EX-3.1 2 ex3-1.htm

Exhibit 3.1

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

HOUSTON AMERICAN ENERGY CORP.

Pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), the undersigned, being of the age of 18 years or more and acting as the incorporator of HOUSTON AMERICAN ENERGY CORP. (the “Company”), under the laws of the State of Delaware, hereby adopts this Certificate of Incorporation:

ARTICLE I

Name

The name of the Company is Houston American Energy Corp.

ARTICLE II

Registered Office and Agent

The address of its registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

Business

The purpose of the Company shall be to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized and incorporated under the DGCL.

ARTICLE IV

Capital Stock

1. Authorized Stock. The total number of shares of stock which the Company shall have authority to issue is 110,000,000, consisting of 100,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).

2. Preferred Stock. The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Company’s board of directors (the “Board of Directors”) is hereby authorized to create and provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in series and, by filing a certificate pursuant to the applicable section of the DGCL (the “Preferred Stock Designation”), to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designations, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each such series and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:

(a) The designation of the series, which may be by distinguishing number, letter or title.

(b) The number of shares of the series, which number the Board of Directors may thereafter (except where otherwise provided in the Preferred Stock Designation) increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding).

(d) The dates at which dividends, if any, shall be payable.

(e) The redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series.

(f) The terms and amount of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series.

(g) The amounts payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company.

(h) Whether the shares of the series shall be convertible into shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of the Company or any other corporation, and, if so, the specification of such other class or series of such other security, the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, any adjustments thereof, the date or dates at which such shares shall be convertible and all other terms and conditions upon which such conversion may be made.

(i) Restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series.

(j) The voting rights, if any, of the holders of shares of the series.

(k) Such other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof as the Board of Directors shall determine.

3. Common Stock. The Common Stock shall be subject to the express terms of the Preferred Stock and any series thereof. Each share of the Common Stock shall be equal to each other share of Common Stock. The holders of shares of the Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share upon all questions presented to the stockholders.

4. Voting Rights. Except as may be provided in this Certificate of Incorporation or in a Preferred Stock Designation, or as may be required by applicable law, the Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and for all other purposes, and holders of shares of Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to receive notice of any meeting of stockholders at which they are not entitled to vote. At each election for directors every stockholder entitled to vote at such election shall have the right to vote, in person or by proxy, the number of shares owned by him for as many persons as there are directors to be elected and for whose election he has a right to vote. It is expressly prohibited for any stockholder to cumulate his votes in any election of directors.

5. Denial of Preemptive Rights. No stockholder of the Company shall by reason of his holding shares of any class have any preemptive or preferential right to purchase or subscribe to any shares of any class of the Company now or hereafter to be authorized or any notes, debentures, bonds, or other securities convertible into or carrying options or warrants to purchase shares of any class, now or hereafter to be authorized, whether or not the issuance of any such shares, or such notes, debentures, bonds or other securities would adversely affect dividend or voting rights of such stockholder, other than such rights, if any, as the Board of Directors in its discretion may fix; and the Board of Directors may issue shares of any class of the Company, or any notes, debentures, bonds, or other securities convertible into or carrying options or warrants to purchase shares of any class, without offering any such shares of any class, either in whole or in part, to the existing stockholders of any class.

ARTICLE V

Incorporator

The name and mailing address of the incorporator is as follows:

Name		Address

Norman T. Reynolds		1100 Louisiana Street, Suite 4200
		Houston, Texas 77002

ARTICLE VI

Election of Directors

1. Number. The number of directors constituting the initial Board of Directors of the Company is one. The name and address of the person who is to serve as the initial director until the first annual meeting of the stockholders, or until his successor(s) have been elected and qualified is:

Name		Address

John F. Terwilliger		801 Travis, Suite 1425
		Houston, Texas 77002

The business and affairs of the Company shall be conducted and managed by, or under the direction of, the Board of Directors. The total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be fixed and may be altered from time to time by or pursuant to a resolution passed by the Board of Directors.

2. Classes of Directors. The Board of Directors shall be divided into three classes, Class A, Class B and Class C. Such classes shall be as nearly equal in number of directors as possible. Each director shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting following the annual meeting at which such director was elected; provided, however, that the directors first elected to Class A shall serve for an initial term expiring at the annual meeting following the end of the Company’s 2001 fiscal year, the directors first elected to Class B shall serve for an initial term expiring at the second annual meeting next following the end of the Company’s 2001 fiscal year, and the directors first elected to Class C shall serve for an initial term expiring at the third annual meeting next following the end of the Company’s 2001 fiscal year. Notwithstanding anything herein contained to the contrary, the person named in subparagraph 1 of this Article VI shall be a Class C director. Moreover, except as otherwise provided in this Certificate of Incorporation or any Preferred Stock Designation, directors who are elected at an annual meeting of stockholders, and directors elected in the interim to fill vacancies and newly created directorships, shall hold office for the term for which elected and until their successors are elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation or removal. Whenever the holders of any class or classes of stock or any series thereof shall be entitled to elect one or more directors pursuant to any Preferred Stock Designation, and except as otherwise provided herein or therein, vacancies and newly created directorships of such class or classes or series thereof may be filled by a majority of the directors elected by such class or classes or series thereof then in office, by a sole remaining director so elected or by the unanimous written consent or the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or classes or series entitled to elect such director or directors.

3. Vacancies. Except as otherwise provided for herein, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, and any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other cause, may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the newly created directorship or for the directorship in which the vacancy occurred, and until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. Subject to the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation, no decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

4. Removal of Directors. Except as otherwise provided in any Preferred Stock Designation, any director may be removed from office only by the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds (2/3) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders called for that purpose, voting together as a single class.

ARTICLE VII

Powers of the Board of Directors

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized:

(a) To authorize and cause to be executed mortgages and liens upon the real and personal property of the Company.

(b) To set apart out of any of the funds of the Company available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and to abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.

(c) The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the whole Board, designate an Executive Committee, and one or more additional committees, to exercise, subject to applicable provisions of law, such powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Company as set forth in said resolution, but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to the following matters: (i) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required to be submitted to the stockholders for approval or, (ii) adopting, amending or repealing any Bylaw of the Company. The Executive Committee and each such other committee shall consist of two or more directors of the Company. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any such committee may to the extent permitted by law exercise such powers and shall have such responsibilities as shall be specified in the designating resolution. In the absence or disqualification of any member of such committee or committees, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not constituting a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.

(d) When and as authorized by the stockholders in accordance with law, to sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company, including its good will and its corporate franchises, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration, which may consist in whole or in part of money or property including shares of stock in, and/or other securities of, any other corporation or corporations, as its board of directors shall deem expedient and for the best interests of the Company.

ARTICLE VIII

Receivers and Trustees

Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between the Company and its creditors or any class of them and/or between the Company and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of the Company or of any creditor or stockholder thereof, on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Company under the provisions of Section 291 of the DGCL or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Company under the provisions of Section 279 of the DGCL, order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Company, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Company, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of the Company as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of the Company, as the case may be, and also on the Company.

ARTICLE IX

Bylaws

Bylaws of the Company may be adopted, amended or repealed by the Board of Directors or by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Company’s stock, outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting at which any Bylaw is adopted, amended or repealed. Such Bylaws may contain any provision for the regulation and management of the affairs of the Company and the rights or powers of its stockholders, directors, officers or employees not inconsistent with statute or this Certificate of Incorporation.

ARTICLE X

Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation

The Company reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.

ARTICLE XI

Existence

The Company is to have perpetual existence.

ARTICLE XII

Limitation of Liability

A director of the Company shall not be personally liable to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of his fiduciary duty as a director; provided, however, that this Article XII shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director: (a) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Company or stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (d) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

If the DGCL is amended after the date of filing of this Certificate of Incorporation to authorize corporate action further limiting or eliminating the personal liability of a director, then the liability of the directors of the Company shall be limited or eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended. Any repeal or modification of this Article by the stockholders of the Company or otherwise shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Company existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

ARTICLE XIII

Business Combinations with Interested Stockholders

The Company shall be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL. Provided, however, notwithstanding anything herein contained to the contrary, the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL shall not be applicable to John F. Terwilliger.

ARTICLE XIV

Indemnification

The Company shall indemnify each director and officer of the Company who may be indemnified, to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL (“Section 145”), as it may be amended from time to time, in each and every situation where the Company is obligated to make such indemnification pursuant to Section 145. In addition, the Company shall indemnify each of the Company’s directors and officers in each and every situation where, under Section 145, the Company is not obligated, but is permitted or empowered, to make such indemnification. The Company may, in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, indemnify any other person who may be indemnified pursuant to Section 145 to the extent the Board of Directors deems advisable, as permitted by such section. The Company shall promptly make or cause to be made any determination which Section 145 requires.

ARTICLE XV

Transactions with Interested Parties

No contract or transaction between the Company and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the Company and any other corporation, partnership, association, or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers, are directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his or their votes are counted for such purpose, if: (a) the material facts as to his relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board of Directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; or (b) the material facts as to his relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by a vote of the stockholders; or (c) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Company as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the Board of Directors, a committee or the stockholders. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 2nd day of April, 2001.

	/s/ Norman T. Reynolds
	NORMAN T. REYNOLDS