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9.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2016

Promissory Note

9.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2016 | Document Parties: SANDRIDGE ENERGY INC | LARIAT SERVICES, INC | SANDRIDGE ENERGY, INC | SANDRIDGE EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION, LLC | SANDRIDGE HOLDINGS, INC | SANDRIDGE MIDSTREAM, INC | SANDRIDGE OFFSHORE, LLC | SANDRIDGE ONSHORE, LLC | SANDRIDGE OPERATING COMPANY | SANDRIDGE TERTIARY, LLC | WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION You are currently viewing:
This Promissory Note involves

SANDRIDGE ENERGY INC | LARIAT SERVICES, INC | SANDRIDGE ENERGY, INC | SANDRIDGE EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION, LLC | SANDRIDGE HOLDINGS, INC | SANDRIDGE MIDSTREAM, INC | SANDRIDGE OFFSHORE, LLC | SANDRIDGE ONSHORE, LLC | SANDRIDGE OPERATING COMPANY | SANDRIDGE TERTIARY, LLC | WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

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Title: 9.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2016
Governing Law: New York     Date: 5/15/2009
Industry: Oil and Gas Operations     Sector: Energy

9.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2016, Parties: sandridge energy inc , lariat services  inc , sandridge energy  inc , sandridge exploration and production  llc , sandridge holdings  inc , sandridge midstream  inc , sandridge offshore  llc , sandridge onshore  llc , sandridge operating company , sandridge tertiary  llc , wells fargo bank  national association
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Exhibit 4.1

EXECUTION COPY

SANDRIDGE ENERGY, INC.
as Issuer

the Guarantors party hereto

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee

 

Indenture

Dated as of May 14, 2009

 

9.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2016

 

 


 

CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE

 

 

 

 

 

 

TIA Sections

 

Indenture Sections

 

§ 310

 (a)

 

 

7.10

 

 

 (b)

 

 

7.08

 

§ 311

 

 

 

7.03

 

§ 312

 

 

 

12.02

 

§ 313

 

 

 

7.06

 

§ 314

 (a)

 

 

4, 4.02

 

 

 (c)

 

 

12.04

 

 

 (e)

 

 

12.05

 

§ 315

 (a)

 

 

7.01, 7.02

 

 

 (b)

 

 

7.02, 7.05

 

 

 (c)

 

 

7.01

 

 

 (d)

 

 

7.02

 

 

 (e)

 

 

6.12, 7.02

 

§ 316

 (a)

 

 

2.05, 6.02, 6.04, 6.05

 

 

 (b)

 

 

6.06, 6.07

 

 

 (c)

 

 

12.02

 

§ 317

 (a) (1)

 

 

6.08

 

 

 (a) (2)

 

 

6.09

 

 

 (b)

 

 

2.03

 

§ 318

 

 

 

12.01

 

 


 

RECITALS

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1
Definitions And Incorporation By Reference

 

 

 

 

 

Section 1.01 . Definitions

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2
The Notes

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.01 . Form, Dating and Denominations; Legends

 

 

37

 

Section 2.02 . Execution and Authentication; Exchange Notes; Additional Notes

 

 

38

 

Section 2.03 . Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent; Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust

 

 

39

 

Section 2.04 . Replacement Notes

 

 

39

 

Section 2.05 . Outstanding Notes

 

 

40

 

Section 2.06 . Temporary Notes

 

 

40

 

Section 2.07 . Cancellation

 

 

41

 

Section 2.08 . CUSIP and CINS Numbers

 

 

41

 

Section 2.09 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange

 

 

41

 

Section 2.10 . Restrictions on Transfer and Exchange

 

 

44

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3
Redemption; Offer to Purchase

 

 

 

 

 

Section 3.01 . Optional Redemption

 

 

46

 

Section 3.02 . [Reserved]

 

 

46

 

Section 3.03 . Method and Effect of Redemption

 

 

46

 

Section 3.04 . Offer to Purchase

 

 

48

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 4
Covenants

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.01 . Payment of Notes

 

 

50

 

Section 4.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency

 

 

50

 

Section 4.03 . Existence

 

 

51

 

Section 4.04 . Payment of Obligations

 

 

51

 

Section 4.05 . Maintenance of Properties and Insurance

 

 

51

 

Section 4.06. Limitation on Indebtedness and Disqualified Stock

 

 

52

 

Section 4.07 . Limitation on Restricted Payments

 

 

56

 

Section 4.08 . Limitation On Liens

 

 

60

 

Section 4.09 . Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

 

 

61

 

Section 4.10 . Limitation on Dividend and other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries

 

 

61

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.11 . [Reserved]

 

 

64

 

Section 4.12 . Guarantees by Restricted Subsidiaries

 

 

64

 

Section 4.13 . Repurchase of Notes Upon a Change of Control

 

 

64

 

Section 4.14 . Limitation on Asset Sales

 

 

64

 

Section 4.15 . Limitation on Transactions with Shareholders and Affiliates

 

 

65

 

Section 4.16 . Line of Business

 

 

67

 

Section 4.17 . [Reserved]

 

 

67

 

Section 4.18 . Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries

 

 

67

 

Section 4.19 . [Reserved]

 

 

69

 

Section 4.20 . Financial Reports

 

 

69

 

Section 4.21 . Reports to Trustee

 

 

70

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5
Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Section 5.01. Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets by the Company

 

 

70

 

Section 5.02. Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets by a Guarantor

 

 

72

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 6
Default and Remedies

 

 

 

 

 

Section 6.01 . Events of Default

 

 

73

 

Section 6.02 . Acceleration

 

 

75

 

Section 6.03 . Other Remedies

 

 

75

 

Section 6.04 . Waiver of Past Defaults

 

 

76

 

Section 6.05 . Control by Majority

 

 

76

 

Section 6.06 . Limitation on Suits

 

 

76

 

Section 6.07 . Rights of Holders to Receive Payment

 

 

77

 

Section 6.08 . Collection Suit by Trustee

 

 

77

 

Section 6.09 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

 

 

77

 

Section 6.10 . Priorities

 

 

77

 

Section 6.11 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies

 

 

78

 

Section 6.12 . Undertaking for Costs

 

 

78

 

Section 6.13 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative

 

 

78

 

Section 6.14 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver

 

 

78

 

Section 6.15 . Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws

 

 

79

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 7
The Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.01 . General

 

 

79

 

Section 7.02 . Certain Rights of Trustee

 

 

79

 

Section 7.03 . Individual Rights of Trustee

 

 

80

 

Section 7.04 . Trustee’s Disclaimer

 

 

81

 

Section 7.05 . Notice of Default

 

 

81

 

Section 7.06 . Reports by Trustee to Holders

 

 

81

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.07 . Compensation and Indemnity

 

 

81

 

Section 7.08 . Replacement of Trustee

 

 

82

 

Section 7.09 . Successor Trustee by Merger

 

 

83

 

Section 7.10 . Eligibility

 

 

83

 

Section 7.11 . Money Held in Trust

 

 

83

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 8
Defeasance and Discharge

 

 

 

 

 

Section 8.01 . Discharge of Company’s Obligations

 

 

84

 

Section 8.02 . Legal Defeasance

 

 

84

 

Section 8.03 . Covenant Defeasance

 

 

85

 

Section 8.04 . Application of Trust Money

 

 

86

 

Section 8.05 . Repayment to Company

 

 

86

 

Section 8.06 . Reinstatement

 

 

86

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 9
Amendments, Supplements and Waivers

 

 

 

 

 

Section 9.01 . Amendments Without Consent of Holders

 

 

87

 

Section 9.02 . Amendments With Consent of Holders

 

 

88

 

Section 9.03 . Effect of Consent

 

 

89

 

Section 9.04 . Trustee’s Rights and Obligations

 

 

89

 

Section 9.05 . Conformity With Trust Indenture Act

 

 

89

 

Section 9.06 . Payments for Consents

 

 

90

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 10
Reserved

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 11
Guarantees

 

 

 

 

 

Section 11.01 . The Guarantees

 

 

90

 

Section 11.02 . Guarantee Unconditional

 

 

90

 

Section 11.03 . Discharge; Reinstatement

 

 

91

 

Section 11.04 . Waiver by the Guarantors

 

 

91

 

Section 11.05 . Subrogation and Contribution

 

 

91

 

Section 11.06 . Stay of Acceleration

 

 

92

 

Section 11.07 . Limitation on Amount of Guarantee

 

 

92

 

Section 11.08 . Execution and Delivery of Guarantee

 

 

92

 

Section 11.09 . Release of Note Guarantee

 

 

92

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 12
Miscellaneous
 

Section 12.01 . Trust Indenture Act of 1939

 

 

93

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 12.02 . Noteholder Communications; Noteholder Actions

 

 

93

 

Section 12.03 . Notices

 

 

94

 

Section 12.04 . Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent

 

 

95

 

Section 12.05 . Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion

 

 

95

 

Section 12.06 . Payment Date Other Than a Business Day

 

 

95

 

Section 12.07 . Governing Law

 

 

96

 

Section 12.08 . No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements

 

 

96

 

Section 12.09 . Successors

 

 

96

 

Section 12.10 . Duplicate Originals

 

 

96

 

Section 12.11 . Separability

 

 

96

 

Section 12.12 . Table of Contents and Headings

 

 

96

 

Section 12.13 . No Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees, Incorporators, Members and Stockholders

 

 

96

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBITS

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A    Form of Note

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B    Form of Supplemental Indenture

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT C    Restricted Legend

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT D    DTC Legend

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT E    Original Issue Discount Legend

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT F    Regulation S Certificate

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT G    Rule 144A Certificate

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT H    Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate

 

 

 

 

 


 

     INDENTURE, dated as of May 14, 2009, among SANDRIDGE ENERGY, INC., a Delaware corporation, as the Company, the Guarantors party hereto and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as Trustee.

RECITALS

     The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of up to $365,500,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s Senior Notes Due 2016, and, together with any Exchange Notes issued therefor, if and when issued, any Additional Notes as provided herein (the “ Notes ”). All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done, and the Company has done all things necessary to make the Notes (in the case of the Additional Notes, when duly authorized), when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and duly issued by the Company, the valid obligations of the Company as hereinafter provided.

     In addition, the Guarantors party hereto have duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture as guarantors of the Notes. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of each Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done, and each Guarantor has done all things necessary to make the Note Guarantees, when the Notes are executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and duly issued by the Company, the valid obligations of such Guarantor as hereinafter provided.

     This Indenture is subject to, and will be governed by, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be a part of and govern indentures qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.

THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH

     For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, the parties hereto covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders, as follows:

ARTICLE 1
Definitions And Incorporation By Reference

     Section 1.01. Definitions.

     “ Acquired Debt ” means Indebtedness of a Person (1) existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) assumed in connection with

1


 

the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case, other than Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such acquisition, as the case may be. Acquired Debt shall be deemed to be incurred on the date of the related acquisition of assets from any Person or the date the acquired Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

     “ Additional Assets ” means (i) any assets or property (other than cash, Cash Equivalents or securities) used in the Oil and Gas Business or any business ancillary thereto, (ii) Investments in any other Person engaged in the Oil and Gas Business or any business ancillary thereto (including the acquisition from third parties of Capital Stock of such Person) as a result of which such other Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) the acquisition from third parties of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary or (iv) Permitted Business Investments.

     “ Additional Interest ” means additional interest owed to the Holders pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement.

     “ Additional Notes ” means any Notes issued under this Indenture in addition to the Original Notes, including any Exchange Notes issued in exchange for such Additional Notes, having the same terms in all respects as the Original Notes except that interest may accrue on the Additional Notes from their date of issuance.

     “ Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets ” means (without duplication), as of the date of determination, the remainder of:

     (i) the sum of

     (a) discounted future net revenues from proved oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state, federal or foreign income taxes, as estimated in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year, which reserve report is prepared or reviewed by independent petroleum engineers as to reserves accounting for at least 80% of all such discounted future net revenues and by the Company’s petroleum engineers with respect to any other reserves covered by such report, as increased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from (1) estimated proved oil and gas reserves acquired since such year-end, which reserves were not reflected in such year-end reserve report, and (2) estimated increases in proved oil and gas reserves since such year-end due to exploration, development or exploitation activities or due to changes in geological conditions or other factors which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions, in each case calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in such year-end reserve report), and decreased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from (3)

2


 

estimated proved oil and gas reserves reflected in such year-end report produced or disposed of since such year-end and (4) estimated oil and gas reserves attributable to downward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves since such year-end due to changes in geological conditions or other factors which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions, in each case calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in such year-end reserve report); provided that, in the case of each of the determinations made pursuant to clauses (1) through (4), such increases and decreases shall be as estimated by the Company’s petroleum engineers, unless there is a Material Change as a result of such acquisitions, dispositions or revisions, in which event the discounted future net revenues utilized for purposes of this clause (i)(a) shall be confirmed in writing an independent petroleum engineer, plus

     (b) the capitalized costs that are attributable to oil and gas properties of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries to which no proved oil and gas reserves are attributable, based on the Company’s books and records as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements, plus

     (c) the Net Working Capital on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements, plus

     (d) the greater of (1) the net book value on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements and (2) the appraised value, as estimated by independent appraisers, of other tangible assets (including, without duplication, Investments in unconsolidated Restricted Subsidiaries) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as of the date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest audited financial statements (provided that the Company shall not be required to obtain such appraisal of such assets if no such appraisal has been performed),

     minus (ii) the sum of

     (a) minority interests, plus

     (b) any net gas balancing liabilities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries reflected in the Company’s latest audited Consolidated financial statements, plus

     (c) to the extent included in (i)(a) above, the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in the Company’s year-end reserve report), attributable to reserves which are required to be delivered to third parties to fully satisfy the obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to Volumetric Production

3


 

Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto) plus

     (d) the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines, attributable to reserves subject to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments which, based on the estimates of production and price assumptions included in determining the discounted future net revenues specified in (i)(a) above, would be necessary to fully satisfy the payment obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto).

     If the Company changes its method of accounting from the full cost method to the successful efforts method or a similar method of accounting, “Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” will continue to be calculated as if the Company were still using the full cost method of accounting.

     “ Adjusted Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any redemption date, the sum of (a) the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H. 15 (519) which has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source or similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to May 15, 2013; provided, however, that if the period from the redemption date to May 15, 2013 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to May 15, 2013 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used, plus (b) 0.50%.

     “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any specified Person: (1) any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; (2) any other Person that owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the Voting Stock of such specified Person (or any of such specified Person’s direct or indirect parent’s Voting Stock); or (3) any other Person 10% or more of the Voting Stock of which is beneficially owned or held directly or indirectly by such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

4


 

     “ Agent ” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent.

     “ Agent Member ” means a member of, or a participant in, the Depositary.

     “ Applicable Premium ” means at any redemption date, the greater of (i) 1.00% of the principal amount of such Note and (ii) the excess of (A) the present value at such redemption date of (1) the redemption price of such notes on May 15, 2013 (as set forth in Section 3.01 of this Indenture) exclusive of any accrued interest, plus (2) all required remaining scheduled interest payments due on such Note through May 15, 2013, (but excluding accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Adjusted Treasury Rate, over (B) the principal amount of such Note on such redemption date.

     “ Asset Sale ” means any sale, issuance, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition (including, without limitation, by way of merger or consolidation, Production Payments and Reserve Sales or a Sale Leaseback Transaction) (collectively, a “transfer”), directly or indirectly, in one or a series of related transactions, of:

     (1) any Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary;

     (2) all or substantially all of the properties and assets of any division or line of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; or

     (3) any other properties, assets or rights of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than in the ordinary course of business.

     For the purposes of this definition, the term “Asset Sale” shall not include:

     (A) any transfer of properties and assets (including any Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary) that is governed by Article 5,

     (B) any transfer of properties and assets that is by the Company to any Restricted Subsidiary, or by any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of this Indenture,

     (C) any transfer of properties and assets that would be within the definition of a “Permitted Payment,” a “Permitted Investment” or a “Restricted Payment” and, in the latter case, would be permitted to be made as a Restricted Payment (and shall be deemed a Restricted Payment) under Section 4.07,

     (D) the transfer of Cash Equivalents, inventory, accounts receivable, surplus or obsolete equipment or other property (excluding the disposition of oil and gas in place and other interests in real property unless made in connection with a Permitted Business Investment),

5


 

     (E) the abandonment, assignment (including any assignments made pursuant to the Well Participation Program), lease, sublease or farm-out of oil and gas properties, or the forfeiture or other disposition of such properties, pursuant to operating agreements or other instruments or agreements that, in each case, are entered into in the ordinary course of business in a manner that is customary in the Oil and Gas Business,

     (F) the transfer of Property received in settlement of debts owing to such Person as a result of foreclosure, perfection or enforcement of any Lien or debt, which debts were owing to such Person in the ordinary course of its business,

     (G) any Production Payments and Reserve Sales, provided that any such Production Payments and Reserve Sales (other than incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists and other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), shall have been created, incurred, issued, assumed or guaranteed in connection with the acquisition or financing of, and within 90 days after the acquisition of, the Property that is subject thereto,

     (H) the licensing or sublicensing of intellectual property or other general intangibles to the extent that such license does not prohibit the licensor from using the intellectual property and licenses, leases or subleases of other property,

     (I) the creation or incurrence of any Lien,

     (J) the surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind,

     (K) the sale or other disposition (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) of oil and gas properties, provided at the time of such sale or other disposition such properties do not have associated with them any proved reserves or

     (L) any transfer of assets the Fair Market Value of which in the aggregate does not exceed $5,000,000 in any transaction or series of related transactions.

     “ Attributable Indebtedness ” in respect of a Sale Leaseback Transaction means, at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at the rate of interest implicit in such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP) of the obligation of the lessee for net rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended).

6


 

     “ Authenticating Agent ” refers to a Person engaged to authenticate the Notes in the stead of the Trustee.

     “ Board of Directors ” means the board of directors or comparable governing body of the Company, or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on its behalf.

     “ Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized by law to close, or are in fact closed, in New York City or in the city where the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee is located.

     “ Capital Lease Obligation ” of any Person means any obligation of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis under any capital lease of (or other agreement conveying the right to use) real or personal property which, in accordance with GAAP, is required to be recorded as a capitalized lease obligation.

     “ Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, units, interests, participations, rights in or other equivalents (however designated) of such Person’s capital stock, other equity interests whether now outstanding or issued after the date hereof, partnership interests (whether general or limited), limited liability company interests, any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person, including any Preferred Stock, and any rights (other than debt securities or other Indebtedness convertible into Capital Stock), warrants or options exchangeable for or convertible into such Capital Stock.

     “ Cash Equivalents ” means

     (1) any evidence of Indebtedness issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof,

     (2) deposits, time deposit accounts, certificates of deposit, money market deposits or acceptances of any financial institution having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 that is a member of the Federal Reserve System and whose senior unsecured debt is rated at least “A-1” by S&P or at least “P-1” by Moody’s,

     (3) commercial paper with a maturity of 365 days or less issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate or Subsidiary of the Company) organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and rated at least “A-1” by S&P and at least “P-1” by Moody’s,

7


 

     (4) repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements relating to Indebtedness of a type described in clause (1) above that are entered into with a financial institution described in clause (2) above and mature within 365 days from the date of acquisition,

     (5) deposits and certificates of deposit with any commercial bank not meeting the qualifications specified in clause (2) above, provided all such deposits do not exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time and

     (6) money market funds which invest substantially all of their assets in securities described in the preceding clauses (1) through (4).

     “ Certificated Note ” means a Note in registered individual form without interest coupons.

     “ Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

     (1) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) other than the Ward Group is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that a Person shall be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all shares that such Person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total outstanding Voting Stock of the Company (measured by voting power rather than the number of shares);

     (2) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors of the Company (together with any new directors whose election to such board or whose nomination for election by the stockholders of the Company was approved by a vote of 66 2/3% of the directors then still in office who were either directors at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved), cease for any reason to constitute a majority of such Board of Directors then in office;

     (3) the Company consolidates with or merges with or into any Person, or sells, assigns, conveys, transfers, leases or otherwise disposes of all or substantially all of its assets to any such Person, or any such Person consolidates with or merges into or with the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where

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     (A) the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company is changed into or exchanged for Voting Stock of the surviving Person which is not Disqualified Stock and

     (B) immediately after such transaction, no “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that a person shall be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total outstanding Voting Stock (measured by voting power rather than the number of shares) of the surviving Person; or

     (4) the Company is liquidated or dissolved or adopts a plan of liquidation or dissolution other than in a transaction which complies with the provisions of Article 5.

     For purposes of this definition, any transfer of an equity interest of an entity that was formed for the purpose of acquiring Voting Stock of the Company will be deemed to be a transfer of such portion of such Voting Stock as corresponds to the portion of the equity of such entity that has been so transferred.

     “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

     “ Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act then the body performing such duties at such time.

     “ Company ” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture or any successor obligor under this Indenture and the Notes pursuant to Article 5.

     “ Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio ” of any Person means, for any period, the ratio of

     (a) without duplication, the sum of Consolidated Net Income, and in each case to the extent deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income for such period, Consolidated Interest Expense, Consolidated Income Tax Expense and Consolidated Non-cash Charges for such period, of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, all determined in accordance with GAAP, less all non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period, less (to the extent included in determining Consolidated Net Income) the sum of (a) the amount of deferred revenues that are amortized during the period and are attributable to reserves that are subject to Volumetric Production

9


 

Payments and (b) amounts recorded in accordance with GAAP as repayments of principal and interest pursuant to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments, and less all cash payments during such period relating to non-cash charges that were added back to Consolidated Net Income in determining the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio in any prior period to

     (b) without duplication, the sum of Consolidated Interest Expense for such period,

     in each case after giving pro forma effect to, without duplication,

     (1) the incurrence of the Indebtedness giving rise to the need to make such calculation and (if applicable) the application of the net proceeds therefrom, including to refinance other Indebtedness, as if such Indebtedness was incurred, and the application of such proceeds occurred, on the first day of such period;

     (2) the incurrence, repayment or retirement of any other Indebtedness by the Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries since the first day of such period as if such Indebtedness was incurred, repaid or retired at the beginning of such period (except that, in making such computation, the amount of Indebtedness under any revolving credit facility shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during such period);

     (3) in the case of Acquired Debt or any acquisition occurring at the time of the incurrence of such Indebtedness, the related acquisition, assuming such acquisition had been consummated on the first day of such period; and

     (4) any acquisition or disposition by such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries of any company or any business or any assets out of the ordinary course of business, whether by merger, stock purchase or sale or asset purchase or sale, or any related repayment of Indebtedness, in each case since the first day of such period, assuming such acquisition or disposition had been consummated on the first day of such period;

      provided that

     (1) in making such computation, the Consolidated Interest Expense attributable to interest on any Indebtedness computed on a pro forma basis and (A) bearing a floating interest rate shall be computed as if the rate in effect on the date of computation had been the applicable rate for the entire period and (B) which was not outstanding for any part of the period for which the computation is being made but which bears, at the option of such Person, a fixed or floating rate of interest, shall be computed by applying at the option of such Person either the fixed or floating rate, and

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     (2) in making such computation, the Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person attributable to interest on any Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility computed on a pro forma basis shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period.

     “ Consolidated Income Tax Expense ” of any Person means, for any period, the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes (including state franchise taxes accounted for as income taxes in accordance with GAAP) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period as determined, on a Consolidated basis, in accordance with GAAP.

     “ Consolidated Interest Expense ” of any Person means, without duplication, for any period, the sum of

     (a) the interest expense, less interest income, of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a Consolidated basis, excluding any interest attributable to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments but including, without limitation,

     (1) amortization of debt discount (excluding amortization of capitalized debt issuance costs),

     (2) the net cash costs associated with Interest Rate Agreements (including amortization of discounts),

     (3) the interest portion of any deferred payment obligation,

     (4) all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers acceptance financing and

     (5) accrued interest, minus

     (b) to the extent included in (a) above, write-offs of deferred financing costs of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period and any charge related to, or any premium paid in connection with, paying any such Indebtedness of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries prior to its Stated Maturity, plus

     (c) (1) the interest component of the Capital Lease Obligations paid, accrued and/or scheduled to be paid or accrued by such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period and

     (2) all capitalized interest of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries plus

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     (d) the interest expense under any Guaranteed Debt of such Person and any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent not included under any other clause hereof, whether or not paid by such Person or its Restricted Subsidiaries, plus

     (e) dividend payments by the Person with respect to Disqualified Stock and of any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to Preferred Stock (except, in either case, dividends paid solely in Qualified Capital Stock of such Person or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be).

     “ Consolidated Net Income ” of any Person means, for any period, the Consolidated net income (or loss) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a Consolidated basis as determined in accordance with GAAP, adjusted, to the extent included in calculating such net income (or loss), by excluding, without duplication,

     (1) all extraordinary gains or losses net of taxes (less all fees and expenses relating thereto),

     (2) the portion of net income (or loss) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis allocable to minority interests in unconsolidated Persons or Unrestricted Subsidiaries to the extent that cash dividends or distributions have not actually been received by such Person or one of its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries,

     (3) any gain or loss, net of taxes, realized upon the termination of any employee pension benefit plan,

     (4) gains or losses, net of taxes (less all fees and expenses relating thereto), in respect of dispositions of assets other than in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business (including, without limitation, dispositions pursuant to Sale Leaseback Transactions, but excluding transactions such as farmouts, sales of leasehold inventory and sales of undivided interests in drilling prospects),

     (5) the net income of any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of that income is not at the time permitted, directly or indirectly, by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders,

     (6) any write-downs of non-current assets, provided that any ceiling limitation write-downs under SEC guidelines shall be treated as capitalized costs, as if such write-downs had not occurred,

     (7) any cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles,

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     (8) all deferred financing costs written off, and premiums paid, in connection with any early extinguishment of Indebtedness,

     (9) any unrealized non-cash gains or losses or charges in respect of hedge or non-hedge derivatives (including those resulting from the application of FAS 133), and

     (10) any non-cash compensation charge arising from any grant of stock, stock options or other equity-based awards.

     “ Consolidated Non-cash Charges ” of any Person means, for any period, the aggregate depreciation, depletion, amortization and exploration expense and other non-cash charges of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis for such period, as determined in accordance with GAAP (excluding any non-cash charge which requires an accrual or reserve for cash charges for any future period but including, without limitation, any non-cash charge arising from any grant of Capital Stock, options to acquire Capital Stock, or other equity based awards).

     “ Consolidation ” and “ Consolidated ” mean, with respect to any Person, the consolidation of the accounts of such Person and each of its Subsidiaries if and to the extent the accounts of such Person and each of its Subsidiaries would normally be consolidated with those of such Person, all in accordance with GAAP.

     “ Corporate Trust Office ” means the office of the Trustee at which at any time the corporate trust business in relation to this Indenture and the Notes is administered, which office at the date of this Indenture is located at 201 Main Street, 3 rd Floor, Fort Worth, Texas 76102-5489, Attention: Corporate Trust Services.

     “ Credit Facility ” means one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Senior Credit Facility), commercial paper facilities or other debt instruments, indentures or agreements providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to the lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from the lenders against such receivables), letters of credit or other debt obligations, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, restructured, supplemented, replaced or refinanced from time to time in whole or in part from time to time, including without limitation any amendment increasing the amount of Indebtedness incurred or available to be borrowed thereunder, extending the maturity of any Indebtedness incurred thereunder or contemplated thereby or deleting, adding or substituting one or more parties thereto (whether or not such added or substituted parties are banks or other institutional lenders).

     “ Debtor Relief Laws ” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit

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of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

     “ Default ” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

     “ Depositary ” means the depositary of each Global Note, which will initially be DTC.

     “ Designation ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.18.

     “ Designation Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.18.

     “ Disinterested Director ” means, with respect to any transaction or series of related transactions, a member of the Board of Directors of the Company who does not have any material direct or indirect financial interest (other than as a shareholder or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary) in or with respect to such transaction or series of related transactions.

     “ Disqualified Stock ” means (i) the Series A Preferred Stock and (ii) any other Capital Stock that, either by its terms or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or exchangeable or otherwise, is or upon the happening of an event or passage of time would be, required to be redeemed (unless, at the option of the Company such redemption can be satisfied solely with Qualified Capital Stock) prior to the final Stated Maturity of the Notes or is redeemable at the option of the Holder thereof (unless, at the option of the Company such redemption can be satisfied solely with Qualified Capital Stock) at any time prior to such final Stated Maturity (other than upon a change of control of or sale of assets by the Company in circumstances where the Holders would have similar rights), or is convertible into or exchangeable for debt securities at any time prior to such final Stated Maturity at the option of the Holder thereof.

     “ Dollar ” and “ $ ” mean lawful money of the United States.

     “ Dollar-Denominated Production Payment ” means a production payment required to be recorded as a borrowing in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

     “ DTC ” means The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation, and its successors.

     “ DTC Legend ” means the legend set forth in Exhibit D.

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     “ Equity Interests ” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

     “ Equity Offering ” means a public or private offering of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company.

     “ Event of Default ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01.

     “ Excess Proceeds ” means any Net Available Cash from an Asset Sale not applied in accordance with Section 4.14(b) within 365 days from the date of such Asset Sale.

     “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

     “ Exchange Notes ” means the Notes of the Company issued pursuant to this Indenture in exchange for, and in an aggregate principal amount equal to, the Initial Notes or any Initial Additional Notes, in compliance with the terms of a Registration Rights Agreement and containing terms substantially identical to the Initial Notes or any Initial Additional Notes exchanged (except that (i) such Exchange Notes will be registered under the Securities Act and will not be subject to transfer restrictions or bear the Restricted Legend, and (ii) the provisions relating to Additional Interest will be eliminated).

     “ Exchange Offer ” means an offer by the Company to the Holders of the Initial Notes or any Initial Additional Notes to exchange outstanding Notes for Exchange Notes, as provided for in a Registration Rights Agreement.

     “ Exchange Offer Registration Statement ” means the Exchange Offer Registration Statement as defined in a Registration Rights Agreement.

     “ Exchanged Properties ” means properties or assets or Capital Stock representing an equity interest in or assets used or useful in the Oil and Gas Business, received by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in a substantially concurrent purchase and sale, trade or exchange as a portion of the total consideration for other such properties or assets.

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     “ Fair Market Value ” means, with respect to any asset or property, the sale value that would be obtained in an arm’s-length free market transaction between an informed and willing seller under no compulsion to sell and an informed and willing buyer under no compulsion to buy. Fair Market Value of an asset or property in excess of $25,000,000 shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company acting in good faith, in which event it shall be evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors.

     “ Foreign Subsidiary ” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that (x) is not organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia, or (y) was organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia that has no material assets other than Capital Stock of one or more foreign entities of the type described in clause (x) above and is not a guarantor of Indebtedness under a Credit Facility.

     “ GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time.

     “ Global Note ” means a Note in registered global form without interest coupons.

     “ Guarantee ” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise) or (ii) entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof, in whole or in part; provided that the term “Guarantee” does not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

     “ Guaranteed Debt ” of any Person means, without duplication, all Indebtedness of any other Person referred to in the definition of Indebtedness below guaranteed directly or indirectly in any manner by such Person, or in effect guaranteed directly or indirectly by such Person through an agreement, made primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of such Indebtedness or to assure the holder of such Indebtedness against loss,

     (1) to pay or purchase such Indebtedness or to advance or supply funds for the payment or purchase of such Indebtedness,

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     (2) to purchase, sell or lease (as lessee or lessor) property, or to purchase or sell services,

     (3) to supply funds to, or in any other manner invest in, the debtor (including any agreement to pay for property or services without requiring that such property be received or such services be rendered),

     (4) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the debtor, or otherwise to maintain the net worth, solvency or other financial condition of the debtor or to cause such debtor to achieve certain levels of financial performance or

     (5) otherwise to assure a creditor against loss;

      provided that the term “guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business.

     “ Guarantors ” means, collectively, (i) SandRidge Onshore, LLC, Lariat Services, Inc., SandRidge Operating Company, Integra Energy, L.L.C., SandRidge Exploration and Production, LLC, SandRidge Tertiary, LLC, SandRidge Midstream, Inc, SandRidge Offshore, LLC and SandRidge Holdings, Inc. and (ii) each Restricted Subsidiary that executes a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B to this Indenture providing for the guarantee of the payment of the Notes, or any successor obligor under its Note Guarantee pursuant to Article 11, in each case unless and until such Guarantor is released from its Note Guarantee pursuant to this Indenture.

     “ Holder ” or “ Noteholder ” means the registered holder of any Note.

     “ Immaterial Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary with total assets of less than $500,000, as determined in accordance with its latest financial statements.

     “ Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication,

     (1) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money or for the deferred purchase price of property or services, excluding any Trade Accounts Payable and other accrued current liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business, but including, without limitation, all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in connection with any letters of credit issued under letter of credit facilities, acceptance facilities or other similar facilities,

     (2) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or other similar instruments,

     (3) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person (even if the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the

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event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), but excluding Trade Accounts Payable,

     (4) all obligations under or in respect of currency exchange contracts, oil, gas or other hydrocarbon price hedging arrangements and Interest Rate Agreements of such Person (the amount of any such obligations to be equal at any time to the termination value of such agreement or arrangement giving rise to such obligation that would be payable by such Person at such time),

     (5) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person,

     (6) the Attributable Indebtedness of such Person related to any Sale Leaseback Transaction,

     (7) all Indebtedness referred to in clauses (1) through (6) above of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons, to the extent the payment of such Indebtedness or dividends is secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien, upon or with respect to property (including, without limitation, accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, even though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such Indebtedness,

     (8) all Guaranteed Debt of such Person,

     (9) all Disqualified Stock issued by such Person, valued at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary maximum fixed repurchase price plus accrued and unpaid dividends,

     (10) all Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Person, valued at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary maximum fixed repurchase price plus accrued and unpaid dividends,

     (11) with respect to any Production Payment and Reserve Sale, any warranties or guarantees of production or payment by such Person with respect to such Production Payment and Reserve Sale but excluding other contractual obligations of such Person with respect to such Production Payment and Reserve Sale and

     (12) any amendment, supplement, modification, deferral, renewal, extension, refunding or refinancing of any liability of the types referred to in clauses (1) through (11) above.

     For purposes hereof, the “maximum fixed repurchase price” of any Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock which does not have a fixed repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock as if it were purchased on any date on which Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to this Indenture, and if such price is based

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upon, or measured by, the Fair Market Value of such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, such Fair Market Value to be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the issuer of such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock. Subject to clause (11) of the preceding sentence, Production Payments and Reserve Sales shall not be deemed to be Indebtedness.

     “ Indenture ” means this indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

     “ Initial Additional Notes ” means Additional Notes issued in an offering not registered under the Securities Act and any Notes issued in replacement thereof, but not including any Exchange Notes issued in exchange therefor.

     “ Initial Notes ” means the Notes issued on the Issue Date and any Notes issued in replacement thereof, but not including any Exchange Notes issued in exchange therefor.

     “ Initial Purchasers ” means the initial purchasers party to a purchase agreement with the Company relating to the sale of the Initial Notes or Additional Notes by the Company.

     “ Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H hereto.

     “ Interest ”, in respect of the Notes, unless the context otherwise requires, refers to interest and Additional Interest, if any.

     “ Interest Payment Date ” means May 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing November 15, 2009.

     “ Interest Rate Agreements ” means one or more of the following agreements which shall be entered into from time to time by one or more financial institutions: interest rate protection agreements (including, without limitation, interest rate swaps, caps, floors, collars and similar agreements) and/or other types of interest rate hedging agreements.

     “ Investment ” means, with respect to any Person, directly or indirectly, any advance, loan (including Guarantees), or other extension of credit or capital contribution to any other Person (by means of any transfer of cash or other property to others or any payment for property or services for the account or use of others), or any purchase, acquisition or ownership by such Person of any Capital Stock, bonds, notes, debentures or other securities issued or owned by any other Person and all other items that would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP. “Investment” shall exclude direct or indirect advances to customers or suppliers in the ordinary course of business that are, in conformity with GAAP, recorded as accounts receivable,

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prepaid expenses or deposits on the Company’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s balance sheet, endorsements for collection or deposit arising in the ordinary course of business and extensions of trade credit on commercially reasonable terms in accordance with normal trade practices. If the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company sells or otherwise disposes of any Capital Stock of any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary of the Company (other than the sale of all of the outstanding Capital Stock of such Subsidiary), the Company will be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of such sale or disposition equal to the Fair Market Value of the Company’s Investments in such Subsidiary that were not sold or disposed of in an amount determined as provided in Section 4.07.

     “ Issue Date ” means the earliest date on which any Notes are originally issued under this Indenture.

     “ Lien ” means any mortgage or deed of trust, charge, pledge, lien (statutory or otherwise), privilege, security interest, assignment, deposit, arrangement, hypothecation, claim, preference, priority or other encumbrance for security purposes upon or with respect to any property of any kind (including any conditional sale, capital lease or other title retention agreement, any leases in the nature thereof, and any agreement to give any security interest), real or personal, movable or immovable, now owned or hereafter acquired. A Person will be deemed to own subject to a Lien any property which it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, Capital Lease Obligation or other title retention agreement. References herein to Liens allowed to exist upon any particular item of Property shall also be deemed (whether or not stated specifically) to allow Liens to exist upon any accessions, improvements or additions to such property, upon any contractual rights relating primarily to such Property, and upon any proceeds of such Property or of such accessions, improvements, additions or contractual rights.

     “ Liquid Securities ” means securities (i) of an issuer that is not an Affiliate of the Company, (ii) that are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market and (iii) as to which the Company is not subject to any restrictions on sale or transfer (including any volume restrictions under Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other restrictions imposed by the Securities Act) or as to which a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the resale thereof is in effect for as long as the securities are held; provided that securities meeting the requirements of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above shall be treated as Liquid Securities from the date of receipt thereof until and only until the earlier of (a) the date on which such securities are sold or exchanged for cash or Cash Equivalents and (b) 360 days following the date of receipt of such securities. If such securities are not sold or exchanged for cash or Cash Equivalents within 360 days of receipt thereof, for purposes of determining whether the transaction pursuant to which the Company

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or a Restricted Subsidiary received the securities was in compliance with the provisions of Section 4.14, such securities shall be deemed not to have been Liquid Securities at any time.

     “ Material Change ” means an increase or decrease (except to the extent resulting from changes in prices) of more than 30% during a fiscal quarter in the estimated discounted future net revenues from proved oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, calculated in accordance with clause (i)(a) of the definition of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; provided , however , that the following will be excluded from the calculation of Material Change: (i) any acquisitions during the quarter of oil and gas reserves with respect to which the discounted future net revenues from proved oil and gas reserves have been estimated or confirmed by independent petroleum engineers and (ii) any dispositions of properties and assets during such quarter that were disposed of in compliance with Section 4.14.

     “ Midstream Assets ” means (i) assets used primarily for gathering, transmission, storage, processing or treatment of natural gas, natural gas liquids or other hydrocarbons or carbon dioxide and (ii) equity interests of any Person that has no substantial assets other than assets referred to in clause (i).

     “ Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

     “ Net Available Cash ” from an Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction means cash proceeds received therefrom (including (i) any cash proceeds received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received and (ii) the Fair Market Value of Liquid Securities and Cash Equivalents, and excluding (iii) any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other obligations relating to the assets or property that is the subject of such Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction and (iv) except to the extent subsequently converted to cash within 360 days after such Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction; consideration constituting Exchanged Properties or consideration other than as identified in the immediately preceding clauses (i) and (ii)), in each case net of:

     (a) all legal, title and recording expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses incurred, and all federal, state, foreign and local taxes required to be paid or accrued as a liability under GAAP as a consequence of such Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction,

     (b) all payments made on any Indebtedness (but specifically excluding Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries assumed in connection with or in anticipation of such Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction) which is secured by any assets subject to such Asset Sale or Sale

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Leaseback Transaction, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon such assets, or which must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction or by applicable law, be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction, provided that such payments are made in a manner that results in the permanent reduction in the balance of such Indebtedness and, if applicable, a permanent reduction in any outstanding commitment for future incurrences of Indebtedness thereunder,

     (c) all distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest holders in Subsidiaries or joint ventures as a result of such Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction and

     (d) the deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the seller as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with the assets disposed of in such Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction and retained by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary after such Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction;

      provided , however, that if any consideration for an Asset Sale or Sale Leaseback Transaction (which would otherwise constitute Net Available Cash) is required to be held in escrow pending determination of whether a purchase price adjustment will be made, such consideration (or any portion thereof) shall become Net Available Cash only at such time as it is released to the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries from escrow.

     “ Net Cash Proceeds ” means with respect to any issuance or sale of Capital Stock or debt securities or Capital Stock that has been converted into or exchanged for Capital Stock as referred to in Section 4.07, the proceeds of such issuance or sale in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents including payments in respect of deferred payment obligations when received in the form of, or stock or other assets when disposed of for, cash or Cash Equivalents (except to the extent that such obligations are financed or sold with recourse to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary), net of attorney’s fees, accountant’s fees and brokerage, consultation, underwriting and other fees and expenses actually incurred in connection with such issuance or sale and net of taxes paid or payable as a result thereof.

     “ Net Working Capital ” means (i) all current assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, less (ii) all current liabilities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, except current liabilities included in Indebtedness, in each case as set forth in Consolidated financial statements of the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP, provided , however , that all of the following shall be excluded in the calculation of Net Working Capital: (a) current assets or liabilities relating to the mark-to-market value of Interest Rate Agreements and hedging arrangements constituting Permitted Debt, (b) any current assets or liabilities relating to non-cash charges arising from any grant of Capital Stock,

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options to acquire Capital Stock, or other equity based awards, and (c) any current assets or liabilities relating to non-cash charges or accruals for future abandonment liabilities.

     “ Non-U.S. Person ” means a Person that is not a U.S. person, as defined in Regulation S.

     “ Notes ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals.

     “ Note Guarantee ” means the guarantee of the Notes by a Guarantor pursuant to this Indenture.

     “ Offer to Purchase ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.04.

     “ Offering Memorandum ” means the offering memorandum, dated May 11, 2009, relating to the issuance of the Initial Notes.

     “ Officer ” means the chairman of the Board of Directors, the president or chief executive officer, any vice president, the chief financial officer, the treasurer or any assistant treasurer, or the secretary or any assistant secretary, of the Company.

     “ Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed in the name of the Company (i) by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the president or chief executive officer or a vice president and (ii) by the chief financial officer, the treasurer or any assistant treasurer or the secretary or any assistant secretary.

     “ Offshore Global Note ” means a Global Note representing Notes issued and sold pursuant to Regulation S.

     “ Oil and Gas Business ” means the business of exploiting, exploring for, developing, acquiring, operating, producing, processing, gathering, marketing, storing, selling, hedging, treating, swapping, refining and transporting hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide and other related energy businesses, including contract drilling and other oilfield services.

     “ Oil and Gas Liens ” means (i) Liens on any specific property or any interest therein, construction thereon or improvement thereto to secure all or any part of the costs incurred for surveying, exploration, drilling, extraction, development, operation, production, construction, alteration, repair or improvement of, in, under or on such property and the plugging and abandonment of wells located thereon (it being understood that, in the case of oil and gas producing properties, or any interest therein, costs incurred for “development” shall include costs incurred for all facilities relating to such properties or to projects, ventures or other arrangements of which such properties form a part or which relate to such properties or interests); (ii) Liens on an oil or gas producing

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property to secure obligations incurred or guarantees of obligations incurred in connection with or necessarily incidental to commitments for the purchase or sale of, or the transportation or distribution of, the products derived from such property; (iii) Liens arising under partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, overriding royalty agreements, net profits agreements, production payment agreements, royalty trust agreements, incentive compensation programs for geologists, geophysicists and other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, master limited partnership agreements, farm-out agreements, farm-in agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, purchase, exchange, transportation, gathering or processing of oil, gas or other hydrocarbons, unitizations and pooling designations, declarations, orders and agreements, development agreements, operating agreements, production sales contracts, area of mutual interest agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are customary in the Oil and Gas Business; provided , however , in all instances that such Liens are limited to the assets that are the subject of the relevant agreement, program, order or contract; (iv) Liens arising in connection with Production Payments and Reserve Sales; provided that such Liens are limited to the property that is subject to such Production Payments and Reserve Sales, and such Production Payments and Reserve Sales either (a) were created in connection with the acquisition or financing of the property and were incurred within 90 days after the acquisition of the property subject thereto, or (b) constitute Asset Sales made in compliance with Section 4.14; and (v) Liens on pipelines or pipeline facilities that arise by operation of law.

     “ Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion signed by legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, satisfactory to the Trustee.

     “ Original Issue Discount Legend ” means the legend set forth in Exhibit E.

     “ Original Notes ” means the Initial Notes and any Exchange Notes issued in exchange therefor.

     “ Pari Passu Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness of the Company or a Guarantor that is pari passu in right of payment to the Notes or Note Guarantee, as the case may be.

     “ Paying Agent ” refers to a Person engaged to perform the obligations of the Trustee in respect of payments made or funds held hereunder in respect of the Notes.

     “ Permitted Business Investments ” means Investments and expenditures made in the ordinary course of, and of a nature that is or shall have become

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customary in, the Oil and Gas Business as a means of actively engaging therein through agreements, transactions, interests or arrangements which permit one to share risks or costs, comply with regulatory requirements regarding local ownership or satisfy other objectives customarily achieved through the conduct of Oil and Gas Business jointly with third parties, including (i) ownership interests in oil and gas properties or gathering, transportation, processing, storage or related systems and (ii) Investments and expenditures in the form of or pursuant to operating agreements, processing agreements, farm-in agreements, farm-out agreements, development agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, unitization agreements, pooling arrangements, joint bidding agreements, service contracts, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements (whether general or limited) and other similar agreements (including for limited liability companies) with third parties.

     “ Permitted Debt ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06.

     “ Permitted Investments ” mean:

     (1) Investments in the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Person which, as a result of such Investment, (a) becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or (b) is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

     (2) Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary described under clauses (4), (5) and (6) of the definition of “Permitted Debt;”

     (3) Investments in the Notes;

     (4) Cash Equivalents;

     (5) Investments in property, plant and equipment used in the ordinary course of business and Permitted Business Investments;

     (6) Investments acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with an Asset Sale permitted under Section 4.14 to the extent such Investments are non-cash proceeds as permitted under such covenant;

     (7) Investments in existence on the Issue Date;

     (8) Investments acquired in exchange for the issuance of Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary);

     (9) Investments in prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and worker’s compensation, performance and other similar deposits provided to third parties in the ordinary course of business;

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     (10) loans or advances to employees of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business for bona fide business purposes of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (including travel, entertainment and relocation expenses) in the aggregate amount outstanding at any one time of not more than $2,000,000;

     (11) any Investments received in good faith in settlement or compromise of receivables or other obligations that were obtained in the ordinary course of business, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer;

     (12) other Investments in the aggregate amount outstanding at any one time of up to the greater of (x) $25,000,000 and (y) 5.0% of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; and

     (13) Guarantees received with respect to any Permitted Investment listed above.

     In connection with any assets or property contributed or transferred to any Person as an Investment, the value of such property and assets shall be equal to the Fair Market Value at the time of Investment, without regard to subsequent changes in value.

     “ Permitted Liens ” means

     (1) any Lien existing on the Issue Date securing Indebtedness or obligations existing on the Issue Date and not otherwise referred to in this definition;

     (2) any Lien with respect to the Senior Credit Facility (including with respect to any Guarantee thereof made by any Guarantor) or any successor Credit Facilities securing Indebtedness incurred thereunder that could be borrowed under Section 4.06;

     (3) any Lien in favor of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;

     (4) any Lien arising by reason of:

     (A) any judgment, decree or order of any court, so long as such Lien is adequately bonded and any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment, decree or order shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such proceedings may be initiated shall not have expired;

     (B) taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted, provided that any

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reserve or other appropriate provision as will be required in conformity with GAAP will have been made therefor;

     (C) security made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or other types of social security;

     (D) good faith deposits in connection with tenders, leases and contracts (other than contracts for the payment of Indebtedness);

     (E) zoning restrictions, easements, licenses, reservations, title defects, rights of others for rights of way, utilities, sewers, electric lines, telephone or telegraph lines, and other similar purposes, provisions, covenants, conditions, waivers, restrictions on the use of property or minor irregularities of title (and with respect to leasehold interests, mortgages, obligations, Liens and other encumbrances incurred, created, assumed or permitted to exist and arising by, through or under a landlord or owner of the leased property, with or without consent of the lessee), none of which materially impairs the use of any parcel of property material to the operation of the business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or the value of such property for the purpose of such business;

     (F) deposits to secure public or statutory obligations, or in lieu of surety or appeal bonds;

     (G) operation of law or contract in favor of mechanics, carriers, warehousemen, landlords, materialmen, laborers, employees, suppliers and similar persons, incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums which are not yet delinquent or are being contested in good faith by negotiations or by appropriate proceedings which suspend the collection thereof;

     (H) normal depository arrangements with banks;

     (5) any Lien securing Acquired Debt created prior to (and not created in connection with, or in contemplation of) the incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Lien only secures the assets acquired in connection with the transaction pursuant to which the Acquired Debt became an obligation of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;

     (6) any Lien to secure performance bids, leases (including, without limitation, statutory and common law landlord’s liens), statutory obligations, letters of credit and other obligations of a like nature and incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any Subsidiary and not securing or supporting Indebtedness, and any Lien to secure statutory or appeal bonds;

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     (7) any Lien securing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (6) or clause (8) of the definition of Permitted Debt, so long as none of such Indebtedness constitutes debt for borrowed money;

     (8) any Lien securing Capital Lease Obligations or Purchase Money Obligations incurred in accordance with clause (7) of the definition of Permitted Debt and which are incurred or assumed solely in connection with the acquisition, development or construction of real or personal, moveable or immovable property commencing within 90 days of such incurrence or assumption; provided that such Liens only extend to such acquired, developed or constructed property, such Liens secure Indebtedness in an amount not in excess of the original purchase price or the original cost of any such assets or repair, addition or improvement thereto, and the incurrence of such Indebtedness is permitted by Section 4.06;

     (9) leases and subleases of real property which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

     (10) (A) Liens on property, assets or shares of stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided , however , that such Liens are not created, incurred or assumed in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such merger or consolidation; provided further, that any such Lien may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and assets fixed or appurtenant thereto; and (B) Liens on property, assets or shares of capital stock existing at the time of acquisition thereof by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that such Liens are not created, incurred or assumed in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition and do not extend to any property other than the property so acquired;

     (11) Oil and Gas Liens, in each case which are not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

     (12) any extension, renewal, refinancing or replacement, in whole or in part, of any Lien described in the foregoing clauses (1) through (11) so long as no additional collateral is granted as security thereby; and

     (13) in addition to the items referred to in clauses (1) through (12) above, Liens of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries to secure Indebtedness in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding which does not exceed 5.0% of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets as most recently determined at such time.

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     “ Permitted MLP Securities ” means equity securities (including incentive distribution rights) of a master limited partnership (or limited liability company or similar business entity with pass-through treatment for U.S. Federal income tax purposes) that has a class of equity securities traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market, provided that such master limited partnership (or other entity) is an Affiliate of the Company.

     “ Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to renew, extend, substitute, defease, refund, refinance or replace (“ refinance ”) other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than intercompany Indebtedness); provided that:

     (1) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness being refinanced (plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all fees and expenses, including premiums, incurred in connection therewith);

     (2) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being refinanced;

     (3) if the Indebtedness being refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes on terms at least as favorable to the Holders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being refinanced; and

     (4) such Indebtedness is incurred either by the Company or by the Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, that is the obligor on the Indebtedness refinanced.

     “ Person ” means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a trust or any other entity, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

     “ Preferred Stock ” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends or distributions, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over the Capital Stock of any other class in such Person.

     “ Prior Issue Date ” means May 20, 2008, the date of the issue of the Prior Notes.

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     “ Prior Notes ” means the Company’s $750,000,000 principal amount of its 8% Senior Notes due 2018.

     “ Production Payments ” means, collectively, Dollar-Denominated Production Payments and Volumetric Production Payments.

     “ Production Payments and Reserve Sales ” means the grant or transfer by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to any Person of a royalty, overriding royalty, net profits interest, Production Payment, partnership or other interest in oil and gas properties, reserves or the right to receive all or a portion of the production or the proceeds from the sale of production attributable to such properties where the holder of such interest has recourse solely to such properties, production or proceeds of production, subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to operate and maintain, or cause the subject interests to be operated and maintained, in a reasonably prudent manner or other customary standard or subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to indemnify for environmental, title or other matters customary in the Oil and Gas Business, including any such grants or transfers pursuant to incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists and other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.

     “ Property ” means, with respect to any Person, any interest of such Person in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including Capital Stock and other securities issued by any other Person (but excluding Capital Stock or other securities issued by such first mentioned Person).

     “ principal ” of any Indebtedness means the principal amount of such Indebtedness, (or if such Indebtedness was issued with original issue discount, the face amount of such Indebtedness less the remaining unamortized portion of the original issue discount of such Indebtedness), together with, unless the context otherwise indicates, any premium then payable on such Indebtedness.

     “ Purchase Money Obligation ” means any Indebtedness secured by a Lien on assets related to the business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary which are purchased or constructed by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary at any time after the Issue Date; provided that

     (1) the security agreement or conditional sales or other title retention contract pursuant to which the Lien on such assets is created (collectively a “ Purchase Money Security Agreement ”) shall be entered into within 90 days after the purchase or substantial completion of the construction of such assets and shall at all times be confined solely to the assets so purchased or acquired (together with any additions, accessions, and other related assets referred to in the last sentence of the above definition of “ Liens ”),

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     (2) at no time shall the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Indebtedness secured thereby be increased, except in connection with the purchase of additions, improvements, and accessions thereto and except in respect of fees and other obligations in respect of such Indebtedness and

     (3) (A) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness secured thereby (determined on a per asset basis in the case of any additions, improvements and accessions) shall not at the time such Purchase Money Security Agreement is entered into exceed 100% of the purchase price to the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary of the assets subject thereto or (B) the Indebtedness secured thereby shall be with recourse solely to the assets so purchased or acquired subject to the last sentence of the above definition of “Liens”).

     “ Qualified Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all Capital Stock of such Person other than Disqualified Stock.

     “ Register ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.09.

     “ Registrar ” means a Person engaged to maintain the Register.

     “ Registration Rights Agreement ” means (i) the Registration Rights Agreement dated on or about the Issue Date by and among the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers party thereto with respect to the Initial Notes, and (ii) with respect to any Additional Notes, any registration rights agreements between the Company, the Guarantors and the initial purchasers party thereto relating to rights given by the Company to the purchasers of Additional Notes to register such Additional Notes or exchange them for Notes registered under the Securities Act.

     “ Regular Record Date ” means the May 1 or November 1 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.

     “ Regulation S ” means Regulation S under the Securities Act.

     “ Regulation S Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto.

     “ Restricted Legend ” means the legend set forth in Exhibit C.

     “ Restricted Payment ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.07.

     “ Restricted Period ” means the relevant 40-day distribution compliance period as defined in Regulation S.

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     “ Restricted Subsidiary ” of a Person means any Subsidiary of that Person that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

     “ Revocation ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.18.

     “ Rule 144A ” means Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

     “ Rule 144A Certificate ” means (i) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G hereto or (ii) a written certification addressed to the Company and the Trustee to the effect that the Person making such certification (x) is acquiring the applicable Note (or beneficial interest) for its own account or one or more accounts with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and each such account is a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A, (y) is aware that the transfer to it or exchange, as applicable, is being made in reliance upon the exemption from the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act provided by Rule 144A, and (z) acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Company as it has requested pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) or has determined not to request such information.

     “ S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto.

     “ Sale Leaseback Transaction ” means, with respect to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of any real property or equipment, acquired or placed into service more than 180 days prior to such arrangement, whereby such property has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to such Person.

     “ SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any governmental authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

     “ Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933.

     “ Senior Credit Facility ” means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of November 21, 2006, as amended, among the Company (f/k/a Riata Energy, Inc.), Bank of America, N.A. and the other lenders party thereto, as such agreement, in whole or in part, in one or more instances, may be amended, renewed, extended, substituted, refinanced, restructured, replaced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (including, without limitation, any successive amendments, renewals, extensions, substitutions, refinancings, restructurings, replacements, supplementations or other modifications of the foregoing).

     “ Series A Preferred Stock ” means the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of the Company issued pursuant to the Certificate of Designations filed on December 11, 2006.

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     “ Shelf Registration Statement ” means the Shelf Registration Statement as defined in a Registration Rights Agreement.

     “ Significant Subsidiary ” means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC as in effect on the Issue Date.

     “ Stated Maturity ” means (i) with respect to any Indebtedness, the date specified as the fixed date on which the final installment of principal of such Indebtedness is due and payable or (ii) with respect to any scheduled installment of principal of or interest on any Indebtedness, the date specified as the fixed date on which such installment is due and payable as set forth in the documentation governing such Indebtedness, not including any contingent obligation to repay, redeem or repurchase prior to the regularly scheduled date for payment.

     “ Subordinated Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor which is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Note Guarantee, as the case may be.

     “ Subsidiary ” of a Person means

     (1) any corporation more than 50% of the outstanding voting power of the Voting Stock of which is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or more other Subsidiaries of such Person, or by such Person and one or more other Subsidiaries thereof, or

     (2) any limited partnership of which such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner, or

     (3) any other Person in which such Person, or one or more other Subsidiaries of such Person, or such Person and one or more other Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, has more than 50% of the outstanding Capital Stock or has the power, by contract or otherwise, to direct or cause the direction of the policies, management and affairs thereof.

     Unless otherwise specified, “Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the Company.

     “ Supplemental Indenture ” means a supplemental indenture substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto.

     “ Surviving Entity ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

     “ Surviving Guarantor Entity ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.02.

     “ Trade Accounts Payable ” of any Person means accounts payable or other obligations of that Person or any Restricted Subsidiary to trade creditors

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created or assumed by the Person or such Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of goods or services.

     “ Trustee ” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture or any successor trustee under this Indenture pursuant to Article 7.

     “ Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

     “ U.S. Global Note ” means a Global Note that bears the Restricted Legend representing Notes issued and sold pursuant to Rule 144A.

     “ U.S. Government Obligations ” means obligations issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or by any agent or instrumentality thereof, provided that the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in support thereof.

     “ Unrestricted Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination has previously been designated, and continues to be, an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 4.18 and any Subsidiary thereof.

     “ Unrestricted Subsidiary Indebtedness ” of any Unrestricted Subsidiary means Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary:

     (1) as to which neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary is directly or indirectly liable (by virtue of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary being the primary obligor on, guarantor of, or otherwise liable in any respect to, such Indebtedness), except Guaranteed Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Affiliate of the Company, in which case (unless the incurrence of such Guaranteed Debt resulted in a Restricted Payment at the time of incurrence) the Company shall be deemed to have made a Restricted Payment equal to the principal amount of any such Indebtedness to the extent guaranteed at the time such Affiliate is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary and

     (2) which, upon the occurrence of a default with respect thereto, does not result in, or permit any holder of any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to declare, a default on such Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity;

     provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, any Unrestricted Subsidiary may Guarantee the Notes or any Credit Facility.

     “ Volumetric Production Payment ” means a production payment that is recorded as a sale in accordance with GAAP, whether or not the sale price must be recorded as deferred revenue, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

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     “ Voting Stock ” of a Person means Capital Stock of such Person of the class or classes pursuant to which the holders thereof have the general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect at least a majority of the Board of Directors, managers or trustees of such Person (irrespective of whether or not at the time Capital Stock of any other class or classes shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).

     “ Ward Group ” means (i) Tom L. Ward (“ Ward ”); (ii) Ward’s wife; (iii) any of Ward’s lineal descendants; (iv) Ward’s estate; (v) any trust of which at least one of the trustees is Ward, or the principal beneficiaries of which are any one or more of the Persons in (i)-(iv); (vi) any Person which is controlled by any one or more of the Persons in (i)-(v); and (vii) any group (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the Issue Date) that includes one or more of Persons described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, provided that such Persons described in clauses (i) through (vi) above control more than 50% of the voting power of such group.

     “ Weighted Average Life to Maturity ” means, as of the date of determination with respect to any Indebtedness, the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the products of (a) the number of years from the date of determination to the date or dates of each successive scheduled principal payment and (b) the amount of each such principal payment by (2) the sum of all such principal payments.

     “ Well Participation Program ” means that certain Well Participation Program effective as of June 8, 2006 by and among the Company and certain executive officers of the Company, as in effect on the Issue Date.

     “ Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary ” means a Restricted Subsidiary all the Capital Stock of which is owned by the Company or another Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares).

      Section 1.02. Rules of Construction. (a) Unless the context otherwise requires or except as otherwise expressly provided,

     (1) the definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined;

     (2) whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms;

     (3) the words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”;

     (4) the word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”;

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     (5) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns;

     (6) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights;

     (7) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

     (8) “herein,” “hereof” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Section, Article or other subdivision;

     (9) all references to Sections or Articles or Exhibits refer to Sections or Articles or Exhibits of or to this Indenture unless otherwise indicated;

     (10) references to agreements or instruments, or to statutes or regulations, are to such agreements or instruments, or statutes or regulations, as amended from time to time (or to successor statutes and regulations); and

     (11) in the event that a transaction meets the criteria of more than one category of permitted transactions or listed exceptions the Company may classify such transaction as it, in its sole discretion, determines.

     (b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

     (c) As used herein, the term “proved reserves” has the meaning given such term from time to time and at the time in question by the Society of Petroleum Engineers of the American Institute of Mining Engineers.

     (d) Any financial ratios required to be calculated pursuant to this Indenture shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

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ARTICLE 2
The Notes

     Section 2.01. Form, Dating and Denominations; Legends. (a) The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication will be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A. The terms and provisions contained in the forms of the Notes annexed as Exhibit A constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, rules of or agreements with national securities exchanges to which the Company is subject, or usage. Each Note will be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes will be issuable in denominations of $1,000 in principal amount and any multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

     (b) (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c), Section 2.10(b)(3), (b)(5), or (c) or Section 2.09(b)(4), each Initial Note or Initial Additional Note will bear the Restricted Legend.

     (2) Each Global Note, whether or not an Initial Note or Additional Note, will bear the DTC Legend.

     (3) Initial Notes will be issued in the form of Global Notes only, except as provided in Section 2.09(b)(4).

     (4) Exchange Notes will be issued, subject to Section 2.09(b), in the form of one or more Global Notes.

(c) (1) If the Company determines (upon the advice of counsel and such other certifications and evidence as the Company may reasonably require) that a Note is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(d) under the Securities Act (or a successor provision) and that the Restricted Legend is no longer necessary or appropriate in order to ensure that subsequent transfers of the Note (or a beneficial interest therein) are effected in compliance with the Securities Act, or

     (2) after any Note bearing the Restricted Legend is

     (x) sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or otherwise, or (y) is validly tendered for exchange into an Exchange Note pursuant to an Exchange Offer

the Company may instruct the Trustee to cancel the Note and issue to the Holder thereof (or to its transferee) a new Note of like tenor and amount, registered in the name of the Holder thereof (or its transferee), that does not bear the Restricted Legend, and the Trustee will comply with such instruction.

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     (d) By its acceptance of any Note bearing the Restricted Legend (or any beneficial interest in such a Note), each Holder thereof and each owner of a beneficial interest therein acknowledges the restrictions on transfer of such Note (and any such beneficial interest) set forth in this Indenture and in the Restricted Legend and agrees that it will transfer such Note (and any such beneficial interest) only in accordance with this Indenture and such legend.

     Section 2.02. Execution and Authentication; Exchange Notes; Additional Notes. (a) An Officer shall execute the Notes for the Company by facsimile or manual signature in the name and on behalf of the Company. If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Note is authenticated, the Note will still be valid.

     (b) A Note will not be valid until the Trustee manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Note, with the signature conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.

     (c) At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Notes executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication. The Trustee will authenticate and deliver

     (i) Initial Notes for original issue in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $365,500,000,

     (ii) Initial Additional Notes from time to time for original issue in aggregate principal amounts specified, and

     (iii) Exchange Notes from time to time for issue in exchange for a like principal amount of Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes

after the following conditions have been met:

     (1) Receipt by the Trustee of an Officers’ Certificate specifying

     (A) the amount of Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated,

     (B) whether the Notes are to be Initial Notes, Additional Notes, or Exchange Notes,

     (C) in the case of Initial Additional Notes, that the issuance of such Notes does not contravene any provision of Article 4,

     (D) whether the Notes are to be issued as one or more Global Notes or Certificated Notes, and

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     (E) other information the Company may determine to include or the Trustee may reasonably request.

     (2) In the case of Exchange Notes, effectiveness of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement relating thereto and consummation of the Exchange Offer thereunder (and receipt by the Trustee of an Officers’ Certificate to that effect). Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes exchanged for Exchange Notes will be cancelled by the Trustee.

     Section 2.03. Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent; Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust. (a) The Company may appoint one or more Registrars and one or more Paying Agents, and the Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent, in which case each reference in this Indenture to the Trustee in respect of the obligations of the Trustee to be performed by that Agent will be deemed to be references to the Agent. The Company may act as Registrar or (except for purposes of Article 8) Paying Agent. In each case the Company and the Trustee will enter into an appropriate agreement with the Agent implementing the provisions of this Indenture relating to the obligations of the Trustee to be performed by the Agent and the related rights. The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying Agent.

     (b) The Company will require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes and will promptly notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and account for any funds disbursed, and the Trustee may at any time during the continuance of any payment default, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require the Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed. Upon doing so, the Paying Agent will have no further liability for the money so paid over to the Trustee.

     Section 2.04. Replacement Notes. If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or if a Holder claims that its Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Company will issue and the Trustee will authenticate a replacement Note of like terms, tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company and entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. If required by the Trustee or the Company, an indemnity must be furnished that is sufficient in the judgment of both the Trustee and the Company to protect the Company and the Trustee from any loss they may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company may charge the Holder for the expenses of the Company and the Trustee in replacing a Note. In case the mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken Note has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may pay the Note instead of issuing a replacement Note.

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     Section 2.05. Outstanding Notes. (a) Notes outstanding at any time are all Notes that have been authenticated by the Trustee except for

     (1) Notes cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to it for cancellation;

     (2) any Note which has been replaced pursuant to Section 2.04 unless and until the Trustee and the Company receive proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Note is held by a “protected purchaser” (as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York); and

     (3) on or after the maturity date or any redemption date or date for purchase of any Notes pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, those Notes payable or to be redeemed or purchased on that date for which the Trustee (or Paying Agent, other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds money sufficient to pay all amounts then due.

     (b) A Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or one of its Affiliates holds the Note, provided that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the outstanding Notes have given or taken any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action hereunder, Notes owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company will be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, (it being understood that in determining whether the Trustee is protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, only Notes which the Trustee knows to be so owned will be so disregarded). Notes so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Notes and that the pledgee is not the Company or any Affiliate of the Company.

     Section 2.06. Temporary Notes. Until definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee will authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes will be substantially in the form of definitive Notes but may have insertions, substitutions, omissions and other variations determined to be appropriate by the Officer executing the temporary Notes, as evidenced by the execution of the temporary Notes. If temporary Notes are issued, the Company will cause definitive Notes to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Notes, the temporary Notes will be exchangeable for definitive Notes upon surrender of the temporary Notes at the office or agency of the Company designated for the purpose pursuant to Section 4.02, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any temporary Notes the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Notes of authorized denominations

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and like terms and tenor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes will be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Notes.

     Section 2.07. Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold. Any Registrar or the Paying Agent will forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to it for transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee will cancel all Notes surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and dispose of them in accordance with its normal procedures or the written instructions of the Company. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has paid in full or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

     Section 2.08. CUSIP and CINS Numbers. The Company in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” and “CINS” numbers, and the Trustee will use CUSIP numbers or CINS numbers in notices of redemption or exchange or in Offers to Purchase as a convenience to Holders, the notice to state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange or Offer to Purchase. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the CUSIP or CINS numbers.

     Section 2.09. Registration, Transfer and Exchange. (a) The Notes will be issued in registered form only, without coupons, and the Company shall cause the Trustee to maintain a register (the “ Register ”) of the Notes, for registering the record ownership of the Notes by the Holders and transfers and exchanges of the Notes.

     (b) (1) Each Global Note will be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee and, so long as DTC is serving as the Depositary thereof, will bear the DTC Legend.

           (2) Each Global Note will be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for the Depositary. Transfers of a Global Note (but not a beneficial interest therein) will be limited to transfers thereof in whole, but not in part, to the Depositary, its successors or their respective nominees, except (1) as set forth in Section 2.09(b)(4) and (2) if approved by the Company in its reasonable discretion, transfers of portions thereof in the form of Certificated Notes may be made upon request of an Agent Member (for itself or on behalf of a beneficial owner) by written notice given to the Trustee by or on behalf of the Depositary in accordance with customary procedures of the Depositary and in compliance with this Section and Section 2.10.

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     (3) Agent Members will have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, any Guarantor, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee as the absolute owner and Holder of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Depositary or its nominee may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person (including any Agent Member and any Person that holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through an Agent Member) to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes, and nothing herein will impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of any security.

     (4) If (x) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for a Global Note and a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the notice or (y) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Trustee has received a request from the Depositary, the Trustee will promptly exchange each beneficial interest in a Global Note for one or more Certificated Notes in authorized denominations and of like terms and tenor having an equal aggregate principal amount registered in the name of the owner of such beneficial interest, as identified to the Trustee by the Depositary, and thereupon such Global Note will be deemed canceled. If such Note does not bear the Restricted Legend, then the Certificated Notes issued in exchange therefor will not bear the Restricted Legend. If such Note bears the Restricted Legend, then the Certificated Notes issued in exchange therefor will bear the Restricted Legend.

     (c) Each Certificated Note will be registered in the name of the holder thereof or its nominee.

     (d) A Holder may transfer a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) to another Person or exchange a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) for another Note or Notes of any authorized denomination and of like terms and tenor by presenting to the Trustee a written request therefor stating the name of the proposed transferee or requesting such an exchange, accompanied by any certification, opinion or other document required by Section 2.10. The Trustee will promptly register any transfer or exchange that meets the requirements of this Section by noting the same in the register maintained by the Trustee for the purpose; provided that

     (x) no transfer or exchange will be effectiv


 
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