Exhibit 2.1
EXECUTION VERSION
FIRST AMENDED AND
RESTATED
ASSET PURCHASE AND SALE
AGREEMENT
Appalachia Region
between
Linn Energy Holdings,
LLC
Linn Operating,
Inc.
Penn West Pipeline,
LLC
as
“Sellers”
and
XTO Energy Inc.
as
“Buyer”
Dated as of June 9th,
2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
PROPERTIES TO BE SOLD AND PURCHASED
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1
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Section 1.1.
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Assets
Included
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1
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Section 1.2.
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Assets
Excluded
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3
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ARTICLE II
PURCHASE PRICE
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5
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Section 2.1.
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Purchase
Price
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5
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Section 2.2.
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Accounting
Adjustments
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5
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Section 2.3.
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Closing and
Post-Closing Accounting Settlements
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6
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Section 2.4.
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Payment of
Adjusted Purchase Price
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6
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Section 2.5.
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Allocation of
Purchase Price
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7
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ARTICLE III THE
CLOSING
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7
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ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLERS
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7
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Section 4.1.
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Organization
and Existence
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7
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Section 4.2.
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Power and
Authority
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8
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Section 4.3.
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Valid and
Binding Agreement
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8
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Section 4.4.
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Non-Contravention
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8
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Section 4.5.
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Approvals
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8
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Section 4.6.
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Litigation
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9
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Section 4.7.
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Contracts
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9
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Section 4.8.
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Commitments,
Abandonments or Proposals
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9
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Section 4.9.
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Production
Sales Contracts
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9
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Section 4.10.
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Plugging and
Abandonment
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10
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Section 4.11.
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Permits
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10
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Section 4.12.
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Payment of
Expenses
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10
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Section 4.13.
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Compliance with
Laws
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10
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Section 4.14.
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Imbalances;
Prepayments
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10
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Section 4.15.
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Intellectual
Property
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10
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Section 4.16.
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Taxes
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11
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Section 4.17.
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Fees and
Commissions
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11
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Section 4.18.
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Disclaimer of
Warranties
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11
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Section 4.19.
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Disclosures
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12
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ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
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12
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Section 5.1.
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Organization
and Existence
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12
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Section 5.2.
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Power and
Authority
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12
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Section 5.3.
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Valid and
Binding Agreement
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13
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Section 5.4.
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Non-Contravention
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13
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Section 5.5.
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Approvals
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13
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Section 5.6.
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Pending
Litigation
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13
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Section 5.7.
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Knowledgeable
Purchaser
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13
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Section 5.8.
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Funds
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14
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Section 5.9.
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Fees and
Commissions
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14
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ARTICLE VI
CERTAIN COVENANTS OF SELLERS PENDING CLOSING
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14
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Section 6.1.
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Access to
Files
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14
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Section 6.2.
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Conduct of
Operations
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14
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Section 6.3.
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Restrictions on
Certain Actions
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14
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Section 6.4.
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Service
Fee
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15
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Section 6.5.
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Payment of
Expenses
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15
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Section 6.6.
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Preferential
Rights and Third Party Consents
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15
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Section 6.7.
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Hart-Scott-Rodino Act
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16
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ARTICLE VII ADDITIONAL PRE-CLOSING AND
POST-CLOSING AGREEMENTS OF BOTH PARTIES
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16
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Section 7.1.
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Reasonable Best
Efforts
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16
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Section 7.2.
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Notice of
Litigation
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16
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Section 7.3.
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Notification of
Certain Matters
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17
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Section 7.4.
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Fees and
Expenses
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17
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Section 7.5.
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Public
Announcements
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17
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Section 7.6.
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Casualty Loss
Prior to Closing
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17
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Section 7.7.
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Governmental
Bonds
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18
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Section 7.8.
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Assumed
Obligations
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18
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Section 7.9.
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Operational
Transition
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18
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Section 7.10.
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Books and
Records
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18
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Section 7.11.
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Suspended
Funds
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18
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Section 7.12.
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Letters-in-Lieu
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19
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Section 7.13.
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Logos and
Names
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19
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Section 7.14.
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Further
Assurances
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19
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ARTICLE VIII DUE DILIGENCE
EXAMINATION
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19
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Section 8.1.
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Title Due
Diligence Examination
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19
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Section 8.2.
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Environmental
Due Diligence Examination
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22
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Section 8.3.
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Disputes
Regarding Title Defects or Environmental Defects
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24
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Section 8.4.
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Adjustments to
Purchase Price for Defects
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24
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Section 8.5.
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Buyer
Indemnification
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25
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ARTICLE IX CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE
OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES
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26
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Section 9.1.
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Conditions
Precedent to the Obligations of Buyer
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26
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Section 9.2.
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Conditions
Precedent to the Obligations of Sellers
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27
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ARTICLE X TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND
WAIVER
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28
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Section 10.1.
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Termination
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28
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Section 10.2.
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Effect of
Termination
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29
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Section 10.3.
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Amendment
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29
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Section 10.4.
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Waiver
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29
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ARTICLE XI SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS,
WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS; INDEMNIFICATION
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29
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Section 11.1.
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Survival
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29
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Section 11.2.
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Sellers’
Indemnification Obligations
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30
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Section 11.3.
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Buyer’s
Indemnification Obligations
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30
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Section 11.4.
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Net
Amounts
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31
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Section 11.5.
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Indemnification
Proceedings
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31
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Section 11.6.
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Indemnification
Exclusive Remedy
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32
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Section 11.7.
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Limited to
Actual Damages
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32
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Section 11.8.
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Indemnification
Despite Negligence
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32
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Section 11.9.
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Tax Treatment
of Indemnification Amounts
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32
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Section 11.10.
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Sellers
Aggregate Indemnity Limits
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32
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ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
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32
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Section 12.1.
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Notices
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32
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Section 12.2.
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Prorations,
Deposits and Taxes
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33
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Section 12.3.
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Entire
Agreement
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34
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Section 12.4.
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Injunctive
Relief
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34
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Section 12.5.
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Binding Effect;
Assignment; No Third Party Benefit
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34
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Section 12.6.
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Severability
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35
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Section 12.7.
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GOVERNING
LAW
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35
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Section 12.8.
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Counterparts
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35
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Section 12.9.
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WAIVER OF
CONSUMER RIGHTS
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35
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Section 12.10.
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Replacement
Bonds, Letters of Credit and Guarantees
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35
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ARTICLE XIII EMPLOYEE MATTERS
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36
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Section 13.1.
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Continuing
Employees
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36
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Section 13.2.
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No Obligation
to Hire Seller Employees
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36
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Section 13.3.
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Interview,
Screening, and Offers of Employment
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36
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Section 13.4.
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Employee
Benefits
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37
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Section 13.5.
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Control of
Seller Employees
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37
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Section 13.6.
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No Third Party
Beneficiaries
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38
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ARTICLE XIV DEFINITIONS AND
REFERENCES
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38
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Section 14.1.
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Certain Defined
Terms
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38
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Section 14.2.
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Certain
Additional Defined Terms
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43
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Section 14.3.
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References,
Titles and Construction
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44
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ARTICLE XV RATIFICATION BY LEL
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45
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Exhibits
A-1 Leases
A-2 Rights
of Way
A-3 Mineral
Tracts
A-4 Real
Property
A-5 Vehicle
List
B
Excluded Assets
B-1 Field
Office
B-2 Equipment
B-3 Vehicles
C
Allocation of Purchase Price
D
Form of Assignment
Schedules
2.5
Purchase Price Tax Allocations
4
Sellers Disclosure Schedule
12.10
Sellers Bonds
FIRST AMENDED AND
RESTATED
ASSET PURCHASE AND SALE
AGREEMENT
THIS FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED ASSET PURCHASE
AND SALE AGREEMENT is
dated as of June 9 th ,
2008, and made by and between Linn Energy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company (“ LEH ”), Linn
Operating, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ LOI
”), and Penn West Pipeline, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (“ PWP ”), (collectively “
Sellers ”), and XTO Energy Inc., a Delaware
corporation (“ Buyer ”).
RECITALS:
Sellers and
Buyer entered into that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement dated
as of April 13, 2008 (the “ Original Agreement
”). Pursuant to the Original Agreement, and
subject to the terms and conditions contained therein, each Seller
agreed to sell and Buyer agreed to purchase those certain interests
in oil and gas properties, rights and related assets that are
defined and described as the “Assets”
therein.
The parties
desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement to amend Exhibit
C, Schedule 4, and to address certain other matters. For
further certainty, this Agreement in all respects supersedes and
replaces the Original Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing Recitals and
the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, Sellers and
Buyer do hereby agree as follows:
AGREEMENT:
ARTICLE I
Properties To Be Sold and
Purchased
Section 1.1.
Assets Included . Subject to
Section 1.2 , Sellers agree to sell and Buyer agrees to
purchase, for the consideration hereinafter set forth, and subject
to the terms and provisions herein contained, the following
described properties, rights and interests:
(a) All
rights, titles and interests of Sellers in and to the Leases
described on Exhibit A-1 attached hereto and made a
part hereof for all purposes (and any ratifications and/or
amendments to such Leases, whether or not such ratifications or
amendments are described on such Exhibit A-1);
(b) Without
limitation of the foregoing but subject to Section 1.2
, all other right, title and interest (of whatever kind or
character, whether legal or equitable, and whether vested or
contingent) of Sellers in and to the oil, gas, and other minerals
in and under or that may be produced from the lands described in
Exhibits A - 1, A-2, and A-3 hereto or described
in any of the Leases described on such Exhibit A-1
(including interests in Leases, overriding royalties, production
payments and net profits interests in such lands or such Leases,
and fee mineral interests, fee royalty interests, and other
interests in so far as they cover such lands), even though
Sellers’ interest therein may be incorrectly described in, or
omitted from, such Exhibits A-1, A-2, and A-3 ;
(c) All
rights, titles and interests of Sellers in and to, or otherwise
derived from, all presently existing and valid oil, gas, or mineral
unitization, pooling, or communitization agreements, declarations,
and/or orders and in and to the properties covered and the units
created thereby (including all units formed under orders, rules,
regulations, or other official acts of any federal, state, or other
authority having jurisdiction, voluntary unitization agreements,
designations and/or declarations) relating to the properties
described in paragraphs (a) and (b)
above;
(d) All
rights, titles, and interests of Sellers in and to the Material
Contracts and all presently existing and valid production sales
(and sales related) contracts, operating agreements, and other
agreements and contracts which relate to any of the properties
described in paragraphs (a ), (b) and (c)
above, or which relate to the exploration, development, operation,
or maintenance thereof or the treatment, storage, transportation or
marketing of production therefrom (or allocated
thereto);
(e) All
rights, titles, and interests of Sellers in and to all materials,
supplies, machinery, equipment, improvements and other personal
property and fixtures (including all wells, wellhead equipment,
pumping units, flowlines, tanks, buildings, injection facilities,
saltwater disposal facilities, compression facilities, gathering
systems, and other equipment), and all easements, rights-of-way,
surface leases and other surface rights, all Permits and licenses,
and all other appurtenances being used or held for use in
connection with, or otherwise related to, the exploration,
development, operation or maintenance of any of the properties
described in paragraphs (a) , (b) and (c)
above, or the treatment, storage, transportation, or marketing of
production therefrom (or allocated thereto);
(f) Subject
to any third party rights, all of Sellers’ lease files, title
opinions, production records, well files, accounting records (but
not including general financial and accounting records attributable
to Sellers or Sellers’ business), seismic records and
surveys, gravity maps, electric logs, geological or geophysical
data and records, and other files, documents and records of every
kind and description which relate to the properties described above
(the “ Records ”); provided, however that
Sellers may retain copies of any or all of the Records;
(g) The
lease for the office premises used by Sellers located at “650
Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA” and the field offices and
premises described on Exhibit A-4 and all furniture, fixtures, and
equipment located thereat, including computers, telephone equipment
and other similar items of tangible personal property directly
associated with the Properties; and
(h) The
vehicles described on Exhibit A-5 .
As used
herein: (i) “ Oil and Gas Properties
” means the properties and interests described in
paragraphs (a) , (b) and (c) above, save
and except for any such properties or assets that are Excluded
Assets; and (ii) “ Properties ” means the
Oil and Gas Properties plus the properties and interests described
in paragraphs (d) , (e) , (f), (g), and
(h) above, save and except for any such properties or assets
that are Excluded Assets.
Section 1.2.
Assets Excluded . Notwithstanding anything
herein contained to the contrary, the Properties do not include,
and there is hereby excepted and reserved unto Sellers, all other
assets, properties, and business of Sellers, including the
following:
(a) Any
accounts receivable or accounts payable accruing before the
Effective Date;
(b) All
of Sellers’ right, title, and interest in any oil, gas, or
mineral Leases, overriding royalties, production payments, net
profits interests, fee mineral interests, fee royalty interests and
other interests in oil, gas, and other minerals not expressly
included in the definition of Oil and Gas Properties and all oil,
gas or other hydrocarbon production from or attributable to the
Properties with respect to all periods prior to the Effective Date,
all proceeds attributable thereto, and all Hydrocarbons that, at
the Effective Date, are owned by Sellers and are in storage or
within processing plants;
(c) Any
rebate or refund of costs, Taxes, or expenses borne by Sellers or
Sellers’ predecessors in title attributable to periods prior
to the Effective Date;
(d) Any
and all proceeds from the settlements of contract disputes with
purchasers of Hydrocarbons from the Properties, including
settlement of take-or-pay disputes, insofar as said proceeds are
attributable to periods of time prior to the Effective
Date;
(e) Any
and all proceeds from settlements with regard to reclassification
of oil or gas produced from the Properties, insofar as said
proceeds are attributable to periods of time prior to the Effective
Date;
(f) All
contracts of insurance or indemnity;
(g) All
claims (including insurance claims) and causes of action of Sellers
against one or more third parties arising from acts, omission, or
events occurring prior to the Effective Date and all claims under
any joint interest audit attributable to any period prior to the
Effective Date;
(h) All
limited liability company, financial, tax, and legal (other than
title) books and records of Sellers;
(i) Any
geological, geophysical or seismic data, materials, or information,
including maps, interpretations, records, or other technical
information related to or based upon any such data, materials or
information, and any other asset, data, materials, or information,
the transfer of which is restricted or prohibited under the terms
of any third party license, confidentiality agreement, or other
agreement or the transfer of which would require the payment of a
fee or other consideration to any third party; provided, however,
that if any such data, materials, or information is transferable
upon payment of a fee or other consideration, and if Buyer has paid
such fee or other consideration prior to the Closing Date, then
such data, materials, or information shall be transferred to
Buyer;
(j) The
field office located at Jane Lew, West Virginia, to the extent
described on Exhibit B and all furniture, fixtures and
equipment located thereat, including computers, telephone equipment
and other similar items of tangible personal property;
(k) All
share drive and accounting servers related to the Properties
regardless of where such servers are located;
(l) All
of Sellers’ accounting or other administrative systems,
computer software, patents, trade secrets, copyrights, names,
trademarks, logos, and other intellectual property;
(m) All
documents and instruments of Sellers that may be protected by an
attorney-client privilege (exclusive of title opinions in respect
of the Oil and Gas Properties and all documents and instruments
related to any matters in Sellers Disclosure Schedule);
(n) All
of the other properties, interests and assets described on
Exhibit B , together with any rights, liabilities, or
obligations associated with such assets;
(o) The
Existing Hedges and all hedging transactions and any gains or
losses attributable to any hedging activities, whether occurring
before or after the Effective Date;
(p) Any
other right or interest in and to the Properties to the extent
attributable to the period prior to the Effective Date;
(q) All
bonds, letters of credit and guarantees if any, posted by Sellers
or any Affiliate with any Governmental Authority or third person
and relating to the Properties;
(r) All
(i) correspondence or other documents or instruments of Sellers
relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) lists of
other prospective purchasers of Sellers or the Properties compiled
by Sellers, (iii) bids submitted to Sellers by other prospective
purchasers of Sellers or the Properties, (iv) analyses by Sellers
or any Affiliates thereof submitted by other prospective purchasers
of Sellers or the Properties, and (v) correspondence between or
among Sellers or their Affiliates or their respective
representatives with respect to, or with, any other prospective
purchasers of Sellers or the Properties; and
(s) All
assets associated with Sellers’ Affiliates, Mid Atlantic Well
Service, Inc., Marathon 85-II Limited Partnership, a West Virginia
limited partnership, and Marathon 85-III Limited Partnership, a
West Virginia limited partnership, and their respective operations
including those specifically described on Exhibit B.
The properties
and interests specified in the foregoing paragraphs (a)
through (s) of this Section 1.2 are herein
collectively called the “ Excluded Assets
”. It is understood that certain of the Excluded
Assets may not be embraced by the term
“Properties”. The fact that certain assets
have been expressly excluded is not intended to suggest that had
they not been excluded they would have constituted Properties and
may not be used to interpret the meaning of any word or phrase used
in describing the Properties.
ARTICLE II
Purchase
Price
Section 2.1.
Purchase Price . In consideration of the
sale of the Properties by Sellers to Buyer, Buyer shall pay to
Sellers cash in the amount of FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE
MILLION SEVEN
HUNDRED THOUSAND AND NO\100 DOLLARS ($599,700,000.00) (the “
Purchase Price ”). The Purchase Price, as adjusted
pursuant to this Article II and the other applicable
provisions hereof, is herein called the “ Adjusted
Purchase Price ”.
Section 2.2.
Accounting Adjustments .
(a) Subject
to Section 2.2(b) , and in addition to other adjustments to
the Purchase Price provided for in this Agreement, appropriate
adjustments shall be made between Buyer and Sellers so
that:
(i) all
expenses (including all drilling costs, all capital expenditures,
and all overhead administrative charges under applicable operating
agreements, and all other operating costs actually charged by third
parties) for work done in the operation of the Properties on or
after the Effective Date will be borne by Buyer, and all proceeds
(net of applicable gathering, transportation charges as well as
production, severance, and similar Taxes) from the sale of oil, gas
or other minerals produced from the Oil and Gas Properties on or
after the Effective Date will be received by Buyer, and
(ii) all
expenses for work done in the operation of the Properties before
the Effective Date will be borne by Sellers and all proceeds (net
of applicable production, severance, and similar Taxes) from the
sale of oil, gas, or other minerals produced therefrom before the
Effective Date will be received by Sellers.
(b) It
is agreed that, in making the adjustments contemplated by
Section 2.2(a) :
(i) Oil
which was produced from the Oil and Gas Properties and which was,
on the Effective Date, stored in tanks, but without taking into
account tank bottom sediment and water, located on the
Oil and Gas Properties (or located elsewhere but used to store oil
produced from the Oil and Gas Properties prior to delivery to oil
purchasers) and above pipeline connections shall be deemed to have
been produced before the Effective Date (it is recognized that such
tanks were not gauged on the Effective Date for the purposes of
this Agreement and that determination of the volume of such oil in
storage will be based on the best available data, which may include
estimates),
(ii) ad
valorem Taxes assessed with respect to a period which begins before
and ends on or after the Effective Date shall be prorated based on
the number of days in such period which fall on each side of the
Effective Date (with the day on which the Effective Date falls
being counted in the period after the Effective Date),
and
(iii) no
consideration shall be given to the local, state, or federal income
tax liabilities of any party.
Section 2.3.
Closing and Post-Closing Accounting Settlements
.
(a) No
later than three (3) business days prior to the Closing Date, the
parties shall determine, based upon the best information reasonably
available to them, the amount of the
adjustments
provided for in Section 2.2 . If the
amount of adjustments so determined which would result in a credit
to Buyer exceed the amount of adjustments so determined which would
result in a credit to Sellers, Buyer shall receive a credit, for
the amount of such excess, against the Purchase Price to be paid at
Closing, and, if the converse is true, Buyer shall pay to Sellers,
at Closing (in addition to amounts otherwise then owed), the amount
of such excess.
(b) On
or before 120 days after Closing, Buyer and Sellers shall review
any additional information which may then be available pertaining
to the adjustments provided for in Section 2.2 , shall
determine if any additional adjustments (whether the same be made
to account for expenses or revenues not considered in making the
adjustments made at Closing, or to correct errors made in such
adjustments) should be made beyond those made at Closing, and shall
make any such adjustments by appropriate payments from Sellers to
Buyer or from Buyer to Sellers. Following such
additional adjustments, no further adjustments to the Purchase
Price shall be made under this Section 2.3 .
(c) If
a dispute arises under Section 2.3(b) with respect to
any additional adjustments (an “ Accounting Dispute
”) that the parties have been unable to resolve prior to the
end of the 120 day period in Section 2.3(b) above, then, at
the written request of either Sellers or Buyer (the “
Request Date ”), each of Sellers and Buyer shall
nominate and commit one of their senior officers to meet at a
mutually agreed time and place not later than ten days after the
Request Date to attempt to resolve same. If such senior
officers have been unable to resolve such Accounting Dispute within
a period of 30 days after the Request Date, any party shall have
the right, by written notice to the other specifying in reasonable
detail the basis for the Accounting Dispute, to resolve the
Accounting Dispute by submission thereof to a independent public
accounting firm mutually agreeable to the parties, which firm shall
serve as sole arbitrator (the “ Accounting Referee
”). The scope of the Accounting Referee’s
engagement shall be limited to the resolution of the items
described in the notice of the Accounting Dispute given in
accordance with the foregoing and the corresponding calculation of
the adjustments pursuant to Section 2.2 . The
Accounting Referee shall be instructed by the parties to resolve
the Accounting Dispute as soon as reasonably practicable in light
of the circumstances but in no event in excess of 15 days following
the submission of the Accounting Dispute to the Accounting
Referee. The decision and award of the Accounting
Referee shall be binding upon the parties as an award under the
Federal Arbitration Act and final and nonappealable to the maximum
extent permitted by law, and judgment thereon may be entered in a
court of competent jurisdiction and enforced by any party as a
final judgment of such court. The fees and expenses of
the Accounting Referee shall be borne equally by Sellers and
Buyer.
Section 2.4.
Payment of Adjusted Purchase Price . The
Adjusted Purchase Price shall be paid to Sellers as
follows:
(a) Within
one Business Day after the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, Buyer shall tender to Sellers cash equal to ten percent
(10%) of the Purchase Price, which is FIFTY-NINE MILLION NINE
HUNDRED SEVEN THOUSAND AND NO\100 DOLLARS ($59,970,000.00), as a
deposit (such amount, together with all interest earned thereon,
the “ Deposit ”). The Deposit shall
(i) be applied against the Adjusted Purchase Price owing by
Buyer at the Closing pursuant to Section 2.4(b) ,
(ii) retained by Sellers pursuant to Section 10.2
or (iii) returned to Buyer pursuant to
Section 10.2 , as applicable.
(b) At
the Closing, Buyer shall pay to Sellers cash equal to the Adjusted
Purchase Price less the Deposit.
(c) All
cash payments by Buyer pursuant to this Section 2.4
shall be made in immediately available funds by confirmed wire
transfer to a bank account or accounts designated by Sellers, as
applicable.
Section 2.5.
Allocation of Purchase Price .
(a) Buyer,
using its reasonable business judgment, has allocated the Purchase
Price among the Oil and Gas Properties as shown on the attached
Exhibit C.
(b) On
or before the Closing Date, the Buyer and Sellers shall agree in
writing as to the allocation of the Adjusted Purchase Price among
the Properties under the methodology required by Section 1060
of the Code. Such agreed allocation shall be set forth
on Schedule 2.5 attached hereto. The Buyer and Sellers
shall report the transactions contemplated hereby on all Tax
Returns, including, but not limited to Form 8594, in a manner
consistent with such allocation. If, contrary to the
intent of the parties hereto as expressed in this
Section 2.5 , any taxing authority makes or proposes an
allocation different from the allocation determined under this
Section 2.5 , Buyer and Sellers shall cooperate with
each other in good faith to contest such taxing authority’s
allocation (or proposed allocation), provided, however, that, after
consultation with the party adversely affected by such allocation
(or proposed allocation), the other party hereto may file such
protective claims or Tax Returns as may be reasonably required to
protect its interests.
ARTICLE III
The Closing
The closing of
the transactions contemplated hereby (the “ Closing
”) shall take place (i) at the offices of Sellers at 600
Travis Street, Suite 5100, Houston, Texas 77002, at 10:00 a.m.
(local Houston, Texas time) on July 1, 2008, or (ii) at such
other time or place or on such other date as the parties hereto
shall agree. The date on which the Closing is required
to take place is herein referred to as the “ Closing
Date ”. All Closing transactions shall be
deemed to have occurred simultaneously.
ARTICLE IV
Representations and Warranties
of Sellers
Except as
provided in Sellers Disclosure Schedule, LEH hereby represents and
warrants to Buyer as follows:
Section 4.1.
Organization and Existence . Each Seller
is a limited liability company or corporation duly formed and
validly existing under the laws of the State of
Delaware.
Section 4.2.
Power and Authority . Each Seller has all
requisite corporate or limited liability company power and
authority to execute, deliver, and perform this Agreement and each
other agreement, instrument, or document executed or to be executed
by Sellers in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby
to which it is a party and to consummate the
transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution,
delivery, and performance by Sellers of this Agreement and each
other agreement, instrument, or document executed or to be executed
by Sellers in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby
to which it is a party, and the consummation by it of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, have been duly
authorized by all necessary action of Sellers.
Section 4.3.
Valid and Binding Agreement . This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Sellers and
constitutes, and each other agreement, instrument, or document
executed or to be executed by Sellers in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby to which it is a party has been,
or when executed will be, duly executed and delivered by Sellers
and constitutes, or when executed and delivered will constitute, a
valid and legally binding obligation of Sellers, enforceable
against it in accordance with their respective terms, except that
such enforceability may be limited by (a) applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and similar
laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and
(b) equitable principles which may limit the availability of
certain equitable remedies (such as specific performance) in
certain instances.
Section 4.4.
Non-Contravention . Other than
requirements (if any) that there be obtained consents to assignment
(or waivers of preferential rights to purchase) from third parties,
neither the execution, delivery, and performance by Sellers of this
Agreement and each other agreement, instrument, or document
executed or to Sellers’ Knowledge to be executed by Sellers
in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby to which it
is a party nor the consummation by it of the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby do and will (a) conflict with
or result in a violation of Sellers’ Governing Documents,
(b) conflict with or result in a violation of any provision
of, or constitute (with or without the giving of notice or the
passage of time or both) a default under, or give rise (with or
without the giving of notice or the passage of time or both) to any
right of termination, cancellation, or acceleration under, any
bond, debenture, note, mortgage or indenture, or any material
lease, contract, agreement, or other instrument or obligation to
which Sellers are a party or by which Sellers or any of their
properties may be bound, (c) result in the creation or
imposition of any lien or other encumbrance upon the properties of
Sellers, or (d) violate any Applicable Law binding upon
Sellers, except, in the instance of clause (b) or
clause (c) above, for any such conflicts, violations,
defaults, terminations, cancellations or accelerations which would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 4.5.
Approvals . Other than requirements (if
any) that there be obtained consents to assignment (or waivers of
preferential rights to purchase) from third parties and except for
approvals required to be obtained from Governmental Entities who
are lessors under leases forming a part of the Oil and Gas
Properties (or who administer such leases on behalf of such
lessors) which are obtained post-closing, no consent, approval,
order, or authorization of, or declaration, filing, or registration
with, any court or governmental agency or of any third party is
required to be obtained or made by Sellers in connection with the
execution, delivery, or performance by Sellers of this Agreement,
each other agreement, instrument, or document executed or to be
executed by Sellers in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby to which they are a party or the consummation
by them of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, except
for such consents, approvals, orders, authorizations, declarations,
filings, or
registrations
which, if not obtained or made (as applicable), would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 4.6.
Litigation . Except as listed on Section
4.6 of the Sellers Disclosure Schedule, there are no Proceedings
pending or, to Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened, against or
affecting Sellers or the Properties (including any actions
challenging or pertaining to Sellers’ title to any of the
Properties), or affecting the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by Sellers or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby by Sellers.
Section 4.7.
Contracts . Schedule 4.7 lists all
Material Contracts. To Sellers’ Knowledge, none of
the Sellers is in default under any Material Contract except as
disclosed on Schedule 4.7 and except such defaults as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect. To Sellers’ Knowledge, all Material
Contracts are in full force and effect. Except as
disclosed on Schedule 4.7, there are no futures, options, swaps or
other derivatives with respect to the sale of production that will
be binding on Sellers or the Properties after
Closing. Except as disclosed on Schedule 4.7, as of the
date identified on such Schedule, there were no contracts for the
purchase, sale or exchange of oil, gas or other hydrocarbons
produced from or attributable to the Properties that will be
binding on the Buyer, the Sellers or the Properties after Closing
that Buyer will not be entitled to terminate at will (without
penalty) on ninety (90) days notice or
less. No notice of default or breach has been received
or delivered by any Seller under any Material Contract, the
resolution of which is currently outstanding, and no currently
effective notices have been received by any Seller of the exercise
of any premature termination, price redetermination, market-out or
curtailment of any Material Contract.
Section 4.8.
Commitments, Abandonments or Proposals
. Sellers will not incur any expenses, and will not make
any commitments to make expenditures in connection with the
ownership or operation of the Properties after the Effective Date,
other than expenses incurred in the normal operation of existing
wells on the Oil and Gas Properties; Sellers will not abandon any
wells (or remove any material items of equipment, except those
replaced by items of materially equal suitability and value)
on the Oil and Gas Properties on or after the
Effective Date except for those done in the ordinary course of
Sellers’ business or unless required by Applicable Law; and
no proposals are currently outstanding by Sellers or other working
interest owners to drill additional wells, or to deepen, plug back,
sidetrack or rework existing wells, or to conduct other operations
for which consent is required under the applicable operating
agreement, or to conduct any other operations other than normal
operation of existing wells on the Oil and Gas
Properties.
Section 4.9.
Production Sales Contracts . There exist
no agreements or arrangements for the sale of Hydrocarbons from the
Oil and Gas Properties (including calls on, or other rights to
purchase, production, whether or not the same are currently being
exercised) other than (a) production sales contracts (in this
Section, the “ Scheduled Production Sales
Contracts ”) disclosed in Section 4.9 of the Sellers
Disclosure Schedule or (b) agreements or arrangements which
are cancelable on 90 days notice or less without penalty or
detriment.
Section 4.10.
Plugging and Abandonment . To
Seller’s Knowledge, except for wells listed in
Section 4.10 of the Sellers Disclosure Schedule, there are no
dry holes, or shut in or otherwise inactive wells, located on the
Oil and Gas Properties or on lands pooled or unitized therewith,
except for wells that have been plugged and abandoned.
Section 4.11.
Permits . Sellers have all Permits
necessary or appropriate to own and where Seller operates, operate
the Properties as presently being owned and operated, except for
such Permits the absence of which would not be reasonably expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect, and to Sellers’ Knowledge,
such Permits are in full force and effect. Except as set
forth in Section 4.11 of the Sellers Disclosure Schedule,
Sellers have not received written notice of any violations in
respect of any Permits and to Sellers’ Knowledge, there are
no violations in respect of any Permit and no one has communicated
to Sellers that there are any violations in respect of any Permit,
except for such violations which would not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.12.
Payment of Expenses . All expenses
(including all bills for labor, materials, and supplies used or
furnished for use in connection with the Properties, and all
severance, production, ad valorem, and other similar Taxes)
relating to the ownership or operation by Sellers of the
Properties, have been, and are being, paid (timely, and before the
same become delinquent) by Sellers, except such expenses and Taxes
as are disputed in good faith by Sellers and for which an adequate
accounting reserve has been established by
Sellers. Sellers are not delinquent with respect to
their obligations to bear costs and expenses relating to the
development and operation of the Oil and Gas Properties.
Section 4.13.
Compliance with Laws . To Sellers’
Knowledge, the ownership and operation of the Properties operated
by Sellers have been in compliance with all Applicable
Laws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section
4.13 does not relate to environmental matters (including
compliance with Environmental Laws or matters that would constitute
Environmental Defects), it being agreed that such matters are
covered by and dealt with in Article VIII
exclusively.
Section 4.14.
Imbalances; Prepayments . Section 4.14 of
the Sellers Disclosure Schedule sets forth all Imbalances as of the
date set forth in such Section with respect to the Oil and Gas
Properties. Sellers are not obligated by virtue of a
take or pay payment, advance payment or other similar payment
(other than royalties, overriding royalties and similar
arrangements reflected in Exhibit C ), to deliver
Hydrocarbons, or proceeds from the sale thereof, attributable to
the Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without receiving
payment therefor at or after the time of delivery.
Section 4.15.
Intellectual Property . To Sellers’
Knowledge, Sellers own or have valid licenses or other rights to
use all patents, copyrights, trademarks, software, databases,
geological data, geophysical data, engineering data, maps,
interpretations, and other technical information used by Sellers in
connection with their ownership and operation of the Properties as
presently conducted, subject to the limitations contained in the
agreements governing the use of the same, which limitations are
customary for companies engaged in the business of the exploration
and production of Hydrocarbons.
(a) Except
as set forth in Section 4.16 of the Sellers Disclosure Schedule,
all ad valorem and severance Taxes due and payable for the
Properties have been timely paid in
accordance with
Applicable Laws and are not delinquent, or if not paid, are being
contested in good faith by one or more of the Sellers.
(b) With
respect to all Taxes related to the Properties, (i) all
material Tax Returns relating to the Properties required to be
filed on or before the Effective Date by Sellers with respect to
any Taxes for any period ending on or before the Effective Date
have been timely filed with the appropriate Governmental Entity,
(ii) to Sellers Knowledge such Tax Returns are true and
correct in all respects, and (iii) all Taxes reported on such
Tax Returns have been paid or provided for, except those being
contested in good faith.
(c) With
respect to all Taxes related to the Properties (i) there are
not currently in effect any extension or waiver by Sellers of any
statute of limitations of any jurisdiction regarding the assessment
or collection of any Tax related to the Properties, and
(ii) there are no administrative Proceedings or lawsuits
pending against the Properties or Sellers with respect to the
Properties by any taxing authority.
(d) None
of the Properties were bound as of the Effective Date or will be
bound at Closing by any tax partnership agreement binding upon
Sellers that would preclude Sellers form being entitled to dispose
of the property.
Section 4.17.
Fees and Commissions . Buyer will have no
responsibility for payment of any broker’s, finder’s,
financial advisors’ or other similar fee or commission in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
based upon any arrangements made by or on behalf of
Sellers.
Section 4.18.
Disclaimer of Warranties . Other than
those expressly set out in this Article IV , and the
special warranty of title included in the Assignment, Sellers
hereby expressly disclaim any and all representations or warranties
with respect to the Properties or the transactions contemplated
hereby. In addition, each Seller’s liability under
the special warranty of title shall be limited to those Properties
specifically sold or conveyed by that Seller. Buyer
agrees that the Properties are being sold by each Seller
“where is” and “as is”, with all
faults. Specifically as a part of (but not in limitation
of) the foregoing, Buyer acknowledges that Sellers have not made,
and Sellers hereby expressly disclaim, any representation or
warranty (express, implied, under common law, by statute or
otherwise) as to the title or condition of the Properties
(INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR CONFORMITY TO MODELS OR
SAMPLES OF MATERIALS) . OTHER THAN THOSE
EXPRESSLY SET OUT IN THIS ARTICLE IV , SELLERS MAKE NO
REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY AS TO (I) THE AMOUNT, VALUE,
QUALITY, QUANTITY, VOLUME, OR DELIVERABILITY OF ANY OIL, GAS, OR
OTHER MINERALS OR RESERVES (IF ANY) IN, UNDER, OR ATTRIBUTABLE TO
THE PROPERTIES, (II) THE PHYSICAL, OPERATING, REGULATORY
COMPLIANCE, SAFETY, OR ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION OF THE PROPERTIES,
BOTH SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE, INCLUDING MATTERS RELATED TO THE
PRESENCE, RELEASE OR DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, SOLID WASTES,
ASBESTOS OR NATURALLY OCCURRING RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS ( “
NORM ” ), OR (III) THE GEOLOGICAL OR
ENGINEERING CONDITION OF THE PROPERTIES OR ANY VALUE
THEREOF. SELLERS MAKE NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION,
EXPRESS,
STATUTORY,
OR IMPLIED, AS TO (A) THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR
MATERIALITY OF ANY DATA, INFORMATION, OR RECORDS FURNISHED TO BUYER
IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPERTIES OR OTHERWISE CONSTITUTING A
PORTION OF THE PROPERTIES; (B) THE PRESENCE, QUALITY, AND
QUANTITY OF HYDROCARBON RESERVES (IF ANY) ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE
PROPERTIES; (C) THE ABILITY OF THE PROPERTIES TO PRODUCE
HYDROCARBONS, INCLUDING PRODUCTION RATES, DECLINE RATES, AND
RECOMPLETION OPPORTUNITIES; (D) IMBALANCE OR PAYOUT ACCOUNT
INFORMATION, ALLOWABLES, OR OTHER REGULATORY MATTERS, (E) THE
PRESENT OR FUTURE VALUE OF THE ANTICIPATED INCOME, COSTS, OR
PROFITS, IF ANY, TO BE DERIVED FROM THE PROPERTIES, (F) THE
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION OF THE PROPERTIES, (G) ANY PROJECTIONS
AS TO EVENTS THAT COULD OR COULD NOT OCCUR, (H) ANY OTHER
MATTERS CONTAINED IN OR OMITTED FROM ANY INFORMATION OR MATERIAL
FURNISHED TO BUYER BY SELLERS OR OTHERWISE CONSTITUTING A PORTION
OF THE PROPERTIES, OR (I) ANY PORTION OF THE PROPERTIES OTHER THAN
THE PORTIONS OF THE PROPERTIES BEING SOLD OR CONVEYED BY THAT
PARTICULAR SELLER. ANY DATA, INFORMATION, OR OTHER
RECORDS FURNISHED BY SELLERS ARE PROVIDED TO BUYER AS A CONVENIENCE
AND BUYER’S RELIANCE ON OR USE OF THE SAME IS AT
BUYER’S SOLE RISK.
Section 4.19.
Disclosures . The matters set forth on the
Sellers Disclosure Schedule are not necessarily matters that
Sellers are required to disclose or matter that would constitute a
breach of any representation or warranty had such matters not been
disclosed.
ARTICLE V
Representations and Warranties
of Buyer
Section 5.1.
Organization and Existence . Buyer is a
corporation, duly organized, legally existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware, and is qualified to do
business and in good standing in each of the states in which Oil
and Gas Properties are located where the laws of such state would
require a corporation owning the Oil and Gas Properties located in
such state to so qualify. Buyer is also qualified to own
and operate oil and gas properties with all applicable governmental
agencies having jurisdiction over the Properties, to the extent
such qualification is necessary or appropriate or will be necessary
or appropriate upon consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
Section 5.2.
Power and Authority . Buyer has full
corporate power and authority to execute, deliver, and perform this
Agreement and each other agreement, instrument, or document
executed or to be executed by Buyer in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby to which it is a party and to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby. The execution, delivery, and performance by
Buyer of this Agreement and each other agreement, instrument, or
document executed or to be executed by Buyer in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby to which it is a party, and the
consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action of Buyer.
Section 5.3.
Valid and Binding Agreement . This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Buyer and
constitutes, and each other agreement, instrument, or document
executed or to be executed by Buyer in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby to which it is a party has been,
or when executed will be, duly executed and delivered by Buyer and
constitutes, or when executed and delivered will constitute, a
valid and legally binding obligation of Buyer, enforceable against
it in accordance with their respective terms, except that such
enforceability may be limited by (a) applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and similar laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally, and (b) equitable
principles which may limit the availability of certain equitable
remedies (such as specific performance) in certain
instances.
Section 5.4.
Non-Contravention . Neither the execution,
delivery, and performance by Buyer of this Agreement and each other
agreement, instrument, or document executed or to Buyer’s
Knowledge to be executed by Buyer in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby to which it is a party and the
consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or result in a
violation of Buyer’s Governing Documents, (ii) conflict
with or result in a violation of any provision of, or constitute
(with or without the giving of notice or the passage of time or
both) a default under, or give rise (with or without the giving of
notice or the passage of time or both) to any right of termination,
cancellation, or acceleration under, any bond, debenture, note,
mortgage, indenture, or any material lease, contract, agreement, or
other instrument or obligation to which Buyer is a party or by
which Buyer or any of its properties may be bound,
(iii) result in the creation or imposition of any lien or
other encumbrance upon the properties of Buyer, or
(iv) violate any Applicable Law binding upon Buyer, except, in
the instance of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for which any such
conflicts, violations, defaults, terminations, cancellations or
accelerations which would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.5.
Approvals . Other than requirements (if
any) that there be obtained consents to assignment (or waivers of
preferential rights to purchase) from third parties, no consent,
approval, order, or authorization of, or declaration, filing, or
registration with, any court or governmental agency or of any third
party is required to be obtained or made by Buyer in connection
with the execution, delivery, or performance by Buyer of this
Agreement and each other agreement, instrument, or document
executed or to be executed by Buyer in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby to which it is a party or the
consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby, except, for such consents, approvals, orders,
authorizations, declarations, filings, or registrations which, if
not obtained or made (as applicable), would not, individually or in
the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.6.
Pending Litigation . There are no
Proceedings pending or, to Buyer’s Knowledge, threatened
against or affecting the execution and delivery of this Agreement
by Buyer or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby by Buyer.
Section 5.7.
Knowledgeable Purchaser . Buyer is a
knowledgeable purchaser, owner and operator of oil and gas
properties, has the ability to evaluate (and in fact has evaluated)
the Properties for purchase. Buyer is an
“accredited investor,” as defined in Regulation D
promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, and is acquiring the
Properties for its own account and not with the intent to make a
distribution within the meaning of the Securities
Act (and the rules and regulations pertaining thereto)
or a distribution thereof in violation of any other
applicable
securities laws. At Closing, Buyer will have had access
to the Properties, the officers and consultants of Sellers, and the
books, records, and files of Sellers relating to the
Properties. In making the decision to enter into this
Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby,
Buyer has relied on its own independent due diligence investigation
of the Properties and has been advised by and has relied solely on
its own expertise and legal, land, tax, reservoir engineering, and
other professional counsel concerning this transaction, the
Properties and the value thereof.
Section 5.8.
Funds . Buyer has, and at the Closing will
have, sufficient cash and other sources of immediately available
funds, as are necessary in order to pay the Adjusted Purchase Price
to Sellers at the Closing and otherwise consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby.
Section 5.9.
Fees and Commissions . No broker,
investment banker, financial advisor or other Person is entitled to
any broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or
other similar fee or commission in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or
on behalf of Buyer.
ARTICLE VI
Certain Covenants of Sellers
Pending Closing
Section 6.1.
Access to Files . Subject to the terms of
the Confidentiality Agreement and Article IX , from the date
hereof until the Closing Date, Sellers will give Buyer, and its
attorneys and other authorized representatives, access at all
reasonable times and in a manner so as to not interfere with the
normal business operations of Sellers to the Properties and to any
contract files, lease or other title files, production files, well
files, and other files of Sellers pertaining to the ownership or
operation of the Properties, and Sellers will use their Reasonable
Best Efforts to arrange for Buyer, and its attorneys and other
representatives, to have access to any such files in the office of
Sellers.
Section 6.2.
Conduct of Operations . From the date
hereof until the Closing Date, Sellers will (i) continue the
routine operation of the Properties in the ordinary course of
business as previously conducted prior to the date of this
Agreement, including without limitation, the continuation of the
drilling of new wells in accordance with the 2008 Appalachia
Drilling Plan, a copy of which has been previously furnished to
Buyer by Sellers; and (ii) operate the Properties in material
compliance with all Applicable Laws and Environmental Laws and
Material Agreements. Without expanding any obligations
that Sellers may have to Buyer, it is expressly agreed that Sellers
shall never have any liability to Buyer which respect to operation
of a Property greater than that which it might have as the operator
to a non-operator under the applicable operating agreement (or, in
the absence of such an agreement, under the AAPL 610 (1989
Revision) form Operating Agreement).
Section 6.3.
Restrictions on Certain Actions . From the
date hereof until the Closing Date, Sellers will not, without
Buyer’s prior consent in connection with the
Properties:
(a) expend
any funds, or make any commitments to expend funds (including
entering into new agreements which would obligate Sellers to expend
funds), or otherwise incur any other obligations or liabilities,
other than to pay expenses or to incur liabilities in the ordinary
course of business as previously conducted prior to the date of
this Agreement in connection with
operation of
the Properties after the Effective Date and as set out in the 2008
Appalachia Drilling Plan, a copy of which has been previously
furnished to Buyer by Sellers, and except in the event of an
emergency requiring immediate action to protect life or preserve
the Properties;
(b) except
where necessary to prevent the termination of a Lease or other
material agreement governing Sellers’ interest in the
Properties, propose the drilling of any additional wells, or
propose the deepening, plugging back or reworking of any existing
wells, or propose the conducting of any other operations which
require consent under the applicable operating agreement, or
propose the conducting of any other operations other than the
normal operation of the existing wells on the Oil and Gas
Properties, or propose the abandonment of any wells on the Oil and
Gas Properties (and Sellers agree that they will advise Buyer of
any such proposals made by third parties and will respond to each
such proposal made by a third party in the manner requested by
Buyer);
(c) sell,
transfer, or abandon any portion of the Properties other than items
of materials, supplies, machinery, equipment, improvements, or
other personal property or fixtures forming a part of the
Properties (and then only if the same is replaced with an item of
substantially equal suitability, free of liens and security
interests, which replacement item will then, for the purposes of
this Agreement, become part of the Properties); or
(d) release
(or permit to terminate), or modify or reduce its rights under, any
oil, gas, or mineral lease forming a part of the Oil and Gas
Properties, or any Material Agreement, or modify any existing
production sales contracts or enter into any new production sales
contracts, except contracts terminable by Sellers with notice of 60
days or less.
Section 6.4.
Service Fee . To compensate Sellers for
administrative overhead expenses associated with conducting
operations pursuant to Section 6.2 from the Effective Date to the
Closing Date, Buyer agrees to pay Sellers the sum of $350,000.00
per month. Buyer will be responsible for operating the
Properties after Closing, unless Buyer and Sellers enter into a
Transition Services Agreement.
Section 6.5.
Payment of Expenses . Sellers will cause
all expenses (including all bills for labor, materials, and
supplies used or furnished for use in connection with the
Properties and all severance, production, and similar Taxes)
relating to the ownership or operation of the Properties prior to
the Closing Date to be promptly paid and discharged, except for
expenses disputed in good faith.
Section 6.6.
Preferential Rights and Third Party Consents
. Sellers will use Reasonable Best Efforts to request,
from the appropriate parties (and in accordance with the documents
creating such rights and/or requirements), waivers of the
preferential rights to purchase, or requirements that consent to
assignment be obtained, which are identified in Section 6.6 of
the Sellers Disclosure Schedule. Sellers shall have no
obligation to assure that such waivers are obtained, and if all
such waivers (or any other waivers of preferential rights to
purchase or requirements that consent be obtained to assignment,
even if the same are not listed on such Section 6.6) are not
obtained, Buyer may treat any waiver which is not obtained as a
matter which causes Sellers’ title to not be sufficient to
meet the standards set forth in Article VIII (except
the following shall not apply: (i) the $175,000 threshold provided
for in Section 8.1(c), (ii) Section 8.1(d)(iii)(B), and (iii)
Section 8.4(a)); provided, however, that if the
unobtained
waiver is a waiver of a preferential right to purchase, and if both
Buyer and Sellers agree to this treatment of such matter (and agree
upon an appropriate allocation of the Purchase Price), Sellers will
tender (at the agreed allocated portion of the Purchase Price) the
required interest in the Property affected by such unwaived
preferential right to purchase to the holder, or holders, of such
right who have elected not to waive such preferential right to
purchase, and if, and to the extent that, such preferential right
to purchase is exercised by such party or parties, such interest in
such Property will be excluded from the transaction contemplated
hereby and the Purchase Price will be reduced by the amount paid,
or to be paid, by the party exercising such preferential right to
purchase (and Sellers shall collect such amount from such
purchaser).
Section 6.7.
Hart-Scott-Rodino Act . As soon
as practicable, but no later than fifteen (15) Business Days after
the execution hereof, Sellers and Buyer shall each prepare and
submit any necessary filings in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act
(“HSR Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder. Each party shall request expedited treatment
of such filing by the Federal Trade Commission, shall promptly make
any appropriate or necessary subsequent or supplemental filings,
and shall furnish to the other party copies of all filings made
under the HSR Act at the same time they are filed with the
government.
ARTICLE VII
Additional Pre-Closing and
Post-Closing Agreements of Both Parties
Section 7.1.
Reasonable Best Efforts . Each party
hereto agrees that it will not voluntarily undertake any course of
action inconsistent with the provisions or intent of this Agreement
and will use its Reasonable Best Efforts to take, or cause to be
taken, all action and to do, or cause to be done, all things
reasonably necessary, proper, or advisable under Applicable Laws to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
including (i) cooperation in determining whether any consents,
approvals, orders, authorizations, waivers, declarations, filings,
or registrations of or with any Governmental Entity or third party
are required in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby; (ii) Reasonable Best Efforts
to obtain any such consents approvals, orders, authorizations, and
waivers and to effect any such declarations, filings, and
registrations; (iii) Reasonable Best Efforts to cause to be
lifted or rescinded any injunction or restraining order or other
order adversely affecting the ability of the parties to consummate
the transactions contemplated hereby; (iv) Reasonable Best
Efforts to defend, and cooperation in defending, all Proceedings
challenging this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby; and (v) the execution of any additional
instruments necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby.
Section 7.2.
Notice of Litigation . Until the Closing,
(i) Buyer, upon learning of the same, shall promptly notify
Sellers of any Proceeding which is commenced or threatened against
Buyer and which affects this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby, and (ii) Sellers, upon learning of the
same, shall promptly notify Buyer of any Proceeding which is
commenced or threatened against Sellers which affects this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 7.3.
Notification of Certain Matters . Until
the Closing, Sellers shall give prompt notice to Buyer
of: (i) the occurrence or nonoccurrence of any
event the occurrence or nonoccurrence of which, to Sellers’
Knowledge, would be likely to cause any representation
or
warranty made
by Sellers in Article IV to be untrue or inaccurate at
or prior to the Closing, and (ii) any failure of Sellers to
comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition, or agreement to be
complied with or satisfied by Sellers hereunder prior to
Closing. Until the Closing, Buyer shall give prompt
notice to Sellers of: (i) the occurrence or
nonoccurrence of any event the occurrence or nonoccurrence of
which, to Buyer’s Knowledge, would be likely to cause any
representation or warranty contained in Article V to be
untrue or inaccurate at or prior to the Closing, and (ii) any
failure of Buyer to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition,
or agreement to be complied with or satisfied by Buyer hereunder
prior to Closing. The delivery of any notice pursuant to
this Section 7.3 shall not be deemed to (x) modify the
representations or warranties hereunder of the party delivering
such notice, (y) modify the conditions set forth in
Article IX , or (z) limit or otherwise affect the
remedies available hereunder to the party receiving such
notice.
Section 7.4.
Fees and Expenses .
(a) Except
as otherwise provided herein, (i) all fees and expenses incurred in
connection with this Agreement by Sellers will be borne by and paid
by Sellers, and (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection
with this Agreement by Buyer will be borne by and paid by
Buyer.
(b) All
required documentary, filing and recording fees and expenses in
connection with the filing and recording of the Assignment and
other instruments required to convey title to the Properties to
Buyer shall be borne by Buyer. Buyer shall assume
responsibility for, and shall bear and pay, any applicable state
sales and use Taxes (including any applicable interest or
penalties) incurred or imposed with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 7.5.
Public Announcements . Except as may be
required by Applicable Law, neither Buyer nor Sellers shall issue
any press release or otherwise make any statement to the public
generally with respect to this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby without the prior consent of the other party
(which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld and which
consent, if given verbally, shall be confirmed in writing within
one Business Day thereafter). Any such press release or
statement required by Applicable Law shall only be made after
reasonable notice to the other parties.
Section 7.6.
Casualty Loss Prior to Closing . In the
event of damage by fire or other casualty to any of the Properties
after the Effective Date and prior to the Closing, then this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, and (unless Buyer
and Sellers shall otherwise agree) in such event:
(a) as
to each such Property so damaged which is an Oil and Gas Property,
then, at Sellers’ election, either (i) such Property
shall be treated as if it had an asserted Title Defect associated
with it and the procedure provided for in Article VIII
shall be applicable thereto (except the following shall not apply:
(i) the $175,000 threshold provided for in Section 8.1(c), (ii)
Section 8.1(d)(iii)(B), and (iii) Section 8.4(a)), or (ii) the
Purchase Price will not be adjusted, and if Sellers should be
entitled to make any claims under any insurance policy with respect
to such damage, Sellers shall, at Sellers’ election, either
collect (and when collected pay over to Buyer), or assign to Buyer,
such claims, and
(b) as
to each such Property which is other than an Oil and Gas Property,
Sellers shall, at Sellers’ election, either collect (and when
collected pay over to Buyer), or assign to Buyer, any and all
insurance claims relating to such loss, and Buyer shall take title
to the Property affected by such loss without reduction of the
Purchase Price.
Section 7.7.
Governmental Bonds . At or prior to
Closing, Buyer shall deliver to Sellers evidence that Buyer has
completed all action necessary to permit Buyer to post bonds or
other security immediately following the Closing with all
applicable Governmental Entities meeting the requirements of such
Governmental Entities to own, and where appropriate, operate, the
Properties.
Section 7.8.
Assumed Obligations . At Closing, Buyer
shall assume and agree to pay, perform and discharge the Assumed
Obligations.
Section 7.9.
Operational Transition . IT IS RECOGNIZED
THAT THERE IS NO ASSURANCE GIVEN BY SELLERS THAT BUYER SHALL
SUCCEED SELLERS AS OPERATOR OF ANY PROPERTY WHERE OTHER PARTIES OWN
INTERESTS IN THE WELLS LOCATED THEREON, but Sellers shall cooperate
with Buyer to see that Buyer shall succeed Sellers as operator of
all the Sellers operated properties, by: (a) delivering at Closing
signed counterparts of letters addressed to non-operating working
interest owners of the Sellers operated Properties advising them of
the sale of those Properties by Sellers to Buyer; and seeking such
owners’ consideration of Buyer’s selection as successor
to Seller as operator, and (b) executing applicable change of
operator forms for filing with the applicable Governmental
Agencies.
Section 7.10.
Books and Records . At or promptly after
Closing, but in no event later than 30 days after the Closing,
Sellers will deliver to Buyer all related books and records that
are a part of the Properties to a location designated by
Buyer. Buyer will promptly reimburse Sellers for all
reasonable costs of shipping or transporting such books and records
including any costs incurred to provide such data in an electronic
format. Sellers (or its Affiliates) shall have the right
to have reasonable access during Buyer’s reasonable and
customary business hours to inspect and copy (at Sellers’ or
such Affiliate’s expense) the books and records so delivered
under this Section 7.10 for the six-year period commencing
on the Closing Date.
Section 7.11.
Suspended Funds . As soon as practicable
after the Closing Date, but no later than 90 days thereafter,
Sellers shall provide to Buyer a listing in Excel spreadsheet
format, showing all proceeds from production attributable to the
wells which are currently held in suspense by Sellers and the
reason for suspending such proceeds, and shall transfer to Buyer
all those suspended proceeds (the “ Suspended Proceeds
”). Thereafter, Buyer shall be responsible for
proper distribution of the Suspended Proceeds to the parties
lawfully entitled to them to the extent and only to the extent of
Suspended Proceeds, except Sellers shall remain liable for interest
and penalties, if any, associated with the Suspended Proceeds for
failure, prior to the Closing Date, to escheat such Suspended
Proceeds to the applicable Governmental Entities in accordance with
Applicable Law.
Section 7.12.
Letters-in-Lieu . At Closing, Sellers
shall execute and deliver letters in lieu of transfer orders (or
similar documentation) in form reasonably acceptable to Buyer and
Sellers.
Section 7.13.
Logos and Names . As soon as practicable
after the Closing, Buyer will remove or cause to be removed the
names and marks used by Sellers and all variations and derivatives
thereof and logos relating thereto from the Properties.
Section 7.14.
Further Assurances . At the Closing, and
from time to time following the Closing, at the request of any
party hereto and without further consideration, the other party or
parties hereto shall execute and deliver to such requesting party
such instruments and documents and take such other action (but
without incurring any material financial obligation) as such
requesting party may reasonably request in order to consummate more
fully and effectively the transactions contemplated
hereby.
ARTICLE
VIII
Due Diligence
Examination
Section 8.1.
Title Due Diligence Examination .
(a) From
the date of this Agreement until 5:00 p.m. (local time in Houston,
Texas) seven Business Days prior to the Closing Date (the “
Examination Period ”), Sellers shall afford to Buyer
and its authorized representatives reasonable access during normal
business hours and in a manner so as to not unduly interfere with
the normal business operations of the Sellers to the office,
personnel and books and records of Sellers in order for Buyer to
conduct a title examination as it may in its sole discretion choose
to conduct with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties in order to
determine whether Title Defects (as defined below) exist (“
Buyer’s Title Review ”). Such books
and records shall include all title opinions, title files,
ownership maps, lease files, assignments, division orders,
operating records and agreements, well files, financial and
accounting records, geological, geophysical and engineering
records, in each case insofar as same may now be in existence and
in the possession of Sellers, excluding, however, any information
that Sellers are prohibited from disclosing by bona fide, third
party confidentiality restrictions; provided, that if requested by
Buyer, Sellers shall use their Reasonable Best Efforts to obtain a
waiver of any such restrictions in favor of Buyer. The
cost and expense of Buyer’s Title Review, if any, shall be
borne solely by Buyer.
(b) If
Buyer discovers any Title Defect affecting any of the Oil and Gas
Properties, Buyer shall notify Sellers prior to the expiration of
the Examination Period of such alleged Title Defect. To
be effective, such notice (“ Title Defect Notice
”) must (i) be in writing, (ii) be received by
Sellers prior to the expiration of the Examination Period,
(iii) describe the Title Defect in reasonable detail
(including any alleged variance in the Net Revenue Interest),
(iv) identify the specific Oil and Gas Property affected by
such Title Defect, and (v) include the value of such Title
Defect as determined by Buyer in good faith. Buyer will
provide Sellers with Title Defect Notices, if any, as soon as
practicable upon discovery and will use Reasonable Best Efforts to
provide Sellers with weekly updates of any alleged Title
Defects. Any matters that may otherwise constitute Title
Defects, but of which Sellers have not been specifically notified
by Buyer in accordance with the foregoing, shal
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