FOREST OIL CORPORATION
Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION VERSION
$500,000,000
FOREST OIL CORPORATION
7.500% Senior Notes due 2020
September 12, 2012
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
As Representative of the
several Initial Purchasers listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Forest Oil Corporation, a New York corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Initial Purchasers”), for whom you are acting as representative (the “Representative”), $500,000,000 principal amount of its 7.500% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of September 17, 2012 among the Company, Forest Oil Permian Corporation (the “Guarantor”) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”) and will be guaranteed on an unsecured senior basis by the Guarantor (the “Guarantee”).
The Securities will be sold to the Initial Purchasers without being registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in reliance upon an exemption therefrom. The Company and the Guarantor have prepared a preliminary offering memorandum dated September 12, 2012 (the “Preliminary Offering Memorandum”) and will prepare an offering memorandum dated the date hereof (the “Offering Memorandum”) setting forth information concerning the Company, the Guarantor and the Securities. Copies of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum have been, and copies of the Offering Memorandum will be delivered or made available by the Company to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the terms of this purchase agreement (the “Agreement”). The Company hereby confirms that it has authorized the use of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the other Time of Sale Information (as defined below) and the Offering Memorandum in connection with the offering and resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated by this Agreement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum. References herein to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to refer to and include any document incorporated by reference therein and any reference to “amend,”
“amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date and incorporated by reference therein. References herein to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to refer to and include the preliminary Canadian offering memorandum dated September 12, 2012 (the “Preliminary Canadian Offering Memorandum”) and the Canadian offering memorandum dated the date hereof (the “Final Canadian Offering Memorandum”), respectively.
At or prior to 4:31:24 p.m. on September 12, 2012, the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, as supplemented and amended by the written communications listed on Annex A hereto.
Holders of the Securities (including the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees) will be entitled to the benefits of a Registration Rights Agreement, to be dated the Closing Date (as defined below) and substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company and the Guarantor will agree to file one or more registration statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) providing for the registration under the Securities Act of the Securities or the Exchange Securities and the related Guarantee referred to (and as defined) in the Registration Rights Agreement.
The Company and the Guarantor hereby confirm their agreement with the several Initial Purchasers concerning the purchase and resale of the Securities, as follows:
1. Purchase and Resale of the Securities. (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Initial Purchasers as provided in this Agreement, and each Initial Purchaser, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Initial Purchaser’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 98.25% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from September 17, 2012 to the Closing Date. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.
(b) The Company understands that the Initial Purchasers intend to offer the Securities for resale on the terms set forth in the Time of Sale Information. Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents, warrants and agrees that:
(i) it is a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act (a “QIB”) and an accredited investor within the meaning of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act (“Regulation D”);
(ii) it has not solicited offers for, or offered or sold, and will not solicit offers for, or offer or sell, the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act; and
(iii) it has not solicited offers for, or offered or sold, and will not solicit offers for, or offer or sell, the Securities as part of their initial offering except:
(A) within the United States to persons whom it reasonably believes to be QIBs in transactions pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Rule 144A”) and in connection with each such sale, it has taken or will take reasonable steps to ensure that the purchaser of the Securities is aware that such sale is being made in reliance on Rule 144A; or
(B) in accordance with the restrictions set forth in Annex C hereto.
(c) Each Initial Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that the Company and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to Sections 5(g) and 5(h), counsel for the Company and counsel for the Initial Purchasers, respectively, may rely upon the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Initial Purchasers, and compliance by the Initial Purchasers with their agreements, contained in paragraph (b) above (including, without limitation, Annex C hereto), and each Initial Purchaser hereby consents to such reliance.
(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Initial Purchasers may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Initial Purchaser and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Initial Purchaser.
(e) The Company and the Guarantor acknowledge and agree that each Initial Purchaser is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company and the Guarantor with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company, the Guarantor or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representative nor any other Initial Purchaser is advising the Company, the Guarantor or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company and the Guarantor shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making their own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Representative nor any other Initial Purchaser shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company or the Guarantor with respect thereto. Any review by the Representative or any other Initial Purchaser of the Company, the Guarantor, and the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Representative or such Initial Purchaser, as the
case may be, and shall not be on behalf of the Company, the Guarantor or any other person.
2. Payment and Delivery. (a) Delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P. in New York, New York at 9:00 A.M. New York City time on September 17, 2012, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of payment for and delivery of the Securities is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” The Securities will be delivered to the Trustee, as custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), in the form of one or more global notes. Prior to the Closing Date, the Representative shall inform the Company of the principal amount of Securities being sold pursuant to each of Rule 144 and Regulation S in order to permit the Company to prepare separate global notes in the appropriate principal amounts.
(b) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representative against delivery of the Securities in book-entry form through the facilities of DTC for the account of the Representative.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Guarantor. The Company and the Guarantor, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to each Initial Purchaser that:
(a) Preliminary Offering Memorandum; Time of Sale Information and Offering Memorandum. The Preliminary Offering Memorandum, as of its date, did not, the Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale, did not, and the Offering Memorandum, as of its date and as of the Closing Date, 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; provided that the Company and the Guarantor make no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company by such Initial Purchaser through the Representative expressly for use in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Time of Sale Information or the Offering Memorandum, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described as such in Section 6(b) hereof.
(b) Additional Written Communications. The Company and the Guarantor (including their agents and representatives, other than the Initial Purchasers in their capacity as such) have not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company and the Guarantor or their agents and representatives (each such communication other than a communication referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, an “Issuer Written Communication”) other than (i) the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, (ii) the Offering Memorandum, (iii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, including a term sheet substantially in the form of
Annex B hereto, which constitute part of the Time of Sale Information, and (iv) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case used in accordance with Section 4(c). Each such Issuer Written Communication, when taken together with the Time of Sale Information at the Time of Sale, did not, and at the Closing Date 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; provided that the Company and the Guarantor make no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Written Communication in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company by such Initial Purchaser through the Representative expressly for use in any Issuer Written Communication.
(c) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum conformed or will conform, as the case may be, when filed with the Commission, in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not or, when so filed, will not, as the case may be, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum present fairly the combined financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby; the other financial information of the Company included or incorporated by reference in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its Subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby. The term “Subsidiary” means each entity of which a majority of the voting equity securities or other ownership interests is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company. The interactive data in eXtensbile Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in each of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto in all material respects.
(e) No Material Adverse Change. Since June 30, 2012, except as otherwise disclosed in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, (i) there has not been any material adverse change, or any development reasonably likely to result in a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
(f) Organization and Good Standing. (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of New York, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business in a manner consistent with any description thereof in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”).
(g) Each Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated or formed and is an existing corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership and is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, with corporate, limited liability company or limited partnership power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business in a manner consistent with any description thereof each of the Time of Sale Information and in the Offering Memorandum; and each Subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or similar equity interests of each Subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and except as set forth in the each of the Time of Sale Information and Offering Memorandum, the capital stock or similar equity interests of each Subsidiary is owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries, free from liens, encumbrances and defects.
(h) Due Authorization. The Company and the Guarantor have taken all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Securities, the Indenture including the Guarantee set forth therein, the Exchange Securities and the Registration Rights Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”).
(i) The Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and the Guarantor and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and the Guarantor enforceable against the Company and the Guarantor in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or law) and
an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”); and on the Closing Date, the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission applicable to an indenture that is qualified thereunder.
(j) The Securities and the Guarantee. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, and the Guarantee has been duly authorized by the Guarantor and, when the Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be a valid and legally binding obligation of the Guarantor, enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(k) The Exchange Securities. On the Closing Date, the Exchange Securities (including the related guarantee) will have been duly authorized by the Company and the Guarantor, and if and when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, as issuer, and the Guarantor, as guarantor, enforceable against the Company and the Guarantor in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(l) Purchase and Registration Rights Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantor. The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company and the Guarantor and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and the Guarantor enforceable against the Company and the Guarantor in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and except (i) that rights to indemnity and contribution thereunder may be limited by applicable law and public policy and (ii) to the extent the payment of additional interest provided for in the Registration Rights Agreement is determined by a court to be a penalty or a forfeiture.
(m) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum.
(n) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Guarantor of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities (including the Guarantees) and compliance by the Company and the Guarantor with the terms thereof and the consummation by the Company and the Guarantor of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default 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, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(p) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Guarantor of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities (including the Guarantee) and compliance by the Company and the Guarantor with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required (i) under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers and (ii) with respect to the Exchange Securities (including the related guarantee) and shelf registration under the Securities Act, the Trust Indenture Act and applicable state securities laws as contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement.
(q) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and no such investigations, actions, suits
or proceedings are threatened or, to the best knowledge of the Company and the Guarantor, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others.
(r) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries within the meaning of Rule 101 of the Code of Professional Conduct of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and its interpretations and rulings thereunder within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
(s) Title to Real and Personal Property. Except as disclosed in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all material real and personal property, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries or (ii) could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service ▇▇▇▇ registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses; and the Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement of or conflict with any rights of others that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum none of them will be, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, “Investment Company Act”).
(v) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess adequate licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization that if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the best knowledge of the Company and the Guarantor, is contemplated or threatened that could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) Compliance With Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable for any off site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and to the Company’s best knowledge, there is no pending investigation which might lead to such a claim.
(y) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or any Initial Purchaser for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby.
(z) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain an system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its Subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act and such disclosure controls and procedures were effective at June 30, 2012.
(aa) Accounting Controls. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of
financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) interactive data in eXtensbile Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in each of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto in all material respects. Except as disclosed in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum and except for a significant deficiency relating to not filing an amended tax return, there were no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in the Company’s internal controls at December 31, 2011.
(bb) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company and the Guarantor, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has (i) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (ii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iii) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.
(cc) Compliance with 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 equivalent money laundering statutes of any other jurisdiction to which the Company is subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Guarantor, threatened.
(dd) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Guarantor, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”)), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise
make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as initial purchaser, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.
(ee) Solvency. On and immediately after the Closing Date, the Company and each Guarantor (after giving effect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the issuance of the Guarantees and the other transactions related thereto as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum) will be Solvent. As used in this paragraph, the term “Solvent” means, with respect to a particular date and entity, that on such date (i) the fair value (and present fair saleable value) of the assets of such entity is not less than the total amount required to pay the probable liability of such entity on its total existing debts and liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they become absolute and matured; (ii) such entity is able to realize upon its assets and pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and commitments as they mature and become due in the normal course of business; (iii) assuming consummation of the issuance and sale of the Securities and the issuance of the Guarantees as contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, such entity does not have, intend to incur or believe that it will incur debts or liabilities beyond its ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature; and (iv) such entity is not engaged in any business or transaction, and does not propose to engage in any business or transaction, for which its property would constitute unreasonably small capital.
(ff) Rule 144A Eligibility. On the Closing Date, the Securities will not be of the same class as securities listed on a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act or quoted in an automated inter-dealer quotation system; and each of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum, as of its respective date, contains or will contain all the information that, if requested by a prospective purchaser of the Securities, would be required to be provided to such prospective purchaser pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
(gg) No Integration. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 501(b) of Regulation D) has, directly or through any agent, sold, offered for sale, solicited offers to buy or otherwise negotiated in respect of, any security (as defined in the Securities Act), that is or will be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner that would require registration of the Securities under the Securities Act.
(hh) No General Solicitation or Directed Selling Efforts. None of the Company or any of its affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to which no representation is made) has (i) solicited offers for, or offered or sold, the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or (ii) engaged in any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Regulation S
under the Securities Act (“Regulation S”), and all such persons have complied with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
(ii) Securities Law Exemptions. Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Initial Purchasers contained in Section 1(b) (including, without limitation, Annex C hereto) and their compliance with their agreements set forth therein, it is not necessary, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers and the offer, resale and delivery of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, to register the Securities under the Securities Act or to qualify the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.
(jj) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor the Guarantor has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
(kk) Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
(ll) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in any of the Time of Sale Information or the Offering Memorandum has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(mm) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(nn) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
4. Further Agreements of the Company and the Guarantor. The Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally covenant and agree with each Initial Purchaser that:
(a) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver or make available to the Initial Purchasers as many copies of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, any other Time of Sale Information, any Issuer Written Communication and the Offering Memorandum (including all amendments and supplements thereto) as the Representative may reasonably request.
(b) Offering Memorandum, Amendments or Supplements. Before finalizing the Offering Memorandum or making or distributing any amendment or supplement to any of the Time of Sale Information or the Offering Memorandum or filing with the Commission any document that will be incorporated by reference therein, the Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Initial Purchasers a copy of the proposed Offering Memorandum or such amendment or supplement or document to be incorporated by reference therein. The Company will not distribute any such proposed Offering Memorandum, amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.
(c) Additional Written Communications. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving or referring to any Issuer Written Communication, the Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Initial Purchasers a copy of such written communication for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any such written communication to which the Representative reasonably objects.
(d) Notice to the Representative. Prior to the completion of the initial offering of the Securities, the Company will advise the Representative promptly, and confirm such advice in writing: (i) of the issuance by any governmental or regulatory authority of any order preventing or suspending the use of any of the Time of Sale Information, any Issuer Written Communication or the Offering Memorandum or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose; (ii) of the occurrence of any event at any time as a result of which any of the Time of Sale Information, any Issuer Written Communication or the Offering Memorandum as then amended or supplemented would include 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 existing when any of the Time of Sale Information, any Issuer Written Communication or the Offering Memorandum is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (iii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any of the Time of Sale Information, any Issuer Written Communication or the Offering Memorandum or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will take commercially reasonable steps to obtain as soon as practicable the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Time of Sale Information. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which any of the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement any of the Time of Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Initial Purchasers thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (b) above, furnish to the Initial Purchasers such amendments or supplements to any of the Time of Sale Information (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by
reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in any of the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented (including any such document filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) will not, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that any of the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.
(f) Ongoing Compliance of the Offering Memorandum. If at any time prior to the completion of the initial offering of the Securities (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Offering Memorandum as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Offering Memorandum is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Offering Memorandum to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Initial Purchasers thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (b) above, furnish to the Initial Purchasers such amendments or supplements to the Offering Memorandum (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Offering Memorandum as so amended or supplemented (including any such document filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Offering Memorandum is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Offering Memorandum will comply with law.
(g) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the offering and resale of the Securities; provided that neither the Company nor the Guarantor shall be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(h) Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and including the date that is 45 days after the date hereof, the Company and the Guarantor will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any “high-yield” debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or the Guarantor and having a tenor of more than one year.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum under the heading “Use of proceeds”.
(j) Supplying Information. While the Securities remain outstanding and are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act, the Company and the Guarantor will, during any period in which the Company is not subject to and in compliance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, furnish to
holders of the Securities and prospective purchasers of the Securities designated by such holders, upon the request of such holders or such prospective purchasers, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
(k) DTC. The Company will assist the Initial Purchasers in arranging for the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.
(l) No Resales by the Company. Until the issuance of the Exchange Securities (or such earlier time as agreed by the Representative), the Company will not, and will not permit any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) to, resell any of the Securities that have been acquired by any of them, except for Securities purchased by the Company or any of its affiliates and resold in a transaction registered under the Securities Act.
(m) No Integration. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 501(b) of Regulation D) will, directly or through any agent, sell, offer for sale, solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of, any security (as defined in the Securities Act), that is or will be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner that would require registration of the Securities under the Securities Act.
(n) No General Solicitation or Directed Selling Efforts. None of the Company or any of its affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to which no covenant is given by the Company) will (i) solicit offers for, or offer or sell, the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or (ii) engage in any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Regulation S, and all such persons will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
(o) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor the Guarantor will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
5. Conditions of Initial Purchasers’ Obligations. The obligation of each Initial Purchaser to purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company and the Guarantor of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantor contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company, the Guarantor and their respective officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.
(b) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have
occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any other debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act; and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, no event described in Section 3(e) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist that is not described in each of the Time of Sale Information (without giving effect to any amendment or supplement thereto or any document filed with the Commission after the date hereof) and the Offering Memorandum (without giving effect to any amendment or supplement thereto or any document filed with the Commission after the date hereof) and the effect of which, in the judgment of the Representative, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum.
(d) Officer’s Certificate. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company and of the Guarantor who has specific knowledge of the Company’s or the Guarantor’s financial matters and is satisfactory to the Representative (i) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum and, to the best knowledge of such officer, the representations set forth in Section 3(a) and 3(b) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantor in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company and the Guarantor have complied in all material respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) above.
(e) Comfort Letters. Provided that the Initial Purchasers shall have provided customary representation letters to Ernst & Young LLP, in form reasonably requested by Ernst & Young LLP, Ernst & Young LLP shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Initial Purchasers, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.
(f) Reserve Report Confirmation Letters. DeGoyler and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers, at the request of the Company, a letter, dated the date of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and addressed to the Initial
Purchasers, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, containing statements and information with respect to the oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as reported in letters to the Company.
(g) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. (i) ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P., counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Initial Purchasers, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect set forth in Annex D-1 hereto.
(ii) Cyrus ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers his written opinion, as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Company, addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, substantially to the effect set forth in Annex D-2 hereto.
(h) Opinion of Counsel for the Initial Purchasers. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, with respect to such matters as the Representative may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(i) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or the issuance of the Guarantee; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or the issuance of the Guarantee.
(j) Good Standing. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date reasonably satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company, the Guarantor and the Company’s “significant subsidiaries” (within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission) their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication, from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(k) Registration Rights Agreement. The Initial Purchasers shall have received a counterpart of the Registration Rights Agreement that shall have been executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company and the Guarantor.
(l) DTC. The Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.
(m) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company and the Guarantor shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Initial Purchasers.
6. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Initial Purchasers. The Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, its affiliates participating in the distribution of the Securities (“Participating Affiliates”), directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Initial Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, any of the other Time of Sale Information, any Issuer Written Communication or the Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company by such Initial Purchaser through the Representative expressly for use therein.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Initial Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantor, each of their respective directors and officers, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Guarantor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company or the Guarantor by such Initial Purchaser through the Representative expressly for use in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, any of the other Time of Sale Information, any Issuer Written Communication or the Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the third and twelfth paragraphs and the fourth sentence of the tenth paragraph under “Plan of distribution”.
(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraphs (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to paragraphs (a) or (b) above that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Initial Purchaser, its Participating Affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC and any such separate firm for the Company, the Guarantor, their respective directors and officers, and any control persons of the Company or the Guarantor shall be designated in writing by the Company or the Guarantor, as applicable. The Indemnifying Person 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 Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the
Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) or (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total discounts and commissions received by the Initial Purchasers in connection therewith, as provided in this Agreement, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Initial Purchasers and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company, the Guarantor and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Initial Purchasers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6, in no event shall an Initial Purchaser
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discounts and commissions received by such Initial Purchaser with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Initial Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person found guilty in a final judgment 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 Initial Purchasers’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 6 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
7. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representative, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or the Guarantor shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum.
8. Defaulting Initial Purchaser. (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Initial Purchaser defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Initial Purchaser, the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Initial Purchaser, either the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Initial Purchasers may be necessary in the Time of Sale Information, the Offering Memorandum or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Time of Sale Information or the Offering Memorandum that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Initial Purchaser” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this
Section 8, purchases Securities that a defaulting Initial Purchaser agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers by the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Initial Purchaser to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Initial Purchaser agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Initial Purchaser’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Initial Purchaser agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers by the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8 shall be without liability on the part of the Company or the Guarantor, except that the Company and the Guarantor will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 9(a) hereof and except that the provisions of Section 6 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Initial Purchaser of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Initial Purchaser for damages caused by its default.
9. Payment of Expenses. (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally agree to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including, without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation and printing of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, any other Time of Sale Information, any Issuer Written Communication and the Offering Memorandum (including any amendment or supplement thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s and the Guarantor’s counsel, independent accountants and independent petroleum engineering firms; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Initial Purchasers); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to
such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to clause (ii) of Section 7, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Initial Purchasers or (iii) the Initial Purchasers decline to purchase the Securities because a condition to closing is not satisfied, the Company and the Guarantor agree, jointly and severally, to reimburse the Initial Purchasers for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Initial Purchasers in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
10. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and any controlling persons referred to herein, the Participating Affiliates, officers and directors of each Initial Purchaser referred to in Section 6 hereof and the officers and directors of the Company referred to in Section 6 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Initial Purchaser shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
11. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, the Guarantor and the Initial Purchasers contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company, the Guarantor or the Initial Purchasers pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company, the Guarantor or the Initial Purchasers.
12. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
13. Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Initial Purchasers are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Initial Purchasers to properly identify their respective clients.
14. Miscellaneous. (a) Authority of the Representative. Any action by the Initial Purchasers hereunder may be taken by ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC on behalf of
the Initial Purchasers, and any such action taken by ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC shall be binding upon the Initial Purchasers.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Initial Purchasers shall be given to the Representative c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇); Attention: ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. Notices to the Company or the Guarantor shall be delivered or sent by mail or telecopy transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Offering Memorandum, Attention: General Counsel (telecopier no.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇).
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
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Very truly yours, | ||
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FOREST OIL CORPORATION | ||
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By |
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |
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Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |
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FOREST OIL PERMIAN CORPORATION | ||
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By |
/s/ Cyrus ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ | |
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Title: Vice President and Secretary | |
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Accepted: September 12, 2012 |
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▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC |
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For itself and on behalf of the several Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule 1 hereto. |
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By |
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ |
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Authorized Signatory |
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[Signature page to Forest 2012 Purchase Agreement]
Schedule 1
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Initial Purchaser |
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Principal Amount |
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▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC |
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$ |
170,000,000 |
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▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC |
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85,000,000 |
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BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
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35,000,000 |
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Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
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35,000,000 |
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Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
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35,000,000 |
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Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
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35,000,000 |
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Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. |
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35,000,000 |
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TD Securities (USA) LLC |
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35,000,000 |
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US Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
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35,000,000 |
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Total |
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$ |
500,000,000 |
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ANNEX A
a. Additional Time of Sale Information
1. Term sheet containing the terms of the securities, substantially in the form of Annex B.
ANNEX B
Pricing Term Sheet, dated September 12, 2012
to Preliminary Offering Memorandum dated September 12, 2012
Strictly Confidential
Forest Oil Corporation
This pricing term sheet is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum (the “Preliminary Offering Memorandum”). The information in this pricing term sheet supplements the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and updates and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum to the extent it is inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum. Terms used and not defined herein have the meanings assigned in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum.
The notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction. The notes may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S) except in transactions exempt from, or not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Accordingly, the notes are being offered only to (1) “qualified institutional buyers” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act and (2) outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.
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Issuer: |
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Forest Oil Corporation | |||
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Security description: |
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7.500% Senior Notes due 2020 | |||
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Distribution: |
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144A/Reg S with registration rights | |||
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Size: |
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$500,000,000 | |||
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Gross proceeds: |
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$500,000,000 | |||
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Maturity: |
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September 15, 2020 | |||
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Coupon: |
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7.500% | |||
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Issue price: |
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100.000% of face amount | |||
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Yield to maturity: |
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7.500% | |||
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Spread to benchmark Treasury: |
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+615 bps | |||
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Benchmark Treasury: |
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UST 2.625% due August 15, 2020 | |||
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Interest payment dates: |
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March 15 and September 15 commencing March 15, 2013 | |||
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Equity clawback: |
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Up to 35% at 107.500% prior to September 15, 2015 | |||
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Optional redemption: |
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Make-whole call @ T+50 bps prior to September 15, 2016, then: | |||
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On or after: |
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Price: |
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September 15, 2016 |
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103.750 |
% |
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September 15, 2017 |
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101.875 |
% |
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September 15, 2018 and thereafter |
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100.000 |
% |
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Change of control: |
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Putable at 101% of principal plus accrued and unpaid interest | |||
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CUSIP: |
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346091 BF7 (144A) U3455P AF2 (Reg S) | |||
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ISIN: |
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US346091BF74 (144A) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ (▇▇▇ S) | |||
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Denominations/Multiple: |
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2,000 x 1,000 | |||
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Trade date: |
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September 12, 2012 | |||
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Settlement date: |
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September 17, 2012 (T+3) | |||
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Ratings*: |
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Intentionally omitted | |||
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Bookrunners: |
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▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC | |||
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▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC |
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Co-Managers: |
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BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
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Citigroup Global Markets Inc |
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Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
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Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
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Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. |
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TD Securities (USA) LLC |
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US Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
Additional comments:
As of June 30, 2012, on an as adjusted basis to give effect to this offering and the application of the net proceeds as described in “Use of proceeds” below, we would have had approximately $189 million of borrowings under our bank credit facility and $1.8 billion principal amount of senior notes outstanding.
Use of proceeds
Estimated net proceeds to the Issuer from the offering of notes will be approximately $490.15 million, after deducting the Initial Purchasers’ discount and commissions and estimated offering expenses.
We intend to use a portion of the net proceeds to fund the proposed redemption of 50% of the aggregate principal amount of our 2014 notes, and the balance to reduce borrowings under our bank credit facility. Pending the proposed redemption of the 2014 notes, the portion of the net proceeds necessary to fund that redemption will be used to temporarily reduce borrowings under our bank credit facility or for general corporate purposes. Amounts repaid under our bank credit facility may be reborrowed from time to time for general corporate purposes.
Affiliates of each of the initial purchasers are lenders under our bank credit facility and will receive their respective portions of the net proceeds of this offering applied to repayment of borrowings thereunder.
This material is confidential and is for your information only and is not intended to be used by anyone other than you. This information does not purport to be a complete description of these notes or the offering. Please refer to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum for a complete description.
This communication is being distributed in the United States solely to Qualified Institutional Buyers, as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and outside the United States solely to Non-U.S. persons as defined under Regulation S.
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction.
*A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.
Any disclaimer or other notice that may appear below is not applicable to this communication and should be disregarded. Such disclaimer or notice was automatically generated as a result of this communication being sent by Bloomberg or another email system.
ANNEX C
Restrictions on Offers and Sales Outside the United States
In connection with offers and sales of Securities outside the United States:
(a) Each Initial Purchaser acknowledges that the Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an exemption from, or in transactions not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
(b) Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents, warrants and agrees that:
(i) Such Initial Purchaser has offered and sold the Securities, and will offer and sell the Securities, (A) as part of their distribution at any time and (B) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering of the Securities and the Closing Date, only in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act (“Regulation S”) or Rule 144A or any other available exemption from registration under the Securities Act.
(ii) None of such Initial Purchaser or any of its affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf has engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts with respect to the Securities, and all such persons have complied and will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
(iii) At or prior to the confirmation of sale of any Securities sold in reliance on Regulation S, such Initial Purchaser will have sent to each distributor, dealer or other person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration that purchases Securities from it during the distribution compliance period a confirmation or notice to substantially the following effect:
“The Securities covered hereby have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (i) as part of their distribution at any time or (ii) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering of the Securities and the date of original issuance of the Securities, except in accordance with Regulation S or Rule 144A or any other available exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Terms used above have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.”
(iv) Such Initial Purchaser has not and will not enter into any contractual arrangement with any distributor with respect to the distribution of the Securities, except with its affiliates or with the prior written consent of the Company.
Terms used in paragraph (a) and this paragraph (b) and not otherwise defined in this Agreement have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.
(c) Each Initial Purchaser acknowledges that no action has been or will be taken by the Company that would permit a public offering of the Securities, or possession or distribution of any of the Time of Sale Information, the Offering Memorandum, any Issuer Written Communication or any other offering or publicity material relating to the Securities, in any country or jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required.
(d) Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents, warrants and agrees that:
(i) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the United Kingdom Financial Services and Markets ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ (the “FSMA”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of any Securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company or the Guarantor; and
(ii) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
(e) Each Initial Purchaser severally represents, warrants and agrees that, in relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”), it has not made and will not make an offer of the Securities to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:
(i) to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;
(ii) to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the initial purchaser; or
(iii) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of the Securities to the public” in relation to any Securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to
purchase or subscribe the Securities, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State, the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State) and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.
ANNEX D-1
Form of Opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P.
(i) the Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of New York, with corporate power and authority necessary to own its properties and conduct its business in a manner consistent with any description thereof in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum;
(ii) the Guarantor has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority necessary to own its properties and conduct its business in a manner consistent with any description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum; and all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Guarantor has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable;
(iii) the Company and the Guarantor have all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture and, in the case of the Company, the Securities;
(iv) each of the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantor;
(v) each of the Registration Rights Agreement and the Indenture constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Guarantor and is enforceable against the Company and the Guarantor in accordance with its terms, in each case except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and, in the case of the Registration Rights Agreement, except as enforceability thereof may be limited by considerations of public policy, it being further understood that such counsel need express no opinion as to the specific performance provisions contained in the Registration Rights Agreement or the validity, legality, binding effect or enforceability of any provision of the Registration Rights Agreement or any related provision of the Indenture that requires or relates to payment of interest at a rate or in an amount which a court would determine in the circumstances or under applicable law to be commercially unreasonable or a penalty or a forfeiture); and the Indenture conforms in all material respects with the requirements of the
Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission applicable to an indenture that is qualified thereunder;
(vi) the Securities are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, when authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, in each case except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing), and the Guarantee has been duly authorized by the Guarantor and, when the Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be a valid and legally binding obligation of the Guarantor, enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with its terms, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture (in each case except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing;
(vii) the Exchange Securities (including the related guarantee) have been duly authorized by the Company and the Guarantor, and, if and when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, as issuer, and the Guarantor, as guarantor, enforceable against the Company and the Guarantor in accordance with their respective terms (in each case except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing);
(viii) no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any United States federal or New York state court or governmental agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Guarantor of each of the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Indenture and issuance of the Securities (including the Guarantee), or for the consummation the
transactions contemplated therein, except such as may be required under the Exchange Act, such as may required under the Act in connection with the registration statements as may be required pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement and such as may be required under the blue sky or securities laws of any United States jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and sale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers and such other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been obtained;
(ix) none of the issue, sale, execution and delivery of the Securities (including the Guarantee) by the Company and the Guarantor, the execution and delivery of each of the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Indenture, the consummation of the transactions contemplated therein in accordance with the terms thereof, nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or thereof will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of or constitute a default under (a) any United States federal or New York state law (provided that such counsel shall not be required to opine as to the prospective compliance by the Company and the Guarantor with applicable securities laws), (b) the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or the Guarantor, or (c) the terms of the indentures and credit agreements incorporated as exhibits to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 (as such indentures and credit agreements have been amended), except in the case of clauses (a) and (c), for any such breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(x) the descriptions in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum of statutes and legal and governmental proceedings are accurate in all material respects; the statements set forth under the headings “Description of other indebtedness” and “Description of notes” in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Securities and the Indenture, are accurate and fairly summarize in all material respects such provisions;
(xi) the statements in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum under the heading “Certain United States federal tax consequences”, to the extent that they constitute summaries of matters of law or regulation or legal conclusions, have been reviewed by such counsel and fairly summarize the matters described therein in all material respects;
(xii) neither the Company nor the Guarantor is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, will not be an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(xiii) assuming the accuracy of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, the Guarantor and the Initial Purchasers contained in the Purchase Agreement, no registration of the Securities under the Securities Act or qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act is required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company and the offer, resale and delivery of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers solely in the manner contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the Indenture, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum.
Such counsel shall also state (which may be in a separate document) that they have participated in conferences with certain officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent accountants of the Company, and representatives of and counsel to the Initial Purchasers, at which the contents of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum and related matters were discussed, and, although such counsel did not independently verify such information, is not passing upon, and does not assume any responsibility for and expresses no opinion regarding (except to the extent set forth in subparagraphs (x) and (xi) above) the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or included in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, based on the participation described above (relying as to matters of fact upon statements made to such counsel by the representatives of the Company) and their review of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, no information has come to their attention that caused them to believe that the Time of Sale Information, as of the Time of Sale (which such counsel may assume to be the date of this Agreement), included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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, or that the statements contained in the Offering Memorandum, as of the date thereof and as of Closing Date, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits 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. Such counsel need not express any view, belief or comment with respect to the form, accuracy, completeness or fairness of the financial statements, including the related notes and schedules thereto and the auditors’ reports thereon, other financial and accounting information and the oil and gas reserve reports and related reserve information contained or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum or excluded therefrom.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the Delaware General Corporation Law or the laws of the State of New York or the United States, to the extent they deem proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and the Guarantor and public officials.
The opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P. described above shall be rendered to the Initial Purchasers at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
ANNEX D-2
Form of Opinion of Cyrus ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇,
Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Company
(i) The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all United States jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(ii) neither the issue, sale, execution and delivery of the Securities by the Company and the Guarantor, the execution and delivery of each of the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Indenture by the Company, the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated therein, nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or thereof will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under (a) the charter or bylaws or similar organizational documents of the Company, (b) the terms of any indenture or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or bound, or (c) any judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitration having jurisdiction over the Company, except, in the case of clauses (b) and (c) above, for any such breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(iii) the descriptions in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum of contracts and other documents (other than the Indenture and the Securities) are accurate in all material respects; and
(iv) except as disclosed in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, to such counsel’s knowledge, there is no pending or threatened action or suit or judicial, arbitral or other administrative proceeding before any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or its or their property, is the subject, that is of a character that would have a Material Adverse Effect.
Such counsel shall also state (which may be in a separate document) that such counsel has participated in conferences with certain officers and other representatives of the Company, outside counsel to the Company, representatives of the independent accountants of the Company, and with representatives of and counsel to the Initial Purchasers, at which the contents of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum and related matters were discussed, and, although such counsel did not independently verify such information, is not passing upon, and does not assume any responsibility for and expresses no opinion regarding the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or included in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, based on the participation described above (relying as to matters of fact upon statements made to such counsel
by the representatives of the Company) and review of the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, no information has come to the attention of such counsel that have caused such counsel to believe that the Time of Sale Information, as of the Time of Sale (which such counsel may assume to be the date of this Agreement), included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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, or that the statements contained in the Offering Memorandum, as of the date thereof and as of Closing Date, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits 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. Such counsel need not express any view, belief or comment with respect to the form, accuracy, completeness or fairness of the financial statements, including the related notes and schedules thereto and the auditors’ reports thereon, other financial and accounting information and the oil and gas reserve reports and related reserve information contained or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum or excluded therefrom.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the Delaware General Corporation Law or the laws of the States of Colorado or Texas, or the United States, to the extent such counsel deems proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials.
The opinion of Cyrus ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ described above shall be rendered to the Initial Purchasers at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
Registration Rights Agreement
$500,000,000
FOREST OIL CORPORATION
7.500% Senior Notes due 2020
This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated September 17, 2012 (the “Agreement”) is entered into by and among Forest Oil Corporation, a New York corporation (the “Company”), Forest Oil Permian Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Guarantor”) and ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC (“JPMorgan”), ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC, and US Bancorp Investments, Inc. ( together, the “Initial Purchasers”).
The Company, the Guarantor and the Initial Purchasers are parties to the Purchase Agreement dated September 12, 2012 (the “Purchase Agreement”), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 7.500% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “Securities”) which will be guaranteed on an unsecured senior basis by the Guarantor. As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company and the Guarantor have agreed to provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement.
In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“Additional Guarantor” shall mean any subsidiary of the Company that executes a Subsidiary Guarantee under the Indenture after the date of this Agreement.
“Business Day” shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed.
“Closing Date” shall mean the Closing Date as defined in the Purchase Agreement.
“Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall also include the Company’s successors.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
“Exchange Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(ii) hereof.
“Exchange Offer” shall mean the exchange offer by the Company and the Guarantor of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
“Exchange Offer Registration” shall mean a registration under the Securities Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
“Exchange Offer Registration Statement” shall mean an exchange offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate form) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.
“Exchange Securities” shall mean senior notes issued by the Company and guaranteed by the Guarantor under the Indenture containing terms identical to the Securities (except that the Exchange Securities will not be subject to restrictions on transfer or to any increase in annual interest rate for failure to comply with this Agreement) and to be offered to Holders of Securities in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
“Free Writing Prospectus” means each free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the sale of the Securities or the Exchange Securities.
“Guarantor” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall also include any Guarantor’s successors and any Additional Guarantors.
“Holders” shall mean the Initial Purchasers, for so long as they own any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that for purposes of Sections 4 and 5 of this Agreement, the term “Holders” shall include Participating Broker-Dealers.
“Indemnified Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.
“Indemnifying Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.
“Indenture” shall mean the Indenture relating to the Securities dated as of September 17, 2012 among the Company, the Guarantor and U.S. Bank National
Association, as trustee, and as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
“Initial Purchasers” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Inspector” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(xiv) hereof.
“Issuer Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a) hereof.
“JPMorgan” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Majority Holders” shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, any Registrable Securities owned directly or indirectly by the Company or any of its affiliates shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage or amount; and provided, further, that if the Company shall issue any additional Securities under the Indenture prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer or, if applicable, the effectiveness of any Shelf Registration Statement, such additional Securities and the Registrable Securities to which this Agreement relates shall be treated together as one class for purposes of determining whether the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities has been obtained.
“Participating Broker-Dealers” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in, or, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities Act, deemed a part of, a Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including any document incorporated by reference therein.
“Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Registrable Securities” shall mean the Securities; provided that the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (i) when a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities has been declared effective under the Securities Act and such Securities have been exchanged or disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement or (ii) when such Securities cease to be outstanding.
“Registration Expenses” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company and the Guarantor with this Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any Underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements or other similar agreements and any other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel, (vii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and the Guarantor and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the fees and disbursements of one counsel for the Holders (which counsel shall be selected by the Majority Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Initial Purchasers) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public accountants and independent petroleum engineers of the Company and the Guarantor, including the expenses of any special audits, “comfort” letters or letters concerning oil and gas reserve estimates, as applicable, required by or incident to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, but excluding fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.
“Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement of the Company and the Guarantor that covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements to any such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.
“SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
“Shelf Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.
“Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.
“Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement of the Company and the Guarantor that covers all or a portion of the Registrable Securities (but no other securities unless approved by a majority of the Holders whose Registrable Securities are to be covered by such Shelf Registration Statement) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.
“Shelf Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.
“Subsidiary Guarantees” shall mean the guarantees of the Securities and Exchange Securities by the Guarantor under the Indenture.
“Staff” shall mean the staff of the SEC.
“Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time.
“Trustee” shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities under the Indenture.
“Underwriter” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(e) hereof.
“Underwritten Offering” shall mean an offering in which Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public.
2. Registration Under the Securities Act. (a) To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, the Company and the Guarantor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) cause to be filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering an offer to the Holders to exchange all the Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities and (ii) have such Registration Statement remain effective until 180 days after the Exchange Date for use by one or more Participating Broker Dealers. The Company and the Guarantor shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC and use commercially reasonable efforts to complete the Exchange Offer not later than 60 days after such effective date.
The Company and the Guarantor shall commence the Exchange Offer by mailing or making available the related Prospectus, appropriate letters of transmittal and other accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable law, substantially the following:
(i) that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Agreement and that all Registrable Securities validly tendered and not properly withdrawn will be accepted for exchange;
(ii) the date of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a period of at least 20 Business Days from the date such notice is mailed or made available) (the “Exchange Date”);
(iii) that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest but will not retain any rights under this Agreement, except as otherwise specified herein;
(iv) that any Holder electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to (A) surrender such Registrable Security, together with the appropriate letters of transmittal, to the institution and at the address and in the manner specified in the notice, or (B) effect such exchange otherwise in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for such Registrable Security, in each case prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and
(v) that any Holder will be entitled to withdraw its election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, by (A) sending to the institution and at the address specified in the notice, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered for exchange and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its election to have such Securities exchanged or (B) effecting such withdrawal in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for the Registrable Securities.
As a condition to participating in the Exchange Offer, a Holder will be required to represent to the Company and the Guarantor that (i) any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (ii) at the time of the commencement of the Exchange Offer it has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Securities in violation of the provisions of the Securities Act, (iii) it is not an “affiliate” (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company or the Guarantor and (iv) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Registrable Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities, then such Holder will deliver a Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available a Prospectus to purchasers) in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company and the Guarantor shall:
(i) accept for exchange Registrable Securities or portions thereof validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer; and
(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the Company and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and deliver to each
Holder, Exchange Securities equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities surrendered by such Holder.
The Company and the Guarantor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff.
(b) In the event that (i) the Company and the Guarantor determine that the Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) above is not available or may not be completed as soon as practicable after the Exchange Date because it would violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason completed by September 12, 2013 or (iii) any Initial Purchaser shall so request in connection with any offer or sale of Registrable Securities (a “Shelf Request”), the Company and the Guarantor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be filed as soon as practicable after such determination, date or Shelf Request, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale of all the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and to have such Shelf Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC.
In the event that the Company and the Guarantor are required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to clause (iii) of the preceding sentence, the Company and the Guarantor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to file and have declared effective by the SEC (or file and become effective automatically, as the case may be) both an Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) with respect to all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Initial Purchasers after completion of the Exchange Offer.
The Company and the Guarantor agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective until the earlier of September 17, 2014 and such time as all the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement (the “Shelf Effectiveness Period”). The Company and the Guarantor further agree to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, the related Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder or if reasonably requested by a Holder of Registrable Securities with respect to information relating to such Holder, and, to the extent necessary, to use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective and such Shelf Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable. The Company and the Guarantor agree to
furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC.
(c) The Company and the Guarantor shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) hereof. Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.
(d) An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC. A Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC or is automatically effective upon filing with the SEC as provided by Rule 462 under the Securities Act.
In the event that either the Exchange Offer is not completed or the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, is not declared effective (or does not automatically become effective) on or prior to September 12, 2013, the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by 1.00% per annum until the Exchange Offer is completed or the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, is declared effective by the SEC (or becomes automatically effective).
If the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, has been declared effective or automatically becomes effective as the case may be and thereafter either ceases to be effective or the Prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable at any time during the Shelf Effectiveness Period, and such failure to remain effective or usable exists for more than 30 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month period, unless such failure to remain effective or usable relates or is directly attributable to an acquisition or disposition being undertaken by the Company then the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by 1.00% per annum commencing on the 31st day in such 12-month period and ending on such date that the Shelf Registration Statement has again been declared (or automatically becomes) effective or the Prospectus again becomes usable.
(e) Without limiting the remedies available to the Initial Purchasers and the Holders, the Company and the Guarantor acknowledge that any failure by the Company or the Guarantor to comply with their obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company’s and the Guarantor’s obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof.
3. Registration Procedures. (a) In connection with their obligations pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company and the Guarantor shall as expeditiously as possible:
(i) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (x) shall be selected by the Company and the Guarantor, (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and (z) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements and oil and gas reserve information required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof;
(ii) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act; and keep each Prospectus current during the period described in Section 4(3) of and Rule 174 under the Securities Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities;
(iii) to the extent any Free Writing Prospectus is used, file with the SEC any Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed by the Company or the Guarantor with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act and to retain any Free Writing Prospectus not required to be filed;
(iv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for such Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, including each preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, in order to facilitate the sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities thereunder; and the Company and the Guarantor’s consent to the use of such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the Holders of Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;
(v) use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC; cooperate with such Holders in connection with any
filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each Holder to complete the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided that neither the Company nor the Guarantor shall be required to (1) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (2) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (3) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not so subject;
(vi) in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder of Registrable Securities, counsel for such Holders and counsel for the Initial Purchasers promptly and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in writing (1) when a Registration Statement has become effective, when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, when any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed, (2) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective, (3) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, including the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the SEC to the use of a Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (4) if, between the effective date of a Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company or the Guarantor contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement or other similar agreement, if any, relating to an offering of such Registrable Securities cease to be true and correct in all material respects or if the Company or the Guarantor receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (5) of the happening of any event during the period a Registration Statement is effective that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading and (6) of any determination by the Company or the Guarantor that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus would be appropriate;
(vii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or, in the case of a Shelf Registration, the resolution of any objection of the SEC pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2), including by filing an amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement on the proper form, at the earliest practicable moment and provide immediate notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of any such order or such resolution;
(viii) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without any documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested);
(ix) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be issued in such denominations and registered in such names (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) as such Holders may reasonably request at least one Business Day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;
(x) in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available) to purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company and the Guarantor shall notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and such Holders hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, until the Company and the Guarantor have amended or supplemented the Prospectus or the Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to correct such misstatement or omission;
(xi) a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, to the Holders of Registrable Securities and their counsel) and make such of the representatives of the Company and the Guarantor as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities or their counsel) available for discussion of such document; and the Company and the Guarantor shall not, at any time after initial filing of a Registration Statement, file any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, of which the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities and their counsel) shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities or their counsel) shall reasonably object;
(xii) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the effective date of a Registration Statement;
(xiii) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be; cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and execute, and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;
(xiv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable Securities (an “Inspector”), any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, any attorneys and accountants designated by a majority of the Holders of Registrable Securities to be included in such Shelf Registration and any attorneys and accountants designated by such Underwriter, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all pertinent financial and other records, documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, and cause the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company and the Guarantor to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Inspector, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement; provided that if any such information is identified by the Company or the Guarantor as being confidential or proprietary, each Person receiving such information shall take such actions as are reasonably necessary to protect the confidentiality of such information to the extent such action is otherwise not inconsistent with, an impairment of or in derogation of the rights and interests of any Inspector, Holder or Underwriter;
(xv) if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, promptly include in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Holder as such Holder reasonably requests to be included therein and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as the Company has received notification of the matters to be so included in such filing; and
(xvi) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other commercially reasonable actions in connection therewith (including those requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including, but not limited to, an Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (1) to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in
form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when requested, (2) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and the Guarantor (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Holders and such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (3) obtain “comfort” letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company and the Guarantor (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company or the Guarantor, or of any business acquired by the Company or the Guarantor for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to each selling Holder (to the extent permitted by applicable professional standards) and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in “comfort” letters in connection with underwritten offerings, including but not limited to financial information contained in any preliminary prospectus, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, (4) obtain oil and gas reserve report letters from any independent petroleum engineering firms whose reports relating to the Company’s reserves have, prior to the date of such Shelf Registration, been previously publicly disclosed in a filing by the Company and (5) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantor made pursuant to clause (1) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement.
(b) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder and the proposed disposition by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company and the Guarantor may from time to time reasonably request in writing.
(c) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of Registrable Securities agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company and the Guarantor of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(a)(vi)(3) or 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(a)(x) hereof and, if so directed by the Company and the Guarantor, such Holder will deliver to the Company and the Guarantor all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities that is current at the time of receipt of such notice.
(d) If the Company and the Guarantor shall give any notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company and the Guarantor shall extend the period during which such Registration Statement
shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders of such Registrable Securities shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions. The Company and the Guarantor may give any such notice only twice during any 365-day period and any such suspensions shall not exceed 30 days for each suspension and there shall not be more than two suspensions in effect during any 365-day period.
(e) The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment bank or investment banks and manager or managers (each an “Underwriter”) that will administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities included in such offering.
4. Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer. (a) The Staff has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”) may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
The Company and the Guarantor understand that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available to purchasers) to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the Securities Act.
(b) In light of the above, and notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company and the Guarantor agree to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement for a period of up to 180 days after the Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to Section 3(d) of this Agreement), in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited in Section 4(a) above. The Company and the Guarantor further agree that Participating Broker-Dealers shall be authorized to deliver such Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available) during such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4.
(c) The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company, the Guarantor or any Holder with respect to any request that they may make pursuant to Section 4(b) above.
5. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company and the Guarantor, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser and each Holder, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and each Person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser or any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), that arise out of, or are based upon, (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” (“Issuer Information”) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser or information relating to any Holder furnished to the Company through JPMorgan, or any selling Holder expressly for use therein. In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company and the Guarantor, jointly and severally will also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, selling brokers, dealers and similar securities industry professionals participating in the distribution, their respective affiliates and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any Issuer Information.
(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantor, the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders, the directors of the Company and the Guarantor, each officer of the Company and the Guarantor who signed the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, the Guarantor, any Initial Purchaser and any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus.
(c) If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such Person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 5 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 5. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 5 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm (x) for any Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control Persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by JPMorgan, (y) for any Holder, its directors and officers and any control Persons of such Holder shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders and (z) in all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person 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 Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person 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 the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such
request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantor from the offering of the Securities and the Exchange Securities, on the one hand, and by the Holders from receiving Securities or Exchange Securities registered under the Securities Act, on the other hand, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Holders on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Holders on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Guarantor or by the Holders and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) The Company, the Guarantor and the Holders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, in no event shall a Holder be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities or Exchange Securities sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. 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 Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5 are several and not joint.
(f) The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers or any Holder or any Person controlling any Initial Purchaser or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company or the Guarantor or the officers or directors of or any Person controlling the Company or the Guarantor, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.
6. General.
(a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company and the Guarantor represent, warrant and agree that (i) the rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of any other outstanding securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or the Guarantor under any other agreement and (ii) neither the Company nor the Guarantor has entered into, or on or after the date of this Agreement will enter into, any agreement that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.
(b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company and the Guarantor have obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 5 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder. Any amendments, modifications, supplements, waivers or consents pursuant to this Section 6(b) shall be by a writing executed by each of the parties hereto.
(c) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; (ii) if to the Company and the Guarantor, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c); and (iii) to such other persons at
their respective addresses as provided in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c). All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery. Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture.
(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The Initial Purchasers (in their capacity as Initial Purchasers) shall have no liability or obligation to the Company or the Guarantor with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement.
(e) Third Party Beneficiaries. Each Holder shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company and the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(g) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, are not a part of this Agreement and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(h) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(j) Miscellaneous. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all oral statements and
prior writings with respect thereto. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable or against public policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. The Company, the Guarantor and the Initial Purchasers shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
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[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]
Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC
For itself and on behalf of the several Initial Purchasers
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[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]