FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
EL
PASO PIPELINE PARTNERS, L.P.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
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Section 1.1
Definitions
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Section 1.2
Construction
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ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
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Section 2.1
Formation
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Section 2.2
Name
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Section 2.3
Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other
Offices
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Section 2.4
Purpose and Business
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Section 2.5
Powers
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Section 2.6
Power of Attorney
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Section 2.7
Term
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Section 2.8
Title to Partnership Assets
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Section 2.9
Certain Undertakings Relating to the Separateness of the
Partnership
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ARTICLE III
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
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Section 3.1
Limitation of Liability
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Section 3.2
Management of Business
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Section 3.3
Outside Activities of the Limited Partners
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Section 3.4
Rights of Limited Partners
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| ARTICLE IV CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF
PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS |
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Section 4.1
Certificates
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Section 4.2
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates
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Section 4.3
Record Holders
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Section 4.4
Transfer Generally
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Section 4.5
Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests
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Section 4.6
Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner
Interest
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Section 4.7
Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights
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Section 4.8
Restrictions on Transfers
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Section 4.9
Tax Certifications; Ineligible Holders; Citizenship Certificates;
Non-citizen Assignees
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Section 4.10
Redemption of Partnership Interests of Non-citizen and Ineligible
Holders
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ARTICLE V
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP
INTERESTS
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Section 5.1
Organizational Contributions
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Section 5.2
Contributions by the General Partner and its Affiliates
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Section 5.3
Contributions by Initial Limited Partners
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Section 5.4
Interest and Withdrawal of Capital Contributions
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Section 5.5
Capital Accounts
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Section 5.6
Issuances of Additional Partnership Securities
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Section 5.7
Conversion of Subordinated Units
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Section 5.8
Limited Preemptive Right
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A-i
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Section 5.9
Splits and Combinations
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Section 5.10
Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner
Interests
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Section 5.11
Issuance of Class B Units in Connection with Reset of
Incentive Distribution Rights
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ARTICLE VI
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
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Section 6.1
Allocations for Capital Account Purposes
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Section 6.2
Allocations for Tax Purposes
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Section 6.3
Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to
Record Holders
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Section 6.4
Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus
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Section 6.5
Distributions of Available Cash from Capital Surplus
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Section 6.6
Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target
Distribution Levels
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Section 6.7
Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units
and Class B Units
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Section 6.8
Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive
Distribution Rights
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Section 6.9
Entity-Level Taxation
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ARTICLE VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
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Section 7.1
Management
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Section 7.2
Certificate of Limited Partnership
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Section 7.3
Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority
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Section 7.4
Reimbursement of the General Partner
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Section 7.5
Outside Activities
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Section 7.6
Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the
Partnership or Group Members
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Section 7.7
Indemnification
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Section 7.8
Liability of Indemnitees
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Section 7.9
Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and
Modification of Duties
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Section 7.10
Other Matters Concerning the General Partner
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Section 7.11
Purchase or Sale of Partnership Securities
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Section 7.12
Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates
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Section 7.13
Reliance by Third Parties
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ARTICLE VIII
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
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Section 8.1
Records and Accounting
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Section 8.2
Fiscal Year
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Section 8.3
Reports
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ARTICLE IX TAX
MATTERS
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Section 9.1
Tax Returns and Information
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Section 9.2
Tax Elections
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Section 9.3
Tax Controversies
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Section 9.4
Withholding
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A-ii
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ARTICLE X
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
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Section 10.1
Admission of Initial Limited Partners
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Section 10.2
Admission of Substituted Limited Partners
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Section 10.3
Admission of Successor General Partner
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Section 10.4
Admission of Additional Limited Partners
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Section 10.5
Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership
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ARTICLE XI
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
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Section 11.1
Withdrawal of the General Partner
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Section 11.2
Removal of the General Partner
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Section 11.3
Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General
Partner
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Section 11.4
Termination of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated
Units and Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages
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Section 11.5
Withdrawal of Limited Partners
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ARTICLE XII
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
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Section 12.1
Dissolution
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Section 12.2
Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After
Dissolution
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Section 12.3
Liquidator
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Section 12.4
Liquidation
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Section 12.5
Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership
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Section 12.6
Return of Contributions
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Section 12.7
Waiver of Partition
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Section 12.8
Capital Account Restoration
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ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
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Section 13.1
Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner
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Section 13.2
Amendment Procedures
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Section 13.3
Amendment Requirements
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Section 13.4
Special Meetings
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Section 13.5
Notice of a Meeting
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Section 13.6
Record Date
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Section 13.7
Adjournment
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Section 13.8
Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes
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Section 13.9
Quorum and Voting
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Section 13.10
Conduct of a Meeting
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Section 13.11
Action Without a Meeting
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Section 13.12
Right to Vote and Related Matters
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ARTICLE XIV
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION
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Section 14.1
Authority
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Section 14.2
Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion
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Section 14.3
Approval by Limited Partners
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Section 14.4
Certificate of Merger
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Section 14.5
Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion
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A-iii
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ARTICLE XV
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS
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Section 15.1
Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests
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ARTICLE XVI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
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Section 16.1
Addresses and Notices; Written Communications
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Section 16.2
Further Action
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Section 16.3
Binding Effect
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Section 16.4
Integration
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Section 16.5
Creditors
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Section 16.6
Waiver
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106 |
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Section 16.7
Third-Party Beneficiaries
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107 |
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Section 16.8
Counterparts
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107 |
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Section 16.9
Applicable Law
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107 |
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Section 16.10
Invalidity of Provisions
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Section 16.11
Consent of Partners
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Section 16.12
Facsimile Signatures
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A-iv
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP OF EL PASO PIPELINE PARTNERS, L.P.
THIS FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF EL PASO PIPELINE PARTNERS, L.P.
dated as of November 21, 2007, is entered into by and between
El Paso Pipeline GP Company, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability
company, as the General Partner, and El Paso Pipeline LP Holdings,
L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the “
Organizational Limited 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:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1
Definitions .
The following definitions shall be
for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the
contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.
“ Acquisition ”
means any transaction in which any Group Member acquires (through
an asset acquisition, merger, stock acquisition or other form of
investment) control over all or a portion of the assets, properties
or business of another Person for the purpose of increasing the
long-term operating capacity or asset base of the Partnership Group
from the operating capacity or asset base of the Partnership Group
existing immediately prior to such transaction.
“ Additional Book Basis
” means the portion of any remaining Carrying Value of an
Adjusted Property that is attributable to positive adjustments made
to such Carrying Value as a result of Book-Up Events. For purposes
of determining the extent that Carrying Value constitutes
Additional Book Basis:
(a) Any negative adjustment made
to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a result of either
a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first be deemed to
offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value of such
Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior positive
adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or Book-Down
Event.
(b) If Carrying Value that
constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result of a
Book-Down Event and the Carrying Value of other property is
increased as a result of such Book-Down Event, an allocable portion
of any such increase in Carrying Value shall be treated as
Additional Book Basis; provided , that the amount treated as
Additional Book Basis pursuant hereto as a result of such Book-Down
Event shall not exceed the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining
Net Positive Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceeds the
remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the
Partnership’s Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event
(determined without regard to the application of this clause
(b) to such Book-Down Event).
“ Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items ” means any Book Basis Derivative Items
that are computed with reference to Additional Book Basis. To the
extent that the Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the
Partnership’s Adjusted Property as of the beginning of any
taxable period exceeds the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive
Adjustments as of the beginning of such period (the “
Excess Additional Book Basis ”), the Additional Book
Basis Derivative Items for such period shall be reduced by the
amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of Additional Book
Basis Derivative Items determined without regard to this sentence
as the Excess Additional Book Basis bears to the Additional Book
Basis as of the beginning of such period.
“ Additional Limited
Partner ” means a Person admitted to the Partnership as a
Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.4 and who is shown as
such on the books and records of the Partnership.
“ Adjusted Capital
Account ” means the Capital Account maintained for each
Partner as of the end of each fiscal year of the Partnership,
(a) increased by any amounts that such Partner is obligated to
restore under the standards set by Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is deemed
obligated to restore under Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5)) and
(b) decreased by (i) the amount of all losses and
deductions that, as of the end of such fiscal year, are reasonably
expected to be allocated to such Partner in subsequent years under
Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code and Treasury
Regulation Section 1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and (ii) the
amount of all distributions that, as of the end of such fiscal
year, are reasonably expected to be made to such Partner in
subsequent years in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or
otherwise to the extent they exceed offsetting increases to such
Partner’s Capital Account that are reasonably expected to
occur during (or prior to) the year in which such distributions are
reasonably expected to be made (other than increases as a result of
a minimum gain chargeback pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or
6.1(d)(ii)). The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account
is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be
interpreted consistently therewith. The “Adjusted Capital
Account” of a Partner in respect of a General Partner Unit, a
Common Unit, a Subordinated Unit, a Class B Unit or an
Incentive Distribution Right or any other Partnership Interest
shall be the amount that such Adjusted Capital Account would be if
such General Partner Unit, Common Unit, Subordinated Unit,
Class B Unit, Incentive Distribution Right or other
Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held
by such Partner from and after the date on which such General
Partner Unit, Common Unit, Class B Unit, Subordinated Unit,
Incentive Distribution Right or other Partnership Interest was
first issued.
“ Adjusted Operating
Surplus ” means, with respect to any period,
(a) Operating Surplus generated with respect to such period,
less (b) (i) any net increase in Working Capital Borrowings
with respect to that period and (ii) any net decrease in cash
reserves for Operating Expenditures with respect to such period not
relating to an Operating Expenditure made with respect to such
period, and plus (c) (i) any net decrease in Working Capital
Borrowings with respect to that period, (ii) any net decrease
made in subsequent periods in cash reserves for Operating
Expenditures initially established with respect to such period to
the extent such decrease results in a reduction in Adjusted
Operating Surplus in subsequent periods pursuant to clause (b)(ii)
above and (iii) any net increase in cash reserves for
Operating Expenditures with respect to such period required by any
debt instrument for the repayment of principal, interest or
A-2
premium.
Adjusted Operating Surplus does not include that portion of
Operating Surplus included in clause (a)(i) of the definition
of Operating Surplus.
“ Adjusted Property
” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been
adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or 5.5(d)(ii).
“ Affiliate ”
means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly
or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is
controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in
question. As used herein, the term “control” means the
possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether
through ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
“ Aggregate Quantity of
Class B Units ” has the meaning assigned to such
term in Section 5.11.
“ Aggregate Remaining Net
Positive Adjustments ” means, as of the end of any
taxable period, the sum of the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments
of all the Partners.
“ Agreed Allocation
” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of
an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the
provisions of Section 6.1, including a Curative Allocation (if
appropriate to the context in which the term “ Agreed
Allocation ” is used).
“ Agreed Value ”
of any Contributed Property means the fair market value of such
property or other consideration at the time of contribution as
determined by the General Partner. The General Partner shall use
such method as it determines to be appropriate to allocate the
aggregate Agreed Value of Contributed Properties contributed to the
Partnership in a single or integrated transaction among each
separate property on a basis proportional to the fair market value
of each Contributed Property.
“ Agreement ”
means this First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership of El Paso Pipeline Partners, L.P., as it may be
amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“ Assignee ” means
a Person to whom one or more Limited Partner Interests have been
transferred in a manner permitted under this Agreement and who has
executed and delivered a Transfer Application, including a Taxation
Certification, as required by this Agreement, but who has not been
admitted as a Substituted Limited Partner.
“ Associate ”
means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person,
(a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a
director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the
owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting
interest; (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person
has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person
serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and
(c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of
such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such
Person.
A-3
“ Available Cash ”
means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation
Date:
(a) the sum of (i) all cash
and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the
Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash
equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned)
on hand at the end of such Quarter, (ii) all cash and cash
equivalents on hand on the date of determination of Available Cash
resulting from cash distributions received after the end of such
Quarter with respect to the Partnership Group’s ownership
interests in CIG, SNG and any other Person in which the Partnership
Group owns similarly structured ownership interests, which
distributions are paid in respect of operations conducted by CIG,
SNG or such Person, as the case may be, during such Quarter; and
(iii) if the General Partner so determines, all or any portion
of additional cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group
(or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash
equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned)
on hand on the date of determination of Available Cash with respect
to such Quarter resulting from Working Capital Borrowings made
subsequent to the end of such Quarter, less
(b) the amount of any cash
reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash
reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned)
established by the General Partner to (i) provide for the proper
conduct of the business of the Partnership Group (including
reserves for future capital expenditures, for anticipated future
credit needs of the Partnership Group and for refunds of collected
rates reasonably likely to be refunded as a result of a settlement
or hearing relating to FERC rate proceedings) subsequent to such
Quarter, (ii) comply with applicable law or any loan
agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other
agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a party or by
which it is bound or its assets are subject or (iii) provide funds
for distributions under Section 6.4 or 6.5 in respect of any
one or more of the next four Quarters;
provided, however , that the General Partner may not
establish cash reserves pursuant to (iii) above if the effect
of establishing such reserves would be that the Partnership is
unable to distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all
Common Units, plus any Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage on all
Common Units, with respect to such Quarter; and, provided
further , that disbursements made by a Group Member or cash
reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such
Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available
Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be deemed to have been
made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of
determining Available Cash, within such Quarter if the General
Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
“Available Cash” with respect to the Quarter in which
the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal
zero.
“ Board of Directors
” means the board of directors or managers of a corporation
or limited liability company or the board of directors or board of
managers of the general partner of a limited partnership, as
applicable.
“ Book Basis Derivative
Items ” means any item of income, deduction, gain or loss
included in the determination of Net Income or Net Loss that is
computed with reference to the
A-4
Carrying
Value of an Adjusted Property (e.g., depreciation, depletion, or
gain or loss with respect to an Adjusted Property).
“ Book-Down Event
” means an event that triggers a negative adjustment to the
Capital Accounts of the Partners pursuant to
Section 5.5(d).
“ Book-Tax Disparity
” means with respect to any item of Contributed Property or
Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the
difference between the Carrying Value of such Contributed Property
or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for federal
income tax purposes as of such date. A Partner’s share of the
Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of its Contributed
Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference
between such Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained
pursuant to Section 5.5 and the hypothetical balance of such
Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been
maintained strictly in accordance with federal income tax
accounting principles.
“ Book-Up Event ”
means an event that triggers a positive adjustment to the Capital
Accounts of the Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
“ Business Day ”
means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal
holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States
of America or the State of Texas shall not be regarded as a
Business Day.
“ Capital Account
” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant
to Section 5.5. The “ Capital Account ” of
a Partner in respect of a General Partner Unit, a Common Unit, a
Subordinated Unit, a Class B Unit, an Incentive Distribution
Right or any other Partnership Interest shall be the amount that
such Capital Account would be if such General Partner Unit, Common
Unit, Subordinated Unit, Class B Unit, Incentive Distribution
Right or other Partnership Interest were the only interest in the
Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which
such General Partner Unit, Common Unit, Class B Unit,
Subordinated Unit, Incentive Distribution Right or other
Partnership Interest was first issued.
“ Capital Contribution
” means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of
Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the
Partnership.
“ Capital Improvement
” means any (a) addition or improvement to the capital
assets owned by any Group Member, (b) the acquisition of
existing, or the construction of new or replacement of existing,
capital assets or (c) capital contribution by a Group Member
to a Person that is not a Subsidiary in which a Group Member has,
or after such capital contribution will have, an equity interest to
fund such Group Member’s pro rata share of the cost of the
acquisition of existing, or the construction of new or replacement
of existing, capital assets by such Person, in each case if and to
the extent such addition, improvement, acquisition, construction or
replacement is made to increase the long-term operating capacity or
asset base of the Partnership Group, in the case of clauses
(a) and (b), or such Person, in the case of clause (c), from
the operating capacity or asset base of the Partnership Group or
such Person, as the case may be, existing immediately prior to such
addition, improvement, acquisition or construction; provided,
however , that any such addition, improvement, replacement,
acquisition or construction that is made solely for investment
purposes shall not constitute a Capital Improvement under
this
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Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, capital contributions by a
Group Member to CIG, SNG or WYCO to fund such Group Member’s
share of the cost of a capital improvement that is made to increase
the long-term operating capacity or asset base shall constitute
amounts contributed to fund a Capital Improvement for purposes of
this Agreement.
“ Capital Surplus
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.3(a).
“ Carrying Value ”
means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property, the Agreed
Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all
depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions charged to
the Partners’ and Assignees’ Capital Accounts in
respect of such Contributed Property, and (b) with respect to
any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such property
for federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of
determination. The Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted
from time to time in accordance with Sections 5.5(d)(i) and
5.5(d)(ii) and to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments
to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions of
Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General
Partner.
“ Cause ” means a
court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable
judgment finding the General Partner liable for actual fraud or
willful misconduct in its capacity as a general partner of the
Partnership.
“ Certificate ”
means (a) a certificate (i) substantially in the form of
Exhibit A to this Agreement, (ii) issued in global form
in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Depositary or
(iii) in such other form as may be adopted by the General
Partner, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or
more Common Units or (b) a certificate, in such form as may be
adopted by the General Partner, issued by the Partnership
evidencing ownership of one or more other Partnership
Securities.
“ Certificate of Limited
Partnership ” means the Certificate of Limited
Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware as referenced in Section 7.2, as such
Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or
restated from time to time.
“ CIG ” means
Colorado Interstate Gas Company, a Delaware general
partnership.
“ Citizenship
Certification ” means a properly completed certificate in
such form as may be specified by the General Partner by which an
Assignee or a Limited Partner certifies that he (and if he is a
nominee holding for the account of another Person, that to the best
of his knowledge such other Person) is an Eligible Citizen.
“ claim ” (as used
in Section 7.12(d)) has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 7.12(d).
“ Class B Unit
” means a Partnership Security representing a fractional part
of the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners and Assignees,
and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to
Class B Units in this Agreement. A Class B Unit that is
convertible into a Common Unit shall not constitute a Common Unit
until such conversion occurs pursuant to the terms hereof.
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“ Closing Date ”
means the first date on which Common Units are issued and sold by
the Partnership to the Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of
the Underwriting Agreement.
“ Closing Price ”
means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of
the date of determination, the last sale price on such day, regular
way, or in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices on such day, regular way, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal National
Securities Exchange (other than the Nasdaq Stock Market) on which
the respective Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to
trading or, if such Limited Partner Interests are not listed or
admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange (other than
the Nasdaq Stock Market), the last quoted price on such day or, if
not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on
such day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the Nasdaq
Stock Market or such other system then in use, or, if on any such
day such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by
any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices on such day as furnished by a professional market maker
making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class
selected by the General Partner, or if on any such day no market
maker is making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such
class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day
as determined by the General Partner.
“ Code ” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time
to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of
the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any
corresponding provision of any successor law.
“ Combined Interest
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 11.3(a).
“ Commences Commercial
Service ” and “ Commencement of Commercial
Service ” shall mean the date a Capital Improvement is
first put into or commences commercial service following completion
of construction and testing.
“ Commission ”
means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“ Commodity Hedge
Contract ” means any commodity exchange, swap, forward,
cap, floor, collar or other similar agreement or arrangement
entered into for the purpose of hedging the Partnership
Group’s exposure to fluctuations in the price of hydrocarbons
or other commodities in their operations and not for speculative
purposes.
“ Common Unit ”
means a Partnership Security representing a fractional part of the
Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners and Assignees, and
having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common
Units in this Agreement. The term “Common Unit” does
not include a Subordinated Unit or Class B Unit prior to its
conversion into a Common Unit pursuant to the terms hereof.
“ Common Unit Arrearage
” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, as
to any Quarter within the Subordination Period, the excess, if any,
of (a) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution with respect to a
Common Unit in respect of such Quarter over (b) the sum of all
Available Cash distributed with respect to a Common Unit in respect
of such Quarter pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i).
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“ Conflicts Committee
” means a committee of the Board of Directors of the General
Partner composed of two or more directors, each of whom (a) is
not a security holder, officer or employee of the General Partner,
(b) is not an officer, director or employee of any Affiliate
of the General Partner, (c) is not a holder of any ownership
interest in the Partnership Group other than Common Units and
awards that may be granted to such director under the Long Term
Incentive Plan and (d) meets the independence standards required of
directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors
established by the Securities Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the National
Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or
admitted to trading.
“ Contributed Property
” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be
permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to
the Partnership. Once the Carrying Value of a Contributed Property
is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d), such property shall no
longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an
Adjusted Property.
“ Contribution Agreement
” means that certain Contribution and Conveyance Agreement,
dated as of the Closing Date, among the General Partner, the
Partnership, the Operating Company and certain other parties,
together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments
contemplated or referenced thereunder, as such may be amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“ Converted Common Units
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.1(d)(x)(B).
“ Credit Agreement
” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of November 21,
2007 among the Operating Company, WIC, the Partnership, Bank of
America, N.A. and the other lenders party thereto.
“ Cumulative Common Unit
Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit,
whenever issued, and as of the end of any Quarter, the excess, if
any, of (a) the sum resulting from adding together the Common
Unit Arrearage as to an Initial Common Unit for each of the
Quarters within the Subordination Period ending on or before the
last day of such Quarter over (b) the sum of any distributions
theretofore made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(ii) and the second
sentence of Section 6.5 with respect to an Initial Common Unit
(including any distributions to be made in respect of the last of
such Quarters).
“ Curative Allocation
” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction,
loss or credit pursuant to the provisions of
Section 6.1(d)(xi).
“ Current Market Price
” means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner
Interests, as of the date of determination, the average of the
daily Closing Prices per Limited Partner Interest of such class for
the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such
date.
“ Delaware Act ”
means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del
C. Section 17-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated
from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
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“ Departing General
Partner ” means a former general partner from and after
the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former
general partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section
11.2.
“ Depositary ”
means, with respect to any Units issued in global form, The
Depository Trust Company and its successors and permitted
assigns.
“ Economic Risk of Loss
” has the meaning set forth in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).
“ Eligible Citizen
” means a Person qualified to own interests in real property
in jurisdictions in which any Group Member does business or
proposes to do business from time to time, and whose status as a
Limited Partner or Assignee the General Partner determines does not
or would not subject such Group Member to a significant risk of
cancellation or forfeiture of any of its properties or any interest
therein.
“ Eligible Holder
” means a Person either (a) subject to United States
federal income taxation on the public utility income generated by
the Partnership or (b) not subject to United States federal
taxation on the public utility income generated by the Partnership,
but all of whose direct or indirect beneficial owners are subject
to United States federal taxation on the public utility income
generated by the Partnership. Schedule I to the Transfer
Application provides examples of Persons that are and Persons that
are not Eligible Holders.
“ El Paso ” means
El Paso Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
“ Estimated Incremental
Quarterly Tax Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such
term in Section 6.9.
“ Event of Withdrawal
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 11.1(a).
“ Expansion Capital
Expenditures ” means cash expenditures for Acquisitions
or Capital Improvements, and shall not include Maintenance Capital
Expenditures or Investment Capital Expenditures. Expansion Capital
Expenditures shall include interest (and related fees) on debt
incurred and distributions on equity issued, in each case, to
finance the construction of a Capital Improvement and paid in
respect of the period beginning on the date that the Group Member
enters into a binding obligation to commence construction of a
Capital Improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date
that such Capital Improvement Commences Commercial Service and the
date that such Capital Improvement is abandoned or disposed of.
Debt incurred or equity issued to fund such construction period
interest payments or such construction period distributions on
equity paid during such period, shall also be deemed to be debt
incurred or equity issued, as the case may be, to finance the
construction of a Capital Improvement. Expansion Capital
Expenditures will include cash contributed by a Group Member to an
entity of which such Group Member is, or after such contribution
will be, directly or indirectly, an equity owner to be used by such
entity for expansion capital expenditures. For example, cash
contributed by a Group Member to CIG, SNG or WYCO to fund expansion
capital expenditures of CIG, SNG or WYCO shall constitute Expansion
Capital Expenditures. Where capital expenditures are made in part
for Expansion Capital Expenditures and in part for other purposes,
the General Partner, with the concurrence of the Conflicts
Committee, shall determine the
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allocation of such expenditures between Expansion Capital
Expenditures and expenditures made for other purposes.
“ FERC ” means the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or successor to powers
thereof.
“ Final Subordinated
Units ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.1(d)(x)(A).
“ First Liquidation Target
Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.1(c)(i)(E).
“ First Target
Distribution ” means $0.33063 per Unit per Quarter (or,
with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and
ending on December 31, 2007, it means the product of $0.33063
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of
days in such period, and of which the denominator is 92), subject
to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.11, 6.6 and
6.9.
“ Fully Diluted Basis
” means, when calculating the number of Outstanding Units for
any period, a basis that includes, in addition to the Outstanding
Units, all Partnership Securities and options, rights, warrants and
appreciation rights relating to an equity interest in the
Partnership (a) that are convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Units that are senior to or pari passu with
the Subordinated Units, (b) whose conversion, exercise or
exchange price is less than the Current Market Price on the date of
such calculation, (c) that may be converted into or exercised
or exchanged for such Units prior to or during the Quarter
immediately following the end of the period for which the
calculation is being made without the satisfaction of any
contingency beyond the control of the holder other than the payment
of consideration and the compliance with administrative mechanics
applicable to such conversion, exercise or exchange and
(d) that were not converted into or exercised or exchanged for
such Units during the period for which the calculation is being
made; provided, however , that for purposes of determining
the number of Outstanding Units on a Fully Diluted Basis when
calculating whether the Subordination Period has ended or
Subordinated Units are entitled to convert into Common Units
pursuant to Section 5.7, such Partnership Securities, options,
rights, warrants and appreciation rights shall be deemed to have
been Outstanding Units only for the four Quarters that comprise the
last four Quarters of the measurement period; provided ,
further , that if consideration will be paid to any Group
Member in connection with such conversion, exercise or exchange,
the number of Units to be included in such calculation shall be
that number equal to the difference between (i) the number of
Units issuable upon such conversion, exercise or exchange and
(ii) the number of Units that such consideration would
purchase at the Current Market Price.
“ General Partner
” means El Paso Pipeline GP Company, L.L.C., a Delaware
limited liability company, and its successors and permitted assigns
that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the
Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership
(except as the context otherwise requires).
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“ General Partner
Interest ” means the ownership interest of the General
Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner
without reference to any Limited Partner Interest held by it),
which is evidenced by General Partner Units, and includes any and
all benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided
in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General
Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this
Agreement.
“ General Partner Unit
” means a fractional part of the General Partner Interest
having the rights and obligations specified with respect to the
General Partner Interest. A General Partner Unit is not a
Unit.
“ Group ” means a
Person that with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates has
any contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a
revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a
proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons),
exercising investment power or disposing of any Partnership
Interests with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose
Affiliates or Associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly,
Partnership Interests.
“ Group Member ”
means a member of the Partnership Group.
“ Group Member Agreement
” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other
than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the
limited liability company agreement of any Group Member that is a
limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and
bylaws or similar organizational documents of any Group Member that
is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing
document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the
governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group
Member that is a Person other than a limited or general
partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint
venture, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time
to time.
“ Holder ” as used
in Section 7.12, has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 7.12(a).
“ Holdings ” means
El Paso Pipeline LP Holdings, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability
company.
“ IDR Reset Election
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 5.11(a).
“ Incentive Distribution
Right ” means a non-voting Limited Partner Interest
issued to the General Partner, which Limited Partner Interest will
confer upon the holder thereof only the rights and obligations
specifically provided in this Agreement with respect to Incentive
Distribution Rights (and no other rights otherwise available to or
other obligations of a holder of a Partnership Interest).
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the
holder of an Incentive Distribution Right shall not be entitled to
vote such Incentive Distribution Right on any Partnership matter
except as may otherwise be required by law.
“ Incentive
Distributions ” means any amount of cash distributed to
the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to
Sections 6.4(a)(v), (vi) and (vii) and 6.4(b)(iii),
(iv) and (v).
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“ Incremental Income
Taxes ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.9.
“ Indemnified Persons
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 7.12(d).
“ Indemnitee ”
means (a) the General Partner, (b) any Departing General
Partner, (c) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the
General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d) any
Person who is or was a member, manager, partner, director, officer,
fiduciary or trustee of any Group Member (other than any Person who
is or was a Limited Partner of the Partnership in such
Person’s capacity as such), the General Partner or any
Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of any Group Member, the
General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (e) any
Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner
or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of the General
Partner or any Departing General Partner as an officer, director,
member, manager, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another Person;
provided that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason
of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or
custodial services, and (f) any Person the General Partner
designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this
Agreement.
“ Ineligible Holder
” means a Person whom the General Partner has determined is
not an Eligible Holder.
“ Initial Common Units
” means the Common Units sold in the Initial Offering.
“ Initial Limited
Partners ” means the Organizational Limited Partner,
Holdings and the General Partner (with respect to the Common Units,
Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights received by
them pursuant to Section 5.2) and the Underwriters, in each
case upon being admitted to the Partnership in accordance with
Section 10.1.
“ Initial Offering
” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the
public, as described in the Registration Statement.
“ Initial Unit Price
” means (a) with respect to the Common Units and the
Subordinated Units, the initial public offering price per Common
Unit at which the Underwriters offered the Common Units to the
public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the prospectus
included as part of the Registration Statement and first issued at
or after the time the Registration Statement first became effective
or (b) with respect to any other class or series of Units, the
price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is initially
sold by the Partnership, as determined by the General Partner, in
each case adjusted as the General Partner determines to be
appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or
combination of Units.
“ Interest Rate Hedge
Contract ” means any interest rate exchange, swap,
forward, cap, floor collar or other similar agreement or
arrangement entered into for the purpose of reducing the exposure
of the Partnership Group to fluctuations in interest rates in their
financing activities and not for speculative purposes.
“ Interim Capital
Transactions ” means the following transactions if they
occur prior to the Liquidation Date: (a) borrowings,
refinancings or refundings of indebtedness (other than Working
Capital Borrowings and other than for items purchased on open
account in the ordinary course of business) by any Group Member and
sales of debt securities of any Group Member;
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(b) sales of equity interests of any Group Member (including
the Common Units sold to the Underwriters pursuant to the exercise
of the Over-Allotment Option); (c) sales or other voluntary or
involuntary dispositions of any assets of any Group Member other
than (i) sales or other dispositions of inventory, accounts
receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business, and
(ii) sales or other dispositions of assets as part of normal
asset retirements or replacements; (d) the termination of
Commodity Hedge Contracts or Interest Rate Hedge Contracts prior to
the respective specified termination dates; (e) capital
contributions received by a Group Member or, in the case of capital
contributions received by a Person that is not a Subsidiary of the
Partnership (such as CIG, SNG or WYCO), capital contributions
received from the owner(s) or members of such Person that is not a
Group Member; or (f) corporate reorganizations or
restructurings.
“ Investment Capital
Expenditures ” means capital expenditures other than
Maintenance Capital Expenditures and Expansion Capital
Expenditures. Investment Capital Expenditures will include cash
contributed by a Group Member to an entity of which such Group
Member is, or after such contribution will be directly or
indirectly, an equity owner to be used by such entity for
Investment Capital Expenditures, for example, cash contributed by a
Group Member to CIG, SNG or WYCO to fund Investment Capital
Expenditures of CIG, SNG or WYCO shall constitute Investment
Capital Expenditures.
“ Issue Price ”
means the price at which a Unit is purchased from the Partnership,
net of any sales commission or underwriting discount charged to the
Partnership.
“ Limited Partner
” means, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) the
Organizational Limited Partner prior to its withdrawal from the
Partnership, each Initial Limited Partner, each Substituted Limited
Partner, each Additional Limited Partner and any Departing General
Partner upon the change of its status from General Partner to
Limited Partner pursuant to Section 11.3, in each case, in
such Person’s capacity as (a) limited partner of the
Partnership or (b) solely for purposes of Articles V, VI, VII,
IX and XII, each Assignee; provided, however , that when the
term “Limited Partner” is used herein in the context of
any vote or other approval, including Articles XIII and XIV, such
term shall not, solely for such purpose, include any holder of an
Incentive Distribution Right (solely with respect to its Incentive
Distribution Rights and not with respect to any other Limited
Partner Interest held by such Person) except as may be required by
law.
“ Limited Partner
Interest ” means the ownership interest of a Limited
Partner or Assignee in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by
Common Units, Class B Units, Subordinated Units, Incentive
Distribution Rights or other Partnership Securities or a
combination thereof or interest therein, and includes any and all
benefits to which such Limited Partner or Assignee is entitled as
provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such
Limited Partner or Assignee to comply with the terms and provisions
of this Agreement; provided, however , that when the term
“Limited Partner Interest” is used herein in the
context of any vote or other approval, including Articles XIII and
XIV, such term shall not, solely for such purpose, include any
Incentive Distribution Right except as may be required by
law.
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“ Limited Partner Unit
” means each of the Common Units, Class B Units,
Subordinated Units and other Units representing fractional parts of
the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners and
Assignees.
“ Liquidation Date
” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the
dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses
(a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 12.2,
the date on which the applicable time period during which the
holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect to continue
the business of the Partnership has expired without such an
election being made, and (b) in the case of any other event
giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on
which such event occurs.
“ Liquidator ”
means one or more Persons selected by the General Partner to
perform the functions described in Section 12.4 as liquidating
trustee of the Partnership within the meaning of the Delaware
Act.
“ Long Term Incentive
Plan ” means the El Paso Pipeline GP Company, L.L.C.
Long-Term Incentive Plan, as may be amended, or any equity
compensation plan successor thereto.
“ Maintenance Capital
Expenditures ” means cash expenditures (including
expenditures for the addition or improvement to or the replacement
of the capital assets owned by any Group Member or for the
acquisition of existing, or the construction or development of new,
capital assets) if such expenditures are made to maintain,
including over the long term, the operating capacity or asset base
of the Partnership Group. Maintenance Capital Expenditures shall
not include (a) Expansion Capital Expenditures or
(b) Investment Capital Expenditures. Maintenance Capital
Expenditures will include cash contributed by any Group Member to
an entity of which such Group Member is, or after such contribution
will be, directly or indirectly, an equity owner to be used by such
entity for maintenance capital expenditures. For example, cash
contributed by a Group Member to CIG, SNG or WYCO to fund
maintenance capital expenditures of CIG, SNG or WYCO shall
constitute Maintenance Capital Expenditures.
“ Merger Agreement
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 14.1.
“ Minimum Quarterly
Distribution ” means $0.2875 per Unit per Quarter (or
with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and
ending on December 31, 2007, it means the product of $0.2875
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of
days in such period and of which the denominator is 92), subject to
adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.11, 6.6 and
6.9.
“ National Securities
Exchange ” means an exchange registered with the
Commission under Section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act and
any successor to such statute.
“ Net Agreed Value
” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property,
the Agreed Value of such property reduced by any liabilities either
assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such
property is subject when contributed, and (b) in the case of
any property distributed to a Partner or Assignee by the
Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such
property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(ii)) at the
time such property is distributed, reduced by any indebtedness
either assumed by such Partner or Assignee upon such distribution
or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution,
in either case, as
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determined under Section 752 of the Code, and (c) in the
case of a contribution of Common Units by the General Partner to
the Partnership as a Capital Contribution pursuant to
Section 5.2(b), an amount per Common Unit contributed equal to
the Current Market Price per Common Unit as of the date of the
contribution.
“ Net Income ”
means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any, of the
Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those
items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain
or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year over the
Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those
items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain
or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year. The items included
in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance
with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items specially
allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided , that the
determination of the items that have been specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(xii)
were not in this Agreement.
“ Net Loss ”
means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any, of the
Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those
items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain
or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year over the
Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those
items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain
or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year. The items included
in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance
with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items specially
allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided , that the
determination of the items that have been specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(xii)
were not in this Agreement.
“ Net Positive
Adjustments ” means, with respect to any Partner, the
excess, if any, of the total positive adjustments over the total
negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of such Partner
pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.
“ Net Termination Gain
” means, for any taxable year, the sum, if positive, of all
items of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the
Partnership after the Liquidation Date. The items included in the
determination of Net Termination Gain shall be determined in
accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items
of income, gain or loss specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d).
“ Net Termination Loss
” means, for any taxable year, the sum, if negative, of all
items of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the
Partnership after the Liquidation Date. The items included in the
determination of Net Termination Loss shall be determined in
accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items
of income, gain or loss specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d).
“ Non-citizen Assignee
” means a Person whom the General Partner has determined does
not constitute an Eligible Citizen and as to whose Partnership
Interest the General Partner has become the Substituted Limited
Partner, pursuant to Section 4.9.
“ Nonrecourse Built-in
Gain ” means with respect to any Contributed Properties
or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge
securing a Nonrecourse Liability,
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the
amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners
pursuant to Sections 6.2(b)(i)(A), 6.2(b)(ii)(A) and
6.2(b)(iii) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable
transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no
other consideration.
“ Nonrecourse Deductions
” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure
(including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B)
of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a
Nonrecourse Liability.
“ Nonrecourse Liability
” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.752-1(a)(2).
“ Notice of Election to
Purchase ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 15.1(b).
“ Omnibus Agreement
” means that certain Omnibus Agreement, dated as of the
Closing Date, among El Paso, Southern Natural Gas Company, Colorado
Interstate Gas Company, the General Partner and the Partnership, as
such agreement may be amended, supplemented or restated from time
to time.
“ Operating Company
” means El Paso Pipeline Partners Operating Company, L.L.C.,
a Delaware limited liability company, and any successors
thereto.
“ Operating Expenditures
” means all Partnership Group cash expenditures (or the
Partnership’s proportionate share of expenditures in the case
of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned), including, but not
limited to, taxes, reimbursements of the General Partner, interest
payments, payments made in the ordinary course of business under
Interest Rate Hedge Contracts and Commodity Hedge Contracts (
provided that payments made in connection with the
termination of any Interest Rate Hedge Contract or Commodity Hedge
Contract prior to the expiration of its stipulated settlement or
termination date shall be included in Operating Expenditures in
equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of
such Interest Rate Hedge Contract or Commodity Hedge Contract),
Maintenance Capital Expenditures, director and officer
compensation, repayment of Working Capital Borrowings and non-Pro
Rata repurchases of Units (other than those made with the proceeds
of an Interim Capital Transaction), subject to the following:
(a) deemed repayments of Working
Capital Borrowings deducted from Operating Surplus pursuant to
clause (b)(iii) of the definition of “Operating
Surplus” shall not constitute Operating Expenditures when
actually repaid;
(b) payments (including
prepayments and prepayment penalties) of principal of and premium
on indebtedness other than Working Capital Borrowings shall not
constitute Operating Expenditures when actually repaid;
(c) Operating Expenditures shall
not include (i) Expansion Capital Expenditures,
(ii) Investment Capital Expenditures, (iii) payment of
transaction expenses (including taxes) relating to Interim Capital
Transactions, (iii) distributions to Partners or
(iv) non-Pro Rata
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purchases of the Units of any class made with the proceeds of an
Interim Capital Transaction; and
(d) Where capital expenditures
are made in part for Maintenance Capital Expenditures and in part
for other purposes, the General Partner, with the concurrence of
the Conflicts Committee, shall determine the allocation of such
capital expenditures between Maintenance Capital Expenditures and
capital expenditures made for other purposes and, with respect to
the part of such capital expenditures consisting of Maintenance
Capital Expenditures, the period over which Maintenance Capital
Expenditures will be deducted as an Operating Expenditure in
calculating Operating Surplus.
“ Operating Surplus
” means, with respect to any period ending prior to the
Liquidation Date, on a cumulative basis and without
duplication,
(a) the sum of (i)
$50 million; (ii) all cash receipts of the Partnership
Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash
receipts in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for
the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day
of such period, but excluding cash receipts from Interim Capital
Transactions (except to the extent specified in Section 6.5
and provided that cash receipts from the termination of a
Commodity Hedge Contract or an Interest Rate Hedge Contract prior
to its specified termination date shall be included in Operating
Surplus in equal quarterly installments over the remaining
scheduled life of such Commodity Hedge Contract or Interest Rate
Hedge Contract) and excluding cash receipts to the extent specified
in the parenthetical of clause (a)(iii) below; (iii) all cash
receipts of the Partnership Group after the end of such period but
on or before the date of determination constituting cash
distributions received on the Partnership Group’s ownership
interests in CIG, SNG and any other Person in which the Partnership
Group owns similarly structured ownership interests (excluding any
such receipts to the extent constituting either (A) cash
proceeds from the retirement of the notes receivable outstanding as
of the Closing Date under the cash management agreement between El
Paso and CIG, SNG or such other Person or (B) the proceeds of
a transaction that would constitute an Interim Capital Transaction
if the Partnership had engaged in such transaction instead of CIG,
SNG or such other Person); provided , however , that
at such time as CIG, SNG or such other Person constitutes a
Subsidiary and a member of the Partnership Group, this clause
(a)(iii) shall cease to apply to cash distributions from CIG, SNG
or such Other Person, as the case may be; (iv) all cash
receipts of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s
proportionate share of cash receipts in the case of Subsidiaries
that are not wholly owned) after the end of such period but on or
before the date of determination of Operating Surplus with respect
to such period resulting from Working Capital Borrowings; and
(v) cash distributions paid on equity issued to finance all or
a portion of the construction, acquisition, development or
improvement of a Capital Improvement or replacement of a capital
asset (such as equipment or facilities) in respect of the period
beginning on the date that the Group Member enters into a binding
obligation to commence the construction, acquisition, development
or improvement of a Capital Improvement or replacement of a capital
asset and ending on the earlier to occur of the date the Capital
Improvement or capital asset Commences Commercial Service or the
date that it is abandoned or disposed of (equity issued to fund
construction, acquisition, development or improvement period
interest payments on debt incurred, or construction, acquisition,
development or improvement period distributions on equity issued,
to finance the construction, acquisition or development of a
Capital Improvement or replacement of a capital asset shall
also
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be
deemed to be equity issued to finance the construction, acquisition
or development of a Capital Improvement or replacement of a capital
asset for purposes of this clause (v)); less
(b) the sum of
(i) Operating Expenditures for the period beginning on the
Closing Date and ending on the last day of such period;
(ii) the amount of cash reserves (or the Partnership’s
proportionate share of cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries
that are not wholly owned) established by the General Partner to
provide funds for future Operating Expenditures; and (iii) all
Working Capital Borrowings not repaid within twelve months after
having been incurred;
provided, however , that disbursements made (including
contributions to a Group Member or disbursements on behalf of a
Group Member) or cash reserves established, increased or reduced
after the end of such period but on or before the date of
determination of Available Cash with respect to such period shall
be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for
purposes of determining Operating Surplus, within such period if
the General Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
“Operating Surplus” with respect to the Quarter in
which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall
equal zero.
“ Opinion of Counsel
” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular
counsel to the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates) acceptable to the General Partner.
“ Option Closing Date
” means the date or dates on which any Common Units are sold
by the Partnership to the Underwriters upon exercise of the
Over-Allotment Option.
“ Organizational Limited
Partner ” means Holdings in its capacity as the
organizational limited partner of the Partnership pursuant to this
Agreement.
“ Outstanding ”
means, with respect to Partnership Securities, all Partnership
Securities that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as
outstanding on the Partnership’s books and records as of the
date of determination; provided, however , that if at any
time any Person or Group (other than the General Partner or its
Affiliates) beneficially owns 20% or more of the Outstanding
Partnership Securities of any class then Outstanding, all
Partnership Securities owned by such Person or Group shall not be
voted on any matter and shall not be considered to be Outstanding
when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on
any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required
votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar
purposes under this Agreement, except that Units so owned shall be
considered to be Outstanding for purposes of
Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such Units shall not, however, be treated
as a separate class of Partnership Securities for purposes of this
Agreement or the Delaware Act); provided , further ,
that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) any
Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding
Partnership Securities of any class then Outstanding directly from
the General Partner or its Affiliates, (ii) any Person or
Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership
Securities of any class then Outstanding directly or indirectly
from a Person or Group described in clause (i) provided that
the General Partner shall have notified such Person or Group in
writing that such limitation shall not apply,
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or
(iii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of any
Partnership Securities issued by the Partnership with the prior
approval of the Board of Directors of the General Partner.
“ Over-Allotment Option
” means the option granted to the Underwriters by the
Partnership pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
“ Partner Nonrecourse
Debt ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-2(b)(4).
“ Partner Nonrecourse Debt
Minimum Gain ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
“ Partner Nonrecourse
Deductions ” means any and all items of loss, deduction
or expenditure (including any expenditure described in
Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the
principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are
attributable to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt.
“ Partners ” means
the General Partner and the Limited Partners.
“ Partnership ”
means El Paso Pipeline Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership.
“ Partnership Group
” means the Partnership and its Subsidiaries treated as a
single consolidated entity.
“ Partnership Interest
” means an interest in the Partnership, which shall include
the General Partner Interest and Limited Partner Interests.
“ Partnership Minimum
Gain ” means that amount determined in accordance with
the principles of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(d).
“ Partnership Security
” means any class or series of equity interest in the
Partnership (but excluding any options, rights, warrants and
appreciation rights relating to an equity interest in the
Partnership), including Common Units, Class B Units,
Subordinated Units, General Partner Units and Incentive
Distribution Rights.
“ Per Unit Capital
Amount ” means, as of any date of determination, the
Capital Account, stated on a per Unit basis, underlying any Unit
held by a Person other than the General Partner or any Affiliate of
the General Partner who holds Units.
“ Percentage Interest
” means as of any date of determination (a) as to the
General Partner with respect to General Partner Units and as to any
Unitholder or Assignee with respect to Units, the product obtained
by multiplying (i) 100% less the percentage applicable to
clause (b) below by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing
(A) the number of General Partner Units held by the General
Partner or the number of Units held by such Unitholder or Assignee,
as the case may be, by (B) the total number of all Outstanding
Units and General Partner Units, and (b) as to the holders of
other Partnership Securities issued by the Partnership in
accordance with Section 5.6, the percentage established as a
part of such issuance. The Percentage Interest with respect to an
Incentive Distribution Right shall at all times be zero.
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“ Person ” means
an individual, a corporation, firm, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization,
association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or
other entity.
“ Plan of Conversion
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 14.1.
“ Pro Rata ” means
(a) when used with respect to Units or any class thereof,
apportioned among all designated Units in accordance with their
relative Percentage Interests, (b) when used with respect to
Partners, Assignees and/or Record Holders, apportioned among all
Partners, Assignees and/or Record Holders in accordance with their
relative Percentage Interests and (c) when used with respect
to holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, apportioned among all
holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in accordance with the
relative number or percentage of Incentive Distribution Rights held
by each such holder.
“ Purchase Date ”
means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for
purchase of all Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of a certain
class (other than Limited Partner Interests owned by the General
Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV.
“ Quarter ” means,
unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the
Partnership, or, with respect to the fiscal quarter of the
Partnership which includes the Closing Date, the portion of such
fiscal quarter after the Closing Date.
“ Recapture Income
” means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed
without regard to any adjustment required by Section 734 or
Section 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any property
or asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as
ordinary income because it represents the recapture of deductions
previously taken with respect to such property or asset.
“ Record Date ”
means the date established by the General Partner or otherwise in
accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the
identity of the Record Holders entitled to notice of, or to vote
at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote by ballot
or give approval of Partnership action in writing without a meeting
or entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of
Limited Partners or (b) the identity of Record Holders
entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in
any offer.
“ Record Holder ”
means the Person in whose name a Common Unit is registered on the
books of the Transfer Agent as of the opening of business on a
particular Business Day, or with respect to other Partnership
Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership
Interest is registered on the books that the General Partner has
caused to be kept as of the opening of business on such Business
Day.
“ Redeemable Interests
” means any Partnership Interests for which a redemption
notice has been given, and has not been withdrawn, pursuant to
Section 4.10.
“ Registration Statement
” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File
No. 333-145835) as it has been or as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the
Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and
sale of the Common Units in the Initial Offering.
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“ Remaining Net Positive
Adjustments ” means as of the end of any taxable period,
(i) with respect to the Unitholders holding Common Units,
Class B Units or Subordinated Units, the excess of
(a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders holding
Common Units, Class B Units or Subordinated Units as of the
end of such period over (b) the sum of those Partners’
Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for each prior
taxable period, (ii) with respect to the General Partner (as
holder of the General Partner Units), the excess of (a) the
Net Positive Adjustments of the General Partner as of the end of
such period over (b) the sum of the General Partner’s
Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to the
General Partner Units for each prior taxable period, and
(iii) with respect to the holders of Incentive Distribution
Rights, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the
holders of Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such
period over (b) the sum of the Share of Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items of the holders of the Incentive Distribution
Rights for each prior taxable period.
“ Required Allocations
” means (a) any limitation imposed on any allocation of
Net Losses or Net Termination Losses under Section 6.1(b) or
Section 6.1(c)(ii) and (b) any allocation of an item of
income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i),
Section 6.1(d)(ii), Section 6.1(d)(iv),
Section 6.1(d)(vii) or Section 6.1(d)(ix).
“ Reset MQD ” has
the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.11(e).
“ Reset Notice ”
has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 5.11(b).
“ Residual Gain ”
or “ Residual Loss ” means any item of gain or
loss, as the case may be, of the Partnership recognized for federal
income tax purposes resulting from a sale, exchange or other
disposition of a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, to the
extent such item of gain or loss is not allocated pursuant to
Section 6.2(b)(i)(A) or Section 6.2(b)(ii)(A),
respectively, to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities.
“ Retained Converted
Subordinated Unit ” has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 5.5(c)(ii).
“ Second Liquidation Target
Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.1(c)(i)(F).
“ Second Target
Distribution ” means $0.35938 per Unit per Quarter (or,
with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and
ending on December 31, 2007, it means the product of $0.35938
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the
number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 92),
subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.11, 6.6
and 6.9.
“ Securities Act ”
means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or
restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.
“ Securities Exchange
Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any
successor to such statute.
“ Share of Additional Book
Basis Derivative Items ” means in connection with any
allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for any
taxable period, (i) with respect to
A-21
the
Unitholders holding Common Units, Class B Units or
Subordinated Units, the amount that bears the same ratio to such
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders’
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such period
bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of
that time, (ii) with respect to the General Partner (as holder
of the General Partner Units), the amount that bears the same ratio
to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the General
Partner’s Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of
such period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive
Adjustment as of that time, and (iii) with respect to the
Partners holding Incentive Distribution Rights, the amount that
bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items
as the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of the Partners holding
the Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period
bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of
that time.
“ SNG ” means
Southern Natural Gas Company, a Delaware general partnership.
“ Special Approval
” means approval by a majority of the members of the
Conflicts Committee acting in good faith.
“ Subordinated Unit
” means a Partnership Security representing a fractional part
of the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners and Assignees
and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to
Subordinated Units in this Agreement. The term “Subordinated
Unit” does not include a Common Unit or a Class B Unit.
A Subordinated Unit that is convertible into a Common Unit shall
not constitute a Common Unit until such conversion occurs.
“ Subordination Period
” means the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending
on the first to occur of the following dates:
(a) the first Business Day of
any Quarter beginning after December 31, 2010 in respect of
which (i)(A) distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus
on all of the Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units, or any
Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution
to the Subordinated Units, and the General Partner Units with
respect to each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping
four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such date equaled or
exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all
Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other
Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution
to the Subordinated Units and the General Partner Units during such
periods and (B) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for each of the
three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately
preceding such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum
Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units, Subordinated
Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of
distribution to the Subordinated Units and General Partner Units
that were Outstanding during such periods on a Fully Diluted Basis,
and (ii) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages;
(b) the first Business Day of
any Quarter beginning after December 31, 2008 in respect of
which (i)(A) distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus
on all of the Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units, any
other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of
distribution to the Subordinated Units, and the General Partner
Units with respect to each of the four consecutive non-overlapping
Quarters immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded 150%
of the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of
the
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Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other
Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution
to the Subordinated Units and the General Partner Units during such
periods, and (B) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for each of
the four consecutive non-overlapping Quarters immediately preceding
such date equaled or exceeded 150% of the sum of the Minimum
Quarterly Distribution on the Common Units, Subordinated Units,
other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to
the Subordinated Units and General Partner Units that were
Outstanding during such periods on a Fully Diluted Basis and
(ii) there are no Cumulative Common Units Arrearages;
(c) the first date on which
there are no longer outstanding any Subordinated Units due to the
conversion of Subordinated Units into Common Units pursuant to
Section 5.7 or otherwise; and
(d) the date on which the
General Partner is removed as general partner of the Partnership
upon the requisite vote by holders of Outstanding Units under
circumstances where Cause does not exist and Units held by the
General Partner and its Affiliates are not voted in favor of such
removal.
“ Subsidiary ”
means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which
more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without
regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the
election of directors or other governing body of such corporation
is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by
such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a
combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or
limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at
the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such
partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests
of such partnership (considering all of the partnership interests
of the partnership as a single class) is owned, directly or
indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or
more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, or
(c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a
partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the
date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership
interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of
a majority of the directors or other governing body of such
Person.
“ Substituted Limited
Partner ” means a Person who is admitted as a Limited
Partner to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.2 in place
of and with all the rights of a Limited Partner and who is shown as
a Limited Partner on the books and records of the
Partnership.
“ Surviving Business
Entity ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 14.2(b).
“ Target Distributions
” means, collectively, the First Target Distribution, Second
Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution.
“ Taxation Certification
” means a properly completed certificate in such form or
forms as may be specified by the General Partner by which a Limited
Partner or Assignee certifies that he (and if he is a nominee
holding for the account of another Person, that to the best of his
knowledge such other Person) is an Eligible Holder and includes a
Transfer Application containing such a certification.
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“ Third Liquidation Target
Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.1(c)(i)(G).
“ Third Target
Distribution ” means $0.43125 per Unit per Quarter (or,
with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and
ending on December 31, 2007, it means the product of $0.43125
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the
number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 92),
subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.11, 6.6
and 6.9.
“ Trading Day ”
means, for the purpose of determining the Current Market Price of
any class of Limited Partner Interests, a day on which the
principal National Securities Exchange on which such Limited
Partner Interests are listed is open for the transaction of
business or, if Limited Partner Interests of a class are not listed
on any National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking
institutions in New York City generally are open.
“ transfer ” has
the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(a).
“ Transfer Agent ”
means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the
General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed
from time to time by the General Partner to act as registrar and
transfer agent for the Common Units; provided , that if no
Transfer Agent is specifically designated for any other Partnership
Securities, the General Partner shall act in such capacity.
“ Transfer Application
” means an application and agreement for transfer of Units in
the form set forth on the back of a Certificate or in a form
substantially to the same effect in a separate instrument.
“ Underwriter ”
means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the
Underwriting Agreement who purchases Common Units pursuant
thereto.
“ Underwriting Agreement
” means that certain Underwriting Agreement dated as of
November 15, 2007 among the Underwriters, the Partnership, the
General Partner and the other parties thereto, providing for the
purchase of Common Units by the Underwriters.
“ Unit ” means a
Partnership Security that is designated as a “Unit” and
shall include Common Units, Class B Units and Subordinated
Units but shall not include (i) General Partner Units (or the
General Partner Interest represented thereby) or
(ii) Incentive Distribution Rights.
“ Unit Majority ”
means (i) during the Subordination Period, at least a majority
of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by
the General Partner and its Affiliates), voting as a class, and at
least a majority of the Outstanding Subordinated Units, voting as a
class, and (ii) after the end of the Subordination Period, at
least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Class B
Units, if any, voting as a single class.
“ Unitholders ”
means the holders of Units.
“ Unpaid MQD ” has
the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.1(c)(i)(B).
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“ Unrealized Gain
” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as
of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the
fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined
under Section 5.5(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such
property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made
pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such date).
“ Unrealized Loss
” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as
of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the
Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any
adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such
date) over (b) the fair market value of such property as of
such date (as determined under Section 5.5(d)).
“ Unrecovered Initial Unit
Price ” means at any time, with respect to a Unit, the
Initial Unit Price less the sum of all distributions constituting
Capital Surplus theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common
Unit and any distributions of cash (or the Net Agreed Value of any
distributions in kind) in connection with the dissolution and
liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in respect of an
Initial Common Unit, adjusted as the General Partner determines to
be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or
combination of such Units.
“ U.S. GAAP ”
means United States generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied.
“ WIC ” means
Wyoming Interstate Company, Ltd., a Colorado limited
partnership.
“ Withdrawal Opinion of
Counsel ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 11.1(b).
“ Working Capital
Borrowings ” means borrowings used solely for working
capital purposes or to pay distributions to Partners made pursuant
to a credit facility, commercial paper facility or other similar
financing arrangements, provided that when such borrowings
are incurred it is the intent of the borrower to repay such
borrowings within 12 months from other than Working Capital
Borrowings.
“ WYCO ” means
WYCO Development LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
Section 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 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.
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ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
Section 2.1
Formation .
The General Partner and the
Organizational Limited Partner have previously formed the
Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of
the Delaware Act and hereby amend and restate the original
Agreement of Limited Partnership of El Paso Pipeline Partners, L.P.
in its entirety. 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.
Section 2.2
Name .
The name of the Partnership shall be
“El Paso Pipeline 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,” “LP,” “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.
Section 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,
Wilmington, New Castle County, 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 1001 Louisiana Street, 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 shall determine necessary or appropriate. The
address of the General Partner shall be 1001 Louisiana Street,
Houston, Texas 77002, or such other place as the General Partner
may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited
Partners.
Section 2.4
Purpose and Business .
The purpose and nature of the
business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to
(a) engage directly in, or enter into 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) do anything necessary or appropriate to the
foregoing,
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including the making of capital contributions or loans to a 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 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, any Limited Partner or any Assignee 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 Group Member Agreement, any other agreement
contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law,
rule or regulation or at equity.
Section 2.5
Powers .
The Partnership shall be empowered to
do any and all acts and things necessary or appropriate for the
furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business
described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of
the Partnership.
Section 2.6 Power
of Attorney .
(a) Each Limited Partner and
each Assignee hereby constitutes and appoints the General Partner
and, if a Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to
Section 12.3, the Liquidator (and any successor to the
Liquidator 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:
(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, Article X, Article XI or
Article 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 or conversion) relating to a merger,
consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to
Article XIV; and
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(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 or Assignee and the transfer of
all or any portion of such Limited Partner’s or
Assignee’s Partnership Interest and shall extend to such
Limited Partner’s or Assignee’s heirs, successors,
assigns and personal representatives. Each such Limited Partner or
Assignee 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 or
Assignee, 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 or
Assignee 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.
Section 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.
Section 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 or Assignee, individually or 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, one or more of
its Affiliates or one or more
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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 of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by the
General Partner or such Affiliate or 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 of record title to the Partnership 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.
Section 2.9
Certain Undertakings Relating to the Separateness of the
Partnership .
(a) The Partnership shall
conduct its business and operations separate and apart from those
of any other Person (other than the General Partner) in accordance
with this Section 2.9.
(b) The Partnership shall
maintain (i) its books and records, (ii) its accounts,
and (iii) its financial statements, separate from those of any
other Person, except its consolidated Subsidiaries.
(c) The Partnership shall not
commingle or pool its funds or other assets with those of any other
Person, except its consolidated Subsidiaries, 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) The Partnership
(i) shall 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) may engage in transactions with the
General Partner and its Affiliates (other than another Group
Member) in conformity with the requirements of Section 7.9 or
otherwise in accordance with applicable law) and
(iii) promptly pay, form its own funds, and on a current
basis, its allocable share of general and administrative expenses,
capital expenditures and costs for shared services performed by
Affiliates of the General Partner (other than another Group
Member). Each material contract between the Partnership or another
Group Member, on the one hand, and the Affiliates of the General
Partner (other than a Group Member), on the other hand, shall be in
writing.
(e) Failure by the General
Partner or the Partnership to comply with any of the obligations
set forth in this Section 2.9 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 El Paso Corporation 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.
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ARTICLE III
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
Section 3.1
Limitation of Liability .
The Limited Partners and the
Assignees shall have no liability under this Agreement except as
expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.
Section 3.2
Management of Business .
No Limited Partner or Assignee, 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, manager,
member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or
any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager,
member, 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 or Assignees
under this Agreement.
Section 3.3
Outside Activities of the Limited Partners .
Subject to the provisions of
Section 7.5, any Limited Partner or Assignee 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 or Assignees shall have any rights by virtue of this
Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner or
Assignee.
Section 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;
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(iv) to
obtain a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited
Partnership and all amendments thereto, together with copies 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) The General Partner may keep
confidential from the Limited Partners and Assignees, 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 Partnership Group or
its business 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).
ARTICLE IV
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF
PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP
INTERESTS
Section 4.1
Certificates .
Upon the Partnership’s issuance
of Common Units, Subordinated Units or Class B Units to any
Person, the Partnership shall issue, upon the request of such
Person, one or more Certificates in the name of such Person (or, if
issued in global form, in the name of the Depositary or its
nominee) evidencing the number of such 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 General Partner Units and
(b) upon the request of any Person owning Incentive
Distribution Rights or any other Partnership Securities other than
Common Units, Subordinated Units or Class B Units, the
Partnership shall issue to such Person one or more certificates
evidencing such Incentive Distribution Rights or other Partnership
Securities other than Common Units, Subordinated Units or
Class B Units. Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Partnership by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer,
President, Chief Financial Officer or any Vice President and the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, or other authorized officer or
director of the General Partner. No Common Unit Certificate shall
be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the
Transfer Agent; provided, however , that, notwithstanding
any provision to the contrary in this Section 4.1 or elsewhere
in this Agreement, Units may be certificated or uncertificated as
provided in the Delaware Act; provided , further ,
that if the General Partner elects to issue Common Units in global
form, the Common Unit Certificates shall be valid upon receipt of a
certificate from the
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Transfer
Agent certifying that the Common Units have been duly registered in
accordance with the directions of the Partnership. Subject to the
requirements of Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c), the
Partners holding Certificates evidencing Subordinated Units may
exchange such Certificates for Certificates evidencing Common Units
on or after the date on which such Subordinated Units are converted
into Common Units pursuant to the terms of Section 5.7.
Subject to the requirements of Section 6.7(e), the Partners
holding Certificates evidencing Class B Units may exchange
such Certificates for Certificates evidencing Common Units on or
after the period set forth in Section 5.11(f) pursuant to the
terms of Section 5.11.
Section 4.2
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates
.
(a) If any mutilated Certificate
is surrendered to the Transfer Agent (for Common Units) or the
General Partner (for Partnership Securities other than Common
Units), the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf
of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent (for
Common Units) or the General Partner (for Partnership Securities
other than Common Units) 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 (for Common Units) shall
countersign, a new Certificate in place of any Certificate
previously issued, or issue uncertificated Common Units, 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 or the issuance of uncertificated
Units 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 or Assignee
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 or Assignee 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 or uncertificated Units.
(c) As a condition to the
issuance of any new Certificate or uncertificated Units under this
Section 4.2, the General Partner may require the payment of a
sum sufficient to cover any
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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.
Section 4.3 Record
Holders .
The Partnership shall be entitled to
recognize the Record Holder as the Partner or Assignee with respect
to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to
recognize any equitable or other claim to, or 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
to 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 (a) shall be the Partner or Assignee (as
the case may be) of record and beneficially, and (b) shall be
bound by this Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations
of a Partner or Assignee (as the case may be) hereunder and as, and
to the extent, provided for herein.
Section 4.4
Transfer Generally .
(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
Units to another Person or by which a holder of Incentive
Distribution Rights assigns its Incentive Distribution Rights 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 (other than an Incentive Distribution
Right) assigns such Limited Partner Interest to another Person who
is or becomes a Limited Partner or an Assignee, and includes a
sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or
otherwise, excluding a pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or
mortgage but 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, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, 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 shares of stock, membership or limited
liability company interests, partnership interests or other
ownership interests in the General Partner.
Section 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
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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, or evidence of the
issuance of uncertificated Common Units, 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, or other evidence of
uncertificated Limited Partner Interests, are surrendered for
registration of transfer and such Certificates are accompanied by a
Transfer Application, properly completed and including a Taxation
Certification, duly executed by the transferee (or the
transferee’s attorney-in-fact duly authorized in writing). No
charge shall be imposed by the General Partner for such transfer;
provided , that as a condition to the issuance of any new
Certificate, or uncertificated issuance of Units, 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. No distributions or
allocations will be made in respect of the Limited Partner
Interests until a properly completed Transfer Application has been
delivered with respect to such Limited Partner Interests.
(c) Upon the receipt of proper
transfer instructions from the registered owner of uncertificated
Common Units, such uncertificated Common Units shall be cancelled,
issuance of new equivalent uncertificated Common Units or
Certificates shall be made to the holder of Common Units entitled
thereto and the transaction shall be recorded upon the books of the
Partnership.
(d) Limited Partner Interests
may be transferred only in the manner described in this Section
4.5. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the
admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an
amendment to this Agreement.
(e) Until admitted as a
Substituted Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.2, the
Record Holder of a Limited Partner Interest shall be an Assignee in
respect of such Limited Partner Interest. Limited Partners may
include custodians, nominees or any other individual or entity in
its own or any representative capacity.
(f) A transferee of a Limited
Partner Interest who has completed and delivered a Transfer
Application shall be deemed to have (i) requested admission as
a Substituted Limited Partner, (ii) agreed to comply with and be
bound by and to have executed this Agreement,
(iii) represented and warranted that such transferee has the
right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity to
enter into this Agreement, (iv) granted the powers of attorney
set forth
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in this
Agreement, and (v) given the consents and approvals and made
the waivers contained in this Agreement.
(g) The General Partner and its
Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer their
Subordinated Units, Class B Units and Common Units (whether
issued upon conversion of the Subordinated Units or otherwise) to
one or more Persons.
Section 4.6
Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner
Interest .
(a) Subject to
Section 4.6(c) below, prior to December 31, 2017, the
General Partner shall not transfer all or any part of its General
Partner Interest (represented by General Partner Units) 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 Common Units (excluding 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 of the General Partner (other than an individual) or
(B) another Person (other than an individual) in connection
with the merger or consolidation of the General Partner with or
into such other Person or the transfer by the General Partner of
all or substantially all of its assets to such other Person.
(b) Subject to
Section 4.6(c) below, on or after December 31, 2017, the
General Partner may transfer all or any of its General Partner
Interest without Unitholder approval.
(c) Notwithstanding anything
herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all
or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall
be permitted unless (i) the transferee 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 would
not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner
under the Delaware Act 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 also agrees to
purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of
the partnership or membership interest of the General Partner as
the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group
Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance
with this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the
case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of
Section 10.3, be admitted to the Partnership as the General
Partner immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner
Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue
without dissolution.
Section 4.7
Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights .
Prior to December 31, 2017, a
holder of Incentive Distribution Rights may transfer any or all of
the Incentive Distribution Rights held by such holder without any
consent of the Unitholders to (a) an Affiliate of such holder
(other than an individual) or (b) another Person (other than
an individual) in connection with (i) the merger or
consolidation of such holder of Incentive Distribution Rights with
or into such other Person, (ii) the transfer by such holder of
all or substantially all of its assets to such other Person or
(iii) the sale of all the ownership interests in such holder.
Any other transfer of the Incentive Distribution Rights prior to
December 31,
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2017
shall require the prior approval of holders of at least a majority
of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units held by the
General Partner and its Affiliates). On or after December 31,
2017, the General Partner or any other holder of Incentive
Distribution Rights may transfer any or all of its Incentive
Distribution Rights without Unitholder approval. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, (i) the transfer of
Class B Units issued pursuant to Section 5.11, or the
transfer of Common Units issued upon conversion of the Class B
Units, shall not be treated as a transfer of all or any part of the
Incentive Distribution Rights and (ii) no transfer of
Incentive Distribution Rights to another Person shall be permitted
unless the transferee agrees to be bound by the provisions of this
Agreement.
Section 4.8
Restrictions on Transfers .
(a) Except as provided in
Section 4.8(e) below, and 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
receives an Opinion of Counsel 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 to trading
must be approved, prior to such amendment being effected, by the
holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner
Interests of such class.
(c) The transfer of a
Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be
subject to the restrictions imposed by Section 6.7(c).
(d) The transfer of a
Class B Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be
subject to the restrictions imposed by Section 6.7(e).
(e) 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 or admitted
to trading.
(f) 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 EL PASO PIPELINE
PARTNERS, L.P. THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED,
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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 EL PASO PIPELINE PARTNERS, L.P. UNDER THE LAWS
OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE EL PASO PIPELINE
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). EL PASO PIPELINE PARTNERS GP COMPANY, L.L.C., THE GENERAL
PARTNER OF EL PASO PIPELINE 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 EL PASO PIPELINE 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.
Section 4.9 Tax
Certifications; Ineligible Holders; Citizenship Certificates;
Non-citizen Assignees .
(a) If a transferee of a Limited
Partner Interest fails to furnish a properly completed Taxation
Certification in a Transfer Application or if, upon receipt of such
Taxation Certification or otherwise, the General Partner determines
that such transferee is not an Eligible Holder, the Limited Partner
Interests owned by such transferee shall be subject to redemption
in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.10.
(b) The General Partner may
request any Limited Partner or Assignee to furnish to the General
Partner, within 30 days after receipt of such request, an
executed Taxation Certification or such other information
concerning his federal income tax status with respect to the income
and loss generated by the Partnership (or, if the Limited Partner
or Assignee is a nominee holding for the account of another Person,
the federal income tax status of such Person) as the General
Partner may request. If a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to
furnish to the General Partner within the aforementioned 30-day
period such Taxation Certification or other
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requested information or if upon receipt of such Taxation
Certification or other requested information the General Partner
determines that a Limited Partner or Assignee is not an Eligible
Holder, the Limited Partner Interests owned by such Limited Partner
or Assignee shall be subject to redemption in accordance with the
provisions of Section 4.10. In addition, the General Partner
may require that the status of any such Limited Partner or Assignee
be changed to that of an Ineligible Holder and, thereupon, such
Non-citizen Assignee shall cease to be a Partner and shall have no
voting rights in respect of his Limited Partner Interests. The
General Partner shall be substituted for such Ineligible Holder as
the Limited Partner or Assignee in respect of the Ineligible
Holder’s Limited Partner Interests and shall vote such
Limited Partner Interests in accordance with
Section 4.9(d).
(c) 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 or Assignee, the General
Partner may request any Limited Partner or Assignee 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 or Assignee 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 or Assignee 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 or Assignee is not an Eligible Citizen, the Limited
Partner Interests owned by such Limited Partner or Assignee shall
be subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of
Section 4.10. In addition, the General Partner may require
that the status of any such Limited Partner or Assignee 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 the Non-citizen Assignee’s
Limited Partner Interests.
(d) The General Partner shall,
in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited Partner Interests
held by it on behalf of Non-citizen Assignees or Ineligible
Holders, 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 or
Ineligible Holders are cast, either for, against or abstaining as
to the matter.
(e) Upon dissolution of the
Partnership, a Non-citizen Assignee or Ineligible Holder 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 or Ineligible
Holder’s share of any distribution in kind. Such payment and
assignment shall be treated for Partnership purposes as a purchase
by the Partnership from the Non-citizen Assignee or Ineligible
Holder of his Limited Partner Interest (representing his right to
receive his share of such distribution in kind).
(f) At any time after an
Ineligible Holder can and does certify that it has become an
Eligible Holder, such Ineligible Holder may, upon application to
the General Partner, request admission as a Substituted Limited
Partner with respect to any Limited Partner Interests of such
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Ineligible Holder not redeemed pursuant to Section 4.10, and
upon admission of such Ineligible Holder pursuant to
Section 10.2, the General Partner shall cease to be deemed to
be the Limited Partner in respect of such Ineligible Holder’s
Limited Partner Interests.
(g) 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
admission as a Substituted Limited Partner with respect to any
Limited Partner Interests of such Non-citizen Assignee not redeemed
pursuant to Section 4.10, and upon admission of such
Non-citizen Assignee pursuant to Section 10.2, the General
Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the Limited Partner in
respect of the Non-citizen Assignee’s Limited Partner
Interests.
Section 4.10
Redemption of Partnership Interests of Non-citizen and
Ineligible Holders .
(a) If at any time a Limited
Partner, Assignee or transferee fails to furnish a Citizenship
Certification, Taxation Certification or other information
requested within the 30-day period specified in Section 4.9(b)
or 4.9(c) or in a Transfer Application, or if upon receipt of such
Citizenship Certification, Taxation Certification, Transfer
Application or other information the General Partner determines,
with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner, Assignee or
transferee is not an Eligible Citizen or Eligible Holder, as the
case may be, the Partnership may, unless the Limited Partner,
Assignee or transferee establishes to the satisfaction of the
General Partner that such Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee
is an Eligible Citizen or Eligible Holder, as the case may be, or
has transferred his Partnership Interests to a Person who is an
Eligible Citizen or Eligible Holder, as the case may be, and who
furnishes a Citizenship Certification or Taxation Certificate, as
the case may be, to the General Partner prior to the date fixed for
redemption as provided below, redeem the Limited Partner Interest
of such Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee 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, Assignee or transferee, 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 or, if uncertificated, upon receipt of
evidence satisfactory to the General Partner of the ownership of
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 such person 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 lesser of (i) the Current Market Price
(the date of determination of which shall be the date fixed for
redemption) of Limited Partner Interests of the class to be so
redeemed and (ii) the price paid for such Limited Partner
Interests by the Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee. 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 5% annually and payable in three
equal annual installments of principal together with accrued
interest, commencing one year after the redemption date.
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(iii) Upon
surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner, Assignee or
transferee, at the place specified in the notice of redemption, of
(x) if certificated, the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable
Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by an assignment
duly executed in blank, or (y) if uncertificated, upon receipt
of evidence satisfactory to the General Partner of the ownership of
the Redeemable Interests, the Limited Partner, Assignee or
transferee 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 Limited Partner Interests.
(b) The provisions of this
Section 4.10 shall also be applicable to Limited Partner
Interests held by a Limited Partner or Assignee as nominee of a
Person determined to be other than an Eligible Citizen or Eligible
Holder, as the case may be.
(c) Nothing in this
Section 4.10 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of
redemption from transferring his Limited Partner 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
the transferee of such Limited Partner Interest certifies to the
satisfaction of the General Partner that he is an Eligible Citizen
or Eligible Holder, as the case may be. 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
Section 5.1
Organizational Contributions .
In connection with the formation of
the Partnership under the Delaware Act, the General Partner made an
initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of
$20.00, for a 2% General Partner Interest in the Partnership and
has been admitted as the General Partner of the Partnership, and
the Organizational Limited Partner made an initial Capital
Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $980.00 for a 98%
Limited Partner Interest in the Partnership and has been admitted
as a Limited Partner of the Partnership. As of the Closing Date and
effective with the admission of another Limited Partner to the
Partnership, the interest of the Organizational Limited Partner, or
its successor, shall be redeemed as provided in the Contribution
Agreement; and the initial Capital Contribution of the
Organizational Limited Partner, or its successor, shall thereupon
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 Contribution shall be allocated and distributed to
the Organizational Limited Partner, or its successor, and the
balance thereof shall be allocated and distributed to the General
Partner.
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Section 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, a portion of its ownership interests in WIC Holdings
Company, L.L.C. and El Paso Wyoming Gas Supply Company, L.L.C. in
exchange for 1,732,963 General Partner Units representing a
continuation of its 2% General Partner Interest, subject to all of
the rights, privileges and duties of the General Partner under this
Agreement, and the remaining portion of its ownership interests in
WIC Holdings Company, L.L.C. and El Paso Wyoming Gas Supply
Company, L.L.C. for (A) 121,698 Common Units and 27,727,411
Subordinated Units that the General Partner shall distribute to its
sole member and thereafter shall be contributed to Holdings as
provided in the Contribution Agreement, (B) the Incentive
Distribution Rights, and (C) the right to receive a cash
distribution of $665 million in part as reimbursement for
certain capital expenditures in accordance with the Contribution
Agreement; and
(ii) Holdings
shall contribute to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, all
of its interest in EPPP SNG GP Holdings, L.L.C. and EPPP CIG GP
Holdings, L.L.C., in exchange for 32,066,088 Common Units.
(b) Upon the issuance of any
additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership (other than
the Common Units issued in the Initial Offering, the Common Units
issued pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option, the Common Units and
Subordinated Units issued pursuant to Section 5.2(a), any
Class B Units issued pursuant to Section 5.11 and any
Common Units issued upon conversion of Class B Units), the
General Partner may, in exchange for a proportionate number of
General Partner Units, make additional Capital Contributions in an
amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the
quotient determined by dividing (A) the General
Partner’s Percentage Interest immediately prior to the
issuance of such additional Limited Partner Interests by the
Partnership by (B) 100 less the General Partner’s
Percentage Interest immediately prior to the issuance of such
additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership 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 Article XII, the General Partner shall
not be obligated to make any additional Capital Contributions to
the Partnership.
Section 5.3
Contributions by Initial Limited Partners .
(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 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) the cash contribution to the Partnership by or on
behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial
Common Unit.
(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,
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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 is 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. Upon receipt by the Partnership of the Capital
Contributions from the Underwriters as provided in this Section
5.3(b), the Partnership shall use such cash to purchase from
Holdings that number of Common Units issued to the Underwriters as
provided in this Section 5.3(b).
(c) No Limited Partner Interests
will be issued or issuable as of or at the Closing Date other than
(i) the Common Units issuable pursuant to subparagraph
(a) hereof in aggregate number equal to 25,000,000,
(ii) the “ Option Units ” as such term is
used in the Underwriting Agreement in an aggregate number up to
3,750,000 issuable upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option
pursuant to subparagraph (b) hereof, (iii) the 32,187,786
Common Units and 27,727,411 Subordinated Units issuable pursuant to
Section 5.2(a) hereof, (iv) the Incentive Distribution
Rights and (v) any Common Units issuable, or to satisfy the
obligations of the Partnership or any of its Affiliates, under the
Long-Term Incentive Plan.
Section 5.4
Interest and Withdrawal of Capital Contributions
.
No interest shall be paid by the
Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner or Assignee 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 dissolution 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 or Assignee shall have
priority over any other Partner or Assignee 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 or
Assignees agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the
Delaware Act.
Section 5.5
Capital Accounts .
(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 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 (x) 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 and (y) 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.
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(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 classified as a partnership
for federal income tax purposes of which a Group Member is,
directly or indirectly, a partner.
(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 as if the adjusted basis of such
property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property
immediately following such adjustment.
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(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) (i) 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.
(ii) Subject
to Section 6.7(c), immediately prior to the transfer of a
Subordinated Unit or of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into
a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.7 by a holder thereof
(other than a transfer to an Affiliate unless the General Partner
elects to have this subparagraph 5.5(c)(ii) apply), the Capital
Account maintained for such Person with respect to its Subordinated
Units or converted Subordinated Units will (A) first, be
allocated to the Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units
to be transferred in an amount equal to the product of (x) the
number of such Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units
to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a
Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such
Capital Account will be retained by the transferor, regardless of
whether it has retained any Subordinated Units or converted
Subordinated Units ( “Retained Converted Subordinated
Units” ). Following any such allocation, the
transferor’s Capital Account, if any, maintained with respect
to the retained Subordinated Units or Retained Converted
Subordinated Units, if any, will have a balance equal to the amount
allocated under clause (B) hereinabove, and the
transferee’s Capital Account established with respect to the
transferred Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units will
have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause
(A) hereinabove.
(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 Combined Interest to Common Units
pursuant to Section 11.3(b), the Capital Account of each
Partner 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(c) 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
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.
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(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(c) 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 distribution, 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.
Section 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
(including pursuant to Section 7.4(c)) 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) or security authorized to be issued pursuant to
Section 7.4(c) 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
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