EX-10.1 3 tv495755_ex10-1.htm EXHIBIT 10.1

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

June 4, 2018

 

among

 

HARVEST OIL & GAS CORP.,

as Parent,

 

EV PROPERTIES, L.P.,

as Borrower,

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

 

and

 

The Lenders Party Hereto

 

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,

as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Runner

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Syndication Agent

 

BBVA Compass and Citibank, N.A.,

as Documentation Agents

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

      Page
       
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS
       
Section 1.01   Terms Defined Above 2
Section 1.02   Certain Defined Terms 2
Section 1.03   Types of Loans and Borrowings 26
Section 1.04   Terms Generally 26
Section 1.05   Accounting Terms and Determinations; GAAP 27
Section 1.06   Interest Rates 27
       
ARTICLE II
THE CREDITS
       
Section 2.01   Commitments 27
Section 2.02   Loans and Borrowings 28
Section 2.03   Requests for Borrowings 28
Section 2.04   Interest Elections 29
Section 2.05   Funding of Borrowings 30
Section 2.06   Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts 31
Section 2.07   Borrowing Base 31
Section 2.08   Letters of Credit 34
       
ARTICLE III
PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST; PREPAYMENTS; FEES
       
Section 3.01   Repayment of Loans 39
Section 3.02   Interest 39
Section 3.03   Alternate Rate of Interest 40
Section 3.04   Prepayments 41
Section 3.05   Fees 43
       
ARTICLE IV
PAYMENTS; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF SET-OFFS.
       
Section 4.01   Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs 44
Section 4.02   Presumption of Payment by the Borrower 45
Section 4.03   Payments and Deductions to a Defaulting Lender 45
       
ARTICLE V
INCREASED COSTS; BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS; TAXES; ILLEGALITY
       
Section 5.01   Increased Costs 47
Section 5.02   Break Funding Payments 48
Section 5.03   Taxes 49
Section 5.04   Designation of Different Lending Office; Replacement of Lenders 52
Section 5.05   Illegality 53
       
ARTICLE VI
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
       
Section 6.01   Effective Date 53
Section 6.02   Each Credit Event 57

 

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ARTICLE VII
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
       
Section 7.01   Organization; Powers 58
Section 7.02   Authority; Enforceability 58
Section 7.03   Approvals; No Conflicts 58
Section 7.04   Financial Position; No Material Adverse Effect 58
Section 7.05   Litigation 59
Section 7.06   Environmental Matters 59
Section 7.07   Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults 60
Section 7.08   Investment Company Act 60
Section 7.09   Taxes 60
Section 7.10   ERISA 60
Section 7.11   Disclosure; No Material Misstatements 61
Section 7.12   Insurance 62
Section 7.13   Restriction on Liens 62
Section 7.14   Subsidiaries 62
Section 7.15   Location of Business and Offices 62
Section 7.16   Properties; Titles, Etc 63
Section 7.17   Maintenance of Properties 63
Section 7.18   Gas Imbalances, Prepayments 64
Section 7.19   Marketing of Production 64
Section 7.20   Swap Agreements 64
Section 7.21   Use of Loans and Letters of Credit 64
Section 7.22   Solvency 65
Section 7.23   Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions 65
Section 7.24   EEA Financial Institutions 65
Section 7.25   Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions 65
Section 7.26   Margin Regulations 65
       
ARTICLE VIII
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
       
Section 8.01   Financial Statements; Other Information 66
Section 8.02   Notices of Material Events 68
Section 8.03   Existence; Conduct of Business 69
Section 8.04   Payment of Obligations 69
Section 8.05   Performance of Obligations under Loan Documents 69
Section 8.06   Operation and Maintenance of Properties 69
Section 8.07   Insurance 70
Section 8.08   Books and Records; Inspection Rights 70
Section 8.09   Compliance with Laws 70
Section 8.10   Environmental Matters 71
Section 8.11   Further Assurances 71
Section 8.12   Reserve Reports 72
Section 8.13   Title Information 73
Section 8.14   Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors 73
Section 8.15   ERISA Compliance 74
Section 8.16   Marketing Activities 74
Section 8.17   Keepwell 75
Section 8.18   Required Hedging Agreements 75

 

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ARTICLE IX
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
       
Section 9.01   Financial Covenants 75
Section 9.02   Debt 76
Section 9.03   Liens 77
Section 9.04   Dividends, Distributions and Redemptions 77
Section 9.05   Investments, Loans and Advances 78
Section 9.06   Nature of Business; International Operations 79
Section 9.07   Limitation on Leases 79
Section 9.08   Proceeds of Loans 80
Section 9.09   ERISA Compliance 80
Section 9.10   Sale or Discount of Receivables 81
Section 9.11   Mergers, Etc 81
Section 9.12   Sale of Properties 81
Section 9.13   Environmental Matters 82
Section 9.14   Transactions with Affiliates 82
Section 9.15   Subsidiaries 82
Section 9.16   Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions 82
Section 9.17   Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments 82
Section 9.18   Swap Agreements 83
Section 9.19   Control Agreements 83
       
ARTICLE X
EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES
       
Section 10.01   Events of Default 84
Section 10.02   Remedies 86
Section 10.03   Disposition of Proceeds 88
       
ARTICLE XI
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
       
Section 11.01   Authorization and Action 88
Section 11.02   Administrative Agent’s Reliance, Indemnification, Etc 90
Section 11.03   Posting of Communications 91
Section 11.04   The Administrative Agent Individually 92
Section 11.05   Successor Administrative Agent 93
Section 11.06   Acknowledgements of Lenders and Issuing Banks 94
Section 11.07   Collateral Matters 94
Section 11.08   Credit Bidding 95
Section 11.09   Certain ERISA Matters 96
       
ARTICLE XII
MISCELLANEOUS
       
Section 12.01   Notices 98
Section 12.02   Waivers; Amendments 98
Section 12.03   Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver 99
Section 12.04   Successors and Assigns 102
Section 12.05   Survival; Revival; Reinstatement 104
Section 12.06   Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness 105
Section 12.07   Severability 105
Section 12.08   Right of Setoff 105
Section 12.09   GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS 106

 

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Section 12.10   Headings 107
Section 12.11   Confidentiality 107
Section 12.12   Interest Rate Limitation 108
Section 12.13   EXCULPATION PROVISIONS 108
Section 12.14   Collateral Matters; Swap Agreements 109
Section 12.15   No Third Party Beneficiaries 109
Section 12.16   USA Patriot Act Notice 109
Section 12.17   Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions 109
Section 12.18   Flood Insurance Provisions 110
Section 12.19   Effect and Mechanics of Agreement 110

 

Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules

 

Annex I   List of Maximum Credit Amounts
Annex II   List of LC Commitments
     
Exhibit A-1   Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit A-2   Form of Interest Election Request
Exhibit B   Form of Note
Exhibit C   Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit D   Security Documents
Exhibit E   Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit F-1   Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Treated As Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit F-2   Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Not Treated As Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit F-3   Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Treated As Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit F-4   Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Treated As Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
     
Schedule 1.02A   Approved Counterparties
Schedule 1.02B   Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 7.05   Litigation
Schedule 7.06   Environmental Matters
Schedule 7.11   Material Agreements
Schedule 7.14   Subsidiaries and Partnerships
Schedule 7.18   Gas Imbalances
Schedule 7.19   Marketing Contracts
Schedule 7.20   Swap Agreements
Schedule 8.18   Specified Oil and Gas Properties

 

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THIS THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of June 4, 2018, is among Harvest Oil & Gas Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”), EV PROPERTIES, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Borrower”), each of the Lenders from time to time party hereto and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent.

 

RECITALS

 

A.           EV Energy Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, as parent (“EVEP”), EV Properties, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, as borrower (“EV Properties”)), the Administrative Agent, the lenders party thereto (the “Existing Lenders”) and others party thereto entered into that certain Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of April 26, 2011 (as amended, modified or otherwise supplemented prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”) pursuant to which the Existing Lenders made certain loans to and extensions of credit available on behalf of EV Properties.

 

B.           EVEP, EV Properties, certain of their respective Subsidiaries (each a “Debtor” and collectively, the “Debtors”), certain holders of the Existing Senior Notes, certain of the Existing Lenders and the other Persons party thereto entered into that certain Restructuring Support Agreement dated March 13, 2018 (as amended or modified in accordance with its terms, the “Restructuring Support Agreement”) pursuant to which the Debtors and the other parties thereto agreed to support and implement a comprehensive restructuring of the Debtors, as set forth therein.

 

C.           In furtherance of the Restructuring Support Agreement, on April 2, 2018 (the “Petition Date”), the Debtors filed voluntary petitions to commence cases (the “Chapter 11 Cases”) under the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”) and continued in the possession of their assets and in the management of their businesses pursuant to Sections 1107 and 1108 of the Bankruptcy Code.

 

D.           In furtherance of the Restructuring Support Agreement, the Debtors filed the “Acceptable Plan of Reorganization” (as defined in the Restructuring Support Agreement, hereafter the “Plan of Reorganization”) with the Bankruptcy Court on April 2, 2018 [Docket No. 6], and the related disclosure statement (the “Disclosure Statement”) with the Bankruptcy Court on April 2, 2018 [Docket No. 7].

 

E.           On May 17, 2018, the Bankruptcy Court entered the confirmation order (as may be amended or modified in accordance with the terms of the Restructuring Support Agreement, the “Confirmation Order”) confirming the Plan of Reorganization, which Confirmation Order inter alia authorized and approved the Restructuring Transactions (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization), the refinancing of the Indebtedness (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement), and the entry into and performance under this Agreement by the Reorganized Debtors (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization).

 

F.           Pursuant to this Agreement, the Existing Credit Agreement and all obligations and commitments outstanding thereunder shall be refinanced in full by a conversion or roll-over thereof into the credit facility under this Agreement with the Existing Loans and Existing Letters of Credit deemed made hereunder, subject to satisfaction (or waiver) of the conditions precedent set forth in Article VI, including without limitation, the consummation of the Plan of Reorganization.

 

G.           In consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and of the loans, extensions of credit and commitments hereinafter referred to, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

 

Section 1.01         Terms Defined Above. As used in this Agreement, each term defined above has the meaning indicated above.

 

Section 1.02         Certain Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

 

ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

 

Account Control Agreement” means a deposit account control agreement or securities account control agreement (or similar agreement), as applicable, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, executed by the applicable Group Member, the Administrative Agent and the relevant financial institution party thereto. Such agreement shall provide a first priority, perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, in the applicable Group Members deposit account or securities account, as applicable.

 

Accounting Changes” is defined in Section 1.05.

 

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

 

Administrative Agent” is defined in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

 

Administrative Questionnaire” means an administrative questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

 

Affected Loans” is defined in Section 5.05.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

Agent Indemnitee” is defined in Section 12.03(c).

 

Agents” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agents; and “Agent” means either the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent or the Documentation Agents, as the context requires.

 

Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts” at any time shall equal the sum of the Maximum Credit Amounts, as the same may be reduced or terminated pursuant to Section 2.06.

 

Agreement” means this Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, including the Schedules and Exhibits hereto, as the same may be amended, modified or otherwise supplemented from time to time.

 

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Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the NYFRB Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%; provided that for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Screen Rate (or if the LIBO Screen Rate is not available for such one month Interest Period, the Interpolated Rate) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively. If the Alternate Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 3.03 hereof, then the Alternate Base Rate shall be the greater of clauses (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Alternate Base Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Parent or any of its direct or indirect Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

 

Applicable Margin” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, as the case may be, the rate per annum set forth in the “Borrowing Base Utilization Grid” below based (subject to the last sentence of this definition of “Applicable Margin”) upon the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage then in effect:

 

Borrowing Base Utilization Grid
Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage   <25%   >25%, but <50%   >50%, but <75%   >75%, but <90%   >90%
ABR Loans   1.500%   1.750%   2.000%   2.250%   2.500%
Eurodollar Loans   2.500%   2.750%   3.000%   3.250%   3.500%

 

Each change in the Applicable Margin shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change; provided, however, that if at any time the Borrower fails to deliver a Reserve Report pursuant to Section 8.12(a), then the “Applicable Margin” means the rate per annum set forth on the grid when the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage is at its highest level.

 

Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts represented by such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination. As of the Effective Date, each Lender’s Applicable Percentage is set forth on Annex I.

 

Approved Counterparty” means (a) any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender, (b) any other Person whose long term senior unsecured debt rating is A/A2 by S&P or Moody’s (or their equivalent) or higher, (c) any Person listed on Schedule 1.02A or (d) any other Person approved by the Majority Lenders.

 

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Approved Electronic Platform” means IntraLinks™, DebtDomain, SyndTrak, ClearPar or any other electronic platform chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system.

 

Approved Fund” means (a) any entity (whether a corporation, partnership, trust or otherwise) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and is administered or managed by a Lender or an Affiliate of such Lender and (b) with respect to any Lender that is a fund which invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit and is managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor.

 

Arranger” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as sole lead arranger and sole book runner hereunder.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 12.04(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit E or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the Termination Date.

 

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

 

Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code entitled “Bankruptcy”, as now and hereafter in effect, or any successor statute.

 

Bankruptcy Court” is defined in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or has had any order for relief in such proceeding entered in respect thereof, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permits such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

 

Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, which certification shall be substantially similar in form and substance to the form of Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers published jointly, in May 2018, by the Loan Syndications and Trading Association and Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

 

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Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

 

Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Code to which Section 4975 of the Code applies, and (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of the Plan Asset Regulations or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

 

Borrower” is defined in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

 

Borrowing” means Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

 

Borrowing Base” means at any time an amount equal to the amount determined in accordance with Section 2.07, as the same may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to the Borrowing Base Adjustment Provisions.

 

Borrowing Base Adjustment Provisions” means Section 2.07(e), Section 2.07(f), Section 2.07(g), Section 9.12(d)(iii) and any other provision hereunder which adjusts (as opposed to redetermines) the amount of the Borrowing Base.

 

Borrowing Base Deficiency” occurs if at any time the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base then in effect.

 

Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage” means, as of any day, the fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of the Lenders on such day, and the denominator of which is the Borrowing Base in effect on such day.

 

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03, which shall be, in the case of any such written request, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or Houston, Texas are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

 

Capital Leases” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases or financing leases on the balance sheet of the Person liable (whether contingent or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder.

 

Casualty Event” means any loss, casualty or other insured damage to, or any nationalization, taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries having a fair market value in excess of $10,000,000 in the aggregate for any calendar year.

 

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Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Parent, (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Parent by Persons who were not (i) directors of the Parent on the date of this Agreement (after giving effect to the Restructuring) or nominated or appointed by the board of directors of the Parent or (ii) appointed by directors so nominated or appointed or (c) the Parent fails to own directly or indirectly all of the Equity Interests of the Borrower.

 

Change in Law” means the occurrence after the date of this Agreement or, with respect to any Lender, such later date on which such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement) of (a) the adoption of or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) compliance by any Lender or Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 5.01(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or in the implementation thereof and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall, in each case, be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

 

Chapter 11 Cases” is defined in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

 

Collateral” means all property transferred, conveyed, bargained, sold, assigned, pledged or otherwise granted as security for the Secured Indebtedness pursuant to the Security Documents.

 

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) modified from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06 and (b) modified from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 12.04(b). The amount representing each Lender’s Commitment shall at any time be the lesser of such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the then effective Borrowing Base, as such amounts are set forth on Annex I, or in the applicable Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.

 

Commitment Fee Rate” means, for any day, 0.500% per annum.

 

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

 

Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Group Member pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to Section 11.03, including through an Approved Electronic Platform.

 

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Confirmation Order” is defined in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

 

Consolidated Cash Balance” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, treasury bonds and bills, certificates of deposit, investments in money market funds and commercial paper, in each case held by the Parent and its Consolidated Subsidiaries.

 

Consolidated Net Income” means with respect to the Parent and the Consolidated Subsidiaries, for any period, the aggregate of the net income (or loss) of the Parent and the Consolidated Subsidiaries after allowances for taxes for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded from such net income (to the extent otherwise included therein) the following: (a) the net income of any Person in which the Parent or a Consolidated Subsidiary has an interest (which interest does not cause the net income of such other Person to be consolidated with the net income of the Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP), except to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions actually paid in cash during such period by such other Person to the Parent or to a Consolidated Subsidiary, as the case may be; (b) the net income (but not loss) during such period of any Consolidated Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions or transfers or loans by that Consolidated Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument or Governmental Requirement applicable to such Consolidated Subsidiary or is otherwise restricted or prohibited, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; (c) the net income (or loss) of any Person acquired in a pooling-of-interests transaction for any period prior to the date of such transaction; (d) any extraordinary gains or losses during such period; (e) non-cash gains, losses or adjustments under FASB Statement No. 133 as a result of changes in the fair market value of derivatives; and (f) any gains or losses attributable to write ups or write downs of assets, including ceiling test write downs; and provided further that if the Parent or any Consolidated Subsidiary shall acquire or dispose of any Property during such period, then Consolidated Net Income shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect to such acquisition or disposition, as if such acquisition or disposition had occurred on the first day of such period.

 

Consolidated Subsidiaries” means each Subsidiary of the Parent (whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired) the financial statements of which shall be (or should have been) consolidated with the financial statements of the Parent in accordance with GAAP.

 

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. For the purposes of this definition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Person that owns directly or indirectly 10% or more of the Equity Interests having ordinary voting power for the election of the directors or other governing body of a Person (other than as a limited partner of such other Person) will be deemed to “control” such other Person. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

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Debt” means, for any Person, the sum of the following (without duplication): (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, bankers’ acceptances, debentures, notes or other similar instruments; (b) all obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, surety or other bonds and similar instruments; (c) all accounts payable, accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations of such Person, in each such case to pay the deferred purchase price of Property or services; (d) all obligations under Capital Leases; (e) all obligations under Synthetic Leases; (f) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) a Lien on any Property of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person; provided, however, if not assumed, the amount of any such Debt shall not exceed the fair market value of the Property subject to such Lien; (g) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others guaranteed by such Person or in which such Person otherwise assures a creditor against loss of the Debt (howsoever such assurance shall be made) to the extent of the lesser of the amount of such Debt and the maximum stated amount of such guarantee or assurance against loss; (h) all obligations or undertakings of such Person to maintain or cause to be maintained the financial position or covenants of others or to purchase the Debt or Property of others; (i) obligations to deliver commodities, goods or services, including, without limitation, Hydrocarbons, in consideration of one or more advance payments, other than gas balancing or pipeline transportation arrangements in the ordinary course of business; (j) obligations to pay for goods or services whether or not such goods or services are actually received or utilized by such Person, other than retainers paid for professional services or similar arrangements entered into in the ordinary course of business; (k) any Debt of a partnership for which such Person is liable either by agreement, by operation of law or by a Governmental Requirement but only to the extent of such liability; (l) Disqualified Capital Stock; and (m) the undischarged balance of any production payment created by such Person or for the creation of which such Person directly or indirectly received payment. The Debt of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described above to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is not included as a liability of such Person under GAAP.

 

Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

 

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two (2) Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or (iii) pay over to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any other Lender in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any other Lender, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of (i) a Bankruptcy Event or (ii) a Bail-In Action.

 

Deficiency Date” is defined in Section 3.04(c)(ii).

 

Disclosure Statement” is defined in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease, farm-out or other disposition (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) of any Property by any Person (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any issuance of Equity Interests by a Subsidiary of such Person), including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

 

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Disqualified Capital Stock” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is convertible or exchangeable for Debt or redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock) at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is one year after the earlier of (a) the Maturity Date and (b) the date on which there are no Loans, LC Exposure or other obligations hereunder outstanding and all of the Commitments are terminated.

 

Documentation Agent” means each of Compass Bank and Citibank, N.A., in such capacity, together with their respective successors in such capacity.

 

dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

 

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized, incorporated or otherwise formed under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

 

EBITDAX” means, for any period, the sum of Consolidated Net Income for such period plus the following expenses or charges to the extent deducted from Consolidated Net Income in such period: interest, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization, exploration expenses and all noncash charges, minus all noncash income and all cancellation of debt income added to Consolidated Net Income.

 

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any institution established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent;

 

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

 

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

 

Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 6.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 12.02).

 

Engineering Reports” is defined in Section 2.07(c)(i).

 

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Environmental Laws” means any and all Governmental Requirements pertaining in any way to health or safety (to the extent related to the exposure to Hazardous Materials), pollution or protection of the environment, the preservation or reclamation of natural resources or the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials, in effect in any and all jurisdictions in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is conducting or at any time has conducted business, or where any Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is located, including without limitation, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”), as amended, the Clean Air Act, as amended, the Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”), as amended, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (“RCRA”), as amended, the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, as amended, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, and other environmental conservation or protection Governmental Requirements. The term “oil” shall have the meaning specified in OPA, the terms “hazardous substance” and “release” (or “threatened release”) have the meanings specified in CERCLA, the terms “solid waste” and “disposal” (or “disposed”) have the meanings specified in RCRA and the term “oil and gas waste” shall have the meaning specified in Section 91.1011 of the Texas Natural Resources Code (“Section 91.1011”); provided, however, that (a) in the event either OPA, CERCLA, RCRA or Section 91.1011 is amended so as to broaden the meaning of any term defined thereby, such broader meaning shall apply subsequent to the effective date of such amendment and (b) to the extent the laws of the state or other jurisdiction in which any Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is located establish a meaning for “oil”, “hazardous substance”, “release”, “solid waste”, “disposal” or “oil and gas waste” which is broader than that specified in either OPA, CERCLA, RCRA or Section 91.1011, such broader meaning shall apply.

 

Environmental Permit” means any permit, registration, license, approval, consent, exemption, variance, or other authorization required under or issued pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws.

 

Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest, but excluding any debt securities convertible into any of the forgoing.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Parent or the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or Section 414(c) of the Code or Section 4001(14) of ERISA or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(m) or Section 414(o) of the Code.

 

ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the notice is waived); (b) the failure to satisfy the “minimum funding standard” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), with respect to any Plan, whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Parent, the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Parent, the Borrower or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Parent, the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of the Parent, the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan under Title IV of ERISA; or (g) the receipt by the Parent, the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice concerning the imposition upon the Parent, the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent, within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA.

 

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EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor Person), as in effect from time to time.

 

Eurodollar” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

 

Event of Default” is defined in Section 10.01.

 

EVEP” is defined in the Recitals of this Agreement.

 

EV Properties” is defined in the Recitals of this Agreement.

 

Excepted Liens” means: (a) Liens for Taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (b) Liens in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (c) statutory landlord’s liens, operators’, vendors’, carriers’, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, mechanics’, suppliers’, workers’, materialmen’s, construction or other like Liens arising by operation of law in the ordinary course of business or incident to the exploration, development, operation and maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties each of which is in respect of obligations that are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (d) contractual Liens which arise in the ordinary course of business under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, oil and gas partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farm-out agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil and natural gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, overriding royalty agreements, marketing agreements, processing agreements, net profits agreements, development agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or other geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and are for claims which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; provided that any such Lien referred to in this clause does not materially impair the use of the Property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which such Property is held by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (e) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies and burdening only deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution; provided that no such deposit account is a dedicated cash collateral account or is subject to restrictions against access by the depositor in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Board and no such deposit account is intended by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to provide collateral to the depository institution; (f) easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations in any Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries for the purpose of roads, pipelines, transmission lines, transportation lines, distribution lines for the removal of gas, oil, coal or other minerals or timber, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real estate, rights of way, facilities and equipment, that do not secure any monetary obligations and which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of such Property for the purposes of which such Property is held by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (g) Liens on cash or securities pledged to secure performance of tenders, surety and appeal bonds, government contracts, performance and return of money bonds, bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, regulatory obligations and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business and (h) judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default; provided that any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such proceeding may be initiated shall not have expired and no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced; provided, further that Liens described in clauses (a) through (e) shall remain “Excepted Liens” only for so long as no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced and no intention to subordinate the first priority Lien granted in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is to be hereby implied or expressed by the permitted existence of such Excepted Liens.

 

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Excluded Accounts” means, individually or collectively as the context requires, payroll, withholding tax, escrow, trust fund and other fiduciary deposit accounts.

 

Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) (a) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder at the time the guarantee of such Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such obligation or liability in respect of a Swap Agreement or (b) in the case of an obligation or liability in respect of a Swap Agreement that is required to be cleared pursuant to Section 2(h) of the Commodity Exchange Act (or any successor provision thereto), because such Guarantor is a “financial entity”, as defined in Section 2(h)(7)(C)(i) the Commodity Exchange Act (or any successor provision thereto), at the time the guarantee of (or grant of security interest by, as applicable) such Guarantor becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one Swap Agreement, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swap Agreements for which such guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal.

 

Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 5.04(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 5.03, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 5.03(f) and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

Existing Credit Agreement” is defined in the Recitals of this Agreement.

 

Existing Lenders” is defined in the Recitals of this Agreement.

 

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Existing Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit described on Schedule 1.02B that are outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement immediately prior to the Effective Date and which, on the Effective Date, shall be refunded, refinanced or replaced and deemed issued under this Agreement.

 

Existing Loans” means the “Loans” under and as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement that are outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Date and which, on the Effective Date, shall be deemed made under this Agreement.

 

Existing Senior Notes” means the 8.0% Senior Notes due 2019 issued by EVEP and EV Energy Finance Corp. in the original principal amount of $300,000,000.

 

Existing Swap Agreements” means the Swap Agreements described on Schedule 7.20, which shall be secured with the Secured Indebtedness pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities entered into in connection with the implementation of the foregoing.

 

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions, as determined in such manner as the NYFRB shall set forth on its public website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the effective federal funds rate, provided that if the Federal Funds Effective Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America or any successor Governmental Authority.

 

Financial Officer” means, for any Person, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references to a Financial Officer means a Financial Officer of the Parent.

 

Flood Insurance Regulations” means (a) the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (b) the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statue thereto, (c) the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (amending 42 USC 4001, et seq.), as the same may be amended or recodified from time to time, (d) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 and (e) the Biggert Waters Flood Reform Act of 2012, and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 1.05.

 

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Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government over any Group Member, any of their Properties, any Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender.

 

Governmental Requirement” means any law, statute, code, ordinance, order, determination, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise, permit, certificate, license, authorization or other directive, requirement or binding agreement issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, whether now or hereinafter in effect, including, without limitation, Environmental Laws, energy regulations and occupational, safety and health standards or controls, of any Governmental Authority.

 

Group Member” means any of the Parent and its Consolidated Subsidiaries.

 

Guarantors” means each Group Member on the Closing Date other than the Borrower and each other Material Domestic Subsidiary that guarantees the Secured Indebtedness pursuant to Section 8.14(b).

 

Guaranty and Collateral Agreement” means that certain Third Amended and Restated Guaranty and Collateral Agreement, as may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, dated as of June 4, 2018, by the Borrower and the Guarantors in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.

 

Hazardous Material” means any substance regulated or as to which liability might arise under any applicable Environmental Law and including, without limitation: (a) any chemical, compound, material, product, byproduct, substance or waste defined as or included in the definition or meaning of “hazardous substance”, “hazardous material”, “hazardous waste”, “solid waste”, “toxic waste”, “extremely hazardous substance”, “toxic substance”, “contaminant”, “pollutant”, or words of similar meaning or import found in any applicable Environmental Law; (b) petroleum hydrocarbons, petroleum products, petroleum substances, natural gas, oil, oil and gas waste, crude oil, and any components, fractions, or derivatives thereof; and (c) radioactive materials, asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, or radon.

 

Highest Lawful Rate” means, with respect to each Lender, the maximum nonusurious interest rate, if any, that at any time or from time to time may be contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received on the Notes or on other Secured Indebtedness under laws applicable to such Lender which are presently in effect or, to the extent allowed by law, under such applicable laws which may hereafter be in effect and which allow a higher maximum nonusurious interest rate than applicable laws allow as of the date hereof.

 

Hydrocarbon Interests” means all rights, titles, interests and estates now or hereafter acquired in and to oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon leases, mineral fee interests, overriding royalty and royalty interests, net profit interests and production payment interests, including any reserved or residual interests of whatever nature.

 

Hydrocarbons” means oil, gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all products refined or separated therefrom.

 

Impacted Interest Period” has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of “LIBO Rate.”

 

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Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Group Member under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a) hereof, Other Taxes.

 

Information” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 12.11.

 

Initial Redetermination” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(b).

 

Initial Reserve Report” means the year-end report prepared by Wright & Co., Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., or other nationally recognized independent reserve engineers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent with respect to the value of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2018.

 

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04, which shall be, in the case of any such written request, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (b) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

 

Interim Redetermination” is defined in Section 2.07(b).

 

Interpolated Rate” means, at any time, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the LIBO Screen Rate) determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) to be equal to the rate that results from interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the LIBO Screen Rate for the longest period for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available) that is shorter than the Impacted Interest Period and (b) the LIBO Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which that LIBO Screen Rate is available) that exceeds the Impacted Interest Period, in each case, at such time.

 

Investment” means, for any Person: (a) the acquisition (whether for cash, Property, services or securities or otherwise) of Equity Interests of any other Person or any agreement to make any such acquisition (including, without limitation, any “short sale” or any sale of any securities at a time when such securities are not owned by the Person entering into such short sale); (b) the making of any deposit with, or advance, loan or capital contribution to, assumption of Debt of, purchase or other acquisition of any other Debt or equity participation or interest in, or other extension of credit to, any other Person (including the purchase of Property from another Person subject to an understanding or agreement, contingent or otherwise, to resell such Property to such Person, but excluding any such advance, loan or extension of credit having a term not exceeding ninety (90) days representing the purchase price of inventory or supplies sold by such Person in the ordinary course of business); or (c) the entering into of any guarantee of, or other contingent obligation (including the deposit of any Equity Interests to be sold) with respect to, Debt or other liability of any other Person and (without duplication) any amount committed to be advanced, lent or extended to such Person.

 

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Issuing Bank” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and any other Lender that agrees to act as an Issuing Bank, each in its capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.08(i). Any Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

 

LC Availability Requirements” is defined in Section 2.08(a).

 

LC Commitment” means, with respect to each Issuing Bank, the commitment of such Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder. The initial amount of each Issuing Bank’s LC Commitment is set forth on Annex II, or if an Issuing Bank has entered into an Assignment and Assumption or has otherwise assumed an LC Commitment after the Effective Date, the amount set forth for such Issuing Bank as its LC Commitment in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent. The LC Commitment of an Issuing Bank may be modified from time to time by agreement between such Issuing Bank and the Borrower, and notified to the Administrative Agent.

 

LC Disbursement” means a payment made by any Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank.

 

LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.

 

Lender Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

 

Lenders” means the Persons listed on Annex I, and any Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, and any Person that shall have become a party hereto as an Additional Lender pursuant to Section 2.06(c). Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Issuing Banks.

 

Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued or deemed issued pursuant to this Agreement including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Existing Letters of Credit.

 

Letter of Credit Agreements” means all letter of credit applications and other agreements (including any amendments, modifications or supplements thereto) submitted by the Borrower, or entered into by the Borrower, with any Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank and/or the respective rights and obligations between the Borrower and such Issuing Bank in connection thereunder.

 

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the LIBO Screen Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (an “Impacted Interest Period”) then the LIBO Rate shall be the Interpolated Rate.

 

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LIBO Screen Rate” means, for any day and time, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for U.S. Dollars for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on such day and time on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on a Reuters page or screen, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion); provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Lien” means any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to, or a claim by, a Person other than the owner of the Property, whether such interest is based on the common law, statute or contract, and whether such obligation or claim is fixed or contingent, and including but not limited to (a) the lien or security interest arising from a mortgage, encumbrance, pledge, security agreement, conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for security purposes or (b) production payments and the like payable out of Oil and Gas Properties. The term “Lien” shall include easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be the owner of any Property which they have acquired or hold subject to a conditional sale agreement, or leases under a financing lease or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the Property has been retained by or vested in some other Person in a transaction intended to create a financing.

 

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, including schedules and exhibits hereto, and any agreements entered into in connection herewith by the Borrower or any other Group Member with or in favor of the Administrative Agent and/or the Lenders, including the Notes, the Letter of Credit Agreements, the Letters of Credit and the Security Documents, and any amendments, modifications or supplements thereto or waivers thereof and any other documents prepared in connection with the Loan Documents.

 

Loans” means the loans made or deemed made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Existing Loans.

 

Majority Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having greater than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders holding greater than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans or participation interests in Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c)).

 

Margin Stock” means margin stock within the meaning of Regulations T, U and X, as applicable.

 

Material Acquisition” means any acquisition of Oil and Gas Properties by the Borrower or any Guarantor whose purchase price is greater than or equal to 10% of the then effective Borrowing Base.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means, (i) after giving effect to the filing of the Chapter 11 Cases, the entry of the Confirmation Order and the confirmation and consummation of the Plan of Reorganization, and (ii) excluding any matters publicly disclosed prior to the date of this Agreement, any matters disclosed in any first day pleadings or declarations in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases and the events and conditions related and/or leading up to the Chapter 11 Cases and the effects thereof, a material adverse change in, or material adverse effect on (a) the business, financial condition, operations, Property or liabilities (actual or contingent) of the Borrower and its Guarantors taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower and its Guarantors, taken as a whole, to perform their obligations under the Loan Documents (c) the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or (d) the rights and remedies of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document.

 

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Material Domestic Subsidiary” means, as of any date, any Domestic Subsidiary that (a) is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary and (b) together with its Subsidiaries, owns Property having a fair market value of $1,000,000 or more.

 

Material Indebtedness” means Debt (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $1,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

Maturity Date” means February 26, 2021.

 

Maximum Credit Amount” means, as to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Annex I under the caption “Maximum Credit Amounts”, as the same may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time in connection with a reduction or termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section 2.06(b) or (b) modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment permitted by Section 12.04(b).

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.

 

Mortgaged Property” means any Property owned by the Borrower or any Guarantor which is subject to the Liens existing and to exist under the terms of the Security Documents.

 

Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001 (a)(3) of ERISA.

 

New Borrowing Base Notice” is defined in Section 2.07(d).

 

New Class A Preferred” means the Class A preferred stock of Parent to be issued on the Effective Date under the Debtors’ Plan of Reorganization, in an initial aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000, as such amount may be increased from time to time by any amounts paid in kind pursuant to the terms of such preferred stocks.

 

Notes” means the promissory notes of the Borrower described in Section 2.02(d) and being substantially in the form of Exhibit B, together with all amendments, modifications, replacements, extensions and rearrangements thereof.

 

NYFRB” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

 

NYFRB Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates as so determined be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

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Oil and Gas Properties” means (a) Hydrocarbon Interests; (b) the Properties now or hereafter pooled or unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests; (c) all presently existing or future unitization, pooling agreements and declarations of pooled units and the units created thereby (including without limitation all units created under orders, regulations and rules of any Governmental Authority) which may affect all or any portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests; (d) all operating agreements, contracts and other agreements, including production sharing contracts and agreements, which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production, sale, purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable to such Hydrocarbon Interests; (e) all Hydrocarbons in and under and which may be produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, including all oil in tanks, and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, revenues and other incomes from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests; (f) all tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and Properties in any manner appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests and (g) all Properties, rights, titles, interests and estates described or referred to above, including any and all Property, real or personal, now owned or hereinafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon Interests or Property (excluding drilling rigs, automotive equipment, rental equipment or other personal Property which may be on such premises for the purpose of drilling a well or for other similar temporary uses) and including any and all oil wells, gas wells, injection wells or other wells, structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps, pumping units, field gathering systems, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures, valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus, equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing and rods, surface leases, rights-of-way, easements and servitudes together with all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any and all of the foregoing.

 

Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit or Loan Document), or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit or Loan Document.

 

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 5.04).

 

Overnight Bank Funding Rate” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight Eurodollar borrowings by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions, as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on its public website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate.

 

Parent” means Harvest Oil & Gas Corp., a Delaware corporation.

 

Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.04(c)(i).

 

Participant Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.04(c)(i).

 

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Participating Lender” means an Existing Lender that (a) executed the Restructuring Support Agreement or (b) did not execute the Restructuring Support Agreement but votes to accept the Plan of Reorganization.

 

Patriot Act” is defined in Section 12.16.

 

Payment in Full” means (a) the Commitments have expired or been terminated, (b) the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents shall have been paid in full in cash (other than contingent indemnification obligations not yet due and payable of which the Borrower has not received a notice of potential claim), (c) all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated (or are cash collateralized or otherwise secured to the satisfaction of the applicable Issuing Bank) and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, (d) all amounts due under Secured Swap Agreements shall have been paid in full in cash (or such Secured Swap Agreements are cash collateralized or otherwise secured to the satisfaction of the applicable Secured Swap Provider) and (e) all amounts due under Secured Cash Management Agreements shall have been paid in full in cash (or such Secured Cash Management Agreements are cash collateralized or otherwise secured to the satisfaction of the applicable Secured Cash Management Provider).

 

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or any successor thereto.

 

Permitted Refinancing Debt” means Debt (for purposes of this definition, “new Debt”) incurred in exchange for, or proceeds of which are used to purchase or refinance, other Debt (for purposes of this definition, the “Refinanced Debt”), to the extent that (a) such new Debt is in an aggregate principal amount not in excess of the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount then outstanding of the Refinanced Debt (or, if the Refinanced Debt is exchanged or acquired for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration thereof, such lesser amount) and (ii) an amount necessary to pay any accrued and unpaid interest on the Refinanced Debt and fees and expenses, including make-whole payments and premiums, related to such exchange or refinancing; (b) such new Debt has a stated maturity no earlier than the later of (i) the stated maturity of the Refinanced Debt and (ii) 181 days after the Maturity Date and an average life no shorter than the average life of the Refinanced Debt; (c) such new Debt has a market rate of interest; (d) such new Debt is on prevailing market terms for similarly situated issuers and (e) the obligors with respect to such new Debt do not include any Persons that were not obligors with respect to such Refinanced Debt, except that Group Members may be added as additional obligors; in the case of clauses (c) and (d), as reasonably determined by the board of directors of the Parent on behalf of the issuer thereof or borrower thereunder and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Parent certifying to that effect.

 

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

Petition Date” is defined in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Parent, the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

Plan Asset Regulations” means 29 CFR § 2510.3-101 et seq., as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, as amended from time to time.

 

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Plan of Reorganization” is defined in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Pre-Petition Reserve Report” means the Reserve Report most recently delivered under the Existing Credit Agreement.

 

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the U.S. or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined by the Administrative Agent) or any similar release by the Board (as determined by the Administrative Agent). Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced or quoted as being effective.

 

Property” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

Proposed Borrowing Base” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(c)(i).

 

Proposed Borrowing Base Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(c)(ii).

 

Proved Developed Producing Properties” means Oil and Gas Properties which are categorized as “Proved Reserves” that are both “Developed” and “Producing”, as such terms are defined in the Definitions for Oil and Gas Reserves as promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (or any generally recognized successor) as in effect at the time in question.

 

PTE” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.09(a)(ii).

 

Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, in respect of any Swap Obligation, the Borrower and each Guarantor that, at the time the relevant guaranty obligation or other liability (or grant of the relevant security interest, as applicable) becomes or would become effective with respect to such obligation or liability, has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or otherwise constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” with respect to such Swap Obligation at such time by entering into a keepwell pursuant to section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

Recipient” means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Bank, as applicable.

 

Redemption” means with respect to any Debt, the repurchase, redemption, prepayment, repayment or defeasance or any other acquisition or retirement for value (or the segregation of funds with respect to any of the foregoing) of any such Debt. “Redeem” has the correlative meaning thereto.

 

Redetermination Date” means, with respect to any Scheduled Redetermination or any Interim Redetermination, the date that the redetermined Borrowing Base related thereto becomes effective pursuant to Section 2.07(d).

 

Register” is defined in Section 12.04(b)(iv).

 

Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

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Regulation T” means Regulation T of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Regulation U” means Regulation U of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Regulation X” means Regulation X of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors (including attorneys, accountants and experts) of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

 

Release” means any depositing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, placing, emitting, discarding, abandoning, emptying, discharging, migrating, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing.

 

Remedial Work” is defined in Section 8.10(a).

 

Reorganized Debtors” has the meaning give such term in the Plan of Reorganization.

 

Required Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders holding at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans or participation interests in Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c)).

 

Reserve Report” means a report, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth, as of each January 1st or July 1st (or such other date in the event of an Interim Redetermination) the oil and gas reserves attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, together with a projection of the rate of production and future net income, taxes, operating expenses and capital expenditures with respect thereto as of such date, based upon the economic assumptions consistent with the Administrative Agent’s lending requirements at the time.

 

Reserve Report Certificate” is defined in Section 8.12(c).

 

Responsible Officer” means, as to any Person, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Financial Officer or any Vice President of such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references to a Responsible Officer herein means a Responsible Officer of the Parent.

 

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other Property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other Property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower.

 

Restructuring Support Agreement” is defined in the Recitals to this Agreement.

 

Restructuring Term Sheet” means the term sheet attached as Exhibit A to the Restructuring Support Agreement.

 

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Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Loans and its LC Exposure at such time.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.

 

Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

 

Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State, or by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b) or (d) any Person otherwise the subject of any Sanctions.

 

Sanctions” means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority.

 

Scheduled Redetermination” is defined in Section 2.07(b).

 

Scheduled Redetermination Date” means the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to a Scheduled Redetermination becomes effective as provided in Section 2.07(d).

 

Secured Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement giving rise to any Secured Cash Management Obligations.

 

Secured Cash Management Obligations” means with respect to any Group Member, any obligations of such Group Member owed to any Secured Cash Management Provider in respect of treasury management arrangements, depositary or other cash management services, including commercial credit card and merchant card services, stored value cards and treasury management services, including, without limitation, deposit accounts, auto-borrow, zero balance or cash concentration accounts, returned check concentration, lockbox, controlled disbursements, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts, interstate depository network services and reporting and trade finance services.

 

Secured Cash Management Provider” means, a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent who is the counterparty to any Secured Cash Management Agreement.

 

Secured Indebtedness” means any and all amounts owing or to be owing by any Group Member (whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising (including interest and fees accruing after the maturity of the Loans and LC Disbursements or the termination of the Swap Agreements and interest accruing after the filing of any petition for bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to any Group Member, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding): (a) to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Lender under any Loan Document, (b) to any Secured Cash Management Provider under any Secured Cash Management Agreement, (c) to any Secured Swap Provider under a Secured Swap Agreement and (d) all renewals, extensions and/or rearrangements of any of the above; provided, however, that the definition of “Secured Indebtedness” shall not create any guarantee by any Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Guarantor; provided, however, that the “Secured Indebtedness” relative to a particular Person shall not include any Excluded Swap Obligation of such Person .

 

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Secured Parties” means collectively, the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, the Lenders, each Secured Cash Management Provider, each Secured Swap Provider and any other Person owed Secured Indebtedness. “Secured Party” means any of the foregoing.

 

Secured Swap Agreement” means a Swap Agreement between a Group Member and a Secured Swap Provider.

 

Secured Swap Obligations” means with respect to any Group Member, any obligations of such Group Member owed to any Secured Swap Provider in respect of any Secured Swap Agreement.

 

Secured Swap Provider” means, with respect to any Swap Agreement, (a) a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender who is the counterparty to any such Swap Agreement with a Group Member, (b) any Person who was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time when such Person entered into any such Swap Agreement who is a counterparty to any such Swap Agreement with a Group Member; provided that any such Secured Swap Provider that ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender shall continue to be a “Secured Swap Provider” for purposes of this Agreement to the extent that such Secured Swap Provider entered into such Swap Agreement with a Group Member prior to the date hereof or at the time such Secured Swap Provider was a Lender (or Affiliate of a Lender) hereunder and such Swap Agreement remains in effect and there are remaining obligations thereunder (but excluding any transactions, confirms, or trades entered into after such Person ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender) and (c) any Person who was an Approved Counterparty at the time such Person entered into such Swap Agreement with a Group Member, but not any Swap Agreements with such Person entered into after such Person ceased to be an Approved Counterparty.

 

Security Documents” means the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement, and all mortgages, deeds of trust and other agreements, instruments or certificates described or referred to in Exhibit D, and any and all other agreements, instruments, consents or certificates now or hereafter executed and delivered by the Parent, the Borrower or any other Person (other than Swap Agreements with any Secured Swap Provider or participation or similar agreements between any Lender and any other lender or creditor with respect to any Secured Indebtedness pursuant to this Agreement) in connection with, or as security for the payment or performance of the Secured Indebtedness, the Notes, this Agreement, or reimbursement obligations under the Letters of Credit, as such agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

Senior Notes” means any unsecured senior Debt of the Borrower or any Guarantor issued pursuant to Section 9.02(e).

 

Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentage (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Federal Reserve Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities” in Regulation D). Such reserve percentage shall include those imposed pursuant to Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

 

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Subsidiary” means: (a) any Person of which at least a majority of the outstanding Equity Interests having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors, manager or other governing body of such Person (irrespective of whether or not at the time Equity Interests of any other class or classes of such Person shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by the Borrower or one or more of its Subsidiaries or by the Borrower and one or more of its Subsidiaries and (b) any partnership of which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a general partner. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term “Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement, whether exchange traded, “over-the-counter” or otherwise, involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

 

Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any person, any obligation to pay or perform under any Swap Agreement.

 

Syndication Agent” means Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity.

 

Synthetic Leases” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, treated as operating leases on the financial statements of the Person liable (whether contingently or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder and which were properly treated as indebtedness for borrowed money for purposes of U.S. federal income taxes, if the lessee in respect thereof is obligated to either purchase for an amount in excess of, or pay upon early termination an amount in excess of, 80% of the residual value of the Property subject to such operating lease upon expiration or early termination of such lease.

 

Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

Termination Date” means the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.

 

Total Debt” means, at any date, all Debt described in clauses (a), (d), (e), (g), (h), (l) and (m) of the definition of Debt herein, of the Parent and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, excluding all non-cash obligations under FAS 133.

 

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Transactions” means, with respect to (a) the Borrower, the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, and the grant of Liens by the Borrower on Mortgaged Properties and other Properties pursuant to the Security Documents and (b) any Guarantor, the execution, delivery and performance by such Guarantor of each Loan Document to which it is a party, the guaranteeing of the Secured Indebtedness and the other obligations under the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement by such Guarantor and such Guarantor’s grant of the security interests and provision of collateral under the Security Documents, and the grant of Liens by such Guarantor on Mortgaged Properties and other Properties pursuant to the Security Documents.

 

Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

 

UCC” is defined in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement.

 

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(f)(ii)(B)(3).

 

Venture” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.05(h).

 

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of which all of the outstanding Equity Interests (other than any directors’ qualifying shares mandated by applicable law), on a fully-diluted basis, are owned by the Borrower or one or more of the Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries or are owned by the Borrower and one or more of the Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries.

 

Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

 

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

Section 1.03         Types of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”).

 

Section 1.04         Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth in the Loan Documents herein), (b) any reference herein to any law shall be construed as referring to such law as amended, modified, codified or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect from time to time, (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to the restrictions contained in the Loan Documents herein), (d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) with respect to the determination of any time period, the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to” and “through” mean “to and including” and (f) any reference herein to Articles, Sections, Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement. The use of the phrase “subject to” as used in connection with Excepted Liens or otherwise and the permitted existence of any Excepted Liens or any other Liens shall not be interpreted to expressly or impliedly subordinate any Liens granted in favor of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties as there is no intention to subordinate the Liens granted in favor of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties. No provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be interpreted or construed against any Person solely because such Person or its legal representative drafted such provision.

 

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Section 1.05         Accounting Terms and Determinations; GAAP. Unless otherwise specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all determinations with respect to accounting matters hereunder shall be made, and all financial statements and certificates and reports as to financial matters required to be furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance with GAAP, applied on a basis consistent with the financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(j), except for Accounting Changes (as defined below) with which the Borrower’s independent certified public accountants concur and which are disclosed to the Administrative Agent on the next date on which financial statements are required to be delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 8.01(a). In the event that any Accounting Change shall occur and such change results in a change in the method of calculation of financial covenants, standards or terms in this Agreement, then the Parent, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent agree to enter into negotiations in order to amend such provisions of this Agreement so as to reflect equitably such Accounting Changes with the desired result that the criteria for evaluating the Borrower’s financial condition shall be the same after such Accounting Changes as if such Accounting Changes had not been made. Until such time as such an amendment shall have been executed and delivered by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders, all financial covenants, standards and terms in this Agreement shall continue to be calculated or construed as if such Accounting Changes had not occurred. “Accounting Changes” refers to changes in accounting principles required by the promulgation of any rule, regulation, pronouncement or opinion by the Financial Accounting Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants or, if applicable, the SEC.

 

Section 1.06         Interest Rates. The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of “LIBO Rate” or with respect to any comparable or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate therefor.

 

ARTICLE II
THE CREDITS

 

Section 2.01         Commitments.

 

(a)          Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) the Existing Loans shall be refinanced and deemed made hereunder and, on and after the Effective Date, shall constitute Loans for all purposes hereunder and under the Loan Documents and (ii) on and after the Effective Date, each Lender agrees to make Loans to the Borrower during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (x) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (y) the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments.

 

(b)          Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Loans during the Availability Period.

 

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Section 2.02         Loans and Borrowings.

 

(a)          Borrowings; Several Obligations. Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing comprised entirely of Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith and made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

 

(b)          Types of Loans. Subject to Section 3.03, each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(c)          Minimum Amounts; Limitation on Number of Borrowings. At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000. At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $250,000 and not less than $1,000,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that does not exceed (A) the total Commitments less total Revolving Credit Exposure, or (B) amounts required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.08(e). Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of seven (7) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.

 

(d)          Notes. If any Lender shall make a written request to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to have its Loans evidenced by a promissory note, then the Borrower shall execute and deliver a single promissory note of the Borrower in substantially the form of Exhibit B, payable to such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount as then in effect, and otherwise duly completed. The date, amount, Type, interest rate and, if applicable, Interest Period of each Loan made by each Lender, and all payments made on account of the principal thereof, may be recorded by such Lender on its books for its Note, and, prior to any transfer, may be endorsed by such Lender on a schedule attached to such Note or any continuation thereof or on any separate record maintained by such Lender; provided that the failure to make any such notation or to attach a schedule shall not affect any Lender’s or the Borrower’s rights or obligations in respect of such Loans or affect the validity of such transfer by any Lender of its Note.

 

Section 2.03         Requests for Borrowings. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon., Houston time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, Houston time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.08(e) may not be given later than 11:00 a.m. Houston time on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, telecopy or electronic mail to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in substantially the form of Exhibit A-1 and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

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(i)          the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

 

(ii)         the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

 

(iii)        whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;

 

(iv)        in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”;

 

(v)         the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base, the current total Revolving Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Borrowing) and the pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Borrowing);

 

(vi)        the Consolidated Cash Balance (without regard to the requested Borrowing) and the pro forma Consolidated Cash Balance (giving effect to the requested Borrowing and the use of the proceeds thereof (to the extent such use of proceeds is to be consummated within two Business Days)); and

 

(vii)       the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.05.

 

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Each Borrowing Request shall constitute a representation (a) that the amount of the requested Borrowing shall not cause the total Revolving Credit Exposures to exceed the total Commitments (i.e., the lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base) on the date of such Borrowing and (b) that as of the end of the Business Day on which such requested Borrowing will be funded, after giving pro forma effect to the requested Borrowing and the use of the proceeds thereof (to the extent such use of proceeds is to be consummated within two Business Days), the Consolidated Cash Balance shall not exceed the greater of 5% of the then current Borrowing Base or $30,000,000.

 

Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section 2.03, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

 

Section 2.04         Interest Elections.

 

(a)          Conversion and Continuance. Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request unless otherwise precluded by the terms hereof and, if a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section 2.04. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.

 

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(b)          Interest Election Requests. To make an election pursuant to this Section 2.04, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, telecopy or electronic mail to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in substantially the form of Exhibit A-2 and signed by the Borrower.

 

(c)          Information in Interest Election Requests. Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

(i)          the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(iii) and (iv) shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

 

(ii)         the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

 

(iii)        whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

 

(iv)        if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.

 

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

 

(d)          Notice to Lenders by the Administrative Agent. Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

 

(e)          Effect of Failure to Deliver Timely Interest Election Request and Events of Default and Borrowing Base Deficiencies on Interest Election. If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default or a Borrowing Base Deficiency has occurred and is continuing: (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing (and any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective) and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

 

Section 2.05         Funding of Borrowings.

 

(a)          Funding by Lenders. Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 1:00 p.m., Houston time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.08(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank that made such LC Disbursement. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for its Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for its Loan in any particular place or manner.

 

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(b)          Presumption of Funding by the Lenders. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.05(a) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

 

Section 2.06         Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

 

(a)          Scheduled Termination of Commitments. Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date. If at any time the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts or the Borrowing Base is terminated or reduced to zero, then the Commitments shall terminate on the effective date of such termination or reduction.

 

(b)          Optional Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Credit Amounts.

 

(i)          The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; provided that (A) each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000, and (B) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 3.04(c), the total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments.

 

(ii)         The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts under Section 2.06(b)(i) at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(ii) shall be irrevocable. Any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be permanent and may not be reinstated. Each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage.

 

Section 2.07         Borrowing Base.

 

(a)          Borrowing Base. For the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the first Redetermination Date, the amount of the Borrowing Base shall be $325,000,000. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowing Base may be subject to further adjustments from time to time pursuant to the Borrowing Base Adjustment Provisions.

 

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(b)          Scheduled and Interim Redeterminations. Subject to Section 2.07(d), the Borrowing Base shall be redetermined on April 1, 2019 (the “Initial Redetermination”) based upon the Initial Reserve Report and semi-annually thereafter (each such redetermination, including the Initial Redetermination, a “Scheduled Redetermination”) in accordance with this Section 2.07. In addition, following the Initial Redetermination, each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, may each elect to cause the Borrowing Base to be redetermined, once during each calendar year, between Scheduled Redeterminations (each such redetermination, an “Interim Redetermination”) in accordance with this Section 2.07. The Borrower shall have the right to initiate an Interim Redetermination in addition to the one otherwise provided in this Section 2.07 when it makes a Material Acquisition; provided such Interim Redetermination is made in accordance with this Section 2.07; provided, further, neither the Borrower nor the Administrative Agent shall initiate an Interim Redetermination prior to the effectiveness of the Initial Redetermination.

 

(c)          Scheduled and Interim Redetermination Procedure.

 

(i)          Each Scheduled Redetermination and each Interim Redetermination shall be effectuated as follows: Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of (A) the Reserve Report and the Reserve Report Certificate required to be delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c), and, in the case of an Interim Redetermination, pursuant to Section 8.12(b) and (c), and (B) such other reports, data and supplemental information, including, without limitation, the information provided pursuant to Section 8.12(c), as may, from time to time, be reasonably requested by the Required Lenders (the Reserve Report, such certificate and such other reports, data and supplemental information being the “Engineering Reports”), the Administrative Agent shall evaluate the information contained in the Engineering Reports and shall, in good faith, propose a new Borrowing Base (the “Proposed Borrowing Base”) based upon such information and such other information (including, without limitation, the status of title information with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties as described in the Engineering Reports and the existence of any other Debt) as the Administrative Agent deems appropriate in its sole discretion and consistent with its normal oil and gas lending criteria as it exists at the particular time. In no event shall the Proposed Borrowing Base exceed the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

 

(ii)         The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Proposed Borrowing Base (the “Proposed Borrowing Base Notice”):

 

(A)         in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination (1) if the Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on or before the March 15th and September 15th of such year following the date of delivery of such Engineering Report or (2) if the Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then promptly after the Administrative Agent has received complete Engineering Reports from the Borrower and has had a reasonable opportunity to determine the Proposed Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.07(c)(i) and in any event, within fifteen (15) days after the Administrative Agent has received the required Engineering Report; and

 

(B)         in the case of an Interim Redetermination, promptly, and in any event, within fifteen (15) days after the Administrative Agent has received the required Engineering Reports.

 

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(iii)        Subject to Section 4.03(c)(ii) with respect to any Defaulting Lender, any Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base then in effect must be approved by all of the Lenders as provided in this Section 2.07(c)(iii); and any Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base then in effect must be approved by the Required Lenders as provided in this Section 2.07(c)(iii). Upon receipt of the Proposed Borrowing Base Notice, each Lender shall have fifteen (15) days to agree with the Proposed Borrowing Base or disagree with the Proposed Borrowing Base by proposing an alternate Borrowing Base. If, at the end of such fifteen (15) day period, all of the Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base then in effect, or the Required Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base then in effect, have approved, as aforesaid, then the Proposed Borrowing Base shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified in Section 2.07(d). If, however, at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable, have not approved, as aforesaid, then the Administrative Agent shall poll the Lenders to ascertain the highest Borrowing Base then acceptable to a number of Lenders sufficient to constitute the Required Lenders and, so long as such amount does not increase the Borrowing Base then in effect, such amount shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified in Section 2.07(d).

 

(d)          Effectiveness of a Redetermined Borrowing Base. After a redetermined Borrowing Base is approved by all of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable, pursuant to Section 2.07(c)(iii), the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the amount of the redetermined Borrowing Base (the “New Borrowing Base Notice”), and such amount shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Lenders:

 

(i)          in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, (A) if the Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on the April 1st or October 1st (or as soon as possible thereafter, pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 2.07(c)), as applicable, following delivery of the New Borrowing Base Notice, or (B) if the Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of the New Borrowing Base Notice; and

 

(ii)         in the case of an Interim Redetermination, on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of such notice.

 

Such amount shall then become the Borrowing Base until the next Scheduled Redetermination Date, the next Interim Redetermination date or the next adjustment to the Borrowing Base under the Borrowing Base Adjustment Provisions, whichever occurs first.

 

(e)          Reduction of Borrowing Base Upon Issuance of Senior Notes. If the Borrower issues any Senior Notes (other than Permitted Refinancing Debt issued pursuant to Section 9.02(g)), then on the date on which such Senior Notes are issued, the Borrowing Base then in effect shall be reduced by an amount equal to the product of 0.25 multiplied by the stated principal amount of such Senior Notes. The Borrowing Base as so reduced shall become the new Borrowing Base immediately upon the date of such issuance, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Agents, each Issuing Bank and the Lenders on such date until the next redetermination or modification thereof hereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.07(e), if any such Debt is issued at a discount or otherwise sold for less than “par”, the reduction shall be calculated based upon the stated principal amount without reference to such discount.

 

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(f)          Reduction of Borrowing Base Upon Termination of Swap Agreements. If the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall terminate or create any off-setting positions which have the economic effect of terminating any Swap Agreements (regardless of how evidenced) upon which the Lenders relied in determining the Borrowing Base, and which would reduce the Borrowing Base by an amount (calculated by the Administrative Agent as the economic impact on the Borrowing Base attributable to such terminated Swap Agreement after giving effect to any replacement Swap Agreements), that, when taken together with all other terminations and/or off-sets of Swap Agreements made since the last Scheduled Redetermination for which no Borrowing Base reduction has yet been made, would exceed 5% of the then current Borrowing Base, then the Borrowing Base shall be reduced effective immediately by such amount.

 

(g)          Reduction of Borrowing Base Related to Title. If the Administrative Agent or Required Lenders have adjusted the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 8.13(c), so that, after giving effect to such reduction, the Borrower will satisfy the requirements of Section 8.13(c), the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower in writing and, upon receipt of such notice, the new Borrowing Base will simultaneously become effective.

 

Section 2.08         Letters of Credit.

 

(a)          General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, on and after the Effective Date, (i) the Existing Letters of Credit shall be refunded, refinanced, replaced and deemed issued hereunder and shall constitute Letters of Credit for all purposes hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (ii) the Borrower may request any Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit for its own account or for the account of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and such Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period; provided that the Borrower may not request the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of Letters of Credit hereunder if (i) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (ii) the LC Exposure would exceed the LC Commitment, or (iii) the total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments (collectively, the “LC Availability Requirements”). In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, an Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Issuing Bank shall have an obligation hereunder to issue, and shall not issue, any Letter of Credit the proceeds of which would be made available to any Person (i) to fund any activity or business of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of any Sanctions, (ii) in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by any party to this Agreement or (iii) in any manner that would result in a violation of one or more policies of such Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally.

 

(b)          Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall deliver as permitted by Section 12.01(a) (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the applicable Issuing Bank) to any Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (not less than three (3) Business Days in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice:

 

(i)          requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit or identifying the Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank to be amended, renewed or extended;

 

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(ii)         specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day);

 

(iii)        specifying the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with Section 2.08(c));

 

(iv)        specifying the amount of such Letter of Credit;

 

(v)         specifying the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit; and

 

(vi)        specifying the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base and whether a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists at such time, the current total Revolving Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit) and the pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit).

 

Each notice shall constitute a representation that after giving effect to the requested issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, as applicable, the LC Availability Requirements will be satisfied.

 

If requested by any Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on such Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit.

 

(c)          Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.

 

(d)          Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank that issues such Letter of Credit or the Lenders, each Issuing Bank that issues a Letter of Credit hereunder hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of any Issuing Bank that issues a Letter of Credit hereunder, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in Section 2.08(e), or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this Section 2.08(d) in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default, the existence of a Borrowing Base Deficiency or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 

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(e)          Reimbursement. If an Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 1:00 p.m., Houston time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 11:00 a.m., Houston time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 1:00 p.m., Houston time, on (1) the Business Day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 11:00 a.m., Houston time, on the day of receipt, or (2) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that if such LC Disbursement is not less than $1,000,000, the Borrower shall, subject to the conditions to Borrowing set forth herein, be deemed to have requested, and the Borrower does hereby request under such circumstances, that such payment be financed with an ABR Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Borrowing. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.05 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.05 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.08(e), the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the applicable Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the applicable Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Loans as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement. Any LC Disbursement not reimbursed by the Borrower or funded as a Loan prior to 1:00 p.m., Houston time, shall bear interest for such day at the ABR plus the Applicable Margin.

 

(f)          Obligations Absolute. The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in Section 2.08(e) shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit Agreement or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by any Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or any Letter of Credit Agreement, (iv) any dispute between or among the Borrower and any beneficiary of any Letter of Credit or any other party to which such Letter of Credit may be transferred or any claims whatsoever of the Borrower against any beneficiary of such Letter of Credit or any such transferee, or (v) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section 2.08(f), constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor any Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of any Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse any Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of any Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised all requisite care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank that issued such Letter of Credit may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

 

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(g)          Disbursement Procedures. Each Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank. Such Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy or electronic mail) of such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

 

(h)          Interim Interest. If any Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, until the Borrower shall have reimbursed such Issuing Bank for such LC Disbursement (either with its own funds or a Borrowing under Section 2.08(e)), the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Loans. Interest accrued pursuant to this Section 2.08(h) shall be for the account of such Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.08(e) to reimburse such Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

 

(i)          Replacement of an Issuing Bank. (i) Any Issuing Bank may be replaced or resign at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, such resigning or replaced Issuing Bank and, in the case of a replacement, the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such resignation or replacement of an Issuing Bank. At the time any such resignation or replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the resigning or replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 3.05(b). In the case of the replacement of an Issuing Bank, from and after the effective date of such replacement, (x) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the replaced Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (y) references herein to “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the resignation or replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the resigning or replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such resignation or replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

 

(ii)         Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Issuing Bank, any Issuing Bank may resign as an Issuing Bank at any time upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders, in which case, such Issuing Bank shall be replaced in accordance with Section 2.08(i)(i) above.

 

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(j)          Cash Collateralization. If (i) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.08(j), or (ii) the Borrower is required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c) or Section 3.04(d), then the Borrower shall deposit, in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to, in the case of an Event of Default, the LC Exposure, and in the case of a payment required by Section 3.04(c) or Section 3.04(d), the amount of such excess as provided in Section 3.04(c) or Section 3.04(d), as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries described in Section 10.01(h) or Section 10.01(i). The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of each Issuing Bank and the Lenders, an exclusive first priority and continuing perfected security interest in and Lien on such account and all cash, checks, drafts, certificates and instruments, if any, from time to time deposited or held in such account, all deposits or wire transfers made thereto, any and all investments purchased with funds deposited in such account, all interest, dividends, cash, instruments, financial assets and other Property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise payable in respect of, or in exchange for, any or all of the foregoing, and all proceeds, products, accessions, rents, profits, income and benefits therefrom, and any substitutions and replacements therefor. The Borrower’s obligation to deposit amounts pursuant to this Section 2.08(j) shall be absolute and unconditional, without regard to whether any beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit has attempted to draw down all or a portion of such amount under the terms of a Letter of Credit, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall not be subject to any defense or be affected by a right of set-off, counterclaim or recoupment which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may now or hereafter have against any such beneficiary, any Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or any other Person for any reason whatsoever. Such deposit shall be held as collateral securing the payment and performance of the Borrower’s and any Guarantor’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account; provided that investments of funds in such account permitted by Section 9.05(c) or (e) may be made at the option of the Borrower at its direction, risk and expense. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse, on a pro rata basis, each Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors, if any, under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, and the Borrower is not otherwise required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c) or Section 3.04(d), then such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived. If (i) the Borrower has provided cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 3.04(d), (ii) (A) the Borrower is not required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default and (B) the Borrower is not otherwise required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c), (iii) the conditions under which the Borrower was required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 3.04(d) no longer exist, (iv) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (v) the Borrower provides a written notice to the Administrative Agent requesting the return of cash collateral including (A) the amount of cash collateral requested to be returned and (B) a certification from an officer of the Borrower that (x) the conditions under which the Borrower was required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 3.04(d) no longer exist, (y) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (z) that the return of such cash collateral will not, after giving effect to such return (and the use of the proceeds thereof (to the extent such use of proceeds is to be consummated within two Business Days)) result in a mandatory prepayment having to be made pursuant to Section 3.04(d), then such amount shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after the Administrative Agent receives such notice from the Borrower.

 

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(k)          Letters of Credit Issued for Account of Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder supports any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, or states that a Subsidiary is the “account party”, “applicant”, “customer”, “instructing party”, or the like of or for such Letter of Credit, and without derogating from any rights of the applicable Issuing Bank (whether arising by contract, at law, in equity or otherwise) against such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit, the Borrower (i) shall reimburse, indemnify and compensate the applicable Issuing Bank hereunder for such Letter of Credit (including to reimburse any and all drawings thereunder) as if such Letter of Credit had been issued solely for the account of the Borrower and (ii) irrevocably waives any and all defenses that might otherwise be available to it as a guarantor or surety of any or all of the obligations of such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of such Letters of Credit for its Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

 

ARTICLE III
PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST; PREPAYMENTS; FEES

 

Section 3.01         Repayment of Loans. The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Loan on the Termination Date.

 

Section 3.02         Interest.

 

(a)          ABR Loans. Each ABR Loan comprising an ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

 

(b)          Eurodollar Loans. Each Eurodollar Loan comprising a Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Eurodollar Loan plus the Applicable Margin, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

 

(c)          Post-Default and Borrowing Base Deficiency Rate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower or any Guarantor hereunder or under any other Loan Document is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, and including any payments in respect of a Borrowing Base Deficiency under Section 3.04(c), then all Loans outstanding and such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) plus the rate applicable to the ABR Loans as provided in Section 3.02(a), but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, and (ii) if any other Event of Default (other than a payment-related default) shall have occurred and be continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Majority Lenders, provides written notice thereof to the Borrower of its election to charge a default rate, then all Loans outstanding shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) plus the rate then applicable to such Loans, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

 

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(d)          Interest Payment Dates. Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on: (i) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December; (ii) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and (iii) in any case, on the Termination Date; provided that (x) interest accrued pursuant to Section 3.02(c)(i) shall be payable on demand, (y) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than an optional prepayment of an ABR Loan prior to the Termination Date), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment, and (z) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion; provided that, in the case of any Interest Period longer than three months, accrued interest shall be payable on each successive date three months after the first day of such Interest Period.

 

(e)          Interest Rate Computations. All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate or Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and be binding upon the parties hereto.

 

Section 3.03         Alternate Rate of Interest.

 

(a)          If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

 

(i)          the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the LIBO Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, as applicable (including because the LIBO Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis, for such Interest Period; or

 

(ii)         the Administrative Agent is advised by the Majority Lenders that the LIBO Rate or Adjusted LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

 

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone, telecopy or electronic mail as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (A) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, and (B) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

 

(b)          If at any time (i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that (x) the circumstances set forth in Section 3.03(a)(i) have arisen and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary or (y) the circumstances set forth in Section 3.03(a)(i) have not arisen but the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBO Screen Rate shall no longer be used for determining interest rates for loans in the United States of America syndicated loan market in dollars, (ii) JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. shall publicly announce that it is no longer making loans at interest rates that are based on the London interbank offered rate or shall commence making syndicated loans at rates that are not fixed or based on the London interbank offered rate, or (iii) the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that it has determined in good faith that syndicated loans currently being executed, or that include language similar to that contained in this Section, are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace the London interbank offered rate, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall endeavor to establish an alternate rate of interest to the LIBO Rate that gives due consideration to the then prevailing market convention for determining a rate of interest for syndicated loans in the United States at such time, and shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement to reflect such alternate rate of interest and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable (but for the avoidance of doubt, such related changes shall not include a reduction of the Applicable Margin); provided that, if such alternate rate of interest as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 12.02, such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement so long as the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five (5) Business Days of the date notice of such alternate rate of interest is provided to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that such Required Lenders object to such amendment. Until an alternate rate of interest shall be determined in accordance with this Section 3.03(b) (but, in the case of the circumstances described in clause (ii) of the first sentence of this Section 3.03(b), only to the extent the LIBO Screen Rate for such Interest Period is not available or published at such time on a current basis), (x) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and (y) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

 

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Section 3.04         Prepayments.

 

(a)          Optional Prepayments. The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with Section 3.04(b).

 

(b)          Notice and Terms of Optional Prepayment. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy or electronic mail) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, Houston time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, Houston time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 3.02 and Section 5.02.

 

(c)          Mandatory Prepayments.

 

(i)          If, after giving effect to any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section 2.06(b), the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the total Commitments, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay the Borrowings on the date of such termination or reduction in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(j).

 

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(ii)         On any Redetermination Date or upon any adjustment to the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 8.13(c), if the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the redetermined or adjusted Borrowing Base, as applicable (such date, the “Deficiency Date”), then the Borrower shall, within five (5) Business Days of the Deficiency Date, inform the Administrative Agent in writing that the Borrower intends to do one of the following, or a combination thereof: (A) within thirty (30) days of the Deficiency Date, prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(j), (B) within thirty (30) days of the Deficiency Date, provide additional collateral in the form of Oil and Gas Properties having proved reserves not evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report or other collateral reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, having value, as determined by the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders, equal to or greater than such excess or (C) prepay, subject to the payment of any funding indemnification amounts required by Section 5.02 but without premium or penalty, the principal amount of such excess in not more than six (6) equal monthly installments plus accrued interest thereon with the first such monthly payment being due within thirty (30) days of the Deficiency Date; provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to this Section 3.04(c)(ii) must be made on or prior to the earlier of (I) the 180th day following the Deficiency Date and (II) the Termination Date.

 

(iii)        Upon any adjustments to the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(e), 2.07(f) or 9.12(d), if the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base as adjusted, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(j). The Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment and/or deposit of cash collateral on the date it or any Subsidiary receives cash proceeds as a result of such issuance of Senior Notes, termination of Swap Agreements or Disposition, as applicable; provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to this Section 3.04(c)(ii) must be made on or prior to the Termination Date.

 

(iv)        Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be applied, first, ratably to any ABR Borrowings then outstanding, and, second, to any Eurodollar Borrowings then outstanding, and if more than one Eurodollar Borrowing is then outstanding, to each such Eurodollar Borrowing in order of priority beginning with the Eurodollar Borrowing with the least number of days remaining in the Interest Period applicable thereto and ending with the Eurodollar Borrowing with the most number of days remaining in the Interest Period applicable thereto.

 

(v)         Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowings. Prepayments pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 3.02.

 

(d)          If, at any time, (i) there are outstanding Borrowings or LC Exposure and (ii) the Consolidated Cash Balance exceeds the greater of 5% of the then current Borrowing Base or $30,000,000 as of the end of any Business Day, then the Borrower shall, within two Business Days, (A) prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to the lesser of such outstanding Borrowings and such excess, and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the outstanding Borrowings as a result of any LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to the lesser of the LC Exposure and such remaining excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(j), in each case.

 

(e)          No Premium or Penalty. Prepayments permitted or required under this Section 3.04 shall be without premium or penalty, except as required under Section 5.02.

 

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Section 3.05         Fees.

 

(a)          Commitment Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at a rate per annum equal to the Commitment Fee Rate on the average daily amount of the unused amount of the Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the Termination Date. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

(b)          Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Margin used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, (ii) to the applicable Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure; provided that in no event shall such fee be less than $500 during any quarter and (iii) to each Issuing Bank, for its own account, its standard fees with respect to the amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date of this Agreement and fronting fees with respect to any Letter of Credit shall be payable at the time of issuance of such Letter of Credit; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the Termination Date and any such fees accruing after the Termination Date shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to an Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section 3.05(b) shall be payable within 10 days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case such fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

(c)          Administrative Agent Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)          Borrowing Base Increase Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender then party to this Agreement, ratably in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a Borrowing Base increase fee in an amount to be agreed at such time, on the amount of any increase of the Borrowing Base over the highest Borrowing Base previously in effect, payable on the day a New Borrowing Base Notice is given.

 

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ARTICLE IV
PAYMENTS; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF SET-OFFS.

 

Section 4.01         Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.

 

(a)          Payments by the Borrower. The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 or otherwise) prior to 1:00 p.m., Houston time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without defense, deduction, recoupment, set-off or counterclaim. Fees, once paid, shall be fully earned and shall not be refundable under any circumstances. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices specified in Section 12.01, except payments to be made directly to an Issuing Bank as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 and Section 12.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.

 

(b)          Application of Insufficient Payments. If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.

 

(c)          Sharing of Payments by Lenders. If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall take an assignment of, or purchase participations in (in any event, for cash at face value) the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this Section 4.01(c) shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower to a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 5.04(a)(ii) or pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section 4.01(c) shall apply). The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

 

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Section 4.02         Presumption of Payment by the Borrower. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or any Issuing Bank that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or such Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

Section 4.03         Payments and Deductions to a Defaulting Lender.

 

(a)          If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(a), Section 2.08(d), Section 2.08(e) or Section 4.02, then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid in cash.

 

(b)          Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Section 10.02 or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 12.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any Issuing Bank; third, to cash collateralize the Issuing Banks’ LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with this Section 4.03; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) cash collateralize the Issuing Banks’ future LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with this Section 4.03; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the Issuing Banks against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or LC Disbursements in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 6.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and LC Disbursements owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or LC Disbursements owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments without giving effect to clause (c) below. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this Section 4.03 shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

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(c)          Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

 

(i)          Fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 3.05.

 

(ii)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Commitment, the Maximum Credit Amount, the outstanding principal balance of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether all Lenders, the Required Lenders or the Majority Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 12.02); provided that any waiver, amendment or other modification requiring the consent of each affected Lender shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender; and provided further that any redetermination or affirmation of the Borrowing Base shall occur without the participation of a Defaulting Lender, but the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender (i.e. the Applicable Percentage of the Borrowing Base of a Defaulting Lender) may not be increased without the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

 

(iii)        If any LC Exposure exists at the time a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

 

(A)         all or any part of such LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent (x) the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Commitments and (y) the conditions set forth in Section 6.02 are satisfied at such time;

 

(B)         if the reallocation described in clause (A) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, then the Borrower shall within two (2) Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Banks only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (A) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 10.02 for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

 

(C)         if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to this Section 4.03 then the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 3.05(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

 

(D)         if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to Section 4.03(c)(iii), then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 3.05(a) and Section 3.05(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; or

 

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(E)         if any Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither cash collateralized nor reallocated pursuant to Section 4.03(c), then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of any Issuing Bank or any Lender hereunder, all commitment fees that otherwise would have been payable to such Defaulting Lender (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment that was utilized by such LC Exposure) and letter of credit fees payable under Section 3.05(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the applicable Issuing Bank until such LC Exposure is cash collateralized and/or reallocated.

 

(d)          So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 4.03(c), and participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.08(d) (and Defaulting Lenders shall not participate therein).

 

(e)          If (i) a Bankruptcy Event or a Bail-In Action with respect to a Lender Parent shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) any Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless such Issuing Bank shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender, satisfactory to such Issuing Bank to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

 

(f)          In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the applicable Issuing Bank each agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date, if necessary as a result of a Loan funding pursuant to Section 2.08(e), such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

 

ARTICLE V
INCREASED COSTS; BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS; TAXES; ILLEGALITY

 

Section 5.01         Increased Costs.

 

(a)          Changes in Law. If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)          impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, liquidity or similar requirement against (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or Issuing Bank;

 

(ii)         impose on any Lender or Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or

 

(iii)        subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;

 

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and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Recipient of making, continuing, converting or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Recipient such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)          Capital Requirements. If any Lender or any Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements or liquidity has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy or liquidity), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c)          Certificates. A certificate of a Lender or any Issuing Bank setting forth in reasonable detail the basis of its request and the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in Section 5.01(a) or (b) shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)          Effect of Failure or Delay in Requesting Compensation. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or any Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 5.01 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that no Lender may make any such demand more than 180 days after the Termination Date, nor for any amount which has accrued more than 365 days prior to such Lender or Issuing Bank delivering the certificate required in Section 5.01(c).

 

Section 5.02         Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan into an ABR Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto or (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market.

 

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A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 5.02 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

Section 5.03         Taxes.

 

(a)          Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of the applicable withholding agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a withholding agent, then the applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the Borrower or such Guarantor shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 5.03(a)) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

 

(b)          Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. The Borrower or any Guarantor shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for, Other Taxes.

 

(c)          Indemnification by the Borrower. Without duplication of the prior Section 5.03(a) and (b), the Borrower or any Guarantor shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 5.03) and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate of any Recipient as to the amount of such payment or liability under this Section 5.03 delivered to the Borrower by a Recipient (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of any other Recipient, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d)          Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower or any Guarantor to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 5.03, the Borrower or any Guarantor shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(e)          Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower or any Guarantor has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 12.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).

 

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(f)          Status of Lenders. (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 5.03(f)(ii)(A), Section 5.03(f)(ii)(B) and Section 5.03(f)(ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

 

(ii)         Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

 

(A)         any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), a copy of an executed original of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. Federal backup withholding tax;

 

(B)         any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(1)         in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, a copy of an executed original of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or any successor forms) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or any successor forms) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

 

(2)         in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, a copy of an executed original of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor forms);

 

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(3)         in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) a copy of an executed original of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or any successor forms); or

 

(4)         to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, a copy of an executed original of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-2 or Exhibit F-3, IRS Form W-9 and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

 

(C)         Any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), a copy of an executed original of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and.

 

(D)         FATCA. If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this Section 5.03(f), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement. For purposes of determining withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA, from and after the Effective Date, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall treat (and the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to treat) the Agreement as not qualifying as a “grandfathered obligation” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.1471-2(b)(2)(i).

 

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

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(g)          Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 5.03), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This paragraph (g) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person

 

(h)          Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 5.03 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

 

(i)          Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 5.03, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

 

Section 5.04         Designation of Different Lending Office; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a)          Designation of Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.01, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 5.03, then such Lender shall (at the request of the Borrower) use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 5.01 or Section 5.03, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

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(b)          Replacement of Lenders. If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.01, (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 5.03, (iii) a Lender asserts an illegality under Section 5.05, (iv) a Lender is a Defaulting Lender or (v) a Lender has not approved (A) a proposed waiver, consent or amendment which requires the approval of all Lenders but which has been approved by the Required Lenders or (B) a proposed increase in the Borrowing Base which has been approved by the Required Lenders, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, within three (3) Business Days after the Borrower receives the New Borrowing Base Notice, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 12.04(b)), all its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 5.01 or Section 5.03) and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Banks), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 5.01, for payments required to be made pursuant to Section 5.03 or an illegality under Section 5.05, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments or avoid the illegality. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply. Each party hereto agrees that an assignment required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee (or, to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and such parties are participants), and (b) the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to and be bound by the terms thereof; provided that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender, provided that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.

 

Section 5.05         Illegality. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event that it becomes unlawful for any Lender or its applicable lending office to honor its obligation to make or maintain Eurodollar Loans either generally or having a particular Interest Period hereunder, then (a) such Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof and such Lender’s obligation to make such Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended (the “Affected Loans”) until such time as such Lender may again make and maintain such Eurodollar Loans and (b) all Affected Loans which would otherwise be made by such Lender shall be made instead as ABR Loans (and, if such Lender so requests by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, all Affected Loans of such Lender then outstanding shall be automatically converted into ABR Loans on the date specified by such Lender in such notice) and, to the extent that Affected Loans are so made as (or converted into) ABR Loans, all payments of principal which would otherwise be applied to such Lender’s Affected Loans shall be applied instead to its ABR Loans.

 

ARTICLE VI
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

Section 6.01         Effective Date. The effectiveness of the conversion or rolling over of the aggregate amount of the Existing Loans and the aggregate amount of commitments under the Existing Credit Agreement into Loans and commitments under this Agreement and the obligations of the Lenders to amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement, to make (or be deemed to have made) Loans and of any Issuing Bank to issue (or to be deemed to have issued) Letters of Credit on the Effective Date shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 12.02):

 

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(a)          Payment of Fees and Expenses. The Arranger, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.

 

(b)          Credit Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party hereto counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party.

 

(c)          Security Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party thereto duly executed counterparts (in such number as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent) of the Security Documents, including the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement, the Account Control Agreements and the other Security Documents described on Exhibit D. In connection with the execution and delivery of the Security Documents, the Administrative Agent shall:

 

(i)          be reasonably satisfied that the Security Documents create and when recorded (or when the applicable UCC financing statements related thereto are properly filed), will perfect Liens which are prior and superior in right to any other Person on (A) 100% of the Equity Interests in the Borrower and each Guarantor (other than the Parent), (B) at least ninety-five percent (95%) of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Pre-Petition Reserve Report and (C) substantially all other assets of the Group Members, including all cash and cash equivalents held in deposit accounts (other than Excluded Accounts) and securities accounts; and

 

(ii)         have received certificates, together with undated stock powers for each such certificate executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof, representing all of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower and each of the Guarantors (other than the Parent) that is certificated.

 

(d)          Secretary’s Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Secretary of the Parent setting forth (i) resolutions of the board of directors or other managing body with respect to the authorization of the Parent, the Borrower and each Guarantor to execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which each is a party and to enter into the transactions contemplated in those documents, (ii) the individuals (y) who are authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which the Parent, the Borrower or such Guarantor is a party and (z) who will, until replaced by another individual duly authorized for that purpose, act as each such entity’s representative for the purposes of signing documents and giving notices and other communications in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, (iii) specimen signatures of such authorized individuals, and (iv) the articles or certificate of incorporation or formation, as applicable, and bylaws, operating agreement or partnership agreement, as applicable, of the Parent, the Borrower and each Guarantor, in each case, certified as being true and complete. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders may conclusively rely on such certificate until the Administrative Agent receives notice in writing from the Borrower to the contrary.

 

(e)          Good Standing and Qualification. The Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of the appropriate State agencies with respect to the existence, qualification and good standing of the Parent, the Borrower and each Guarantor, if any.

 

(f)          Responsible Officer’s Certificate: Consents and Approvals. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent certifying that, after giving effect to the Confirmation Order and the Plan of Reorganization, (i) the Borrower has received all consents and approvals required by Section 7.03 and all other consents and approvals necessary in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (without the imposition of any materially adverse conditions that are not reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) and such consents and approvals shall remain in effect, and (ii) there are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Parent or the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries that involve any Loan Document.

 

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(g)          Responsible Officer’s Certificate: Compliance Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a compliance certificate which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit C, duly and properly executed by a Responsible Officer and dated as of the Effective Date.

 

(h)          Responsible Officer’s Certificate: Debt. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent certifying that the Borrower and the other Group Members will have outstanding no Disqualified Capital Stock or Debt for borrowed money other than the Secured Indebtedness under this Agreement.

 

(i)          Solvency. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate from a Financial Officer of the Parent certifying that after giving effect to the Plan of Reorganization and the borrowings under this Agreement, the Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are solvent as contemplated by Section 7.22.

 

(j)          Financial Statements. The Administrative Agent shall have received to the extent not otherwise included in the Disclosure Statement, a consolidated balance sheet of the Parent as of the most recent fiscal quarter ended prior to the Effective Date.

 

(k)          Bankruptcy Proceedings.

 

(i)          As of immediately prior to the occurrence of the Effective Date, the Restructuring Support Agreement shall be in full force and effect as to Existing Lenders holding no less than 66.667% of the “Revolving Credit Exposure” under the Existing Credit Agreement.

 

(ii)         The Bankruptcy Court shall have entered the Confirmation Order, which shall be final (unless the Administrative Agent waives the need for a final order) and shall not have been modified in any manner that would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the claims of the Participating Lenders and the Confirmation Order shall have inter alia authorized and approved each of the Group Members to execute, deliver and perform under the Loan Documents.

 

(iii)        The Plan of Reorganization shall not have been modified or amended since March 13, 2018 unless such modification or amendment complies with the Restructuring Support Agreement; provided, any modifications to the terms of the Plan of Reorganization as in effect as of March 13, 2018 that (A) adversely impacts the treatment of the claims of the Participating Lenders (as defined in the Restructuring Support Agreement), (B) alters the proposed debt capital structure of the Reorganized Debtors or (C) creates any new material obligations on the Participating Lenders other than as contemplated in this Agreement, shall require the consent of all Participating Lenders.

 

(iv)        The Plan of Reorganization and all transactions contemplated therein or in the Confirmation Order to occur on the effective date of the Plan of Reorganization shall have been (or substantially concurrently with the occurrence of the Effective Date, shall be) substantially consummated in accordance with the terms thereof and in compliance with applicable law and the Bankruptcy Court and regulatory approvals.

 

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(v)         The respective Secured Indebtedness or obligations of the Group Members and any Liens securing such Secured Indebtedness or obligations that are outstanding immediately after the consummation of the Plan of Reorganization shall not exceed the amount contemplated by the Plan of Reorganization.

 

(vi)        The Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied with the Confirmation Order.

 

(l)          Legal Opinions. The Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion of Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, special counsel to the Borrower and Hinkle Shanor LLP and Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, local counsel to the Borrower in New Mexico and Ohio, respectively, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(m)          Pre-Petition Reserve Report; Title. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the Pre-Petition Reserve Report and a Reserve Report Certificate, which shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in form and substance, and (ii) such title information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require, all of which shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in form and substance, on at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by the Pre-Petition Reserve Report.

 

(n)          Lien Searches. The Administrative Agent shall have received appropriate UCC search certificates reflecting no prior Liens encumbering the Properties of the Parent, the Borrower and any of their Subsidiaries for each of the following jurisdictions: Delaware, Ohio and Texas and any other jurisdiction requested by the Administrative Agent, other than those being assigned or released on or prior to the Effective Date or Liens permitted by Section 9.03.

 

(o)          Swap Agreements. The Administrative Agent shall have received a list of all Existing Swap Agreements to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is a party as of the date of this Agreement, which list shall be set forth on Schedule 7.20 hereto.

 

(p)          Insurance. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of insurance coverage of the Borrower evidencing that the Borrower is carrying insurance in accordance with Section 7.12.

 

(q)          Environmental. The Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied with the environmental condition of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

(r)          Patriot Act. The Administrative Agent shall have received, at least five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, all documentation and other information requested at least two (2) Business Days prior to such date and required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act. At least five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, to the extent the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, any Lender that has requested, in a written notice to the Borrower at least ten (10) days prior to the Effective Date, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower shall have received such Beneficial Ownership Certification (provided that, upon the execution and delivery by such Lender of its signature page to this Agreement, the condition set forth in this sentence shall be deemed to be satisfied).

 

(s)          Additional Documentation. The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as the Administrative Agent or special counsel to the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

 

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The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of each Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 12.02) at or prior to 1:00 p.m., Houston time, on June 4, 2018 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

 

Section 6.02         Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing (including the initial funding), and of each Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

 

(a)          At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

(b)          At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred.

 

(c)          The representations and warranties of the Borrower and the Guarantors set forth in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, except to the extent any such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in which case, on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, such representations and warranties shall continue to be true and correct as of such specified earlier date.

 

(d)          The making of such Loan or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, would not conflict with, or cause any Lender or any Issuing Bank to violate or exceed, any applicable Governmental Requirement, and no Change in Law shall have occurred, and no litigation shall be pending or threatened, which does or, with respect to any threatened litigation, seeks to, enjoin, prohibit or restrain, the making or repayment of any Loan, the issuance, amendment, renewal, extension or repayment of any Letter of Credit or any participations therein or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

(e)          The receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Request in accordance with Section 2.03 or a request for a Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 2.08(b), as applicable.

 

(f)          (i) The Consolidated Cash Balance and (ii) the pro forma Consolidated Cash Balance as of the end of the Business Day on which such Borrowing will be funded, in each case, shall not exceed the greater of 5% of the then current Borrowing Base or $30,000,000.

 

Each request for a Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in Section 6.02(a) through (f).

 

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ARTICLE VII
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

Each of the Parent and the Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

 

Section 7.01         Organization; Powers. Each of the Parent, Borrower and its Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority, and has all material governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals necessary, to own its assets and to carry on its business as now conducted, and (c) is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required, except where failure to have such power, authority, licenses, authorizations, consents, approvals and qualifications could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 7.02         Authority; Enforceability. After giving effect to the Confirmation Order and the Plan of Reorganization, the Transactions are within each Group Member’s partnership or other organizational powers, as applicable, and have been duly authorized by all necessary partnership and, if required, member or stockholder action (including, without limitation, any action required to be taken by any class of directors of such Group Member or any other Person, whether interested or disinterested, in order to ensure the due authorization of the Transactions). Each Loan Document to which any Group Member is a party has been duly executed and delivered by such Group Member and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Group Member enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

Section 7.03         Approvals; No Conflicts. After giving effect to the Confirmation Order and the Plan of Reorganization, the Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority or any other third Person (including the members or any class of directors of any Group Member or any other Person, whether interested or disinterested), nor is any such consent, approval, registration, filing or other action necessary for the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, and except for the filing and recording of Security Documents to perfect the Liens created hereby, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Group Member or any of their Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Group Member or any of their Subsidiaries or their respective Properties, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any Group Member or any of their Subsidiaries and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any Property of any Group Member or any of their Subsidiaries (other than the Liens created by the Loan Documents).

 

Section 7.04         Financial Position; No Material Adverse Effect.

 

(a)          The Parent has furnished to the Lenders its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, partners’ equity and cash flows as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 (which audit report for such financial statements is not subject to any qualification), which financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial condition of the Parent as of the date and for the period in accordance with GAAP.

 

(b)          Since the Effective Date, there has been no event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)           Neither the Parent, the Borrower nor any of their Subsidiaries has on the date hereof any material Debt (including Disqualified Capital Stock), or any contingent liabilities, off-balance sheet liabilities or partnerships, liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or long-term commitments or unrealized or anticipated losses from any materially unfavorable commitments, except as referred to or reflected or provided for in the financial statements.

 

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Section 7.05         Litigation. After giving effect to the Confirmation Order and the Plan of Reorganization, except as set forth on Schedule 7.05, there are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Parent or the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the matters disclosed in Schedule 7.05 that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 7.06         Environmental Matters. Except for such matters as set forth on Schedule 7.06 or that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent or the Borrower:

 

(a)          the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and each of their respective Properties and operations thereon are, and within all applicable statute of limitation periods have been, in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws;

 

(b)          the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have obtained all Environmental Permits required for their respective operations and each of their Properties, with all such Environmental Permits being currently in full force and effect, and none of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries has received any written notice or otherwise has knowledge that any such existing Environmental Permit will be revoked or that any application for any new Environmental Permit or renewal of any existing Environmental Permit will be protested or denied;

 

(c)          there are no claims, demands, suits, orders, inquiries, or proceedings concerning any violation of, or any liability (including as a potentially responsible party) under, any applicable Environmental Laws that is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Properties or as a result of any operations at the Properties;

 

(d)          none of the Properties contain or have contained any: (i) underground storage tanks; (ii) asbestos-containing materials; or (iii) landfills or dumps; (iv) hazardous waste management units as defined pursuant to RCRA or any comparable state law; or (v) sites on or nominated for the National Priority List promulgated pursuant to CERCLA or any state remedial priority list promulgated or published pursuant to any comparable state law;

 

(e)          there has been no Release or threatened Release, of Hazardous Materials at, on, under or from any of the Borrower’s or their Subsidiaries’ Properties, there are no investigations, remediations, abatements, removals, or monitorings of Hazardous Materials required under applicable Environmental Laws at such Properties and none of such Properties are adversely affected by any Release or threatened Release of a Hazardous Material originating or emanating from any other real property;

 

(f)           neither the Borrower nor its Subsidiaries has received any written notice asserting an alleged liability or obligation under any applicable Environmental Laws with respect to the investigation, remediation, abatement, removal, or monitoring of any Hazardous Materials at, under, or Released or threatened to be Released from any real properties offsite the Parent’s, the Borrower’s or their Subsidiaries’ Properties and there are no conditions or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in the receipt of such written notice.

 

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(g)          there has been no exposure of any Person or property to any Hazardous Materials as a result of or in connection with the operations and businesses of any of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties that would reasonably be expected to form the basis for a claim for damages or compensation and, to the Borrower’s knowledge, there are no conditions or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in the receipt of notice regarding such exposure; and

 

(h)          To the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have provided to the Administrative Agent complete and correct copies of all environmental site assessment reports, investigations, studies, analyses, and correspondence on environmental matters (including matters relating to any alleged non-compliance with or liability under Environmental Laws) that are in any of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ possession or control and relating to their respective Properties or operations thereon.

 

Section 7.07         Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults.

 

(a)          Each of the Parent, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Governmental Requirements applicable to it or its Property and all agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its Property, and possesses all licenses, permits, franchises, exemptions, approvals and other authorizations granted by Governmental Authorities necessary for the ownership of its Property and the present conduct of its business, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)          None of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries is in default nor has any event or circumstance occurred which, but for the expiration of any applicable grace period or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default or would require the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries to Redeem or make any offer to Redeem all or any portion of any Debt outstanding under any indenture, note, credit agreement or instrument pursuant to which any Material Indebtedness is outstanding or by which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their Properties is bound.

 

(c)          No Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

Section 7.08        Investment Company Act. None of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries is an “investment company” within the meaning of, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Section 7.09         Taxes. Each of the Parent, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Parent, the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 7.10         ERISA.

 

(a)          Except as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and each ERISA Affiliate have complied with ERISA and, where applicable, the Code regarding each Plan, if any.

 

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(b)          Except as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan, if any, is, and has been, maintained in compliance with its terms, ERISA and, where applicable, the Code.

 

(c)          Except as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no act, omission or transaction has occurred that could result in imposition on the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate (whether directly or indirectly) of (i) either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i) or (l) of section 502 of ERISA or a tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code or (ii) breach of fiduciary duty liability damages under section 409 of ERISA.

 

(d)          No Plan or any trust created under any such Plan has been terminated since December 31, 2011. No liability to the PBGC (other than for the payment of current premiums which are not past due) by the Parent, the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate has been or is expected by the Parent, the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate to be incurred with respect to any Plan. No ERISA Event with respect to any Plan has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)          Except as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, full payment when due (after the expiration of any applicable grace period) has been made of all amounts which the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate is required under the terms of each Plan, if any, or applicable law to have paid as contributions to such Plan as of the date hereof, and no accumulated funding deficiency (as defined in section 302 of ERISA and section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, exists with respect to any Plan.

 

(f)          Except as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under each Plan did not, as of the end of the Borrower’s most recently ended fiscal year, exceed the fair market value of the assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities. The term “actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities” shall have the meaning specified in section 4041 of ERISA.

 

(g)          Neither the Borrower, its Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains, or contributes to an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate in its sole discretion at any time without any material liability (which shall not include routine claims for benefits to current employees under any employee welfare benefit plan).

 

(h)          Neither the Borrower, its Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or has at any time in the six-year period preceding the date hereof sponsored, maintained or contributed to, any Multiemployer Plan.

 

Section 7.11         Disclosure; No Material Misstatements. As set forth on Schedule 7.11, the Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any Lender or any of their Affiliates in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time. There is no fact peculiar to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or in the future is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect and which has not been set forth in this Agreement or the Loan Documents or the other documents, certificates and statements furnished to the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or the Lenders by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries prior to, or on, the date hereof in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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Section 7.12         Insurance. The Borrower has, and has caused all of its Subsidiaries to have, (a) all insurance policies sufficient for the compliance by each of them with all material Governmental Requirements and all material agreements and (b) insurance coverage in at least amounts and against such risk (including, without limitation, public liability) that are usually insured against by companies similarly situated and engaged in the same or a similar business for the assets and operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders have been named as additional insureds in respect of such liability insurance policies and the Administrative Agent has been named as loss payee with respect to Property loss insurance.

 

Section 7.13         Restriction on Liens. None of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries is a party to any material agreement or arrangement, or subject to any order, judgment, writ or decree, which either restricts or purports to restrict its ability to grant Liens to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders on or in respect of their Properties to secure the Secured Indebtedness and the Loan Documents, except for any such restrictions on Properties subject to a Lien permitted under Section 9.03 set forth in the agreements or instruments evidencing or governing such Lien, but in each case, only on the property subject to such Lien.

 

Section 7.14         Subsidiaries. Except as set forth on Schedule 7.14 or as disclosed in writing, from time to time, to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly furnish a copy to the Lenders), which shall be a supplement to Schedule 7.14, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries. The Borrower has no Foreign Subsidiaries.

 

Section 7.15         Location of Business and Offices. After giving effect to the Confirmation Order and the Plan of Reorganization, the Borrower’s jurisdiction of organization is Delaware; the name of the Borrower as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization is EV Properties, L.P., and the organizational identification number of the Borrower in its jurisdiction of organization is 4135542 (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.01(l) in accordance with Section 12.01). The Borrower’s principal place of business and chief executive offices are located at the address specified in Section 12.01 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(l) and Section 12.01(c)). The Parent’s jurisdiction of organization is Delaware; the name of the Parent as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization is Harvest Oil & Gas Corp., and the organizational identification number of the Parent in its jurisdiction of organization is 6898864 (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.01(l) in accordance with Section 12.01). The Parent’s principal place of business and chief executive offices are located at the address specified in Section 12.01 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(l) and Section 12.01(c)). Each Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of organization, name as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization, organizational identification number in its jurisdiction of organization, and the location of its principal place of business and chief executive office is stated on Schedule 7.14 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(l)).

 

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Section 7.16         Properties; Titles, Etc.

 

(a)          Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good and defensible title to its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report and good title to all its personal Properties, in each case, free and clear of all Liens except Liens permitted by Section 9.03. After giving full effect to the Excepted Liens, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries specified as the owner owns the net interests in production attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests as reflected in the most recently delivered Reserve Report, and the ownership of such Properties shall not in any material respect obligate the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to bear the costs and expenses relating to the maintenance, development and operations of each such Property in an amount in excess of the working interest of each Property set forth in the most recently delivered Reserve Report that is not offset by a corresponding proportionate increase in the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ net revenue interest in such Property.

 

(b)          All material leases and agreements necessary for the present conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are valid and subsisting, in full force and effect, and there exists no default or event or circumstance which with the giving of notice or the passage of time or both would give rise to a default under any such lease or leases, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)          The rights and Properties presently owned, leased or licensed by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries including, without limitation, all easements and rights of way, include all rights and Properties necessary to permit the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to conduct their business in all material respects as of the date hereof.

 

(d)          All of the Properties of the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their businesses are in good working condition and are maintained in accordance with customary industry standards.

 

(e)          The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual Property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and such Subsidiary does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries either own or have valid licenses or other rights to use all databases, geological data, geophysical data, engineering data, seismic data, maps, interpretations and other technical information used in their businesses as presently conducted, subject to the limitations contained in the agreements governing the use of the same, which limitations are customary for companies engaged in the business of the exploration and production of Hydrocarbons, with such exceptions as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 7.17         Maintenance of Properties. Except for such acts or failures to act as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Oil and Gas Properties (and Properties unitized therewith) have been maintained, operated and developed in a good and workmanlike manner and in conformity with all Governmental Requirements and in conformity with the provisions of all leases, subleases or other contracts comprising a part of the Hydrocarbon Interests and other contracts and agreements forming a part of the Oil and Gas Properties. Specifically in connection with the foregoing, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) no Oil and Gas Property is subject to having allowable production reduced below the full and regular allowable (including the maximum permissible tolerance) because of any overproduction (whether or not the same was permissible at the time) and (b) none of the wells comprising a part of the Oil and Gas Properties (or Properties unitized therewith) is deviated from the vertical more than the maximum permitted by Governmental Requirements, and such wells are, in fact, bottomed under and are producing from, and the well bores are wholly within, the Oil and Gas Properties (or in the case of wells located on Properties unitized therewith, such unitized Properties). All pipelines, wells, gas processing plants, platforms and other material improvements, fixtures and equipment owned in whole or in part by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that are necessary to conduct normal operations are being maintained in a state adequate to conduct normal operations, and with respect to such of the foregoing which are operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in a manner consistent with the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ past practices (other than those the failure of which to maintain in accordance with this Section 7.17 could not reasonably be expect to have a Material Adverse Effect).

 

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Section 7.18         Gas Imbalances, Prepayments. As of the date hereof, except as set forth on Schedule 7.18 or on the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to Section 8.12(c), on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments which would require the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to deliver, in the aggregate, two percent (2%) or more of the monthly production from Hydrocarbons produced from the Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor.

 

Section 7.19         Marketing of Production. Except for contracts listed and in effect on the date hereof on Schedule 7.19, and thereafter either disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent or included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report (with respect to all of which contracts the Borrower represents that it or its Subsidiaries are receiving a price for all production sold thereunder which is computed substantially in accordance with the terms of the relevant contract and are not having deliveries curtailed substantially below the subject Property’s delivery capacity), no material agreements exist (other than Swap Agreements permitted under Section 9.18 ) which are not cancelable on 60 days’ notice or less without penalty or detriment for the sale of production from the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Hydrocarbons (including, without limitation, calls on or other rights to purchase, production, whether or not the same are currently being exercised) that (a) pertain to the sale of production at a fixed price and (b) have a maturity or expiry date of more than six (6) months from the date hereof.

 

Section 7.20         Swap Agreements. Schedule 7.20, as of the date hereof, and after the date hereof, each report required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.01(d), sets forth, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net marked-to-market value thereof, all credit support agreements relating thereto (including any margin required or supplied) and the counterparty to each such agreement.

 

Section 7.21         Use of Loans and Letters of Credit.

 

(a)          The proceeds of Loans and the Letters of Credit shall be used (i) to refinance the Existing Loans and the Existing Letters of Credit outstanding on the Effective Date, (ii) to fund the Group Members’ emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, (iii) for payments contemplated by the Plan of Reorganization (consistent with the Restructuring Support Agreement), for fees and expenses related to the Transactions, (iv) for the exploration, development and/or acquisition of Oil and Gas Properties, (v) for working capital and (vi) for general corporate purposes of the Parent, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 9.04.

 

(b)          The Borrower and its Subsidiaries are not engaged principally, or as one of its or their important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U, Regulation T or Regulation X ). No part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit will be used for any purpose which violates the provisions of Regulation U, Regulation T or Regulation X.

 

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Section 7.22         Solvency. After giving effect to the consummation of the Plan of Reorganization, the Transactions and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including at the time of and immediately after giving effect to any Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit, as applicable), (a) the aggregate assets (after giving effect to amounts that could reasonably be received by reason of indemnity, offset, insurance or any similar arrangement), at a fair valuation, of the Borrower and the Guarantors, taken as a whole, will exceed the aggregate Debt of the Borrower and the Guarantors on a consolidated basis, as the Debt becomes absolute and matures, (b) each of the Borrower and the Guarantors will not have incurred or intended to incur, and will not believe that it will incur, Debt beyond its ability to pay such Debt (after taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be received by each of the Borrower and the Guarantors and the amounts to be payable on or in respect of its liabilities, and giving effect to amounts that could reasonably be received by reason of indemnity, offset, insurance or any similar arrangement) as such Debt become absolute and mature and (c) each of the Borrower and the Guarantors will not have (and will have no reason to believe that it will have thereafter) unreasonably small capital for the conduct of its business.

 

Section 7.23         Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. The Parent and the Borrower have each implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Parent, the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Parent, the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees and to the knowledge of the Parent, the Borrower and their respective directors and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects None of (a) the Parent, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of the Parent, the Borrower, any agent of the Parent, the Borrower or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds or the Transactions will violate any Anti-Corruption Law or applicable Sanctions.

 

Section 7.24         EEA Financial Institutions. No Group Member is an EEA Financial Institution.

 

Section 7.25         Plan Assets. None of the Parent, the Borrower, a Guarantor or any of their respective Subsidiaries is, or will, for so long as the Loans, Letters of Credit or Commitments are outstanding, become, an entity deemed to hold “plan assets” within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations.

 

Section 7.26         Margin Regulations. The Parent and the Borrower are not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of their important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, and no part of the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit extension hereunder will be used to buy or carry any Margin Stock. Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing or drawing under each Letter of Credit, not more than 25% of the value of the assets (either of the Parent or the Borrower only or of the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) will be Margin Stock.

 

Section 7.27         Beneficial Ownership. As of the Effective Date, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, the information included in any Beneficial Ownership Certification provided on or prior to the Effective Date to any Lender in connection with this Agreement is true and correct in all respects.

 

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ARTICLE VIII
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until Payment in Full, each of the Parent and the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

Section 8.01        Financial Statements; Other Information. The Parent and/or the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent for delivery to each Lender:

 

(a)          Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available and in accordance with applicable law, but in any event not later than one hundred (100) days after the end of each fiscal year, Parent’s audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, partners’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by independent public accountants of recognized national standing and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial position and results of operations of the Parent and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied.

 

(b)          Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available and in accordance with applicable law, but in any event not later than fifty-five (55) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Parent, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, partners’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by a Financial Officer as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial position and results of operations of the Parent and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

(c)          Certificate of Financial Officer — Compliance. Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) or Section 8.01(b), a certificate of a Financial Officer in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 9.01 and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the Effective Date and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate.

 

(d)          Certificate of Financial Officer - Swap Agreements. Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) and Section 8.01(b), a certificate of a Financial Officer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth as of the last Business Day of such fiscal quarter or fiscal year, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark-to-market value therefor, any new credit support agreements relating thereto not listed on Schedule 7.20, any margin required or supplied under any credit support document, and the counterparty to each such agreement.

 

(e)          Certificate of Insurer - Insurance Coverage. Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a), a certificate of insurance coverage from each insurer with respect to the insurance required by Section 8.07, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, all copies of the applicable policies.

 

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(f)          Other Accounting Reports. Promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of each other report or letter submitted to the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries by independent accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by them of the books of the Parent, the Borrower or any such Subsidiary, and a copy of any response by the Parent, the Borrower or any such Subsidiary to such letter or report.

 

(g)          SEC and Other Filings; Reports to shareholders. Promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Parent, the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Parent or the Borrower to their shareholders generally, as the case may be. Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(a) and Section 8.01(b) and this Section 8.01(g) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which the Parent posts such documents to EDGAR (or such other free, publicly-accessible internet database that may be established and maintained by the SEC as a substitute for or successor to EDGAR).

 

(h)          Notices Under Material Instruments. Promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any financial statement, report or notice furnished to or by any Person pursuant to the terms of any preferred stock designation, indenture, loan or credit or other similar agreement, other than this Agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to any other provision of this Section 8.01.

 

(i)          Lists of Purchasers. Concurrently with the delivery of any Reserve Report to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.12, a list of all Persons purchasing Hydrocarbons from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries accounting for at least 80% of the revenues resulting from the sale of all Hydrocarbons in the one-year period prior to the “as of” date of the most recent Reserve Report delivered pursuant to Section 8.12.

 

(j)          Notice of Sales of Oil and Gas Properties. If during any period between two successive Redetermination Dates, the Borrower or any Subsidiary sells, transfers, assigns or otherwise disposes of Oil and Gas Properties or Equity Interests in any Subsidiary in accordance with Section 9.12(d) with an aggregate fair market value which exceeds $5,000,000, prior written notice thereof, the price thereof and the anticipated date of closing and any other details thereof requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

(k)          Notice of Casualty Events. Prompt written notice, and in any event within three Business Days, of the occurrence of any Casualty Event or the commencement of any action or proceeding that could reasonably be expected to result in a Casualty Event.

 

(l)          Information Regarding Borrower and Guarantors. Prompt written notice (and in any event within thirty (30) days prior thereto) of any change (i) in the Borrower or any Guarantor’s corporate name or in any trade name used to identify such Person in the conduct of its business or in the ownership of its Properties, (ii) in the location of the Borrower or any Guarantor’s chief executive office or principal place of business, (iii) in the Borrower or any Guarantor’s identity or corporate structure or in the jurisdiction in which such Person is incorporated or formed, (iv) in the Borrower or any Guarantor’s jurisdiction of organization or such Person’s organizational identification number in such jurisdiction of organization, and (v) in the Borrower or any Guarantor’s federal taxpayer identification number.

 

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(m)         Production Report and Lease Operating Statements. Within 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, a report setting forth, for each fiscal quarter during the then-current fiscal year to date, the volume of production and sales attributable to production (and the prices at which such sales were made and the revenues derived from such sales) for each such quarter from the Oil and Gas Properties, and setting forth the related ad valorem, severance and production taxes and lease operating expenses attributable thereto and incurred for each such quarter.

 

(n)          Notices of Certain Changes. Promptly, but in any event within thirty (30) days after the execution thereof, copies of any amendment, modification or supplement to the certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws, any preferred stock designation or any other organic document of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries.

 

(o)          Issuance of Senior Notes. In the event the Borrower intends to issue Senior Notes as contemplated by Section 9.02(e), prior written notice of such intended offering or incurrence thereof, the amount thereof and the anticipated date of closing and will furnish a copy of (i) the preliminary offering memorandum or term sheet (if any) and the final offering memorandum or term sheet (if any) or (ii) the definitive documentation therefor, as applicable.

 

(p)          Annual Budget. Promptly, but in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, a budget for the then current fiscal year, including a pro forma balance sheet and income and cash flow projections.

 

(q)          Other Requested Information. Promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to this Section 8.01 or Section 8.12 may be delivered electronically and shall be deemed to have been so delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower or Parent posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on its website and the Administrative Agent is provided with notice of said posting, or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s or Parent’s behalf on IntraLinks or another relevant website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that in each case, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents and the Administrative Agent shall in turn give the Lenders notice of such posting; and provided further that, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the certificate to be delivered under Section 8.01(c) shall also be delivered in a tangible, physical version or PDF.

 

Section 8.02        Notices of Material Events. The Parent and/or the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, promptly after the Parent or the Borrower obtains knowledge thereof, written notice of the following:

 

(a)          the occurrence of any Default;

 

(b)          the filing or commencement of, or the threat in writing of, any action, suit, investigation, arbitration or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Parent, the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, or any material adverse development in any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or arbitration (whether or not previously disclosed to the Lenders), that, in either case, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in liability in excess of $10,000,000;

 

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(c)          the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Group Member in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000,000;

 

(d)          any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, either (i) a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) an adjustment to the Borrowing Base pursuant to the Borrowing Base Adjustment Provisions.

 

Each notice delivered under this Section 8.02 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

 

Section 8.03        Existence; Conduct of Business. The Parent and the Borrower will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business and maintain, if necessary, its qualification to do business in each other jurisdiction in which any of its Oil and Gas Properties is located or the ownership of its Properties requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 9.11.

 

Section 8.04        Payment of Obligations. After giving effect to the Confirmation Order and the Plan of Reorganization, the Parent and the Borrower will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities of the Parent and the Borrower and all of their Subsidiaries before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Parent, the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or result in the seizure or levy of any Property of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries.

 

Section 8.05        Performance of Obligations under Loan Documents. After giving effect to the Confirmation Order and the Plan of Reorganization, the Borrower will pay the Secured Indebtedness according to the reading, tenor and effect of this Agreement, and the Borrower will, and the Parent and the Borrower will cause each of their Subsidiaries to do and perform every act and discharge all of the obligations to be performed and discharged by them under the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, this Agreement, at the time or times and in the manner specified.

 

Section 8.06        Operation and Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower, at its own expense, will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to:

 

(a)          operate its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties or cause such Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties to be operated in a careful and efficient manner in accordance with the practices of the industry and in compliance with all applicable contracts and agreements and in compliance with all Governmental Requirements, including, without limitation, applicable pro ration requirements and Environmental Laws, and all applicable laws, rules and regulations of every other Governmental Authority from time to time constituted to regulate the development and operation of its Oil and Gas Properties and the production and sale of Hydrocarbons and other minerals therefrom, except in each case where the failure to comply would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(b)          keep and maintain all Property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and preserve, maintain and keep in good repair, working order and efficiency (ordinary wear and tear excepted) all of its material Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties, including, without limitation, all equipment, machinery and facilities in accordance with customary industry standards.

 

(c)          promptly pay and discharge, or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be paid and discharged, all delay rentals, royalties, expenses and indebtedness accruing under the leases or other agreements affecting or pertaining to its Oil and Gas Properties and will do all other things necessary to keep unimpaired their rights with respect thereto and prevent any forfeiture thereof or default thereunder except for leases or other agreements which are no longer used or useful in its business.

 

(d)          promptly perform or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be performed, in accordance with customary industry standards, the obligations required by each and all of the assignments, deeds, leases, sub-leases, contracts and agreements affecting its interests in its material Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties.

 

(e)          to the extent the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries is not the operator of any Property, the Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the operator to comply with this Section 8.06.

 

Section 8.07        Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations. The loss payable clauses or provisions in said insurance policy or policies insuring any of the collateral for the Loans shall be endorsed in favor of and made payable to the Administrative Agent as its interests may appear and such policies shall name the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as “additional insureds” and provide that the insurer will give at least 30 days prior notice of any cancellation to the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 8.08        Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Parent and the Borrower will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Parent and the Borrower will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its Properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.

 

Section 8.09        Compliance with Laws. The Parent and the Borrower will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to them or their Property, except in each case where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

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Section 8.10         Environmental Matters.

 

(a)          The Parent and the Borrower shall, and shall cause each of their Subsidiaries to: (i) comply, and shall cause their Properties and operations and each of their Subsidiaries and each Subsidiary’s Properties and operations to comply, with all applicable Environmental Laws, the breach of which could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) not dispose of or otherwise release, and shall cause each Subsidiary not to dispose of or otherwise release, any oil, oil and gas waste, hazardous substance, or solid waste on, under, about or from any of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties or any other Property to the extent caused by the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ operations except in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, the disposal or release of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) timely obtain or file, and shall cause each of their Subsidiaries to timely obtain or file, all notices, permits, licenses, exemptions, approvals, registrations or other authorizations, if any, required under applicable Environmental Laws to be obtained or filed in connection with the operation or use of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties, which failure to obtain or file could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iv) promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, and shall cause each of their Subsidiaries to promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, any assessment, evaluation, investigation, monitoring, containment, cleanup, removal, repair, restoration, remediation or other remedial obligations (collectively, the “Remedial Work”) in the event any Remedial Work is required under applicable Environmental Laws because of or in connection with the actual or suspected past, present or future disposal or other release of any oil, oil and gas waste, hazardous substance or solid waste on, under, about or from any of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties, which failure to commence and diligently prosecute to completion could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)          The Borrower will promptly, but in no event later than five Business Days after the occurrence thereof, notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in writing of any threatened action, investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Authority or any threatened demand or lawsuit by any landowner or other third party against the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or their Properties of which the Borrower has knowledge in connection with any Environmental Laws (excluding routine testing and corrective action) of any non-compliance by a Group Member with any Environmental Law or any permit, approval, license or other authorization required thereunder, which in any case if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in liability (whether individually or in the aggregate) in excess of $10,000,000, not fully covered by insurance, subject to normal deductibles.

 

(c)          The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, provide environmental audits and tests in accordance with American Society of Testing Materials standards upon the reasonable request by the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders (or as otherwise required to be obtained by the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders by any Governmental Authority), in connection with any future acquisitions of Oil and Gas Properties or other material Properties.

 

Section 8.11         Further Assurances.

 

(a)          The Parent and the Borrower, at their sole expense will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to, promptly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent all such other documents, agreements and instruments reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to comply with, cure any defects or accomplish the conditions precedent, covenants and agreements of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries, as the case may be, in the Loan Documents, including the Notes, or to further evidence and more fully describe the collateral intended as security for the Secured Indebtedness, or to correct any omissions in this Agreement or the Security Documents, or to state more fully the obligations secured therein, or to perfect, protect or preserve any Liens created pursuant to this Agreement or any of the Security Documents or the priority thereof, or to make any recordings, file any notices or obtain any consents, all as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate, in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent in connection therewith.

 

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(b)          The Parent and the Borrower individually and on behalf of each other Group Member, hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to file one or more financing or continuation statements, and amendments thereto, relative to all or any part of the Collateral without the signature of the Borrower or any other Guarantor where permitted by law. A carbon, photographic or other reproduction of the Security Documents or any financing statement covering the Collateral or any part thereof shall be sufficient as a financing statement where permitted by law.

 

Section 8.12         Reserve Reports.

 

(a)          On or before March 1st and September 1st of each year, commencing March 1st, 2019, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report as of the immediately preceding January 1 or July 1, as applicable. The Reserve Report as of January 1 of each year shall be prepared by one or more independent petroleum engineers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the July 1 Reserve Report of each year shall be prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower who shall certify, on behalf of the Borrower, such Reserve Report to be based upon reasonable assumptions and estimates in light of the facts and circumstances known to the Borrower at the time such Reserve Report was prepared and to have been prepared in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding January 1 Reserve Report.

 

(b)          In the event of an Interim Redetermination, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower who shall certify, on behalf of the Borrower, such Reserve Report to be based upon reasonable assumptions and estimates in light of the facts and circumstances known to the Borrower at the time such Reserve Report was prepared and to have been prepared in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding January 1 Reserve Report. For any Interim Redetermination requested by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.07(b), the Borrower shall provide such Reserve Report with an “as of” date as required by the Administrative Agent as soon as possible, but in any event no later than thirty (30) days following the receipt of such request.

 

(c)          With the delivery of each Reserve Report, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a certificate (a “Reserve Report Certificate”) from a Responsible Officer certifying that in all material respects: (i) the information contained in the Reserve Report and any other information delivered in connection therewith is based upon reasonable assumptions and estimates in light of the facts and circumstances known to the Borrower at the time such Reserve Report was prepared, (ii) the Borrower or its Subsidiaries owns good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report and such Properties are free of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 9.03, (iii) except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments in excess of the volume specified in Section 7.18 with respect to their Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report that would require the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to deliver Hydrocarbons either generally or produced from such Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor, (iv) none of their Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the previous Reserve Report have been sold since the date of the last Borrowing Base determination except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, which certificate shall list all of such Oil and Gas Properties sold and in such detail as reasonably required by the Administrative Agent, (v) attached to the certificate is a list of all marketing agreements entered into subsequent to the later of the date hereof or the most recently delivered Reserve Report that the Borrower could reasonably be expected to have been obligated to list on Schedule 7.19 had such agreement been in effect on the date hereof and (vi) attached thereto is a schedule of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that are Mortgaged Properties and demonstrating the percentage of the present value that such Mortgaged Properties represent.

 

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Section 8.13         Title Information.

 

(a)          On or before the delivery to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of each Reserve Report required by Section 8.12(a), the Borrower will deliver title information in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent covering enough of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that were not included in the immediately preceding Reserve Report, so that the Administrative Agent shall have received together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, satisfactory title information on at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.

 

(b)          If the Borrower has provided title information for additional Properties under Section 8.13(a), the Borrower shall, within 60 days of notice from the Administrative Agent that title defects or exceptions exist with respect to such additional Properties, either (i) cure any such title defects or exceptions (including defects or exceptions as to priority) which are not permitted by Section 9.03 raised by such information, (ii) substitute acceptable Mortgaged Properties with no title defects or exceptions except for Excepted Liens (other than Excepted Liens described in clauses (e), (g) and (h) of such definition) having an equivalent value or (iii) deliver title information in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent so that the Administrative Agent shall have received, together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, satisfactory title information on at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.

 

(c)          If the Borrower is unable to cure any title defect requested by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to be cured within the 60-day period or the Borrower does not comply with the requirements to provide acceptable title information covering eighty-five percent (85%) of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recent Reserve Report, such default shall not be a Default, but instead the Administrative Agent and/or the Required Lenders shall have the right to exercise the following remedy in their sole discretion from time to time, and any failure to so exercise this remedy at any time shall not be a waiver as to future exercise of the remedy by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders. To the extent that the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders are not satisfied with title to any Mortgaged Property after the 60-day period has elapsed, such unacceptable title information shall not count towards the eighty-five percent (85%) requirement, and the Administrative Agent may send a notice to the Borrower and the Lenders that the then outstanding Borrowing Base shall be reduced by an amount as determined by the Required Lenders to cause the Borrower to be in compliance with the requirement to provide acceptable title information on eighty-five percent (85%) of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties. This new Borrowing Base shall become effective immediately after receipt of such notice.

 

Section 8.14         Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors.

 

(a)          In connection with each redetermination of the Borrowing Base, the Borrower shall review the Reserve Report and the list of current Mortgaged Properties (as described in Section 8.12(c)(vi)) to ascertain whether the Mortgaged Properties represent at least ninety-five percent (95%) of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently completed Reserve Report after giving effect to exploration and production activities, acquisitions, dispositions and production. In the event that the Mortgaged Properties do not represent at least ninety-five percent (95%) of such total value, then the Borrower shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, grant to the Administrative Agent or its designee as security for the Secured Indebtedness a first-priority Lien interest (provided the Excepted Liens of the type described in clauses (a) to (d) and (f) of the definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) on additional Oil and Gas Properties not already subject to a Lien of the Security Documents such that after giving effect thereto, the Mortgaged Properties will represent at least ninety-five percent (95%) of such total value. All such Liens will be created and perfected by and in accordance with the provisions of deeds of trust, security agreements and financing statements or other Security Documents, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or its designee and in sufficient executed (and acknowledged where necessary or appropriate) counterparts for recording purposes. In order to comply with the foregoing, if any Subsidiary places a Lien on its Oil and Gas Properties and such Subsidiary is not a Guarantor, then it shall become a Guarantor and comply with Section 8.14(b).

 

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(b)          In the event that (i) the Borrower determines that any Subsidiary is a Material Domestic Subsidiary or (ii) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, other than a Foreign Subsidiary, incurs or guarantees any Debt, other than EV Energy Finance Corp., then the Borrower shall promptly cause such Subsidiary to guarantee the Secured Indebtedness pursuant to the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement. In connection with any such guaranty, the Borrower shall, or shall cause such Subsidiary to, (A) execute and deliver a supplement to the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement executed by such Subsidiary, (B) pledge all of the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary (including, without limitation, delivery of original stock certificates evidencing the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary, together with an appropriate undated stock powers for each certificate duly executed in blank by the registered owner thereof) and (C) execute and deliver such other additional closing documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent or its designee.

 

Section 8.15         ERISA Compliance. The Borrower will furnish, and will cause its Subsidiaries and any ERISA Affiliate to furnish, to the Administrative Agent (a) promptly after the filing thereof with the United States Secretary of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service or the PBGC, copies of each annual and other report with respect to each Plan, if any, or any trust created thereunder, to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, (b) immediately upon becoming aware of the occurrence of any ERISA Event or of any non-exempt “prohibited transaction”, as described in section 406 of ERISA or in section 4975 of the Code, in connection with any Plan or any trust created thereunder, a written notice signed by the President or the principal Financial Officer of the Borrower, its Subsidiaries or the ERISA Affiliate, as the case may be, specifying the nature thereof, what action the Borrower, its Subsidiaries or the ERISA Affiliate is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto, and, when known, any action taken or proposed by the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor or the PBGC with respect thereto, and (c) immediately upon receipt thereof, copies of any notice of the PBGC’s intention to terminate or to have a trustee appointed to administer any Plan. With respect to each Plan, if any (other than a Multiemployer Plan), the Borrower will, and the Borrower will cause each of its Subsidiaries and ERISA Affiliates to, (i) satisfy in full and in a timely manner, without incurring any material late payment or underpayment charge or penalty and without giving rise to any lien, all of the contribution and funding requirements of section 412 of the Code (determined without regard to subsections (d), (e), (f) and (k) thereof) and of section 302 of ERISA (determined without regard to sections 303, 304 and 306 of ERISA), and (ii) pay, or cause to be paid, to the PBGC in a timely manner, without incurring any material late payment or underpayment charge or penalty, all premiums required pursuant to sections 4006 and 4007 of ERISA.

 

Section 8.16         Marketing Activities. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage in marketing activities for any Hydrocarbons or enter into any contracts related thereto other than (a) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from their proved Oil and Gas Properties during the period of such contract, (b) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from proved Oil and Gas Properties of third parties during the period of such contract associated with the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries has the right to market pursuant to joint operating agreements, unitization agreements or other similar contracts that are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and (c) other contracts for the purchase and/or sale of Hydrocarbons of third parties (i) which have generally offsetting provisions (i.e. corresponding pricing mechanics, delivery dates and points and volumes) such that no “position” is taken, (ii) for which appropriate credit support has been taken to alleviate the material credit risks of the counterparty thereto, or (iii) which otherwise constitute Swap Agreements permitted under Section 9.18.

 

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Section 8.17         Keepwell. The Parent will, and will cause each Qualified ECP Guarantor to, provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by the Borrower or each Guarantor to honor all of its obligations under this Agreement or any Swap Agreements (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 8.17 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 8.17 or otherwise voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 8.17 shall remain in full force and effect until Payment in Full. The Borrower intends that this Section 8.17 constitute, and this Section 8.17 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Group Member for all purposes of section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

Section 8.18         Required Hedging Agreements. Not later than the 60th day following the Effective Date, the Parent, the Borrower and/or one or more of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries shall enter into Swap Agreements in respect of commodities permitted under Section 9.18 the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with other commodity Swap Agreements then in effect other than with respect to puts or floors and basis differential swaps on volumes already hedged pursuant to other Swap Agreements) equal or exceed, as of the date such Swap Agreements are executed, 70% of the reasonably anticipated projected production of Hydrocarbons from Proved Developed Producing Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report for each month during the period in which such Swap Agreements are in effect for each of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, calculated separately, for the eighteen (18) month period commencing on the date such Swap Agreements are executed; provided, for purposes of this Section 8.18, the Borrower may exclude from the calculation of such reasonably anticipated projected production of Hydrocarbons from Proved Developed Producing Properties any Oil and Gas Properties identified on Schedule 8.18.

 

Section 8.19         Patriot Act; Beneficial Ownership Regulation. Promptly following any reasonable request therefor, Borrower shall provide any information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” requirements under the Patriot Act, the Beneficial Ownership Regulation or other applicable anti-money laundering laws.

 

ARTICLE IX
NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until Payment in Full, each of the Parent and the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

Section 9.01         Financial Covenants.

 

(a)          Ratio of Total Debt to EBITDAX. Commencing on the last day of the first full fiscal quarter ended following the Effective Date, the Parent will not, as of any date of determination, permit its ratio of Total Debt as of such date to EBITDAX for the most recent period of four fiscal quarters for which financial statements are available to be greater than 4.0 to 1.0; provided, that for the purposes of determining the ratio described above, EBITDAX for the fiscal quarters ending September 30, 2018, December 31, 2018 and March 31, 2019 shall equal (i) EBITDAX for the one fiscal quarter period ending September 30, 2018 multiplied by 4, (ii) EBITDAX for the two fiscal quarter period ending December 31, 2018 multiplied by 2 and (iii) EBITDAX for the three fiscal quarter period ending March 31, 2019 multiplied by 4/3, respectively.

 

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(b)          Current Ratio. The Parent will not permit, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, its ratio of (i) consolidated current assets (including the unused amount of the total Commitments, but excluding non-cash assets under FAS 133) to (ii) consolidated current liabilities (excluding non-cash obligations under FAS 133 and current maturities under this Agreement) to be less than 1.0 to 1.0.

 

Section 9.02         Debt. None of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries will incur, create, assume or suffer to exist any Debt, except:

 

(a)          the Notes or other Secured Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents or any guaranty of or suretyship arrangement for the Notes or other Secured Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents.

 

(b)          accounts payable and other accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations to pay (for the deferred purchase price of Property or services) from time to time incurred in the ordinary course of business which are not greater than ninety (90) days past the date of invoice or delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP.

 

(c)          intercompany Debt among the Parent, the Borrower and any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries or between Subsidiaries to the extent permitted by Section 9.05(g); provided that such Debt is not held, assigned, transferred, negotiated or pledged to any Person other than the Parent or one of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries, and, provided further, that any such Debt owed by the Borrower to either the Parent or a Guarantor shall be subordinated to the Secured Indebtedness owed by the Borrower or a Guarantor on terms set forth in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement.

 

(d)          endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business.

 

(e)          Senior Notes issued after the effectiveness of the Initial Redetermination in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed $350,000,000; provided that (i) the Borrower shall have complied with Section 8.01(o), (ii) at the time of incurring such Senior Notes (1) no Default has occurred and is then continuing and (2) no Default would result from the incurrence of such Senior Notes after giving effect to the incurrence of such Senior Notes (and any concurrent repayment of Debt with the proceeds of such incurrence), (iii) the incurrence of such Senior Notes (and any concurrent repayment of Debt with the proceeds of such incurrence) would not result in a Borrowing Base Deficiency, (iv) the incurrence of such Senior Notes (and any concurrent repayment of Debt with the proceeds of such incurrence) would not result in the Parent’s ratio of Total Debt as of the date of such incurrence to EBITDAX for the most recent period of four fiscal quarters for which financial statements are available being equal to or greater than 3.5 to 1.0, (v) such Senior Notes do not have any scheduled amortization or any required repurchase or redemption (other than a required offer to repurchase or redeem as a result of a change in control or asset sale) prior to one hundred eighty-one (181) days after the Maturity Date, (vi) such Senior Notes do not mature sooner than one hundred eighty-one (181) days after the Maturity Date and (vii) contemporaneously with the incurrence of such Senior Notes (and any concurrent repayment of Debt with the proceeds of such incurrence), the Borrowing Base is adjusted pursuant to Section 2.07(e), if applicable.

 

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(f)          other Debt, including Capital Leases and purchase money Debt not to exceed $15,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding.

 

(g)          Permitted Refinancing Debt which satisfies the terms of Section 9.02(e) and represents an extension, refinancing or renewal of any Senior Notes.

 

Section 9.03         Liens. None of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries will create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any of its Properties (now owned or hereafter acquired), except:

 

(a)          Liens securing the payment of any Secured Indebtedness.

 

(b)          Excepted Liens.

 

(c)          Liens securing purchase money Debt and Debt under Capital Leases permitted under Section 9.02(f).

 

(d)          Liens on posted collateral or margin to secure obligations under Swap Agreements permitted by Section 9.18.

 

(e)          Liens on Property not constituting collateral for the Secured Indebtedness and not otherwise permitted by the foregoing clauses of this Section 9.03; provided that the aggregate principal or face amount of all Debt secured under this Section 9.03(e) shall not exceed $5,000,000 at any time.

 

Section 9.04         Dividends, Distributions and Redemptions.

 

(a)          Restricted Payments. The Parent and the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, return any capital to its stockholders or make any distribution of their Property to their respective Equity Interest holders, except (i) the Parent or the Borrower may declare and pay dividends or distributions with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock), (ii) the Group Members may make Restricted Payments to their officers, directors, and employees, or other participants pursuant to incentive compensation plans, (iii) the Group Members may make Restricted Payments to Parent for the purposes of, and Parent may pay, cash dividends (not to exceed $250,000 per fiscal year) with respect to, and repurchases and/or redemptions of, the New Class A Preferred, (iv) following the Initial Redetermination, the Parent may declare and pay dividends or distributions with respect to its Equity Interests so long as (A) no Borrowing Base Deficiency, Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, (B) the Parent’s ratio of Total Debt as of the date such Restricted Payment is made to EBITDAX for the most recent period of four fiscal quarters for which financial statements are available is less than 2.75 to 1.0 and (C) immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment the Borrower shall have unused availability under the Borrowing Base equal to or greater than fifteen percent (15%) of the then effective Borrowing Base, (v) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends or distributions ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (vi) a Group Member may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests to any other Group Member and (vii) the Borrower may, at any time it is a partnership for Federal Income Tax purposes, make distributions to the Parent (or any other holding company) to pay the federal, state, and local income or similar Taxes.

 

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(b)          Repayment of Senior Notes; Amendment of terms of Senior Notes. The Parent and the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, prior to the date that is one year after the Maturity Date: (i) call, make or offer to make any optional or voluntary Redemption of or otherwise optionally or voluntarily Redeem (whether in whole or in part) any Senior Notes, except that the Borrower may prepay Senior Notes with the net cash proceeds of (A) a new issuance of Senior Notes constituting Permitted Refinancing Debt issued pursuant to Section 9.02(g) or (B) any sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock) of the Parent or (ii) amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms of the Senior Notes if the effect thereof would be to shorten its maturity to a date prior to the date that is 181 days after the Maturity Date or increase the amount of any payment of principal thereof or increase the rate or shorten any period for payment of interest thereon.

 

Section 9.05         Investments, Loans and Advances. None of the Parent, the Borrower or their Subsidiaries will make or permit to remain outstanding any Investments in or to any Person, except that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to:

 

(a)          Investments reflected in the financial statement or statements of the Parent and its Consolidated Subsidiaries referred to in Section 7.04(a).

 

(b)          accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business.

 

(c)          direct obligations of the United States or any agency thereof, or obligations guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof, in each case maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof.

 

(d)          commercial paper maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof rated in the two highest grades by S&P or Moody’s.

 

(e)          deposits maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof with, including certificates of deposit issued by, any Lender or any office located in the United States of any other bank or trust company which is organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, has capital, surplus and undivided profits aggregating at least $250,000,000 (as of the date of such bank or trust company’s most recent financial reports) and has a short term deposit rating of no lower than A2 or P2, as such rating is set forth from time to time, by S&P or Moody’s, respectively.

 

(f)          deposits in money market funds investing exclusively in Investments described in Section 9.05(c), Section 9.05(d) or Section 9.05(e).

 

(g)          Investments (i) made by the Parent or the Borrower in or to Guarantors, (ii) made by any Subsidiary or the Parent in or to the Borrower or any Guarantor, and (iii) made by the Borrower or any Guarantor in Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors, provided that the aggregate of all Investments made by the Borrower and the Guarantors in or to all Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors shall not exceed $5,000,000 at any time.

 

(h)          subject to the limits in Section 9.06, Investments (including, without limitation, capital contributions) in general or limited partnerships or other types of entities (each a “Venture”) entered into by the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries with others in the ordinary course of business; provided that (i) any such Venture is engaged exclusively in oil and gas exploration, development, production, processing and related activities, including transportation, (ii) the interest in such venture is acquired in the ordinary course of business and on fair and reasonable terms and (iii) such Venture interests acquired and capital contributions made (valued as of the date such interest was acquired or the contribution made) do not exceed, in the aggregate at any time outstanding an amount equal to $10,000,000.

 

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(i)          subject to the limits in Section 9.06, Investments in Persons by the Borrower or a Subsidiary; provided, that, contemporaneously with such Investment, such Person becomes a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary and, as of the date such Investment is made (and after giving effect to all related transactions) (1) all of the representations and warranties contained in each Loan Document are true and correct and (2) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from such person being a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

 

(j)          subject to the limits in Section 9.06, Investments in direct ownership interests in additional Oil and Gas Properties and gas gathering systems, production facilities or processing facilities related thereto or related to farm-out, farm-in, joint operating, joint venture or area of mutual interest agreements, gathering systems, pipelines, production facilities, processing facilities or other similar arrangements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas exploration and production business located within the geographic boundaries of the United States of America.

 

(k)          loans or advances to employees, officers or directors in the ordinary course of business of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries, in each case only as permitted by applicable law, including Section 402 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, but in any event not to exceed $500,000 in the aggregate at any time.

 

(l)          Investments in stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts arising from Investments permitted under this Section 9.05 owing to the Parent, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding of the obligor in respect of such debts or upon the enforcement of any Lien in favor of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries; provided that the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent prompt written notice in the event that the aggregate amount of all Investments held at any one time under this Section 9.05(l) exceeds $1,000,000.

 

(m)          other Investments not to exceed, in the aggregate, $1,000,000 at any time outstanding.

 

Section 9.06         Nature of Business; International Operations. The Parent and the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, allow any material change to be made in the character of its business as independent oil and gas exploration and production companies. From and after the date hereof, the Parent, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries will not acquire or make any other expenditure (whether such expenditure is capital, operating or otherwise) in or related to, any Oil and Gas Properties not located within the geographical boundaries of the United States.

 

Section 9.07         Limitation on Leases. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries will create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any obligation for the payment of rent or hire of Property of any kind whatsoever (real or personal but excluding Capital Leases permitted under Section 9.02(f) and leases of Hydrocarbon Interests), under leases or lease agreements which would cause the aggregate amount of all payments made by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries pursuant to all such leases or lease agreements, including, without limitation, any residual payments at the end of any lease, to exceed $10,000,000 in any period of twelve consecutive calendar months during the life of such leases.

 

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Section 9.08         Proceeds of Loans. The Borrower will not permit the proceeds of the Loans to be used for any purpose other than those permitted by Section 7.21. Neither the Borrower nor any Person acting on behalf of the Borrower has taken or will take any action which might cause any of the Loan Documents to violate Regulations T, U or X or any other regulation of the Board or to violate Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation thereunder, in each case as now in effect or as the same may hereinafter be in effect. If requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the requirements of FR Form U-1 or such other form referred to in Regulation U, Regulation T or Regulation X, as the case may be The Borrower will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (A) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (B) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, to the extent such activities, businesses or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a corporation incorporated in the United States or in a European Union member state, or (C) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

 

Section 9.09         ERISA Compliance. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries will not at any time:

 

(a)          engage in, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to engage in, any transaction in connection with which the Borrower any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate could be subject to either a material civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i) or (l) of section 502 of ERISA or a material tax imposed by Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code;

 

(b)          terminate, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to terminate, any Plan in a manner, or take any other action with respect to any Plan, which could result in any material liability of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate to the PBGC;

 

(c)          fail to make, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to fail to make, full payment when due (after the expiration of any applicable grace period) of all material amounts which, under the provisions of any Plan, agreement relating thereto or applicable law, the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions to such Plan;

 

(d)          permit to exist, or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit to exist, any accumulated funding deficiency within the meaning of section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, with respect to any Plan;

 

(e)          permit, or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit, the actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under any Plan maintained by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate to exceed the current value of the assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities, which could result in a Material Adverse Effect. The term “actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities” shall have the meaning specified in section 4041 of ERISA;

 

(f)          contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, any Multiemployer Plan;

 

(g)          acquire, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to acquire, an interest in any Person that causes such Person to become an ERISA Affiliate with respect to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or with respect to any ERISA Affiliate of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries if such Person sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or at any time in the six-year period preceding such acquisition has sponsored, maintained, or contributed to, (i) any Multiemployer Plan, or (ii) any other Plan under which the actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under such Plan exceeds the current value of the assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities;

 

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(h)          incur, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to incur, a material liability to or on account of a Plan under sections 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA; or

 

(i)          contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, any employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by such entities in their sole discretion at any time without any material liability (which shall not include routine claims for benefits to current employees under any employee welfare benefit plan).

 

Section 9.10         Sale or Discount of Receivables. Except for receivables obtained by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries out of the ordinary course of business or the settlement of joint interest billing accounts in the ordinary course of business or discounts granted to settle collection of accounts receivable or the sale of defaulted accounts arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof and not in connection with any financing transaction, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries will discount or sell (with or without recourse) any of its notes receivable or accounts receivable.

 

Section 9.11         Mergers, Etc. None of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries will merge into or with or consolidate with any other Person, or sell, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its Property to any other Person, except that any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary may merge with any other Wholly-Owned Subsidiary and that the Borrower or the Parent may merge with any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary so long as the Borrower is the survivor.

 

Section 9.12         Sale of Properties. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, Dispose of any Property except for: (a) the sale of Hydrocarbons in the ordinary course of business; (b) farmouts of undeveloped acreage and assignments in connection with such farmouts; (c) Dispositions of Property that is no longer necessary for the business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary or is replaced by equipment of at least comparable value and use; (d) Dispositions (including Casualty Events) of Oil and Gas Properties or any interest therein or Subsidiaries owning Oil and Gas Properties; provided that (i) not less than 75% of the consideration received in respect of such Disposition shall be cash or other Oil and Gas Properties, (ii) the consideration received in respect of such Disposition shall be equal to or greater than the fair market value of the Oil and Gas Property, interest therein or Subsidiary subject of such Disposition (as reasonably determined by the board of directors of the Parent on behalf of the Borrower and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Parent certifying to that effect), (iii) if such Disposition of Oil and Gas Properties or Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report during any period between two successive Scheduled Redetermination Dates has a fair market value (as determined by the Administrative Agent), individually or in the aggregate, in excess of five percent (5%) of the then current Borrowing Base, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced, effective immediately upon such Disposition, by an amount equal to the value, if any, assigned such Property (as determined by the Required Lenders) in the most recently delivered Reserve Report and (iv) if any such sale or other disposition is of a Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties, such sale or other disposition shall include all the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary; (e) sales and other dispositions of Properties not regulated by Section 9.12(a) to Section 9.12(d) having a fair market value not to exceed $2,500,000 during any 12-month period and (f) the sale of all of any portion of any Investment permitted by Section 9.05(n).

 

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Section 9.13         Environmental Matters. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, violate or permit any of its Property to be in violation of, or do anything or permit anything to be done which will subject any such Property to any Remedial Work under any Environmental Laws, assuming disclosure to the applicable Governmental Authority of all relevant facts, conditions and circumstances, if any, pertaining to such Property where such violations or Remedial Work would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 9.14         Transactions with Affiliates. The Parent and the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any transaction, including, without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease or exchange of Property or the rendering of any service, with any Affiliate (other than the Guarantors and Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower) unless such transactions are otherwise permitted under this Agreement and are upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to it than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate.

 

Section 9.15         Subsidiaries. The Parent and the Borrower shall not, and shall not permit their Subsidiaries to, create or acquire any additional Subsidiary unless such creation or acquisition complies with Section 8.14(b). The Parent and the Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, sell, assign or otherwise dispose of any Equity Interests in any of its Subsidiaries except as permitted under Section 9.12. Neither the Parent nor the Borrower shall have any Foreign Subsidiaries.

 

Section 9.16         Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries will create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any contract, agreement or understanding (other than this Agreement, Security Documents, Capital Leases, purchase money security interests creating Liens permitted by Section 9.03(c), collateral or margin requirements permitted by Section 9.03(d), restrictions and conditions imposed by any Governmental Authority or under any legal requirement, restrictions on the transfer of Equity Interests in joint ventures, customary non-assignment provisions in leases, licenses, permits and other agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, and, in connection with any sale or other disposition of Property permitted hereunder, any restriction with respect to such Property imposed under the agreement or agreements governing such sale or disposition) that in any way prohibits or restricts the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on any of its Property in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders or restricts any Subsidiary from paying dividends or making distributions to the Borrower or any Guarantor, or which requires the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection therewith.

 

Section 9.17         Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments. Except as set forth on Schedule 7.18 or on the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to Section 8.12(c), the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, allow gas imbalances, take-or-pay or other prepayments with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that would require the Borrower or such Subsidiary to deliver, in the aggregate, two percent (2%) or more of the aggregate monthly production of Hydrocarbons of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor.

 

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Section 9.18         Swap Agreements. None of the Parent, the Borrower or any Subsidiary will enter into any Swap Agreements with any Person other than Swap Agreements (a) in respect of commodities (i) with an Approved Counterparty and (ii) the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with other commodity Swap Agreements then in effect other than with respect to puts or floors and basis differential swaps on volumes already hedged pursuant to other Swap Agreements) do not exceed, as of the date such Swap Agreement is executed, 90% of the reasonably anticipated projected production of Hydrocarbons from Proved Developed Producing Properties for each month during the period during which such Swap Agreement is in effect for each of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, calculated separately, for “a rolling 5-year period”; provided that, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may hedge such natural gas liquids with crude oil or natural gas hedges, or a combination of crude oil and natural gas hedges (measured by British thermal unit equivalence) and provided further that, if Proved Developed Producing Properties include any natural gas production for which the sales price of such production is based upon formula or actual volumes for residue gas and natural gas liquids after processing of such natural gas, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may hedge such natural gas volumes with a combination of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquid hedges (measured by British thermal unit equivalence) as reasonably determined by the Borrower and (b) in respect of interest rates with an Approved Counterparty, as follows: (i) Swap Agreements effectively converting interest rates from fixed to floating, the notional principal amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Swap Agreements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries then in effect effectively converting interest rates from fixed to floating) do not exceed 50% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Borrower’s Debt for borrowed money which bears interest at a fixed rate and (ii) Swap Agreements effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed, the notional principal amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Swap Agreements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries then in effect effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed) do not exceed 90% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Borrower’s Debt for borrowed money which bears interest at a floating rate. In no event shall any Swap Agreement contain any requirement, agreement or covenant for the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to post collateral or margin (other than cash or cash equivalents not to exceed an aggregate amount of $5,000,000, and any letters of credit providing credit support for such Swap Agreement) to secure their obligations under such Swap Agreement or to cover market exposures, except for contingent obligations, if any, to post collateral or margin in connection with Swap Agreements with any Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, in the event that the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s obligations under such Swap Agreement is no longer secured by the collateral provided under the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9.18, there shall be no prohibition against the Borrower entering into any “put” contracts or commodity price floors so long as such agreements are entered into for non-speculative purposes and in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of hedging against fluctuations of commodity prices. In the event the Borrower assigns, terminates, unwinds or sells any Swap Agreement in respect of commodities that has been disclosed to the Administrative Agent and which Swap Agreement has been taken into consideration in generating the projected cash flows developed in connection with the Administrative Agent’s determination of its recommended Borrowing Base provided to the Lenders as part of the most recent Scheduled Redetermination or Interim Redetermination and the effect of such action (when taken together with any other Swap Agreements executed contemporaneously with the taking of such action) would have the effect of canceling its hedge position established by any such Swap Agreement, then the Borrowing Base shall be reduced, effective immediately upon such assignment, termination or unwinding by an amount equal to the economic impact on the Borrowing Base attributable to such terminated Swap Agreement (as calculated by the Administrative Agent).

 

Section 9.19         Control Agreements. Neither the Borrower nor any Guarantor shall maintain any deposit account (other than any Excluded Account) or securities account unless such deposit account or securities account is with a Lender and is subject to an Account Control Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent naming the Administrative Agent as the secured party thereunder for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

 

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ARTICLE X
EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

 

Section 10.01       Events of Default. One or more of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

 

(a)          the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise.

 

(b)          the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in Section 10.01(a)) payable under any Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five Business Days.

 

(c)          any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries in or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification of any Loan Document or waiver under such Loan Document, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made.

 

(d)          the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in, Section 8.01(l), Section 8.02, Section 8.03 or in Article IX.

 

(e)          the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in Section 10.01(a), Section 10.01(b), Section 10.01(d), Section 10.01(f) or Section 10.01(g)) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after the earlier to occur of (i) notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Parent or the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) or (ii) a Responsible Officer of the Parent or the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries otherwise becoming aware of such default.

 

(f)          the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable (after giving effect to any applicable notice and cure period).

 

(g)          any event or condition occurs (after giving effect to any notice or cure period) that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the Redemption thereof or any offer to Redeem to be made in respect thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity or require the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries to make an offer in respect thereof.

 

(h)          an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered.

 

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(i)          the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in Section 10.01(h), (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing; or any partner of the Parent or the Borrower shall make any request or take any action for the purpose of calling a meeting of the partners of the Parent or the Borrower to consider a resolution to dissolve and wind-up the Parent’s or the Borrower’s affairs.

 

(j)          the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due.

 

(k)          (i) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $10,000,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third party insurance provided by insurers of the highest claims paying rating or financial strength as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage and is not subject to an insolvency proceeding) or (ii) any one or more non-monetary judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, shall be rendered against the Parent, the Borrower, any of their Subsidiaries or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Parent, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries to enforce any such judgment.

 

(l)          any Loan Document after delivery thereof shall for any reason, except to the extent permitted by the terms hereof or thereof, cease to be in full force and effect and valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with their terms against the Borrower or a Guarantor party thereto or shall be repudiated by them, or cease to create a valid and perfected Lien of the priority required thereby on any of the collateral purported to be covered thereby, except to the extent permitted by the terms of this Agreement, or the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall so state in writing.

 

(m)        other than as contemplated by the Plan of Reorganization on the Effective Date, a Change in Control shall occur.

 

(n)          an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000,000.

 

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In addition to any other rights and remedies granted to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders may exercise all rights and remedies of a secured party under the Texas UCC or any other applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent, without demand of performance or other demand, presentment, protest, advertisement or notice of any kind (except any notice required by law referred to below) to or upon any Group Member or any other Person (all and each of which demands, defenses, advertisements and notices are hereby waived), may in such circumstances forthwith collect, receive, appropriate and realize upon the Collateral, or any part thereof, or consent to the use by any Group Member of any cash collateral arising in respect of the Collateral on such terms as the Administrative Agent deems reasonable, and/or may forthwith sell, lease, assign give an option or options to purchase or otherwise dispose of and deliver, or acquire by credit bid on behalf of the Lenders, the Collateral or any part thereof (or contract to do any of the foregoing), in one or more parcels at public or private sale or sales, at any exchange, broker’s board or office of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or elsewhere, upon such terms and conditions as it may deem advisable and at such prices as it may deem best, for cash or on credit or for future delivery, all without assumption of any credit risk. The Administrative Agent or any Lender shall have the right upon any such public sale or sales, and, to the extent permitted by law, upon any such private sale or sales, to purchase the whole or any part of the Collateral so sold, free of any right or equity of redemption in any Group Member, which right or equity is hereby waived and released. The Group Members further agree, at the Administrative Agent’s request, to assemble the Collateral and make it available to the Administrative Agent at places which the Administrative Agent shall reasonably select, whether at the premises of any Group Member or elsewhere. The Administrative Agent shall apply the net proceeds of any action taken by it pursuant to this Article X, after deducting all reasonable costs and expenses of every kind incurred in connection therewith or incidental to the care or safekeeping of any of the Collateral or in any other way relating to the Collateral or the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements, to the payment in whole or in part of the obligations of the Group Members under the Loan Documents, in such order as the Administrative Agent may elect, and only after such application and after the payment by the Administrative Agent of any other amount required by any provision of law, including Section 9.615(a)(3) of the Texas UCC, need the Administrative Agent account for the surplus, if any, to the Group Members. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Group Members waive all claims, damages and demands it may acquire against the Administrative Agent or any Lender arising out of the exercise by them of any rights hereunder. If any notice of a proposed sale or other disposition of the Collateral shall be required by law, such notice shall be deemed reasonable and proper if given at least 10 days before such sale or other disposition.

 

Section 10.02       Remedies.

 

(a)          In the case of an Event of Default other than one described in Section 10.01(h), Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j), at any time thereafter during the continuance of such Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Majority Lenders, shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately and (ii) declare the Notes and the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Group Members accrued hereunder and under the Notes and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.08(j)), shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and each Guarantor; and in case of an Event of Default described in Section 10.01(h), Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j), the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the Notes and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and the other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors accrued hereunder and under the Notes and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.08(j)), shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and each Guarantor.

 

(b)          In the case of the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders will have all other rights and remedies available at law and equity.

 

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(c)          Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, and notice thereof to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or the Majority Lenders, all payments received on account of the Secured Indebtedness shall, subject to Section 4.03, be applied by the Administrative Agent as follows:

 

(i)          first, to payment of that portion of the Secured Indebtedness constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts payable to the Administrative Agent (including fees and disbursements and other charges of counsel to the Administrative Agent payable under Section 12.03 and amounts pursuant to Section 3.05(c) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such);

 

(ii)         second, to payment of that portion of the Secured Indebtedness constituting fees, expenses, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, reimbursement obligations in respect of LC Disbursements, interest and Letter of Credit fees) payable to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (including fees and disbursements and other charges of counsel to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks payable under Section 12.03) arising under the Loan Documents, ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause (ii) payable to them;

 

(iii)        third, to payment of that portion of the Secured Indebtedness constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit fees and charges and interest on the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements, ratably among the Lenders and the Issuing Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause (iii) payable to them;

 

(iv)        fourth, (A) to payment of that portion of the Secured Indebtedness constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, Secured Cash Management Obligations and Secured Swap Obligations and (B) to cash collateralize that portion of LC Exposure comprising the undrawn amount of Letters of Credit to the extent not otherwise cash collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.08(j), ratably among the Lenders, the Issuing Banks, the Secured Cash Management Provider and the Secured Swap Providers in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause (iv) payable to them; provided that (x) any such amounts applied pursuant to sub clause (B) above shall be paid to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the applicable Issuing Banks to cash collateralize Secured Indebtedness in respect of Letters of Credit, (y) subject to Section 2.08(j), amounts used to cash collateralize the aggregate amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to this clause (iv) shall be used to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur and (z) upon the expiration of any Letter of Credit (without any pending drawings), the pro rata share of cash collateral shall be distributed to the other Secured Indebtedness, if any, in the order set forth in this Section 10.02(c);

 

(v)         fifth, to the payment in full of all other Secured Indebtedness, in each case ratably among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Issuing Banks, the Secured Cash Management Providers and the Secured Swap Providers based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Secured Indebtedness owing to them in accordance with the respective amounts thereof then due and payable; and

 

(vi)        finally, the balance, if any, after all Secured Indebtedness has been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by law.

 

If any amount remains on deposit as cash collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired (without any pending drawings), such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Secured Indebtedness, if any, in the order set forth above.

 

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Section 10.03       Disposition of Proceeds. The Security Documents contain an assignment by the Borrower and/or the Guarantors unto and in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders of all of the Borrower’s or each Guarantor’s interest in and to production and all proceeds attributable thereto which may be produced from or allocated to the Mortgaged Property. The Security Documents further provide in general for the application of such proceeds to the satisfaction of the Secured Indebtedness and other obligations described therein and secured thereby. Notwithstanding the assignment contained in such Security Documents, except after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, (a) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree that they will neither notify the purchaser or purchasers of such production nor take any other action to cause such proceeds to be remitted to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, but the Lenders will instead permit such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (b) the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to take such actions as may be necessary to cause such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries.

 

ARTICLE XI
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

Section 11.01       Authorization and Action.

 

(a)          Each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the entity named as Administrative Agent in the heading of this Agreement and its successors and assigns to serve as the administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents and each Lender and each Issuing Bank authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to the Administrative Agent under such agreements and to exercise such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. In addition, to the extent required under the laws of any jurisdiction other than within the United States, each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby grants to the Administrative Agent any required powers of attorney to execute and enforce any Security Document governed by the laws of such jurisdiction on such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s behalf. Without limiting the foregoing, each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, each of the Loan Documents to which the Administrative Agent is a party, to exercise all rights, powers and remedies that the Administrative Agent may have under such Loan Documents.

 

(b)          As to any matters not expressly provided for herein and in the other Loan Documents (including enforcement or collection), the Administrative Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the written instructions of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, pursuant to the terms in the Loan Documents), and, unless and until revoked in writing, such instructions shall be binding upon each Lender and each Issuing Bank; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that (i) the Administrative Agent in good faith believes exposes it to liability unless the Administrative Agent receives an indemnification satisfactory to it from the Lenders and the Issuing Banks with respect to such action or (ii) is contrary to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or applicable law, including any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors; provided, further, that the Administrative Agent may seek clarification or direction from the Required Lenders prior to the exercise of any such instructed action and may refrain from acting until such clarification or direction has been provided. Except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. Nothing in this Agreement shall require the Administrative Agent 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 any 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.

 

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(c)          In performing its functions and duties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent is acting solely on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (except in limited circumstances expressly provided for herein relating to the maintenance of the Register), and its duties are entirely mechanical and administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

 

(i)          the Administrative Agent does not assume and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation or duty or any other relationship as the agent, fiduciary or trustee of or for any Lender, Issuing Bank or holder of any other obligation other than as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, regardless of whether a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (and it is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” (or any similar term) herein or in any other Loan Document with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary duty or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law, and that such term is used as a matter of market custom and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties); additionally, each Lender agrees that it will not assert any claim against the Administrative Agent based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby;

 

(ii)         where the Administrative Agent is required or deemed to act as a trustee in respect of any Collateral over which a security interest has been created pursuant to a Loan Document expressed to be governed by the laws of the United States or any state thereof, the obligations and liabilities of the Administrative Agent to the Secured Parties in its capacity as trustee shall be excluded to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law; and

 

(iii)        nothing in this Agreement or any Loan Document shall require the Administrative Agent to account to any Lender for any sum or the profit element of any sum received by the Administrative Agent for its own account;

 

(d)          The Administrative Agent may perform any of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any of their respective duties and exercise their respective rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article XI shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities pursuant to this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agent except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agent.

 

(e)          No Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent or Arranger shall have obligations or duties whatsoever in such capacity under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and shall incur no liability hereunder or thereunder in such capacity, but all such persons shall have the benefit of the indemnities provided for hereunder.

 

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(f)          In case of the pendency of any proceeding with respect to any Group Member under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

 

(i)          to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, LC Disbursements and all other Secured Indebtedness that is owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent (including any claim under Sections 3.02, 3.05, 5.01, 5.03 and 12.03) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

(ii)         to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender, each Issuing Bank and each other Secured Party to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or the other Secured Parties, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due to it, in its capacity as the Administrative Agent, under the Loan Documents (including under Section 12.03). Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or Issuing Bank any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Secured Indebtedness or the rights of any Lender or Issuing Bank or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or Issuing Bank in any such proceeding.

 

(g)          The provisions of this Article XI are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and, except solely to the extent of the Borrower’s rights to consent pursuant to and subject to the conditions set forth in this Article XI, none of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any of their respective Affiliates, shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary under any such provisions. Each Secured Party, whether or not a party hereto, will be deemed, by its acceptance of the benefits of the Collateral and of the guarantees of the Secured Indebtedness provided under the Loan Documents, to have agreed to the provisions of this Article XI.

 

Section 11.02       Administrative Agent’s Reliance, Indemnification, Etc.

 

(a)          Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be (i) liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it under or in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (x) with the consent of or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in the Loan Documents) or (y) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct (such absence to be presumed unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Group Member or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for any failure of any Group Member to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder.

 

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(b)          The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof (stating that it is a “notice of default”) is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or an Issuing Bank, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article VI or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or satisfaction of any condition that expressly refers to the matters described therein being acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, or (vi) the creation, perfection or priority of Liens on the Collateral.

 

(c)          Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrative Agent (i) may treat the payee of any promissory note as its holder until such promissory note has been assigned in accordance with Section 12.04, (ii) may rely on the Register to the extent set forth in Section 12.04(b), (iii) may consult with legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrower), independent public accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts, (iv) makes no warranty or representation to any Lender or Issuing Bank and shall not be responsible to any Lender or Issuing Bank for any statements, warranties or representations made by or on behalf of any Group Member in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (v) in determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or Issuing Bank unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or Issuing Bank sufficiently in advance of the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (vi) shall be entitled to rely on, and shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by acting upon, any notice, consent, certificate or other instrument or writing (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper party or parties (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof).

 

Section 11.03       Posting of Communications.

 

(a)          The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Communications available to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks by posting the Communications on IntraLinks™, DebtDomain, SyndTrak, ClearPar or any other electronic platform chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system (the “Approved Electronic Platform”).

 

(b)          Although the Approved Electronic Platform and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the Effective Date, a user ID/password authorization system) and the Approved Electronic Platform is secured through a per-deal authorization method whereby each user may access the Approved Electronic Platform only on a deal-by-deal basis, each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure and that there are confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and the Borrower hereby approves distribution of the Communications through the Approved Electronic Platform and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.

 

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(c)          THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. THE APPLICABLE PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY THE APPLICABLE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY ARRANGER, ANY DOCUMENTATION AGENT, ANY SYNDICATION AGENT OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES (COLLECTIVELY, “APPLICABLE PARTIES”) HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO ANY GROUP MEMBER, ANY LENDER, ANY ISSUING BANK OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF ANY GROUP MEMBER’S OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM.

 

(d)          Each Lender and each Issuing Bank agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that Communications have been posted to the Approved Electronic Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and Issuing Bank agrees (i) to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (which could be in the form of electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s (as applicable) email address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and (ii) that the foregoing notice may be sent to such email address.

 

(e)          Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and the Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but (except as may be required by applicable law) shall not be obligated to, store the Communications on the Approved Electronic Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s generally applicable document retention procedures and policies.

 

(f)          Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.

 

Section 11.04       The Administrative Agent Individually. With respect to its Commitment, Loans, LC Commitment and Letters of Credit, the Person serving as the Administrative Agent shall have and may exercise the same rights and powers hereunder and is subject to the same obligations and liabilities as and to the extent set forth herein for any other Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be. The terms “Issuing Banks”, “Lenders”, “Majority Lenders”, “Required Lenders” and any similar terms shall, unless the context clearly otherwise indicates, include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity as a Lender, Issuing Bank or as one of the Majority Lenders or Required Lenders, as applicable. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust or other business with, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing as if such Person was not acting as the Administrative Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks.

 

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Section 11.05       Successor Administrative Agent.

 

(a)          The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by giving 30 days’ prior written notice thereof to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower, whether or not a successor Administrative Agent has been appointed. Upon any such resignation, the Majority Lenders shall have the right (and as long as no Default or Event of Default exist at such time, with the approval of the Borrower), to appoint a successor Administrative Agent. If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment, within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent’s giving of notice of resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of any such bank. In either case, such appointment shall be subject to the prior written approval of the Borrower (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld and shall not be required while a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing). Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, such successor Administrative Agent shall succeed to, and become vested with, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent. Upon the acceptance of appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Prior to any retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall take such action as may be reasonably necessary to assign to the successor Administrative Agent its rights as Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents.

 

(b)          Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Section 11.06, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents; provided that, solely for purposes of maintaining any security interest granted to the Administrative Agent under any Security Document for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to be vested with such security interest as collateral agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and continue to be entitled to the rights set forth in such Security Document and Loan Document, and, in the case of any Collateral in the possession of the Administrative Agent, shall continue to hold such Collateral, in each case until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed and accepts such appointment in accordance with this Section (it being understood and agreed that the retiring Administrative Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any further action under any Security Document, including any action required to maintain the perfection of any such security interest), and (ii) the Majority Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent; provided that (A) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (B) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall directly be given or made to each Lender and each Issuing Bank. Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agent’s resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article XI and Section 12.03, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and in respect of the matters referred to in the proviso under clause (i) above.

 

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Section 11.06       Acknowledgements of Lenders and Issuing Banks.

 

(a)          Each Lender represents that it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any other Lender, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Loans hereunder. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any other Lender, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

(b)          Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement on the Effective Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Effective Date.

 

Section 11.07       Collateral Matters.

 

(a)          Except with respect to the exercise of setoff rights in accordance with Section 12.08 or with respect to a Secured Party’s right to file a proof of claim in an insolvency proceeding, no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce any guarantee of the Secured Indebtedness, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies under the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

(b)          In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation thereof, no Secured Cash Management Agreement and no Secured Swap Agreement will create (or be deemed to create) in favor of any Secured Party that is a party thereto any rights in connection with the management or release of any Collateral or of the obligations of any Group Member under any Loan Document. By accepting the benefits of the Collateral, each Secured Party that is a Secured Cash Management Provider or a Secured Swap Provider, as applicable, shall be deemed to have appointed the Administrative Agent to serve as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents and agreed to be bound by the Loan Documents as a Secured Party thereunder, subject to the limitations set forth in this paragraph.

 

(c)          The Secured Parties irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 9.03(b). The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon or any certificate prepared by any Group Member in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders or any other Secured Party for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

 

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(d)          The Secured Parties hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to release any collateral that is permitted to be sold or released pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents. The Secured Parties hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver to the Borrower, at the Borrower’s sole cost and expense, any and all releases of Liens, termination statements, assignments or other documents reasonably requested by the Borrower in connection with the sale or other disposition of Property to the extent such sale or disposition is permitted by the terms of Section 9.12 or is otherwise authorized by the terms of the Loan Documents.

 

Section 11.08       Credit Bidding. The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Secured Indebtedness (including by accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Secured Indebtedness pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code, or any similar laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Group Member is subject, or (b) at any other sale, foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Secured Indebtedness owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid by the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Required Lenders on a ratable basis (with Secured Indebtedness with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that shall vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) for the asset or assets so purchased (or for the equity interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are issued in connection with such purchase). In connection with any such bid, (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles and to assign any successful credit bid to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, (ii) each of the Secured Parties’ ratable interests in the Secured Indebtedness which were credit bid shall be deemed without any further action under this Agreement to be assigned to such vehicle or vehicles for the purpose of closing such sale, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or equity interests thereof, shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by, and the governing documents shall provide for, control by the vote of the Required Lenders or their permitted assignees under the terms of this Agreement or the governing documents of the applicable acquisition vehicle or vehicles, as the case may be, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 12.02 of this Agreement), (iv) the Administrative Agent on behalf of such acquisition vehicle or vehicles shall be authorized to issue to each of the Secured Parties, ratably on account of the relevant Secured Indebtedness which were credit bid, interests, whether as equity, partnership, limited partnership interests or membership interests, in any such acquisition vehicle and/or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (v) to the extent that Secured Indebtedness that is assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Secured Indebtedness assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of Secured Indebtedness credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Secured Indebtedness shall automatically be reassigned to the Secured Parties pro rata with their original interest in such Secured Indebtedness and the equity interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of such Secured Indebtedness shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action. Notwithstanding that the ratable portion of the Secured Indebtedness of each Secured Party is deemed assigned to the acquisition vehicle or vehicles as set forth in clause (ii) above, each Secured Party shall execute such documents and provide such information regarding the Secured Party (and/or any designee of the Secured Party which will receive interests in or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in connection with the formation of any acquisition vehicle, the formulation or submission of any credit bid or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by such credit bid.

 

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Section 11.09       Certain ERISA Matters.

 

(a)          Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Group Member, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

 

(i)          such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,

 

(ii)         the transaction exemption set forth in one or more Prohibited Transaction Exemptions (each a “PTE”), such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, and the conditions for exemptive relief thereunder are and will continue to be satisfied in connection therewith,

 

(iii)        (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and the conditions for exemptive relief thereunder are and will continue to be satisfied in connection with such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

 

(iv)        such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

 

(b)          In addition, unless Section 11.09(a)(i) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has not provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in Section 11.09(iv), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Group Member, that:

 

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(i)          none of the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto),

 

(ii)         the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is independent (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-21, as amended from time to time) and is a bank, an insurance carrier, an investment adviser, a broker-dealer or other person that holds, or has under management or control, total assets of at least $50,000,000, in each case as described in 29 CFR § 2510.3-21(c)(1)(i)(A)-(E),

 

(iii)        the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to particular transactions and investment strategies (including in respect of the obligations),

 

(iv)        the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is a fiduciary under ERISA or the Code, or both, with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the transactions hereunder, and

 

(v)         no fee or other compensation is being paid directly to the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or any their respective Affiliates for investment advice (as opposed to other services) in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments or this Agreement.

 

(c)          The Administrative Agent and the Arranger hereby inform the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

 

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ARTICLE XII
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 12.01       Notices.1

 

(a)          Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to Section 12.01(b)), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

 

(i)          if to the Borrower or the Parent, to it at 1001 Fannin St., Suite 800, Houston, TX 77002, Attention of Nicholas Bobrowski (Telecopy No. 713-250-8001);

 

(ii)         if to the Administrative Agent, to it at 10 South Dearborn, Fl 07, IL1 0010, Chicago, Illinois 60693, Attention of JPM.Agency.Servicing.4@jpmchase.com (Fax No. (888) 292-9533), with a copy to 712 Main St., 8th South, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention of Lisa Miller (Telecopy No. (713) 216-7756, and for all other correspondence other than borrowings, continuation, conversion and Letter of Credit requests 712 Main St., 12 South, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention of Ronald Dierker (Telecopy No. (713) 216-7722);

 

(iii)        if to any other Lender, in its capacity as such, or any other Lender in its capacity as an Issuing Bank, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

(b)          Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II, Article III, Article IV and Article V unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

 

(c)          Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

 

Section 12.02       Waivers; Amendments.

 

(a)          No failure on the part of the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender to exercise and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any right, power or privilege, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right, power or privilege, under any of the Loan Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege under any of the Loan Documents preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by Section 12.02(b), and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

 

 

1 Parties to confirm Notice instructions are correct.

 

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(b)          Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof nor any Security Document nor any provision thereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Majority Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Majority Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Maximum Credit Amount of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) increase the Borrowing Base without the written consent of each Lender, decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base without the consent of the Required Lenders, or modify in any manner Section 2.07 without the consent of each Lender, (iii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, or reduce any other Secured Indebtedness hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or any other Secured Indebtedness hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone or extend the Termination Date or the Maturity Date without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (v) change Section 4.01(b) or Section 4.01(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (vi) waive or amend Section 6.01, Section 10.02(c) or Section 8.14 or change the definition of the terms “Material Domestic Subsidiary”, “Commitments” or “Subsidiary”, without the written consent of each Lender, (vii) release any Guarantor (except as set forth in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement), release all or substantially all of the collateral (other than as provided in Section 11.07(d)), or reduce the percentage set forth in Section 8.14(a) to less than 95%, without the written consent of each Lender, (viii) modify, waive or amend Section 12.14 without the consent of each Lender or secured counterparty adversely affected thereby or (ix) change any of the provisions of this Section 12.02(b) or the definition of “Majority Lenders”, “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or under any other Loan Documents or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder or any other Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, or any Issuing Bank hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such other Agent or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else to the contrary, any supplement to Schedule 7.14 (Subsidiaries) shall be effective simply by delivering to the Administrative Agent a supplemental schedule clearly marked as such and, upon receipt, the Administrative Agent will promptly deliver a copy thereof to the Lenders.

 

Section 12.03       Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

 

(a)          The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel and other outside consultants for the Administrative Agent, the reasonable travel, photocopy, mailing, courier, telephone and other similar expenses and, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration (both before and after the execution hereof and including advice of counsel to the Administrative Agent as to the rights and duties of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect thereto) of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers of or consents related to the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all out-of-pocket costs, expenses, Taxes, assessments and other charges incurred by any Agent in connection with any filing, registration, recording or perfection of any security interest contemplated by this Agreement or any Security Document or any other document referred to therein, (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by each Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank or any demand for payment thereunder, (iv) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including its rights under this Section 12.03, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including, without limitation, all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

 

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(b)          THE BORROWER SHALL INDEMNIFY EACH AGENT, THE ARRANGERS, EACH ISSUING BANK AND EACH LENDER, AND EACH RELATED PARTY OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING PERSONS (EACH SUCH PERSON BEING CALLED AN “INDEMNITEE”) AGAINST, AND HOLD EACH INDEMNITEE HARMLESS FROM, ANY AND ALL LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES AND RELATED EXPENSES, INCLUDING THE FEES, CHARGES AND DISBURSEMENTS OF ANY COUNSEL FOR ANY INDEMNITEE, INCURRED BY OR ASSERTED AGAINST ANY INDEMNITEE ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION WITH, OR AS A RESULT OF (i) THE EXECUTION OR DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ANY AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, THE PERFORMANCE BY THE PARTIES HERETO OR THE PARTIES TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR THE CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR BY ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, (ii) THE FAILURE OF THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THIS AGREEMENT, OR WITH ANY GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENT, (iii) ANY INACCURACY OF ANY REPRESENTATION OR ANY BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY OR COVENANT OF THE BORROWER OR ANY GUARANTOR SET FORTH IN ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY INSTRUMENTS, DOCUMENTS OR CERTIFICATIONS DELIVERED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (iv) ANY LOAN OR LETTER OF CREDIT OR THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS THEREFROM, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, (A) ANY REFUSAL BY ANY ISSUING BANK TO HONOR A DEMAND FOR PAYMENT UNDER A LETTER OF CREDIT ISSUED BY SUCH ISSUING BANK IF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH DEMAND DO NOT STRICTLY COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT, OR (B) THE PAYMENT OF A DRAWING UNDER ANY LETTER OF CREDIT NOTWITHSTANDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE, NON-DELIVERY OR OTHER IMPROPER PRESENTATION OF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (v) ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, (vi) THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUSINESS OF THE BORROWER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES BY THE BORROWER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (vii) ANY ASSERTION THAT THE LENDERS WERE NOT ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE PROCEEDS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE SECURITY DOCUMENTS, (viii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE BORROWER OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE PRESENCE, GENERATION, STORAGE, RELEASE, THREATENED RELEASE, USE, TRANSPORT, DISPOSAL, ARRANGEMENT OF DISPOSAL OR TREATMENT OF OIL, OIL AND GAS WASTES, SOLID WASTES OR HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, (ix) THE BREACH OR NON-COMPLIANCE BY THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES WITH ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (x) THE PAST OWNERSHIP BY THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES OF ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES OR PAST ACTIVITY ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES WHICH, THOUGH LAWFUL AND FULLY PERMISSIBLE AT THE TIME, COULD RESULT IN PRESENT LIABILITY, (xi) THE PRESENCE, USE, RELEASE, STORAGE, TREATMENT, DISPOSAL, GENERATION, THREATENED RELEASE, TRANSPORT, ARRANGEMENT FOR TRANSPORT OR ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPOSAL OF OIL, OIL AND GAS WASTES, SOLID WASTES OR HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ON OR AT ANY OF THE PROPERTIES OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR ANY ACTUAL OR ALLEGED PRESENCE OR RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OR FROM ANY PROPERTY OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (xii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY RELATED IN ANY WAY TO THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, OR (xiii) ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH OR SAFETY CONDITION IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, OR (xiv) ANY ACTUAL OR PROSPECTIVE CLAIM, LITIGATION, INVESTIGATION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY INDEMNITEE IS A PARTY THERETO, AND SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL EXTEND TO EACH INDEMNITEE NOTWITHSTANDING THE SOLE OR CONCURRENT NEGLIGENCE OF EVERY KIND OR CHARACTER WHATSOEVER, WHETHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE, WHETHER AN AFFIRMATIVE ACT OR AN OMISSION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL TYPES OF NEGLIGENT CONDUCT IDENTIFIED IN THE RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS OF ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES OR BY REASON OF STRICT LIABILITY IMPOSED WITHOUT FAULT ON ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES; PROVIDED THAT SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL NOT, AS TO ANY INDEMNITEE, BE AVAILABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES OR RELATED EXPENSES ARE DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY FINAL AND NONAPPEALABLE JUDGMENT TO HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH INDEMNITEE. THIS SECTION 12.03(B) SHALL NOT APPLY WITH RESPECT TO TAXES OTHER THAN ANY TAXES THAT REPRESENT LOSSES, CLAIMS OR DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY NON-TAX CLAIM.

 

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(c)          Each Lender severally agrees to pay any amount required to be paid by the Borrower under Section 12.03(a) or Section 12.03(b) to the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each, an “Agent Indemnitee”) (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), ratably according to their respective Applicable Percentage in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section 12.03 (or, if indemnification is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with such Applicable Percentage immediately prior to such date), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent Indemnitee under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Agent Indemnitee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section 12.03 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

 

(d)          To the extent permitted by applicable law (i) the Parent and the Borrower shall not assert, and the Parent and the Borrower hereby waive, any claim against any Indemnitee for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), and (ii) no party hereto shall assert, and each such party hereby waives, any claim against any other party hereto, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that, nothing in this Section 12.03(d)(ii) shall relieve the Parent or the Borrower of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee against special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.

 

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(e)          All amounts due under this Section 12.03 shall be payable within ten (10) Business Days of written demand therefor.

 

Section 12.04       Successors and Assigns.

 

(a)          The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section 12.04. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in Section 12.04(c)) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)          (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in Section 12.04(b)(ii), any Lender may assign to one or more assignees, other than a natural person or a Defaulting Lender, all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:

 

(A)         the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to any other assignee; and

 

(B)         the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment to an assignee that is a Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender), an Affiliate of a Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender) or an Approved Fund immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment.

 

(ii)         Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

 

(A)         except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment, the amount of the Commitment of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(B)         each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement;

 

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(C)         the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and

 

(D)         the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

 

(iii)        Subject to Section 12.04(b)(iv) and the acceptance and recording thereof, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 and Section 12.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 12.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 12.04(c).

 

(iv)        The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Maximum Credit Amount of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, any Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. In connection with any changes to the Register, if necessary, the Administrative Agent will reflect the revisions on Annex I and forward a copy of such revised Annex I to the Borrower, each Issuing Bank and each Lender.

 

(v)         Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in Section 12.04(b) and any written consent to such assignment required by Section 12.04(b), the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this Section 12.04(b).

 

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(c)          (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (1) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (2) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (3) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the proviso to Section 12.02 that affects such Participant. In addition such agreement must provide that the Participant be bound by the provisions of Section 12.03. Subject to Section 12.04(c)(ii), the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 5.01, Section 5.02 and Section 5.03 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 12.04(b). To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 12.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 4.01(c) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

(ii)         Except as provided in Section 12.04(c)(i), a Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 5.01 or Section 5.03 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent.

 

(d)          Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or any central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender, and this Section 12.04(d) shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(e)          No assignment or participation shall be made to the Borrower, the Parent or any of the Parent’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.

 

Section 12.05       Survival; Revival; Reinstatement.

 

(a)          All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect until Payment in Full. The provisions of Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 and Section 12.03 and Article XI shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.

 

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(b)          To the extent that any payments on the Secured Indebtedness or proceeds of any collateral are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid to a trustee, debtor in possession, receiver or other Person under any bankruptcy law, common law or equitable cause, then to such extent, the Secured Indebtedness so satisfied shall be revived and continue as if such payment or proceeds had not been received and the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ Liens, security interests, rights, powers and remedies under this Agreement and each Loan Document shall continue in full force and effect. In such event, each Loan Document shall be automatically reinstated and the Borrower shall take such action as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to effect such reinstatement.

 

Section 12.06       Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.

 

(a)          This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.

 

(b)          This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO AND THERETO AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.

 

(c)          Except as provided in Section 6.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or electronic mail shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

Section 12.07       Severability. Any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof or thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

Section 12.08       Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, other than those in Excluded Accounts) at any time held and other obligations (of whatsoever kind, including, without limitations obligations under Swap Agreements) at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries owed to such Lender now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section 12.08 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender or its Affiliates may have.

 

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Section 12.09       GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS.

 

(a)          THIS AGREEMENT AND THE NOTES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT UNITED STATES FEDERAL LAW PERMITS ANY LENDER TO CONTRACT FOR, CHARGE, RECEIVE, RESERVE OR TAKE INTEREST AT THE RATE ALLOWED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE WHERE SUCH LENDER IS LOCATED. CHAPTER 346 OF THE TEXAS FINANCE CODE (WHICH REGULATES CERTAIN REVOLVING CREDIT LOAN ACCOUNTS AND REVOLVING TRI-PARTY ACCOUNTS) SHALL NOT APPLY TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE NOTES.

 

(b)          ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THE LOAN DOCUMENTS SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS OR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, HOUSTON DIVISION, AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH PARTY HEREBY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW) IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS. THIS SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION IS NON-EXCLUSIVE AND DOES NOT PRECLUDE A PARTY FROM OBTAINING JURISDICTION OVER ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY COURT OTHERWISE HAVING JURISDICTION.

 

(c)          EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE SERVICE OF PROCESS OF ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED COURTS IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY THE MAILING OF COPIES THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, TO IT AT THE ADDRESS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 12.01 OR SUCH OTHER ADDRESS AS IS SPECIFIED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.01 (OR ITS ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION), SUCH SERVICE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER SUCH MAILING. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF A PARTY OR ANY HOLDER OF A NOTE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO COMMENCE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR OTHERWISE PROCEED AGAINST ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.

 

(d)          EACH PARTY HEREBY (i) IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN; (ii) IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO CLAIM OR RECOVER IN ANY SUCH LITIGATION ANY SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES OTHER THAN, OR IN ADDITION TO, ACTUAL DAMAGES; (iii) CERTIFIES THAT NO PARTY HERETO NOR ANY REPRESENTATIVE OR AGENT OF COUNSEL FOR ANY PARTY HERETO HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, OR IMPLIED THAT SUCH PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVERS, AND (iv) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT, THE LOAN DOCUMENTS AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 12.09.

 

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Section 12.10       Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

 

Section 12.11      Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

Each Lender acknowledges that information furnished to it pursuant to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their respective securities, and confirms that it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and that it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with those procedures and applicable law, including federal and state securities laws.

 

All information, including requests for waivers and amendments, furnished by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent pursuant to, or in the course of administering, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents will be syndicate-level information, which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their respective securities. Accordingly, each Lender represents to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that it has identified in its Administrative Questionnaire a credit contact who may receive information that may contain material non-public information in accordance with its compliance procedures and applicable law, including federal and state securities laws.

 

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Section 12.12         Interest Rate Limitation. It is the intention of the parties hereto that each Lender shall conform strictly to usury laws applicable to it. Accordingly, if the transactions contemplated hereby would be usurious as to any Lender under laws applicable to it (including the laws of the United States of America and the State of Texas or any other jurisdiction whose laws may be mandatorily applicable to such Lender notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement), then, in that event, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any of the Loan Documents or any agreement entered into in connection with or as security for the Notes, it is agreed as follows: (a) the aggregate of all consideration which constitutes interest under law applicable to any Lender that is contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received by such Lender under any of the Loan Documents or agreements or otherwise in connection with the Notes shall under no circumstances exceed the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and any excess shall be canceled automatically and if theretofore paid shall be credited by such Lender on the principal amount of the Secured Indebtedness (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Secured Indebtedness shall have been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded by such Lender to the Borrower); and (b) in the event that the maturity of the Notes is accelerated by reason of an election of the holder thereof resulting from any Event of Default under this Agreement or otherwise, or in the event of any required or permitted prepayment, then such consideration that constitutes interest under law applicable to any Lender may never include more than the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and excess interest, if any, provided for in this Agreement or otherwise shall be canceled automatically by such Lender as of the date of such acceleration or prepayment and, if theretofore paid, shall be credited by such Lender on the principal amount of the Secured Indebtedness (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Secured Indebtedness shall have been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded by such Lender to the Borrower). All sums paid or agreed to be paid to any Lender for the use, forbearance or detention of sums due hereunder shall, to the extent permitted by law applicable to such Lender, be amortized, prorated, allocated and spread throughout the stated term of the Loans evidenced by the Notes until payment in full so that the rate or amount of interest on account of any Loans hereunder does not exceed the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law. If at any time and from time to time (i) the amount of interest payable to any Lender on any date shall be computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender pursuant to this Section 12.12 and (ii) in respect of any subsequent interest computation period the amount of interest otherwise payable to such Lender would be less than the amount of interest payable to such Lender computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender, then the amount of interest payable to such Lender in respect of such subsequent interest computation period shall continue to be computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender until the total amount of interest payable to such Lender shall equal the total amount of interest which would have been payable to such Lender if the total amount of interest had been computed without giving effect to this Section 12.12. To the extent that Chapter 303 of the Texas Finance Code is relevant for the purpose of determining the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to a Lender, such Lender elects to determine the applicable rate ceiling under such Chapter by the weekly ceiling from time to time in effect. Chapter 346 of the Texas Finance Code does not apply to the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.

 

Section 12.13         EXCULPATION PROVISIONS. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO SPECIFICALLY AGREES THAT IT HAS A DUTY TO READ THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND AGREES THAT IT IS CHARGED WITH NOTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; THAT IT HAS IN FACT READ THIS AGREEMENT AND IS FULLY INFORMED AND HAS FULL NOTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS, CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS OF THIS AGREEMENT; THAT IT HAS BEEN REPRESENTED BY INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL OF ITS CHOICE THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS PRECEDING ITS EXECUTION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; AND HAS RECEIVED THE ADVICE OF ITS ATTORNEY IN ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; AND THAT IT RECOGNIZES THAT CERTAIN OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS RESULT IN ONE PARTY ASSUMING THE LIABILITY INHERENT IN SOME ASPECTS OF THE TRANSACTION AND RELIEVING THE OTHER PARTY OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH LIABILITY. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES AND COVENANTS THAT IT WILL NOT CONTEST THE VALIDITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY EXCULPATORY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS ON THE BASIS THAT THE PARTY HAD NO NOTICE OR KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH PROVISION OR THAT THE PROVISION IS NOT “CONSPICUOUS.”

 

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Section 12.14       Collateral Matters; Swap Agreements. The benefit of the Security Documents and of the provisions of this Agreement relating to any collateral securing the Secured Indebtedness shall also extend to and be available to those Persons which are counterparties to any Swap Agreement with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries on a pro rata basis in respect of any obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which arise (i) under any such Swap Agreement entered into while such Person or its Affiliate is a Lender or (ii) under any such Swap Agreement entered into prior to the date hereof if such Person or its Affiliate was a Lender on the date hereof. Except as provided in Section 12.02(b), no Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender shall have any voting rights under any Loan Document as a result of the existence of obligations owed to it under any such Swap Agreements.

 

Section 12.15       No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the agreement of the Lenders to make Loans and the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend Letters of Credit hereunder are solely for the benefit of the Borrower, and no other Person (including, without limitation, any Subsidiary of the Borrower, any obligor, contractor, subcontractor, supplier or materialman) shall have any rights, claims, remedies or privileges hereunder or under any other Loan Document against the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender for any reason whatsoever. There are no third party beneficiaries.

 

Section 12.16       USA Patriot Act Notice. Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Patriot Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.

 

Section 12.17       Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

(a)          the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

 

(b)          the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

 

(i)          a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

 

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(ii)         a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

 

(iii)        the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

 

Section 12.18       Flood Insurance Provisions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, in no event is any “Building” (as defined in the applicable Flood Insurance Regulation) or “Manufactured (Mobile) Home” (as defined in the applicable Flood Insurance Regulation) included in the definition of “Mortgaged Property” and no Building or Manufactured (Mobile) Home is hereby encumbered by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

Section 12.19       Effect and Mechanics of Agreement. Concurrently with the occurrence of the Effective Date, using the applicable portion of the proceeds of its initial borrowing request hereunder (together with any other applicable proceeds), the Borrower shall be deemed to have repaid all the amounts that are outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement and the Existing Credit Agreement shall no longer be in force and effect; provided that (a) the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the Liens created by the mortgages and deeds of trust securing the Existing Credit Agreement and the Security Documents (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) shall be carried forward to secure the Secured Indebtedness and evidenced by the Security Documents and have not been released or impaired in any way, (b) the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as administrative agent under the Existing Credit Agreement and as holder, mortgagee or beneficiary of the collateral under or pursuant to the Loan Documents (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) hereby assigns, transfers and conveys to the Administrative Agent, without recourse or warranty, all Liens granted to it in connection with the Existing Credit Agreement, (c) the Security Documents and all other ancillary documents executed in connection with such Security Documents shall supersede and replace in their entirety each Security Document (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) and all ancillary documents executed in connection therewith and all such superseded agreements and ancillary documents shall be of no further force and effect and (d) the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed issued under this Agreement.

 

[SIGNATURES BEGIN NEXT PAGE]

 

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The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

  EV PROPERTIES, L.P.,
as Borrower

 

  By: /s/ Nicholas P. Bobrowski
  Name: Nicholas P. Bobrowski
  Title: VP & CFO

 

  HARVEST OIL & GAS CORP.,
  as Parent

 

  By: /s/ Nicholas P. Bobrowski
  Name: Nicholas P. Bobrowski
  Title: VP & CFO

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and a Lender

 

  By: /s/ Ronald Dierker
  Name: Ronald Dierker
  Title: Authorized Officer

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ David Maynard
  Name: David Maynard
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  COMPASS BANK,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ William H Douning
  Name: William H Douning
  Title: Sr. Vice President

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  CITIBANK, N.A.,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ Jeff Ard
  Name: Jeff Ard
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  BANC OF AMERICA CREDIT PRODUCTS, INC.,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ Margaret Sang
  Name: Margaret Sang
  Title: VP

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ Greg M. Hall
  Name: Greg M. Hall
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  ZB, N.A. DBA AMEGY BANK,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ John Moffitt
  Name: John Moffitt
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, HOUSTON
BRANCH, as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ Terry Donovan
  Name: Terry Donovan
  Title: Managing Director

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  AG ENERGY FUNDING, LLC,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ Todd Dittmann
  Name: Todd Dittmann
  Title: Authorized Person

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF
COMMERCE, NEW YORK BRANCH,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ E. Lindsay Gordon
  Name: E. Lindsay Gordon
  Title: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
    Executive Director

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  ING CAPITAL LLC,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ Juli Bieser
  Name: Juli Bieser
  Title: Managing Director
     
  By: /s/ Charles Hall
  Name: Charles Hall
  Title: Managing Director

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ Leslie P. Vowell
  Name: Leslie P. Vowell
  Title: Attorney-in-Fact

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  COMERICA BANK,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ Jeffrey M. Parilla
  Name: Jeffrey M. Parilla
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  CROSS OCEAN USSS FUND I (A) LP, as a
Lender
  By CROSS OCEAN PARTNERS
MANAGEMENT, LP, its investment manager

 

  By: /s/ Nicholas Renwick
  Name: Nicholas Renwick
  Title: Portfolio Manager, Head of Research US

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  CROSS OCEAN USSS SIF I LP,
  as a Lender
  By CROSS OCEAN PARTNERS
MANAGEMENT, LP, its investment manager

 

  By: /s/ Nicholas Renwick
  Name: Nicholas Renwick
  Title: Portfolio Manager, Head of Research US

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  REGIONS BANK,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ J. Patrick Carrigan
  Name: J. Patrick Carrigan
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

 

  U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
  as a Lender

 

  By: /s/ James P. Cecil
  Name: James P. Cecil
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page
Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement