Exhibit 10.2
THIS AGREEMENT RELATES TO AN OFFERING OF
SECURITIES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION TO PERSONS WHO ARE NOT U.S.
PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATIONS UNDER THE 1933 ACT) PURSUANT TO
REGULATION S UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE “1933 ACT”), NONE OF THE SECURITIES TO
WHICH THIS AGREEMENT RELATES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE 1933
ACT, OR ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND, UNLESS SO REGISTERED,
NONE MAY BE OFFERED OR SOLD, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE
UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS (AS DEFINED HEREIN) EXCEPT IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REGULATION S UNDER THE 1933 ACT,
PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE 1933 ACT,
OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT
SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE 1933 ACT AND IN
EACH CASE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS,
IN ADDITION, HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THE SECURITIES
MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 1933
ACT.
NOTE PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
THIS NOTE PURCHASE
AGREEMENT (this “
Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of, but not
necessarily on, the 1st day of October, 2009, by and between
Arkanova Acquisition Corporation , a Delaware corporation
(the “ Company ”), and Aton Select Funds
Limited (the “ Investor ”).
Background
A.
The Company and the Investor are
executing and delivering this Agreement in reliance upon the
exemptions from securities registration afforded by the provisions
of Regulation S (“ Regulation S ”), as
promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; and
B.
The Investor wishes to purchase from
the Company, and the Company wishes to sell and issue to the
Investor, upon the terms and conditions stated in this Agreement, a
Secured Promissory Note (the “ Note ”) in the
aggregate principal amount of Twelve Million and No/100 United
States Dollars (US $12,000,000.00) (the “ Principal
Amount ”), bearing interest at the rate of six percent
(6.0%) per annum, in the form attached hereto as Annex
“A”.
C.
The Note is being issued by the
Company in exchange for the loan by the Investor to the Company of
an additional One Million One Hundred Sixty-Eight Thousand Seven
Hundred Twenty-Nine and 17/100 United States Dollars (US
$1,168,729.17) (the “ Additional Loan Amount ”)
plus the cancellation of the following Promissory Notes:
(i)
Promissory Note from the Company to
Aton Select Fund Limited dated September 3, 2008, in the
original principal amount of Nine Million and No/100 United States
Dollars (US $9,000,000.00) (the “ $9 Million Note
”);
(ii)
Promissory Note from the Company to
Aton Select Fund Limited dated April 29, 2009 in the original
principal amount of Six Hundred Thousand and No/100 United States
Dollars (US $600,000); and
(iii)
Promissory Note from the Company to
Aton Select Fund Limited dated April 14, 2009, in the original
principal amount of Four Hundred Twelve Thousand Five Hundred and
No/100 United States Dollars (US $412,500).
Terms and
Conditions
In consideration of the mutual
promises made herein and for other good and valuable consideration,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1.
Definitions
. In addition to those terms defined
above and elsewhere in this Agreement, for the purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth
below:
(a)
“ Affiliate ”
means, with respect to any Person, any other Person which directly
or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, is
controlled by, or is under common control with, such
Person;
(b)
“ Business Day ”
means a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which banks in
Houston, Texas, are open for the general transaction of
business;
(c)
“ Company’s
Knowledge ” means the actual knowledge of the executive
officers (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) of the
Company;
(d)
“ Control ”
(including the terms “ controlling ”, “
controlled by ” or “ under common control
with ”) 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 the ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise;
(e)
“ Guaranty ” has
the meaning set forth in Section 2 hereof;
(f)
“ Material Adverse
Effect ” means a material adverse effect on (i) the
assets, liabilities, results of operations, condition (financial or
otherwise), business, or prospects of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (ii) the ability of the
Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction
Documents;
(g)
“ Person ” means
an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
trust, business trust, association, joint stock company, joint
venture, sole proprietorship, unincorporated organization,
governmental authority or any other form of entity not specifically
listed herein;
(h)
“ Pledge Agreement
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2
hereof;
(i)
“ Purchase Price
” means the Principal Amount payable as set forth in
Subparagraph C of the Background section of this
Agreement;
(j)
“ SEC ” means the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission;
(k)
“ Subsidiaries ”
means the wholly-owned or majority owned subsidiaries of the
Company;
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(l)
“ Transaction Documents
” means this Agreement, the Note, the Pledge Agreement and
the Guaranty;
(m)
“ 1933 Act ”
means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor
statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;
and
(n)
“ 1934 Act ”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any
successor statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
2.
Purchase and Sale of the Note;
Security . Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, on the Closing Date,
the Company shall sell and issue to the Investor, the Note in the
Principal Amount in exchange for the Purchase Price. The Company
shall also pledge to the Investor, pursuant to terms of the form of
Pledge Agreement attached hereto as Annex “C”, all of
the membership interests in the Company’s wholly-owned
subsidiary, Provident Energy Associates of Montana, LLC, a Montana
limited liability corporation that owns the Two Medicine Cut Bank
Sand Unit in Pondera and Glacier Counties, Montana, to secure
payment of the indebtedness evidenced by the Note (the “
Security Interest ”). As an indirect beneficiary
of the Investor’s purchase of the Note and as further
security for payment of the indebtedness evidenced by the Note, the
Company’s parent corporation, Arkanova Energy Corporation
(“ AEC ”), has agreed to guarantee the payment
of the Note by the execution and delivery to the Investor at the
Closing of the form of Guaranty attached hereto as Annex
“D”.
3.
Additional
Consideration . As
further inducement to the Investor to purchase the Note, the
Company shall (i) deliver to the Investor as soon as
reasonably practical following the execution of this Agreement by
the Investor such number of shares of the unregistered common stock
of AEC as shall be determined by dividing Two Hundred Forty
Thousand and No/100 United States Dollars (US $240,000) by the
average stock price for AEC’s common stock over the fifteen
(15) Business Day period immediately preceding the day on which
this Agreement is executed by the Investor, and (ii) deliver
to the Investor on the first anniversary date of the execution of
this Agreement by the Investor such number of shares of the
unregistered common stock of AEC as shall be determined by dividing
Two Hundred Forty Thousand and No/100 United States Dollars (US
$240,000) by the average stock price for AEC’s common stock
over the fifteen (15) Business Day period immediately preceding the
first anniversary date of the execution of this Agreement by the
Investor. The Company shall also cause to be delivered to the
Investor as soon as reasonably practical following the execution of
this Agreement by the Investor an additional 900,000 shares of the
AEC’s common stock in accordance with the Company’s
heretofore unfulfilled obligation under Section 3 of the Note
Purchase Agreement relating to the $9 Million Note.
4.
Closing . There shall be no formal closing ceremony with
respect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. Instead, the parties shall execute and
exchange the Transaction Documents by facsimile and email and the
closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be
deemed to have occurred (the “ Closing ”) on the
date (the “ Closing Date ”) that the Company
receives the Purchase Price in full.
5.
Representations and Warranties of
the Company . The Company
hereby represents and warrants to the Investor that, except as set
forth in any schedules delivered herewith (collectively, the
“ Disclosure Schedules ”):
(a)
Organization, Good Standing and
Qualification . The
Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation and has all requisite corporate power and authority
to carry on its business as now conducted and to own its
properties. The Company is duly qualified to do business as a
foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in
which the conduct of its business or its
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ownership or leasing of property
makes such qualification or leasing necessary unless the failure to
so qualify has not and could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(b)
Authorization
. The Company has full power and
authority and, has taken all requisite action on the part of the
Company, its officers, directors and stockholders necessary for
(i) the authorization, execution and delivery of the
Transaction Documents, (ii) authorization of the performance
of ail obligations of the Company hereunder or thereunder, and
(iii) the authorization, issuance and delivery of the
Note. The Transaction Documents constitute the legal, valid
and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and
similar laws of general applicability, relating to or affecting
creditors’ rights generally.
(c)
Valid Issuance
. The Note has been duly and validly
authorized and, when issued and paid for pursuant to this
Agreement, shall be free and clear of all encumbrances and
restrictions (other than those created by the Investor), except for
restrictions on transfer set forth in the Transaction Documents or
imposed by applicable securities laws.
(d)
Consents . The execution, delivery and performance by the
Company of the Transaction Documents, and the offer, issuance and
sale of the Note requires no consent of, action by or in respect
of, or filing with, any Person, governmental body, agency, or
official other than filings that have been made pursuant to
applicable state securities laws, and post-sale filings pursuant to
applicable state and federal securities laws which the Company
undertakes to file within the applicable time periods.
(e)
Use of Proceeds
. The Additional Loan Amount shall
be primarily used by the Company for the maintenance and
development of the Two Medicine Cut Bank Sand Unit in Pondera and
Glacier Counties, Montana.
(f)
No Conflict, Breach, Violation or
Default . The execution,
delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the
Company and the issuance and sale of the Note will not conflict
with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and
provisions of, or constitute a default under (i) the
Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or the Company’s
Bylaws, both as in effect on the date hereof, or (ii)(a) any
statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or
body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its assets or properties, or (b) any
agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which
the Company is bound or to which any of its assets or properties is
subject.
(g)
Litigation
. To the Company’s knowledge,
there are no disputes or actions pending or threatened against the
Company or its properties.
(h)
No Directed Selling Efforts or
General Solicitation .
Neither the Company nor any Person acting on its behalf has
conducted any general solicitation or general advertising (as those
terms are used in Regulation S) in connection with the offer or
sale of the Note.
(i)
No Integrated Offering
. Neither the Company nor any of its
Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has,
directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any Company
security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under
circumstances that would adversely affect reliance by the Company
on Regulation S for the exemption from registration for
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the transactions contemplated hereby
or would require registration of the Note under the 1933
Act.
(j)
Private Placement
. The offer and sale of the Note to
the Investor as contemplated hereby is exempt from the registration
requirements of the 1933 Act.
6.
Representations and Warranties of
the Investor . The
Investor hereby represents and warrants to the Company
that:
(a)
Power . The Investor has the necessary legal
capacity (in the case of an individual person), or has the power
and authority (if other than an individual person) to execute and
deliver this Agreement and to perform such Investor’s
obligations hereunder and to consummate all of the transactions
contemplated hereby, including but not limited to, purchase of the
Note.
(b)
Binding Obligation
. This Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by the Investor and constitutes the legal,
valid and binding obligation of such Investor, enforceable against
such Investor in accordance with its terms, except as such
enforceability may be limited by the effect of applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar
laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights
generally.
(c)
Absence of Breaches and
Defaults . The
execution, delivery and performance by the Investor of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby do not breach or constitute a default under any loan or
purchase agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease,
instrument, contract or other agreement binding on or affecting
either such Investor or any of his property or assets, the breach
of which, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably
be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
Investor.
(d)
Purchase Entirely for Own
Account . The Note to be
received by the Investor hereunder will be acquired for such
Investor’s own account, not as nominee or agent, and not with
a view t the resale or distribution of any part thereof in
violation of the 1933 Act, and such Investor has no present
intention of selling, granting any participation in, or otherwise
distributing the same in violation of the 1933 Act without
prejudice, however, to such Investor’s right at all times to
sell or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Note in
compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws.
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed a representation or
warranty by the Investor to hold the Note for any period of time.
The Investor is not a broker-dealer registered with the SEC under
the 1934 Act or an entity engaged in a business that would require
it to be so registered.
(e)
Investment Experience
. The Investor acknowledges
that it can bear the economic risk and complete loss of its
investment in the Note and has such knowledge and experience in
financial or business matters that it is capable of evaluating the
merits and risks of the investment contemplated hereby.
(f)
Disclosure of
Information . The
Investor has had an opportunity to receive all information related
to the Company requested by it and to ask questions of and receive
answers from the Company regarding the Company, its business and
the terms and conditions of the offering of the Note.
(g)
No Reliance
. The Investor has not relied
upon the Company or its directors and officers, or the
Company’s legal counsel or advisors for investment, legal or
tax advice, including
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advice with respect to the hold
periods and resale restrictions imposed upon the Note by the
securities legislation in the jurisdiction in which the Investor
resides, and has, if desired, in all cases sought the advice of the
Investor’s own personal investment advisor, legal counsel and
tax advisors, and the Investor is either experienced in or
knowledgeable with regard to the affairs of the Company or, either
alone or with its professional advisors, is capable by reason of
knowledge and experience in financial and business matters in
general, and investments in particular, of evaluating the merits
and risks of an investment in the Note, and it is able to bear the
economic risk of an investment in the Note and can otherwise be
reasonably assumed to have the capacity to protect its own interest
in connection with the investment.
(h)
Further Representations and
Acknowledgements .
The Investor further represents and acknowledges that:
(i)
The Investor is not a “U.S.
Person” as that term is defined in Regulation S.
(ii)
The Investor is located outside the
United States.
(iii)
The Investor is not aware of any
advertisement of any of the Note to be issued hereunder.
(iv)
The Investor will not acquire the
Note as a result of, and will not itself engage in, any “
directed selling efforts ” (as defined in Regulation S
under the 1933 Act) in the United States in respect of the Note
which would include any activities undertaken for the purpose of,
or that could reasonably be expected to have the effect of,
conditioning the market in the United States for the resale of the
Note; provided, however, that the Investor may sell or otherwise
dispose of the Note pursuant to registration under the 1933 Act and
any applicable state securities laws or under an exemption from
such registration requirements and as otherwise provided
herein.
(v)
The Investor agrees that the Company
will refuse to register any transfer of the Note not made in
accordance with the provisions of Regulation S, pursuant to an
effective registration statement under the 1933 Act or pursuant to
an available exemption from the registration requirements of the
1933 Act and in accordance with applicable state securities
laws.
(vi)
The Investor understands and agrees
that offers and sales of any Note prior to the expiration of a
period of one year after the date of transfer of the Note (the
“ Distribution Compliance Period ”), shall only
be made in compliance with the safe harbor provisions set forth in
Regulation S, pursuant to the registration provisions of the 1933
Act or an exemption therefrom, and that all offers and sales after
the Distribution Compliance Period shall be made only in compliance
with the registration provisions of the 1933 Act or an exemption
therefrom and in each case only in accordance with all applicable
securities laws.
(i)
Restricted Securities
. The Investor understands that the
Note is characterized as “restricted securities” under
the U.S. federal securities laws and have not been registered under
the 1933 Act or under any state or “blue sky” laws of
the United States, and is being offered in a transaction not
involving any public offering within the meaning of the 1933 Act,
and unless so registered, may not be offered or sold in the United
States or to U.S. Persons as defined in
6
Regulation S promulgated under the
1933 Act, and in each case only in accordance with applicable
securities laws.
(j)
No Hedging Transaction
s. The Investor understands
and agrees not to engage in any hedging transactions involving the
Note prior to the end of the Distribution Compliance Period unless
such transactions are in compliance with the provisions of the 1933
Act.
(k)
Restrictions on
Transfer . The
Investor hereby acknowledges and agrees to the Company making a
notation on its records or giving instructions to the registrar and
transfer agent of the Company in order to implement the
restrictions on transfer set forth and described herein.
(l)
Legends . It is understood that, except as
provided below, certificates evidencing the Note will bear the
following or any similar legend, as well as the legend required by
any state authority if required in connection with the issuance of
sale of the Note:
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS
CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT
OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “U.S. SECURITIES ACT”) OR
OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS. THESE SECURITIES HAVE BEEN
ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO DISTRIBUTION OR
RESALE AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE
TRANSFERRED EXCEPT (1) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF
REGULATIONS S, RULE 901 THROUGH RULE 905, AND PRELIMINARY NOTE
UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OR (2) PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE
EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE U.S. SECURITIES
ACT OR (3) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT.
HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE
CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES
ACT.
(m)
No General
Solicitation . The
Investor did not learn of the investment in the Note as a result of
any public advertising or general solicitation.
(n)
Brokers and Finders
. No Person will have, as a
result of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents, any valid right, interest or claim against or upon the
Company or the Investor for any commission, fee or other
compensation pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding entered into by or on behalf of the
Investor.
7.
Conditions to Closing
:
(a)
Conditions to the
Investor’s Obligations . The obligation of the Investor to
purchase the Note at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment to
such Investor’s satisfaction, on or prior to the Closing
Date, of the following conditions, any of which may be waived by
the Investor:
(i)
The representations and warranties
made by the Company in Section 4. hereof qualified as to
materiality shall be true and correct at all times prior to and on
the Closing Date, except to the extent any such representation or
warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such
representation or Warranty shall be true and correct as of such
earlier date, and, the representations and warranties made by
the
7
Company in Section 4 hereof not
qualified as to materiality shall be true and correct in all
material respects at all times prior to and on the Closing Date,
except to the extent any such representation or warranty expressly
speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation or
warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects as of
such earlier date. The Company shall have performed in all
material respects all obligations and conditions herein required to
be performed or observed by it on or prior to the Closing
Date.
(ii)
The Company shall have obtained any
and all consents, permits, approvals, registrations and waivers
necessary or appropriate for consummation of the purchase and sale
of the Note, and the consummation of the other transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents, all of which shall be in
full force and effect.
(iii)
No judgment, writ, order,
injunction, award or decree of or by any court, or judge, justice
or magistrate, including any bankruptcy court or judge, or any
order of or by any governmental authority, shall have been issued,
and no action or proceeding shall have been instituted by any
governmental authority, enjoining or preventing the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby or in the other Transaction
Documents.
(b)
Conditions to Obligations of the
Company . The
Company’s obligation to sell and issue the Note at the
Closing is subject to the fulfillment to the satisfaction of the
Company on or prior to the Closing Date of the following
conditions, any of which may be waived by the Company:
(i)
The representations and warranties
made by the Investor in Section 5 hereof shall be true and
correct in all respects on the Closing Date with the same force and
effect as if they had been made on and as of said date. The
Investor shall have performed in all material respects all
obligations and conditions herein required to be performed or
observed by them on or prior to the Closing Date.
(ii)
The Investor shall have paid the
Purchase Price to the Company.
(c)
Termination of Obligations to
Effect Closing; Effects .
(i)
The obligations of the Company, on
the one hand, and the Investor, on the other hand, to effect the
Closing shall terminate as follows:
(A)
Upon the mutual written consent of
the Company and the Investor;
(B)
By the Company if any of the
conditions set forth in Paragraph 6(b) shall have become
incapable of fulfillment, and shall not have been waived by the
Company;
(C)
By an Investor (with respect to
itself only) if any of the conditions set forth in Paragraph
6(a) shall have become incapable of fulfillment, and shall not
have been waived by the Investor; or
(D)
By either the Company or the
Investor if the Closing has not occurred on or prior to
October 15, 2009;
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provided, however, that, except in
the case of clause (i) above, the party seeking to terminate
its obligation to effect the Closing shall not then be in breach of
any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements
contained in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents if
such breach has resulted in the circumstances giving rise to such
party’s seeking to terminate its obligation to effect the
Closing.
8.
Covenants and Agreements of the
Company :
(a)
Reports . The Company will furnish to the Investor
and/or their assignees such information relating to the Company and
its Subsidiaries as from time to time may reasonably be requested
by the Investor and/or their assignees; provided, however, that the
Company shall not disclose material nonpublic information to the
Investor, or to advisors to or representatives of the Investor,
unless prior to disclosure of such information the Company
identifies such information as being material nonpublic information
and provides the Investor, such advisors and representatives with
the opportunity to accept or refuse to accept such material
nonpublic information for review and the Investor wishing to obtain
such information enters into an appropriate confidentiality
agreement with the Company with respect thereto.
(b)
No Conflicting
Agreements . The Company
will not take any action, enter into any agreement or make any
commitment that would conflict or interfere in any material respect
with the Company’s obligations to the Investor under the
Transaction Documents.
(c)
Compliance with Laws
. The Company will comply in all
material respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations,
orders and decrees of all governmental authorities.
(d)
Security Interest
. The Company shall cooperate with
the Investor in all reasonable respects in connection with the
establishment and maintenance of the Security Interest. The
Company agrees to execute such further documents and instruments
and to take such further actions as may be reasonably necessary to
carry out the purposes and intent of the Security Agreement.
The Company shall be responsible for the payment of all costs and
expenses reasonably incurred by the Investor in connection with the
preparation of any documents, instruments or agreements required to
create or perfect the Security Interest and for all filing fees
related thereto.
(e)
Termination of
Covenants . The
provisions of Sections 8(a), (b), (c) and (d) above shall
terminate and be of no further force and effect on the date on
which the Company’s obligations under the Note
terminate.
9.
Survival and
Indemnification :
(a)
Survival . The representations, warranties, covenants and
agreements contained in this Agreement shall survive the Closing of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement until the repayment
in full of the Note.
(b)
Indemnification
. The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Investor and its Affiliates and their
respective directors, officers, employees and agents from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
expenses (including without limitation reasonable attorney fees and
disbursements and other expenses incurred in connection with
investigating, preparing or defending any action, claim or
proceeding, pending or threatened and the costs of enforcement
thereof) (collectively, “ Losses ”) to which
such Person may become
9
subject as a result of any breach of
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement made by or to be
performed on the part of the Company under the Transaction
Documents, and will reimburse any such Person for all such amounts
as they are incurred by such Person.
(c)
Conduct of Indemnification
Proceedings . Promptly
after receipt by a Person (the “ Indemnified Person
”) of notice of any demand, claim or circumstances which
would or might give rise to a claim or the commencement of any
action, proceeding or investigation in respect of which indemnity
may be sought pursuant to Section 8(b), such Indemnified
Person shall promptly notify the Company in writing and the Company
shall assume the defense thereof, including the employment of
counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, and
shall assume the payment of all fees and expenses; provided,
however, that the failure of any Indemnified Person so to notify
the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations
hereunder except to the extent that the Company is materially
prejudiced by such failure to notify. In any such proceeding, any
Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel,
but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense
of such Indemnified Person unless: (i) the Company and the
Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the retention of
such counsel; or (ii) in the reasonable judgment of counsel to
such Indemnified Person representation of both parties by the same
counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing
interests between them. The Company shall not be liable for
any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent, which consent shall not he unreasonably withheld, but if
settled with such consent, or if there be a final judgment for the
plaintiff, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless such
Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability (to the
extent stated above) by reason of such settlement or
judgment. Without the prior written consent of the
Indemnified Person, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld, the Company shall not effect any settlement of any
pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any
Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnity
could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless
such settlement includes an unconditional release of such
Indemnified Person from all liability arising out of such
proceeding.
10.
Miscellaneous
. The following miscellaneous
provisions shall apply to this Agreement:
(a)
Successors and Assigns
. This Agreement may not be assigned
by a party hereto without the prior written consent of the Company
or the Investor, as applicable, provided, however, that an investor
may assign its rights and delegate its duties hereunder in whole or
in part to an Affiliate or to a third party acquiring the Note in a
private transaction without the prior written consent of the
Company, after notice duly given by such Investor to the
Company. The provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the respective permitted successors
and assigns of the parties. Nothing in this Agreement, express or
implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the
parties hereto or their respective successors and assigns any
rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of
this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this
Agreement.
(b)
Counterparts: Faxes
. This Agreement may be executed in
two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an
original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same instrument. This Agreement may also be executed via
facsimile, which shall be deemed an original.
(c)
Titles and Subtitles
. The titles and subtitles used in
this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be
considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
10
(d)
Notices . Unless otherwise provided, any notice required
or permitted under this Agreement shall be given in writing and
shall be deemed effectively given as hereinafter described (i) if
given by personal delivery, then such notice shall be deemed given
upon such delivery, (ii) if given by telex or telecopier, then such
notice shall be deemed given upon receipt of confirmation of
complete transmittal, (iii) if given by mail, then such notice
shall be deemed given upon the earlier of (A) receipt of such
notice by the recipient or (B) three days after such notice is
deposited in first class mail, postage prepaid, and (iv) if given
by an internationally recognized overnight air courier, then such
notice shall be deemed given one business day after delivery to
such carrier. All notices shall be addressed to the party to be
notified at the address as follows, or at such other address as
such party may designate by ten days’ Loan written notice to
the other party:
If to the Company:
Arkanova Acquisition Corporation
2441 High Timbers Drive
Suite 120
The Woodlands TX 77380
Fax: 281-298-9558
Attention: Pierre Mulacek,
President
If to the Investor:
To the Address for Notice as
provided on the signature page hereof.
(e)
Expenses . The parties hereto shall pay their own costs
and expenses in connection herewith. In the event that legal
proceedings are commenced by any party to this Agreement against
another party to this Agreement in connection with this Agreement
or the other Transaction Documents, the party or parties which do
not prevail in such proceedings shall severally, but not jointly,
pay their pro rata share of the reasonable attorneys’ fees
and other reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by
the prevailing party in such proceedings.
(f)
Amendments and Waivers
. Any term of this Agreement may be
amended and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be
waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either
retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of
the Company and the Investor. Any amendment or waiver effected in
accordance with this Paragraph shall be binding upon each holder of
any Note purchased under this Agreement at the time outstanding,
each future holder of all such Note, and the Company.
(g)
Publicity . Except as set forth below, no public release
or announcement concerning the transactions contemplated hereby
shall be issued by the Company or the Investor without the prior
consent of the Company (in the case of a release or announcement by
the Investor) or the Investor (in the case of a release or
announcement by the Company) (which consents shall not be
unreasonably withheld), except as such release or announcement may
be required by law or the applicable rules or regulations of any
securities exchange or securities market, in which case the Company
or the Investor, as the case may be, shall allow the Investor or
the Company, as applicable, to the extent reasonably practicable in
the circumstances, reasonable time to comment on such release or
announcement in Loan of such issuance.
11
(h)
Severability
. Any provision of this Agreement
that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as
to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such
prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining
provisions hereof but shall be interpreted as if it were written so
as to be enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by applicable
law, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any
jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such
provision in any other jurisdiction. To the extent permitted by
applicable law, the parties hereby waive any provision of law which
renders any provision hereof prohibited or unenforceable in any
respect.
(i)
Entire Agreement
. This Agreement, including the
exhibits and any disclosure schedules, and the other Transaction
Documents constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereof
with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede
all prior agreements and understandings, both oral and written,
between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and
thereof.
(j)
Further Assurances
. The parties shall execute and
deliver all such further instruments and documents and take all
such other actions as may reasonably be required to carry out the
transactions contemplated hereby and to evidence the fulfillment of
the agreements herein contained.
(k)
Governing Law: Consent to
Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial . This Agreement shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Texas
without regard to the choice of law principles thereof. Each of the
parties hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of
the Courts of the State of Texas for the purpose of any suit,
action, proceeding or judgment relating to or arising out of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Service of
process in connection with any such suit, action or proceeding may
be served on each party hereto anywhere in the world by the same
methods as are specified for the giving of notices under this
Agreement. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably consents to the
jurisdiction of any such court in any such suit, action or
proceeding and to the laying of venue in such court. Each party
hereto irrevocably waives any objection to the laying of venue of
any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such courts and
irrevocably waives any claim that any such suit, action or
proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an
inconvenient forum. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO WAIVES ANY RIGHT
TO REQUEST A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION WITH RESPECT TO THIS
AGREEMENT AND REPRESENTS THAT COUNSEL HAS BEEN CONSULTED
SPECIFICALLY AS TO THIS WAIVER.
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12
Signatures
To evidence the binding effect of
the terms and conditions set forth above, the parties have executed
this Agreement or caused their duly authorized officers to execute
this Agreement as of the date first above written.
ARKANOVA ACQUISITION CORPORATION
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By:
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/s/Pierre Mulacek
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Pierre Mulacek, President
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ATON SELECT FUNDS LIMITED
|
By:
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/s/David Dawes
|
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|
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David Dawes
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Director
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ADDRESS FOR NOTICE
C/o: Aton Select Funds Limited
Street: Aeulestrasse 5, P.O. Box 470
City/State/Zip: 9490 Vaduz,
Liechtenstein
Attention: Mr. David Dawes
Tel: 00423 237 3438
Fax: 00423 237 3771
DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS
(if different from above)
C/o:
Street:
City/State/Zip:
Attention:
Tel:
13
ANNEX
“A”
THIS INSTRUMENT RELATES TO AN OFFERING OF
SECURITIES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION TO PERSONS WHO ARE NOT U.S.
PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE 1933 ACT) PURSUANT TO
REGULATION S UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE “1933 ACT”). NONE OF THE SECURITIES TO
WHICH THIS INSTRUMENT RELATES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE 1933
ACT, OR ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND, UNLESS SO REGISTERED,
NONE MAY BE OFFERED OR SOLD, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED
STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS (AS DEFINED HEREIN EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REGULATION S UNDER THE 1933 ACT, PURSUANT TO
AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE 1933 ACT, OR PURSUANT
TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO,
THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE 1933 ACT AND IN EACH CASE ONLY
IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS. IN ADDITION,
HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED
UNLESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 1933 ACT.
|
USD $ 12, 000,000.00
|
October 1, 2009
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ARKANOVA ACQUISITION
CORPORATION
SECURED PROMISSORY
NOTE
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, Arkanova
Acquisition Corporation , a corporation organized and existing
under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Company
”), promises to pay to Aton Select Funds Limited , the
registered holder hereof (the “ Holder ”), the
principal sum of Twelve Million and No/100 United States Dollars
(US $12,000,000.00) on the Maturity Date (as defined below) and to
pay interest on the principal sum outstanding from time to time in
arrears at the rate of six percent (6.0 %) per annum (computed on
the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365
days), accruing from the date of initial issuance of this Note,
until payment in full of the principal sum has been made or duly
provided for (whether before or after the Maturity Date).
This Note is being issued by the Company in exchange for the loan
by the Holder to the Company of an additional One Million Six
Hundred Sixty-Eight Thousand Seven Hundred Twenty-Nine and 17/100
United States Dollars (US $1,668,729.17) plus the cancellation of
the following Promissory Notes:
(iv)
Promissory Note from the Company to
Aton Select Fund Limited dated September 3, 2008, in the original
principal amount of Nine Million and No/100 United States Dollars
(US $9,000,000.00) (the “ $9 Million Note
”