AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

Exhibit 2.1

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

by and among

FOREST OIL CORPORATION (PARENT)

MJCO CORPORATION (MERGER SUB)

and

THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY (COMPANY)

dated as of

January 7, 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Exhibit A – Affiliates Letter

Exhibit B – Form of Permitted Amendment to Employment Agreements

TABLE OF DEFINED TERMS

     This Agreement and Plan of Merger (this “ Agreement ”) dated January 7, 2007, by and among Forest Oil Corporation, a New York corporation (“ Parent ”), MJCO Corporation, a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent (“ Merger Sub ”), and The Houston Exploration Company, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”).

     WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company deem it advisable and in the best interests of their respective corporations and stockholders that a transaction be effected pursuant to which (i) Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation, (ii) immediately thereafter, the Company will merge with and into Parent, with Parent continuing as the surviving corporation (the “ Mergers ”), and (iii) subject to the provisions of Article II, Parent will pay aggregate consideration equal to 0.84 shares of Parent Common Stock and $26.25 cash for each outstanding share of Company Common Stock at the Merger I Effective Time (with specific per share consideration determined as a result of the election, pro ration, equalization and other provisions of Article II), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, and such Boards of Directors have approved the Agreement and the Mergers; and

     WHEREAS, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it is intended that the Mergers will qualify as a reorganization under the provisions of Section 368(a) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”);

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

THE MERGERS

          1.1 The Mergers.

               (a)  First Merger . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, at the Effective Time (as defined below), Merger Sub shall merge with and into the Company (the “First Merger” ), the separate existence of Merger Sub shall thereupon cease and the Company shall be the surviving entity in the First Merger (sometimes referred to herein as the “Merger I Surviving Entity ”) as a wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent. The First Merger shall have the effects set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “ DGCL ”), including the Merger I Surviving Entity’s succession to and assumption of all rights and obligations of Merger Sub and the Company.

               (b)  Second Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, immediately after the First Merger, Parent shall take all action necessary under Section 253 of the DGCL and Section 907 of the New York Business Corporation Law (“ NYBCL ”) to cause the Merger I Surviving Entity to be merged with and into Parent (the “Second Merger,” and together with the First Merger, the “Mergers”). At the Merger II Effective Time, the separate existence of the Merger I Surviving Entity shall thereupon cease and Parent shall be the surviving entity (the “Surviving Entity” ) in the Second Merger. The Second Merger shall have

the effects set forth in the DGCL and the NYBCL, including Parent’s succession to and assumption of all rights and obligations of Parent and the Company.

          1.2 Effective Times of the Mergers.

               (a)  First Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at the Closing, Parent, Merger Sub and the Company will cause an appropriate Certificate of Merger (the “Merger I Certificate of Merger” ) to be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Secretary of State” ) in such form and executed as provided in the DGCL. The First Merger shall become effective (the “Merger I Effective Time ”) upon the later of (i) the date of filing of a properly executed Merger I Certificate of Merger with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the DGCL, and (ii) such time as the parties shall agree and as specified in the Merger I Certificate of Merger. The filing of the Merger I Certificate of Merger referred to above shall be made as soon as practicable on the Closing Date set forth in Section 1.3.

               (b)  Second Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at or as promptly as practicable following the Closing and immediately after the Merger I Effective Time, Parent and Merger I Surviving Entity will cause appropriate Certificates of Ownership and Merger (the “Merger II Certificates of Merger” and together with the Merger I Certificate of Merger, the “Certificates of Merger” ) to be executed and filed with each of the Delaware Secretary of State and the Secretary of State of the State of New York (the “ New York Secretary of State ”) in such form and executed as provided in the DGCL and the NYBCL, respectively. The Second Merger shall become effective (the “Merger II Effective Time” ) upon the later of (i) the date of filing of properly executed Merger II Certificates of Merger with the Delaware Secretary of State and the New York Secretary of State in accordance with the DGCL and the NYBCL, respectively, and (ii) such time as the parties shall agree and as specified in the Merger II Certificates of Merger. The filing of the Merger II Certificates of Merger referred to above shall be made as soon as practicable on the Closing Date set forth in Section 1.3, which in any event shall be as promptly as practicable after the Merger I Effective Time.

          1.3 Closing. The closing (the “ Closing ”) of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will take place at 10:00 a.m. (local time) on a date to be specified by the parties, which shall be no later than the second Business Day after satisfaction or (to the extent permitted by applicable Law) waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VI (other than any such conditions which by their nature cannot be satisfied until the Closing Date, which shall be required to be so satisfied or (to the extent permitted by applicable Law) waived on the Closing Date), at the offices of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., 1001 Fannin, Houston, Texas 77002 unless another time, date or place is agreed to in writing by the parties hereto (such date upon which the Closing occurs, the “ Closing Date ”).

          1.4 Certificate of Incorporation. Pursuant to the First Merger, (a) the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company in effect immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time shall be the Certificate of Incorporation of the Merger I Surviving Entity until thereafter changed or amended as provided therein or by applicable Law. Pursuant to the Second Merger, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Parent, as in effect immediately prior to the Merger II

Effective Time, shall be the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Entity until thereafter changed or amended as provided therein or by applicable Law.

          1.5 Bylaws. Pursuant to the First Merger, the bylaws of the Company in effect immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time shall be the bylaws of the Merger I Surviving Entity at and after the Merger I Effective Time until thereafter amended in accordance with the terms thereof, the Merger I Surviving Entity’s Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL. Pursuant to the Second Merger, the bylaws of Parent, as in effect immediately prior to the Merger II Effective Time shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Entity at and after the Merger II Effective Time until thereafter amended in accordance with the terms thereof, the Surviving Entity’s Certificate of Incorporation and the NYBCL.

          1.6 Directors and Officers. At and after the Merger I Effective Time, the directors and officers of Merger Sub shall be the directors and officers, respectively, of the Merger I Surviving Entity until their respective successors have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the Merger I Surviving Entity’s Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws and the DGCL. At and after the Merger II Effective Time, the directors and officers of Parent shall be the directors and officers, respectively, of the Surviving Entity until their respective successors have been duly appointed and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the Surviving Entity’s Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws and the NYBCL.

ARTICLE II

EFFECT OF THE MERGERS ON THE CAPITAL STOCK
OF THE COMPANY AND MERGER SUB; EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES

          2.1 Effect of the First Merger on Capital Stock. At the Merger I Effective Time, by virtue of the First Merger and without any action on the part of any party or the holder of any of their securities:

               (a)  Capital Stock of Merger Sub . Each share of capital stock of Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time shall be converted into one share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Merger I Surviving Entity, so that, after the Merger I Effective Time, Parent shall be the holder of all of the issued and outstanding shares of the Merger I Surviving Entity’s common stock.

               (b)  Capital Stock of the Company . Subject to the other provisions of this Article II, each share of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Company Common Stock ”) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time (excluding any shares of Company Common Stock described in Section 2.1(d) and any Appraisal Shares) shall be converted into the right to receive at the election of the holder thereof as provided in and subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, either (i) the Per Share Stock Consideration or (ii) the Per Share Cash Consideration (the Per Share Cash Consideration together with the Per Share Stock Consideration, are herein referred to as the “ Merger Consideration ”).

     For purposes of this Agreement:

     “ Aggregate Consideration ” shall mean the sum of (x) the Total Stock Value and (y) the Total Cash Amount.

     “ Aggregate Consideration Per Share ” shall mean the quotient, rounded to the nearest ten-thousandth, obtained by dividing the Aggregate Consideration by the total number of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time.

     “ Deemed Shares Outstanding ” shall mean the total number of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time, provided, however, that regardless of the actual number of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time, in no event shall the Deemed Shares Outstanding exceed the sum of (i) 28,140,054, and (ii) the aggregate number of shares of Company Common Stock, if any, issued by the Company after the date hereof upon the exercise of the Company Options outstanding as of the date hereof which have been disclosed to Parent prior to the date hereof and which are referred to in Section 3.2 or pursuant to Section 5.1(d)(B) in accordance with the terms of such options.

     “ Exchange Ratio ” shall mean the quotient, rounded to the nearest ten-thousandth, obtained by dividing the Aggregate Consideration Per Share by the Final Parent Stock Price.

     “ Final Parent Stock Price ” shall mean the average of the per share closing sales prices of Parent Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange (the “ New York Stock Exchange ”), as reported in The Wall Street Journal , during the Valuation Period.

     “ Parent Common Stock ” shall mean the common stock of Parent, par value $0.01 per share.

     “ Per Share Cash Consideration ” shall mean cash in an amount equal to the value of the Aggregate Consideration Per Share.

     “ Per Share Stock Consideration ” shall mean a number of shares (which need not be a whole number) of Parent Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio, which shares shall include the Parent Rights associated therewith.

     “ Total Cash Amount ” shall mean (x) the product obtained by multiplying (A) $52.4580 by (B) 50.04% of the Deemed Shares Outstanding minus (y) any cash dividends to all stockholders made by the Company after the date of this Agreement.

     “ Total Stock ” shall mean the product obtained by multiplying (x) 1.6813 by (y) 49.96% of the Deemed Shares Outstanding.

     “ Total Stock Value ” shall mean the product obtained by multiplying (x) the Total Stock by (y) the Final Parent Stock Price.

     “ Valuation Period ” shall mean the ten consecutive trading days during which the shares of Parent Common Stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange ending on (and including)

the third calendar day immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time, or if such calendar day is not a trading day, then ending on the trading day immediately preceding such calendar day.

               (c)  Certificates . All such shares of Company Common Stock, when so converted, shall cease to be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and cease to exist. Each holder of a certificate (a “ Certificate ”) previously representing any such shares shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive (x) the Merger Consideration, (y) any dividends or other distributions in accordance with Section 2.6, and (z) any cash to be paid in lieu of any fractional shares of Parent Common Stock in accordance with Section 2.6, in each case to be issued or paid in consideration therefor upon the surrender of such Certificates in accordance with Section 2.6.

               (d)  Treasury Stock . All shares of Company Common Stock held by the Company as treasury shares or by Parent or Merger Sub or by any wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent, Merger Sub or the Company immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time shall automatically be canceled and cease to exist as of the Merger I Effective Time and no consideration shall be delivered or deliverable therefor.

               (e)  Calculations . The calculations required by Section 2.1(b) shall be prepared by Parent promptly after the Closing.

               (f)  Impact of Stock Splits, Etc . If, between the date of this Agreement and the Merger I Effective Time, the shares of Parent Common Stock or Company Common Stock shall be changed or proposed to be changed into a different number or class of shares by reason of the occurrence of or record date with respect to any reclassification, recapitalization, split-up, combination, exchange of shares or similar readjustment, in any such case within such period, or a stock dividend thereon shall be declared with a record date within such period, appropriate adjustments shall be made to the Per Share Stock Consideration. Nothing in this Section 2.1(f) shall be construed to permit any party to take any action that is otherwise prohibited or restricted by any other provision of this Agreement.

          2.2 Effect of the Second Merger on Capital Stock. At the Merger II Effective Time, by virtue of the Second Merger and without any action on the part of any party or the holder of any of their securities:

               (a)  Capital Stock of Merger I Surviving Entity . All outstanding shares of the Merger I Surviving Entity shall be cancelled and shall cease to exist and no stock of Parent, cash or other consideration shall be issued or delivered in exchange therefor.

               (b)  Capital Stock of Parent . The issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Parent shall remain issued and outstanding and unchanged.

          2.3 Election Procedures.

               (a) An election form and other appropriate and customary transmittal materials (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates theretofore representing shares of Company Common Stock shall pass, only upon proper delivery of such Certificates to the Exchange Agent) in such form as Parent shall specify

and as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company (the “ Election Form ”) and pursuant to which each holder of record of shares of Company Common Stock as of the close of business on the Election Form Record Date may make an election pursuant to this Section 2.3, shall be mailed at the same time as the Proxy Statement or at such other time as the Company and Parent may agree (the date on which such mailing is commenced or such other agreed date, the “ Mailing Date ”) to each holder of record of Company Common Stock as of the close of business on the record date for notice of the Company Special Meeting (the “ Election Form Record Date ”).

               (b) Each Election Form shall permit the holder (or the beneficial owner through appropriate and customary documentation and instructions), other than any holder of Appraisal Shares, to specify (i) the number of shares of such holder’s Company Common Stock with respect to which such holder elects to receive the Per Share Stock Consideration (“ Stock Election Shares ”), (ii) the number of shares of such holder’s Company Common Stock with respect to which such holder elects to receive the Per Share Cash Consideration (“ Cash Election Shares ”), or (iii) that such holder makes no election with respect to such holder’s Company Common Stock (“ No Election Shares ”). Any Company Common Stock with respect to which the Exchange Agent has not received an effective, properly completed Election Form on or before 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the 33rd day following the Mailing Date (or such other time and date as the Company and Parent shall agree) (the “ Election Deadline ”) (other than any shares of Company Common Stock that constitute Appraisal Shares as of such time) shall also be deemed to be No Election Shares. If the Closing has not occurred within 10 days of the Election Deadline, then, unless the Closing is then scheduled to take place by the tenth day thereafter, the Election Deadline shall be changed, unless Parent and the Company agree that no such change shall be made, to such tenth day, or such other date as is agreed to by Parent and the Company, and the Company and Parent shall make a public announcement of such new Election Deadline, if any.

               (c) Parent shall make available one or more Election Forms as may reasonably be requested from time to time by all Persons who become holders (or beneficial owners) of Company Common Stock between the Election Form Record Date and the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Election Deadline, and the Company shall provide to the Exchange Agent all information reasonably necessary for it to perform as specified herein.

               (d) Any such election shall have been properly made only if the Exchange Agent shall have actually received a properly completed Election Form by the Election Deadline. An Election Form shall be deemed properly completed only if accompanied by (i) one or more Certificates (or customary affidavits and indemnification regarding the loss or destruction of such Certificates or the guaranteed delivery of such Certificates) representing all certificated shares of Company Common Stock covered by such Election Form or (ii) in the case of shares in book-entry form, any additional documents specified by the procedures set forth in the Election Form, together with duly executed transmittal materials included in the Election Form. Any Election Form may be revoked or changed by the Person submitting such Election Form prior to the Election Deadline. In the event an Election Form is revoked prior to the Election Deadline, the shares of Company Common Stock represented by such Election Form shall become No Election Shares and Parent shall cause the Certificates, if any, representing Company Common Stock to be promptly returned without charge to the Person submitting the Election Form upon

written request to that effect from the holder who submitted the Election Form, except to the extent (if any) a subsequent election is properly made with respect to any or all of the applicable shares of Company Common Stock. Subject to the terms of this Agreement and of the Election Form, the Exchange Agent shall have reasonable discretion to determine whether any election, revocation or change has been properly or timely made and to disregard immaterial defects in the Election Forms, and any good faith decisions of the Exchange Agent regarding such matters shall be binding and conclusive. None of Parent, Merger Sub or the Exchange Agent shall be under any obligation to notify any Person of any defect in an Election Form.

               (e) Within ten Business Days after the Election Deadline, unless the Merger I Effective Time has not yet occurred, in which case as soon after the Merger I Effective Time as practicable (and in no event more than ten Business Days after the Merger I Effective Time), Parent shall cause the Exchange Agent to effect the allocation among the holders of Company Common Stock of rights to receive Parent Common Stock or cash in the Merger in accordance with the Election Forms as follows:

                    (i) Cash Election Shares More Than Total Cash Amount . If the product obtained by multiplying (x) the Cash Election Shares by (y) the Per Share Cash Consideration is greater than the Total Cash Amount, then:

          (A) all Stock Election Shares and No Election Shares shall be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Stock Consideration,

          (B) the Exchange Agent shall then select from among the Cash Election Shares, pro rata to the holders of Cash Election Shares in accordance with their respective numbers of Cash Election Shares (except as provided in the last paragraph of Section 2.3(e)), a sufficient number of shares (“ Stock Designated Shares ”) such that the aggregate cash amount that will be paid in the Mergers equals as closely as practicable the Total Cash Amount, and all Stock Designated Shares shall be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Stock Consideration, and

          (C) the Cash Election Shares that are not Stock Designated Shares will be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Cash Consideration.

                    (ii) Cash Election Shares Less Than Total Cash Amount . If the product obtained by multiplying (x) the Cash Election Shares by (y) the Per Share Cash Consideration is less than the Total Cash Amount, then:

          (A) all Cash Election Shares shall be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Cash Consideration,

          (B) the Exchange Agent shall then select first from among the No Election Shares and then (if necessary) from among the Stock Election Shares, in each case pro rata to the holders of No Election Shares or Stock Election Shares, as the case may be, in accordance with their respective numbers of No Election Shares or Stock Election Shares, as the case may

be, a sufficient number of shares (“ Cash Designated Shares ”) such that the aggregate cash amount that will be paid in the Mergers equals as closely as practicable the Total Cash Amount, and all Cash Designated Shares shall be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Cash Consideration, and

          (C) the Stock Election Shares and the No Election shares that are not Cash Designated Shares shall be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Stock Consideration.

          (iii) Cash Election Shares Equal to Total Cash Amount . If the product obtained by multiplying (x) the Cash Election Shares by (y) the Per Share Cash Consideration is equal to the Total Cash Amount, then subparagraphs (i) and (ii) above shall not apply and all Cash Election Shares shall be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Cash Consideration and all Stock Election Shares and No Election Shares shall be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Stock Consideration.

          Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, for purposes of determining the allocations set forth in this Section 2.3, Parent shall have the right to require, but not the obligation to require (unless such requirement is necessary to satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 6.2(d) or Section 6.3(d)), that any shares of Company Common Stock that constitute Appraisal Shares as of the Election Deadline be treated as Cash Election Shares not subject to the pro rata selection process contemplated by this Section 2.3, and, if Parent so requires, then, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, any Appraisal Shares that receive the Merger Consideration shall be treated as Cash Election Shares not subject to the pro rata selection process contemplated by this Section 2.3.

               (f) The pro rata selection process to be used by the Exchange Agent shall consist of such equitable pro ration processes as shall be mutually determined by Parent and the Company.

          2.4 Appraisal Rights . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if appraisal rights are available under Delaware law, shares of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time that are held by any record holder who is entitled to demand and properly demands appraisal of such shares pursuant to, and who complies in all respects with, the provisions of Section 262 of the DGCL (the “ Appraisal Shares ”) shall not be converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration payable pursuant to Section 2.3, but instead at the Merger I Effective Time shall become the right to payment of the fair value of such shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 262 of the DGCL and at the Merger I Effective Time, all Appraisal Shares shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and cease to exist. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any such holder shall fail to perfect or otherwise shall waive, withdraw or lose the right to appraisal under Section 262 of the DGCL or a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that such holder is not entitled to the relief provided by Section 262 of the DGCL, then the right of such holder to be paid the fair value of such holder’s Appraisal Shares under Section 262 of the DGCL shall be forfeited and cease and if such forfeiture shall occur following the Election Deadline, each of such holder’s Appraisal Shares shall be deemed to have been converted at the

Merger I Effective Time into, and shall have become, the right to receive without interest thereon, the Merger Consideration into which No Election Shares shall have been converted pursuant to Section 2.3(e) , subject to the last sentence of Section 2.3(e). The Company shall deliver prompt notice to Parent of any demands for appraisal of any shares of Company Common Stock and provide Parent with the opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal under the DGCL. Prior to the Merger I Effective Time, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Parent, make any payment with respect to, or settle or offer to settle, any such demands, or agree to do any of the foregoing.

          2.5 Treatment of Stock Options; Restricted Stock; Company Awards.

               (a) Prior to the Merger I Effective Time, the Company, the Company Board and the Compensation Committee of the Company Board (the “ Committee ”) shall take all actions necessary under the Company’s 1996 Stock Option Plan (the “ 1996 Plan ”), the Company’s 1999 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan (the “ 1999 Plan ”), the Company’s 2002 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “ 2002 Plan ”) and the Company’s 2004 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “ 2004 Plan ” and, together with the 1996 Plan, the 1999 Plan and the 2002 Plan, the “ Stock Plans ”) to cause each holder of an option to purchase shares of Company Common Stock granted under a Stock Plan, which option is outstanding immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time (a “ Company Option ”), to have the right to exercise such Company Option in full (whether or not vested) immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time pursuant to procedures to be established by the Committee. To the extent any Company Option that has an exercise price per share that is equal to or greater than the Per Share Cash Consideration is not so exercised immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time, such Company Option shall be cancelled at the Merger I Effective Time for no consideration by virtue of the Mergers and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, the Company, Parent or Merger Sub. To the extent any Company Option that has an exercise price per share that is less than the Per Share Cash Consideration is not so exercised immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time (the “ In-the-Money Company Options ”), such In-the-Money Company Option shall, by virtue of the Mergers and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, the Company, Parent or Merger Sub, be cancelled and converted into the right to receive, from the Surviving Entity, as soon as practicable following the Merger I Effective Time, an amount in cash (less any applicable withholding Taxes and without interest) equal to the product of (i) the excess of (A) the Per Share Cash Consideration over (B) the per share exercise price of Company Common Stock subject to such In-the-Money Company Option, multiplied by (ii) the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such In-the-Money Company Option immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time (whether or not vested). As of the Merger I Effective Time, all Company Options shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically cease to exist, and each holder of a Company Option shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except, with respect to In-the-Money Company Options, the right to receive the payment described in the immediately preceding sentence. Prior to the Merger I Effective Time, the Company, the Company Board and the Committee shall take all actions necessary under the Stock Plans, the award agreements thereunder and otherwise to effectuate the provisions of this Section 2.5(a), including providing notice to the holders of Company Options of such provisions.

               (b) Subject to the terms and upon the conditions herein, as of the Merger I Effective Time, the restrictions on each restricted share of Company Common Stock (the “ Company Restricted Stock ”) granted and then outstanding under the Stock Plans shall, and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, the Company, Parent or Merger Sub, lapse immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time, and each such share of Company Restricted Stock shall be fully vested in each holder thereof at such time, and each such share of Company Restricted Stock will be treated at the Merger I Effective Time the same as, and have the same rights and be subject to the same conditions, as each share of Company Common Stock not subject to any restrictions; provided, that upon vesting the holder may satisfy the applicable withholding Tax obligations by returning to the Surviving Entity or Parent a sufficient number of shares of Company Common Stock equal in value to such obligation. Prior to the Merger I Effective Time, the Company, the Company Board and the Committee shall take all actions necessary under the Stock Plans, the award agreements thereunder and otherwise to effectuate this Section 2.5(b).

               (c) Subject to the terms and upon the conditions herein, immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time, each restricted stock unit award granted and then outstanding under the Stock Plans (each, a “ Company Award ”) shall be fully vested in each holder thereof and the underlying shares of Company Common Stock shall be issued and will be treated at the Merger I Effective Time the same as, and shall have the same rights and be subject to the same conditions as, other shares of Company Common Stock; provided that upon vesting and issuance, the holder may satisfy the applicable withholding Tax obligations by returning to the Surviving Entity or Parent a sufficient number of shares of Company Common Stock equal in value to such obligation. Prior to the Merger I Effective Time, the Company, the Company Board and the Committee shall take all actions necessary under the Stock Plans, the award agreements thereunder and otherwise to effectuate this Section 2.5(c).

               (d) Except as contemplated by clauses (a), (b) and (c) above, the Surviving Entity and Parent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold, or cause the Exchange Agent to deduct and withhold, from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Section 2.5 to any holders of Company Options, Company Restricted Stock or Company Awards such amounts as it may be required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Code, or any provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld by the Surviving Entity, Parent or the Exchange Agent, as the case may be, the withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holders of Company Options, Company Restricted Stock or Company Awards, as applicable, in respect of which the deduction and withholding was made by the Surviving Entity, Parent or the Exchange Agent, as the case may be.

          2.6 Exchange of Certificates.

               (a)  Exchange Agent . Prior to the Merger I Effective Time, Parent shall deposit, or shall cause to be deposited, with the Company’s transfer agent or a bank or trust company designated by Parent and reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “ Exchange Agent ”), for the benefit of the holders of shares of Company Common Stock, for exchange in accordance with this Article II, through the Exchange Agent, sufficient cash and Parent Common Stock to make pursuant to this Article II all deliveries of cash and Parent Common Stock as

required by this Article II. Parent agrees to make available to the Exchange Agent, from time to time as needed, cash sufficient to pay any dividends and other distributions pursuant to Section 2.6(c) and to make payments in lieu of fractional shares pursuant to Section 2.6(e). Any cash and Parent Common Stock deposited with the Exchange Agent (including as payment for fractional shares in accordance with Section 2.6(e) and any dividends or other distributions in accordance with Section 2.6(c)) shall hereinafter be referred to as the “ Exchange Fund .” The Exchange Agent shall, pursuant to irrevocable instructions, deliver the Merger Consideration contemplated to be paid for shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement out of the Exchange Fund. Except as contemplated by Sections 2.6(c) and 2.6(e) hereof, the Exchange Fund shall not be used for any other purpose.

               (b)  Exchange Procedures . Promptly after the Merger I Effective Time, Parent shall instruct the Exchange Agent to mail to each record holder, as of the Merger I Effective Time, of an outstanding Certificate that immediately prior to the Merger I Effective Time represented shares of Company Common Shares (i) a letter of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates to the Exchange Agent, and shall be in customary form and agreed to by Parent and the Company prior to the Merger I Effective Time) and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates in exchange for the Merger Consideration payable in respect of the shares of Company Common Stock represented by such Certificates. Promptly after the Merger I Effective Time, upon surrender of Certificates for cancellation to the Exchange Agent together with such letters of transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, and such other documents as may be required pursuant to such instructions, the holders of such Certificates and the holders of Certificates who previously surrendered Certificates to the Exchange Agent with properly completed and duly executed Election Forms shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor (A) shares of Parent Common Stock representing, in the aggregate, the whole number of shares of Parent Common Stock that such holder has the right to receive pursuant to Section 2.3 (after taking into account all shares of Company Common Stock then held by such holder) and (B) a check in the amount equal to the aggregate amount of cash that such holder has the right to receive pursuant to Section 2.3 and this Article II, including cash payable in lieu of any fractional Parent Common Stock pursuant to Section 2.6(e) and dividends and other distributions pursuant to Section 2.6(c). No interest shall be paid or accrued on any Merger Consideration, cash in lieu of fractional shares or on any unpaid dividends and distributions payable to holders of Certificates. In the event of a transfer of ownership of shares of Company Common Stock which is not registered in the transfer records of the Company, the Merger Consideration payable in respect of such shares of Company Common Stock may be paid to a transferee if the Certificate representing such shares of Company Common Stock is presented to the Exchange Agent, accompanied by all documents required to evidence and effect such transfer and the Person requesting such exchange shall pay to the Exchange Agent in advance any transfer or other Taxes required by reason of the delivery of the Merger Consideration in any name other than that of the registered holder of the Certificate surrendered, or shall establish to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such Taxes have been paid or are not payable. Until surrendered as contemplated by this Section 2.6, each Certificate other than Certificates representing Appraisal Shares shall be deemed at any time after the Merger I Effective Time to represent only the right to receive upon such surrender the Merger Consideration payable in respect of the shares of Company Common Stock represented by such Certificate, cash in lieu of any fractional Parent Common Stock to which such holder is entitled

pursuant to Section 2.6(e) and any dividends or other distributions to which such holder is entitled pursuant to Section 2.6(c).

               (c)  Distributions with Respect to Unexchanged Parent Common Stock . No dividends or other distributions declared or made with respect to Parent Common Stock with a record date after the Merger I Effective Time shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered Certificate with respect to the Parent Common Stock that such holder would be entitled to receive upon surrender of such Certificate and no cash payment in lieu of fractional Parent Common Stock shall be paid to any such holder until such holder shall surrender such Certificate in accordance with this Section 2.6. Subject to applicable Law, following surrender of any such Certificate, there shall be paid to such holder of Parent Common Stock issuable in exchange therefor, without interest, (i) promptly after the time of such surrender, the amount of any cash due pursuant to Section 2.3 and cash payable in lieu of fractional Parent Common Stock to which such holder is entitled pursuant to Section 2.6(e) and the amount of dividends or other distributions with a record date after the Merger I Effective Time theretofore paid with respect to the Parent Common Stock and payable with respect to such Parent Common Stock, and (ii) at the appropriate payment date, the amount of dividends or other distributions with a record date after the Merger I Effective Time but prior to such surrender and a payment date subsequent to such surrender payable with respect to such Parent Common Stock.

               (d)  Further Rights in Company Common Shares . The Merger Consideration issued upon conversion of a share of Company Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof (including any cash paid pursuant to Section 2.6(c) or Section 2.6(e)) shall be deemed to have been issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such share of Company Common Stock.

               (e)  Fractional Shares . No certificates or scrip or Parent Common Stock representing fractional Parent Common Stock or book entry credit of the same shall be issued upon the surrender for exchange of Certificates, and such fractional share interests will not entitle the owner thereof to vote or to have any rights as a holder of any Parent Common Stock. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, each holder of shares of Company Common Stock exchanged in the Merger who would otherwise have been entitled to receive a fraction of a Parent Common Stock (after taking into account all Certificates delivered by such holder) shall receive, in lieu thereof, cash (without interest) in an amount equal to the product of (i) the average of the closing sale prices of Parent Common Stock on the NYSE as reported by The Wall Street Journal for the five trading days immediately preceding the date on which the Merger I Effective Time shall occur and (ii) the fraction of a Parent Common Stock that such holder would otherwise be entitled to receive pursuant to Section 2.3 hereof. As promptly as practicable after the determination of the amount of cash, if any, to be paid to holders of fractional interests, the Exchange Agent shall so notify Parent, and Parent shall, or shall cause the Surviving Entity to, deposit such amount with the Exchange Agent and shall cause the Exchange Agent to forward payments to such holders of fractional interests subject to and in accordance with the terms hereof.

               (f)  Termination of Exchange Fund . Any portion of the Exchange Fund which remains undistributed to the holders of Company Common Stock after 180 days following the Merger I Effective Time occurs shall be delivered to Parent upon demand and, from and after

such delivery to Parent, any former holders of Company Common Stock (other than Appraisal Shares) who have not theretofore complied with this Article II shall thereafter look only to Parent for the Merger Consideration payable in respect of such shares of Company Common Stock, any cash in lieu of fractional Parent Common Stock to which they are entitled pursuant to Section 2.6(e) and any dividends or other distributions with respect to Parent Common Stock to which they are entitled pursuant to Section 2.6(c), in each case, without any interest thereon. Any amounts remaining unclaimed by holders of shares of Company Common Stock immediately prior to such time as such amounts would otherwise escheat to or become the property of any governmental entity shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, become the property of Parent free and clear of any Liens, claims or interest of any Person previously entitled thereto.

               (g)  No Liability . Neither Parent nor the Surviving Entity shall be liable to any holder of shares of Company Common Stock for any such shares of Parent Common Stock (or dividends or distributions with respect thereto) or cash from the Exchange Fund delivered to a public official pursuant to any abandoned property, escheat or similar Law.

               (h)  Lost Certificates . If any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by Parent, the posting by such Person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as Parent may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent shall pay in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate the Merger Consideration payable in respect of the shares of Company Common Stock represented by such Certificate, any cash in lieu of fractional Parent Common Stock to which the holders thereof are entitled pursuant to Section 2.6(e) and any dividends or other distributions to which the holders thereof are entitled pursuant to Section 2.6(c), in each case, without any interest thereon.

               (i)  Withholding . Each of Parent, the Surviving Entity and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement to any holder of Company Common Stock such amounts as Parent, the Surviving Entity or the Exchange Agent is required to deduct and withhold under the Code or any provision of state, local, or foreign Tax Law, with respect to the making of such payment. To the extent that amounts are so withheld by Parent, the Surviving Entity or the Exchange Agent, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of Company Common Stock in respect of whom such deduction and withholding was made by Parent, the Surviving Entity or the Exchange Agent, as the case may be.

               (j)  Affiliate Shares . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Certificates surrendered for exchange by any “affiliate” of the Company (as determined pursuant to Section 5.16) shall not be exchanged until Parent has received a written agreement from such Person as provided in Section 5.16.

               (k)  Book Entry . All shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in the Mergers shall be issued in book entry form, without physical certificates.

     2.7 Stock Transfer Books . At the close of business on the date on which the Merger I Effective Time occurs, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed and thereafter there shall be no further registration of transfers of shares of Company Common Stock theretofore outstanding on the records of the Company. From and after the close of business on the date on which the Merger I Effective Time occurs, any Certificates presented to the Exchange Agent, Parent or the Surviving Entity for any reason shall be converted into the Merger Consideration payable in respect of the shares of Company Common Stock represented by such Certificates, any cash in lieu of fractional Parent Common Stock to which the holders thereof are entitled pursuant to Section 2.6(e) and any dividends or other distributions to which the holders thereof are entitled pursuant to Section 2.6(c), in each case, without any interest thereon.

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

     Except as set forth in the disclosure letter delivered by the Company to Parent at or prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement (the “ Company Disclosure Letter ”) (each section of which qualifies the correspondingly numbered representation, warranty or covenant to the extent specified therein and such other representations, warranties or covenants to the extent a matter in such section is disclosed in such a way as to make its relevance to such other representation, warranty or covenant reasonably apparent), the Company represents and warrants to Parent as follows:

          3.1 Organization.

               (a) Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is a corporation or other entity duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing (to the extent such concept exists in such jurisdiction) under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, and has all requisite corporate or other power and authority to own, lease, use and operate its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted.

               (b) Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction (to the extent such concepts exist in such jurisdictions) where the character of the property owned, operated or leased by it or the nature of its activities makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or licensed or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

               (c) The Company has previously made available to Parent a complete and correct copy of each of its certificate of incorporation and bylaws, in each case as amended (if so amended) to the date of this Agreement, and has made available the certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of each of its Subsidiaries, in each case as amended (if so amended) to the date of this Agreement. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of its certificate of incorporation, bylaws or similar governing documents.

               (d) Section 3.1(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and correct list of all of the Subsidiaries of the Company and their respective jurisdictions of incorporation or organization. The respective certificates or articles of incorporation and bylaws or other organizational documents of the Subsidiaries of the Company do not contain any provision limiting or otherwise restricting the ability of the Company to control its Subsidiaries in any material respect.

          3.2 Capitalization.

               (a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 100,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share (the “ Company Preferred Stock ”), of which 500,000 shares have been designated Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “ Company Series A Preferred Stock ”). As of January 4, 2007, 28,098,172 shares of Company Common Stock were issued and outstanding (including 197,329 shares of unvested Company Restricted Stock issued under the Stock Plans). As of the date of this Agreement, (i) there are no shares of Company Preferred Stock issued and outstanding or held in treasury, (ii) 500,000 shares of the Company Series A Preferred Stock have been reserved for issuance in accordance with the Rights Agreement dated as of August 12, 2004, between the Company and the Bank of New York, as Rights Agent (as amended, the “ Company Rights Agreement ”), and (iii) 362,877 shares of Company Common Stock are reserved for issuance in respect of future grants under the Stock Plans. As of January 4, 2007, there are outstanding Company Options to purchase an aggregate of 1,698,434 shares of Company Common Stock and Company Awards covering 41,882 shares of Company Common Stock. Since January 4, 2007, (i) no shares of Company Common Stock have been issued, except pursuant to Company Options and Company Awards outstanding on January 4, 2007, and (ii) no Company Options or Company Awards have been granted. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly owns any shares of Company Common Stock. No bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness having the right to vote (or convertible into or exchangeable for securities having the right to vote) on any matters on which stockholders of the Company may vote are issued or outstanding. All issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s capital stock are, and all shares that may be issued or granted pursuant to the exercise of Company Options or upon the vesting of Company Awards will be, when issued or granted in accordance with the respective terms thereof, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free of preemptive rights, with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof. The issuance and sale of all of the shares of capital stock described in this Section 3.2 have been in compliance with United States federal and state securities Laws. Except as may be provided in the Company Rights Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has agreed to register any securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (together with the rules and regulations thereunder, the “ Securities Act ”), or under any state securities Law or granted registration rights to any individual or entity. Except for the Company Options, the Company Awards and the Company Series A Preferred Stock purchase rights (the “ Company Rights ”) issued pursuant to the Company Rights Agreement, as of the date of this Agreement, there are no outstanding or authorized (x) options, warrants, preemptive rights, subscriptions, calls or other rights, convertible securities, agreements, claims or commitments of any character obligating the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, transfer or sell any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or securities convertible into or exchangeable for such shares or equity interests, (y) contractual

obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any such securities or agreements listed in clause (x) of this sentence, or (z) voting trusts or similar agreements to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party with respect to the voting of the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Company has previously provided to Parent true and correct information with respect to each Company Option and Company Award outstanding as of the date of this Agreement including: (i) the name of the holder, (ii) the number of shares of Company Common Stock issuable thereunder or upon exercise thereof, and (iii) with respect to each Company Option, the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock. Immediately after the consummation of the Mergers, there will not be any outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, preemptive rights, subscriptions, or other rights, convertible or exchangeable securities, agreements, claims or commitments of any character by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries will be bound calling for the purchase or issuance of any shares of the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or securities convertible into or exchangeable for such shares or any other such securities or agreements.

               (b) (i) All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock (or equivalent equity interests of entities other than corporations) of each of the Company’s Subsidiaries are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company free and clear of any Liens, other than statutory Liens for Taxes not yet due and payable and such restrictions as may exist under applicable Law, and other than Liens granted pursuant to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November 30, 2005, as amended, among the Company and the lenders party thereto (the “ Company Credit Agreement ”), and all such shares or other ownership interests have been duly authorized, validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and free of preemptive rights, with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof, and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owns any shares of capital stock or other securities of, or interest in, any other Person, except for the securities of the Subsidiaries of the Company, or is obligated to make any capital contribution to or other investment in any other Person except in the ordinary course of business pursuant to operating joint venture agreements.

               (c) Except for the Company Credit Agreement and the Indenture dated as of June 10, 2003, between the Company and The Bank of New York, as trustee, with respect to the 7% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 (the “ Company Indenture ”), no indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries contains any restriction (other than customary notice provisions) upon (i) the prepayment of any indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) the incurrence of indebtedness by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iii) the ability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to grant any Lien on the properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

          3.3 Authorization; Validity of Agreement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, subject to adoption of this Agreement by the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the DGCL and the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Company Board ”). The Company Board has directed that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby be submitted to

the Company’s stockholders for adoption at a meeting of such stockholders and, assuming the accuracy of the representations made in Section 4.28, except for the Company Required Vote, no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be subject to or limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other Laws, now or hereafter in effect, affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) the effect of general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity). The Company’s Board of Directors has approved of Parent entering into the Voting Agreement, including for purposes of Section 203 of the DGCL.

          3.4 No Violations; Consents and Approvals.

               (a) Neither the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation by the Company of the Mergers or any other transactions contemplated hereby will (i) violate any provision of the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws of the Company, or the certificate of incorporation, bylaws or similar governing documents of any of the Company’s Subsidiaries, (ii) violate, conflict with, result in a breach of any provision of or the loss of any benefit under, constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, result in the termination of or a right of termination, cancellation, modification or amendment under, accelerate the performance required by, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the respective properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under, or result in the acceleration or trigger of any payment, time of payment, vesting or increase in the amount of any compensation or benefit payable pursuant to, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, guarantee, other evidence of indebtedness, lease, license, contract, collective bargaining agreement, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective assets or properties may be bound, or (iii) assuming the consents, approvals, orders, authorizations, registrations, filings or permits referred to in Section 3.4(b) are duly and timely obtained or made and the Company Required Vote has been obtained, conflict with or violate any federal, state, provincial, local or foreign order, writ, injunction, judgment, settlement, award, decree, statute, law, rule or regulation (collectively, “ Laws ”) applicable to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets; except (A) in the case of clause (ii), for (1) the Company Indenture, (2) the Company Credit Agreement, (3) certain seismic license agreements, (4) Company Employee Agreements and (5) Company Benefit Plans; and (B) in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for such conflicts, violations, breaches, defaults, losses, obligations, payments, rights (if exercised) or Liens which individually or in the aggregate have not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

               (b) No material filing or registration with, declaration or notification to, or order, authorization, consent or approval of, any federal, state, provincial, local or foreign court, arbitral, legislative, administrative, executive or regulatory authority or agency (a “ Governmental Entity ”) or any other Person is required to be obtained or made by the Company

or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation by the Company of either the Mergers or any other transactions contemplated hereby, except for (i) compliance with any applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) compliance with any applicable requirements of the Securities Act, (iii) compliance with any applicable state securities or “blue sky” or takeover Laws, (iv) the adoption of this Agreement by the Company Required Vote, (v) such filings, authorizations or approvals, or expiration or termination of applicable waiting periods, as may be required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “ HSR Act ”), (vi) the filing of the Certificates of Merger with the Delaware Secretary of State and New York Secretary of State, (vii) compliance with any applicable requirements under stock exchange rules, (viii) consents or approvals of any Governmental Entity, which are normally obtained after the consummation of this type of transaction, and (ix) any such filing, registration, declaration, notification, order, authorization, consent or approval that the failure to obtain or make individually or in the aggregate would not be reasonably likely to have or result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

          3.5 SEC Reports and Financial Statements.

               (a) The Company has timely filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) all forms and documents required to be filed by it since January 1, 2004 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), including (A) its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, (B) its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, (C) all proxy statements relating to meetings of stockholders of the Company (in the form mailed to stockholders), and (D) all other forms, reports and registration statements required to be filed by the Company with the SEC since January 1, 2004. The documents described in clauses (A)-(D) above, in each case as amended (whether filed prior to, on or after the date of this Agreement), are referred to in this Agreement collectively as the “ Company SEC Documents .” As of their respective dates or, if amended and publicly available prior to the date of this Agreement, as of the date of such amendment with respect to those disclosures that are amended, the Company SEC Documents, including the financial statements and schedules provided therein or incorporated by reference therein, (x) did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (y) complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, the Securities Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “ Sarbanes-Oxley Act ”) and other applicable Laws, as the case may be, and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder. None of the Subsidiaries of the Company is subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act or required to file any form, report or other document with the SEC, The New York Stock Exchange, any stock exchange or any other comparable Governmental Entity.

               (b) The December 31, 2005 consolidated balance sheet of the Company (the “ Company Balance Sheet ”) and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss), changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows (including, in each case, the related notes, where applicable), as reported in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act, and the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries (including the related notes, where applicable) as of September 30, 2006 and the related (i) unaudited

consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the three and nine-month periods then ended and (ii) unaudited consolidated statement of cash flows for the nine-month period then ended (in each case including the related notes, where applicable), as reported in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2006 filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act, fairly present (within the meaning of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), and the financial statements to be filed by the Company with the SEC after the date of this Agreement will fairly present (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to recurring audit adjustments normal in nature and amount), in all material respects, the consolidated financial position and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates or for the respective fiscal periods therein set forth; each of such statements (including the related notes, where applicable) complies, and the financial statements to be filed by the Company with the SEC after the date of this Agreement will comply, with applicable accounting requirements and with the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto; and each of such statements (including the related notes, where applicable) has been, and the financial statements to be filed by the Company with the SEC after the date of this Agreement will be, prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“ GAAP ”) consistently applied during the periods involved, except as indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X of the SEC. The books and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries have been, and are being, maintained in accordance with GAAP and any other applicable legal and accounting requirements and reflect only actual transactions. Deloitte & Touche LLP is an independent public accounting firm with respect to the Company and has not resigned or been dismissed as independent public accountants of the Company.

               (c) Since January 1, 2000, (A) the exercise price of each Company Option has been no less than the Fair Market Value (as defined under the terms of the respective Stock Plan under which such Company Option was granted) of a share of Company Common Stock as determined on the date of grant of such Company Option, and (B) all grants of Company Options were validly issued and properly approved by the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee or subcommittee thereof) in material compliance with applicable Law and recorded in the Company’s financial statements referred to in Section 3.5(b) in accordance with GAAP, and no such grants involved any “back dating,” “forward dating” or similar practices with respect to the effective date of grant.

          3.6 Oil and Gas Reserves.

               (a) The Company has furnished to Parent a reserve report prepared by Netherland, Sewell and Associates, Inc. containing estimates of the oil and gas reserves that are owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2005 (the “ 2005 Company Reserve Report ”), and an internal reserve report prepared by the Company containing estimates of its oil and gas reserves that are owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries as of September 30, 2006 (the “ Interim Company Reserve Report ,” and together with the 2005 Company Reserve Report, the “ Company Reserve Report ”). The factual, non-interpretive data relating to the Oil and Gas Interests of the Company and its Subsidiaries on which the Company Reserve Report was based for purposes of estimating the oil and gas reserves set forth therein, to the knowledge of the Company, was accurate in all material respects at the time such data was provided to the reserve engineers for the 2005 Company Reserve Report and utilized by the

Company for the Interim Company Reserve Report. The 2005 Company Reserve Report conforms to the guidelines with respect thereto of the SEC. Except for the sale of substantially all of the Company’s Gulf of Mexico assets in 2006 and changes (including changes in Hydrocarbon commodity prices) generally affecting the oil and gas industry and normal depletion by production, there has been no change in respect of the matters addressed in the Company Reserve Report that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. Since January 1, 2003 all of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ wells have been drilled and (if completed) completed, operated and produced in compliance in all respects with applicable oil and gas leases and applicable Laws, except where any noncompliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. To the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any applicable Law or contract requiring the Company to plug and abandon any well because the well is not currently capable of producing in commercial quantities or for any other reasons. With respect to any Oil and Gas Interests of the Company and its Subsidiaries that are not operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company makes the representations and warranties set forth in this Section 3.6 only to its knowledge without having made specific inquiry of the operators with respect hereto.

               (b) For purposes of this Agreement, “ Oil and Gas Interests ” means direct and indirect interests in and rights with respect to oil, gas or minerals, including working, leasehold and mineral interests and operating rights and royalties, overriding royalties, production payments, net profit interests and other non-working interests and non-operating interests; all interests in rights with respect to oil, condensate, gas, casinghead gas and other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons (collectively, “ Hydrocarbons ”) and other minerals or revenues therefrom, all contracts in connection therewith and claims and rights thereto (including all oil and gas leases, operating agreements, unitization and pooling agreements and orders, division orders, transfer orders, mineral deeds, royalty deeds, oil and gas sales, exchange and processing contracts and agreements, and in each case, interests thereunder), surface interests, fee interests, reversionary interests, reservations, and concessions; all easements, rights of way, licenses, permits, leases, and other interests associated with, appurtenant to, or necessary for the operation of any of the foregoing; and all interests in equipment and machinery (including wells, well equipment and machinery), oil and gas production, gathering, transmission, treating, processing, and storage facilities (including tanks, tank batteries, pipelines, and gathering systems), pumps, water plants, electric plants, gasoline and gas processing plants, refineries, and other tangible personal property and fixtures associated with, appurtenant to, or necessary for the operation of any of the foregoing.

               (c) Set forth in Section 3.6(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter is a list of all material Oil and Gas Interests that were included in the Interim Company Reserve Report that have been disposed of prior to the date hereof.

          3.7 Absence of Certain Changes.

               (a) Except as set forth in Section 3.7(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter, since December 31, 2005, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their respective business only in the ordinary course consistent with past practice in all material respects, and (ii) there has not occurred or continued to exist any event, change, occurrence, effect, fact,

circumstance or condition which, individually or in the aggregate, has had, or is reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

               (b) Except as set forth in Section 3.7(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, since September 30, 2006 to the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has (i) except as required pursuant to the terms of the Stock Plans as in effect on September 30, 2006 or as required to comply with applicable Law, (A) increased or agreed to increase the wages, salaries, compensation, pension, or other fringe benefits or perquisites payable to any officer, employee or director from the amount thereof in effect as of September 30, 2006 other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, (B) granted any severance or termination pay or entered into any contract to make or grant any severance or termination pay (other than in the ordinary course of business substantially consistent with past practices or pursuant to pre-existing plans or arrangements), (C) entered into or made any loans to any of its officers, directors or employees or made any change in its borrowing or lending arrangements for or on behalf of any of such Persons whether pursuant to an employee benefit plan or otherwise (except for loans pursuant to the terms of the Company’s or its affiliates’ retirement plans and routine travel advances), or (D) adopted or amended any new or existing Company Benefit Plan, (ii) declared, set aside or paid any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, stock or property) with respect to any of the Company’s capital stock, (iii) effected or authorized any split, combination or reclassification of any of the Company’s capital stock or any issuance thereof or issued any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution for shares of the Company’s capital stock, except for issuances of Company Common Stock (1) upon the exercise of Company Options or vesting of Company Awards, in each case in accordance with their terms at the time of exercise or (2) in connection with recruitment activities in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (iv) changed in any material respect, or has knowledge of any reason that would have required or would require changing in any material respect, any accounting methods (or underlying assumptions), principles or practices of the Company or its Subsidiaries, including any material reserving, renewal or residual method, practice or policy, except as required by GAAP or by applicable Law, (v) made any material Tax election or settled or compromised any material income Tax liability, (vi) made any material change in the policies and procedures of the Company or its Subsidiaries in connection with trading activities, (vii) sold, leased, exchanged, transferred or otherwise disposed of any material Company Asset other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, (viii) revalued, or has knowledge of any reason that would have required or would require revaluing, any of the Company Assets in any material respect, including writing down the value of any of the Company Assets or writing off notes or accounts receivable other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, or (ix) made any agreement or commitment (contingent or otherwise) to do any of the foregoing.

          3.8 Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities. Except as set forth in Section 3.8 of the Company Disclosure Letter, since December 31, 2005, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities or obligations (accrued, contingent or otherwise), except for (i) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business that individually or in the aggregate have not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (ii) liabilities in respect of Litigation (which are the subject of Section 3.11), and (iii) liabilities under Environmental Laws (which are the subject of Section 3.15). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default in respect of the terms and conditions of

any indebtedness or other agreement which individually or in the aggregate has had, or would be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

          3.9 Disclosure Documents.

               (a) None of the information to be supplied by the Company for inclusion in (i) the joint proxy statement relating to the Company Special Meeting and the Parent Special Meeting (in each case, as defined below) (also constituting the prospectus in respect of Parent Common Stock into which the Company Common Stock will be converted) (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Proxy Statement ”), to be filed by the Company and Parent with the SEC, and any amendments or supplements thereto, or (ii) the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ S-4 ”) to be filed by Parent with the SEC in connection with the Mergers, and any amendments or supplements thereto, will, at the respective times such documents are filed, and, in the case of the Proxy Statement, at the time the Proxy Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto is first mailed to the Company stockholders and Parent shareholders, at the time of the Company Special Meeting and the Parent Special Meeting and at the Merger I Effective Time, and, in the case of the S-4, when it becomes effective under the Securities Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be made therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Proxy Statement will comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations thereunder, except that no representation or warranty is made by the Company with respect to information provided by Parent or Merger Sub specifically for inclusion in the Proxy Statement.

               (b) None of the information supplied or to be supplied by the Company for inclusion or incorporation by reference in any document provided to a lender or potential lender in connection with the Financing (or any amendment or supplement to such a document), will, at the date on which the Financing is consummated, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.

          3.10 Employee Benefit Plans; ERISA.

               (a) Section 3.10(a)(1) of the Company Disclosure Letter contains a true and complete list of all the individual or group employee benefit plans or arrangements of any type (including plans described in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”)), sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Company or any trade or business, whether or not incorporated, which together with the Company would be deemed a “single employer” within the meaning of Section 414(b), (c) or (m) of the Code or Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA (a “ Company ERISA Affiliate ”) (“ Company Benefit Plans ”), and Section 3.10(a)(2) of the Company Disclosure Letter lists each material individual employment, severance or similar agreement with respect to which the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate has any current or future obligation or liability (“ Company Employee Agreement ”). With respect to each Company Benefit Plan, the Company has made available to Parent a true, correct and complete copy of such Company Benefit Plan, and, to the extent applicable, trust

agreements, insurance contracts and other funding vehicles, the most recent Annual Reports (Form 5500 Series) and accompanying schedules, summary plan descriptions, and the most recent determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service. The Company has made available to Parent a true, correct and complete copy of each Company Employee Agreement.

               (b) With respect to each Company Benefit Plan: (i) if intended to qualify under Section 401(a) or 401(k) of the Code, such Company Benefit Plan satisfies the requirements of such sections and has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to its qualification, and its related trust has been determined to be exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred since the date of such letter to adversely affect such qualification or exemption; (ii) each Company Benefit Plan has been administered in substantial compliance with its terms and applicable Law, except for any noncompliance with respect to any such plan that could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Company; (iii) neither the Company nor any Company ERISA Affiliate has engaged in, and the Company and each Company ERISA Affiliate do not have any knowledge of any Person that has engaged in, any transaction or acted or failed to act in any manner that would subject the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate to any liability for a breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Company; (iv) no disputes are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate, threatened other than ordinary claims for benefits; (v) neither the Company nor any Company ERISA Affiliate has engaged in, and the Company and each Company ERISA Affiliate do not have any knowledge of any Person that has engaged in, any transaction in violation of Section 406(a) or (b) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code for which no exemption exists under Section 408 of ERISA or Section 4975(c) of the Code or Section 4975(d) of the Code that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Company; (vi) all contributions due have been made on a timely basis; and (vii) except for defined benefit plans (if applicable) and the Company’s Change of Control Plan, such Company Benefit Plan may be terminated on a prospective basis without any continuing liability for benefits other than benefits accrued to the date of such termination. All contributions made or required to be made under any Company Benefit Plan meet the requirements for deductibility under the Code, and all contributions which are required and which have not been made have been properly recorded on the books of the Company or a Company ERISA Affiliate.

               (c) No Company Benefit Plan (including for such purpose, any employee benefit plan described in Section 3(3) of ERISA which the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate maintained, sponsored or contributed to within the six-year period preceding the Merger I Effective Time) is (i) a “multiemployer plan” (as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA), (ii) a “multiple employer plan” (within the meaning of Section 413(c) of the Code) or (iii) subject to Title IV or Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code. No event has occurred with respect to the Company or a Company ERISA Affiliate in connection with which the Company could be subject to any liability, lien or encumbrance with respect to any Company Benefit Plan, except for regular contributions and benefit payments in the ordinary course of plan business.

               (d) Except as set forth in Section 3.10(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter or, in the case of clause (ii) below, as previously provided to Parent, (i) no present or former employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are covered by any Company Employee

Agreements or Company Benefit Plans that provide or will provide any severance pay, post- termination health or life insurance benefits (except as required pursuant to Section 4980B of the Code or Part 6 of Title I of ERISA) or any similar benefits, (ii) neither the execution of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall cause any payments or benefits to any employee, officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to be either subject to an excise Tax or non-deductible to the Company under Sections 4999 and 280G of the Code, respectively, whether or not some other subsequent action or event would be required to cause such payment or benefit to be triggered, and (iii) neither the execution of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall result in, cause the accelerated vesting or delivery of, or increase the amount or value of, any payment or benefit to any employee, officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, whether or not some other subsequent action or event would be required to cause such payment or benefit to be triggered, accelerated, delivered or increased.

          3.11 Litigation; Compliance with Law.

               (a) Except for such Litigation expressly set forth in the Company SEC Documents filed and publicly available prior to the date of this Agreement or that individually or in the aggregate has not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (i) there is no Litigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing against, relating to or naming as a party thereto the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any of their respective properties or assets or any of the Company’s officers or directors (in their capacities as such), (ii) there is no order, judgment, decree, injunction or award of any Governmental Entity against and/or binding upon the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of the Company’s officers or directors (in their capacities as such), and (iii) there is no Litigation that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has pending against other parties, where such Litigation is intended to enforce or preserve material rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

               (b) Except as expressly set forth in the Company SEC Documents filed and publicly available prior to the date of this Agreement or as individually or in the aggregate has not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has complied, and is in compliance, with all Laws and Company Permits that affect the respective businesses of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company Real Property and/or the Company Assets, and the Company and its Subsidiaries have not been and are not in violation of any such Law or Company Permit; nor has any notice, charge, Claim or action been received in writing by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or been filed, commenced, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries alleging any violation of the foregoing, except for such violations or allegations of violations as individually or in the aggregate have not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

               (c) Without limiting the generality of clause (b) above and mindful of the principles of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other similar applicable foreign Laws, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, in any such case, any of their respective Representatives has (i) made, offered or authorized any payment or given or offered anything of value directly or indirectly (including through a friend or family member with

personal relationships with government officials) to an official of any government for the purpose of influencing an act or decision in his official capacity or inducing him to use his influence with that government with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or other similar applicable foreign Laws, (ii) made, offered or authorized any payment to any Governmental Entity, political party or political candidate for the purpose of influencing any official act or decision, or inducing such Person to use any influence with that government with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or other similar applicable foreign Laws or (iii) taken any action that would be reasonably likely to subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any material liability or penalty under any and all Laws of any Governmental Entity.

               (d) The Company and its Subsidiaries hold all licenses, permits, certifications, variances, consents, authorizations, waivers, grants, franchises, concessions, exemptions, orders, registrations and approvals of Governmental Entities or other Persons necessary for the ownership, leasing, operation, occupancy and use of the Company Real Property, the Company Assets, and the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted (“ Company Permits ”), except where the failure to hold such Company Permits individually or in the aggregate has not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice that any Company Permit will be terminated or modified or cannot be renewed in the ordinary course of business, and the Company has no knowledge of any reasonable basis for any such termination, modification or nonrenewal, in each case except for such terminations, modifications or nonrenewals that individually or in the aggregate have not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the Mergers or any other transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not violate any Company Permit, or result in any termination, modification or nonrenewal thereof, except in each case for such violations, terminations, modifications or nonrenewals that individually or in the aggregate have not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

               (e) This Section 3.11 does not relate to matters with respect to (i) Company Benefit Plans, ERISA and other employee benefit matters (which are the subject of Section 3.10), (ii) Tax Laws and other Tax matters (which are the subject of Section 3.14), (iii) Environmental Laws (which are the subject of Section 3.15), and (iv) labor matters (which are the subject of Section 3.18).

          3.12 Intellectual Property.

               (a) For purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Intellectual Property” means any and all (i) seismic data, trademarks, service marks, brand names, Internet domain names, logos, symbols, trade dress, trade names, trade secrets, know-how, and other proprietary rights and information, and other indicia of source of origin, all applications and registrations for the foregoing, and all goodwill associated therewith and symbolized thereby, including all renewals of the same; (ii) inventions and discoveries, whether patentable or not, and all patents, registrations, invention disclosures and applications therefor, including divisions, continuations,

continuations-in-part and renewal applications, and including renewals, extensions and reissues; and (iii) copyrights in and to published and unpublished works of authorship, whether copyrightable or not (including software), and registrations and applications therefor, and all renewals, extensions, restorations and reversions thereof; and in each of cases (i) to (iii) inclusive, whether registered, unregistered or capable of registration.

          (b) Except as set forth in Section 3.12(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter or as individually or in the aggregate would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company:

          (i) the Company, or one of its Subsidiaries, is the sole and exclusive owner of, or possesses adequate licenses or other rights to use, all Intellectual Property used in the present conduct of the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (“ Company IP Rights ”) free and clear of all security interests (except Permitted Liens) including but not limited to liens, charges, mortgages, title retention agreements or title defects;

          (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, no consent, co-existence or settlement agreements, judgments, or court orders limit or restrict the Company’s or any of its Subsidiary’s ownership rights in and to any Intellectual Property owned by them;

          (iii) the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as presently conducted does not, to the knowledge of the Company, infringe or misappropriate any third Person’s Intellectual Property; or

          (iv) to the knowledge of the Company, no third Person is infringing or misappropriating any Intellectual Property, owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of the Company there is no litigation pending or threatened in writing by or against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries received any written charge, claim, complaint, demand, letter or notice, that asserts a claim (a) alleging that any or all of the Company IP Rights infringe or misappropriate any third party’s Intellectual Property, or (b) challenging the ownership, use, validity, or enforceability of any Company IP Right.

          (c) All Intellectual Property owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries that is the subject of an application for registration or a registration (“ Registered Company IP ”) is to the knowledge of the Company, in force, and all application, renewal and maintenance fees in relation to all Registered Company IP have been paid to date, except for any Registered Company IP that the Company has abandoned, not renewed or allowed to expire.

          (d) Except for such matters as individually or in the aggregate have not had and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, to the Company’s knowledge (i) there does not exist, nor has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries received written notice of, any breach of or violation or default under, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any material contracts related to Company IP Rights, and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of the desire of the other party or parties to any such material contracts relating to Company IP Rights to exercise

any rights such party or parties have to cancel, terminate or repudiate such material contract relating to Company IP Rights or exercise remedies thereunder.

     3.13 Material Contracts.

          (a) Except for such agreements or arrangements listed in Section 3.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter or that are included as exhibits to the Company SEC Documents filed and publicly available prior to the date of this Agreement, and except for this Agreement, as of the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any material contract, arrangement, commitment or understanding (whether written or oral) (i) which is an employment agreement between the Company, on the one hand, and its officers and key employees, on the other hand, (ii) which, upon the consummation of the Mergers or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement, will (either alone or upon the occurrence of any additional acts or events, including the passage of time) result in any material payment or benefit (whether of severance pay or otherwise) becoming due, or the acceleration or vesting of any right to any material payment or benefits, from Parent, Merger Sub, the Company or the Surviving Entity or any of their respective Subsidiaries to any officer, director, consultant or employee of any of the foregoing, (iii) which is a material contract (as defined in Item 601(b)(10)(i) or 601(b)(10)(ii) of Regulation S-K of the SEC) to be performed after the date of this Agreement, (iv) which expressly limits the ability of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or would limit the ability of the Surviving Entity (or any of its affiliates) after the Merger I Effective Time, to compete in or conduct any line of business or compete with any Person or in any geographic area or during any period of time, in each case, if such limitation is or is reasonably likely to be material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, following the Merger I Effective Time, to the Surviving Entity and its affiliates, taken as a whole, (v) which is a material joint venture agreement, joint operating agreement, partnership agreement or other similar contract or agreement involving a sharing of profits and expenses with one or more third Persons, (vi) the benefits of which will be increased, or the vesting of the benefits of which will be accelerated, by the occurrence of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or the value of any of the benefits of which will be calculated on the basis of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including any stock option plan, stock appreciation rights plan, restricted stock plan or stock purchase plan) or (vii) which is a shareholder rights agreement or which otherwise provides for the issuance of any securities in respect of this Agreement or the Mergers. Each contract, arrangement, commitment or understanding of the type described in this Section 3.13(a), whether or not included as an exhibit to the Company SEC Documents, is referred to herein as a “ Company Material Contract ,” and for purposes of Section 5.1(r) and the bringdown of Section 3.13(b) pursuant to Section 6.3(a), “Company Material Contract” shall include as of the date entered into any such contract, arrangement, commitment or understanding that is entered into after the date of this Agreement. The Company has previously made available to Parent true, complete and correct copies of each Company Material Contract that is not included as an exhibit to the Company SEC Documents. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company’s charter constitutes a Company Material Contract.

          (b) Each Company Material Contract is valid and binding and in full force and effect and the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have performed all obligations required to be performed by them to date under each Company Material Contract, except where such failure to be valid and binding or in full force and effect or such failure to perform individually or in the

aggregate has not had and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. Except for such matters as individually or in the aggregate have not had and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, to the Company’s knowledge, (i) there does not exist, nor has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries received written notice of, any breach of or violation or default under, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any Company Material Contract and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of the desire of the other party or parties to any such Company Material Contract to exercise any rights such party has to cancel, terminate or repudiate such Company Material Contract or exercise remedies thereunder. Each Company Material Contract is enforceable by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be subject to or limited by (x) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other Laws, now or hereafter in effect, affecting creditors’ rights generally and (y) the effect of general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity) or except where such unenforceability individually or in the aggregate has not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

          (c) The Oil and Gas Interests of the Company and its Subsidiaries are not subject to (i) any instrument or agreement evidencing or related to indebtedness for borrowed money, whether directly or indirectly, except for the Company Credit Agreement and Permitted Liens or (ii) any agreement not entered into in the ordinary course of business in which the amount involved is in excess of $1,000,000. In addition, except as set forth in the Company SEC Documents filed and publicly available prior to the date hereof, no Company Material Contract contains any provision that prevents the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from owning, managing and operating the Oil and Gas Interests of the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with historical practices.

          (d) As of the date of this Agreement, except as set forth in Section 3.13(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter, (i) there are no outstanding calls for payments in excess of $1,000,000 that are due or that the Company or its Subsidiaries are committed to make that have not been made; (ii) there are no material operations with respect to which the Company or its Subsidiaries have become a non-consenting party; and (iii) there are no commitments for the material expenditure of funds for drilling or other capital projects other than projects with respect to which the operator is not required under the applicable operating agreement to seek consent.

          (e) Except as reflected in Section 3.13(e) of the Company Disclosure Letter, there are no provisions applicable to the material Oil and Gas Interests reflected in the Reserve Report of the Company and its Subsidiaries that increase the royalty percentage of the lessor thereunder in a manner that is not accounted for in the Reserve Report; and none of the Oil and Gas Interests of the Company and its Subsidiaries are limited by terms fixed by a certain number of years (other than primary terms under oil and gas leases).

     3.14 Taxes.

          (a) Except as set forth in Section 3.14(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter, (i) all material Returns required to be filed by or with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries have been filed in accordance with all applicable Laws and all such returns are true,

correct and complete in all material respects, (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have timely paid all material Taxes due or claimed to be due, except for those Taxes being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established in the financial statements of the Company, (iii) all material Employment and Withholding Taxes and any other material amounts required to be withheld with respect to Taxes have been withheld and either duly and timely paid to the proper Governmental Entity or properly set aside in accounts for such purpose in accordance with applicable Laws and all material sales or transfer Taxes required to be collected by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have been duly and timely collected, or caused to be collected, and either duly and timely remitted to the proper Governmental Entity or properly set aside in accounts for such purpose in accordance with applicable Laws, (iv) the charges, accruals and reserves for Taxes with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected in the Company Balance Sheet are adequate under GAAP to cover Tax liabilities accruing through the date thereof, (v) no deficiencies for any material Taxes have been asserted or assessed, or, to the knowledge of the Company, proposed, against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that have not been paid in full, except for those Taxes being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established in the financial statements of the Company, and (vi) there is no action, suit, proceeding, investigation, audit or claim underway, pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or scheduled to commence, against or with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of any material Tax.

          (b) Except as set forth in Section 3.14(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been included in any “consolidated,” “unitary” or “combined” Return (other than Returns which include only the Company and any Subsidiaries of the Company) provided for under the Laws of the United States, any foreign jurisdiction or any state or locality or could be liable for the Taxes of any other Person as a successor or transferee.

          (c) Except as set forth in Section 3.14(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter or as may be filed as exhibits to the Company SEC Documents filed and publicly available prior to the date of this Agreement, there are no Tax sharing, allocation, indemnification (other than indemnification provisions included in agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business) or similar agreements in effect as between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any predecessor or affiliate of any of them and any other party under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries could be liable for any Taxes of any party other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.

          (d) Except as set forth in Section 3.14(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has, as of the Closing Date, entered into an agreement or waiver extending any statute of limitations relating to the payment or collection of material Taxes or the time with respect to the filing of any Return relating to any material Taxes.

          (e) There are no Liens for material Taxes on any asset of the Company or its Subsidiaries, except for Permitted Liens and Liens for Taxes being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established in the financial statements of the Company.

          (f) Except as set forth in Section 3.14(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has requested or is the subject of or bound by any

private letter ruling, technical advice memorandum, closing agreement or similar ruling, memorandum or agreement with any taxing authority with respect to any material Taxes, nor is any such request outstanding.

          (g) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has disclosed on its Returns all positions taken therein that could give rise to a substantial understatement of Tax within the meaning of Section 6662 of the Code.

          (h) Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has entered into, has any liability in respect of, or has any filing obligations with respect to, any transaction that constitutes a “reportable transaction,” as defined in Section 1.6011-4(b)(1) of the Treasury Regulations.

          (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any (i) change in method of accounting for a taxable period ending on or prior to the Closing Date under Section 481(c) of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law) or (ii) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date.

          (j) Except as set forth in Section 3.14(j) of the Company Disclosure Letter, since January 1, 2000, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has undergone an “ownership change” pursuant to Section 382(g) of the Code.

          (k) Except as set forth in Section 3.14(k) of the Company Disclosure Letter, since June 30, 2004, none of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a distributing corporation or a controlled corporation for purposes of Section 355 of the Code.

          (l) The Company has made available to Parent correct and complete copies of (i) all U.S. federal Returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries relating to taxable periods ending on or after December 31, 2003, filed through the date hereof, (ii) any audit report (or notice of proposed adjustment to the extent not included in an audit report) within the last three years relating to any material Taxes due from or with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (iii) any substantive and non-privileged correspondence and memoranda relating to the matters described in clauses (i) and (ii) of this Section 3.14(l).

     3.15 Environmental Matters.

          (a) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws except where failure to be in compliance, individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

          (b) There is no Environmental Claim pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, against any Person whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of Law, except for

any such Environmental Claims which, individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

          (c) To the knowledge of the Company, there are no past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including the Release or presence of any Hazardous Material, which would be reasonably likely to form the basis of any Environmental Claim against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, against any Person whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law which, individually or in the aggregate, would be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

          (d) There is no Cleanup of Hazardous Materials being conducted or planned at any property currently or, to the knowledge of the Company, formerly owned or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for such Cleanups which, individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

          (e) To the knowledge of the Company, no Company Asset has been involved in any Release or threatened Release of a Hazardous Material, except for such Releases which individually or in the aggregate would not be reasonably likely to have or result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

          (f) The Company and its Subsidiaries have obtained and are in compliance with all material approvals, permits, licenses, registrations and similar authorizations from all Governmental Entities under all Environmental Laws required for the operation of the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted and, to the knowledge of the Company, there are no pending or threatened, actions or proceedings alleging violations of or seeking to modify, revoke or deny renewal of any such material approvals, permits, licenses, registrations and similar authorizations.

     3.16 Company Assets. The Company has good and defensible title to all oil and gas properties forming the basis for the reserves reflected in the Company Reserve Report as attributable to Oil and Gas Interests owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries and has good and valid title to, or valid leasehold interests or other contractual rights in, all other tangible properties and assets (real, personal or mixed) of the Company and its Subsidiaries (such oil and gas properties and other properties and assets are herein referred to as the “ Company Assets ”), with respect to both the oil and gas properties and all other Company Assets, free and clear of all Liens except for (a) Permitted Liens and (b) Liens associated with obligations reflected in the Company Reserve Report. The oil and gas leases and other agreements that provide the Company and its Subsidiaries with operating rights in the oil and gas properties reflected in the Company Reserve Report and all other leases and agreements that provide the Company and its Subsidiaries with operating rights in the other Company Assets are legal, valid and binding and in full force and effect; the rentals, royalties and other payments due thereunder have been properly paid and, to the Company’s knowledge, there is no existing default (or event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under any of such oil and gas leases or agreements or other leases or agreements, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate,

have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries (as the case may be) have maintained all of the Company Assets owned on the date hereof in working order and operating condition, subject only to ordinary wear and tear. The Company has not received any material advance, take-or-pay or other similar payments that entitle purchasers of production to receive deliveries of Hydrocarbons without paying therefor, and, on a net, company-wide basis, the Company is neither underproduced nor overproduced, in either case to any material extent, under gas balancing or similar arrangements. No Person has any call on, option to purchase or similar rights with respect to the production of Hydrocarbons attributable to any of the Company Assets, except any such call, option or similar right at market prices.

     3.17 Insurance. The Company has made available to Parent a true, complete and correct copy of each insurance policy or the binder therefor. Such policies are, and at the Closing policies or replacement policies having substantially similar coverages will be, in full force and effect, and all premiums due thereon have been or will be paid. The Company and its Subsidiaries have complied in all material respects with the terms and provisions of such policies.

     3.18 Labor Matters; Employees.

          (a) (i) There is no labor strike, dispute, slowdown, work stoppage or lockout actually pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and, during the past five years, there has not been any such action, (ii) none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any collective bargaining or similar agreement with any labor organization, or work rules or practices agreed to with any labor organization or employee association applicable to employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) none of the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are represented by any labor organization and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any knowledge of any current union organizing activities among the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries nor does any question concerning representation exist concerning such employees, (iv) the Company and its Subsidiaries have each at all times been in material compliance with all applicable Laws respecting employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, wages, hours of work and occupational safety and health, and are not engaged in any unfair labor practices as defined in the National Labor Relations Act or other applicable Law, ordinance or regulation, (v) there is no unfair labor practice charge or complaint against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened before the National Labor Relations Board or any similar state or foreign agency, (vi) there is no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of any collective bargaining agreement or other grievance procedure relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (vii) neither the Occupational Safety and Health Administration nor any other federal or state agency has threatened to file any citation, and there are no pending citations, relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and (viii) there is no employee or governmental claim or investigation, including any charges to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or state employment practice agency, investigations regarding Fair Labor Standards Act compliance, audits by the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs, Workers’ Compensation claims, sexual harassment complaints or demand letters or threatened claims.