-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, K8zLtt476kOGR7gHuykuxVQCWPqVieT+WWemWv+yegGiCujKQ7kSL/A28vCXozXG Uj6+ceMtFnf/1FiKpe7Z7Q== 0000903423-95-000020.txt : 19951121 0000903423-95-000020.hdr.sgml : 19951121 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000903423-95-000020 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-3/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 7 FILED AS OF DATE: 19951117 SROS: NONE FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY CO CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000007332 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION [4923] IRS NUMBER: 710205415 STATE OF INCORPORATION: AR FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3/A SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 033-63895 FILM NUMBER: 95594398 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1083 SAIN ST STREET 2: P O BOX 1408 CITY: FAYETTEVILLE STATE: AR ZIP: 72702-1408 BUSINESS PHONE: 5015211141 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: ARKANSAS WESTERN GAS CO DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19790917 S-3/A 1 As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 16, 1995 Registration No. 33-63895 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO FORM S-3 Registration Statement Under the Securities Act of 1933 SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) Arkansas 71-0205415 (State or Other Jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) Incorporation or Organization) 1083 Sain Street, P. O. Box 1408, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702-1408 Telephone: (501) 521-1141 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices) Stanley D. Green Southwestern Energy Company 1083 Sain Street, P. O. Box 1408, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702-1408 Telephone: (501) 521-1141 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) Copies to: Stephen H. Shalen James Duncan Phyfe Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton Davis Polk & Wardwell One Liberty Plaza 450 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10006 New York , New York 10017 ________________ Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement. ________________ If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. --- | | --- If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. --- | X | --- If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. --- | | --- If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. --- | | --- If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. --- | | --- _________________________________________ The Registrant hereby amends this Registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission acting pursuant to said Section 8(a) may determine. Information contained herein is subject to completion or amendment. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This prospectus shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such State. Subject to Completion, dated November 16, 1995 PROSPECTUS $250,000,000 Southwestern Energy Company SENIOR DEBENTURES Southwestern Energy Company (the "Company") may offer from time to time, together or separately, in one or more series, debentures, notes or other unsecured obligations (the "Debt Securities") of the Company. The aggregate initial offering price of the Debt Securities offered by the Company hereby will not exceed $250,000,000. The Debt Securities will be offered at prices and on terms to be determined at the time such Debt Securities are offered for sale. The Debt Securities will be unsecured and will rank prior to any subordinated indebtedness of the Company. When a particular series of Debt Securities is offered, a prospectus supplement (each, a "Prospectus Supplement") together with this Prospectus will be delivered setting forth the terms of such Debt Securities, including, where applicable, the specific designation of such series of Debt Securities, aggregate principal amount, maturity, rate or rates of any interest, interest commencement date, interest payment date, record date, any redemption provisions, any sinking fund provisions, denominations, any currency for the payment of, or any index to be used for determining the amount of any payment of, principal or interest, acceleration provisions, covenants and events of default, whether such series of Debt Securities is issuable in the form of one or more Global Debt Securities ("Global Debt Securities"), whether the Debt Securities are subject to defeasance, the identity of the registrar and any paying agent, the identity of the Trustee, any listing on a securities exchange, the initial public offering price, methods of distribution and any other specific terms in connection with the offering and sale of such Debt Securities. The Company's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWN. ______________ THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. ______________ The Company may sell Debt Securities to or through underwriters, through dealers or agents, or directly to other purchasers. If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of Debt Securities in respect of which this Prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters, dealers or agents, the amount proposed to be purchased by them, and any compensation to such underwriters, dealers or agents, will be set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The net proceeds to the Company will also be set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. See "Plan of Distribution." ---------- MORGAN STANLEY & CO. Incorporated ---------- November __, 1995 No dealer, salesman or other peon has been authorized to give any information or to make any representation not contained in or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Company or any underwriter or dealer. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer in such jurisdiction. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that the information herein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date hereof or that there has been no change in the affairs of the Company since such date. ______________ AVAILABLE INFORMATION The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"). Such reports, proxy statements and other information, including the documents incorporated by reference herein, may be inspected and copied at prescribed rates at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at Room 1024, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 and at the Regional Offices of the Commission located at Seven World Trade Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048 and Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661. Copies of such material are also available by mail from the Public Reference Branch of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. In addition, such material may also be inspected and copied at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. The Company has filed a registration statement on Form S-3 (herein, together with all amendments and exhibits, the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the Debt Securities offered hereby. This Prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement, certain portions of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission. For further information with respect to the Company and the Debt Securities, reference is made to the Registration Statement and the exhibits filed as a part thereof. Statements contained herein concerning any document filed as an exhibit are not necessarily complete and, in each instance, reference is made to the copy of such document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. Each such statement is qualified in its entirety by such reference. ______________ INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE The following documents filed by the Company with the Commission (File no. 1-8246) are incorporated in and made a part of this Prospectus by reference: (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994, filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act, including the portions of the Company's 1994 Annual Report to Shareholders incorporated by reference therein. (b) The Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 1995, June 30, 1995 and September 30, 1995 filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act. (c) The Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 23, 1995 filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act. All documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the Debt Securities shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in that Prospectus. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus. The Company hereby undertakes to provide without charge to each person to whom a copy of this Prospectus is delivered, upon oral or written request of any such person, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated herein by reference, other than the exhibits to such documents (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in such documents). Requests for such copies should be directed to Southwestern Energy Company 1083 Sain Street, P.O. Box 1408, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702-1408, Attn: Corporate Secretary, telephone (501) 521-1141. THE COMPANY The Company is a diversified natural gas company that operates principally in three segments of the natural gas industry: exploration and production; gas distribution; and gas transmission. The Company conducts its primary activities through four wholly owned subsidiaries. The Company was organized in 1929 as a local distribution company, operating in northwest Arkansas. In 1943, the Company commenced a program of exploration for and development of natural gas reserves in Arkansas for supply to its utility customers. In 1971, the Company initiated an exploration and development program outside Arkansas, unrelated to the utility requirements. Since that time, the Company's exploration and development activities outside Arkansas have expanded. The exploration, development and production activities are a separate, primary business of the Company. Exploration and production activities consist of ownership of mineral interests in productive and undeveloped leases located entirely within the United States. The Company engages in gas and oil exploration and production through its subsidiaries, SEECO, Inc. ("SEECO") and Southwestern Energy Production Company ("SEPCO"). SEECO operates exclusively in the state of Arkansas and holds a large base of both developed and undeveloped gas reserves and conducts an ongoing drilling program in the historically productive Arkansas section of the Arkoma Basin. SEPCO conducts an exploration program in areas outside Arkansas, primarily in the Gulf Coast areas of Texas and Louisiana. SEPCO also holds a block of leasehold acreage located on the Fort Chaffee military reservation in western Arkansas and in other parts of Arkansas away from the operating areas of the Company's other subsidiaries. The Company's subsidiary Arkansas Western Gas Company ("Arkansas Western") operates integrated natural gas distribution systems in Arkansas and Missouri serving approximately 164,000 retail customers. Arkansas Western is the largest single purchaser of SEECO's gas production. Another subsidiary, Southwestern Energy Pipeline Company ("SWPL"), owns a 47.93% general partnership interest in the NOARK Pipeline System, Limited Partnership ("NOARK"), a 258 mile long intrastate natural gas transmission system that extends across northern Arkansas. SWPL is also NOARK's operator. The Company was incorporated on July 2, 1929, under the laws of the State of Arkansas and is an exempt holding company under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935. The principal executive offices of the Company are located at 1083 Sain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703 and its telephone number is (501) 521-1141. USE OF PROCEEDS Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Debt Securities to repay currently outstanding indebtedness and to fund a portion of the Company's capital spending program. RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES The table below sets forth the ratios of earnings to fixed charges of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods indicated. Nine Months Ended Year ended September 30, December 31, ----------------- ---------------------------------------- 1995 1994 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Ratio of earnings to fixed charges 1.7x 3.9x 3.6x 4.0x 3.1x 3.6x 2.8x In the calculation of the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, "earnings" consists of income before income taxes, adjusted to add back fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest relating to oil and gas properties), the amortization of interest previously capitalized on oil and gas properties, and the Company's 47.93% ownership share of the fixed charges of NOARK. "Fixed charges" consists of interest on borrowings (including capitalized interest), amortization of debt discount and expense, a portion of rental expense determined to be representative of the interest factor, and the Company's 60% guaranty of the fixed charges of NOARK. A statement setting forth the computation of the unaudited ratio of earnings to fixed charges is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this Prospectus is a part. DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES The following description of the terms of the Debt Securities sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the Debt Securities to which any Prospectus Supplement may relate. The particular terms of the Debt Securities offered by any Prospectus Supplement and the extent, if any, to which such general provisions may apply to the Debt Securities so offered will be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such Debt Securities. The Constitution of the State of Arkansas, the Company's state of incorporation, requires shareholder approval of any increases in the Company's authorized "bonded indebtedness." (Although the term "bonded indebtedness" has not been defined by Arkansas law, the Company has been advised by counsel that it should treat the Debt Securities as "bonded indebtedness" within the meaning of the Arkansas Constitution.) The Company's shareholders have previously authorized the incurrence of up to $200,000,000 in "bonded indebtedness", and the Company currently has an aggregate of $84,000,000 of "bonded indebtedness" outstanding. The Company has given notice of its intent to repay $18,000,000 of "bonded indebtedness" by November 17, 1995; thereafter the Company would be authorized to issue up to $134,000,000 in Debt Securities without further action by its shareholders. The Debt Securities are to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture dated as of December 1, 1995 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and The First National Bank of Chicago as Trustee (the "Trustee"). The Debt Securities offered pursuant to this Prospectus will be limited to U.S. $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount (or (i) its equivalent (based on the applicable exchange rate at the time of issue), if Debt Securities are issued with principal amounts denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units as shall be designated by the Company, or (ii) such greater amount, if Debt Securities are issued at an original issue discount, as shall result in aggregate gross proceeds of U.S. $250,000,000 to the Company). The statements herein relating to the Debt Securities and the Indenture are summaries and are subject to the detailed provisions of the Indenture. A copy of the form of Indenture is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus is a part. The following summaries of certain provisions of the Indenture do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the Indenture, including the definitions therein of certain terms capitalized in this Prospectus. Whenever particular Sections or defined terms of the Indenture are referred to herein or in a Prospectus Supplement, such Sections or defined terms are incorporated herein or therein by reference. General The Debt Securities will rank as to priority of payment equally with all other outstanding unsubordinated and unsecured indebtedness of the Company. The Indenture does not limit the aggregate amount of Debt Securities which may be issued thereunder, nor does it limit the incurrence or issuance of other secured or unsecured debt of the Company. The Indenture provides that the Debt Securities may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Company may authorize the issuance and provide for the terms of a series of Debt Securities pursuant to a supplemental indenture or pursuant to a resolution of its Board of Directors, any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors or any committee of officers or other representatives of the Company duly authorized by the Board of Directors for such purpose. The Indenture provides the Company with the ability to "reopen" a previous issue of a series of Debt Securities and to issue additional Debt Securities of such series. (Section 3.1 of the Indenture.) Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement relating to the particular series of Debt Securities being offered thereby for the terms of such Debt Securities, including, where applicable: (1) the specific designation of such Debt Securities; (2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of such Debt Securities; (3) the date or dates on which the principal of and premium, if any, on such Debt Securities is payable or the method of determining such date or dates; (4) the rate or rates (which may be fixed, variable or zero) at which such Debt Securities will bear interest, if any, or the method of calculating such rate or rates; (5) the date or dates from which interest, if any, will accrue or the method by which such date or dates will be determined; (6) the date or dates on which interest, if any, will be payable and the record date or dates therefor; (7) the place or places where principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Debt Securities will be payable; (8) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, the currency in which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such Debt Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company; (9) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase such Debt Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or upon the happening of a specified event or at the option of a holder and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such Debt Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation; (10) the denominations in which such Debt Securities are authorized to be issued; (11) the currency for which Debt Securities may be purchased or in which Debt Securities may be denominated and/or the currency in which such Debt Securities are stated to be payable; (12) if the amount of payments of principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Debt Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which index, formula or other method may be based on a currency other than that in which such Debt Securities are stated to be payable), the index, formula or other method by which such amount shall be determined; (13) if the amount of payments of principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Debt Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method based on the prices of securities or commodities, with reference to changes in the prices of particular securities or commodities or otherwise by application of a formula, the index, formula or other method by which such amount shall be determined; (14) if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of such Debt Securities which will be payable upon declaration of the acceleration of the maturity thereof or the method by which such portion shall be determined; (15) the person to whom any interest on any such Debt Security shall be payable if other than the person in whose name such Debt Security is registered on the applicable record date; (16) provisions, if any, granting special rights to the holders of Debt Securities upon the occurrence of such events as may be specified; (17) any addition to, or modification or deletion of, any Event of Default or any covenant of the Company specified in the Indenture with respect to such Debt Securities; (18) any additional amounts the Company will pay in respect of the Debt Securities or any option of the Company to redeem the Debt Securities; (19) whether the Debt Securities will be registered or bearer Debt Securities; (20) the date any Debt Securities will be dated if other than the date of issuance; (21) the forms of the Debt Securities, and coupons, if any; (22) the application, if any, of such means of defeasance as may be specified for such Debt Securities; (23) the identity of the registrar and any paying agent; (24) whether such Debt Securities are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more temporary or permanent global securities and, if so, the identity of the depository for such global security or securities and whether interests in such Debt Securities in global form may be exchanged for definitive certificated Debt Securities; and (25) any other special terms pertaining to such Debt Securities. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Debt Securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. (Section 3.1 of the Indenture.) Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, Debt Securities will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons or in the form of one or more Global Debt Securities as specified below under "Global Debt Securities." (Section 2.3 of the Indenture.) Unless the Prospectus Supplement relating thereto specifies otherwise, Debt Securities denominated in U.S. dollars will be issued only in denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. (Section 3.2 of the Indenture.) The Prospectus Supplement relating to Debt Securities denominated in a foreign or composite currency will specify the authorized denominations thereof. Where Debt Securities of any series are issued in bearer form, the special restrictions and considerations, including special offering restrictions and special federal income tax considerations, applicable to any such Debt Securities and the payment on and transfer and exchange of such Debt Securities will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Bearer Debt Securities will be transferable by delivery. (Section 3.5 of the Indenture.) Debt Securities may be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates. Certain federal income tax consequences and special considerations applicable to any such Debt Securities will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. If the amount of payments of principal of and premium, if any, or any interest on Debt Securities of any series is determined with reference to any type of index or formula or changes in prices of particular securities or commodities, the federal income tax consequences, specific terms and other information with respect to such Debt Securities and such index or formula and securities or commodities will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. If the principal of and premium, if any, or any interest on Debt Securities of any series are payable in a foreign or composite currency, the restrictions, elections, federal income tax consequences, specific terms and other information with respect to such Debt Securities and such currency will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Payment, Registration, Transfer and Exchange Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, payments in respect of the Debt Securities will be made in the designated currency at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose as the Company may designate from time to time, except that, at the option of the Company, interest payments, if any, on Debt Securities in registered form may be made (i) by checks mailed to the holders of Debt Securities entitled thereto at their registered addresses or (ii) by wire transfer to an account maintained by the person entitled thereto as specified in the register. (Section 3.7(a) and 9.2 of the Indenture.) Unless otherwise indicated in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, payment of any installment of interest on Debt Securities in registered form will be made to the person in whose name such Debt Security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such interest. (Section 3.7(a) of the Indenture.) Payment in respect of Debt Securities in bearer form will be made in the currency and in the manner designated in the Prospectus Supplement, subject to any applicable laws and regulations, at such paying agencies outside the United States as the Company may appoint from time to time. The paying agents outside the United States initially appointed by the Company for a series of Debt Securities will be named in the Prospectus Supplement. The Company may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agents, except that, if Debt Securities of a series are issuable as Registered Securities, the Company will be required to maintain at least one paying agent in each Place of Payment for such series and, if Debt Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company will be required to maintain a paying agent in a Place of Payment outside the United States where Debt Securities of such series and any coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment. (Section 9.2 of the Indenture.) Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, Debt Securities in registered form will be transferable or exchangeable at the agency of the Company maintained for such purpose as designated by the Company from time to time. (Sections 3.5 and 9.2 of the Indenture.) Debt Securities may be transferred or exchanged without service charge, other than any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection therewith. (Section 3.5 of the Indenture.) Global Debt Securities The Debt Securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more fully registered global securities (a "Registered Global Security") that will be deposited with a depository (the "Depository") or with a nominee for the Depository identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. In such a case, one or more Registered Global Securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Debt Securities of the series to be represented by such Registered Global Security or Securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Debt Securities in definitive certificated form, a Registered Global Security may not be registered for transfer or exchange except as a whole by the Depository for such Registered Global Security to a nominee of such Depository or by a nominee of such Depository to such Depository or another nominee of such Depository or by such Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository for such series or a nominee of such successor Depository and except in the circumstances described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. (Section 3.5 of the Indenture.) The specific terms of the depository arrangement with respect to any portion of a series of Debt Securities to be represented by a Registered Global Security will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The Company expects that the following provisions will apply to depository arrangements. Upon the issuance of any Registered Global Security, and the deposit of such Registered Global Security with or on behalf of the Depository for such Registered Global Security, the Depository will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of the Debt Securities represented by such Registered Global Security to the accounts of institutions ("Participants") that have accounts with the Depository or its nominee. The accounts to be credited will be designated by the underwriters or agents engaging in the distribution of such Debt Securities or by the Company, if such Debt Securities are offered and sold directly by the Company. Ownership of beneficial interests in a Registered Global Security will be limited to Participants or persons that may hold interest through Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests by Participants in such Registered Global Security will be shown on, and the transfer of such beneficial interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depository for such Registered Global Security or by its nominee. Ownership of beneficial interests in such Registered Global Security by persons that hold through Participants will be shown on, and the transfer of such beneficial interests within such Participants will be effected only through, records maintained by such Participants. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in certificated form. The foregoing limitations and such laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in such Registered Global Securities. So long as the Depository for a Registered Global Security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of such Registered Global Security, such Depository or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Debt Securities represented by such Registered Global Security for all purposes under the Indenture. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement and except as specified below, owners of beneficial interests in such Registered Global Security will not be entitled to have Debt Securities of the series represented by such Registered Global Security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of Debt Securities of such series in certificated form and will not be considered the holders thereof for any purposes under the Indenture. (Section 3.8 of the Indenture.) Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in such Registered Global Security must rely on the procedures of the Depository and, if such person is not a Participant, on the procedures of the Participant through which such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the Indenture. The Depository may grant proxies and otherwise authorize Participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture. The Company understands that, under existing industry practices, if the Company requests any action of holders or any owner of a beneficial interest in such Registered Global Security desires to give any notice or take any action a holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture, the Depository would authorize the Participants to give such notice or take such action, and Participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through such Participants to give such notice or take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, payments with respect to principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on Debt Securities represented by a Registered Global Security registered in the name of a Depository or its nominee will be made by the Company through a paying agent to such Depository or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of such Registered Global Security. The Company expects that the Depository for any Debt Securities represented by a Registered Global Security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium or interest, will immediately credit Participants' accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of such Registered Global Security as shown on the records of such Depository. The Company also expects that payments by Participants to owners of beneficial interests in such Registered Global Security held through such Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers registered in "street names", and will be the responsibility of such Participants. None of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial interests of a Registered Global Security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial interests. (Section 3.8 of the Indenture.) Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, if the Depository for any Debt Securities represented by a Registered Global Security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as Depository and a successor Depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days, the Company will issue such Debt Securities in definitive certificated form in exchange for such Registered Global Security. In addition, the Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine not to have any of the Debt Securities of a series represented by one or more Registered Global Securities and, in such event, will issue Debt Securities of such series in definitive certificated form in exchange for all of the Registered Global Security or Securities representing such Debt Securities. (Section 3.5 of the Indenture.) Debentures so issued in definitive certificated form will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof and will be issued in registered form only, without coupons. The Debt Securities of a series may also be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more bearer global securities (a "Bearer Global Security") that will be deposited with a depository, or with a nominee for such depository, identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Any such Bearer Global Securities may be issued in temporary or permanent form. (Section 3.4 of the Indenture.) The specific terms and procedures, including the specific terms of the depository arrangement, with respect to any portion of a series of Debt Securities to be represented by one or more Bearer Global Securities will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Certain Definitions "Attributable Debt" means, as to a lease under which any Person is at the time liable that is required to be classified and accounted for as a Capitalized Lease Obligation on a Person's balance sheet under GAAP, at any date as of which the amount thereof is to be determined, the total net amount of rent required to be paid by such Person under such lease during the remaining primary term thereof, discounted from the respective due dates thereof to such date at the rate per annum equal to the interest rate implicit in such lease. The net amount of rent required to be paid under any such lease for such period is the aggregate amount of rent payable by lessee with respect to such period after excluding amounts required to be paid on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates and similar expenses or any amount required to be paid by such lessee thereunder contingent upon the amount of revenues (or other similar contingent amounts). In the case of any lease which is terminable by the lessee upon the payment of a penalty, such net amount shall also include the amount of such penalty, but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid under such lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so terminated. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Attributable Debt excludes any amounts in respect of any Sale and Leaseback Transaction which the Company or a Subsidiary is permitted to enter into in accordance with the provisions described in the second and third sentences under the caption "Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions". "Capitalized Lease Obligation" means, as applied to any Person, the rental obligation, as aforesaid, under any lease of any Property (whether real, personal or mixed) the discounted present value of the rental obligations of such Person as lessee under which, in conformity with GAAP, is required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of that Person. "Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" means, with respect to the Company as at any date, the total assets of the Company as they appear on the most recently prepared consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of the end of a fiscal quarter, less (i) all liabilities shown on such consolidated balance sheet that are classified and accounted for as current liabilities or that otherwise would be considered current liabilities under GAAP; and (ii) all assets shown on such consolidated balance sheet that are classified and accounted for as intangible assets of the Company or that otherwise would be considered intangible assets under GAAP, including, without limitation, franchises, patents and patent applications, trademarks, brand names and goodwill. "Funded Debt" means all indebtedness for borrowed money owed or guaranteed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any other indebtedness which, under GAAP, would appear as indebtedness on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Company, which matures by its terms more than 12 months from the date of such consolidated balance sheet or which matures by its terms in less than 12 months but by its terms is renewable or extendible beyond 12 months from the date of such consolidated balance sheet at the option of the borrower. "GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect on the date of application thereof. "Government Obligations" means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States the full and timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt. "Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, security interest, conditional sale or other title retention agreement or other encumbrance of any nature whatsoever. "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof. "Property" means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible. "Sale and Leaseback Transaction" means any direct or indirect arrangement with any Person or to which any such Person is a party, providing for the leasing to the Company or a Subsidiary of any Property, whether owned at the date of the Indenture or thereafter acquired, which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or such Subsidiary to such Person or to any other Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such Property. "Secured Debt" means any indebtedness for borrowed money incurred, assumed or guaranteed after the date of the Indenture by the Company or a Subsidiary that is secured by a Lien. "Subsidiary" of any Person means any Person of which at least a majority of capital stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body of such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person directly or through one or more Subsidiaries of such Person. Certain Covenants Limitation on Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, incur, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money secured by a Lien on any Property, if the sum, without duplication, of (a) the aggregate principal amount of all Secured Debt and (b) all Attributable Debt in respect of Sale and Leaseback Transactions (other than certain excluded Sale and Leaseback Transactions) exceeds 15% of the Company's Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, unless the Company provides that the Debt Securities shall be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) such Secured Debt. The provisions described in the foregoing sentence do not apply to indebtedness secured by the following Liens: (i) (A) Liens existing as of the date of the Indenture or (B) Liens relating to a contract that was entered into by the Company or any Subsidiary prior to the date of the Indenture; (ii) Liens on any Property existing at the time of acquisition thereof (whether such acquisition is direct or by acquisition of stock, assets or otherwise) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) Liens upon or with respect to any Property (including any contract rights relating thereto) acquired, constructed, refurbished or improved by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including, but not limited to, Liens to secure all or any part of the cost of oil, gas or mineral exploration, drilling, mining, extraction, refining or processing or development of, or construction, alteration or repair of any building, equipment, facility or other improvement on, all or any part of such property, including any pipeline financing) after the date of the Indenture which are created, incurred or assumed contemporaneously with, or within 360 days after, the latest to occur of the acquisition (whether by acquisition of stock, assets or otherwise), completion of construction, refurbishment or improvement, or the commencement of commercial operation, of such Property (or, in the case of Liens on contract rights, the completion of construction or the commencement of commercial operation of the facility to which such contract rights relate, regardless of the date when such contract was entered into) to secure or provide for the payment of any part of the purchase price of such Property or the cost of such construction, refurbishment or improvement; provided, however, that in the case of any such construction, refurbishment or improvement, the Lien shall relate only to indebtedness reasonably incurred to finance such construction, refurbishment or improvement; (iv) Liens securing indebtedness owing by any Subsidiary to the Company or to any other Subsidiary; (v) Liens in connection with the sale or other transfer in the ordinary course of business of (A) crude oil, natural gas, other petroleum hydrocarbons or other minerals in place for a period of time until, or in an amount such that, the purchaser or other transferee will realize therefrom a specified amount of money (however determined) or a specified amount of such minerals, or (B) any other interest in property of the character commonly referred to as a "production payment"; (vi) Liens on current assets to secure any indebtedness maturing (including any extensions or renewals thereof) not more than one year from the date of the creation of such Lien; and (vii) Liens for the sole purpose of extending, renewing or replacing in whole or in part the indebtedness secured thereby referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) to (vi), inclusive, or in this clause (vii); provided, however, that the Liens excluded pursuant to this clause (vii) shall be excluded only in an amount not to exceed the principal amount of indebtedness so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement, and that such extension, renewal or replacement shall be limited to all or part of the Property subject to the lien so extended, renewed or replaced (plus refurbishment of or improvements on or to such Property). Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries may enter into, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable with respect to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction involving any Property, if the latest to occur of the acquisition, the completion of construction or the commencement of commercial operation of such Property shall have occurred more than 180 days prior thereto, unless after giving effect thereto the sum, without duplication, of (a) the aggregate principal amount of all Secured Debt and (b) all Attributable Debt in respect of Sale and Leaseback Transactions does not exceed 15% of the Company's Consolidated Net Tangible Assets. This restriction shall not apply to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction if, within 180 days from the effective date of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the Company or such Subsidiary applies an amount not less than the greater of (i) the net proceeds of the sale of such Property leased pursuant to such arrangement or (ii) the fair value of such Property to retire its Funded Debt, including, for this purpose, any currently maturing portion of such Funded Debt, or to purchase other property having a fair value at least equal to the fair value of the Property leased in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction. This restriction also does not apply to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction (A) between the Company and any Subsidiary or between any Subsidiaries, (B) entered into prior to the date of the Indenture, or (C) for which, at the time the transaction is entered into, the term of the related lease to the Company or such Subsidiary of the Property sold pursuant to such transaction is three years or less. Consolidation, Merger or Sale by the Company The Company shall not consolidate or merge with or into, or transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets to, any Person unless (i) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or which acquires the Company's assets, is organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (ii) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company), or which acquires the Company's assets, expressly assumes all of the obligations of the Company under the Debt Securities and the Indenture, and (iii) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Upon any such consolidation, merger or sale, the successor Person formed by such consolidation, or into which the Company is merged or to which such sale is made, shall succeed to, and be substituted for the Company under the Indenture. (Section 7.1 of the Indenture.) The Indenture contains no covenants or other specific provisions to afford protection to holders of the Debt Securities in the event of a highly leveraged transaction or a change in control of the Company, except to the limited extent described above. Events of Default, Notice and Certain Rights on Default The Indenture provides that, if an Event of Default specified therein occurs with respect to the Debt Securities of any series and is continuing, the Trustee for such series or the holders of 25% in aggregate principal amount of all of the outstanding Debt Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company (and to the Trustee for such series, if notice is given by such holders of Debt Securities), may declare the principal of (or, if the Debt Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount specified in the Prospectus Supplement) and accrued interest on all the Debt Securities of that series to be due and payable. (Section 5.2 of the Indenture.) Events of Default with respect to Debt Securities of any series are defined in the Indenture as being: (a) default for 30 days in payment of any interest on any Debt Security of that series or any coupon appertaining thereto or any additional amount payable with respect to Debt Securities of such series as specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement when due; (b) default in payment of principal, or premium, if any, at maturity or on redemption or otherwise, or in the making of a mandatory sinking fund payment of any Debt Securities of that series when and as due; (c) default for 90 days after notice to the Company by the Trustee for such series, or by the holders of 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of such series then outstanding, in any material respect in the performance of any other agreement in the Debt Securities of that series, in the Indenture (or in any supplemental indenture or board resolution referred to therein) under which the Debt Securities of that series may have been issued; (d) default resulting in acceleration of other indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company where the aggregate principal amount so accelerated exceeds $15 million and such acceleration is not rescinded or annulled within 30 days after the written notice thereof to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the holders of 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of such series then outstanding; provided that such Event of Default will be cured or waived if (i) the default that resulted in the acceleration of such other indebtedness for money borrowed is cured or waived and (ii) the acceleration is rescinded or annulled; and (e) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company. (Section 5.1 of the Indenture.) Events of Default with respect to a specified series of Debt Securities may be added to the Indenture and, if so added, will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. (Sections 3.1 and 5.1(7) of the Indenture.) The Indenture provides that the Trustee will, subject to certain exceptions, within 90 days after the occurrence of a Default with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, give to the holders of the Debt Securities of that series notice of all Defaults known to it unless such Default shall have been cured or waived. "Default" means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both, would be, an Event of Default. (Section 1.1 of the Indenture.) The Indenture provides that the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of each series affected (with each such series voting as a class) may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee for such series, or exercising any trust or power conferred on such Trustee. (Section 5.8 of the Indenture.) The Indenture includes a covenant that the Company will file annually with the Trustee a certificate as to the Company's compliance with all conditions and covenants of the Indenture. (Section 9.7 of the Indenture.) The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of any series by notice to the Trustee may waive, on behalf of the holders of all Debt Securities of such series, any past Default or Event of Default with respect to that series and its consequences except (i) a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Debt Security, or (ii) a covenant or provision of the Indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each holder of a Debt Security of such series. (Section 5.7 of the Indenture.) Modification of the Indenture The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the Trustee to enter into one or more supplemental indentures without the consent of the holders of any of the Debt Securities in order: (i) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption of the covenants of the Company in the Indenture and in the Debt Securities by a successor to the Company; (ii) to add to the covenants of the Company or surrender any right or power of the Company; (iii) to add additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Debt Securities; (iv) to add or change any provisions to such extent as necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Debt Securities in bearer form or in global form; (v) to change or eliminate any provision affecting Debt Securities not yet issued; (vi) to secure the Debt Securities; (vii) to establish the form or terms of Debt Securities; (viii) to evidence and provide for successor Trustees; (ix) if allowed without penalty under applicable laws and regulations, to permit payment in respect of Debt Securities in bearer form in the United States; (x) to correct or supplement any inconsistent provisions or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the Indenture; provided that such action does not adversely affect the interests of any holder of Debt Securities of any series; or (xi) to cure any ambiguity or correct any mistake. (Section 8.1 of the Indenture.) The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Company and the Trustee, with the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities adversely affected by such supplemental indenture (with the Debt Securities of each series voting as a class), to execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or any supplemental indenture or modifying the rights of the holders of Debt Securities of such series; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture may, without the consent of the holder of each Debt Security so affected: (i) change the time for payment of principal or premium, if any, or interest on any Debt Security; (ii) reduce the principal of, or any installment of principal of, or premium, if any, or the rate of interest on any Debt Security, or change the manner in which the amount of any of the foregoing is determined; (iii) reduce the amount of premium, if any, payable upon the redemption of any Debt Security; (iv) reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of any Original Issue Discount Security; (v) change the currency in which any Debt Security or any premium or interest thereon is payable; (vi) change the index, securities or commodities with reference to which or the formula by which the amount of principal or any premium or interest thereon is determined; (vii) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the maturity or redemption of any Debt Security; (viii) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities affected thereby the consent of whose holders is required for modification or amendment of the Indenture or for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture or for waiver of certain defaults; (ix) change the obligation of the Company to maintain an office or agency in the places and for the purposes specified in the Indenture; or (x) modify the provisions relating to waiver of certain defaults or any of the foregoing provisions. (Section 8.2 of the Indenture.) Defeasance Defeasance and Discharge. Unless the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Debt Securities of a series provides otherwise, the Company at its option will be deemed to have paid and will be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of such Debt Securities (except for, among other matters, certain obligations to register the transfer or exchange of the Debt Securities, to replace stolen, lost or mutilated Debt Securities and coupons, to maintain paying agencies and to hold certain monies for payment in trust) if, among other things, (a) the Company has deposited with the Trustee, in trust, Government Obligations that through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide money or a combination of money and Government Obligations in an amount sufficient to pay in the currency in which such Debt Securities are payable all the principal of, and interest on, such Debt Securities on the dates such payments are due in accordance with the terms of such Debt Securities, (b) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the holders of such Debt Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the Company's exercise of its option under this "Defeasance and Discharge" provision and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred, which Opinion of Counsel must be based upon (x) a ruling of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to the same effect or (y) a change in applicable U.S. federal income tax law after the date of the Indenture such that a ruling is no longer required and (c) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing, and such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound. The Prospectus Supplement will more fully describe the provisions, relating to such discharge or termination of obligations. (Sections 4.3 and 4.6 of the Indenture.) Defeasance of Certain Covenants. Unless the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Debt Securities of a series provides otherwise, the Company at its option need not comply with certain restrictive covenants of the Indenture (including those described above under "Certain Covenants") upon, among other things, the deposit with the Trustee, in trust, of money and/or Government Obligations that through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide money or a combination of money and Government Obligations in an amount sufficient to pay in the currency in which such Debt Securities are payable all the principal of, and interest on, such Debt Securities on the dates such payments are due in accordance with the terms of such Debt Securities, the satisfaction of the provisions described in clauses (c) and (d) of the preceding paragraph and the delivery by the Company to the Trustee of an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, among other things, the holders of such Debt Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance of certain covenants and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred. (Sections 4.5 and 4.6 of the Indenture.) The Trustee The First National Bank of Chicago is the Trustee under the Indenture. The Company may also maintain banking and other commercial relationships with the Trustee and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business. PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION The Company may, from time to time, sell Debt Securities (1) through underwriters or dealers, (2) directly to one or more purchasers, or (3) through agents. A Prospectus Supplement will set forth the terms of the offering of the Debt Securities offered thereby, including the name or names of any underwriters, the purchase price of the Debt Securities, and the proceeds to the Company from the sale, any underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriters' compensation, any initial public offering price, any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers, and any securities exchange or market on which the Debt Securities may be listed. Only underwriters so named in such Prospectus Supplement are deemed to be underwriters in connection with the Debt Securities offered thereby. If underwriters are used in the sale, the Debt Securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the Debt Securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the Debt Securities of the series offered by the Prospectus Supplement if any of the Debt Securities are purchased. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time. Debt Securities may also be sold directly by the Company or through agents designated by the Company from time to time. Any agent involved in the offering and sale of Debt Securities in respect of which this Prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by the Company to such agent will be set forth in the Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the related Prospectus Supplement, any such agent will be acting on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Debt Securities offered may be a new issue of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom such Debt Securities are sold by the Company for public offering and sale may make a market in such Debt Securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of or the trading markets for any such Debt Securities. Agents and underwriters may be entitled under agreements entered into with the Company to indemnification by the Company against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which the agents or underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof. Agents and underwriters may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, the Company in the ordinary course of business. EXPERTS The audited consolidated financial statements and schedules incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement have been audited by Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants, as indicated in their report with respect thereto, and are incorporated herein in reliance on said firm as experts in giving said reports. [Back cover] SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY [LOGO] PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution. SEC Registration Fee $ 86,207 Printing and Engraving 20,000 Accountants' Fees and Expenses 30,000 Legal Fees and Expenses 75,000 Blue Sky Fees and Expenses 20,000 Rating Agency Fees 136,000 Miscellaneous 2,793 ------- Total $370,000 ======= Item 15. Indemnification of Officers and Directors. Section 4-27-850 of the Arkansas Code Annotated provides that Registrant shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the Registrant) by reason of the fact that be is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant, against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlements reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action or proceeding if he acted in good faith in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant. In addition, the Registrant shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Registrant to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant against expenses actually reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action if he acted in good faith in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct unless and only to the extent the court in which such action was brought shall determine that, despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper. Article VII, Section 6, of the Registrant's Bylaws provides that the Registrant's officers and directors shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by law in connection with any actual or threatened action or proceeding arising out of their service to the Company (including service to a subsidiary of the Company) or to any other organization at the Company's request. Item 16. Exhibits Exhibit No. Description 1.1 - Form of Underwriting Agreement. 4.1 - Form of Indenture, including form of Debt Securities 4.2 - Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1993). 4.3 - Bylaws of Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994). 5.1 - Opinion of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. 5.2 - Opinion of Jeffrey L. Dangeau, Assistant Secretary of the Company. 12 - Statement regarding computation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges. 24.1 - Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP. 24.2 - Consent of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton (contained in, and incorporated by reference to, Exhibit 5.1 to this Registration Statement). 24.3 - Consent of Jeffrey L Dangeau, Assistant Secretary of the Company (contained in, and incorporated by reference to, Exhibit 5.2 to this Registration). 25 - Power of Attorney (included on signature page).* 26 - Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1.* ________________ * Previously filed. Item 17. Undertakings. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement. (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high and of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (i) and (ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post- effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration by means of a post- effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's Annual Report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Insofar as indemnification by the Registrant for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 15 above, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification by the Registrant against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this amendment to the registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Fayetteville, State of Arkansas, on November 16, 1995. SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY By /s/ Gregory D. Kerley ------------------------------ Gregory D. Kerley Vice President - Treasurer and Chief Accounting Officer Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this amendment to the registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on November 16, 1995: Signature Title Director, Chairman, and Chief - ---------------------------- Executive Officer Charles E. Scharlau* Executive Vice President - - ---------------------------- Finance and Corporate Development, Stanley D. Green* and Chief Financial Officer Vice President - Treasurer and - ---------------------------- Secretary, and Chief Accounting /s/ Gregory D. Kerley Officer Director - ---------------------------- John Paul Hammerschmidt* Director - ---------------------------- Robert L. Howard* Director - ---------------------------- Kenneth R. Mourton* Director - ---------------------------- Charles E. Sanders* * By /s/ Gregory D. Kerley ----------------------------- Gregory D. Kerley, Attorney-in-Fact INDEX TO EXHIBITS Exhibit Sequentially Number Description Numbered Page 1.1 - Form of Underwriting Agreement. 4.1 - Form of Indenture, including Form of Debt Securities. 4.2 - Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1993). 4.3 - Bylaws of Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994). 5.1 - Opinion of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. 5.2 - Opinion of Jeffrey L. Dangeau, Assistant Secretary and General Counsel of the Company. 12 - Statement regarding computation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges. 24.1 - Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP. 24.2 - Consent of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton (contained in, and incorporated by reference to, Exhibit 5.1 to this Registration Statement). 24.3 - Consent of Jeffrey L. Dangeau, Assistant Secretary of the Company (contained in, and incorporated by reference to, Exhibit 5.2 to this Registration Statement). 25 - Power of Attorney (included on signature page).* 26 - Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1.* _________________ * Previously filed. EX-1 2 SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT STANDARD PROVISIONS (Debt Securities) November __, 1995 From time to time, Southwestern Energy Company, an Arkansas corporation (the "Company"), may enter into one or more underwriting agreements that provide for the sale of designated securities to the several underwriters named therein. The standard provisions set forth herein may be incorporated by reference in any such underwriting agreement (an "Underwriting Agreement"). The Underwriting Agreement, including the provisions incorporated therein by reference, is herein sometimes referred to as this Agreement. Terms defined in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement, including a prospectus, relating to the Debt Securities and has filed with, or transmitted for filing to, or shall promptly hereafter file with or transmit for filing to, the Commission a prospectus supplement (the "Prospectus Supplement") specifically relating to the Offered Securities pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The term "Registration Statement" means the registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, as amended to the date of this Agreement. The term "Basic Prospectus" means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement. The term "Prospectus" means the Basic Prospectus together with the Prospectus Supplement. The term "preliminary prospectus" means a preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Offered Securities, together with the Basic Prospectus. As used herein, the terms "Basic Prospectus," "Prospectus" and "preliminary prospectus" shall include in each case the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein. The terms "supplement," "amendment" and "amend" as used herein shall include all documents deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus that are filed subsequent to the date of the Basic Prospectus by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). 1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that: (a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission. (b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain, and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply, and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (iv) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, 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, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this Section 1(b) do not apply (A) to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus based upon information relating to the underwriting arrangements furnished to the Company in writing by an Underwriter through the Manager expressly for use therein or (B) to that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act"), of the Trustee. (c) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. (d) Each subsidiary of the Company listed in Exhibit A (each a "Subsidiary") has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. (e) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. (f) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and (ii) rights of acceleration and the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability. (g) The Offered Securities have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and (ii) rights of acceleration, if any, and the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability. (h) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Indenture and the Offered Securities will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture or the Offered Securities, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Securities. (i) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement). (j) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described, filed or incorporated as required. (k) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. (l) The Company is not an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. (m) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("Environmental Laws"), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. (n) The Company has complied with all provisions of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes relating to doing business with the Government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba. 2. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by the Manager that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Offered Securities as soon after this Agreement has been entered into as in the Manager's judgment is advisable. The terms of the public offering of the Offered Securities are set forth in the Prospectus. 3. Payment and Delivery. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, payment for the Offered Securities shall be made in immediately available funds to the Company at the time and place set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, upon delivery to the Manager for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Offered Securities registered in such names and in such denominations as the Manager shall request in writing not less than two full business days prior to the date of delivery, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters duly paid. 4. Conditions to the Underwriters' Obligations. The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following conditions: (a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement and prior to the Closing Date: (i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company's securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization," as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement) that, in the judgment of the Manager, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the judgment of the Manager, impracticable to market the Offered Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus. (b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the events contemplated in clause (a)(i) above had not occurred and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date. The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened. (c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Jeffrey L. Dangeau, Assistant Secretary for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that: (i) the Company and each Subsidiary has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company; (iii) the Indenture has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company; (iv) the Offered Securities have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company; (v) the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, the Indenture and the Offered Securities (a) do not require any consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification of or with any governmental authority of the State of Arkansas (except as to any consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification that may be required under Arkansas securities or Blue Sky laws) and (b) do not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any of the agreements of the Company identified in Exhibit B hereto, the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary; (vi) the statements set forth (A) in Part II of the Registration Statement under Item 15, (B) in "Item 3 - Legal Proceedings" of the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and (C) in "Item 1 - Legal Proceedings" and "Item 5" of Part II of the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, if any, filed since such annual report, in each case insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings and fairly summarize the matters referred to therein; and (vii) after due inquiry, such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or of any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described, filed or incorporated as required. (d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that: (i) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company under the law of the State of New York; (ii) the Indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the Company, duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, assuming due authorization thereof by the Company, is a valid, binding and enforceable agreement of the Company; (iii) the Offered Securities, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, and assuming due authorization thereof by the Company, will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and will be valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company; (iv) the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, and the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Offered Securities do not require any consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification of or with any governmental authority of the United States or the State of New York except such as have been obtained or effected under the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act (provided that such counsel need express no opinion as to any consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification that may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws); (v) the statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Description of Debt Securities", insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain documents referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such documents and fairly summarize the matters referred to therein; and (vi) such counsel shall deliver a letter substantially to the effect that (A) each document, if any, filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (except for financial statements and schedules included therein as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) as of the respective date of its filing, appeared on its face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (B) no information has come to such counsel's attention that has caused such counsel to believe that (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data as to which such counsel need not express any belief and except for that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Form T-1 heretofore referred to) each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, contained and, as of the date such opinion is delivered, contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (C) the Registration Statement (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) at the time it became effective and the Prospectus (except as aforesaid) as of the date such opinion is delivered, appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (D) no information has come to such counsel's attention that has caused such counsel to believe that (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data as to which such counsel need not express any belief) the Prospectus as of the date such opinion is delivered contains any untrue statement of a material fact 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. (e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell, special counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, covering the matters referred to in subparagraphs (ii), (iii), (v) and clauses (B), (C) and (D) of subparagraph (vi) of paragraph (d) above. With respect to the subparagraph (vi) of paragraph (d) above, Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and Davis Polk & Wardwell may state that their respective beliefs are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto (but not including documents incorporated therein by reference) and review and discussion of the contents thereof (including documents incorporated by reference), but are without independent check or verification, except as specified. The opinions of Jeffrey L. Dangeau and Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton described in paragraphs (c) and (d) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein. All of the opinions described above, insofar as they relate to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any agreement or obligation of the Company, may state that they are being rendered subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and to equitable principles of general applicability (whether considered in a proceeding equity or at law), and Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and Davis Polk & Wardwell may rely as to matters governed by the laws of Arkansas on the opinion of Jeffrey L. Dangeau. (f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a letter, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from the Company's independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in or incorporated by reference into the Prospectus. 5. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows: (a) To furnish the Manager, without charge, one signed copy of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, during the period mentioned in paragraph (c) below, as many copies of the Prospectus, any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as the Manager may reasonably request. (b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus with respect to the Offered Securities, to furnish to the Manager a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Manager reasonably objects. (c) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Offered Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Manager will furnish to the Company) to which Offered Securities may have been sold by the Manager on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law. (d) To endeavor to qualify the Offered Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Manager shall reasonably request and to maintain such qualification for as long as the Manager shall reasonably request, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not so qualified. (e) To make generally available to the Company's security holders and to the Manager as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a twelve month period beginning on the first day of the first full fiscal quarter after the date of this Agreement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. If such fiscal quarter is the last fiscal quarter of the Company's fiscal year, such earnings statement shall be made available not later than 120 days after the close of the period covered thereby and in all other cases shall be made available not later than 60 days after the close of the period covered thereby. (f) During the period beginning on the date of the Underwriting Agreement and continuing to and including the Closing Date, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company or warrants to purchase debt securities of the Company substantially similar to the Offered Securities (other than (i) the Offered Securities and (ii) commercial paper issued in the ordinary course of business), without the prior written consent of the Manager. (g) To pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements thereto; (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Offered Securities; (iii) the fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel and accountants and of the Trustee and its counsel; (iv) the qualification of the Offered Securities under state securities or Blue Sky laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 5(d), including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of any Blue Sky or Legal Investment Memoranda; (v) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters in quantities as hereinabove stated of copies of the Registration Statement and all amendments thereto and of any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto; (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of any Blue Sky or Legal Investment Memoranda; (vii) any fees charged by rating agencies for the rating of the Offered Securities; (viii) the filing fees and expenses, if any, incurred with respect to any filing with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. made in connection with the Offered Securities and (ix) any expenses incurred by the Company in connection with a "road show" presentation to potential investors. 6. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either 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, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any Underwriter or any such controlling person in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to the underwriting arrangements furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Manager expressly for use therein, provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of an Underwriter or to the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter if the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased Offered Securities from such Underwriter and a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by such Underwriter or on such Underwriter's behalf to such person, if required by law to have been so delivered, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of any Offered Securities to such person, and if the Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage or liability. (b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to the underwriting arrangements furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Manager expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto. (c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 6, such person (the "indemnified party") shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party 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 party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings 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 such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Manager, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to paragraph (a) above, and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to paragraph (b) above. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding. (d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 6 is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party 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 on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Offered Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand 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 on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of such Offered Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus Supplement, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Offered Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether 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 Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 6 are several in proportion to the respective principal amounts of Offered Securities they have purchased hereunder, and not joint. (e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) of this Section 6. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Offered Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter 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 remedies provided for in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity. (f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 6 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement 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 any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Offered Securities. 7. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination by notice given by the Manager to the Company, if (a) after the execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared by either 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 that, in the judgment of the Manager, is material and adverse and (b) in the case of any of the events specified in clauses (a)(i) through (iv), such event, singly or together with any other such event, makes it, in the judgment of the Manager, impracticable to market the Offered Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus. 8. Defaulting Underwriters. If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Securities that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate amount of Offered Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate amount of the Offered Securities to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the amount of Offered Securities set forth opposite their respective names in the Underwriting Agreement bears to the aggregate amount of Offered Securities set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Manager may specify, to purchase the Offered Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the amount of Offered Securities that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 8 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such amount of Offered Securities without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Securities and the aggregate amount of Offered Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate amount of Offered Securities to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Manager and the Company for the purchase of such Offered Securities are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either the Manager or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement. If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder. 9. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. 10. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York. 11. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement. UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT ___________, 199_ Southwestern Energy Company 1083 Sain Street P.O. Box 1408 Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702 Ladies and Gentlemen: We (the "Manager") are acting on behalf of the underwriter or underwriters (including ourselves) named below (such underwriter or underwriters being herein called the "Underwriters"), and we understand that Southwestern Energy Company, an Arkansas corporation (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell [Currency and Principal Amount] aggregate initial offering price of [Full title of Debt Securities] (the "Debt Securities"). (The Debt Securities are also referred to herein as the "Offered Securities.") The Debt Securities will be issued pursuant to the provisions of an Indenture dated as of _______________, 1995 (the "Indenture") between the Company and The First National Bank of Chicago, as Trustee (the "Trustee"). Subject to the terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amounts of Debt Securities set forth below opposite their names at a purchase price of ____% of the principal amount of Debt Securities [, plus accrued interest, if any, from [Date of Offered Securities] to the date of payment and delivery]: Principal Amount of Name Debt Securities Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated [Insert syndicate list] Total . . . . . . The Underwriters will pay for the Offered Securities upon delivery thereof at [office] at ______ a.m. (New York time) on ___________, 199_, or at such other time, not later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on __________, 199_, as shall be designated by the Manager. The time and date of such payment and delivery are hereinafter referred to as the Closing Date. The Offered Securities shall have the terms set forth in the Prospectus dated November __, 1995, and the Prospectus Supplement dated ____________, 199_, including the following: Terms of Debt Securities Maturity Date: Interest Rate: Redemption Provisions: Interest Payment Dates: ____________ __ and ____________ __ commencing ____________ __, ____ [(Interest accrues from ____________ __, ____)] Form and Denomination: [Other Terms:] All provisions contained in the document entitled Southwestern Energy Company Underwriting Agreement Standard Provisions (Debt Securities) dated November __, 1995, a copy of which is attached hereto, are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein, except that (i) if any term defined in such document is otherwise defined herein, the definition set forth herein shall control, (ii) all references in such document to a type of security that is not an Offered Security shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement and (iii) all references in such document to a type of agreement that has not been entered into in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement. Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a copy of this Agreement in the space set forth below. Very truly yours, MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED Acting severally on behalf of itself and the several Underwriters named herein By: _____________________________ Name: Title: Accepted: SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY By: ___________________________ Name: Title: EX-4 3 - ----------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY to THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO, Trustee INDENTURE ________________________________ Dated as of December 1, 1995 ________________________________ Providing for Issuance of Debt Securities in Series - ----------------------------------------------------------------- Reconciliation and tie between Indenture, dated as of November __, 1995, and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. Trust Indenture Act Indenture of 1939 Section Section 310(a)(1) 6.12 (a)(2) 6.12 (a)(3) TIA (a)(4) Not applicable (a)(5) TIA (b) 6.10; 6.12(b); TIA 311(a) TIA (b) TIA 312(a) 6.8 (b) TIA (c) TIA 313(a) 6.7; TIA (b) TIA (c) TIA (d) TIA 314(a) 9.6; 9.7; TIA (b) Not Applicable (c)(1) 1.2 (c)(2) 1.2 (c)(3) Not Applicable (d) Not Applicable (e) TIA (f) TIA 315(a) 6.1 (b) 6.6 (c) 6.1 (d)(1) TIA (d)(2) TIA (d)(3) TIA (e) TIA 316(a)(last sentence) 1.1 (a)(1)(A) 5.2; 5.8 (a)(1)(B) 5.7 (b) 5.9; 5.10 (c) TIA 317(a)(1) 5.3 (a)(2) 5.4 (b) 9.3 318(a) 1.11 (b) TIA (c) 1.11; TIA ____________________ This reconciliation and tie section does not constitute part of the Indenture. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 Compliance Certificates and Opinions . . 9 1.3 Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee . 10 1.4 Acts of Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 1.5 Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company . . 12 1.6 Notice to Holders; Waiver . . . . . . . . 12 1.7 Headings and Table of Contents . . . . . 13 1.8 Successors and Assigns . . . . . . . . . 13 1.9 Separability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 1.10 Benefits of Indenture . . . . . . . . . . 14 1.11 Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 1.12 Legal Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ARTICLE 2 SECURITY FORMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 2.1 Forms Generally . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 2.2 Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 2.3 Securities in Global Form . . . . . . . . 15 2.4 Form of Legend for Securities in Global Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ARTICLE 3 THE SECURITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 3.1 Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series . . 16 3.2 Denominations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 3.3 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 3.4 Temporary Securities . . . . . . . . . . 22 3.5 Registration, Transfer and Exchange . . . 23 3.6 Replacement Securities . . . . . . . . . 27 3.7 Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 3.8 Persons Deemed Owners . . . . . . . . . . 30 3.9 Cancellation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 3.10 Computation of Interest . . . . . . . . . 31 3.11 CUSIP Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 3.12 Currency of Payment in Respect of Securities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 ARTICLE 4 SATISFACTION, DISCHARGE AND DEFEASANCE . . . . . 31 4.1 Termination of Company s Obligations Under the Indenture . . . . . . . . . . 31 4.2 Application of Trust Funds . . . . . . . 32 4.3 Applicability of Defeasance Provisions; Company s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance . . . . . . . . 33 4.4 Defeasance and Discharge . . . . . . . . 33 4.5 Covenant Defeasance . . . . . . . . . . . 34 4.6 Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 4.7 Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust . . . . 36 4.8 Repayment to Company . . . . . . . . . . 36 4.9 Indemnity for Government Obligations . . 36 ARTICLE 5 DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 5.1 Events of Default . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 5.2 Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment . 38 5.3 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee . . . . . . 38 5.4 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim . . . . 39 5.5 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities . . . . . . . 39 5.6 Delay or Omission Not Waiver . . . . . . 39 5.7 Waiver of Past Defaults . . . . . . . . . 39 5.8 Control by Majority . . . . . . . . . . . 40 5.9 Limitation on Suits by Holders . . . . . 40 5.10 Rights of Holders to Receive Payment . . 41 5.11 Application of Money Collected . . . . . 41 5.12 Restoration of Rights and Remedies . . . 41 5.13 Rights and Remedies Cumulative . . . . . 42 ARTICLE 6 THE TRUSTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 6.1 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 6.2 Rights of Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 6.3 Trustee May Hold Securities . . . . . . . 43 6.4 Money Held in Trust . . . . . . . . . . . 43 6.5 Trustee s Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . . 43 6.6 Notice of Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . 43 6.7 Reports by Trustee to Holders . . . . . . 44 6.8 Securityholder Lists . . . . . . . . . . 44 6.9 Compensation and Indemnity . . . . . . . 44 6.10 Replacement of Trustee . . . . . . . . . 45 6.11 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor . 46 6.12 Eligibility; Disqualification . . . . . . 48 6.13 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. . . . . . . . . 48 6.14 Appointment of Authenticating Agent . . . 48 ARTICLE 7 CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE BY THE COMPANY . . 50 7.1 Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets Permitted . . . . . . . . . . . 50 ARTICLE 8 SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES. . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 8.1 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders . . . . . . . . . . 51 8.2 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 8.3 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act . . . 53 8.4 Execution of Supplemental Indentures . . 53 8.5 Effect of Supplemental Indentures . . . . 53 8.6 Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 ARTICLE 9 COVENANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 9.1 Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 9.2 Maintenance of Office or Agency . . . . . 54 9.3 Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust; Unclaimed Money . . . . 55 9.4 Corporate Existence . . . . . . . . . . . 56 9.5 Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 9.6 Reports by the Company . . . . . . . . . 57 9.7 Annual Review Certificate; Notice of Defaults or Events of Default . . . . . 57 9.8 Limitation on Liens . . . . . . . . . . . 58 9.9 Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 9.10 Books of Record and Account; Compliance with Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 9.11 Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 ARTICLE 10 REDEMPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 10.1 Applicability of Article . . . . . . . . 61 10.2 Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee . . 61 10.3 Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed . 61 10.4 Notice of Redemption . . . . . . . . . . 62 10.5 Deposit of Redemption Price . . . . . . . 63 10.6 Securities Payable on Redemption Date . . 63 10.7 Securities Redeemed in Part . . . . . . . 64 ARTICLE 11 SINKING FUNDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 11.1 Applicability of Article . . . . . . . . 64 11.2 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 11.3 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund 65 INDENTURE, dated as of December 1, 1995, from Southwestern Energy Company, an Arkansas corporation (the "Company"), to The First National Bank of Chicago, Trustee, a national banking association (the "Trustee"). Recitals The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness ("Securities") to be issued in one or more series as herein provided. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done. For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as follows for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities: ARTICLE 1 Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application Section 1.1. Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires: (1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular; (2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein; (3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with GAAP; and (4) the words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision. "Act" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.4(a). "Affiliate" of any specified Person means any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, "control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the foregoing. "Agent" means any Paying Agent or Registrar. "Attributable Debt" means, as to a lease under which any Person is at the time liable that is required to be classified and accounted for as a Capitalized Lease Obligation on a Person's balance sheet under GAAP, at any date as of which the amount thereof is to be determined, the total net amount of rent required to be paid by such Person under such lease during the remaining primary term thereof, discounted from the respective due dates thereof to such date at the rate per annum equal to the interest rate implicit in such lease. The net amount of rent required to be paid under any such lease for such period shall be the aggregate amount of rent payable by lessee with respect to such period after excluding amounts required to be paid on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates and similar expenses or any amount required to be paid by such lessee thereunder contingent upon the amount of revenues (or other similar contingent amounts). In the case of any lease which is terminable by the lessee upon the payment of a penalty, such net amount shall also include the amount of such penalty, but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid under such lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so terminated. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Attributable Debt excludes any amounts in respect of any Sale and Leaseback Transaction which the Company or a Subsidiary is permitted to enter into in accordance with the last sentence of Section 9.9 of this Indenture. "Authenticating Agent" means any authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.14. "Authorized Newspaper" means a newspaper of general circulation, in the official language of the country of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day whether or not published on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. Whenever successive publications in an Authorized Newspaper are required hereunder they may be made (unless otherwise expressly provided herein) on the same or different days of the week and in the same or different Authorized Newspapers. "Bankruptcy Law" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1. "Bearer Security" means any Security issued hereunder which is payable to bearer. "Board" or "Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the Company, or any other duly authorized committee thereof. "Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate, and delivered to the Trustee. "Business Day" when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.1, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment or particular location are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close. "Capitalized Lease Obligation" means, as applied to any Person, the rental obligation under any lease of any Property (whether real, personal or mixed) the discounted present value of the rental obligations of such Person as lessee under which, in conformity with GAAP, is required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of that Person. "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time. "Company" means the party named as the Company in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter means such successor. "Company Order" and "Company Request" mean, respectively, a written order or request signed in the name of the Company by two Officers, one of whom must be the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the Controller or a Vice-President of the Company. "Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" means, with respect to the Company as at any date, the total assets of the Company as they appear on the most recently prepared consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of the end of a fiscal quarter, less (i) all liabilities shown on such consolidated balance sheet that are classified and accounted for as current liabilities or that otherwise would be considered current liabilities under GAAP; and (ii) all assets shown on such consolidated balance sheet that are classified and accounted for as intangible assets of the Company or that otherwise would be considered intangible assets under GAAP, including, without limitation, franchises, patents and patent applications, trademarks, brand names and goodwill. "Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Trustee in Chicago, Illinois at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at One First National Plaza, Suite 0126, Chicago, Illinois 60670-0126, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration. "Custodian" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1. "Default" means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time, or both, would be, an Event of Default. "Defaulted Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.7(b). "Depository" when used with respect to the Securities of or within any series issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, means the Person designated as Depository by the Company pursuant to Section 3.1 until a successor Depository shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter shall mean or include each Person which is then a Depository hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, shall be a collective reference to such Persons. "Dollar" means the currency of the United States as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts. "Event of Default" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1. "Funded Debt" means all indebtedness for borrowed money owed or guaranteed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any other indebtedness which, under GAAP, would appear as indebtedness on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Company, which matures by its terms more than 12 months from the date of such consolidated balance sheet or which matures by its terms in less than 12 months but by its terms is renewable or extendible beyond 12 months from the date of such consolidated balance sheet at the option of the borrower. "GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect on the date of application thereof. "Government Obligations" means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt. "Holder" means, with respect to a Bearer Security, a bearer thereof or of a coupon appertaining thereto and, with respect to a Registered Security, a person in whose name a Security is registered on the Register. "Indenture" means this Indenture as originally executed or as amended or supplemented from time to time and shall include the forms and terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder. "Indexed Security" means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance. "interest" when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after maturity, means interest payable after maturity. "Interest Payment Date" when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security. "Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, security interest, conditional sale or other title retention agreement or other encumbrance of any nature whatsoever. "Maturity" when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise. "Officer" means the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice-President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company. "Officers' Certificate", when used with respect to the Company, means a certificate signed by an Officer who must be the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the Controller or a Vice-President of the Company. "Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion from the general counsel of the Company or other legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Such counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company. "Original Issue Discount Security" means any Security which provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.2. "Outstanding", when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except: (i) Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; (ii) Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provisions therefor satisfactory to the Trustee have been made; (iii) Securities, except to the extent provided in Sections 4.4 and 4.5, with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance and/or covenant defeasance as provided in Article 4; and (iv) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 3.6 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company; provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, or whether sufficient funds are available for redemption or for any other purpose, and for the purpose of making the calculations required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, (a) the principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Securities that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the amount of principal thereof that would be (or shall have been declared to be) due and payable, at the time of such determination, upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.2, and (b) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making such calculation or in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which the Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee's right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor. "Paying Agent" means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Company. "Periodic Offering" means an offering of Securities of a series from time to time the specific terms of which Securities, including, without limitation, the rate or rates of interest or formula for determining the rate or rates of interest thereon, if any, the Maturity thereof and the redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Company upon the issuance of such Securities. "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof. "Place of Payment", when used with respect to the Securities of or within any series, means the place or places where the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Securities are payable as specified or contemplated by Sections 3.1 and 9.2. "Predecessor Security" of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.6 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security. "principal amount", when used with respect to any Security, means the amount of principal, if any, payable in respect thereof at Maturity; provided, however, that when used with respect to an Indexed Security in any context other than the making of payments at Maturity, "principal amount" means the principal face amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance. "Property" means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible. "Redemption Date", when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture. "Redemption Price", when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, in whole or in part, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture. "Register" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.5. "Registered Security" means any Security issued hereunder and registered as to principal and interest in the Register. "Registrar" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.5. "Regular Record Date" for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Securities of or within any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 3.1. "Responsible Officer", when used with respect to the Trustee, shall mean the chairman or any vice chairman of the board of directors, the chairman or any vice-chairman of the executive committee of the board of directors, the chairman of the trust committee, the president, any senior vice president, any vice president, any assistant vice president, the secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the cashier, any assistant cashier, any senior trust officer, any trust officer, the controller, any assistant controller, or any officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those per- formed by the persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject. "Sale and Leaseback Transaction" means any direct or indirect arrangement with any Person or to which any such Person is a party, providing for the leasing to the Company or a Subsidiary of any Property, whether owned at the date of this Indenture or thereafter acquired, which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or such Subsidiary to such Person or to any other Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such Property. "Secured Debt" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.8(a). "Security" or "Securities" has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means a Security or Securities of the Company issued, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture. "Special Record Date" for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.7. "Stated Maturity", when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security or in a coupon representing such installment of interest as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable. "Subsidiary" of any Person means any Person of which at least a majority of capital stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body of such Person is owned by such Person directly or through one or more Subsidiaries of such Person. "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in effect on the date of this Indenture, except as provided in Section 8.3. "Trustee" means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Trustee replaces it pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter means such successor Trustee and if, at any time, there is more than one Trustee, "Trustee" as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of that series. "United States" means, unless otherwise specified with respect to the Securities of any series as contemplated by Section 3.1, the United States of America (including the States and the District of Columbia), its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction. "U.S. Person" means, unless otherwise specified with respect to the Securities of any series as contemplated by Section 3.1, a citizen, national or resident of the United States, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof, or an estate or trust, the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source. "Yield to Maturity" means the yield to maturity, calculated by the Company at the time of issuance of a series of Securities or, if applicable, at the most recent determination of interest on such series, in accordance with accepted financial practice. Section 1.2. Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished. Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than pursuant to Sections 2.3 and 9.7) shall include: (1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto; (2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based; (3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and (4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with. Section 1.3. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents. Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations as to such matters are erroneous. Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument. Section 1.4. Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. (b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient. (c) The ownership of Bearer Securities may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed by any trust company, bank, banker or other depository, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depository, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another such certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer security is produced, (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership of Bearer Securities may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient. (d) The ownership of Registered Securities shall be proved by the Register. (e) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security. (f) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date. Section 1.5. Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with, (1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration, or (2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at Southwestern Energy Company, 1083 Sain Street, P.O. Box 1408, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702-1408, Attention: Chief Financial Officer or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company. Section 1.6. Notice to Holders; Waiver. Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, (i) if any of the Securities affected by such event are Registered Securities, such notice to the Holders thereof shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each such Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Register, within the time prescribed for the giving of such notice, and (ii) if any of the Securities affected by such event are Bearer Securities, notice to the Holders thereof shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein or in the terms of such Bearer Securities expressly provided) if published once in an Authorized Newspaper in New York, New York, and in such other city or cities, if any, as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.1. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. In any case where notice is given to Holders by publication, neither the failure to publish such notice, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Bearer Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Registered Securities given as provided herein. Any notice mailed to a Holder in the manner herein prescribed shall be conclusively deemed to have been received by such Holder, whether or not such Holder actually receives such notice. If by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice as provided above, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder. If it is impossible or, in the opinion of the Trustee, impracticable to give any notice by publication in the manner herein required, then such publication in lieu thereof as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient publication of such notice. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver. Section 1.7. Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof. Section 1.8. Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successor and assigns, whether so expressed or not. Section 1.9. Separability. In case any provision of this Indenture or the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. Section 1.10. Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, expressed or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture. Section 1.11. Governing Law. THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES AND ANY COUPONS APPERTAINING THERETO SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. This Indenture is subject to the Trust Indenture Act and if any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with the Trust Indenture Act, the Trust Indenture Act shall control. Section 1.12. Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of any Security or coupon other than a provision in the Securities of any series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section), payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on such date; provided that no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity, as the case may be. ARTICLE 2 Security Forms Section 2.1. Forms Generally. The Securities of each series and the coupons, if any, to be attached thereto shall be in substantially such form as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities and coupons, if any, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities and coupons, if any. Unless otherwise provided as contemplated in Section 3.1, Securities will be issued only in registered form without coupons or in the form of one or more global securities. If temporary Securities of any series are issued as permitted by Section 3.4, the form thereof also shall be established as provided in the preceding sentence. If the forms of Securities and coupons, if any, of any series are established by, or by action taken pursuant to, a Board Resolution, a copy of the Board Resolution together with an appropriate record of any such action taken pursuant thereto, including a copy of the approved form of Securities or coupons, if any, shall be certified by the Corporate Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 3.3 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, Bearer Securities shall have interest coupons attached. The definitive Securities and coupons, if any, shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities and coupons, if any, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities and coupons, if any. Section 2.2. Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication. The Trustee's certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form: This is one of the Securities of the series described in the within-mentioned Indenture. ________________________________ as Trustee By______________________________ Authorized Signatory Section 2.3. Securities in Global Form. If Securities of or within a series are issuable in whole or in part in global form, any such Security may provide that it shall represent the aggregate or specified amount of Outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of a Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby, shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.3 or 3.4. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.3 and, if applicable, Section 3.4, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. Any instructions by the Company with respect to endorsement or delivery or redelivery of a Security in global form shall be in writing but need not comply with Section 1.2 hereof and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel. The provisions of the last paragraph of Section 3.3 shall apply to any Security in global form if such Security was never issued and sold by the Company and the Company delivers to the Trustee the Security in global form together with written instructions (which need not comply with Section 1.2 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) with regard to the reduction in the principal amount of Securities represented thereby, together with the written statement contemplated by the last paragraph of Section 3.3. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.1 and 3.7, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on any Security in permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein. Section 2.4. Form of Legend for Securities in Global Form. Any Security in global form authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form: This Security is in global form within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depository or a nominee of a Depository. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in certificated form, this Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such successor Depository. ARTICLE 3 The Securities Section 3.1. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. (a) The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued from time to time in one or more series. (b) The following matters shall be established with respect to each series of Securities issued hereunder (i) by a Board Resolution, (ii) by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution and (subject to Section 3.3) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers' Certificate or (iii) in one or more indentures supplemental hereto: (1) the title of the Securities of the series (which title shall distinguish the Securities of the series from all other series of Securities); (2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (which limit shall not pertain to Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 8.6, or 10.7); (3) the date or dates on which the principal of and premium, if any, on the Securities of the series is payable or the method of determination thereof; (4) the rate or rates (which may be fixed, variable or zero) at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, or the method of calculating such rate or rates of interest; (5) the date or dates from which interest, if any, shall accrue or the method by which such date or dates shall be determined; (6) the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable and, with respect to Registered Securities, the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date; (7) the place or places where the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on Securities of the series shall be payable; (8) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, the currency in which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and, if other than as provided in Section 10.3, the manner in which the particular Securities of such series (if less than all Securities of such series are to be redeemed) are to be selected for redemption; (9) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or upon the happening of a specified event or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, Securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation; (10) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, if Registered Securities, and if other than the denomination of $5,000, if Bearer Securities, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable; (11) if other than Dollars, the currency for which the Securities of the series may be purchased or in which the Securities of the series shall be denominated and/or the currency in which the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of the series shall be payable and the particular provisions applicable thereto in accordance with, in addition to, or in lieu of the provisions of this Indenture; (12) if the amount of payments of principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of the series shall be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which index, formula or method may be based, without limitation, on a currency or currencies (including currency unit or units) other than that in which the Securities of the series are denominated or designated to be payable), the index, formula or other method by which such amounts shall be determined; (13) if the amount of payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of the series shall be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method based on the prices of securities or commodities, with reference to changes in the prices of securities or commodities or otherwise by application of a formula, the index, formula or other method by which such amounts shall be determined; (14) if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of such Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.2 or the method by which such portion shall be determined; (15) if other than as provided in Section 3.7, the Person to whom any interest on any Registered Security of the series shall be payable and the manner in which, or the Person to whom, any interest on any Bearer Securities of the series shall be payable; (16) provisions, if any, granting special rights to the Holders of Securities of the series upon the occurrence of such events as may be specified; (17) any addition to or modification or deletion of any Events of Default set forth in Section 5.1 or covenant of the Company set forth in Article 9 pertaining to the Securities of the series; (18) under what circumstances, if any, the Company will pay additional amounts on the Securities of that series held by a Person who is not a U.S. Person in respect of taxes or similar charges withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such additional amounts (and the terms of any such option); (19) whether Securities of the series shall be issuable as Registered Securities or Bearer Securities (with or without interest coupons), or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offering, sale or delivery of Bearer Securities and, if other than as provided in Section 3.5, the terms upon which Bearer Securities of a series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of the same series and vice versa; (20) the date as of which any Bearer Securities of the series and any temporary global Security representing Outstanding Securities of the series shall be dated if other than the date of original issuance of the first Security of the series to be issued; (21) the forms of the Securities and coupons, if any, of the series; (22) the applicability, if any, to the Securities of or within the series of Sections 4.4 and 4.5, or such other means of defeasance or covenant defeasance as may be specified for the Securities and coupons, if any, of such series; (23) if other than the Trustee, the identity of the Registrar and any Paying Agent; (24) if the Securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in global form, (i) the Depository for such global Securities, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any Securities of the series in global form may exchange such interests for certificated Securities of such series and of like tenor of any authorized form and denomination, and (iii) if other than as provided in Section 3.5, the circumstances under which any such exchange may occur; and (25) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture) including any terms which may be required by or advisable under United States laws or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of Securities of the series. (c) All Securities of any one series and coupons, if any, appertaining to any Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except, in the case of Registered Securities, as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided (i) by a Board Resolution, (ii) by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution and (subject to Section 3.3) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the related Officers' Certificate or (iii) in an indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided, a series may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders, for issuances of additional Securities of such series. (d) If any of the terms of the Securities of any series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of such Board Resolution shall be certified by the Corporate Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers' Certificate setting forth, or providing the manner for determining, the terms of the Securities of such series, and an appropriate record of any action taken pursuant thereto in connection with the issuance of any Securities of such series shall be delivered to the Trustee prior to the authentication and delivery thereof. Section 3.2. Denominations. Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.1, any Registered Securities of a series shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. Section 3.3. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by two Officers. The Company's seal shall be reproduced on the Securities. The signatures of any of these Officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile. The coupons, if any, of Bearer Securities shall bear the facsimile signature of two Officers. Securities and coupons bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper Officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities. At any time and from time to time, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any coupons appertaining thereto, of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities; provided, however, that in the case of Securities offered in a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver such Securities from time to time in accordance with such other procedures (including, without limitation, the receipt by the Trustee of oral or electronic instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agents, promptly confirmed in writing) acceptable to the Trustee as may be specified by or pursuant to a Company Order delivered to the Trustee prior to the time of the first authentication of Securities of such series. If the form or terms of the Securities of a series have been established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions as permitted by Sections 2.1 and 3.1, in authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to section 315(a) through (d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating, (1) if the forms of such Securities and any coupons have been established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution as permitted by Section 2.1, that such forms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; (2) if the terms of such Securities and any coupons have been established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution as permitted by Section 3.1, that such terms have been, or in the case of Securities of a series offered in a Periodic Offering, will be, established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture, subject in the case of Securities offered in a Periodic Offering, to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel; and (3) that such Securities together with any coupons appertaining thereto, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights and to general equity principles. Notwithstanding that such form or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate such Securities if, in the written opinion of counsel to the Trustee (which counsel may be an employee of the Trustee) reasonably acceptable to the Company, the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will adversely affect the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.1 and of the two preceding paragraphs, if all of the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers' Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 3.1 or the Company Order and Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to the two preceding paragraphs in connection with the authentication of each Security of such series if such documents, with appropriate modifications to cover such future issuances, are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued. With respect to Securities of a series offered in a Periodic Offering, the Trustee may rely, as to the authorization by the Company of any of such Securities, the form and terms thereof and the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof, upon the Opinion of Counsel and the other documents delivered pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 3.1 and this Section, as applicable, in connection with the first authentication of Securities of such series. If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 3.1 that the Securities of a series are to be issued in whole or in part in global form, then the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section and the Company Order with respect to such series, authenticate and deliver one or more Securities in global form that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series to be represented by such Security or Securities in global form, (ii) shall be registered, if a Registered Security, in the name of the Depository for such Security or Securities in global form or the nominee of such Depository, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depository or pursuant to such Depository's instruction and (iv) shall bear the legend set forth in Section 2.4. Each Depository designated pursuant to Section 3.1 for a Registered Security in global form must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depository, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any other applicable statute or regulation. The Trustee shall have no responsibility to determine if the Depository is so registered. Each Depository shall enter into an agreement with the Trustee governing the respective duties and rights of such Depository and the Trustee with regard to Securities issued in global form. Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication and each Bearer Security shall be dated as of the date specified as contemplated by Section 3.1. No Security or coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefits under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose until authenticated by the manual signature of one of the authorized signatories of the Trustee or an Authenticating Agent and no coupon shall be valid until the Security to which it appertains has been so authenticated. Such signature upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered under this Indenture and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. Except as permitted by Section 3.6 or 3.7, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all appurtenant coupons for interest then matured have been detached and canceled. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 3.9 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 1.2 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Security has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall not be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. Section 3.4. Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver temporary Securities of such series which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor and form, with or without coupons, of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities and coupons, if any. In the case of Securities of any series, such temporary Securities may be in global form, representing all or a portion of the Outstanding Securities of such series. Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, each of which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company pursuant to Section 9.2 in a Place of Payment for such series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series (accompanied by any unmatured coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor; provided, however, that no definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided further that no definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security unless the Trustee shall have received from the person entitled to receive the definitive Bearer Security a certificate substantially in the form approved in the Board Resolutions relating thereto and such delivery shall occur only outside the United States. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1. Section 3.5. Registration, Transfer and Exchange. The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or in any office or agency to be maintained by the Company in accordance with Section 9.2 in a Place of Payment a register (the "Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Registered Securities and the registration of transfers of Registered Securities. The Register shall be in written form or any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. The Trustee is hereby appointed "Registrar" for the purpose of registering Registered Securities and transfers of Registered Securities as herein provided. Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 9.2 in a Place of Payment for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount containing identical terms and provisions. Bearer Securities or any coupons appertaining thereto shall be transferable by delivery. At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series (except a Registered Security in global form) may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount containing identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the Registered Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, Bearer Securities may not be issued in exchange for Registered Securities. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities (if the Securities of such series are issuable in registered form) or Bearer Securities (if Bearer Securities of such series are issuable in more than one denomination and such exchanges are permitted by such series) of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency, with all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured coupon or coupons or matured coupon or coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing coupon or coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.2, interest represented by coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons at an office or agency located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case any Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such office or agency in exchange for a Registered Security of the same series after the close of business at such office or agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such coupon shall be returned to the person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon, when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in definitive certificated form, a Security in global form representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository for such series to a nominee of such Depository or by a nominee of such Depository to such Depository or another nominee of such Depository or by such Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository for such series or a nominee of such successor Depository. If at any time the Depository for the Securities of a series notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for the Securities of such series or if at any time the Depository for the Securities of such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 3.3, the Company shall appoint a successor Depository with respect to the Securities of such series. If a successor Depository for the Securities of such series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company's election pursuant to Section 3.1(b)(24) shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities of such series and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of certificated Securities of such series of like tenor, shall authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series of like tenor in certificated form, in authorized denominations and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities of such series of like tenor in global form in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form. The Company may at any time in its sole discretion determine that Securities issued in global form shall no longer be represented by such a Security or Securities in global form. In such event the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of certificated Securities of such series of like tenor, shall authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series of like tenor in certificated form, in authorized denominations and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities of such series of like tenor in global form in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form. If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 3.1 with respect to a series of Securities, the Depository for such series may surrender a Security in global form of such series in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of such series in certificated form on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depository. Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge, (i) to each Person specified by such Depository a new certificated Security or Securities of the same series of like tenor, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Person in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person's beneficial interest in the Security in global form; and (ii) to such Depository a new Security in global form of like tenor in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Security in global form and the aggregate principal amount of certificated Securities delivered to Holders thereof. Upon the exchange of a Security in global form for Securities in certificated form, such Security in global form shall be canceled by the Trustee. Unless expressly provided with respect to the Securities of any series that such Security may be exchanged for Bearer Securities, Securities in certificated form issued in exchange for a Security in global form pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depository for such Security in global form, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee. The Trustee shall deliver such Securities to the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered. Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive. All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or upon any exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange. Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company, the Registrar or the Trustee) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, the Registrar and the Trustee duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or for any exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration or transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.4 or 10.7 not involving any transfer. The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any Securities for a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection for redemption of Securities of like tenor and of the series of which such Security is a part and ending at the close of business on the earliest date on which the relevant notice of redemption is deemed to have been given to all Holders of Securities of like tenor and of such series to be redeemed; (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part; or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security so selected for redemption, except that such a Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of that series and like tenor; provided that such Registered Security shall be simultaneously surrendered for redemption. Section 3.6. Replacement Securities. If a mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, together with, in proper cases, such security or indemnity as may be required by the Company or the Trustee to save each of them harmless, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver a replacement Registered Security, if such surrendered Security was a Registered Security, or a replacement Bearer Security with coupons corresponding to the coupons appertaining to the surrendered Security, if such surrendered Security was a Bearer Security, of the same series and date of maturity, if the Trustee's requirements are met. If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Security with a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or coupon has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains (with all appurtenant coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen), a replacement Registered Security, if such Holder's claim appertains to a Registered Security, or a replacement Bearer Security with coupons corresponding to the coupons appertaining to the destroyed, lost or stolen Bearer Security or the Bearer Security to which such lost, destroyed or stolen coupon appertains, if such Holder's claim appertains to a Bearer Security, of the same series and principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to the destroyed, lost or stolen Security. In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new security or coupon, pay such Security or coupon; provided, however, that payment of principal of and any premium or interest on Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.2, be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, any interest on Bearer Securities shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the coupons appertaining thereto. Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith. Every new Security of any series with its coupons, if any, issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains, shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and its coupon, if any, or the destroyed, lost or stolen coupon, shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that series and their coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder. The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons. Section 3.7. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved. (a) Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.1, interest, if any, on any Registered Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest at the office or agency maintained for such purpose pursuant to 9.2; provided, however, that at the option of the Company, interest on any series of Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid (i) by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as it shall appear on the Register of Holders of Securities of such series or (ii) by wire transfer to an account maintained by the Person entitled thereto as specified in the Register of Holders of Securities of such series. Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.1, (i) interest, if any, on Bearer securities shall be paid only against presentation and surrender of the coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they mature and (ii) original issue discount, if any, on Bearer Securities shall be paid only against presentation and surrender of such Securities; in either case at the office of a Paying Agent located outside the United States, unless the Company shall have otherwise instructed the Trustee in writing, provided that any such instruction for payment in the United States does not cause any Bearer Security to be treated as a "registration-required obligation" under United States laws and regulations. The interest, if any, on any temporary Bearer Security shall be paid, as to any installment of interest evidenced by a coupon attached thereto only upon presentation and surrender of such coupon and, as to other installments of interest, only upon presentation of such Security for notation thereon of the payment of such interest. If at the time a payment of principal of or interest, if any, on a Bearer Security or coupon shall become due, the payment of the full amount so payable at the office or offices of all the Paying Agents outside the United States is illegal or effectively precluded because of the imposition of exchange controls or other similar restrictions on the payment of such amount in Dollars, then the Company may instruct the Trustee in writing to make such payments at a Paying Agent located in the United States, provided that provision for such payment in the United States would not cause such Bearer Security to be treated as a "registration-required obligation" under United States laws and regulations. (b) Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.1, any interest on Registered Securities of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any interest payment date (herein called "Defaulted Interest") shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holders on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of their having been such Holders, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (1) or (2) below: (1) The Company may elect to make payment of such Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names such Registered Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause (1) provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of such Registered Securities at his address as it appears in the Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Registered Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (2). (2) The Company may make payment of such Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names such Registered Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a specified date in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Registered Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause (2), such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee. (c) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.5, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security. Section 3.8. Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of any Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, premium, if any, and (subject to Section 3.7) interest on such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Registered Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary. The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security and the bearer of any coupon as the absolute owner of such Bearer Security or coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Bearer Security or coupon be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary. None of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Security in global form, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Security in global form, nothing herein shall prevent the Company or the Trustee, or any agent of the Company or the Trustee, from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by any Depository (or its nominee), as a Holder, with respect to such Security in global form or impair, as between such Depository and owners of beneficial interests in such Security in global form, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of such Depository (or its nominee) as Holder of such Security in global form. Section 3.9. Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver Securities and coupons to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and any Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities and coupons surrendered to them for replacement, for registration of transfer, or for exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities and coupons surrendered for replacement, for registration of transfer, or for exchange, payment, redemption or cancellation and may, but shall not be required to, dispose of canceled Securities and coupons and issue a certificate of destruction to the Company. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. Section 3.10. Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. Section 3.11. CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use "CUSIP" numbers (if then generally in use), and, in such case, the Trustee shall use "CUSIP" numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. Section 3.12. Currency of Payment in Respect of Securities. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.1, payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on any Registered or Bearer Security of such series will be made in Dollars. ARTICLE 4 Satisfaction, Discharge and Defeasance Section 4.1. Termination of Company's Obligations Under the Indenture. (a) This Indenture shall upon a Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to Securities of or within any series and any coupons appertaining thereto (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of such Securities and replacement of such Securities which may have been lost, stolen or mutilated as herein expressly provided for) and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto when (1) either (A) all such Securities previously authenticated and delivered and all coupons appertaining thereto (other than (i) such coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities and maturing after such exchange, surrender of which is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.5, (ii) such Securities and coupons which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.6, (iii) such coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date, surrender of which has been waived as provided in Section 10.6 and (iv) such Securities and coupons for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 9.3) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or (B) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (i) or (ii) below, any coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (i) have become due and payable, or (ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or (iii) if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose an amount in the currency in which the Securities of such series are payable, sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and such coupons not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and interest, with respect thereto, to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be; (2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and (3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with. Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligation of the Company to the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.9, the obligations of the Company to any Authenticating Agent under Section 6.14 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 4.2 and the last paragraph of Section 9.3 shall survive. Section 4.2. Application of Trust Funds. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.3, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.1 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities, the coupons and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal, premium, if any and any interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. Section 4.3. Applicability of Defeasance Provisions; Company's Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. If pursuant to Section 3.1 provision is made for either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 4.4 or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 4.5, then the provisions of such Section or Sections, as the case may be, together with the provisions of Sections 4.6 through 4.9 inclusive, with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.1 with respect to any Securities, shall be applicable to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.4 (if applicable) or Section 4.5 (if applicable) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article. Section 4.4. Defeasance and Discharge. Upon the Company's exercise of the option specified in Section 4.3 applicable to this Section with respect to the Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.6 are satisfied (hereinafter "defeasance"). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto which shall thereafter be deemed to be "Outstanding" only for the purposes of Section 4.7 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clause (ii) of this Section, and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall on Company Order execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust funds described in Section 4.6(a) and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities or any coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due; (ii) the Company's obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.5, 3.6, 9.2 and 9.3 and with respect to the payment of additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to such Securities as specified pursuant to Section 3.1(b)(18); (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (iv) this Article 4. Subject to compliance with this Article 4, the Company may exercise its option under this Section notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 4.5 with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto. Following a defeasance, payment of such Securities may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default. Section 4.5. Covenant Defeasance. Upon the Company's exercise of the option specified in Section 4.3 applicable to this Section with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be released from its obligations under Sections 7.1, 9.4, 9.5, 9.8 and 9.9 and, if specified pursuant to Section 3.1, its obligations under any other covenant, with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.6 are satisfied (hereinafter, "covenant defeasance"), and such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not "Outstanding" for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with Sections 7.1, 9.4, 9.5, 9.8 and 9.9 or such other covenant, but shall continue to be deemed "Outstanding" for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 5.1(3) or 5.1(7) or otherwise, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be unaffected thereby. Section 4.6. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. The following shall be the conditions to application of Section 4.4 or Section 4.5 to any Securities of or within a series and any coupons appertaining thereto: (a) The Company shall have deposited or caused to be deposited irrevocably with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.12 who shall agree to comply with, and shall be entitled to the benefits of, the provisions of Sections 4.3 through 4.9 inclusive and the last paragraph of Section 9.3 applicable to the Trustee, for purposes of such Sections also a "Trustee") as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the payments referred to in clauses (x) and (y) of this Section 4.6(a), specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, with instructions to the Trustee as to the application thereof, (A) money in an amount (in such currency in which such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Maturity), or (B) if Securities of such series are not subject to repayment at the option of Holders, Government Obligations which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment referred to in clause (x) or (y) of this Section 4.6(a), money in an amount or (C) a combination thereof in an amount, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee to pay and discharge, (x) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (y) any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to such Securities on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto. Before such a deposit the Company may make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of Securities at a future date or dates in accordance with Article 10 which shall be given effect in applying the foregoing. (b) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a Default or Event of Default under, this Indenture or result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound. (c) In the case of an election under Section 4.4, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred. (d) In the case of an election under Section 4.5, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred. (e) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance under Section 4.4 or the covenant defeasance under Section 4.5 (as the case may be) have been complied with. (f) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith as contemplated by Section 3.1. Section 4.7. Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.3, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.1) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.6 in respect of any Securities of any series and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. Section 4.8. Repayment to Company. The Trustee (and any Paying Agent) shall promptly pay to the Company upon Company Request any excess money or securities held by them at any time. Section 4.9. Indemnity for Government Obligations. The Company shall pay, and shall indemnify the Trustee against, any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Article or the principal and interest received on such Government Obligations. ARTICLE 5 Defaults and Remedies Section 5.1. Events of Default. An "Event of Default" occurs with respect to the Securities of any series if: (1) the Company defaults in the payment of interest on any Security of that series or any coupon appertaining thereto or any additional amount payable with respect to any Security of that series as specified pursuant to Section 3.1(b)(18) when the same becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days; (2) the Company defaults in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of that series when the same becomes due and payable at its Maturity, or in the making of a mandatory sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of the Securities of that series; (3) the Company fails to comply in any material respect with any of its agreements or covenants in, or any of the provisions of, this Indenture with respect to any Security of that series (other than an agreement, covenant or provision for which non-compliance is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), and such non-compliance continues for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of the series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder; (4) an event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company (including this Indenture), whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, in a principal amount then outstanding of $15,000,000 or more, shall happen and shall result in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled and such indebtedness shall not be paid in full within a period of 30 days; provided, however, that there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to pay in full such indebtedness and stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder (it being understood however, that the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such default under such agreement or instrument unless either (A) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or (B) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company, from any Holder, from the holder of any such indebtedness or from the trustee under any such agreement or other instrument); provided, further, that if such default under such agreement or instrument is remedied or cured by the Company or waived by the holders of such indebtedness and the acceleration is rescinded or annulled, then the Event of Default hereunder by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been thereupon remedied, cured or waived without further action upon the part of either the Trustee or any of such Holders; (5) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law (A) commences a voluntary case, (B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (C) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property; or (D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; (6) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that (A) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of their respective property, or (C) orders the liquidation of the Company; and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or (7) any other Event of Default provided as contemplated by Section 3.1 with respect to Securities of that series. The term "Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors. The term "Custodian" means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law. Section 5.2. Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of all of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company (and, if given by the Holders, to the Trustee), may declare the principal (or, if the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of and accrued interest, if any, on all the Securities of that series to be due and payable and upon any such declaration such principal (or, in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such specified amount) and interest, if any, shall be immediately due and payable. At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all existing Defaults and Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.7. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon. Section 5.3. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if: (1) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security or coupon, if any, when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days; or (2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities or coupons, if any, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal, premium, if any, and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal, premium, if any, and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities or coupons, if any, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to secure any other proper remedy. Section 5.4. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee and the Holders of Securities allowed in any judicial proceedings relating to the Company, its creditors or its property. Section 5.5. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto. Section 5.6. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in any such Event of Default. Section 5.7. Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Securities of any series by written notice to the Trustee may waive on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series a past Default or Event of Default with respect to that series and its consequences except (i) a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Security of such series or any coupon appertaining thereto or (ii) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which pursuant to Section 8.2 cannot be amended or modified without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series adversely affected. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture. Section 5.8. Control by Majority. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected (with each such series voting as a class) shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on it with respect to Securities of that series; provided, however, that (i) the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture, (ii) the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that is unduly prejudicial to the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series not consenting, or that would in the good faith judgment of the Trustee have a substantial likelihood of involving the Trustee in personal liability and (iii) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction. Section 5.9. Limitation on Suits by Holders. No Holder of any Security of any series or any coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless: (1) the Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that series; (2) the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series have made a written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder; (3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense to be, or which may be, incurred by the Trustee in pursuing the remedy; (4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and the offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceedings; and (5) during such 60 day period, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series have not given to the Trustee a direction inconsistent with such written request. No one or more Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such Holders. Section 5.10. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, but subject to Section 9.2, the right of any Holder of a Security or coupon to receive payment of principal of, premium, if any, and, subject to Sections 3.5 and 3.7, interest on the Security, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Security (or, in case of redemption, on the Redemption Dates), and the right of any Holder of a coupon to receive payment of interest due as provided in such coupon, or, subject to Section 5.9, to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder. Section 5.11. Application of Money Collected. If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article, it shall pay out the money in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, premium, if any, or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid: First: to the Trustee for amounts due under Section 6.9; Second: to Holders of Securities and coupons in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected for amounts due and unpaid on such Securities for principal of, premium, if any, and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal, premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and Third: to the Company. The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section 5.11. At least 15 days before such record date, the Trustee shall mail to each holder and the Company a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount to be paid. Section 5.12. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted. Section 5.13. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 3.6, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy. ARTICLE 6 The Trustee Section 6.1. Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee. (a) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee's duties and responsibilities under this Indenture shall be governed by Section 315(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. (b) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and shall use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs. Section 6.2. Rights of Trustee. Subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act: (a) The Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document. (b) Any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order (other than delivery of any Security, together with any coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.3, which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution. (c) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may consult with counsel or require an Officers' Certificate. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on a Board Resolution, the written advice of counsel acceptable to the Company and the Trustee, a certificate of an Officer or Officers delivered pursuant to Section 1.2, an Officers' Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel. (d) The Trustee may act through agents or attorneys and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent or attorney appointed with due care. (e) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers. (f) The Trustee shall not be required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. Section 6.3. Trustee May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Paying Agent, any Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company, an Affiliate or Subsidiary with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Registrar or such other agent. Section 6.4. Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed upon in writing with the Company. Section 6.5. Trustee's Disclaimer. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee's certificate of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities or any coupon. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the Company's use of the proceeds from the Securities or for monies paid over to the Company pursuant to the Indenture. Section 6.6. Notice of Defaults. If a Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any series and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall, within 90 days after it occurs, transmit by mail, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, notice of all Defaults known to it unless such Default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that in the case of a Default in payment on the Securities of any series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding such notice is in the interests of Holders of Securities of that series; and provided, further, that in the case of any Default of the character specified in Section 5.1(3) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. Section 6.7. Reports by Trustee to Holders. Within 60 days after each November 15 of each year commencing with the first November 15 after the first issuance of Securities pursuant to this Indenture, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities as provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act a brief report dated as of such November 15 if required by and in compliance with Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. Section 6.8. Securityholder Lists. The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders of Securities of each series. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee semiannually on or before the last day of June and December in each year, and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, containing all the information in the possession or control of the Registrar, the Company or any of its Paying Agents other than the Trustee as to the names and addresses of Holders of Securities of each such series. If there are Bearer Securities of any series outstanding, even if the Trustee is the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee such a list containing such information with respect to Holders of such Bearer Securities only. Section 6.9. Compensation and Indemnity. (a) The Company shall pay to the Trustee such compensation as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing for all services rendered by it hereunder. The Trustee's compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it in connection with the performance of its duties under this Indenture, except any such expense as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee's agents and counsel. (b) The Company shall indemnify the Trustee for, and hold it harmless against, any loss or liability, damage, claim or reasonable expense including taxes (other than taxes based upon or determined or measured by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it arising out of or in connection with its acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent. (c) The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee through negligence or bad faith. (d) To secure the payment obligations of the Company pursuant to this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest on particular Securities. When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.1(5) or Section 5.1(6), the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law. The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture. Section 6.10. Replacement of Trustee. (a) The resignation or removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee's acceptance of appointment as provided in Section 6.11. (b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.11 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series. (c) The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may remove the Trustee with respect to that series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company and may appoint a successor Trustee for such series with the Company's consent. (d) If at any time: (1) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or (2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months; or (3) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting, is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or a receiver or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then, in any such case, (i) the Company by or pursuant to a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees. (e) If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, with respect to Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.11, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series. Section 6.11. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment. Thereupon, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee, without further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder. (b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein such successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates. (c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be. (d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under the Trust Indenture Act. (e) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series in the manner provided for notices to the Holders of Securities in Section 1.6. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust office. Section 6.12. Eligibility; Disqualification. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be eligible to act as Trustee under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act and shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $75,000,000. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of federal, state, territorial or District of Columbia supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article. Section 6.13. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities. Section 6.14. Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Any such appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument in writing signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, a copy of which instrument shall be promptly furnished to the Company. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee's certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and, except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 3.1, shall at all times be a bank or trust company or corporation organized and doing business and in good standing under the laws of the United States of America or of any state or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $1,500,000 and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. In case at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section. Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent. An Authenticating Agent for any series of Securities may at any time resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee for such series and to the Company. The Trustee for any series of Securities may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee for such series may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve in the manner set forth in Section 1.6. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent herein. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section. The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation including reimbursement of its reasonable expenses for its services under this Section. If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee's certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication substantially in the following form: This is one of the Securities of the series described in the within-mentioned Indenture. ____________________________, as Trustee By _________________________ as Authenticating Agent By _________________________ Authorized Signatory ARTICLE 7 Consolidation, Merger or Sale by the Company Section 7.1. Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets Permitted. The Company shall not consolidate or merge with or into, or transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets to, any Person unless: (1) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company), or which acquires the Company's assets, is organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; (2) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company), or which acquires the Company's assets, assumes by supplemental indenture all the obligations of the Company under the Securities and this Indenture; and (3) immediately after giving effect to the transaction no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the proposed transaction an Officers' Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and such supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture and that all conditions precedent to the consummation of the transaction under this Indenture have been met. ARTICLE 8 Supplemental Indentures Section 8.1. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into indentures supplemental hereto, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes: (1) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Securities; or (2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or (3) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities; or (4) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to facilitate the issuance of Bearer Securities (including, without limitation, to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal only) or to facilitate the issuance of Securities in global form; or (5) to change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture; provided that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of such provision; or (6) to secure the Securities; or (7) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.1 and 3.1; or (8) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.11; or (9) if allowed without penalty under applicable laws and regulations, to permit payment in the United States (including any of the states and the District of Columbia), its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on Bearer Securities or coupons, if any; or (10) to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture, provided such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of Securities of any series; or (11) to cure any ambiguity or correct any mistake. Section 8.2. Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders. With the written consent of the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities adversely affected by such supplemental indenture (with the Securities of each series voting as a class), the Company and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto to add any provisions to or to change or eliminate any provisions of this Indenture or of any other indenture supplemental hereto or to modify the rights of the Holders of such Securities; provided, however, that without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, an amendment under this Section may not: (1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of or premium, if any, or any installment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or change the manner in which the amount of any principal thereof or premium, if any, or interest thereon is determined, or reduce the amount of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Security or Indexed Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.2, or change the currency in which any Securities or any premium or the interest thereon is payable, change the index, securities or commodities with reference to which or the formula by which the amount of principal or any premium or the interest thereon is determined, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date); (2) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities affected thereby, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (or compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture; (3) change any obligation of the Company to maintain an office or agency in the places and for the purposes specified in Section 9.2; or (4) make any change in Section 5.7 or this 8.2 except to increase any percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holders of each Outstanding Security affected thereby. A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities or such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series. It is not necessary under this Section 8.2 for the Holders to consent to the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it is sufficient if they consent to the substance thereof. Section 8.3. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act. Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture that complies with the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect. Section 8.4. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modification thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise. Section 8.5. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby. Section 8.6. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities, including any coupons, of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities including any coupons of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities including any coupons of such series. ARTICLE 9 Covenants Section 9.1. Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series, any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. An installment of principal, premium, if any, or interest shall be considered paid on the date it is due if the Trustee or Paying Agent holds on that date money designated for and sufficient to pay the installment. Section 9.2. Maintenance of Office or Agency. If Securities of a series are issued as Registered Securities, the Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company will maintain, (i) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an office or agency in a Place of Payment for that series which is located outside the United States where Securities of that series and related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided, however, that if the Securities of that series are listed on any stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company will maintain a Paying Agent for the Securities of that series in any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of that series are listed on such exchange, and (ii) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an office or agency in a Place of Payment for that series which is located outside the United States, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of any such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, no payment of principal, premium or interest on Bearer Securities shall be made at any office or agency of the Company in the United States, by check mailed to any address in the United States, by transfer to an account located in the United States or upon presentation or surrender in the United States of a Bearer Security or coupon for payment, even if the payment would be credited to an account located outside the United States; provided, however, that, if the Securities of a series are denominated and payable in Dollars, payment of principal of and any premium or interest on any such Bearer Security shall be made at the office of the Company's Paying Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment in Dollars of the full amount of such principal, premium or interest, as the case may be, at all offices or agencies outside the United States maintained for the purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions. The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities (including any coupons, if any) of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities (including any coupons, if any) of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, the Trustee shall initially serve as Paying Agent. Section 9.3. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust; Unclaimed Money. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal, premium, if any, or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act. The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will: (1) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on Securities of that series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided; (2) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities; and (3) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent. The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money. Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of any principal, premium or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security and coupon, if any, shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation in The City of New York, or cause to be mailed to such Holder, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company. Section 9.4. Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 7, the Company will at all times do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and its rights and franchises; provided that nothing in this Section 9.4 shall prevent the abandonment or termination of any right or franchise of the Company if, in the opinion of the Company, such abandonment or termination is in the best interests of the Company and not prejudicial in any material respect to the Holders of the Securities. Section 9.5. Insurance. The Company covenants and agrees that it will maintain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations in such amounts and covering such risks as are consistent with sound business practice for corporations engaged in the same or similar business similarly situated against loss by fire and the extended coverage perils. In lieu of the foregoing or in combination therewith, in case of itself or of any one or more of its Subsidiaries, the Company will maintain or cause to be maintained a system or systems of self-insurance which will accord with the financially sound and approved practices of companies owning or operating properties of a similar character and maintaining such systems. The Trustee shall not be required to see that such insurance is effected or maintained. Section 9.6. Reports by the Company. The Company covenants: (a) to file with the Trustee, within 30 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of such Sections, then to file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations; (b) to file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants provided for in this Indenture, as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and (c) to transmit to all Holders of Securities, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 9.6, as may be required by the rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission. Section 9.7. Annual Review Certificate; Notice of Defaults or Events of Default. (a) The Company covenants and agrees to deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a certificate from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer as to his or her knowledge of the Company's compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture. For purposes of this Section 9.7, such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture. (b) The Company covenants and agrees to deliver to the Trustee, within a reasonable time after the Company becomes aware of the occurrence of a Default or an Event of Default of the character specified in Section 5.1(4) hereof, written notice of the occurrence of such Default or Event of Default. Section 9.8. Limitation on Liens. (a) If the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall incur, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money secured by a Lien (any such indebtedness being herein referred to as "Secured Debt") on any Property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company shall secure, or cause such Subsidiary to secure, the Securities equally and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) such Secured Debt, unless after giving effect thereto the sum, without duplication, of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all such Secured Debt, and (ii) all Attributable Debt in respect of Sale and Leaseback Transactions (other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions as to which the Company would be entitled to incur Secured Debt, in an amount at least equal to the Attributable Debt in respect of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, on the Property to be leased, without equally and ratably securing the Securities, pursuant to the exclusions from the computation of Secured Debt contained below in subclauses (i)-(vii) of Section 9.8(b) and other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions the proceeds of which have been applied in accordance with clause (b) of Section 9.9), would not exceed 15% of the Consolidated Net Tangible Assets of the Company. (b) The restriction of Section 9.8(a) will not apply to, and there shall be excluded in computing the aggregate amount of Secured Debt for the purpose of such restriction, indebtedness secured by: (i) (A) Liens existing as of the date of this Indenture or (B) Liens relating to a contract that was entered into by the Company or any Subsidiary prior to the date of this Indenture; (ii) Liens on any Property existing at the time of acquisition thereof (whether such acquisition is direct or by acquisition of stock, assets or otherwise) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) Liens upon or with respect to any Property (including any contract rights relating thereto) acquired, constructed, refurbished or improved by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including, but not limited to, Liens to secure all or any part of the cost of oil, gas or mineral exploration, drilling, mining, extraction, refining or processing or development of, or construction, alteration or repair of any building, equipment, facility or other improvement on, all or any part of such property, including any pipeline financing) after the date of this Indenture which are created, incurred or assumed contemporaneously with, or within 360 days after, the latest to occur of the acquisition (whether by acquisition of stock, assets or otherwise), completion of construction, refurbishment or improvement, or the commencement of commercial operation, of such Property (or, in the case of Liens on contract rights, the completion of construction or the commencement of commercial operation of the facility to which such contract rights relate, regardless of the date when such contract was entered into) to secure or provide for the payment of any part of the purchase price of such Property or the cost of such construction, refurbishment or improvement; provided, however, that in the case of any such construction, refurbishment or improvement, the Lien shall relate only to indebtedness reasonably incurred to finance such construction, refurbishment or improvement; (iv) Liens securing indebtedness owing by any Subsidiary to the Company or to any other Subsidiary; (v) Liens in connection with the sale or other transfer in the ordinary course of business of (A) crude oil, natural gas, other petroleum hydrocarbons or other minerals in place for a period of time until, or in an amount such that, the purchaser or other transferee will realize therefrom a specified amount of money (however determined) or a specified amount of such minerals, or (B) any other interest in property of the character commonly referred to as a "production payment"; (vi) Liens on current assets to secure any indebtedness maturing (including any extensions or renewals thereof) not more than one year from the date of the creation of such Lien; and (vii) Liens for the sole purpose of extending, renewing or replacing in whole or in part the indebtedness secured thereby referred to in the foregoing subclauses (i) to (vi), inclusive, or in this clause (vii); provided, however, that the Liens excluded pursuant to this clause (vii) shall be excluded only in an amount not to exceed the principal amount of indebtedness so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement, and that such extension, renewal or replacement shall be limited to all or part of the Property subject to the lien so extended, renewed or replaced (plus refurbishment of or improvements on or to such Property). Section 9.9. Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries may enter into, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable with respect to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction involving any Property, if the latest to occur of, the acquisition, the completion of construction or the commencement of commercial operation of such Property shall have occurred more than 180 days prior thereto, unless (a) the Company or such Subsidiary could create Secured Debt secured by such Property under the restrictions described in Section 9.8 in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt with respect to the Sale and Leaseback Transaction without equally and ratably securing the Securities or (b) the Company or such Subsidiary, within 180 days from the effective date of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, applies an amount not less than the greater of (i) the net proceeds of the sale of such Property leased pursuant to such arrangement or (ii) the fair value, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, of such Property (as of the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction) to (x) the retirement of its Funded Debt, including, for this purpose, any currently maturing portion of such Funded Debt, or (y) the purchase of other property having a fair value (as of the time of such purchase), in the opinion of the Board of Directors, at least equal to the fair value, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, of the Property leased in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction (as of the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction). This restriction will not apply to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction (1) between the Company and any Subsidiary or between any Subsidiaries, (2) entered into prior to the date of this Indenture or (3) for which, at the time the transaction is entered into, the term of the related lease to the Company or such Subsidiary of the Property sold pursuant to such transaction is three years or less. Section 9.10. Books of Record and Account; Compliance with Law. (a) The Company will keep, and will cause each Subsidiary to keep, proper books of record and account, either on a consolidated or individual basis. The Company shall cause its books of record and account to be examined by one or more firms of independent public accountants not less frequently than annually. The Company shall prepare its financial statements in accordance with GAAP. (b) The Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all statutes, laws, ordinances, or government rules and regulations to which it is subject, non-compliance with which would materially adversely affect the business, prospects, earnings, properties, assets or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. (c) The Company shall not increase its "bonded indebtedness", including "bonded indebtedness" evidenced by Debt Securities issued under this Indenture, without obtaining shareholder approval required under the Constitution of the State of Arkansas. Section 9.11. Taxes. The Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged prior to delinquency all taxes, assessments and governmental levies the non-payment of which would materially adversely affect the business, prospects, earnings, properties, assets or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole except those taxes, assessments and governmental levies whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings. ARTICLE 10 Redemption Section 10.1. Applicability of Article. Securities (including coupons, if any) of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article. Section 10.2. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities, including coupons, if any, shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In the case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all the Securities or coupons, if any, of any series, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee of such Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities (i) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture or (ii) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers' Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition. Section 10.3. Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, if less than all the Securities (including coupons, if any) of a series with the same terms are to be redeemed, the Trustee, not more than 45 days prior to the redemption date, shall select the Securities of the series to be redeemed in such manner as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate. The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities of the series that are Outstanding and that have not previously been called for redemption and may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities, including coupons, if any, of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities, including coupons, if any, of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected by the Trustee for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. For purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities (including coupons, if any) shall relate, in the case of any Securities (including coupons, if any) redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Securities (including coupons, if any) which has been or is to be redeemed. Section 10.4. Notice of Redemption. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.6 not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date to the Holders of the Securities to be redeemed. All notices of redemption shall state: (1) the Redemption Date; (2) the Redemption Price; (3) if less than all the Outstanding Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amounts) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed; (4) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the holder will receive, without a charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed; (5) the Place or Places of Payment where such Securities, together in the case of Bearer Securities with all coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment for the Redemption Price; (6) that Securities of the series called for redemption and all unmatured coupons, if any, appertaining thereto must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price; (7) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Security, or the portion thereof, to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date; (8) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case; (9) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all coupons maturing subsequent to the Redemption Date or the amount of any such missing coupon or coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished; and (10) the CUSIP number, if any, of the Securities. Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed shall be given by the Company or, at the Company's request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company. Section 10.5. Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, which it may not do in the case of a sinking fund payment under Article 11, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 9.3) an amount of money in the currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.1 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price of, and (unless the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) interest accrued to the Redemption Date on, all Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date. Unless any Security by its terms prohibits any sinking fund payment obligation from being satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities (including Securities redeemed otherwise than through a sinking fund), the Company may deliver such Securities to the Trustee for crediting against such payment obligation in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture. Section 10.6. Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the coupons for any such interest appertaining to any Bearer Security so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Except as provided in the next succeeding paragraph, upon surrender of any such Security, including coupons, if any, for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States and its possessions (except as otherwise provided in Section 9.2) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, only upon presentation and surrender of coupons for such interest; and provided, further, that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.7. If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Bearer Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided, however, that interest represented by coupons shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside of the United States (except as otherwise provided pursuant to Section 9.2) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons. If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security. Section 10.7. Securities Redeemed in Part. Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part at any Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so required, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of that Security, without service charge a new Security or securities of the same series, having the same form, terms and Stated Maturity, in any authorized denomination equal in aggregate principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of the Security surrendered. ARTICLE 11 Sinking Funds Section 11.1. Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1 for Securities of such series. The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a "mandatory sinking fund payment," and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as an "optional sinking fund payment." If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series. Section 11.2. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company (i) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a series (other than any previously called for redemption) together, in the case of Bearer Securities of such series, with all unmatured coupons appertaining thereto and (ii) may apply as a credit Securities of a series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such series; provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. Section 11.3. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 11.2 and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 10.3 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 10.4. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 10.6 and 10.7. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one instrument. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written. SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY By:____________________________ Executive Vice President--Finance and Corporate Development, and Chief Financial Officer [Seal] Attest: ____________________________ Secretary THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO By: ______________________________ Title: [Seal] Attest: _____________________________ Title: EX-5 4 [Letterhead of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton] Writer's Direct Dial: (212) 225-2420 November 16, 1995 Southwestern Energy Company 1083 Sain Street Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703 Ladies and Gentlemen: We have acted as counsel for Southwestern Energy Company, an Arkansas corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), of a Registration Statement on Form S-3, as amended (the "Registration Statement"), relating to the offering from time to time, as set forth in the Registration Statement, the form of prospectus contained therein (the "Prospectus") and one or more supplements to the Prospectus, of the Company's debt securities (the "Debt Securities") up to an aggregate initial public offering or purchase price of U.S. $250,000,000 or the equivalent thereof. The Debt Securities are to be issued in one or more series in accordance with the provisions of an indenture dated as of December 1, 1995 (the "Indenture") between the Company and The First National Bank of Chicago, as trustee (the "Trustee"). We have participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Indenture and we have examined and relied on the originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of all such corporate records of the Company and such other instruments and other certificates of public officials, officers and representatives of the Company and such other persons, and we have made such investigations of law, as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinions expressed below. In rendering the opinions expressed below we have assumed and have not verified that the signatures on all documents which we have examined are genuine. Based on the foregoing, it is our opinion that: 1. The execution and delivery by the Company of the Indenture have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee, as to which no opinion is expressed, the Indenture will, when duly executed and delivered by the Company, be a legal, valid, binding and enforceable agreement of the Company, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and to general principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). 2. When the issuance, execution and delivery by the Company of the Debt Securities of a series have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and when such Debt Securities have been duly executed and delivered by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee and sold as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the supplement or supplements to the Prospectus relating to such Debt Securities, such Debt Securities will constitute legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and to general principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). We express no opinion other than as to the federal law of the United States of America and the law of the State of New York. With respect to all matters of the law of the State of Arkansas, we have relied on the opinion of Jeffrey L. Dangeau, Assistant Secretary to the Company, a copy of which is attached hereto. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the heading "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus without admitting that we are "experts" under the Securities Act, or the rules and regulations of the Commission issued thereunder, with respect to any part of the Registration Statement, including this exhibit. Very truly yours, CLEARY, GOTTLIEB, STEEN & HAMILTON By________________________________ Stephen H. Shalen, a Partner EX-5 5 [Letterhead of Southwestern Energy Company] November 16, 1995 Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton One Liberty Plaza, Suite 4300 New York, New York 10006 Ladies and Gentlemen: I am Assistant Secretary of Southwestern Energy Company, an Arkansas corporation (the "Company"), and as such have acted as the Company's advisor in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), of a Registration Statement on Form S-3, as amended (the "Registration Statement"), relating to the offering from time to time, as set forth in the Registration Statement, the form of prospectus contained therein (the "Prospectus") and one or more supplements to the Prospectus, of the Company's debt securities up to an aggregate initial public offering or purchase price of U.S. $250,000,000, or the equivalent thereof, to be issued in one or more series in accordance with the provisions of an indenture dated as of December 1, 1995 (the "Indenture") between the Company and The First National Bank of Chicago, as trustee (the "Trustee"). I have examined and relied on the originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of all such corporate records of the Company and such other instruments and other certificates of public officials, officers and representatives of the Company and such other persons, and I have made such investigations of law, as I have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinions expressed below. In rendering the opinions expressed below I have assumed and have not verified that the signatures on all documents which I have examined are genuine. Based on the foregoing, it is my opinion that the execution and delivery by the Company of the Indenture have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee, as to which no opinion is expressed, the Indenture, when duly executed and delivered by the Company, will constitute a legal, valid, binding and enforceable agreement of the Company, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and to general principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). In rendering this opinion, I express no opinion other than as to the law of the State of Arkansas. I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to my name under the heading "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus without admitting that I am an "expert" under the Securities Act, or the rules and regulations of the Commission issued thereunder, with respect to any part of the Registration Statement, including this exhibit. Very truly yours, Jeffrey L. Dangeau Assistant Secretary, Southwestern Energy Company EX-12 6 EXHIBIT 12 SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES ($ in 000's) Nine Months Ended September 30 _____________________ 1995 1994 Income before income taxes $10,513 $32,448 Add: Fixed charges, Southwestern 9,769 7,628 Fixed charges, NOARK (1) 2,831 2,567 Amortization of capitalized interest 607 608 Deduct: Interest capitalized on oil and gas properties 1,545 1,159 Earnings for computation $22,175 $42,092 Fixed charges Southwestern: Interest on indebtedness $ 9,513 $ 7,383 Amortization of debt discount and expense 144 133 Portion of rents representative of interest 112 112 Total fixed charges, Southwestern 9,769 7,628 NOARK(2) 3,544 3,227 Total fixed charges $ 13,313 $ 10,855 Ratio of earnings to fixed charges 1.7x 3.9x SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES ($ in 000's) (Continued) Year Ended December 31 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Income before income taxes $40,853 $46,882 $35,584 $32,222 $23,070 Add: Fixed charges, Southwestern 10,616 10,702 11,636 11,398 12,040 Fixed charges, NOARK (1) 3,642 3,312 901 13 0 Amortization of capitalized interest 813 877 470 341 249 Deduct: Interest capitalized on oil and gas properties 1,562 1,441 1,491 1,404 1,374 Earnings for computation $54,362 $60,132 $47,100 $42,570 $33,985 Fixed charges Southwestern: Interest on indebtedness $10,285 $10,399 $11,335 $11,155 $11,843 Amortization of debt discount and expense 180 174 144 85 79 Portion of rents representative of interest 150 129 156 158 118 Total fixed charges, Southwestern 10,615 10,702 11,835 11,398 12,040 NOARK(2) 4,605 4,199 3,661 371 0 Total fixed charges $15,220 $14,901 $15,296 $11,769 $12,040 Ratio of earnings to fixed charges 3.6x 4.0x 3.1x 3.6x 2.8x __________________ (1) Represents Southwestern's ownership share (47.93% at September 30, 1995) of interest on indebtedness and amortization of debt expense of the NOARK Pipeline System, Limited Partnership ("NOARK"). (2) Represents Southwestern's 60% guaranty of NOARK's interest on indebtedness and amortization of debt expense. EX-23 7 Exhibit 24.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this registration statement of our report dated February 7, 1995 incorporated by reference in Southwestern Energy Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994 and to all references to our Firm included in this Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement File No. 33- 63895. Arthur Andersen LLP Tulsa, Oklahoma November 16, 1995 -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----