EX-99.(A)(1)(A) 2 exa1acompanynotice.htm EXHIBIT 99.(A)(1)(A) Exhibit


Exhibit (a)(1)(A)

COMPANY NOTICE
To the Holders of
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
2.75% Contingent Convertible Senior Notes due 2035
CUSIP 165167BW6
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture dated as of November 8, 2005, as supplemented, among Chesapeake Energy Corporation (the “Company”), the subsidiary guarantors named therein and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), (the “Indenture”), pursuant to which the 2.75% Contingent Convertible Senior Notes due 2035 of the Company (the “Notes”) were issued.
In accordance with the Indenture, at the option of each holder of the Notes, the Notes will be purchased by the Company for $1,000 in cash per $1,000 principal amount of the Note plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, November 15, 2015 (the “Repurchase Date” and such amount, the “Repurchase Price”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Indenture, the Notes and this Company Notice and related offer materials, as amended and supplemented from time to time (the “Offer”). However, because the Repurchase Date is after a record date and on the interest payment date, the interest will be paid to the holders in whose names the Notes are registered at the close of business on the record date, which is November 1, 2015. The Offer expires at 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 15, 2015. This Company Notice is being sent pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.08 of the Indenture.
To accept the Offer by the Company to purchase the Notes and receive payment of the Repurchase Price, holders of certificated Notes in non-global form must (i) deliver the enclosed Repurchase Notice (the “Repurchase Notice”) to the Paying Agent (and not have withdrawn the Repurchase Notice) before 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 10, 2015 and (ii) validly surrender the Notes to the Paying Agent (and not have withdrawn such Notes) with or at any time after the delivery of the Repurchase Notice. Notes surrendered for purchase may be withdrawn at any time before 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 13, 2015, which is the business day immediately preceding the Repurchase Date.
The Trustee has informed the Company that, as of the date of this Company Notice, all custodians and beneficial holders of the Notes hold the Notes through accounts with The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and that there are no certificated Notes in non-global form. Accordingly, all Notes surrendered for repurchase hereunder must be delivered through the transmittal procedures of DTC’s automated tender offer program (“ATOP”).
The name and address of the Trustee, as Paying Agent and Conversion Agent, is as follows:
The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.
Attn: Dacia Brown-Jones
111 Sanders Creek Parkway
East Syracuse, NY 13057
Dated: October 1, 2015
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
NOTICE:
 
Copies of this Company Notice may be obtained from the Paying Agent at its address set forth above.

*    No representation is made as to the correctness of such number either as printed on the Notes or as contained in this Company Notice, and reliance may be placed only on the other identification printed on the Notes.






TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY TERM SHEET
1
IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE OFFER
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1. Information Concerning the Company.
3
2. Information Concerning the Notes.
4
2.1 The Company’s Obligation to Purchase the Notes.
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2.2 Repurchase Price.
4
2.3 Conversion Rights of Notes.
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2.4 Market for the Notes and the Shares of the Company.
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2.5 Redemption.
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2.6 Fundamental Change.
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2.7 Ranking.
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3. Procedures to be Followed by Holders Electing to Surrender Notes for Purchase.
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3.1 Method of Delivery.
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3.2 Repurchase Notice.
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3.3 Delivery of Notes.
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4. Right of Withdrawal.
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5. Payment for Surrendered Notes.
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6. Notes Acquired.
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7. Plans or Proposals of the Company.
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8. Interests of the Directors, Executive Officers and Affiliates of the Company in the Notes.
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9. Purchases of Notes by the Company and its Affiliates.
10
10. Material Untied States Federal Income Tax Considerations.
10
11. Additional Information.
13
12. No Solicitation.
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13. Definitions.
14
14. Conflicts
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No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this Company Notice and the accompanying Repurchase Notice and, if given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized. This Company Notice and the accompanying Repurchase Notice do not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Notes in any circumstances or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. The delivery of this Company Notice shall not under any circumstances create any implication that the information contained herein is current as of any time subsequent to the date of such information. None of the Company or its board of directors or employees are making any representation or recommendation to any holder as to whether to surrender such holder’s Notes. You should consult your own financial and tax advisors and must make your own decision as to whether to surrender your Notes for purchase and, if so, the amount of Notes to surrender.


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SUMMARY TERM SHEET

The following are answers to some of the questions that you may have about the Offer. To understand the Offer fully and for a more complete description of the terms of the Offer, we urge you to read carefully the remainder of this Company Notice and the accompanying Repurchase Notice because the information in this summary is not complete and those documents contain additional important information.

Who is offering to purchase my Notes?
Chesapeake Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma corporation, is offering to purchase all outstanding 2.75% Contingent Convertible Senior Notes due 2035 issued by it that are surrendered for purchase at the option of the holder thereof. As of September 30, 2015, there was $395,801,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding.

Why is the Company making the Offer?
The Company is required to make the Offer under the terms of the Indenture and the Notes.

How much is the Company offering to pay?
Under the terms of the Indenture and the Notes, the Company will pay, in cash, a Repurchase Price equal to $1,000 in cash per $1,000 principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the Repurchase Date with respect to any and all Notes validly surrendered for purchase and not withdrawn. However, because the Repurchase Date is after a record date and on the interest payment date, the interest will be paid to the holders in whose names the Notes are registered at the close of business on the record date, which is November 1, 2015.

What is the form of payment?
Under the terms of the Indenture, the Company must pay the Repurchase Price in cash with respect to any and all Notes validly surrendered for purchase and not withdrawn.

Are the Notes convertible into shares?
The Notes are convertible in certain circumstances into cash and a number of shares of common stock of the Company determined as specified in the Indenture and the terms of the Notes. However, the Notes are not currently convertible because these circumstances have not been satisfied. As of September 30, 2015, the conversion rate of the Notes was 27.6927, equivalent to a conversion price per share of approximately $36.11. This conversion rate is subject to further adjustment upon the occurrence of certain corporate events but not for accrued interest. Effective November 16, 2015, the conversion ratio will be subject to an annual adjustment in connection with the Company’s dividend payments in the first and second quarters of 2015. In addition, if certain fundamental changes occur prior to November 15, 2015, the Company will in some cases increase the conversion rate for a holder electing to convert Notes in connection with such fundamental change.

How can I determine the market value of the Notes?
There is no established reporting system or market for trading in the Notes. To the extent that the Notes are traded, prices of the Notes may fluctuate widely depending on trading volume, the balance between buy and sell orders, prevailing interest rates, the Company’s operating results and the market for similar securities. Holders are urged to obtain, to the extent available, current market quotations for the Notes prior to making any decision with respect to the Offer.

What does the board of directors of the Company think of the Offer?
The board of directors of the Company has not made any recommendation as to whether you should surrender your Notes for purchase. You must make your own decision whether to surrender your Notes for purchase and, if so, the amount of Notes to surrender.


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When does the Offer expire?
The Offer expires at 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 15, 2015. The Company does not plan to extend the period you have to accept the Offer unless required to do so by federal securities laws.
What are the conditions to the Company’s purchase of the Notes?
Provided that the Company’s purchase of validly surrendered Notes is not unlawful, that purchase will not be subject to any other conditions.
How do I surrender my Notes?
To surrender your Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer, you must (i) deliver the Repurchase Notice to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Paying Agent, no later than 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 10, 2015, and (ii) validly surrender the Notes to the Paying Agent with or at any time after the delivery of the Repurchase Notice, as described below. Holders that surrender through DTC need not submit a physical repurchase notice to the Paying Agent if such holders comply with the transmittal procedures of DTC.
A holder whose Notes are held by a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee must contact that nominee if that holder desires to surrender its Notes and instruct that nominee to surrender the Notes on the holder’s behalf.
A holder who is a DTC participant should surrender its Notes electronically through DTC’s ATOP system, subject to the terms and procedures of that system.
While the Trustee has informed us that there are currently no certificated Notes in non-global form, in the event that after the date of this Company Notice physical certificates evidencing the Notes are issued to a Holder other than DTC or its nominee, a holder whose Notes are held in certificated form must properly complete and execute the Repurchase Notice, and deliver the notice to the Paying Agent, with any other required documents and the certificates representing the Notes to be surrendered for purchase.
If I surrender, when will I receive payment for my Notes?
The Company will accept for payment all validly surrendered Notes immediately upon expiration of the Offer. The Company will forward to the Paying Agent, on or prior to 11:00 a.m., New York time, on November 16, 2015, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the aggregate Repurchase Price for all Notes that have been validly surrendered for purchase and not withdrawn, and the Paying Agent will promptly distribute the cash to the holders in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Notes. The Repurchase Price for any Notes that have been validly surrendered for purchase and not withdrawn will be paid promptly following the later of November 16, 2015 and the time of surrender of such Notes to the Paying Agent.
Until what time can I withdraw previously surrendered Notes?
You can withdraw Notes previously surrendered for purchase at any time until 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 13, 2015, which is the business day immediately preceding the Repurchase Date.
How do I withdraw previously surrendered Notes?
Holders that withdraw through DTC need not submit a physical notice of withdrawal to the Paying Agent if such holders comply with the withdrawal procedures of DTC prior to 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 13, 2015. Any holder who desires to withdraw previously surrendered Notes evidenced by physical certificates must deliver an executed written notice of withdrawal, or a facsimile of one, to the Paying Agent prior to 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 13, 2015.
Any such notice of withdrawal must include the principal amount of the Note with respect to which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted and the principal amount, if any, of such Note which remains subject to the original Repurchase Notice and which has been or will be delivered for repurchase by the Company.


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Do I need to do anything if I do not wish to surrender my Notes for purchase?
No. If you do not surrender your Notes electronically through ATOP before the expiration of the Offer (or, if your Notes are evidenced by physical certificates, deliver a properly completed and duly executed Repurchase Notice to the Paying Agent), the Company will not purchase your Notes and such Notes will remain outstanding subject to their existing terms.
If I choose to surrender my Notes for purchase, do I have to surrender all of my Notes?
No. You may surrender all of your Notes, a portion of your Notes or none of your Notes for purchase. If you wish to surrender a portion of your Notes for purchase, however, you must surrender your Notes in a principal amount of $1,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000.
If I do not surrender my Notes for purchase, will I continue to be able to exercise my conversion rights?
Yes. If you do not surrender your Notes for purchase, your conversion rights will not be affected. You will continue to have the right to convert the Notes in certain circumstances into cash and a number of shares of common stock of the Company determined as specified in the Indenture and the terms of the Notes. However, the Notes are not currently convertible because these circumstances have not been satisfied.
Will I have to pay U.S. federal income taxes if I surrender my Notes for purchase in the Offer?
The receipt of cash in exchange for Notes pursuant to the Offer will be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We urge you to consult with your tax advisor regarding the actual tax consequences to you. For a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the Offer, see “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.”
Who is the Paying Agent?
The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., the trustee for the Notes, is serving as Paying Agent in connection with the Offer. Its address and telephone number are set forth on the front cover page of this Company Notice.
Who can I talk to if I have questions about the Offer?
Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the surrender of Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer may be directed to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. at 315-414-3349, Attn: Dacia Brown-Jones.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE OFFER
1.    Information Concerning the Company.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation is an Oklahoma corporation. The Company’s principal executive offices are located at 6100 North Western Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118, and its telephone number at that address is (405) 848-8000. The Company’s shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “CHK.”
The Company is currently the second-largest producer of natural gas and the 12th largest producer of oil and natural gas liquids in the United States. The Company owns interests in approximately 44,900 oil and natural gas wells that produced an average of approximately 703 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day in the 2015 second quarter, net to the Company’s interest. The Company has a large and geographically diverse resource base of onshore U.S. unconventional natural gas and liquids assets. The Company has leading positions in the liquids-rich resource plays of the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas; the Utica Shale in Ohio and Pennsylvania; the Granite Wash, Cleveland, Tonkawa and Mississippian Lime plays in the Anadarko Basin in northwestern Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle; and the Niobrara Shale and Upper Cretaceous sands in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. The Company’s natural gas resource plays are the Haynesville/Bossier Shales in northwestern Louisiana and East Texas; the


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Marcellus Shale in the northern Appalachian Basin in Pennsylvania; and the Barnett Shale in the Fort Worth Basin of north-central Texas. The Company also owns oil and natural gas marketing and natural gas gathering and compression businesses.
2.    Information Concerning the Notes.
The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of November 8, 2005, as supplemented among the Company, the subsidiary guarantors named therein and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. The description of the Notes and the Indenture set forth under the caption “Description of Senior Notes” in the Prospectus dated March 7, 2006 forming a part of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (No.333-132261), is incorporated by reference herein.
2.1    The Company’s Obligation to Purchase the Notes.
Under the terms of the Notes, each holder of the Notes may require the Company to purchase on November 15, 2015 (the “Repurchase Date”) all or a portion of the holder’s Notes validly surrendered for purchase and not withdrawn on November 13, 2015.
The Offer expires at 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 15, 2015. The Company does not plan to extend the period holders of Notes have to accept the Offer unless required to do so by federal securities laws. If holders do not validly surrender their Notes before the expiration of the Offer, their Notes will remain outstanding subject to the existing terms of the Indenture and the Notes.
If any Notes remain outstanding following expiration of the Offer, the Company will become obligated to purchase any then-remaining Notes, at the option of the holders, in whole or in part, on November 15, 2020, November 15, 2025  and November 15, 2030, respectively, at purchase prices equal to $1,000 in cash per $1,000 principal amount of the Note plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, such repurchase date.
2.2    Repurchase Price.
Under the terms of the Notes, the purchase price for the Notes in the Offer is equal to $1,000 in cash per $1,000 principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the Repurchase Date (the “Repurchase Price”). The Company will pay the Repurchase Price in cash with respect to any and all Notes validly surrendered for purchase and not withdrawn. The Company will accept Notes surrendered for purchase only in principal amounts equal to $1,000 or integral multiples thereof. If the Paying Agent holds cash sufficient to pay the Repurchase Price of the Notes tendered and not withdrawn by 11:00 a.m., New York time, on the business day following the Repurchase Date, then (a) such Notes will cease to be outstanding, (b) unless the Company defaults in making payment of the Repurchase Price, interest, if any, will cease to accrue on such Notes on and after the Repurchase Date and (c) the rights of the holders of such Notes will terminate.
The Repurchase Price is based solely on the requirements of the Indenture and the Notes and bears no relationship to the market price of the Notes or of shares of common stock of the Company. Accordingly, the Repurchase Price may be significantly higher or lower than the current market price of the Notes. Holders of Notes are urged to obtain the best available information as to potential current market prices of the Notes, to the extent available, and shares of common stock the Company before making a decision whether to surrender their Notes for purchase.
None of the Company or its board of directors or employees are making any recommendation to holders as to whether to surrender or refrain from surrendering Notes for purchase pursuant to this Company Notice. Each holder must make his or her own decision whether to surrender his or her Notes for purchase and, if so, the principal amount of Notes to surrender based on that holder’s assessment of current market value of the Notes and the shares of common stock of the Company and other relevant factors.
2.3    Conversion Rights of Notes.
The Notes are convertible in certain circumstances into cash and a number of shares of common stock of the Company determined as specified in the Indenture and the terms of the Notes. The Notes are convertible under the following circumstances:

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prior to November 15, 2033, during any calendar quarter commencing after November 8, 2005, and only during such calendar quarter, if for at least 20 trading days during the period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter, the last reported sale price per share of common stock of the Company is more than 125% of the conversion price per share of common stock of the Company for the Notes on the last trading day of such preceding calendar quarter;
on or after November 15, 2033, as all times on or after any date thereafter on which the last reported sale price per share of common stock of the Company is more than 125% of the then conversion price;
during the five consecutive business-day period following any five consecutive trading-day period in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes for each trading day of such five trading-day period was less than 95% of the product of the average of the last reported sale prices per share common stock of the Company for such five trading-day period and the then current conversion rate;
if the Notes have been called for redemption, at any time after the notice of such redemption is given and prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the redemption date;
during specified periods upon the occurrence of specified distributions to holders of shares of the Company or specified corporate transactions; or
if the Company is party to a consolidation, merger, share exchange, sale of all or substantially all of its assets or other similar transactions, in each case pursuant to which the shares of common stock of the Company are subject to conversion into cash, securities or other property, from and after the effective date of such transaction.
As of September 30, 2015, these conditions had not been satisfied.
As of September 30, 2015, the conversion rate of the Notes was 27.6927, equivalent to a conversion price per share of approximately $36.11. This conversion rate is subject to further adjustment upon the occurrence of certain corporate events but not for accrued interest. Effective November 16, 2015, the conversion ratio will be subject to an annual adjustment in connection with the Company’s dividend payments in the first and second quarters of 2015. In addition, if certain fundamental changes occur on or before November 15, 2015, the Company will in some cases increase the conversion rate for a holder electing to convert Notes in connection with such fundamental change. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., the trustee for the Notes, serves as the Conversion Agent for the Notes.
Holders that do not surrender their Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer will maintain the right to convert their Notes, subject to the terms, conditions and adjustments specified in the Indenture and in the Notes. Any Note as to which a Repurchase Notice has been given may be converted in accordance with the terms of the Indenture only if the applicable Repurchase Notice has been validly withdrawn in accordance with the terms of the Indenture before 5:00 p.m., New York time on November 13, 2015, as described in Section 4 below, and the Notes may otherwise be converted pursuant to Article 9 of the Indenture.
2.4    Market for the Notes and the Shares of the Company.
There is no established reporting system or trading market for trading in the Notes. To the extent that the Notes are traded, prices of the Notes may fluctuate widely depending on trading volume, the balance between buy and sell orders, prevailing interest rates, our operating results and the market for similar securities. The Notes have been deposited with the Trustee as custodian for DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC for the accounts of participants in DTC.
Although the Notes are not currently convertible, the Notes are convertible in certain circumstances into cash and a number of shares of common stock of the Company determined as specified in the Indenture and the terms of the Notes. As of September 30, 2015, the conversion rate of the Notes was 27.6927, equivalent to a conversion price per share of approximately $36.11. This conversion rate is subject to further adjustment upon the occurrence of certain corporate events but not for accrued interest. Effective November 16, 2015, the conversion ratio will be subject to an annual adjustment in connection with the Company’s dividend payments in the first and second quarters of 2015. In

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addition, if certain fundamental changes occur prior to November 15, 2015, the Company will in some cases increase the conversion rate for a holder electing to convert Notes in connection with such fundamental change.
The Company’s shares are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “CHK.” The following table presents the range of high and low quarterly intraday sales prices of the Company’s shares on the NYSE since December 31, 2012.
 
 
Price
Fiscal Year Ended December 31,
 
High
 
Low
2013
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
 
$22.97

 
$16.32

Second Quarter
 
22.86

 
18.21

Third Quarter
 
27.46

 
20.30

Fourth Quarter
 
29.06

 
25.06

2014
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
 
$27.54

 
$23.92

Second Quarter
 
31.49

 
25.66

Third Quarter
 
29.92

 
22.77

Fourth Quarter
 
24.43

 
16.41

2015
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
 
$21.49

 
$13.38

Second Quarter
 
16.98

 
10.94

Third Quarter (through September 29, 2015)
 
11.90

 
6.01


On September 29, 2015, the last reported sales price of shares of the Company on the NYSE was $6.79 per share. As of July 31, 2015, there were 665,366,523 shares of the Company’s $0.01 par value common stock outstanding. We urge you to obtain current market information for the Notes, to the extent available, and the shares of the Company before making any decision to surrender your Notes pursuant to the Offer.
2.5    Redemption.
After the tenth business day after the Repurchase Date, the Company, at its option, may redeem any Notes that remain outstanding, in whole or in part, for cash at a price equal 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest up to but excluding the redemption date.
2.6    Fundamental Change.
A holder may require the Company to repurchase for cash his or her Notes if there is a Fundamental Change (as defined in the Indenture) at a purchase price equal to $1,000 in cash per $1,000 principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (as defined in the Indenture), unless the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date is after a record date and on or prior to the interest payment date to which it relates, in which case interest accrued to the interest payment date will be paid to holders as of the record date and the price the Company is required to pay will be equal to the principal amount of the Notes.
2.7    Ranking.
The Notes are general unsecured senior obligations of the Company. The Notes rank equal in right of payment with all of the Company’s existing and future unsecured senior debt and senior in right of payment to any subordinated debt of the Company. Each of the guarantees of the Notes is the general unsecured, senior obligation of the related Subsidiary Guarantor (as defined in the Indenture) and ranks equal in right of payment with all other senior debt of such Subsidiary Guarantor and senior in right of payment to any subordinated debt of such Subsidiary Guarantor.


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The Notes and the guarantees are effectively subordinated to all existing and future secured indebtedness of the Company, the subsidiaries of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness.
3.    Procedures to be Followed by Holders Electing to Surrender Notes for Purchase.
Holders will not be entitled to receive the Repurchase Price for their Notes unless they validly surrender the Notes with or at any time after delivery of the Repurchase Notice and do not withdraw the Notes before 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 13, 2015. Only registered holders are authorized to surrender their Notes for purchase. Holders may surrender some or all of their Notes; however, any Notes surrendered must be in $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof.
If holders do not validly surrender their Notes before the expiration of the Offer, their Notes will remain outstanding subject to the terms of the Notes.
3.1    Method of Delivery.
The method of delivery of Notes, the related Repurchase Notice and all other required documents, including delivery through DTC and acceptance through ATOP, is at the election and risk of the person surrendering such Notes and delivering such Repurchase Notice and, except as expressly otherwise provided in the Repurchase Notice, delivery will be deemed made only when actually received by the Paying Agent. The date of any postmark or other indication of when a Note or the Repurchase Notice was sent will not be taken into account in determining whether such materials were timely received. If such delivery is by mail, it is suggested that holders use properly insured, registered mail with return receipt requested, and that holders (i) mail the required Repurchase Notice sufficiently in advance of November 10, 2015 to permit delivery to the Paying Agent prior to 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 10, 2015, and (ii) validly surrender the Notes with or at any time after delivery of the Repurchase Notice.
3.2    Repurchase Notice.
The Trustee has informed the Company that, as of the date of this Company Notice, all custodians and beneficial holders of the Notes hold the Notes through accounts at DTC and that there are no certificated Notes in non-global form. Accordingly, unless physical certificates are issued following the date hereof, all Notes surrendered for repurchase hereunder must be delivered through DTC’s ATOP system. Valid delivery of Notes via ATOP will constitute a Repurchase Notice satisfying the holders’ notice requirements under the Indenture. Delivery of Notes and all other required documents, including delivery and acceptance through ATOP, is at the election and risk of the person surrendering such Notes.
The Indenture requires that the Repurchase Notice contain:
the relevant Repurchase Date;
if certificated Notes have been issued, the certificate numbers of the Notes being delivered for purchase (provided, that if the Notes are not in certificated form, the Repurchase Notice must comply with appropriate DTC procedures);
the portion of the principal amount of Notes to be purchased, which portion must be in principal amounts of $1,000 or integral multiples thereof; and
a statement that the Notes are to be purchased by the Company as of the Repurchase Date pursuant to the terms and conditions specified in the Indenture.
3.3    Delivery of Notes.
Notes in Certificated Form. While the Trustee has informed us that there are currently no certificated Notes in non-global form, in the event that after the date of this Company Notice physical certificates evidencing the Notes are issued to a holder other than DTC or its nominee, to receive the Repurchase Price, holders of Notes in certificated form must deliver to the Paying Agent (i) deliver the Repurchase Notice before 5:00 p.m., New York time, on


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November 10, 2015 and (ii) validly surrender the Notes to the Paying Agent with or at any time after the delivery of the Repurchase Notice.
Notes Held Through a Custodian. A holder whose Notes are held by a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee must contact such nominee if such holder desires to surrender his or her Notes and instruct such nominee to surrender the Notes for purchase on the holder’s behalf.
Notes in Global Form. A holder who is a DTC participant may elect to surrender to the Company his or her beneficial interest in the Notes by:
delivering to the Paying Agent’s account at DTC through DTC’s book-entry system his or her beneficial interest in the Notes; and
electronically transmitting his or her acceptance through ATOP, subject to the terms and procedures of that system.
In surrendering through ATOP, the electronic instructions sent to DTC by the holder, and transmitted by DTC to the Paying Agent, will acknowledge, on behalf of DTC and the holder, receipt by the holder of an agreement to be bound by the Repurchase Notice.
Notes and the Repurchase Notice must be delivered to the Paying Agent to collect payment. Delivery of documents to DTC or the Company does not constitute delivery to the Paying Agent.
HOLDERS THAT SURRENDER THROUGH DTC NEED NOT SUBMIT A PHYSICAL REPURCHASE NOTICE TO THE PAYING AGENT IF SUCH HOLDERS COMPLY WITH DTC’S TRANSMITTAL PROCEDURES.
4.    Right of Withdrawal. 
Notes surrendered for purchase may be withdrawn at any time before 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 13, 2015. In order to withdraw Notes, holders must either comply with DTC’s withdrawal procedures or deliver to the Paying Agent written notice specifying:
if the Notes with respect to such notice of withdrawal are certificated, the certificate number of the withdrawn Notes (provided, that if the Notes are in the form of a Global Note (as defined in the Indenture), then such notice of withdrawal must comply with appropriate DTC procedures applicable to the withdrawal of a Repurchase Notice);
the principal amount of the Notes with respect to which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted; and
the principal amount, if any, of such Notes which remain subject to the original Repurchase Notice, which portion must be in principal amounts of $1,000 or integral multiples thereof.
Any properly withdrawn Notes will be deemed not validly surrendered for purposes of the Offer. Notes withdrawn from the Offer may be resurrendered by following the surrender procedures described above.
HOLDERS THAT WITHDRAW THROUGH DTC NEED NOT SUBMIT A PHYSICAL NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL TO THE PAYING AGENT IF SUCH HOLDERS COMPLY WITH DTC’S WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURES.
5.    Payment for Surrendered Notes. 
The Company will forward to the Paying Agent, before 11:00 a.m., New York time, on November 16, 2015, the appropriate amount of cash required to pay the Repurchase Price for the Notes validly surrendered for purchase and not withdrawn, and the Paying Agent will promptly distribute the cash to the holders. The Repurchase Price for any Notes that have been validly surrendered for purchase and not withdrawn, together with accrued but unpaid interest payable with respect thereto, will be paid promptly following the later of the Repurchase Date and the time of


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surrender of such Notes to the Paying Agent. Each holder of a beneficial interest in the Notes that has properly delivered such beneficial interest for purchase by the Company through the DTC and not validly withdrawn such delivery before 5:00 p.m., New York time, on November 13, 2015 will receive the Repurchase Price promptly after such distribution.
The total amount of funds required by the Company to purchase all of the Notes is $395,801,000 (assuming all of the Notes are validly surrendered for purchase and accepted for payment). In the event any Notes are surrendered and accepted for payment, the Company intends to use available cash of it and its affiliates, borrowings under its revolving credit facility and proceeds of any other Company financing, as the case may be, to pay the Repurchase Price.
6.    Notes Acquired.
Any Notes that are purchased by the Company pursuant to the Offer will be canceled by the Trustee, pursuant to the terms of the Indenture.
7.    Plans or Proposals of the Company.
Except as described or incorporated by reference in this document, the Company presently has no plans that relate to or would result in:
(1) any extraordinary transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving any of its subsidiaries;
(2) any repurchase, sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries;
(3) any material change in the present dividend rate or policy, or indebtedness or capitalization of the Company;
(4) any change in the present board of directors or management of the Company, including, but not limited to, any plans or proposals to change the number or the term of directors or to fill any existing vacancies on the board or to change any material term of the employment contract of any executive officer of the Company;
(5) any other material change in the Company’s corporate structure or business;
(6) any class of equity security of the Company to be delisted from a national securities exchange or cease to be authorized to be quoted in an automated quotation system operated by a national securities association;
(7) any class of equity security of the Company becoming eligible for termination of registration under Section 12(g)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
(8) the suspension of the Company’s obligation to file reports under Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act;
(9) the acquisition by any person of additional securities of the Company, or the disposition of securities of the Company; or
(10) any changes in the Company’s articles of incorporation or by-laws or its other governing instruments or other actions that could impede the acquisition of control of the Company.
8.    Interests of the Directors, Executive Officers and Affiliates of the Company in the Notes.
To the knowledge of the Company:
none of the Company or its executive officers, directors, subsidiaries or other affiliates have any beneficial interest in the Notes;
none of the officers or directors of the subsidiaries of the Company have any beneficial interest in the Notes;
the Company will not purchase any Notes from such persons; and



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during the 60 days preceding the Repurchase Date, neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its executive officers, directors or affiliates have engaged in any transactions in the Notes.
A list of the directors and executive officers of the Company is attached to this Company Notice as Annex A.

9.    Purchases of Notes by the Company and its Affiliates.
Each of the Company and its affiliates, including its executive officers and directors, are prohibited under applicable federal securities laws from purchasing Notes (or the right to purchase Notes) other than through the Offer until at least the tenth business day after the Repurchase Date. Following that time, if any Notes remain outstanding, the Company and its affiliates may purchase Notes in the open market, in private transactions, through a subsequent tender offer or otherwise, any of which may be consummated at purchase prices higher or lower than the Repurchase Price to be paid pursuant to the Offer. Any decision to purchase Notes after the Offer, if any, will depend upon many factors, including the market price of the Notes, the amount of Notes surrendered for purchase pursuant to the Offer, the market price of the shares of the Company, our business and financial position and general economic and market conditions.
On or after the tenth business day after the Repurchase Date, the Company may redeem any Notes that remain outstanding, in whole or in part, for cash at a price equal to the principal amount plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.
10.    Material Untied States Federal Income Tax Considerations. 
The following discussion summarizes the material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the surrender of Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer. This discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Treasury Regulations”), administrative rulings, judicial decisions and other applicable authorities, all as in effect as of the date hereof and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretation, possibly with retroactive effect. This summary is limited to holders of the Notes who hold their Notes as “capital assets” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). For purposes of this discussion, “holder” means either a U.S. Holder (as defined below) or a Non-U.S. Holder (as defined below) or both, as the context may require.
This discussion does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to holders in light of their particular circumstances or to holders that may be subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws, such as:
financial institutions,
tax-exempt organizations,
S corporations or other pass-through entities,
insurance companies,
mutual funds,
dealers in securities,
traders in securities that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities,
holders that are subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code,
certain expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States,
U.S. Holders that have a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar,
personal holding companies,
regulated investment companies,
real estate investment trusts, and


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holders that hold the Notes as part of a hedge, conversion or constructive sale transaction, straddle, wash sale, or other risk reduction transaction.
If a partnership (including any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is the beneficial owner of Notes, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership, and certain determinations made at the partner level. A beneficial owner that is a partnership and partners in such a partnership are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them of the Offer.
This discussion does not address the Medicare tax imposed on certain investment income under Section 1411 of the Code, U.S. federal taxes other than income tax, or tax considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state or local jurisdiction. No ruling has or will be obtained from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to the Offer. As a result, no assurance can be given that the IRS will not assert, or that a court will not sustain, a position contrary to the conclusions set forth below.
THIS SUMMARY IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS OF THE TAX CONSEQUENCES RELATING TO THE OFFER. WE URGE YOU TO CONSULT A TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES RELATING TO THE OFFER IN LIGHT OF YOUR OWN SITUATION.
U.S. Holders.
The following discussion applies only to U.S. Holders of the Notes. As used in this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of a Note that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is:
an individual U.S. citizen or resident alien,
a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized under U.S. law (federal or state),
an estate whose worldwide income is subject to U.S. federal income tax, or
a trust if it (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more United States persons (as defined in the Code) have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person.
Classification of the Notes. Under the indenture governing the Notes, the Company and each holder agreed to treat the Notes as indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is subject to the Treasury Regulations governing contingent payment debt instruments (the “contingent payment debt regulations”). Pursuant to the contingent payment debt regulations, U.S. Holders have generally been required to accrue interest income on the Notes on a constant yield basis at an assumed yield that was determined at the time of issuance of the Notes (the “comparable yield”). The comparable yield of the Notes is 6.86%, compounded semi-annually.
Surrender of Notes for Purchase. A U.S. Holder that receives cash in exchange for the surrender of Notes pursuant to the Offer will recognize taxable gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between (1) such U.S. Holder’s amount realized (generally, the amount of cash received pursuant to the Offer) and (2) such U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Notes. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in a Note will generally be equal to such U.S. Holder’s purchase price for the Note, increased by any interest previously accrued by such U.S. Holder (ignoring any interest included under the contingent payment debt regulations by reason of differences between projected and actual contingent payments), and decreased by the amount of any noncontingent payments and the projected amount of any contingent payments previously made on the Note to such U.S. Holder. Under the contingent payment debt regulations, the amount realized may be reduced in certain circumstances if the projected payments on the Notes have exceeded the actual contingent payments and interest previously accrued on the Notes.
Any gain recognized by a U.S. Holder in respect of the Notes generally will be treated as interest income. Any loss recognized by a U.S. holder in respect of the Notes generally will be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of the


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excess of previous interest accruals over the total negative adjustments previously taken into account under the contingent payment debt regulations as an ordinary loss, with any remaining balance treated as a capital loss. Any such capital loss would be a long-term capital loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period in the Note is more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. A U.S. Holder that sells the Notes at a loss that meets certain thresholds may be required to file a disclosure statement with the IRS.
Market Discount and Acquisition Premium. A U.S. Holder that purchased a Note at a price other than the issue price in the initial offering will have an adjusted tax basis in the Note that reflects market discount or acquisition premium, as applicable. Under the contingent payment debt regulations, the general rules for accrual of market discount or acquisition premium do not apply. Instead, the contingent payment debt regulations require a U.S. Holder to reasonably allocate the difference, if any, between its tax basis at the time of acquisition and the issue price (or adjusted issue price, as the case may be) to (1) daily portions of original issue discount or (2) projected payments over the remaining term of the Note, with corresponding positive or negative adjustments as appropriate under the contingent payment debt regulations.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. A U.S. Holder will be subject to information reporting with respect to payments made pursuant to the Offer, unless the U.S. Holder is an exempt recipient (such as a corporation). In addition, backup withholding will apply unless the U.S. Holder (1) is a corporation or other exempt recipient and, when required, demonstrates this fact or (2) provides its taxpayer identification number and satisfies certain certification requirements. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. The amount of any backup withholding will be allowed as a credit against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle the U.S. Holder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner.
Non-U.S. Holders.
The following discussion applies only to Non-U.S. Holders of the Notes. As used in this discussion, a “Non-U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of a Note that is an individual, corporation, estate, or trust that is not a U.S. Holder.
Surrender of Notes for Purchase. Subject to the discussions below regarding USRPIs (as defined below) and backup withholding, payments made to any Non-U.S. Holder for the surrender of Notes pursuant to the Offer generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax if (1) such payments are not effectively connected with such Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States and (2) such Non-U.S. Holder satisfies each of the following requirements:
such Non-U.S. Holder does not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote;
such Non-U.S. Holder is not a “controlled foreign corporation” with respect to which we are a “related person,” each within the meaning of the Code; and
such Non-U.S. Holder certifies that it is not a U.S. person by providing a properly completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or appropriate substitute form to (1) us (or our paying agent) or (2) a securities clearing organization, bank or other financial institution that (i) holds customers’ securities in the ordinary course of its trade or business, (ii) holds the Non-U.S. Holder’s Notes on such Non-U.S. Holder’s behalf, (iii) certifies to us (or our paying agent) under penalties of perjury that it has received from such Non-U.S. Holder a signed, written statement and (iv) provides us (or our paying agent) with a copy of this statement.
If a Non-U.S. Holder does not satisfy each of the preceding requirements, then the gross amount of payments made to such Non-U.S. Holder for the surrender of Notes pursuant to the Offer could be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% unless (1) the Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for a reduced withholding rate or exemption under an applicable income tax treaty, in which case such Non-U.S. Holder must provide a properly completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or appropriate substitute form, or (2) the interest is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if a treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by such Non-U.S. Holder in the United States), in which case such Non-U.S. Holder must provide a properly completed IRS Form W-8ECI or appropriate substitute form.


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Any payment made to any Non-U.S. Holder for the surrender of Notes pursuant to the Offer that is effectively connected with such Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if a treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by such Non-U.S. Holder in the United States) generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at rates generally applicable to U.S. persons. In the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is a foreign corporation, the after-tax portion of such payment may also be subject to the branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty).
Treatment of USRPIs. Even if a Non-U.S. Holder satisfies the requirements described above, under the contingent payment debt regulations and Section 897 of the Code, payments made to any Non-U.S. Holder for the surrender of Notes pursuant to the Offer generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at rates generally applicable to U.S. persons if, with respect to such Non-U.S. Holder, the Notes are treated as “United States real property interests” within the meaning of the Code (“USRPIs”). Because we believe that we likely are a “U.S. real property holding corporation,” within the meaning of the Code, the Notes will be treated as USRPIs with respect to any Non-U.S. Holder who owns, or who has owned during the shorter of such Non-U.S. Holder’s holding period in the Notes or the five-year period ending on the date of the surrender, (1) more than 5% of the Notes, if the Notes are treated as “regularly traded on an established securities market” or (2) Notes with a value greater than 5% of the value of our outstanding common stock as of the latest date such Notes were acquired, if the Notes are not treated as “regularly traded on an established securities market.” It is not entirely clear whether the Notes would be treated as “regularly traded on an established securities market” for this purpose. Moreover, if it were determined that a Non-U.S. Holder’s Notes were USRPIs by reason of clause (2), then the gross amount of payments made to such Non-U.S. Holder for the surrender of Notes pursuant to the Offer would be subject to a 10% U.S. federal withholding tax. The amount of any such withholding would be allowed as a credit against a Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such Non-U.S. Holder to a refund, provided that such Non-U.S. Holder properly and timely files a tax return with the IRS.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. Payments to a Non-U.S. Holder for the surrender of Notes pursuant to the Offer generally will be subject to backup withholding unless such Non-U.S. Holder certifies, under penalties of perjury, that it is not a U.S. person or otherwise establishes an exemption and generally will be subject to information reporting. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. The amount of any backup withholding would be allowed as a credit against the Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle the Non-U.S. Holder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner.
11.    Additional Information.
The Company files annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read and copy any materials the Company files with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can obtain information about the operation of the SEC’s public reference room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains a website that contains information the Company files electronically with the SEC, which you can access over the Internet at http://www.sec.gov. You can obtain information about the Company at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.
The Company has filed with the SEC a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO under Section 13(e)(4) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13e-4 of the SEC, furnishing certain information with respect to the Offer. The Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO, together with any exhibits and any amendments thereto, may be examined and copies may be obtained at the same places and in the same manner as described above.
The documents listed below contain important information about the Company and its financial condition and are herein incorporated by reference:
the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014;
the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2015 and June 30, 2015;
the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 16, 2015, April 7, 2015, May 22, 2015, August 21, 2015 and October 1, 2015 (excluding any information “furnished” but not “filed”);


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The description of the Notes and the Indenture set forth under the caption “Description of Senior Notes” in the Prospectus dated March 7, 2006 forming a part of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (No.333-132261); and
The description of the Company’s common stock set forth under the caption “Description of Chesapeake Capital Stock” in the Prospectus dated March 7, 2006 forming a part of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (No.333-132261).
In the event of conflicting information in these documents, the information in the latest filed documents should be considered correct.
12.    No Solicitation. 
There are no persons directly or indirectly employed, retained or to be compensated to make solicitations or recommendations in connection with the Offer. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., however, is the trustee under the Indenture and will be communicating with and providing notices to holders of the Notes as required by the Indenture.
13.    Definitions.
All capitalized terms used but not specifically defined herein shall have the meanings given to those terms in the Indenture and the Notes.
14.    Conflicts
In the event of any conflict between this Company Notice and the accompanying Repurchase Notice, on the one hand, and the terms of the Indenture and the Notes or any applicable laws, on the other hand, the terms of the Indenture or the Notes or applicable laws, as the case may be, will control.
None of the Company or its board of directors or employees are making any recommendation to any holder as to whether to surrender or refrain from surrendering Notes for purchase pursuant to this Company Notice. Each holder must make his or her own decision whether to surrender his or her Notes for purchase and, if so, the principal amount of Notes to surrender based on their own assessment of current market value and other relevant factors.

 
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
 
 
 
October 1, 2015


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ANNEX A
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following table presents the name and title of each of the Company’s executive officers and directors as of October 1, 2015. The address of each such person is c/o Chesapeake Energy Corporation, 6100 North Western Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118.



 
 
 
Name
  
Title
 
 
Robert D. Lawler
  
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
 
 
Domenic J. Dell’Osso, Jr.
  
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
 
 
Michael A. Johnson
  
Senior Vice President - Accounting, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer
 
 
Archie W. Dunham
  
Chairman of the Board
 
 
Vincent J. Intieri
  
Director
 
 
John J. Lipinski
  
Director
 
 
R. Brad Martin
  
Director
 
 
Merrill A. Miller, Jr.
  
Director
 
 
Frederic M. Poses
  
Director
 
 
Kimberly K. Querrey
  
Director
 
 
Louis A. Raspino
  
Director
 
 
Thomas L. Ryan
  
Director











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