwriting Agreement

SCHEDULE A

		Number of Firm
		Shares to be
Underwriters		Purchased
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Incorporates			[__________]
Ladenburg Xxxxxxxx & Co. Inc.			[__________]

SCHEDULE B

     1. The following pricing term sheet:

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated April ___, 2008
Relating to Preliminary Prospectus dated April ___, 2008

Registration No. 333-149668

2,250,000 Shares
Energy West, Incorporated
Common Stock
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS

Issuer:		Energy West, Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange:		EWST/ Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC
Offering size:		2,250,000 Firm Shares or, if the Underwriter exercises in full its option to purchase additional Shares, 337,500 Shares
Public offering price:		$  per share
Price to EWST:		$  per share
Net proceeds to EWST:		We will receive net proceeds of approximately $ million from our sale of 2,250,000 shares of common stock in this offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
Use of Proceeds:		Acquisitions and general corporate purposes.

Trade date:		April ___, 2008
Settlement date:		April ___, 2008
Underwriters:		Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Incorporated Ladenburg Xxxxxxxx & Co. Inc.

     THE ISSUER HAS FILED A REGISTRATION STATEMENT (INCLUDING A PROSPECTUS) WITH THE SEC FOR THE OFFERING TO WHICH THIS COMMUNICATION RELATES. BEFORE YOU INVEST, YOU SHOULD READ THE PROSPECTUS IN THAT REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THE ISSUER HAS FILED WITH THE SEC FOR MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ISSUER AND THIS OFFERING. YOU MAY GET THESE DOCUMENTS FOR FREE BY VISITING XXXXX ON THE SEC WEB SITE AT XXX.XXX.XXX. ALTERNATIVELY, THE ISSUER, UNDERWRITER OR ANY DEALER PARTICIPATING IN THE OFFERING WILL ARRANGE TO SEND YOU THE PROSPECTUS IF YOU REQUEST IT BY CALLING                                         .

SCHEDULE C

SUBSIDIARIES

Energy West Resources, Inc., a Montana corporation
Energy West Development, Inc., a Montana corporation
Frontier Natural Gas Company, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company
Frontier Utilities of North Carolina, Inc., a North Carolina corporation