AGREEMENT OF LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP
DUNCAN ENERGY PARTNERS L.
P.
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ARTICLE
I
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Definitions
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Definitions
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1
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Construction
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1
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ARTICLE
II
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Organization
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Formation
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2
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Name
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2
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Registered
Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other
Offices
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2
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Purpose and
Business
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2
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Powers
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2
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Power of
Attorney
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2
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Term
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3
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Title to
Partnership Assets
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3
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Certain
Undertakings Relating to the Separateness of the
Partnership
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4
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ARTICLE
III
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Rights of
Limited Partners
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Limitation of
Liability
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6
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Management of
Business
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6
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Outside
Activities of the Limited Partners
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6
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Rights of
Limited Partners
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6
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ARTICLE
IV
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Certificates; Record
Holders; Transfer of Partnership Interests;
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Redemption
of Partnership Interests
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Certificates
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7
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Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates
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7
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Record
Holders
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7
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Transfer
Generally
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8
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Registration
and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests
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8
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Transfer of
General Partner Interest
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9
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Restrictions on
Transfers
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9
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Citizenship
Certificates; Non-citizen Assignees
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10
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Redemption of
Partnership Interests of Non-citizen Assignees
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11
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ARTICLE
V
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Capital
Contributions and Issuance of Partnership Interests
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Prior
Contributions
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12
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Contributions
by the General Partner and its Affiliates
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12
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Contributions
by the Underwriters and Redemption of Common Units if
Over-Allotment Option is Exercised
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12
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Interest and
Withdrawal
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13
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Capital
Accounts
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13
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Issuances of
Additional Partnership Securities
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15
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Limited
Preemptive Right
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16
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Splits and
Combinations
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16
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Fully Paid and
Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests
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16
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i
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ARTICLE
VI
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Allocations
and Distributions
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Allocations for
Capital Account Purposes
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16
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Allocations for
Tax Purposes
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19
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Requirement and
Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record
Holders
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21
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ARTICLE
VII
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Management
and Operation of Business
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Management
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22
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Certificate of
Limited Partnership
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23
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Restrictions on
General Partner’s Authority
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24
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Reimbursement
of the General Partner
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24
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Outside
Activities
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25
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Loans from the
General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership;
Contracts with Affiliates; Certain Restrictions on the General
Partner.
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25
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Indemnification
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27
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Liability of
Indemnitees
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28
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Resolution of
Conflicts of Interest; Standard of Conduct and Modification of
Duties
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28
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Other Matters
Concerning the General Partner
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30
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Purchase or
Sale of Partnership Securities
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30
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Registration
Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates
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30
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Reliance by
Third Parties
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33
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ARTICLE
VIII
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Books,
Records, Accounting and Reports
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Records and
Accounting
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33
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Fiscal
Year
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34
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Reports
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34
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ARTICLE
IX
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Tax
Matters
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Tax Returns and
Information
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34
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Tax
Elections
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34
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Tax
Controversies
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35
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Withholding
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35
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ARTICLE
X
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Admission
of Partners
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Admission of
Limited Partners
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35
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Admission of
Successor General Partner
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35
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Amendment of
Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership
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36
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ARTICLE
XI
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Withdrawal
or Removal of Partners
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Withdrawal of
the General Partner
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36
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Removal of the
General Partner
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37
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Interest of
Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner
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37
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Withdrawal of
Limited Partners
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39
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ARTICLE
XII
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Dissolution
and Liquidation
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Dissolution
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39
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Continuation of
the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution
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39
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Liquidator
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40
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Liquidation
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40
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Cancellation of
Certificate of Limited Partnership
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41
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Return of
Contributions
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41
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ii
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Waiver of
Partition
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41
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Capital Account
Restoration
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41
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Certain
Prohibited Acts
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41
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ARTICLE
XIII
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Amendment
of Partnership Agreement; Meetings; Record Date
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Amendments to
be Adopted Solely by the General Partner
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41
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Amendment
Procedures
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42
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Amendment
Requirements
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43
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Special
Meetings
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44
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Notice of a
Meeting
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44
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Record
Date
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44
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Adjournment
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44
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Waiver of
Notice
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44
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Quorum
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44
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Conduct of a
Meeting
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45
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Action Without
a Meeting
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45
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Voting and
Other Rights
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45
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ARTICLE
XIV
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Merger,
Consolidation or Conversion
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Authority
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46
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Procedure for
Merger, Consolidation or Conversion
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46
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Approval by
Limited Partners
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48
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Certificate of
Merger
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49
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Effect of
Merger, Consolidation or Conversion
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49
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Amendment of
Partnership Agreement
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50
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ARTICLE
XV
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Right to
Acquire Limited Partner Interests
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Right to
Acquire Limited Partner Interests
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50
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ARTICLE
XVI
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General
Provisions
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Addresses and
Notices
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52
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Further
Action
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52
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Binding
Effect
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52
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Integration
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52
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Creditors
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52
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Waiver
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52
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Counterparts
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52
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Applicable
Law
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52
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Invalidity of
Provisions
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52
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Consent of
Partners
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52
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Attachment
I —Defined
Terms
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iii
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF DUNCAN ENERGY PARTNERS L.P.
THIS AMENDED AND
RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF DUNCAN ENERGY PARTNERS
L.P. dated effective as of February 5, 2007, is entered into
by and among DEP Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company, as the General Partner, together with any other Persons
who become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as
provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and
agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as
follows:
1.1
Definitions . The definitions listed on Attachment I
shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to
the contrary, applied to the terms used in this
Agreement.
1.2
Construction . Unless the context requires otherwise:
(a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the
corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular
form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice
versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to
Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms
“include”, “includes”,
“including” or words of like import shall be deemed to
be followed by the words “without limitation”; and
(d) the terms “hereof”, “herein” or
“hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not
to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of
contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.
1
2.1
Formation . The Partnership has been previously formed as a
limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act.
The General Partner and the Limited Partners hereby amend and
restate in its entirety the Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Duncan Energy Partners L.P., dated as of September 29, 2006.
Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the General Partner
and the Limited Partners hereby continue the Partnership as a
limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act.
This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date
of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in
this Agreement, the rights, duties (including fiduciary duties),
liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration,
dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by
the Delaware Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute
personal property of the owner thereof for all purposes.
2.2 Name .
The name of the Partnership shall be “Duncan Energy Partners
L.P.” The Partnership’s business may be conducted under
any other name or names as determined by the General Partner,
including the name of the General Partner. The words “Limited
Partnership,” “L.P.,” “Ltd.” or
similar words or letters shall be included in the
Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of
complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The
General Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time
and from time to time and shall notify the Limited Partners of such
change in the next regular communication to the Limited
Partners.
2.3 Registered
Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices .
Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered
office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located
at 1209 Orange Street, New Castle County, Wilmington, Delaware
19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the
Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office
shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The principal office of the
Partnership shall be located at 1100 Louisiana Street, 10
th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002 or such other place
as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to
the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such
other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as
the General Partner deems necessary or appropriate. The address of
the General Partner shall be 1100 Louisiana Street, 10
th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002 or such other place
as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to
the Limited Partners.
2.4 Purpose
and Business . The purpose and nature of the business to be
conducted by the Partnership shall be (a) to engage directly
in, or form, hold and dispose of any corporation, partnership,
joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to
engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by the
General Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited
partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in
connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers
conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating
to such business activity, and (b) to do anything necessary or
appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital
contributions or loans to any Group Member; provided,
however , that the General Partner shall not cause the
Partnership to engage, directly or indirectly in any business
activity that the General Partner determines would cause the
Partnership or the Operating Partnership to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an
entity for federal income tax purposes. To the fullest extent
permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or
obligation to propose or approve, and may decline to propose or
approve, the conduct by the Partnership of any business free of any
fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any
Limited Partner and, in declining to so propose or approve, shall
not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other
standard imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement
contemplated hereby (including the Administrative Services
Agreement) or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or
regulation or at equity.
2.5 Powers
. The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and
things necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or
convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes
and business described in Section 2.4 and for the
protection and benefit of the Partnership.
(a) Each Limited
Partner hereby constitutes and appoints the General Partner and, if
a Liquidator (other than the General Partner) shall have been
selected pursuant to Section 12.3 , the Liquidator,
severally (and any successor to either thereof by merger, transfer,
assignment, election or otherwise) and each of their authorized
officers and attorneys-in-fact, as the case may be, with full power
of substitution, as his true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact,
with full power and authority in his name, place and stead,
to:
2
(i) execute, swear
to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate public
offices (A) all certificates, documents and other instruments
(including this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited
Partnership and all amendments or restatements hereof or thereof)
that the General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be
necessary or appropriate to form, qualify or continue the existence
or qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a
partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability)
in the State of Delaware and in all other jurisdictions in which
the Partnership may conduct business or own property; (B) all
certificates, documents and other instruments that the General
Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate
to reflect, in accordance with its terms, any amendment, change,
modification or restatement of this Agreement; (C) all
certificates, documents and other instruments (including
conveyances and a certificate of cancellation) that the General
Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate
to reflect the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; (D) all certificates,
documents and other instruments relating to the admission,
withdrawal, removal or substitution of any Partner pursuant to, or
other events described in, Article IV , X ,
XI or XII ; (E) all certificates, documents and
other instruments relating to the determination of the rights,
preferences and privileges of any class or series of Partnership
Securities issued pursuant to Section 5.6 ; and
(F) all certificates, documents and other instruments
(including agreements and a certificate of merger) relating to a
merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to
Article XIV ; and
(ii) execute,
swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots,
consents, approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other
instruments that the General Partner or the Liquidator determines
to be necessary or appropriate to (A) make, evidence, give, confirm
or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action
that is made or given by the Partners hereunder or is consistent
with the terms of this Agreement or (B) effectuate the terms
or intent of this Agreement; provided , that when required
by Section 13.3 or any other provision of this
Agreement that establishes a percentage of the Limited Partners or
of the Limited Partners of any class or series required to take any
action, the General Partner and the Liquidator may exercise the
power of attorney made in this Section 2.6(a)(ii) only after
the necessary vote, consent or approval of the Limited Partners or
of the Limited Partners of such class or series, as
applicable.
Nothing
contained in this Section 2.6(a) shall be construed as
authorizing the General Partner to amend this Agreement except in
accordance with Article XIII or as may be otherwise
expressly provided for in this Agreement.
(b) The foregoing
power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power
coupled with an interest, and it shall survive and, to the maximum
extent permitted by law, not be affected by the subsequent death,
incompetency, disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or
termination of any Limited Partner and the transfer of all or any
portion of such Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest and
shall extend to such Limited Partner’s heirs, successors,
assigns and personal representatives. Each such Limited Partner
hereby agrees to be bound by any representation made by the General
Partner or the Liquidator acting in good faith pursuant to such
power of attorney; and each such Limited Partner, to the maximum
extent permitted by law, hereby waives any and all defenses that
may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the
General Partner or the Liquidator taken in good faith under such
power of attorney. Each Limited Partner shall execute and deliver
to the General Partner or the Liquidator, within 15 days after
receipt of the request therefor, such further designation, powers
of attorney and other instruments as the General Partner or the
Liquidator may request in order to effectuate this Agreement and
the purposes of the Partnership.
2.7 Term .
The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the
Certificate of Limited Partnership in accordance with the Delaware
Act and shall continue in existence until the dissolution of the
Partnership in accordance with the provisions of
Article XII . The existence of the Partnership as a
separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the
Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware
Act.
2.8 Title to
Partnership Assets . Title to Partnership assets, whether real,
personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be
deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner,
individually or
3
collectively,
shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any
portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may
be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner or one
or more third party nominees, as the General Partner may determine.
The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any
Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of
the General Partner or one or more third party nominees shall be
held by the General Partner or such third party nominee for the use
and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of
this Agreement; provided, however , that the General Partner
shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets
(other than those assets in respect of which the General Partner
determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes
transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be
vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably practicable;
provided, further , that, prior to the withdrawal or removal
of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the
General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer
to the Partnership of record title to all Partnership assets held
by the General Partner, and, prior to any such transfer, will
provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to the
General Partner. All Partnership assets shall be recorded as the
property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective
of the name in which record title to such Partnership assets is
held.
2.9 Certain
Undertakings Relating to the Separateness of the Partnership
.
(a)
Separateness Generally . The Partnership shall conduct its
business and operations separate and apart from those of any other
Person, other than the General Partner and the Partnership Group,
in accordance with this Section 2.9 .
(b) Separate
Records . The Partnership shall (i) maintain its books and
records and its accounts separate from those of any other Person,
other than the General Partner and the Partnership Group,
(ii) maintain its financial records, which will be used by it
in its ordinary course of business, showing its assets and
liabilities separate and apart from those of any other Person,
other than the General Partner and the Partnership’s
consolidated Subsidiaries, (iii) not have its assets and/or
liabilities included in a consolidated financial statement of any
Affiliate of the General Partner unless the General Partner shall
cause appropriate notation to be made on such Affiliate’s
consolidated financial statements to indicate the separateness of
the Partnership and the General Partner and their assets and
liabilities from such Affiliate and the assets and liabilities of
such Affiliate, and to indicate that the assets and liabilities of
the Partnership and the General Partner are not available to
satisfy the debts and other obligations of such Affiliate, and
(iv) file its own tax returns separate from those of any other
Person, except to the extent that the Partnership is treated as a
“disregarded entity” for tax purposes or is not
otherwise required to file tax returns under applicable law or is
required under applicable law to file a tax return which is
consolidated with another Person.
(c) Separate
Assets . The Partnership shall not commingle or pool its funds
or other assets with those of any other Person, except its
consolidated Subsidiaries and the General Partner, and shall
maintain its assets in a manner that is not costly or difficult to
segregate, ascertain or otherwise identify as separate from those
of any other Person.
(d) Separate
Name . The Partnership shall (i) conduct its business in
its own name or in the names of one or more of its Subsidiaries or
the General Partner, (ii) use separate stationery, invoices,
and checks, (iii) correct any known misunderstanding regarding
its separate identity, and (iv) generally hold itself out as
an entity separate from any other Person, other than the General
Partner and the Partnership’s Subsidiaries.
(e) Separate
Credit . The Partnership (i) shall pay its obligations and
liabilities from its own funds (whether on hand or borrowed),
(ii) shall maintain adequate capital in light of its business
operations, (iii) shall not pledge its assets for the benefit
of any other Person or guarantee or become obligated for the debts
of any other Person, except its Subsidiaries, (iv) shall not
hold out its credit as being available to satisfy the obligations
or liabilities of any other Person, except its Subsidiaries, (v)
shall not acquire obligations or debt securities (other than those
assumed and paid off on the Closing Date pursuant to the
Contribution Agreement) of EPCO or its Affiliates (other than the
members of the Partnership Group) including the MLP, the MLP
General Partner or their subsidiaries or TEPPCO, the TEPPCO General
Partner or their subsidiaries, (vi) shall not make loans,
advances or capital contributions to any Person, except its
Subsidiaries, and (vii) shall use its commercially reasonable
efforts to cause the operative documents under which the
Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries borrows money, is an issuer
of debt securities, or guarantees any such borrowing or issuance,
to contain
4
provisions to
the effect that (A) the lenders or purchasers of debt
securities, respectively, acknowledge that they have advanced funds
or purchased debt securities, respectively, in reliance upon the
separateness of the Partnership and the General Partner from each
other and from any other Person, including any Affiliate of the
General Partner and (B) the Partnership and the General
Partner have assets and liabilities that are separate from those of
other Persons, including any Affiliate of the General Partner;
provided, that, the Partnership may engage in any
transaction described in clauses (v) or (vi) of this
Section 2.9(e) if prior Special Approval has been obtained
for such transaction and either (y) the Audit and Conflicts
Committee has determined (by Special Approval) that the borrower or
recipient of the credit support is not then insolvent and will not
be rendered insolvent as a result of such transaction or
(z) in the case of transactions described in clause (v)
, such transaction is completed through a public auction or a
National Securities Exchange.
(f) Separate
Formalities . The Partnership shall (i) observe all
partnership formalities and other formalities required by its
organizational documents, the laws of the jurisdiction of its
formation, or other laws, rules, regulations and orders of
governmental authorities exercising jurisdiction over it,
(ii) engage in transactions with EPCO and its Affiliates
(other than the General Partner or the members of the Partnership
Group) or the MLP, the MLP General Partner or their subsidiaries or
TEPPCO, the TEPPCO General Partner or their subsidiaries in
conformity with the requirements of Section 7.9 , and
(iii) subject to the terms of the Administrative Services
Agreement, promptly pay, from its own funds, and on a current
basis, a fair and reasonable share of general and administrative
expenses, capital expenditures, and costs for shared services
performed by EPCO or Affiliates of EPCO (other than the General
Partner or the members of the Partnership Group). Each material
contract between the Partnership, the General Partner or a member
of the Partnership Group, on the one hand, and EPCO or Affiliates
of EPCO (other than the General Partner or the members of the
Partnership Group), on the other hand, shall be in
writing.
(g) No
Effect . Failure by the General Partner or the Partnership to
comply with any of the obligations set forth above shall not affect
the status of the Partnership as a separate legal entity, with its
separate assets and separate liabilities. The General Partner and
the Partnership may be consolidated for financial reporting
purposes with Enterprise Products Partners L.P. and its
subsidiaries; provided , however , that such
consolidation shall not affect the status of the Partnership as a
separate legal entity with its separate assets and separate
liabilities.
5
ARTICLE
III
Rights of Limited
Partners
3.1 Limitation
of Liability . The Limited Partners shall have no liability
under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement
or the Delaware Act.
3.2 Management
of Business . No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such,
shall participate in the operation, management or control (within
the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s
business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or
have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the
Partnership. Any action taken by any Affiliate of the General
Partner or any officer, director, employee, member, manager,
general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any of
its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, member,
manager, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in
its capacity as such, shall not be deemed to be participation in
the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner
of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of
the Delaware Act) and shall not affect, impair or eliminate the
limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this
Agreement.
3.3 Outside
Activities of the Limited Partners . Subject to the provisions
of Section 7.5 and the Administrative Services
Agreement, which shall continue to be applicable to the Persons
referred to therein, regardless of whether such Persons shall also
be Limited Partners, any Limited Partner shall be entitled to and
may have business interests and engage in business activities in
addition to those relating to the Partnership, including business
interests and activities in direct competition with the Partnership
Group. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall
have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business
ventures of any Limited Partner.
3.4 Rights of
Limited Partners.
(a) In addition to
other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and
except as limited by Section 3.4(b) , each Limited
Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably related to
such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the
Partnership, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of
such demand and at such Limited Partner’s own
expense:
(i) to obtain true
and full information regarding the status of the business and
financial condition of the Partnership;
(ii) promptly
after its becoming available, to obtain a copy of the
Partnership’s federal, state and local income tax returns for
each year;
(iii) to obtain a
current list of the name and last known business, residence or
mailing address of each Partner;
(iv) to obtain a
copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership
and all amendments thereto, together with a copy of the executed
copies of all powers of attorney pursuant to which this Agreement,
the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto
have been executed;
(v) to obtain true
and full information regarding the amount of cash and a description
and statement of the Net Agreed Value of any other Capital
Contribution by each Partner and that each Partner has agreed to
contribute in the future, and the date on which each became a
Partner; and
(vi) to obtain
such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as
is just and reasonable.
(b)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General
Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for such
period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable,
(i) any information that the General Partner reasonably
believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other
information the disclosure of which the General Partner in good
faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the
Partnership Group, (B) could damage the business of the
Partnership Group or (C) that any Group Member is required by
law or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential
(other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the
primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth
in this Section 3.4 ).
6
ARTICLE
IV
Certificates; Record
Holders; Transfer of Partnership Interests;
Redemption of Partnership
Interests
4.1
Certificates . Upon the Partnership’s issuance of Common
Units to any Person, the Partnership shall issue, upon the request
of such Person, one or more Certificates in the name of such Person
evidencing the number of such Common Units being so issued. In
addition, (a) upon the General Partner’s request, the
Partnership shall issue to it one or more Certificates in the name
of the General Partner evidencing its interests in the Partnership
and (b) upon the request of any Person owning any Partnership
Securities, the Partnership shall issue to such Person one or more
Certificates evidencing such Partnership Securities. Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Chairman of
the Board, President or any Executive Vice President or Vice
President and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the
General Partner. No Unit Certificate shall be valid for any purpose
until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided,
however , that if the General Partner elects to issue Units in
global form, the Unit Certificates shall be valid upon receipt of a
certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Units have
been duly registered in accordance with the directions of the
Partnership.
4.2 Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates.
(a) If any
mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the
appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign
and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the
same number and type of Partnership Securities as the Certificate
so surrendered.
(b) The
appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership shall execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall
countersign a new Certificate in place of any Certificate
previously issued if the Record Holder of the
Certificate:
(i) makes proof by
affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General
Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost,
destroyed or stolen;
(ii) requests the
issuance of a new Certificate before the General Partner has notice
that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in
good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;
(iii) if requested
by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner a bond, in
form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety
or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the General Partner
may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners, the General
Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be made
on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the
Certificate; and
(iv) satisfies any
other reasonable requirements imposed by the General
Partner.
If a Limited
Partner fails to notify the General Partner within a reasonable
period of time after he has notice of the loss, destruction or
theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner
Interests represented by the Certificate is registered before the
Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent receives
such notification, the Limited Partner shall be precluded from
making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner or
the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new
Certificate.
(c) As a condition
to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section
4.2 , the General Partner may require the payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may
be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including
the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected
therewith.
4.3 Record
Holders . The Partnership shall be entitled to recognize the
Record Holder as the Partner with respect to any Partnership
Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any
equitable or other claim to or
7
interest in
such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person,
regardless of whether the Partnership shall have actual or other
notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any
applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any
National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests
are listed or admitted for trading. Without limiting the foregoing,
when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or
clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting
as nominee, agent or in some other representative capacity for
another Person in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests,
as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Persons
on the other, such representative Person shall be the Record Holder
of such Partnership Interest.
(a) The term
“transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to
a Partnership Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction
(i) by which the General Partner assigns its General Partner
Interest to another Person and includes a sale, assignment, gift,
pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other
disposition by law or otherwise or (ii) by which the holder of
a Limited Partner Interest assigns such Limited Partner Interest to
another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner, and includes a
sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or
otherwise, including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge,
encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.
(b) No Partnership
Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in
accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this
Article IV . Any transfer or purported transfer of a
Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article
IV shall be null and void.
(c) Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a
disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of
the General Partner of any or all of the issued and outstanding
equity interests of the General Partner.
4.5
Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner
Interests.
(a) The General
Partner shall keep or cause to be kept on behalf of the Partnership
a register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it
may prescribe and subject to the provisions of
Section 4.5(b) , the Partnership will provide for the
registration and transfer of Limited Partner Interests. The
Transfer Agent is hereby appointed registrar and transfer agent for
the purpose of registering Common Units and transfers of such
Common Units as herein provided. The Partnership shall not
recognize transfers of Certificates evidencing Limited Partner
Interests unless such transfers are effected in the manner
described in this Section 4.5 . Upon surrender of a
Certificate for registration of transfer of any Limited Partner
Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions
of Section 4.5(b) , the appropriate officers of the
General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and
deliver, and in the case of Common Units, the Transfer Agent shall
countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the
designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the
holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates
evidencing the same aggregate number and type of Limited Partner
Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so
surrendered.
(b) Except as
otherwise provided in Section 4.9 , the General Partner
shall not recognize any transfer of Limited Partner Interests until
the Certificates evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are
surrendered for registration of transfer. No charge shall be
imposed by the General Partner for such transfer; provided ,
that as a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under
this Section 4.5 , the General Partner may require the
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed with respect thereto.
(c) Subject to
(i) the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.5 ,
(ii) Section 4.3 , (iii) Section 4.7 , (iv)
Section 4.8 , (v) with respect to any series of
Limited Partner Interests, the provisions of any statement of
designations or amendment to this Agreement establishing such
series, (vi) any contractual provisions binding on any Limited
Partner and (vii) provisions of applicable law including the
Securities Act, Limited Partnership Interests shall be freely
transferable.
8
4.6 Transfer
of General Partner Interest.
(a) Subject to
Section 4.6(c) below, prior to December 31, 2016,
the General Partner shall not transfer all or any part of its
General Partner Interest to a Person unless such transfer
(i) has been approved by the prior written consent or vote of
the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Units
(excluding any Common Units held by the General Partner and its
Affiliates) or (ii) is of all, but not less than all, of its
General Partner Interest to (A) an Affiliate (other than an
individual) of the General Partner or (B) another Person
(other than an individual) in connection with the merger or
consolidation of the General Partner with or into another Person or
the transfer by the General Partner of all or substantially all of
its assets to another Person (other than an individual).
(b) Subject to
Section 4.6(c) below, on or after December 31,
2016, the General Partner may transfer all or any of its General
Partner Interest without Unitholder approval.
(c)
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of
its General Partner Interest to another Person or replacement of
the General Partner pursuant to Section 10.2 shall be
permitted unless (i) the transferee or successor (as
applicable) agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General
Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of
this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of
Counsel that such transfer or replacement would not result in the
loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner or cause the
Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal
income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed)
and (iii) such transferee or successor (as applicable) also
agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if
applicable) of the partnership interest or membership interest of
the General Partner as the general partner or managing member of
each other Group Member, as applicable (but excluding, without
limitation for purposes of clarification, any other interest or any
interest owned by any other Affiliate controlling or under common
control with the General Partner), and (iv) for so long as any Affiliate of
Duncan controls the General Partner, the organizational documents
of the owner(s) of all the General Partner Interest, together,
provide for the establishment of an “Audit and Conflicts
Committee” to approve certain matters with respect to the
General Partner and the Partnership, the selection of
“Independent Directors” as members of such Audit and
Conflicts Committee, and the submission of certain matters to the
vote of such Audit and Conflicts Committee or to the requirement of
Special Approval upon similar terms and conditions as set forth
herein or in the limited liability company agreement of the General
Partner, as the same exists as of the date of this Agreement so as
to provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with the
same rights and obligations as are herein contained. In the case of
a transfer or replacement pursuant to and in compliance with this
Section 4.6 , the transferee or successor (as
applicable) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of
Section 10.2 , be admitted to the Partnership as a
General Partner immediately prior to the transfer of the General
Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall
continue without dissolution.
4.7
Restrictions on Transfers.
(a) Except as
provided in Section 4.7(c) below, but notwithstanding
the other provisions of this Article IV , no transfer
of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would
(i) violate the then applicable federal or state securities
laws or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state
securities commission or any other governmental authority with
jurisdiction over such transfer, (ii) terminate the existence
or qualification of the Partnership under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its formation, or (iii) cause the Partnership
to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or
otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes
(to the extent not already so treated or taxed).
(b) The General
Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership
Interests if it reviews an Opinion of Counsel that determines that
such restrictions are necessary to avoid a significant risk of the
Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation or otherwise becoming
taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes. The General
Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement;
provided, however , that any amendment that would result in
the delisting or suspension of trading of any class of Limited
Partner Interests on the principal National Securities Exchange on
which such class of Limited Partner Interests is then listed or
admitted for trading must be approved, prior to such amendment
being effected, by the holders of at
9
least a
majority of the Outstanding Units of such class (or if such class
has not been so designated into Units, a majority of the
Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of such class).
(c) Nothing
contained in this Article IV , or elsewhere in this
Agreement, shall preclude the settlement of any transactions
involving Partnership Interests entered into through the facilities
of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership
Interests are listed for trading.
(d) Each
certificate evidencing Partnership Interests shall bear a
conspicuous legend in substantially the following form:
THE HOLDER OF
THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF DUNCAN ENERGY
PARTNERS L.P. THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD,
PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD
(A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES
LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER
GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER,
(B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF DUNCAN ENERGY
PARTNERS L.P. UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR
(C) CAUSE DUNCAN ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. TO BE TREATED AS AN
ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN
ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY
SO TREATED OR TAXED). DEP HOLDINGS, LLC, THE GENERAL PARTNER OF
DUNCAN ENERGY PARTNERS L.P., MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON
THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL
THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF
DUNCAN ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR
OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX
PURPOSES. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE
SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO
THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH
THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.
4.8
Citizenship Certificates; Non-citizen Assignees.
(a) If any Group
Member is or becomes subject to any federal, state or local law or
regulation that the General Partner determines would create a
substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property in
which the Group Member has an interest based on the nationality,
citizenship or other related status of a Limited Partner, the
General Partner may request any Limited Partner to furnish to the
General Partner, within 30 days after receipt of such request,
an executed Citizenship Certification or such other information
concerning his nationality, citizenship or other related status
(or, if the Limited Partner is a nominee holding for the account of
another Person, the nationality, citizenship or other related
status of such Person) as the General Partner may request. If a
Limited Partner fails to furnish to the General Partner within the
aforementioned 30-day period such Citizenship Certification or
other requested information or if upon receipt of such Citizenship
Certification or other requested information the General Partner
determines that a Limited Partner is not an Eligible Citizen, the
Partnership Interests owned by such Limited Partner shall be
subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of
Section 4.9 . In addition, the General Partner may
require that the status of any such Limited Partner be changed to
that of a Non-citizen Assignee and, thereupon, the General Partner
shall be substituted for such Non-citizen Assignee as the Limited
Partner in respect of his Limited Partner Interests.
(b) The General
Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited
Partner Interests held by it on behalf of Non-citizen Assignees,
distribute the votes in the same ratios as the votes of Partners
(including the General Partner) in respect of Limited Partner
Interests other than those of Non-citizen Assignees are cast,
either for, against or abstaining as to the matter.
(c) Upon
dissolution of the Partnership, a Non-citizen Assignee shall have
no right to receive a distribution in kind pursuant to
Section 12.4 but shall be entitled to the cash
equivalent thereof, and the Partnership shall provide cash in
exchange for an assignment of the Non-citizen Assignee’s
share of any
10
distribution in
kind. Such payment and assignment shall be treated for Partnership
purposes as a purchase by the Partnership from the Non-citizen
Assignee of his Limited Partner Interest (representing his right to
receive his share of such distribution in kind).
(d) At any time
after he can and does certify that he has become an Eligible
Citizen, a Non-citizen Assignee may, upon application to the
General Partner, request that with respect to any Limited Partner
Interests of such Non-citizen Assignee not redeemed pursuant to
Section 4.9 , such Non-citizen Assignee be admitted as
a Limited Partner, and upon approval of the General Partner, such
Non-citizen Assignee shall be admitted as a Limited Partner and
shall no longer constitute a Non-citizen Assignee, and the General
Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the Limited Partner in
respect of the Non-citizen Assignee’s Limited Partner
Interests.
4.9 Redemption
of Partnership Interests of Non-citizen Assignees.
(a) If at any time
a Limited Partner fails to furnish a Citizenship Certification or
other information requested within the 30-day period specified in
Section 4.8(a) , or if upon receipt of such Citizenship
Certification or other information the General Partner determines,
with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner is not an
Eligible Citizen, the Partnership may, unless the Limited Partner
establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such
Limited Partner is an Eligible Citizen or has transferred his
Partnership Interests to a Person who is an Eligible Citizen and
who furnishes a Citizenship Certification to the General Partner
prior to the date fixed for redemption as provided below, redeem
the Limited Partner Interest of such Limited Partner as
follows:
(i) The General
Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the date fixed
for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited Partner,
at his last address designated on the records of the Partnership or
the Transfer Agent, by registered or certified mail, postage
prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when so
mailed. The notice shall specify the Redeemable Interests, the date
fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the
redemption price will be made upon surrender of the Certificate
evidencing the Redeemable Interests and that on and after the date
fixed for redemption no further allocations or distributions to
which the Limited Partner would otherwise be entitled in respect of
the Redeemable Interests will accrue or be made.
(ii) The aggregate
redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an amount equal
to the Current Market Price (the date of determination of which
shall be the date fixed for redemption) of Partnership Interests of
the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the number of Partnership
Interests of each such class included among the Redeemable
Interests. The redemption price shall be paid as determined by the
General Partner, in cash or by delivery of a promissory note of the
Partnership in the principal amount of the redemption price,
bearing interest at the rate of 10% annually and payable in three
equal annual installments of principal together with accrued
interest, commencing one year after the redemption date.
(iii) Upon
surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner, at the place
specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificate
evidencing the Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or
accompanied by an assignment duly executed in blank, the Limited
Partner or his duly authorized representative shall be entitled to
receive the payment therefor.
(iv) After the
redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer constitute
issued and Outstanding Partnership Interests.
(b) The provisions
of this Section 4.9 shall also be applicable to
Partnership Interests held by a Limited Partner as nominee of a
Person determined to be other than an Eligible Citizen.
(c) Nothing in
this Section 4.9 shall prevent the recipient of a
notice of redemption from transferring his Partnership Interest
before the redemption date if such transfer is otherwise permitted
under this Agreement. Upon receipt of notice of such a transfer,
the General Partner shall withdraw the notice of redemption,
provided
11
the transferee
of such Partnership Interest certifies to the satisfaction of the
General Partner in a Citizenship Certification that he is an
Eligible Citizen. If the transferee fails to make such
certification, such redemption shall be effected from the
transferee on the original redemption date.
ARTICLE
V
Capital Contributions and
Issuance of Partnership Interests
5.1 Prior
Contributions In connection with the formation of the
Partnership, the General Partner made certain Capital Contributions
to the Partnership in exchange for a 2.0% General Partner interest
in the Partnership and was admitted as the General Partner of the
Partnership, and Enterprise OLP made certain Capital Contributions
to the Partnership in exchange for a 98.0% Limited Partner Interest
in the Partnership and was admitted as a Limited Partner of the
Partnership. As of the Closing Date, the interest of the
Organizational Limited Partner shall be redeemed as provided in the
Contribution Agreement, and the initial Capital Contribution of the
Organizational Limited Partner shall be refunded. Ninety-eight
percent of any interest or other profit that may have resulted from
the investment or other use of such Initial Capital Contributions
shall be allocated and distributed to the Organizational Limited
Partner, and the balance thereof shall be allocated and distributed
to the General Partner.
5.2
Contributions by the General Partner and its
Affiliates.
(a) On the Closing
Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement:
(i) the General
Partner shall contribute to the Partnership, as a Capital
Contribution, all of its ownership interests in the Initial
Operating Subsidiaries in exchange for a continuation of its 2%
General Partner Interest (representing 414,318 initial General
Partner Units), subject to all of the rights, privileges and duties
of the General Partner under this Agreement, in accordance with the
Contribution Agreement; and
(ii) Enterprise
OLP shall contribute to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution,
ownership interests in the Initial Operating Subsidiaries
(representing 66% of the aggregate ownership interests in the
Initial Operating Subsidiaries less the percentage of such
ownership interests being contributed by the General Partner and
its Affiliates in accordance with Section 5.2(a)(i), in
exchange for (A) 7,301,571 Common Units and (B) the right
to receive approximately $421.1 million as reimbursement for
certain capital expenditures together with additional cash for the
contributed assets in accordance with the Contribution
Agreement.
(b) Upon the
issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the
Partnership (other than the Common Units issued in the Initial
Offering and the Common Units issued pursuant to the Over-Allotment
Option), the General Partner may, in exchange for a proportionate
number of General Partner Units, make, but is not obligated to
make, a contribution in an amount equal to the product obtained by
multiplying (i) the quotient determined by dividing
(A) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest by
(B) 100 less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest
times (ii) the amount contributed to the Partnership by the
Limited Partners in exchange for such additional Limited Partner
Interests. Except as set forth in Sections 11.3(c) and
12.2(ii) , the General Partner shall not be obligated to
make any additional Capital Contributions to the
Partnership.
5.3
Contributions by the Underwriters and Redemption of Common Units if
Over-Allotment Option is Exercised.
(a) On the Closing
Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter
shall contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the
Issue Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of
Common Units specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be
purchased by such Underwriter at the Issue Price per Initial Common
Unit at the Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital
Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue
Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital
Contribution is made in an amount equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing (i) such cash contribution to the Partnership by or
on behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per
Initial Common Unit.
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(b) Upon the
exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, each Underwriter shall
contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue
Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common
Units to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Option Closing
Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the
Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each
Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution was made in
an amount equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the
cash contributions to the Partnership by or on behalf of such
Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit.
If the Underwriters exercise their Over-Allotment Option, the
Partnership shall use the net proceeds (after deducting
underwriting discounts and commissions) from such exercise to
redeem from Enterprise OLP a number of Common Units equal to the
number of Common Units issued upon exercise of the Over-Allotment
Option.
(c) Upon the
issuance of Common Units to the Underwriters as provided in this
Section 5.3 , each such Underwriter shall be deemed
admitted as a Limited Partner with respect to the Common Units
acquired by it. Upon the further transfer of Common Units to
Persons acquiring the same from the Underwriters as contemplated by
the Underwriting Agreement, such transferees will be admitted as a
successor Limited Partners as contemplated by
Section 10.1 .
5.4 Interest
and Withdrawal . No interest shall be paid by the Partnership
on Capital Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the
withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the
extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement
or upon termination of the Partnership may be considered as such by
law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement.
Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no
Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the
return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or
distributions. Any such return shall be a compromise to which all
Partners agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the
Delaware Act.
(a) The
Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner
of Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the
nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership
in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method
acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a
separate Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest
in accordance with the rules of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). Such Capital
Account shall be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital
Contributions made to the Partnership with respect to such
Partnership Interest pursuant to this Agreement and (ii) all
items of Partnership income and gain (including income and gain
exempt from tax) computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b)
and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to
Section 6.1 , and decreased by (A) the amount of cash
or Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions of cash
or property made with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant
to this Agreement and (B) all items of Partnership deduction
and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and
allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to
Section 6.1 .
(b) For purposes
of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss or
deduction which is to be allocated pursuant to
Article VI and is to be reflected in the
Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition
and classification of any such item shall be the same as its
determination, recognition and classification for federal income
tax purposes (including any method of depreciation, cost recovery
or amortization used for that purpose), provided, that:
(i) Solely for
purposes of this Section 5.5 , the Partnership shall be
treated as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined
by the General Partner based upon the provisions of the applicable
Group Member Agreement or governing, organizational or similar
documents) of all property owned by (x) any other Group Member
that is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes
and (y) any other partnership, limited liability company,
unincorporated business or other entity or arrangement that is
classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, of
which a Group Member is, directly or indirectly, a
partner.
13
(ii) All fees and
other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of
(or to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted
nor amortized under Section 709 of the Code, if any, shall,
for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an item
of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred
and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to
Section 6.1 .
(iii) Except as
otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), the computation of all items of income, gain,
loss and deduction shall be made without regard to any election
under Section 754 of the Code which may be made by the
Partnership and, as to those items described in Section
705(a)(1)(B) or 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without regard to the
fact that such items are not includable in gross income or are
neither currently deductible nor capitalized for federal income tax
purposes. To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of
any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the
Code is required, pursuant to Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into
account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such
adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of
gain or loss.
(iv) Any income,
gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any
Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis
of such property as of such date of disposition were equal in
amount to the Partnership’s Carrying Value with respect to
such property as of such date.
(v) In accordance
with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code, any deductions
for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any
Contributed Property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis
of such property on the date it was acquired by the Partnership
were equal to the Agreed Value of such property. Upon an adjustment
pursuant to Section 5.5(d) to the Carrying Value of any
Partnership property subject to depreciation, cost recovery or
amortization, any further deductions for such depreciation, cost
recovery or amortization attributable to such property shall be
determined (A) as if the adjusted basis of such property were
equal to the Carrying Value of such property immediately following
such adjustment and (B) using a rate of depreciation, cost
recovery or amortization derived from the same method and useful
life (or, if applicable, the remaining useful life) as is applied
for federal income tax purposes; provided, however , that,
if the asset has a zero adjusted basis for federal income tax
purposes, depreciation, cost recovery or amortization deductions
shall be determined using any method that the General Partner may
adopt.
(vi) If the
Partnership’s adjusted basis in a depreciable or cost
recovery property is reduced for federal income tax purposes
pursuant to Section 48(q)(1) or 48(q)(3) of the Code, the
amount of such reduction shall, solely for purposes hereof, be
deemed to be an additional depreciation or cost recovery deduction
in the year such property is placed in service and shall be
allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1 .
Any restoration of such basis pursuant to Section 48(q)(2) of the
Code shall, to the extent possible, be allocated in the same manner
to the Partners to whom such deemed deduction was
allocated.
(c) A transferee
of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a pro rata portion of
the Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership
Interest so transferred.
(d) (i) In
accordance with Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), on an issuance
of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed
Property, the issuance of Partnership Interests as consideration
for the provision of services or the conversion of the General
Partner’s Purchased Interest to Common Units pursuant to
Section 11.3(b) , the Capital Account of all Partners and
the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior
to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect
any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such
Partnership property, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss
had been recognized on an actual sale of each such property
immediately prior to such issuance and had been allocated to the
Partners at such time pursuant to Section 6.1 in the
same manner as any item of gain or loss actually recognized during
such period would have been allocated. In determining such
Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate cash amount and
fair market value of all Partnership assets (including
14
cash or cash
equivalents) immediately prior to the issuance of additional
Partnership Interests shall be determined by the General Partner
using such method of valuation as it may adopt; provided,
however , that the General Partner, in arriving at such
valuation, must take fully into account the fair market value of
the Partnership Interests of all Partners at such time. The General
Partner shall allocate such aggregate value among the assets of the
Partnership (in such manner as it determines) to arrive at a fair
market value for individual properties.
(ii) In accordance
with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f),
immediately prior to any actual or deemed distribution to a Partner
of any Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that
is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the
Capital Accounts of all Partners and the Carrying Value of all
Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to
reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such
Partnership property, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss
had been recognized in a sale of such property immediately prior to
such distribution for an amount equal to its fair market value, and
had been allocated to the Partners, at such time, pursuant to
Section 6.1 in the same manner as any item of gain or
loss actually recognized during such period would have been
allocated. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss
the aggregate cash amount and fair market value of all Partnership
assets (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a
distribution shall (A) in the case of an actual distribution
that is not made pursuant to Section 12.4 or in the
case of a deemed contribution and/or distribution occurring as a
result of a termination of the Partnership pursuant to
Section 708 of the Code, be determined and allocated in the
same manner as that provided in Section 5.5(d)(i) or
(B) in the case of a liquidating distribution pursuant to
Section 12.4 , be determined and allocated by the
Liquidator using such method of valuation as it may
adopt.
5.6 Issuances
of Additional Partnership Securities.
(a) The
Partnership may issue additional Partnership Securities and
options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to the
Partnership Securities for any Partnership purpose at any time and
from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on
such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine,
all without the approval of any Limited Partners.
(b) Each
additional Partnership Security authorized to be issued by the
Partnership pursuant to Section 5.6(a) may be issued in
one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes,
with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties
(which may be senior to existing classes and series of Partnership
Securities), as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including
(i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or
items thereof; (ii) the right to share in Partnership
distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and
liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms
and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or shall be required
to redeem the Partnership Security (including sinking fund
provisions); (v) whether such Partnership Security is issued
with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms
and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms
and conditions upon which each Partnership Security will be issued,
evidenced by certificates and assigned or transferred;
(vii) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to
such Partnership Security; and (viii) the right, if any, of each
such Partnership Security to vote on Partnership matters, including
matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges
of such Partnership Security.
(c) The General
Partner is hereby authorized and directed to take all actions that
it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with
(i) each issuance of Partnership Securities and options,
rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership
Securities pursuant to this Section 5.6 , (ii) the
conversion of the General Partner Interest into Units pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement, (iii) the admission of additional
Limited Partners and (iv) all additional issuances of
Partnership Securities. The General Partner shall determine the
relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or
other Partnership Securities being so issued. The General Partner
shall do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and
is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to
be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance
of Partnership Securities or in connection with the conversion of
the General Partner Interest into Units pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule,
regulation or
15
guideline of
any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National
Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership
Securities are listed or admitted for trading.
(d) No fractional
Units shall be issued by the Partnership.
5.7 Limited
Preemptive Right. Except as provided in this
Section 5.7 and in Section 5.2 , and except
as may be provided as part of the terms of additional Partnership
Securities issued pursuant to Section 5.6, no Person shall
have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with
respect to the issuance of any Partnership Security, whether
unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created. The General
Partner shall have the right, which it may from time to time assign
in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates, to purchase
Partnership Securities from the Partnership whenever, and on the
same terms that, the Partnership issues Partnership Securities to
Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, to the
extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests (other than
the General Partner Interest) of the General Partner and its
Affiliates equal to that which existed immediately prior to the
issuance of such Partnership Securities.
5.8 Splits and
Combinations.
(a) Subject to
Section 5.8(d) , the Partnership may make a Pro Rata
distribution of Partnership Securities to all Record Holders or may
effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities so
long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have the same
Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and
any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis or stated as a number of
Units are proportionately adjusted retroactive to the beginning of
the Partnership.
(b) Whenever such
a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership
Securities is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record
Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall
be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days
prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not
less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice. The
General Partner also may cause a firm of independent public
accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership
Securities to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to
such distribution, subdivision or combination. The General Partner
shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm
as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such
calculation.
(c) Promptly
following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the
Partnership may issue Certificates to the Record Holders of
Partnership Securities as of the applicable Record Date
representing the new number of Partnership Securities held by such
Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other
procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to
reflect such changes. If any such combination results in a smaller
total number of Partnership Securities Outstanding, the Partnership
shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of
such new Certificate, the surrender of any Certificate held by such
Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.
(d) The
Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution,
subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision
or combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional
Units but for the provisions of Section 5.6(d) and this
Section 5.8(d) , each fractional Unit shall be rounded
to the nearest whole Unit (and a 0.5 Unit shall be rounded to the
next higher Unit).
5.9 Fully Paid
and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests . All
Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance
with the requirements of, this Article V shall be fully
paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the
Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by
Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
ARTICLE
VI
Allocations and
Distributions
6.1
Allocations for Capital Account Purposes . For purposes of
maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of
the Partners among themselves, the Partnership’s items of
income, gain, loss and deduction
16
(computed in
accordance with Section 5.5(b) ) shall be allocated
among the Partners in each taxable year (or portion thereof) as
provided herein below.
(a) Net
Income and Net Loss.
(i) Net
Income . After giving effect to the special allocations set
forth in Section 6.1(c) , Net Income for each taxable
year and all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into
account in computing Net Income for such taxable year shall be
allocated to the Partners in accordance with their respective
Percentage Interests.
(ii) Net
Losses . After giving effect to the special allocations set
forth in Section 6.1(c) , Net Losses for each taxable
period and all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into
account in computing Net Losses for such taxable period shall be
allocated to the Partners in accordance with their respective
Percentage Interests; provided, that Net Losses shall not be
allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(a) to the extent
that such allocation would cause any Partner to have a deficit
balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable
year (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted
Capital Account), instead any such Net Losses shall be allocated to
Partners with positive Adjusted Capital Accounts in accordance with
their Percentage Interests until such positive Adjusted Capital
Accounts are reduced to zero, and thereafter to the General
Partner.
(b) Net
Termination Gains and Losses . After giving effect to the
special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(c), all items of
income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing
Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss for such taxable
period shall be allocated in the same manner as such Net
Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss is allocated hereunder.
All allocations under this Section 6.1(b) shall be made after
Capital Account balances have been adjusted by all other
allocations provided under this Section 6.1 and after all
distributions of Available Cash provided under Section 6.3
have been made; provided , however , that solely for
purposes of this Section 6.1(b), Capital Accounts shall not be
adjusted for distributions made pursuant to
Section 12.4.
(i) If a Net
Termination Gain is recognized (or deemed recognized pursuant to
Section 5.5(d)), such Net Termination Gain shall be allocated
among the Partners in the following manner (and the Capital
Accounts of the Partners shall be increased by the amount so
allocated in each of the following subclauses, in the order listed,
before an allocation is made pursuant to the next succeeding
subclause):
A. First, to each
Partner having a deficit balance in its Capital Account, in the
proportion that such deficit balance bears to the total deficit
balances in the Capital Accounts of all Partners, until each such
Partner has been allocated Net Termination Gain equal to any such
deficit balance in its Capital Account; and
B. Second, 100% to
all Partners in accordance with their Percentage
Interests.
(ii) If a Net
Termination Loss is recognized (or deemed recognized pursuant to
Section 5.5(d)), such Net Termination Loss shall be allocated
among the Partners in the following manner:
A. First, 100% to
all Partners in accordance with their Percentage Interests, until
the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding
has been reduced to zero; and
B. Second, the
balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(c) Special
Allocations . Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section 6.1 , the following special allocations shall be
made for such taxable period:
17
(i) Partnership
Minimum Gain Chargeback . Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Section 6.1 , if there is a net decrease in
Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period,
each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and
gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the
manner and amounts provided in Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and
1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision. For purposes of this
Section 6.1(c) , each Partner’s Adjusted Capital
Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income
or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the
application of any other allocations pursuant to this
Section 6.1(c) with respect to such taxable period
(other than an allocation pursuant to
Sections 6.1(c)(v) and 6.1(c)(vi) ). This
Section 6.1(c)(i) is intended to comply with the Partnership
Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted
consistently therewith.
(ii) Chargeback
of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain . Notwithstanding the
other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other than
Section 6.1(c)(i) ), except as provided in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net
decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any
Partnership taxable period, any Partner with a share of Partner
Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable
period shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for
such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner
and amounts provided in Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii),
or any successor provisions. For purposes of this Section
6.1(c) , each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance
shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required
hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other
allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(c) , other
than Section 6.1(c)(i) and other than an allocation
pursuant to Sections 6.1(c)(v) and 6.1(c)(vi) , with
respect to such taxable period. This Section 6.1(c)(ii)
is intended to comply with the chargeback of items of income and
gain requirement in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted
consistently therewith.
(iii) Qualified
Income Offset . In the event any Partner unexpectedly receives
any adjustments, allocations or distributions described in Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4),
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of
Partnership income and gain shall be specially allocated to such
Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the
extent required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under
Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in its
Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations
or distributions as quickly as possible unless such deficit balance
is otherwise eliminated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or
(ii) .
(iv) Gross
Income Allocations . In the event any Partner has a deficit
balance in its Capital Account at the end of any Partnership
taxable period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount such
Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement and (B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated
to restore pursuant to Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such
Partner shall be specially allocated items of Partnership gross
income and gain in the amount of such excess as quickly as
possible; provided , that an allocation pursuant to this
Section 6.1(c)(iv) shall be made only if and to the
extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its
Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided
for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as
if this Section 6.1(c)(iv) were not in this
Agreement.
(v) Nonrecourse
Deductions . Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period
shall be allocated to the Partners in accordance with their
respective Percentage Interests. If the General Partner determines
that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions should be
allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor
requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section
704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized, upon notice
to the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to the
numerically closest ratio that does satisfy such
requirements.
(vi) Partner
Nonrecourse Deductions . Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any
taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears
the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to the Partner Nonrecourse
Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable
in
18
accordance with
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i). If more than one
Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner
Nonrecourse Debt, such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions attributable
thereto shall be allocated between or among such Partners in
accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk
of Loss.
(vii)
Nonrecourse Liabilities . For purposes of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that
Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess of the sum of
(A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the
total amount of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated among
the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
(viii) Code
Section 754 Adjustments . To the extent an adjustment to
the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section
734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into
account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such
adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of
gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss
(if the adjustment decreases such basis), and such item of gain or
loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner
consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are
required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury
Regulations.
(ix) Curative
Allocation .
A. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Section 6.1 , other than
the Required Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be taken
into account in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the
extent possible, the net amount of items of income, gain, loss and
deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required
Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to
the net amount of such items that would have been allocated to each
such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had the Required
Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not otherwise been
provided in this Section 6.1 . Notwithstanding the
preceding sentence, Required Allocations relating to
(1) Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be taken into account
except to the extent that there has been a decrease in Partnership
Minimum Gain and (2) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions shall not
be taken into account except to the extent that there has been a
decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain. Allocations
pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(ix)(A) shall only be
made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General
Partner determines that such allocations will otherwise be
inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners.
Further, allocations pursuant to this
Section 6.1(c)(ix)(A) shall be deferred with respect to
allocations pursuant to clauses (1) and (2) hereof to
the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations are
likely to be offset by subsequent Required Allocations.
B. The General
Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply the
provisions of Section 6.1(c)(ix)(A) in whatever order
is most likely to minimize the economic distortions that might
otherwise result from the Required Allocations, and (2) divide
all allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(ix)(A) among
the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic
distortions.
6.2
Allocations for Tax Purposes.
(a) Except as
otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes, each
item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among
the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of
“book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated
pursuant to Section 6.1 .
19
(b) In an attempt
to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed
Property or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss,
depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be
allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Partners as
follows:
(i)
(A) In the case of a Contributed Property, such items
attributable thereto shall be allocated among the Partners in the
manner provided under Section 704(c) of the Code that takes into
account the variation between the Agreed Value of such property and
its adjusted basis at the time of contribution; and (B) any
item of Residual Gain or Residual Loss attributable to a
Contributed Property shall be allocated among the Partners in the
same manner as its correlative item of “book” gain or
loss is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1 .
(ii)
(A) In the case of an Adjusted Property, such items shall
(1) first, be allocated among the Partners in a manner
consistent with the principles of Section 704(c) of the Code to
take into account the Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss
attributable to such property and the allocations thereof pursuant
to Section 5.5(d)(i) or 5.5(d)(ii) , and
(2) second, in the event such property was originally a
Contributed Property, be allocated among the Partners in a manner
consistent with Section 6.2(b)(i)(A) ; and (B) any
item of Residual Gain or Residual Loss attributable to an Adjusted
Property shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner
as its correlative item of “book” gain or loss is
allocated pursuant to Section 6.1 .
(iii)
The General Partner shall apply the principles of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-3(d) to eliminate Book-Tax
Disparities, except as otherwise determined by the General Partner
with respect to goodwill.
(c) For the proper
administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of
uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or
classes thereof), the General Partner shall (i) adopt such
conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of
depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions;
(ii) make special allocations for federal income tax purposes
of income (including gross income) or deductions; and (iii) amend
the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate (A) to reflect
the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under Section
704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (B) otherwise to
preserve or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or
any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may adopt such
conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this
Agreement as provided in this Section 6.2(c) only if such
conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material
adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes
of Limited Partner Interests issued and Outstanding or the
Partnership, and if such allocations are consistent with the
principles of Section 704 of the Code.
(d) The General
Partner may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an
adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to
unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of
the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate
derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful
life applied to the Partnership’s common basis of such
property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury
Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6), Treasury
Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3), the legislative history of
Section 743 of the Code or any successor regulations thereto.
If the General Partner determines that such reporting position
cannot reasonably be taken, the General Partner may adopt
depreciation and amortization conventions under which all
purchasers acquiring Limited Partner Interests in the same month
would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, based upon
the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest
in the Partnership’s property. If the General Partner chooses
not to utilize such aggregate method, the General Partner may use
any other depreciation and amortization conventions to preserve the
uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Limited
Partner Interests so long as such conventions would not have a
material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the Record
Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner
Interests.
(e) Any gain
allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable
disposition of any Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible,
after taking into account other required allocations of gain
pursuant to this Section 6.2 , be characterized as
Recapture Income in the same proportions and to the same extent as
such
20
Partners (or
their predecessors in interest) have been allocated any deductions
directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains
as Recapture Income.
(f) All items of
income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the
Partnership for federal income tax purposes and allocated to the
Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be
determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of
the Code which may be made by the Partnership; provided,
however , that such allocations, once made, shall be adjusted
(in the manner determined by the General Partner) to take into
account those adjustments permitted or required by
Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.
(g) Each item of
Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to a
transferred Partnership Interest, shall for federal income tax
purposes, be determined on an annual basis and prorated on a
monthly basis and shall be allocated to the Partners as of the
opening of the principal National Securities Exchange on which the
Units are then traded on the first Business Day of each month;
provided, however , that such items for the period beginning
on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in
which the Option Closing Date or the expiration of the
Over-Allotment Option occurs shall be allocated to the Partners as
of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the
Units are then traded on the first Business Day of the next
succeeding month; and provided, further , that gain or loss
on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the Partnership
other than in the ordinary course of business shall be allocated to
the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange
on which the Units are then traded on the first Business Day of the
month in which such gain or loss is recognized for federal income
tax purposes. The General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise
modify such methods of allocation to the extent permitted or
required by Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or
rulings promulgated thereunder.
(h) Allocations
that would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the
provisions of this Article VI shall instead be made to
the beneficial owner of Limited Partner Interests held by a nominee
in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such
owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the
Code or any other method determined by the General
Partner.
6.3
Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to
Record Holders.
(a) Within
45 days following the end of each Quarter commencing with the
Quarter ending on March 31, 2007, an amount equal to 100% of
Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall, subject to
Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, be distributed in
accordance with this Article VI by the Partnership to
the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests as of the Record Date selected by the General Partner.
All distributions required to be made under this Agreement shall be
made subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
(b)
Notwithstanding Section 6.3(a) , in the event of the
dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, all receipts
received during or after the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date
occurs shall be applied and distributed solely in accordance with,
and subject to the terms and conditions of,
Section 12.4 .
(c) The General
Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, or
amounts withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the
Partners, as a distribution of Available Cash to such
Partners.
(d) Each
distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by
the Partnership, directly or through the Transfer Agent or through
any other Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such
Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such
distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and
satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of
such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an
interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or
otherwise.
21
ARTICLE
VII
Management and Operation
of Business
(a) The General
Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the
Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of
the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner,
and no Limited Partner shall have any management power over the
business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers
now or hereafter granted a general partner of a limited partnership
under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner
under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner,
subject to Sections 2.9 , 7.3 and 12.9 ,
shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such
terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct
the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth
in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth
in Section 2.4 , including the following:
(i) the making of
any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption
or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other
liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including
indebtedness that is convertible into Partnership Securities, and
the incurring of any other obligations;
(ii) the making of
tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or
other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction
over the business or assets of the Partnership;
(iii) the
acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance,
hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the
Partnership or the merger or other combination of the Partnership
with or into another Person (the matters described in this
clause (iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval
that may be required by Section 7.3 and
Article XIV );
(iv) the use of
the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any
purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the
financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership
Group; subject to Section 7.6(a) , the lending of funds to
other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or
guarantee of obligations of other Group Members and the making of
capital contributions to any Group Member;
(v) the
negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts,
conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit
the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to
all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party
to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or
its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if same
results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the
Partnership than would otherwise be the case);
(vi) the
distribution of Partnership cash;
(vii) the
selection and dismissal of employees (including employees having
titles such as “president,” “vice
president,” “secretary” and
“treasurer”) and agents, outside attorneys,
accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of
their compensation and other terms of employment or
hiring;
(viii) the
maintenance of such insurance for the benefit of the Partnership
Group, the Partners and the Indemnitees as it deems necessary or
appropriate (if such insurance is not maintained pursuant to the
Administrative Services Agreement);
(ix) the formation
of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of cash
or property and the making of loans to, any further limited or
general partnerships, joint ventures, limited
22
liability
companies, corporations or other relationships (including the
acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of cash or
property to, the Operating Partnership from time to time) subject
to the restrictions set forth in Sections 2.4 and
2.9 ;
(x) the control of
any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the
Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law
or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation,
arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the
settlement of claims and litigation;
(xi) the
indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies
to the extent permitted by law;
(xii) the entering
into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange
and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests
from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange
(subject to any prior approval that may be required under
Section 4.7 );
(xiii) the
purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership
Securities, or the issuance of options, rights, warrants and
appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities;
(xiv) the
undertaking of any action in connection with the
Partnership’s ownership or operation of any Group Member,
including exercising on behalf and for the benefit of the
Partnership, the Partnership’s rights as the sole member of
the Operating General Partner; and
(xv) the entering
into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to
a Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as
General Partner of the Partnership, including the Administrative
Services Agreement and any amendments thereto.
(b)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group
Member Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or
regulation, each of the Partners and each other Person who may
acquire an interest in Partnership Securities hereby
(i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery
and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement, the
Underwriting Agreement, the Contribution Agreement, the
Administrative Services Agreement, any Group Member Agreement of
any other Group Member and the other agreements described in or
filed as a part of the Registration Statement that are related to
the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement;
(ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or through
any officer of the Partnership) is authorized to execute, deliver
and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this
sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters
described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement on
behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote
of the Partners or the other Persons who may acquire an interest in
Partnership Securities; and (iii) agrees that the execution,
delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group Member or
any Affiliate of any of them, of this Agreement or any agreement
authorized or permitted under this Agreement (including the
exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General
Partner of the rights accorded pursuant to Article XV
), shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty
that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited
Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other
agreements) or of any duty stated or implied by law or
equity.
7.2
Certificate of Limited Partnership . The General Partner has
caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the
Delaware Act and shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be
filed such other certificates or documents that the General Partner
determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation,
continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership
(or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited
liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in which the
Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent
that the General Partner determines such action to be necessary or
appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and
restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all
things to maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a
partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have
limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of
any other state in which the
23
Partnership may
elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of
Section 3.4(a) , the General Partner shall not be
required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the
Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or
any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.
7.3
Restrictions on General Partner’s Authority . Except as
provided in Articles XII and XIV , the General
Partner may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of, or approve
on behalf of the Partnership the sale, exchange or other
disposition of, all or substantially all of the assets of the
Partnership Group, taken as a whole, or interests owned directly or
indirectly by the Partnership, taken as a whole, in a single
transaction or a series of related transactions (including by way
of merger, consolidation or other combination or sale of ownership
interests of the Partnership’s Subsidiaries), without the
approval of holders of a majority of Outstanding Units and Special
Approval; provided however, that this provision shall not
preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage,
pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or
substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group and shall
not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the assets of the
Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other
realization upon, any such encumbrance. Without the approval of
holders of a majority of Outstanding Units, the General Partner
shall not, on behalf of the Partnership, except as permitted under
Sections 4.6 , 11.1 and 11.2 , elect or
cause the Partnership to elect a successor general partner of the
Partnership.
7.4
Reimbursement of the General Partner.
(a) Except as
provided in this Section 7.4 and elsewhere in this
Agreement, none of the General Partner or its Affiliates shall be
compensated for its services as a general partner or managing
member of any Group Member.
(b) Subject to any
applicable limitations contained in the Administrative Services
Agreement, the General Partner or EPCO, without duplication, shall
be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the
General Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect
expenses it incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the
Partnership (including amounts incurred by EPCO under the
Administrative Services Agreement and including salary, bonus,
incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person,
including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services
for the Partnership or the General Partner in the discharge of its
duties to the Partnership), and (ii) all other expenses
allocable to the Partnership or otherwise incurred in connection
with operating the Partnership’s business (including expenses
allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates). The General
Partner shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the
Partnership. Reimbursements pursuant to this
Section 7.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement
to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to
Section 7.7 .
(c) The General
Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall
have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on
behalf of the Partnership employee benefit plans, employee programs
and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices
involving the issuance of Partnership Securities or options to
purchase or rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Securities), or cause the Partnership to issue
Partnership Securities in connection with, or pursuant to, any
employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice
maintained or sponsored by the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of employees of the
General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate, or any of them,
in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the
benefit of the Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to issue
and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or
directly to the applicable employees, any Partnership Securities
that the General Partner or such Affiliate is obligated to provide
to any employees pursuant to any such employee benefit plans,
employee programs or employee practices. Expenses incurred by the
General Partner or such Affiliate in connection with any such
plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the
General Partner or such Affiliate of Partnership Securities
purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliate (on behalf of
the applicable employees) from the Partnership to fulfill options
or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be
reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.4(b) . Any and
all obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit
plans, employee programs or employee practices adopted by the
General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.4(c)
shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and
shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant
to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or
successor to all of the General Partner’s Partnership
Interest as the General Partner in the Partnership pursuant to
Section 4.6 .
24
(a) After the
Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the general
partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business
will be to act as the general partner of the Partnership and to
undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto
(including being a limited partner in the Partnership), and
(ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any
debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to
(A) its performance as general partner or managing member of
one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the
Registration Statement or (B) the acquiring, owning or
disposing of debt or equity securities in any Group
Member.
(b) Except as
specifically restricted by the Administrative Services Agreement,
each Indemnitee (other than the General Partner) shall have the
right to engage in businesses of every type and description and
other activities for profit and to engage in and possess an
interest in other business ventures of any and every type or
description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be
engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others,
including business interests and activities in direct competition
with the business and activities of any Group Member, and none of
the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty
expressed or implied by law or equity to any Group Member or any
Partner. None of any Group Member, any Limited Partner nor any
other Person shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement, any
Group Member Agreement or the partnership relationship established
hereby or thereby in any business ventures of any
Indemnitee.
(c) Subject to the
terms of the Administrative Services Agreement and Section
7.5(d) , but otherwise notwithstanding anything to the contrary
in this Agreement, (i) the engaging in competitive activities by
any Indemnitees (other than the General Partner) in accordance with
the provisions of this Section 7.5 is hereby approved
by the Partnership and all Partners, (ii) it shall be deemed
not to be a breach of any fiduciary duty or any other obligation of
any type whatsoever of any Indemnitee for the Indemnitees (other
than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and
activities in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership
and (iii) the General Partner and the Indemnitees shall have
no obligation hereunder or as a result of any duty expressed or
implied by law or equity to present business opportunities to the
Partnership.
(d)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or in
the Administrative Services Agreement (including provisions
relating to opportunities that may be offered by certain
Indemnitees in their discretion), the doctrine of corporate
opportunity or any analogous doctrine shall not apply to any
Indemnitee (including the General Partner), and no Indemnitee
(including the General Partner) who acquires knowledge of a
potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that
may be an opportunity for the Partnership, shall have any duty to
communicate or offer such opportunity to the Partnership, and such
Indemnitee (including the General Partner) shall not be liable to
the Partnership, to any Limited Partner or any other Person for
breach of any fiduciary or other duty by reason of the fact that
such Indemnitee (including the General Partner) pursues or acquires
for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not
communicate such opportunity or information to the Partnership;
provided that such Indemnitee does not pursue, acquire or direct
such opportunity as a result of or using confidential or
proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership
to such Indemnitee, other than in accordance with the
Administrative Services Agreement.
(e) The General
Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other
Partnership Securities in addition to those acquired on the Closing
Date and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be
entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights of the General
Partner or a Limited Partner, as applicable, relating to such Units
or other Partnership Securities. For purposes of this
Section 7.5(e) , the term “Affiliates” when
used with respect to the General Partner shall not include any
Group Member.
7.6 Loans from
the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership;
Contracts with Affiliates; Certain Restrictions on the General
Partner.
(a) The General
Partner or any of its Affiliates may, but shall be under no
obligation to, lend to any Group Member, and any Group Member may
borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, funds
needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and
in such amounts as the General Partner
25
may determine;
provided , however , that in any such case the
lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate
greater than the rate that would be charged to the borrowing party
or impose terms less favorable to the borrowing party than would be
charged or imposed on the borrowing party by unrelated lenders on
comparable loans made on an arm’s-length basis (without
reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or
guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner. Any loan
made by the General Partner or its Affiliate to a Group Member the
terms of which are approved by Special Approval shall be deemed to
meet the requirements of this Section 7.6(a) . The borrowing
party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than
any additional interest costs) incurred by the lending party in
connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this
Section 7.6(a) and Section 7.6(b) , the term
‘‘Group Member’’ shall include any
Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the Group
Member.
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