General Terms and
Conditions
Base Contract for Sale and Purchase
of Natural Gas
SECTION
1. PURPOSE AND
PROCEDURES
1.1. These
General Terms and Conditions are intended to facilitate purchase
and sale transactions of Gas on a Firm or Interruptible
basis. "Buyer" refers to the party receiving Gas and
"Seller" refers to the party delivering Gas. The entire
agreement between the parties shall be the Contract as defined in
Section 2.9.
The parties
have selected either the “Oral Transaction Procedure”
or the “Written Transaction Procedure” as indicated on
the Base Contract.
Oral
Transaction Procedure:
1.2. The
parties will use the following Transaction Confirmation
procedure. Any Gas purchase and sale transaction may be
effectuated in an EDI transmission or telephone conversation with
the offer and acceptance constituting the agreement of the
parties. The parties shall be legally bound from the
time they so agree to transaction terms and may each rely
thereon. Any such transaction shall be considered a
“writing” and to have been
“signed”. Notwithstanding the foregoing
sentence, the parties agree that Confirming Party shall, and the
other party may, confirm a telephonic transaction by sending the
other party a Transaction Confirmation by facsimile, EDI or
mutually agreeable electronic means within three Business Days of a
transaction covered by this Section 1.2 (Oral Transaction
Procedure) provided that the failure to send a Transaction
Confirmation shall not invalidate the oral agreement of the
parties. Confirming Party adopts its confirming
letterhead, or the like, as its signature on any Transaction
Confirmation as the identification and authentication of Confirming
Party. If the Transaction Confirmation contains any
provisions other than those relating to the commercial terms of the
transaction (i.e., price, quantity, performance obligation,
delivery point, period of delivery and/or transportation
conditions), which modify or supplement the Base Contract or
General Terms and Conditions of this Contract (e.g., arbitration or
additional representations and warranties), such provisions shall
not be deemed to be accepted pursuant to Section 1.3 but must be
expressly agreed to by both parties; provided that the foregoing
shall not invalidate any transaction agreed to by the
parties.
Written
Transaction Procedure:
1.2.
The parties will use the following Transaction
Confirmation procedure. Should the parties come to an
agreement regarding a Gas purchase and sale transaction for a
particular Delivery Period, the Confirming Party shall, and the
other party may, record that agreement on a Transaction
Confirmation and communicate such Transaction Confirmation by
facsimile, EDI or mutually agreeable electronic means, to the other
party by the close of the Business Day following the date of
agreement. The parties acknowledge that their agreement
will not be binding until the exchange of nonconflicting
Transaction Confirmations or the passage of the Confirm Deadline
without objection from the receiving party, as provided in Section
1.3.
1.3. If
a sending party's Transaction Confirmation is materially different
from the receiving party's understanding of the agreement referred
to in Section 1.2, such receiving party shall notify the sending
party via facsimile, EDI or mutually agreeable electronic means by
the Confirm Deadline, unless such receiving party has previously
sent a Transaction Confirmation to the sending
party. The failure of the receiving party to so notify
the sending party in writing by the Confirm Deadline constitutes
the receiving party's agreement to the terms of the transaction
described in the sending party's Transaction
Confirmation. If there are any material differences
between timely sent Transaction Confirmations governing the same
transaction, then neither Transaction Confirmation shall be binding
until or unless such differences are resolved including the use of
any evidence that clearly resolves the differences in the
Transaction Confirmations. In the event of a conflict
among the terms of (i) a binding Transaction Confirmation
pursuant to Section 1.2, (ii) the oral agreement of the parties
which may be evidenced by a recorded conversation, where the
parties have selected the Oral Transaction Procedure of the Base
Contract, (iii) the Base Contract, and (iv) these General
Terms and Conditions, the terms of the documents shall govern in
the priority listed in this sentence.
1.4. The
parties agree that each party may electronically record all
telephone conversations with respect to this Contract between their
respective employees, without any special or further notice to the
other party. Each party shall obtain any necessary
consent of its agents and employees to such
recording. Where the parties have selected the Oral
Transaction Procedure in Section 1.2 of the Base Contract, the
parties agree not to contest the validity or enforceability of
telephonic recordings entered into in accordance with the
requirements of this Base Contract.
SECTION
2. DEFINITIONS
The terms set
forth below shall have the meaning ascribed to them
below. Other terms are also defined elsewhere in the
Contract and shall have the meanings ascribed to them
herein.
2.1. “Additional
Event of Default” shall mean Transactional Cross Default or
Indebtedness Cross Default, each as and if selected by the parties
pursuant to the Base Contract.
2.2. “Affiliate”
shall mean, in relation to any person, any entity controlled,
directly or indirectly, by the person, any entity that controls,
directly or indirectly, the person or any entity directly or
indirectly under common control with the person. For
this purpose, “control” of any entity or person means
ownership of at least 50 percent of the voting power of the entity
or person.
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Copyright
© 2006 North American Energy Standards Board, Inc.
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NAESB Standard 6.3.1
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All Rights
Reserved
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September 5, 2006
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2.3. “Alternative
Damages” shall mean such damages, expressed in dollars or
dollars per MMBtu, as the parties shall agree upon in the
Transaction Confirmation, in the event either Seller or Buyer fails
to perform a Firm obligation to deliver Gas in the case of Seller
or to receive Gas in the case of Buyer.
2.4. "Base
Contract" shall mean a contract executed by the parties that
incorporates these General Terms and Conditions by reference; that
specifies the agreed selections of provisions contained herein; and
that sets forth other information required herein and any Special
Provisions and addendum(s) as identified on page one.
2.5. "British
thermal unit" or "Btu" shall mean the International BTU, which is
also called the Btu (IT).
2.6. "Business
Day(s)" shall mean Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Banking
Holidays for transactions in the U.S.
2.7. "Confirm
Deadline" shall mean 5:00 p.m. in the receiving party's time zone
on the second Business Day following the Day a Transaction
Confirmation is received or, if applicable, on the Business Day
agreed to by the parties in the Base Contract; provided, if the
Transaction Confirmation is time stamped after 5:00 p.m. in the
receiving party's time zone, it shall be deemed received at the
opening of the next Business Day.
2.8. "Confirming
Party" shall mean the party designated in the Base Contract to
prepare and forward Transaction Confirmations to the other
party.
2.9. "Contract"
shall mean the legally-binding relationship established by
(i) the Base Contract, (ii) any and all binding Transaction
Confirmations and (iii) where the parties have selected the Oral
Transaction Procedure in Section 1.2 of the Base Contract, any and
all transactions that the parties have entered into through an EDI
transmission or by telephone, but that have not been confirmed in a
binding Transaction Confirmation, all of which shall form a single
integrated agreement between the parties.
2.10. "Contract
Price" shall mean the amount expressed in U.S. Dollars per MMBtu to
be paid by Buyer to Seller for the purchase of Gas as agreed to by
the parties in a transaction.
2.11. "Contract
Quantity" shall mean the quantity of Gas to be delivered and taken
as agreed to by the parties in a transaction.
2.12. "Cover
Standard", as referred to in Section 3.2, shall mean that if there
is an unexcused failure to take or deliver any quantity of Gas
pursuant to this Contract, then the performing party shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to (i) if Buyer is the performing
party, obtain Gas, (or an alternate fuel if elected by Buyer and
replacement Gas is not available), or (ii) if Seller is the
performing party, sell Gas, in either case, at a price reasonable
for the delivery or production area, as applicable, consistent
with: the amount of notice provided by the nonperforming
party; the immediacy of the Buyer's Gas consumption needs or
Seller's Gas sales requirements, as applicable; the quantities
involved; and the anticipated length of failure by the
nonperforming party.
2.13. "Credit
Support Obligation(s)” shall mean any obligation(s) to
provide or establish credit support for, or on behalf of, a party
to this Contract such as cash, an irrevocable standby letter of
credit, a margin agreement, a prepayment, a security interest in an
asset, guaranty, or other good and sufficient security of a
continuing nature.
2.14. "Day"
shall mean a period of 24 consecutive hours, coextensive with a
"day" as defined by the Receiving Transporter in a particular
transaction.
2.15. "Delivery
Period" shall be the period during which deliveries are to be made
as agreed to by the parties in a transaction.
2.16. "Delivery
Point(s)" shall mean such point(s) as are agreed to by the parties
in a transaction.
2.17. "EDI"
shall mean an electronic data interchange pursuant to an agreement
entered into by the parties, specifically relating to the
communication of Transaction Confirmations under this
Contract.
2.18. "EFP"
shall mean the purchase, sale or exchange of natural Gas as the
"physical" side of an exchange for physical transaction involving
gas futures contracts. EFP shall incorporate the meaning
and remedies of "Firm", provided that a party’s excuse for
nonperformance of its obligations to deliver or receive Gas will be
governed by the rules of the relevant futures exchange regulated
under the Commodity Exchange Act.
2.19. "Firm"
shall mean that either party may interrupt its performance without
liability only to the extent that such performance is prevented for
reasons of Force Majeure; provided, however, that during Force
Majeure interruptions, the party invoking Force Majeure may be
responsible for any Imbalance Charges as set forth in Section 4.3
related to its interruption after the nomination is made to the
Transporter and until the change in deliveries and/or receipts is
confirmed by the Transporter.
2.20. "Gas"
shall mean any mixture of hydrocarbons and noncombustible gases in
a gaseous state consisting primarily of methane.
2.21.
“Guarantor” shall mean any
entity that has provided a guaranty of the obligations of a party
hereunder.
2.22. "Imbalance
Charges" shall mean any fees, penalties, costs or charges (in cash
or in kind) assessed by a Transporter for failure to satisfy the
Transporter's balance and/or nomination requirements.
2.23. “Indebtedness
Cross Default” shall mean if selected on the Base Contract by
the parties with respect to a party, that it or its Guarantor, if
any, experiences a default, or similar condition or event however
therein defined, under one or more agreements or instruments,
individually or collectively, relating to indebtedness (such
indebtedness to include any obligation whether present or future,
contingent or otherwise, as principal or surety or otherwise) for
the payment or repayment of borrowed money in an aggregate amount
greater than the threshold specified in the Base Contract with
respect to such party or its Guarantor, if any, which results in
such indebtedness becoming immediately due and payable.
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Copyright
© 2006 North American Energy Standards Board, Inc.
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NAESB Standard 6.3.1
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All Rights
Reserved
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September 5, 2006
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2.24. "Interruptible"
shall mean that either party may interrupt its performance at any
time for any reason, whether or not caused by an event of Force
Majeure, with no liability, except such interrupting party may be
responsible for any Imbalance Charges as set forth in Section 4.3
related to its interruption after the nomination is made to the
Transporter and until the change in deliveries and/or receipts is
confirmed by Transporter.
2.25. "MMBtu"
shall mean one million British thermal units, which is equivalent
to one dekatherm.
2.26. "Month"
shall mean the period beginning on the first Day of the calendar
month and ending immediately prior to the commencement of the first
Day of the next calendar month.
2.27. "Payment
Date" shall mean a date, as indicated on the Base Contract, on or
before which payment is due Seller for Gas received by Buyer in the
previous Month.
2.28.
"Receiving Transporter"
shall mean the Transporter receiving Gas at a Delivery Point, or
absent such receiving Transporter, the Transporter delivering Gas
at a Delivery Point.
2.29.
"Scheduled Gas" shall mean the
quantity of Gas confirmed by Transporter(s) for movement,
transportation or management.
2.30. “Specified
Transaction(s)” shall mean any other transaction or agreement
between the parties for the purchase, sale or exchange of physical
Gas, and any other transaction or agreement identified as a
Specified Transaction under the Base Contract.
2.31. "Spot
Price " as referred to in Section 3.2 shall mean the price listed
in the publication indicated on the Base Contract, under the
listing applicable to the geographic location closest in proximity
to the Delivery Point(s) for the relevant Day; provided, if there
is no single price published for such location for such Day, but
there is published a range of prices, then the Spot Price shall be
the average of such high and low prices. If no price or
range of prices is published for such Day, then the Spot Price
shall be the average of the following: (i) the price
(determined as stated above) for the first Day for which a price or
range of prices is published that next precedes the relevant Day;
and (ii) the price (determined as stated above) for the first
Day for which a price or range of prices is published that next
follows the relevant Day.
2.32. "Transaction
Confirmation" shall mean a document, similar to the form of Exhibit
A, setting forth the terms of a transaction formed pursuant to
Section 1 for a particular Delivery Period.
2.33. “Transactional
Cross Default” shall mean if selected on the Base Contract by
the parties with respect to a party, that it shall be in default,
however therein defined, under any Specified
Transaction.
2.34. “Termination
Option” shall mean the option of either party to terminate a
transaction in the event that the other party fails to perform a
Firm obligation to deliver Gas in the case of Seller or to receive
Gas in the case of Buyer for a designated number of days during a
period as specified on the applicable Transaction
Confirmation.
2.35. "Transporter(s)"
shall mean all Gas gathering or pipeline companies, or local
distribution companies, acting in the capacity of a transporter,
transporting Gas for Seller or Buyer upstream or downstream,
respectively, of the Delivery Point pursuant to a particular
transaction.
SECTION
3. PERFORMANCE
OBLIGATION
3.1. Seller
agrees to sell and deliver, and Buyer agrees to receive and
purchase, the Contract Quantity for a particular transaction in
accordance with the terms of the Contract. Sales and
purchases will be on a Firm or Interruptible basis, as agreed to by
the parties in a transaction.
The parties
have selected either the “Cover Standard” or the
“Spot Price Standard” as indicated on the Base
Contract.
3.2. The
sole and exclusive remedy of the parties in the event of a breach
of a Firm obligation to deliver or receive Gas shall be recovery of
the following: (i) in the event of a breach by Seller on any
Day(s), payment by Seller to Buyer in an amount equal to the
positive difference, if any, between the purchase price paid by
Buyer utilizing the Cover Standard and the Contract Price, adjusted
for commercially reasonable differences in transportation costs to
or from the Delivery Point(s), multiplied by the difference between
the Contract Quantity and the quantity actually delivered by Seller
for such Day(s) excluding any quantity for which no replacement is
available; or (ii) in the event of a breach by Buyer on any Day(s),
payment by Buyer to Seller in the amount equal to the positive
difference, if any, between the Contract Price and the price
received by Seller utilizing the Cover Standard for the resale of
such Gas, adjusted for commercially reasonable differences in
transportation costs to or from the Delivery Point(s), multiplied
by the difference between the Contract Quantity and the quantity
actually taken by Buyer for such Day(s) excluding any quantity for
which no sale is available; and (iii) in the event that Buyer has
used commercially reasonable efforts to replace the Gas or Seller
has used commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Gas to a third
party, and no such replacement or sale is available for all or any
portion of the Contract Quantity of Gas, then in addition to (i) or
(ii) above, as applicable, the sole and exclusive remedy of the
performing party with respect to the Gas not replaced or sold shall
be an amount equal to any unfavorable difference between the
Contract Price and the Spot Price, adjusted for such transportation
to the applicable Delivery Point, multiplied by the quantity of
such Gas not replaced or sold. Imbalance Charges shall
not be recovered under this Section 3.2, but Seller and/or Buyer
shall be responsible for Imbalance Charges, if any, as provided in
Section 4.3. The amount of such unfavorable difference
shall be payable five Business Days after presentation of the
performing party’s invoice, which shall set forth the basis
upon which such amount was calculated.
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Copyright
© 2006 North American Energy Standards Board, Inc.
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NAESB Standard 6.3.1
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All Rights
Reserved
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September 5, 2006
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3.2. The
sole and exclusive remedy of the parties in the event of a breach
of a Firm obligation to deliver or receive Gas shall be recovery of
the following: (i) in the event of a breach by Seller on any
Day(s), payment by Seller to Buyer in an amount equal to the
difference between the Contract Quantity and the actual quantity
delivered by Seller and received by Buyer for such Day(s),
multiplied by the positive difference, if any, obtained by
subtracting the Contract Price from the Spot Price; or (ii) in the
event of a breach by Buyer on any Day(s), payment by Buyer to
Seller in an amount equal to the difference between the Contract
Quantity and the actual quantity delivered by Seller and received
by Buyer for such Day(s), multiplied by the positive difference, if
any, obtained by subtracting the applicable Spot Price from the
Contract Price. Imbalance Charges shall not be recovered
under this Section 3.2, but Seller and/or Buyer shall be
responsible for Imbalance Charges, if any, as provided in Section
4.3. The amount of such unfavorable difference shall be
payable five Business Days after presentation of the performing
party’s invoice, which shall set forth the basis upon which
such amount was calculated.
3.3. Notwithstanding
Section 3.2, the parties may agree to Alternative Damages in a
Transaction Confirmation executed in writing by both
parties.
3.4. In
addition to Sections 3.2 and 3.3, the parties may provide for a
Termination Option in a Transaction Confirmation executed in
writing by both parties. The Transaction Confirmation
containing the Termination Option will designate the length of
nonperformance triggering the Termination Option and the procedures
for exercise thereof, how damages for nonperformance will be
compensated, and how liquidation costs will be
calculated.
SECTION
4. TRANSPORTATION,
NOMINATIONS, AND IMBALANCES
4.1. Seller
shall have the sole responsibility for transporting the Gas to the
Delivery Point(s). Buyer shall have the sole
responsibility for transporting the Gas from the Delivery
Point(s).
4.2. The
parties shall coordinate their nomination activities, giving
sufficient time to meet the deadlines of the affected
Transporter(s). Each party shall give the other party
timely prior Notice, sufficient to meet the requirements of all
Transporter(s) involved in the transaction, of the quantities of
Gas to be delivered and purchased each Day. Should
either party become aware that actual deliveries at the Delivery
Point(s) are greater or lesser than the Scheduled Gas, such party
shall promptly notify the other party.
4.3. The
parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to avoid
imposition of any Imbalance Charges. If Buyer or Seller
receives an invoice from a Transporter that includes Imbalance
Charges, the parties shall determine the validity as well as the
cause of such Imbalance Charges. If the Imbalance
Charges were incurred as a result of Buyer’s receipt of
quantities of Gas greater than or less than the Scheduled Gas, then
Buyer shall pay for such Imbalance Charges or reimburse Seller for
such Imbalance Charges paid by Seller. If the Imbalance
Charges were incurred as a result of Seller’s delivery of
quantities of Gas greater than or less than the Scheduled Gas, then
Seller shall pay for such Imbalance Charges or reimburse Buyer for
such Imbalance Charges paid by Buyer.
SECTION
5. QUALITY AND
MEASUREMENT
All Gas
delivered by Seller shall meet the pressure, quality and heat
content requirements of the Receiving Transporter. The
unit of quantity measurement for purposes of this Contract shall be
one MMBtu dry. Measurement of Gas quantities hereunder
shall be in accordance with the established procedures of the
Receiving Transporter.
SECTION
6. TAXES
The parties
have selected either “Buyer Pays At and After Delivery
Point” or “Seller Pays Before and At Delivery
Point” as indicated on the Base Contract.
Buyer Pays
At and After Delivery Point:
Seller shall
pay or cause to be paid all taxes, fees, levies, penalties,
licenses or charges imposed by any government authority
(“Taxes”) on or with respect to the Gas prior to the
Delivery Point(s). Buyer shall pay or cause to be paid
all Taxes on or with respect to the Gas at the Delivery Point(s)
and all Taxes after the Delivery Point(s). If a party is
required to remit or pay Taxes that are the other party’s
responsibility hereunder, the party responsible for such Taxes
shall promptly reimburse the other party for such
Taxes. Any party entitled to an exemption from any such
Taxes or charges shall furnish the other party any necessary
documentation thereof.
Seller Pays
Before and At Delivery Point:
Seller shall
pay or cause to be paid all taxes, fees, levies, penalties,
licenses or charges imposed by any government authority
(“Taxes”) on or with respect to the Gas prior to the
Delivery Point(s) and all Taxes at the Delivery
Point(s). Buyer shall pay or cause to be paid all Taxes
on or with respect to the Gas after the Delivery
Point(s). If a party is required to remit or pay Taxes
that are the other party’s responsibility hereunder, the
party responsible for such Taxes shall promptly reimburse the other
party for such Taxes. Any party entitled to an exemption
from any such Taxes or charges shall furnish the other party any
necessary documentation thereof.
SECTION
7. BILLING, PAYMENT,
AND AUDIT
7.1. Seller
shall invoice Buyer for Gas delivered and received in the preceding
Month and for any other applicable charges, providing supporting
documentation acceptable in industry practice to support the amount
charged. If the actual quantity delivered is not known
by the billing date, billing will be prepared based on the quantity
of Scheduled Gas. The invoiced quantity will then be
adjusted to the actual quantity on the following Month's billing or
as soon thereafter as actual delivery information is
available.
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Copyright
© 2006 North American Energy Standards Board, Inc.
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NAESB Standard 6.3.1
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All Rights
Reserved
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September 5, 2006
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7.2. Buyer
shall remit the amount due under Section 7.1 in the manner
specified in the Base Contract, in immediately available funds, on
or before the later of the Payment Date or 10 Days after receipt of
the invoice by Buyer; provided that if the Payment Date is not a
Business Day, payment is due on the next Business Day following
that date. In the event any payments are due Buyer
hereunder, payment to Buyer shall be made in accordance with this
Section 7.2.
7.3. In
the event payments become due pursuant to Sections 3.2 or 3.3, the
performing party may submit an invoice to the nonperforming party
for an accelerated payment setting forth the basis upon which the
invoiced amount was calculated. Payment from the
nonperforming party will be due five Business Days after receipt of
invoice.
7.4. If
the invoiced party, in good faith, disputes the amount of any such
invoice or any part thereof, such invoiced party will pay such
amount as it concedes to be correct; provided, however, if the
invoiced party disputes the amount due, it must provide supporting
documentation acceptable in industry practice to support the amount
paid or disputed without undue delay. In the event the
parties are unable to resolve such dispute, either party may pursue
any remedy available at law or in equity to enforce its rights
pursuant to this Section.
7.5. If
the invoiced party fails to remit the full amount payable when due,
interest on the unpaid portion shall accrue from the date due until
the date of payment at a rate equal to the lower of (i) the
then-effective prime rate of interest published under "Money Rates"
by The Wall Street Journal, plus two percent per annum; or (ii) the
maximum applicable lawful interest rate.
7.6. A
party shall have the right, at its own expense, upon reasonable
Notice and at reasonable times, to examine and audit and to obtain
copies of the relevant portion of the books, records, and telephone
recordings of the other party only to the extent reasonably
necessary to verify the accuracy of any statement, charge, payment,
or computation made under the Contract. This right to
examine, audit, and to obtain copies shall not be available with
respect to proprietary information not directly relevant to
transactions under this Contract. All invoices and
billings shall be conclusively presumed final and accurate and all
associated claims for under- or overpayments shall be deemed waived
unless such invoices or billings are objected to in writing, with
adequate explanation and/or documentation, within two years after
the Month of Gas delivery. All retroactive adjustments
under Section 7 shall be paid in full by the party owing payment
within 30 Days of Notice and substantiation of such
inaccuracy.
7.7. Unless
the parties have elected on the Base Contract not to make this
Section 7.7 applicable to this Contract, the parties shall net all
undisputed amounts due and owing, and/or past due, arising under
the Contract such that the party owing the greater amount shall
make a single payment of the net amount to the other party in
accordance with Section 7; provided that no payment required to be
made pursuant to the terms of any Credit Support Obligation or
pursuant to Section 7.3 shall be subject to netting under this
Section. If the parties have executed a separate netting
agreement, the terms and conditions therein shall prevail to the
extent inconsistent herewith.
SECTION
8. TITLE,
WARRANTY, AND INDEMNITY
8.1. Unless
otherwise specifically agreed, title to the Gas shall pass from
Seller to Buyer at the Delivery Point(s). Seller shall
have responsibility for and assume any liability with respect to
the Gas prior to its delivery to Buyer at the specified Delivery
Point(s). Buyer shall have responsibility for and assume
any liability with respect to said Gas after its delivery to Buyer
at the Delivery Point(s).
8.2. Seller
warrants that it will have the right to convey and will transfer
good and merchantable title to all Gas sold hereunder and delivered
by it to Buyer, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, and
claims. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION 8.2 AND IN
SECTION 15.8, ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR OF FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, ARE DISCLAIMED.
8.3. Seller
agrees to indemnify Buyer and save it harmless from all losses,
liabilities or claims including reasonable attorneys' fees and
costs of court ("Claims"), from any and all persons, arising from
or out of claims of title, personal injury (including death) or
property damage from said Gas or other charges thereon which attach
before title passes to Buyer. Buyer agrees to indemnify
Seller and save it harmless from all Claims, from any and all
persons, arising from or out of claims regarding payment, personal
injury (including death) or property damage from said Gas or other
charges thereon which attach after title passes to
Buyer.
8.4. The
parties agree that the delivery of and the transfer of title to all
Gas under this Contract shall take place within the Customs
Territory of the United States (as defined in general note 2 of the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 19 U.S.C.
§1202, General Notes, page 3); provided, however,
that in the event Seller took title to the Gas outside the Customs
Territory of the United States, Seller represents and warrants that
it is the importer of record for all Gas entered and delivered into
the United States, and shall be responsible for entry and entry
summary filings as well as the payment of duties, taxes and fees,
if any, and all applicable record keeping requirements.
8.5. Notwithstanding
the other provisions of this Section 8, as between Seller and
Buyer, Seller will be liable for all Claims to the extent that such
arise from the failure of Gas delivered by Seller to meet the
quality requirements of Section 5.
SECTION
9. NOTICES
9.1. All
Transaction Confirmations, invoices, payment instructions, and
other communications made pursuant to the Base Contract ("Notices")
shall be made to the addresses specified in writing by the
respective parties from time to time.
9.2. All
Notices required hereunder shall be in writing and may be sent by
facsimile or mutually acceptable electronic means, a nationally
recognized overnight courier service, first class mail or hand
delivered.
9.3. Notice
shall be given when received on a Business Day by the
addressee. In the absence of proof of the actual receipt
date, the following presumptions will apply. Notices
sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been received upon the
sending party's receipt of its facsimile machine's confirmation of
successful transmission. If the day on which such
facsimile is received is not a Business Day or is after five p.m.
on a Business Day, then such facsimile shall be deemed to have been
received on the next following Business Day. Notice by
overnight mail or courier shall be deemed to have been received on
the next Business Day after it was sent or such earlier time as is
confirmed by the receiving party. Notice via first class
mail shall be considered delivered five Business Days after
mailing.
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Copyright
© 2006 North American Energy Standards Board, Inc.
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NAESB Standard 6.3.1
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All Rights
Reserved
|
September 5, 2006
|
9.4. The
party receiving a commercially acceptable Notice of change in
payment instructions or other payment information shall not be
obligated to implement such change until ten Business Days after
receipt of such Notice.
SECTION
10. FINANCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
10.1. If
either party (“X”) has reasonable grounds for
insecurity regarding the performance of any obligation under this
Contract (whether or not then due) by the other party
(“Y”) (including, without limitation, the occurrence of
a material change in the creditworthiness of Y or its Guarantor, if
applicable), X may demand Adequate Assurance of
Performance. “Adequate Assurance of
Performance” shall mean sufficient security in the form,
amount, for a term, and from an issuer, all as reasonably
acceptable to X, including, but not limited to cash, a standby
irrevocable letter of credit, a prepayment, a security interest in
an asset or guaranty. Y hereby grants to X a continuing
first priority security interest in, lien on, and right of setoff
against all Adequate Assurance of Performance in the form of cash
transferred by Y to X pursuant to this Section
10.1. Upon the return by X to Y of such Adequate
Assurance of Performance, the security interest and lien granted
hereunder on that Adequate Assurance of Performance shall be
released automatically and, to the extent possible, without any
further action by either party.
10.2. In
the event (each an "Event of Default") either party (the
"Defaulting Party") or its Guarantor shall: (i) make an assignment
or any general arrangement for the benefit of creditors; (ii) file
a petition or otherwise commence, authorize, or acquiesce in the
commencement of a proceeding or case under any bankruptcy or
similar law for the protection of creditors or have such petition
filed or proceeding commenced against it; (iii) otherwise become
bankrupt or insolvent (however evidenced); (iv) be unable to pay
its debts as they fall due; (v) have a receiver, provisional
liquidator, conservator, custodian, trustee or other similar
official appointed with respect to it or substantially all of its
assets; (vi) fail to perform any obligation to the other party with
respect to any Credit Support Obligations relating to the Contract;
(vii) fail to give Adequate Assurance of Performance under Section
10.1 within 48 hours but at least one Business Day of a
written request by the other party; (viii) not have paid any amount
due the other party hereunder on or before the second Business Day
following written Notice that such payment is due; or ix) be the
affected party with respect to any Additional Event of Default;
then the other party (the "Non-Defaulting Party") shall have the
right, at its sole election, to immediately withhold and/or suspend
deliveries or payments upon Notice and/or to terminate and
liquidate the transactions under the Contract, in the manner
provided in Section 10.3, in addition to any and all other remedies
available hereunder.
10.3. If
an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Non-Defaulting Party shall have the right, by Notice to the
Defaulting Party, to designate a Day, no earlier than the Day such
Notice is given and no later than 20 Days after such Notice is
given, as an early termination date (the “Early Termination
Date”) for the liquidation and termination pursuant to
Section 10.3.1 of all transactions under the Contract, each a
“Terminated Transaction”. On the Early
Termination Date, all transactions will terminate, other than those
transactions, if any, that may not be liquidated and terminated
under applicable law (“Excluded Transactions”), which
Excluded Transactions must be liquidated and terminated as soon
thereafter as is legally permissible, and upon termination shall be
a Terminated Transaction and be valued consistent with Section
10.3.1 below. With respect to each Excluded Transaction,
its actual termination date shall be the Early Termination Date for
purposes of Section 10.3.1.
The parties
have selected either “Early Termination Damages Apply”
or “Early Termination Damages Do Not Apply” as
indicated on the Base Contract.
Early
Termination Damages Apply:
10.3.1. As
of the Early Termination Date, the Non-Defaulting Party shall
determine, in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner,
(i) the amount owed (whether or not then due) by each party with
respect to all Gas delivered and received between the parties under
Terminated Transactions and Excluded Transactions on and before the
Early Termination Date and all other applicable charges relating to
such deliveries and receipts (including without limitation any
amounts owed under Section 3.2), for which payment has not yet been
made by the party that owes such payment under this Contract and
(ii) the Market Value, as defined below, of each Terminated
Transaction. The Non-Defaulting Party shall (x)
liquidate and accelerate each Terminated Transaction at its Market
Value, so that each amount equal to the difference between such
Market Value and the Contract Value, as defined below, of such
Terminated Transaction(s) shall be due to the Buyer under the
Terminated Transaction(s) if such Market Value exceeds the Contract
Value and to the Seller if the opposite is the case; and (y) where
appropriate, discount each amount then due under clause (x) above
to present value in a commercially reasonable manner as of the
Early Termination Date (to take account of the period between the
date of liquidation and the date on which such amount would have
otherwise been due pursuant to the relevant Terminated
Transactions).
For purposes of
this Section 10.3.1, “Contract Value” means the amount
of Gas remaining to be delivered or purchased under a transaction
mult