PLEDGE AGREEMENT
dated as of August 8, 2008 (this “
Agreement ”), among QUICKSILVER RESOURCES INC.,
a Delaware corporation (the “ Borrower
”), the SUBSIDIARIES of the Borrower whose signatures appear
below or who become parties hereto after the date hereof as
provided in Section 7.11 (collectively, together with the
Borrower, the “ Pledgors ”) and CREDIT
SUISSE, Cayman Islands Branch (“ Credit Suisse
”), in its capacity as collateral agent for the Secured
Parties (in such capacity, together with its successors and assigns
in such capacity, the “ Collateral Agent
”). Capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the
meanings assigned to them in Article I below.
WHEREAS, the
Borrower intends to acquire (the “ Acquisition
”) certain producing, leasehold, royalty, midstream and other
assets associated with the Barnett Shale formation in
Texas.
WHEREAS, in
connection with the Acquisition, the Borrower, the Lenders and
Credit Suisse, as Administrative Agent, are entering into the
Credit Agreement, under which the Borrower may obtain Loans in an
aggregate principal amount not in excess of
$700,000,000.
WHEREAS, it is a
condition precedent to the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans
pursuant to the Credit Agreement that the Pledgors create, in favor
of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Term Secured
Parties, Liens on the Pledged Collateral as security for the
indefeasible payment in full in cash and performance of the Term
Obligations.
WHEREAS, the
Existing Senior Notes Indenture provides that the Pledgors may not
create, incur or suffer to exist Liens on the Collateral created
under the Security Documents unless such Liens are “Permitted
Liens” under and as defined in the Existing Senior Notes
Indenture or, contemporaneously with the incurrence of such Liens,
effective provision is made to secure the Existing Senior Notes
Obligations equally and ratably with the indebtedness secured by
such Liens for so long as such indebtedness is so
secured.
WHEREAS, each
Pledgor has duly authorized the execution, delivery and performance
of this Agreement.
WHEREAS, it is in
the best interests of each Pledgor to execute this Agreement
inasmuch as such Pledgor will derive substantial direct and
indirect benefits from the making of Loans to the Borrower by the
Lenders pursuant to the Credit Agreement.
NOW
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual
covenants and obligations herein set forth and for other good and
valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of which are
hereby acknowledged, and in order to induce the Lenders to make
Loans pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
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SECTION
1.01. Certain Terms . The following terms when used
in this Agreement, including its preamble and recitals, shall have
the following meanings:
“
Acquisition ” has the meaning given to such
term in the recitals.
“
Agreement ” has the meaning given to such term
in the preamble.
“
Borrower ” has the meaning given to such term
in the preamble.
“
Collateral Agent ” has the meaning given to
such term in the preamble.
“
Combined Loan Documents ” means the Loan
Documents and the Existing Senior Notes Documents.
“
Contingent Obligations ” means contingent
obligations for indemnification, expense reimbursement, tax
gross-up or yield protection as to which no claim has been
made.
“
Contribution Agreement ” means that certain
Contribution Agreement dated as of September 11, 2007, between
the Borrower and BreitBurn Operating L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented
from time to time.
“
Credit Agreement ” means the Credit Agreement
dated as of August 8, 2008, among the Borrower, the Lenders
and Credit Suisse, as Administrative Agent.
“
Credit Suisse ” has the meaning given to such
term in the preamble.
“
Discharge of First Lien Obligations ” has the
meaning given to such term in the Intercreditor
Agreement.
“
Distributions ” means all cash dividends, stock
dividends, liquidating dividends, shares of stock resulting from
(or in connection with the exercise of) stock splits,
reclassifications, warrants, options, non-cash dividends, mergers
and consolidations, and all cash distributions or other
distributions made in respect of the Pledged Interests, whether or
not income, return of capital or otherwise, and all other
distributions (whether similar or dissimilar to the foregoing) on
or with respect to any Pledged Interests or other rights or
interests constituting Pledged Collateral.
“
Existing Senior Notes Obligations ” means
Indebtedness (as defined in the Existing Senior Notes Indenture as
in effect on the date hereof) due with respect to (a) the
Existing Senior Notes and (b) the Subsidiary Guarantee (as
defined in the Existing Senior Notes Indenture as in effect on the
date hereof) of any Pledgor.
“
Existing Senior Notes Secured Parties ” has the
meaning given to the term “Holders”, as defined in the
Existing Senior Notes Indenture as in effect on the date
hereof.
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“
First Lien Collateral Agent ” has the meaning
given to such term in the Intercreditor Agreement.
“
First Lien Obligations ” has the meaning given
to such term in the Intercreditor Agreement.
“
Indemnitee ” has the meaning given to such term
in Section 7.02.
“
Intercreditor Agreement ” means the
Intercreditor Agreement dated as of August 8, 2008, among the
Borrower, the other Pledgors, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the
First Lien Collateral Agent (as defined therein), and Credit
Suisse, as the Second Lien Collateral Agent (as defined
therein).
“
Perfection Certificate ” means the Perfection
Certificate delivered by the Borrower on the date hereof pursuant
to Article IV of the Credit Agreement, together with all
schedules and attachments thereto.
“
Pledged Collateral ” has the meaning given to
such term in Section 2.01.
“
Pledged Interest Issuer ” means each Person
that is the issuer of any of the Pledged Interests.
“
Pledged Interests ” means, collectively, the
Equity Interests now owned or at any time hereafter acquired by any
Pledgor that are pledged pursuant to Section 2.01, together
with all registrations, certificates, articles or agreements
governing or representing any such Equity Interests, all options
and other rights, contractual or otherwise, at any time existing
with respect to any such Equity Interests and all distributions,
cash, instruments and other property now or hereafter received,
receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of or in exchange
for any such Equity Interests.
“
Pledged Property ” means all Pledged Interests
and all other pledged stock, partnership or membership interests
and other securities which are now being delivered by any Pledgor
to the Collateral Agent or may from time to time hereafter be
delivered by any Pledgor to the Collateral Agent for the purpose of
pledge under this Agreement, together with all proceeds of any of
the foregoing.
“
Pledgors ” has the meaning given to such term
in the preamble.
“
Public Pledged Interest Issuer ” means, at any
time, any Pledged Interest Issuer any class of the Equity Interests
in which, at such time, is listed or quoted for trading on any
nationally recognized securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation
system in the United States.
“
Quicksilver Canada Class C Shares ” means
Class C shares of common stock of Quicksilver
Canada.
“
Secured Obligations ” means, collectively, the
Term Obligations and the Existing Senior Notes
Obligations.
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“
Secured Parties ” means, collectively, the Term
Secured Parties and the Existing Senior Notes Secured
Parties.
“
Securities Act ” has the meaning given to such
term in Section 6.02(a).
“
Term Secured Parties ” means, collectively,
(a) the Lenders, (b) the Administrative Agent (including
in its capacity as the Collateral Agent hereunder), (c) each
other Person to whom any of the Term Obligations (including
indemnification obligations) is owed and (d) the successors
and assigns of each of the foregoing.
“
U.C.C. ” means the Uniform Commercial Code (or
any similar or equivalent legislation) as in effect from time to
time in the State of Texas or in any other applicable
jurisdiction.
SECTION
1.02. Terms Generally . Unless otherwise defined
herein, capitalized terms used in this Agreement, including its
preamble and recitals, have the meanings provided in the Credit
Agreement.
SECTION
1.03. U.C.C. Definitions . Unless otherwise defined
herein, terms for which meanings are provided in the U.C.C. are
used in this Agreement, including its preamble and recitals, with
such meanings.
SECTION
1.04. Rules of Construction . The rules of
construction specified in Section 1.02 of the Credit Agreement
shall also apply to this Agreement, mutatis mutandis
.
SECTION
2.01. Grant of Security Interest . Each Pledgor
hereby pledges, hypothecates, assigns, charges, mortgages, delivers
and transfers to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of each of
the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the Collateral Agent, for
the benefit of each of the Secured Parties, a continuing security
interest in all of such Pledgor’s right, title and interest,
whether now existing or hereafter arising or acquired, in and to
the following property (any and all of the following being the
“ Pledged Collateral ”): (a) all
Equity Interests now owned or at any time hereafter acquired by
such Pledgor, including the Equity Interests set forth opposite the
name of such Pledgor on Schedule I; (b) all other Pledged
Property, whether now or hereafter delivered to the Collateral
Agent in connection with this Agreement; (c) all Distributions
with respect to any Pledged Property; and (d) all proceeds of
any of the foregoing. Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, the Pledged Collateral shall not include, and the
Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties shall not have a Lien to
secure the Secured Obligations, any Equity Interests of a Foreign
Subsidiary in excess of 65% of the total combined voting power of
all classes of voting Equity Interests of such Foreign Subsidiary
and 100% of all non-voting Equity Interests of such Foreign
Subsidiary.
SECTION
2.02. Security for Secured Obligations . The Pledged
Collateral secures the indefeasible payment in full in cash and
performance of all the Secured Obligations now or hereafter
existing, whether for principal, interest, costs, fees, expenses or
otherwise.
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SECTION
2.03. Delivery of Pledged Property . (a) All
certificates or instruments representing or evidencing any Pledged
Property (other than any Equity Interests in an Inactive Subsidiary
or any Quicksilver Canada Class C Shares) shall be delivered
to the Collateral Agent (or, prior to the Discharge of First Lien
Obligations, the First Lien Collateral Agent) promptly following
the acquisition thereof by any Pledgor, shall be in suitable form
for transfer by delivery and shall be accompanied by all necessary
endorsements or instruments of transfer or assignment, undated and
duly executed in blank.
(a) To
the extent any of the Pledged Collateral constitutes a
“certificated security” (as defined in
Section 8-102(a)(4) of the U.C.C.), an “uncertificated
security” (as defined in Section 8-102(a)(18) of the U.C.C.)
or a “security entitlement” (as defined in
Section 8-102(a)(17) of the U.C.C.), the applicable Pledgor
shall cause the issuer thereof or the securities intermediary
thereof to take all actions necessary or as reasonably requested by
the Collateral Agent to grant “control” (as defined in
Section 8-106 of the U.C.C.) of such Pledged Collateral to the
Collateral Agent (or, prior to the Discharge of First Lien
Obligations, the First Lien Collateral Agent).
SECTION
2.04. Continuing Security Interest . (a) This
Agreement shall create a continuing security interest in the
Pledged Collateral, and (i) shall remain in full force and
effect until the payment in full in cash of all the Term
Obligations (other than Contingent Obligations), (ii) shall be
binding upon each Pledgor and its successors, transferees and
assigns and (iii) shall inure, together with the rights and
remedies of the Collateral Agent hereunder, to the benefit of the
Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties.
(a) Upon
the payment in full in cash of all the Term Obligations (other than
Contingent Obligations), the security interest granted herein
(including the security interest granted herein to secure the
Existing Senior Notes Obligations) shall terminate and all rights
to the Pledged Collateral shall revert to the applicable
Pledgors.
(b) The
security interests in any Pledged Collateral created hereby shall
automatically be released, and any Subsidiary that is a Pledgor
shall automatically be released from its obligations hereunder, in
each case at the time or times and in the manner and to the extent
set forth in Section 10.17 of the Credit Agreement or in the
Intercreditor Agreement.
(c) In
connection with any termination or release pursuant to this
Section 2.04, the Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver
to any Pledgor, at such Pledgor’s expense, all certificates
and instruments representing or evidencing all Pledged Interests,
together with all other Pledged Collateral, held by the Collateral
Agent hereunder, and shall execute and deliver to any Pledgor, at
such Pledgor’s expense, documents that such Pledgor shall
reasonably request to evidence such termination or release. Any
execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this paragraph
shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Collateral
Agent.
SECTION
2.05. Security Interest Absolute . All rights of the
Collateral Agent hereunder and the security interests granted to
the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties,
hereunder and all obligations of the Pledgors hereunder shall be
absolute and unconditional, irrespective of (a) any lack of
validity, legality or enforceability of the Credit Agreement or any
other Combined Loan Document; (b) the failure of any Secured
Party (i) to
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assert any
claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the
Borrower, any other Pledgor or any other Person under the
provisions of the Credit Agreement, any Combined Loan Document or
otherwise or (ii) to exercise any right or remedy against any
other guarantor of, or collateral securing, any Secured
Obligations; (c) any change in the time, manner or place of
payment of, or in any other term of, any Secured Obligations or any
other extension, compromise or renewal of any Secured Obligations;
(d) any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination of
any Secured Obligations for any reason, including any claim of
waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not
be subject to (and each Pledgor hereby waives, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, any right to or claim of) any defense
or setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by
reason of the invalidity, illegality, nongenuineness, irregularity,
compromise, or unenforceability of, or any other event or
occurrence affecting, any Secured Obligations; (e) any
amendment to, rescission, waiver, or other modification of, or any
consent to departure from, any of the terms of the Credit Agreement
or any other Combined Loan Document; (f) any addition, exchange,
release, surrender, or non-perfection of any collateral (including
the Pledged Collateral), or any amendment to or waiver or release
of or addition to or consent to departure from any guarantee, for
any of the Secured Obligations; or (g) any other circumstances
which would otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a legal
or equitable discharge of, the Borrower, any other Pledgor, any
surety or any guarantor in respect of any Secured Obligations or
this Agreement.
SECTION
2.06. Election of Remedies . If any Secured Party
may, under applicable law, proceed to realize its benefits under
this Agreement, any other Security Document or otherwise, either by
judicial foreclosure or by non-judicial sale or enforcement, such
Secured Party may, at its sole option, determine which of its
remedies or rights it may pursue without affecting any of the
rights and remedies for its benefit under this Agreement (it being
understood and agreed that nothing in this Section 2.06 shall
limit the provisions of Section 5.02 of the Security
Agreement). If, in the exercise of any of its rights and remedies,
any Secured Party shall forfeit any of the rights or remedies for
its benefit, including its right to enter a deficiency judgment
against any Pledgor or any other Person, whether because of any
applicable laws pertaining to “election of remedies” or
the like, each Pledgor hereby consents to such action by such
Secured Party and waives any claim based upon such action, even if
such action by such Secured Party shall result in a full or partial
loss of any rights of subrogation that such Pledgor might otherwise
have had but for such action by such Secured Party.
Representations and
Warranties
Each
Pledgor represents and warrants to the Collateral Agent, for the
benefit of the Secured Parties, as at the date of each pledge and
delivery hereunder (including each pledge and delivery of Pledged
Interests) by such Pledgor to the Collateral Agent of any Pledged
Collateral, as set forth in this Article III.
SECTION
3.01. Perfection Certificate . The information set
forth in the Perfection Certificate, including the exact legal name
of each Pledgor, is correct and complete as of the date
hereof.
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SECTION
3.02. Valid Security Interest . The security
interests granted pursuant to Section 2.01, upon completion of
the filings and other actions specified on Schedule II to this
Agreement (which, in the case of all filings and other documents
referred to on said Schedule, have been delivered to the Collateral
Agent in completed and, if applicable, duly executed form), will
constitute valid, perfected, first priority security interests
(subject, with respect to priority, to the priority of Liens
securing the First Lien Obligations as set forth in the
Intercreditor Agreement and to Permitted Encumbrances that have
priority as a matter of law) in all of the Pledged Collateral in
favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured
Parties, as collateral security for the Secured
Obligations.
SECTION
3.03. As to Pledged Interests . The Pledged Interests
are duly recorded in the records of the applicable Pledged Interest
Issuer (if a Subsidiary) and clearly show the Collateral
Agent’s security interest, for the benefit of the Secured
Parties, and such registration is maintained in the principal
office of such Pledged Interest Issuer and remains valid and in
effect. All Pledged Interests constituting Equity Interests have
been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable, and no Pledged Interests were issued in violation
of the preemptive rights, if any, of any Person or of any agreement
by which any Pledgor is bound. All documentary, stamp or other
taxes or fees owing in connection with the registration, issuance,
transfer or pledge of any Pledged Collateral (if any) have been
paid. No restrictions or conditions exist with respect to the
registration, transfer, voting or control of any Pledged Interests,
except restrictions or conditions imposed by (a) applicable
law or pursuant to the Loan Documents, (b) any First Lien Loan
Documents as in effect on the date hereof (or any successor
definitive documentation for any First Lien Permitted Indebtedness,
provided that the restrictions and conditions contained in
any such successor definitive documentation are not materially less
favorable to the Lenders, taken as a whole, than the restrictions
and conditions imposed by the First Lien Loan Documents as in
effect on the date hereof), (c) restrictions and conditions
imposed by any definitive agreements governing or evidencing any of
the Existing Notes as in effect on the date hereof (or any
definitive agreement governing or evidencing any Refinancing
Indebtedness in respect of any of the Existing Notes,
provided that the restrictions and conditions contained in
any such definitive agreements are not materially less favorable to
the Lenders, taken as a whole, than the restrictions and conditions
imposed by the definitive agreements governing or evidencing such
Existing Notes as in effect on the date hereof), (d) in
respect of Equity Interests in any Subsidiary, customary
restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the
sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided that such
restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to
be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, and
(e) restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof
and identified on Schedule 7.14 to the Credit Agreement (but
not any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification
expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition). All
requisite formalities for the granting of a security interest in
the Pledged Interests required pursuant to the Organic Documents of
any Pledgor or any Pledged Interest Issuer have been complied with
on or prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement.
SECTION
3.04. Certificated Nature of Equity Interests . All
Pledged Interests that are Equity Interests represented by
certificates or instruments (other than any Equity Interests in an
Inactive Subsidiary or any Quicksilver Canada Class C Shares)
have been delivered to the Collateral Agent (or, prior to the
Discharge of First Lien Obligations, the First Lien Collateral
Agent), together with transfer documents as required in this
Agreement (and each
8
Pledgor
covenants and agrees that any certificates or instruments
evidencing any such Equity Interests received by such Pledgor
hereafter (other than any Equity Interests in an Inactive
Subsidiary or any Quicksilver Canada Class C Shares) will be
held in trust for the Collateral Agent and promptly delivered to
the Collateral Agent (or, prior to the Discharge of First Lien
Obligations, the First Lien Collateral Agent)).
SECTION
3.05. Reaffirmation of Representations and Warranties
. All of the representations and warranties made by the Borrower
regarding any Pledgor or Subsidiaries of any Pledgor in the Credit
Agreement or in any other Loan Document are true and correct in all
respects as if such representations and warranties were
incorporated herein in their entirety and made by such Pledgor
(except with respect to such representations and warranties which
expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case such
representations and warranties are true and correct in all respects
as of such earlier date).
Each
Pledgor covenants and agrees that, so long as any Term Obligations
(other than Contingent Obligations) shall remain unpaid, such
Pledgor will, unless the Required Lenders shall otherwise consent
in writing and subject to the Intercreditor Agreement, perform the
obligations set forth in this Article IV.
SECTION
4.01. Protect Collateral; Further Assurances, etc .
Except as permitted by the Combined Loan Documents, the Pledgors
will not sell, assign (by operation of law or otherwise), transfer,
pledge, encumber in any other manner or otherwise dispose of the
Pledged Collateral. Each Pledgor will warrant and defend the right
and title (subject to Permitted Encumbrances) herein granted unto
the Collateral Agent in and to the Pledged Collateral against the
claims and demands of all Persons whomsoever. Each Pledgor agrees
that at any time, and from time to time, at the reasonable expense
of such Pledgor, such Pledgor will promptly execute and/or deliver
all further instruments, and take all further action that may be
reasonably necessary or desirable, or that the Collateral Agent may
reasonably request, in order to perfect, preserve or protect any
security interest granted or purported to be granted hereby by such
Pledgor, or to enable the Collateral Agent to exercise and enforce
its rights and remedies hereunder with respect to any Pledged
Collateral of such Pledgor. Each Pledgor agrees that, upon the
acquisition after the date hereof by such Pledgor of any Pledged
Collateral with respect to which the security interest granted
hereunder is not perfected automatically upon such acquisition, to
take such actions with respect to such Pledged Collateral or any
part thereof as required by the Loan Documents.
SECTION
4.02. Certificates; Certification of Limited Partnership
Interests, etc . (a) Each Pledgor agrees that all
certificates and instruments evidencing Pledged Interests delivered
by such Pledgor pursuant to this Agreement will be accompanied by
duly executed undated blank transfer powers, in substantially the
form attached hereto as Exhibit I, or other equivalent
instruments of transfer reasonably acceptable to the Collateral
Agent. Each Pledgor will, from time to time upon the reasonable
request of the Collateral Agent, promptly deliver to the Collateral
Agent duly executed undated blank transfer powers in substantially
the form
9
attached hereto
as Exhibit I or such other form acceptable to the Collateral
Agent, and similar documents, reasonably satisfactory in form and
substance to the Collateral Agent, with respect to the Pledged
Property as the Collateral Agent may request and will, from time to
time upon the request of the Collateral Agent after the occurrence
and during the continuance of any Event of Default, promptly
transfer any Pledged Interests into the name of any nominee
designated by the Collateral Agent.
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