Exhibit 10.8
Execution Copy
CONSOLIDATION AND LICENSE
AGREEMENT
between
MARATHON OIL
COMPANY
and
SYNTROLEUM
CORPORATION
dated as of January 16,
2007
Execution Copy
CONSOLIDATION AND LICENSE
AGREEMENT
This CONSOLIDATION AND LICENSE
AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made and
entered into this 16th day of January, 2007 (the “
Effective Date ”), by and between Marathon Oil Company
(“ Marathon ”), an Ohio corporation, and
Syntroleum Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“
Syntroleum ”) (each, a “ Party ”,
and collectively, the “ Parties ”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Marathon and Syntroleum are
parties to the Existing Agreements (as defined below), pursuant to
which, among other things, (i) Syntroleum granted to Marathon
a non-exclusive right and license to use Syntroleum’s
proprietary technology to design, construct, operate and maintain
one or more plants, and (ii) Syntroleum and Marathon entered
into certain confidentiality undertakings; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, Marathon and Syntroleum desire to
terminate the Existing Agreements, to release each other from any
claims under the Existing Agreements, and to enter into certain new
undertakings to govern their future relationship.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein, and for other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as
follows:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1. General .
As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings.
Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined shall have
the meanings set forth in the Exhibits hereto:
“ Affiliate ”
means, with respect to a Party, any entity that directly or
indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control
with, such Party. For purposes of this definition,
“control” means the power to direct the management and
affairs of an entity, directly or indirectly, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. In the
case of a corporation, the direct or indirect ownership of fifty
percent (50%) or more of its outstanding voting shares shall
in any case be deemed to confer control, provided that, the direct
or indirect ownership of a lower percentage of such securities
shall not necessarily preclude the existence of control.
“ Competitor ”
has the meaning set forth in Exhibit E.
“ Confidential
Information ” of a Party means any and all information
prominently labeled as such by such Party that (i) has
independent economic value by reason of the fact that it is not
generally known to the relevant public and that has been the
subject of reasonable measures to maintain confidentiality, and
(ii) was disclosed by such Party to the other Party in
performing under the Existing Agreements or is disclosed by such
Party to the other Party in performing under this
Agreement.
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“ EPC Contract ”
means the contract under which Marathon or a Project Company
engages an EPC contractor to carry out the detailed engineering
design, procurement, construction and/or commissioning of a
Licensed Plant.
“ Existing Agreements
” means the agreements listed in Exhibit A hereto.
“ Inventions or
Improvements ” means improvements, additions,
modifications, enhancements, derivative works, or changes to
Syntroleum Technology.
“ Licensed Plant
” means any Fischer-Tropsch plant, whether the feedstock of
such plant is natural gas, coal, petroleum, petroleum-coke, or
other feedstock, whether air- or oxygen-based, land- or
marine-based, or based on cobalt catalysts (including modification,
expansion or replacement thereof), in which Marathon (or its
successor) or an Affiliate has a working, net profits, equity, or
other economic interest, provided that, a Licensed Plant may not
utilize biomass or municipal waste as a feedstock.
“ Licensed Territory
” means all the countries of the world and their respective
territorial seas, except for the People’s Republic of China,
and India and their respective territorial seas.
“ Listed Confidential
Information ” means any of the following that comprises
Confidential Information of Syntroleum:
(a) Mass and Energy
Balance
(b) Process Flow Diagrams
(c) Stream Summaries
(Component Set = H 2
O,
H 2
,
N 2
, CO,
O 2
, Ar,
CO 2
,
C 1
,
C 2
,
C 3
,
C 4
,
C 5
—C
9
,
C 10
—C
20
,
C 21
+)
(d) Process Descriptions
“ Lubricants ”
means (a) automotive lubricating oils such as PCMO, HIDD,
transmission and hydraulic fluids, and gear oils;
(b) industrial lubricants such as metalworking lubricants,
process oils, white oils, agricultural spray oils, de-foamers,
cutting and quenching oils, and rubber processing oils;
(c) greases; (d) drilling fluids; or (e) any other
specialty product.
“ Marathon Group
” means Marathon, its Affiliates, and their respective
Personnel. The Marathon Group shall include James P.
Wick.
“ Person ” means
any natural person, corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, firm, association, trust, government, governmental agency
or any other entity.
“ Personnel ”
means officers, directors, employees, subcontractors, consultants,
lenders, insurers, underwriters, representatives and
agents.
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“ Process Design
Package ” means a compilation of text, figures, drawings
and documentation, relating to the design and construction of a
Licensed Plant and prepared in accordance with standard industry
practices.
“ Products ”
means any and all products and/or compositions of any type,
including, but not limited to: (i) Fischer-Tropsch waxes and
other intermediate products; and (ii) finished hydrocarbon
fuels or products, hydrocarbons consumed as fuel, or fuel blending
stocks, in each case, processed from Synthetic Crude, including,
but not limited to, diesel, kerosene, gasoline, and naphtha, waxes,
chemicals, Lubricants, or any other specialty hydrocarbon
products.
“ Project Company
” means any Person that is developing or operating a Licensed
Plant in which Marathon (or its successor) or an Affiliate has at
least a ten percent (10%) working, net profits, equity, or
other economic interest on the start-up date of the Licensed
Plant.
“ Synthetic Crude
” means those hydrocarbons, having a chemical composition
substantially consisting of molecules with five (5) or more
carbon atoms each, produced using a Fischer-Tropsch conversion
process.
“ Syntroleum Group
” means Syntroleum, its Affiliates, and their respective
Personnel.
“ Syntroleum Technology
” has the meaning set forth in Exhibit C.
ARTICLE 2
TERMINATION AND
RELEASE
Section 2.1. Termination of
Existing Agreements . The Parties acknowledge and agree that,
as of the Effective Date, each of the Existing Agreements is hereby
terminated in its entirety. Each Party hereby waives any provisions
of any of the Existing Agreements that survives the termination
thereof in accordance with its terms. Neither the Marathon Group
nor the Syntroleum Group shall have any further rights or
obligations of any kind under the Existing Agreements.
Section 2.2. Forgiveness of
Loan . Without limiting the generality of Section 2.1,
Marathon acknowledges that no payment of either principal or
interest under the Secured Promissory Notes shall hereafter be due
from Syntroleum to Marathon, either of cash or Syntroleum shares.
Following the Effective Date, Marathon shall (i) deliver an
original of the Secured Promissory Notes conspicuously marked
“cancelled” or “terminated”, and
(ii) use reasonable efforts to release any surviving liens and
mortgage on Syntroleum assets established as security for repayment
of the obligations under the Secured Promissory Notes within
forty-five (45) days of the Effective Date.
Section 2.3. Syntroleum
Release . Syntroleum and the Syntroleum Group hereby release
and forever relinquish, surrender, waive, bargain away, acquit,
exonerate and discharge Marathon and each member of the Marathon
Group from any and all causes of action, in law or in equity,
suits, debts, liens, contracts, agreements, promises, liabilities,
claims,
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demands, damages, losses, costs or expenses, of
any kind or nature whatsoever, known or unknown, fixed or
contingent, based on any act or omission of any member of the
Marathon Group from the beginning of time to the date of this
Agreement that they may now have or may hereafter have against the
Marathon Group including, but not limited to, any claims arising
out of or relating to the Existing Agreements.
Section 2.4. Marathon
Release . Marathon and the Marathon Group hereby release and
forever relinquish, surrender, waive, bargain away, acquit,
exonerate and discharge Syntroleum and each member of the
Syntroleum Group from any and all causes of action, in law or in
equity, suits, debts, liens, contracts, agreements, promises,
liabilities, claims, demands, damages, losses, costs or expenses,
of any kind or nature whatsoever, known or unknown, fixed or
contingent, based on any act or omission of any of the Syntroleum
Group from the beginning of time to the date of this Agreement that
they may now have or may hereafter have against the Syntroleum
Group including, but not limited to, any claims arising out of or
relating to the Existing Agreements.
Section 2.5. Release .
No Party shall assert any claim arising under or related to the
Existing Agreements and the Parties agree that this provision is an
absolute defense to any such claim.
Section 2.6. Payments .
In consideration of the foregoing and the rights and licenses
granted hereunder, (i) on or before December 1, 2008,
Syntroleum shall pay to Marathon the amount of Three-Million U.S.
Dollars ($3,000,000) in immediately available funds, and
(ii) on or before December 1, 2009, Syntroleum shall pay
to Marathon the amount of Three-Million U.S. Dollars ($3,000,000)
in immediately available funds, for a total of Six Million U.S.
Dollars ($6,000,000).
ARTICLE 3
LICENSE
GRANT
Section 3.1. License
Grant. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
Syntroleum grants to Marathon and its Affiliates a non-exclusive,
non-transferable (except as provided in Section 13.3) right
and license to use the Syntroleum Technology to (i) design,
purchase, construct, operate, maintain, modify, replace, and expand
Licensed Plants throughout the Licensed Territory, (ii) to
practice the Syntroleum Technology in Licensed Plants,
(iii) to make intermediate streams, by-products, and Synthetic
Crude in Licensed Plants, (iv) to use (including further
process and/or consume), and/or sell such intermediate streams,
by-products and Synthetic Crude, (v) to produce, use, and/or
sell Products throughout the world, and (vi) to use the
Syntroleum Technology for any purpose not prohibited hereunder
within the Licensed Territory.
Section 3.2. Marathon Grant
for R&D . Subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, including Section 8.5, Syntroleum grants to
Marathon and its Affiliates a worldwide non-exclusive,
non-transferable (except as provided in Section 13.3) right
and license to use the Syntroleum Technology within the Licensed
Territory (i) to perform research and development of Fischer
Tropsch technology, including, but not limited to, the research
and
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development of Fischer-Tropsch Reactors,
Fischer-Tropsch Reaction, Fischer-Tropsch wax separation and
filtration, Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst fines removal from
Fischer-Tropsch wax, Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst regeneration, product
separation, Fischer-Tropsch slurry transport, (ii) to develop
Inventions and Improvements to the Syntroleum ATR Process and FT
Conversion Process, and (iii) subject to ARTICLE 10, to
develop Fischer-Tropsch technology or Fischer-Tropsch plants,
either alone or with third parties (“ Development
Partners ”), whether air- or oxygen-based, land- or
marine-based, or based on cobalt catalysts, using Syntroleum
Technology.
Section 3.3. Independent
Design and Development . Without limiting the generality of
Section 3.1 and Section 3.2, and subject to the
confidentiality provisions in this Agreement, Syntroleum
acknowledges that Marathon shall have the right to conduct research
and development on Fischer-Tropsch reactors, Fischer-Tropsch
catalysts, Fischer-Tropsch reaction, Fischer-Tropsch conversion
processes, and ATR processes independently, by itself or with third
parties. Marathon shall have the right to contract directly with
reactor vendors selected at the sole discretion of Marathon, on
terms and conditions to be determined at the sole discretion of
Marathon and such reactor vendors, for the engineering and
fabrication of ATR reactors and Fischer-Tropsch Reactors for any
Licensed Plant, whether or not such Licensed Plant utilizes
Syntroleum Technology, on terms and conditions to be determined at
the sole discretion of Marathon and such reactor vendor.
Section 3.4.
Sublicensing/Performance Responsibility . Marathon shall
have the right to grant sublicenses of the rights granted under
Section 3.1 solely to Project Companies, provided that all
sublicenses of the rights granted hereunder shall be in writing and
shall include provisions consistent with the terms and conditions
of this Agreement. Marathon shall cause all sublicensees to fully
comply with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Marathon
shall remain responsible for the acts and omissions of all
Affiliates of Marathon, Project Companies and Development Partners
in connection with this Agreement, including the payment of License
Fees in accordance with Section 6.1.
Section 3.5. Project
Technology . Notwithstanding Section 11.7, Marathon, shall
have the right to retain and use Confidential Information
pertaining to and including “Project Technology” as
defined and used in the Participation Agreement (the “
Project Technology ”). Syntroleum hereby grants to
Marathon and its Affiliates a worldwide, non-exclusive,
irrevocable, royalty-free, license to use and to improve all
Project Technology of Syntroleum and intellectual property rights
therein arising from, or made available to Marathon under, the
Participation Agreement related to the operation or maintenance of
Fischer Tropsch plants. The right granted under this Section shall
include the right of Marathon and its Affiliates to license or
sublicense such rights to owners, developers or interested parties
of Fischer-Tropsch gas-to-liquids projects. Any Project Technology
of Syntroleum and intellectual property rights therein arising
from, or made available to Marathon under, the Participation
Agreement related to the design of Fischer Tropsch plants shall be
included in Syntroleum Technology hereunder.
Section 3.6. Limitation as
to Products . Marathon acknowledges that the license granted
under Section 3.1 is to Syntroleum Technology only, and shall
not include any Syntroleum product upgrade or Syntroleum Lubricant
manufacture technology used to produce end products, including
Products, from Synthetic Crude. Nothing in this Agreement shall
limit
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the right of Marathon to produce any Products,
including Lubricants, from Synthetic Crude produced using
Syntroleum Technology, provided that, it shall be the sole
obligation of Marathon to obtain rights to any product upgrade
technology selected by Marathon to produce Products.
Section 3.7. Third Party
Rights . During the term of this Agreement, Syntroleum shall
reasonably cooperate with Marathon to identify any third party
intellectual property rights that may be material to use of the
Syntroleum Technology or infringed by use of the Syntroleum
Technology as contemplated hereunder.
Section 3.8. Patent
License . Marathon grants to Syntroleum a non-exclusive,
irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license under U.S.
Patent Nos. 5,733,941; 5,861,441; 6,313,361 B1; 6,201,029 B1; and
6,130,259, together with any continuations, reexaminations or
renewals thereof (the “ Licensed Patents ”), to
make, have made, use, and practice the FT Conversion Process, and
to sublicense the foregoing to Syntroleum licensees of the FT
Conversion Process. The foregoing does not in any way limit
Marathon’s right to use and/or license the technology
described in the Licensed Patents, and Marathon hereby retains all
rights thereto. On the request of Syntroleum no more than once per
year, Marathon shall notify Syntroleum if Marathon has determined
to discontinue paying the maintenance fees on one or more of the
Licensed Patents. Following such notification, on the request of
Syntroleum Marathon shall offer to transfer and assign the same to
Syntroleum, subject to the further negotiations of the Parties at
the time of said transfer.
ARTICLE 4
SUPPORT
Section 4.1. No Syntroleum
Support Commitment . Except as provided in this ARTICLE 4 and
ARTICLE 7, Marathon acknowledges that Syntroleum shall have no
support obligations with respect to the Syntroleum Technology,
provided that Syntroleum shall not unreasonably withhold consent to
any support requested under this ARTICLE 4 and ARTICLE 7. Except as
expressly provided herein, Syntroleum shall provide any such
support at its then-standard billing rates and costs. Any support
under this ARTICLE 4 and ARTICLE 7 shall be subject to any resource
constraints and availability of Syntroleum Personnel at the time
the support is requested, and Marathon acknowledges that lack of
adequate Syntroleum resources at the time a request for support is
received hereunder shall be considered reasonable grounds for
denial or reduction of the level of support by Syntroleum. The
foregoing shall not apply to any fully-supported license that
Marathon may obtain in accordance with ARTICLE 7.
Section 4.2.
Commercial/Research Support. Syntroleum shall provide
reasonable support to Marathon in its efforts to competitively
secure project opportunities using Syntroleum Technology throughout
the Licensed Territory. Syntroleum shall provide support to
Marathon on an as-needed basis in support of designing,
constructing and/or operating Licensed Plants using Syntroleum
Technology.
Section 4.3. Cooperation
with Other Marathon Technology Providers . On the request of
Marathon, Syntroleum shall reasonably cooperate with third party
providers to Marathon of portions of Fischer Tropsch technology to
ensure that all process components and Syntroleum Technology
utilized by Marathon are effectively integrated.
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Section 4.4. Process Design
Package . Marathon shall have the right to obtain a Process
Design Package for any Licensed Plant using Syntroleum Technology
from a third party (a “ Third Party PDP Provider
”) in its sole discretion, and Marathon is under no
obligation to request a Process Design Package from Syntroleum. In
the event that Marathon, elects to engage a Third Party PDP
Provider to prepare such a Process Design Package, no fee or
percentage markup shall be due Syntroleum for such Process Design
Package. Syntroleum shall fully cooperate with Marathon and such
Third Party PDP Provider in preparing such Process Design
Package.
Section 4.5. Syntroleum
Process Design Package . Upon the request of Marathon,
Syntroleum shall provide Marathon with a Process Design Package for
any Licensed Plant using Syntroleum Technology pursuant to a
procurement agreement as mutually agreed by the Parties.
Syntroleum’s fee for the Process Design Package shall be
invoiced by Syntroleum to Marathon in accordance with the terms of
such procurement agreement.
Section 4.6. Syntroleum
Inventions and Improvements . Syntroleum shall have no ongoing
obligation to disclose to Marathon any Syntroleum Inventions or
Improvements. Any Syntroleum Inventions or Improvements shall be
exclusively owned by Syntroleum. Except as expressly provided
herein, nothing herein shall be construed as obligating Syntroleum
to license to Marathon any Syntroleum Inventions or Improvements.
In the event Syntroleum discloses any Inventions and Improvements
to Marathon, such Inventions and Improvements shall be considered
within the scope of the Syntroleum Technology.
Section 4.7. Disclosure of
Marathon Inventions and Improvements . Marathon shall have no
ongoing obligation to disclose to Syntroleum any Marathon
Inventions and Improvements. Any Marathon Inventions or
Improvements shall be exclusively owned by Marathon. Marathon may,
at its sole discretion, file patent applications with respect to
such Inventions or Improvements in its own name and at its own
expense, and take such other steps as are necessary, in the sole
judgment of Marathon, to protect its rights in such Inventions or
Improvements. Nothing herein shall be construed as obligating
Marathon to license back to Syntroleum any Marathon Inventions or
Improvements.
ARTICLE 5
CATALYST-RELATED
MATTERS
Section 5.1. Certain
Limitations on James P. Wick . The Parties acknowledge that
James P. Wick (“ Wick ”) is, together with
Marathon and Syntroleum, a party to the Red-Hat Agreement, which
agreement is included in the Existing Agreements and terminated
hereunder. Subject to the exceptions set forth in
Section 10.3, following the Effective Date, Wick shall make no
use whatsoever, and shall not disclose to any person, any
information received by Wick that was covered by the Red-Hat
Agreement (“ Red-Hat Information ”). Following
the Effective Date and for a period of five (5) years
thereafter (as modified in accordance with this Section 5.1,
the
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“ Blackout Period ”), Wick
shall not participate in the development of cobalt-based
Fischer-Tropsch catalysts. The foregoing shall not restrict Wick
from (i) evaluating or participating in the evaluation of
Fischer-Tropsch catalysts, whether or not cobalt-based, for use in
air-based or oxygen-based Fischer Tropsch processes, or
(ii) otherwise working on projects involving Fischer Tropsch
catalysts or processes. Syntroleum shall advise Marathon if
Syntroleum adopts restrictions on any of its employees hired
following the Effective Date that have access to such information
that are less stringent than the foregoing, which restrictions
shall thereafter apply to this Agreement. Syntroleum agrees that
any cause of action it might have resulting from Wick’s
performance on behalf of Marathon under the Red Hat Agreement, or
under this Agreement, shall be solely against Marathon.
Section 5.2. Wick
Development Election . During the Blackout Period, Marathon may
elect, on written notice to Syntroleum, to have Wick participate in
the development of cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts for use
in Fischer Tropsch gas-to-liquids processes. Following such
election, Wick shall have the right to participate in the
development of Fischer-Tropsch catalysts for use in Fischer Tropsch
gas-to-liquids processes, whether air- or oxygen-based, land- or
marine-based, or based on cobalt catalysts, and shall have the
right to use the Red-Hat Information in connection therewith.
Subject to Section 6.1, to the extent applicable, Marathon
shall have the right to manufacture, have manufactured, and use in
Licensed Plants any catalysts in which Wick participated in the
development in accordance with this Section 5.2.
Section 5.3. Catalyst
R&D . Without limiting Section 5.1 and
Section 5.2, Syntroleum acknowledges that Marathon shall have
the right to conduct research and development on Fischer-Tropsch
Catalysts, provided that, research and development on
Syntroleum’s Fischer-Tropsch Catalysts shall be limited by
the provisions of Section 5.2.
Section 5.4. No Catalyst
Purchase Obligation . Syntroleum acknowledges that Marathon
shall have no obligation to purchase Fischer-Tropsch Catalysts from
Syntroleum, or to use Syntroleum Fischer-Tropsch Catalysts in any
Licensed Plant. Marathon may select the Fischer-Tropsch Catalysts
for use in a Licensed Plant in its sole discretion with no markup
or payment to Syntroleum for such catalyst, and Marathon shall have
the right to negotiate manufacturing and other terms and conditions
directly with any catalyst manufacturer selected by Marathon on
terms and conditions to be determined in its sole
discretion.
ARTICLE 6
LICENSE
FEES
Section 6.1. License
Fees. Marathon shall pay to Syntroleum license fees for each
Licensed Plant (“ License Fees ”) in accordance
with the License Fee calculation attached as Exhibit B. Marathon
shall have the right to increase or reduce the capacity of any
Licensed Plant, move any Licensed Plant to a different location
within the Licensed Territory, or otherwise modify any Licensed
Plant, including by adding additional Fischer-Tropsch Reactor
trains, at its sole discretion. For the avoidance of doubt, if a
Licensed Plant is based on third-party technology, no License Fees
shall be due hereunder.
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Section 6.2. Payments .
All amounts payable under this Agreement shall be paid in U.S.
Dollars at the applicable Party’s corporate address or to
another address specified by such Party in writing, or to an
account at a bank specified by such Party in writing.
Section 6.3. Taxes . In
the event Marathon is required to withhold any taxes from amounts
payable to Syntroleum under this Agreement, Marathon shall provide
Syntroleum at the time of such withholding with a receipt or other
evidence reflecting the deposit of such taxes with the appropriate
governmental agency.
Section 6.4. Audits
.
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(a)
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Upon the
reasonable request by Syntroleum, but not more than once per
calendar year, Syntroleum shall have the right to have a duly
qualified independent auditor, selected by Syntroleum and not
reasonably objected to by Marathon, review the records of Marathon
or Project Companies, as applicable, related to License Fees to
ascertain compliance with this Agreement within the twenty-four
(24) month period following the end of such calendar year;
provided that (i) Marathon or the applicable Project Company
is given prior written notice of no less than thirty
(30) business days, (ii) the inquiry is limited to that
information directly related to License Fees, (iii) such audit
is conducted during normal business hours, (iv) such audit is
performed solely at Syntroleum’s expense, (v) any third
parties retained by Syntroleum to perform the audit shall execute a
mutually acceptable confidentiality agreement in which such persons
agree to use the information to which it is exposed only for
purposes of the audit and not disclose any such information to any
third party other than to Syntroleum, and
(vi) Syntroleum’s retained third parties comply with all
rules and protocols of the facilities to which Syntroleum is
notified in writing in advance.
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(b)
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The auditor
will make a reasonable effort to prepare and distribute a written
report to each of Syntroleum and Marathon as soon as possible, but,
in any event, within ninety (90) days after the conclusion of
each audit. The report shall include a
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