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REGISTRATION RIGHTS, STANDSTILL AND VOTING AGREEMENT

Statute of Limitations Tolling Agreement

REGISTRATION RIGHTS, STANDSTILL AND VOTING AGREEMENT | Document Parties: Weatherford International Ltd., | Precision Drilling Corporation, You are currently viewing:
This Statute of Limitations Tolling Agreement involves

Weatherford International Ltd., | Precision Drilling Corporation,

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Title: REGISTRATION RIGHTS, STANDSTILL AND VOTING AGREEMENT
Governing Law: New York     Date: 9/7/2005
Industry: Oil Well Services and Equipment    

REGISTRATION RIGHTS, STANDSTILL AND VOTING AGREEMENT, Parties: weatherford international ltd.  , precision drilling corporation
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Exhibit 4.1

REGISTRATION RIGHTS, STANDSTILL AND VOTING AGREEMENT

     This REGISTRATION RIGHTS, STANDSTILL AND VOTING AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), dated as of August 31, 2005, is by and between Precision Drilling Corporation, an Alberta corporation (“ Precision ”) and Weatherford International Ltd., a Bermuda exempted company (“ Weatherford ”). Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in Section 7 below. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meaning ascribed to them in the Stock Purchase Agreement (as hereinafter defined).

RECITALS :

     WHEREAS, Precision and Weatherford have entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of June 6, 2005 (the “ Stock Purchase Agreement ”), that provides, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, for the purchase by Weatherford of 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of certain subsidiaries of Precision (the “ Stock Purchase ”);

     WHEREAS, as part of the consideration to be paid in the Stock Purchase, Precision will acquire 26,000,000 common shares (the “ Acquired Shares ”), par value $1.00 per share, of Weatherford (the “ Common Shares ”), which Common Shares is listed on the New York Stock Exchange;

     WHEREAS, in order to induce Precision to consummate the transactions under the Stock Purchase Agreement, Weatherford has agreed to provide certain registration rights on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;

     WHEREAS, in order to induce Weatherford to consummate the transactions under the Stock Purchase Agreement, Precision has agreed to be bound by certain standstill and voting provisions on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein; and

     WHEREAS, it is a condition to the closing of the transactions under the Stock Purchase Agreement that Precision and Weatherford enter into this Agreement;

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

SECTION 1. REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

 

1.1

 

Registration.

     As promptly as possible after the date that Precision gives Weatherford notice of Precision’s intent to distribute all of the Registrable Shares to its shareholders pro rata either as a dividend or pursuant to a distribution that is not exempt under the Securities Act and is not a distribution of exempted securities (within the meaning of the Securities Act), and in any event prior to the date that is thirty (30) business days following the date of any such notice, Weatherford shall prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) a

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Registration Statement on the appropriate form for the purpose of registering under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Shares for distribution by Precision to its shareholders in the manner as set forth in such notice (the “ Registration Statement ”). The registration effected pursuant to this Section l.1 is referred to herein as the “ Registration .” Weatherford agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective as soon as practicable after the filing thereof with the SEC. Weatherford shall keep the Registration Statement effective (including through the filing of any required post-effective amendments) until the earlier to occur of (i) the date after which all of the Registrable Shares registered thereunder shall have been distributed by Precision pro rata as a dividend to the shareholders of Precision and (ii) 60 days after the effective date of the Registration Statement; provided, that such date shall be extended by the amount of time of any period during which Precision may not use the Registration Statement pursuant to the terms of Section 1.2(e) below or as a result of a breach by Weatherford of its obligations hereunder. Thereafter, Weatherford shall be entitled to withdraw the Registration Statement and, upon such withdrawal, Precision shall have no further right to distribute any of the Registrable Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement (or any prospectus relating thereto).

      1.2 Registration Procedures. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, whenever any Registrable Securities are required to be registered pursuant to this Agreement, Weatherford shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration and the sale or distribution of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof, and pursuant thereto Weatherford shall as expeditiously as practicable:

 

(a)

 

promptly prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement with respect to such Registrable Securities (and any amendment, including any post-effective amendment, to such registration statement Weatherford deems to be necessary) and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act applicable to it (provided that before filing a registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, Weatherford shall furnish to counsel for Precision copies of all such documents proposed to be filed so as to provide Precision and its counsel a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on such documents, and such documents shall be subject to the review and comment of Precision and its counsel);

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

 

furnish to Precision such number of copies of such registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus) and such other documents as Precision may reasonably request in order to facilitate the distribution of the Registrable Securities owned by Precision to its shareholders pro rata as a dividend;

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

 

make such filings of the preliminary and final prospectus, and any amended or supplemented prospectus, as may be required under Rule 424 and keep the registration statement with respect to such Registrable Securities effective for the time periods specified in Section 1.1 in order to permit the prospectus forming a

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part thereof to be usable for the offer and sale or distribution of the Registrable Securities owned by Precision to its shareholders pro rata as a dividend;

 

 

 

 

 

(d)

 

use its reasonable best efforts to register or qualify such Registrable Securities under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as Precision (or any other holder whose securities are included in a registration statement on which Registrable Securities are registered) reasonably requests and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable Precision to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities owned by Precision (provided that Weatherford shall not be required to (i) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this subsection, (ii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction or (iii) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction);

 

 

 

 

 

(e)

 

notify Precision, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (i) when a registration statement or any post-effective amendment has become effective under the Securities Act, (ii) of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration statement contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits any fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (whereupon Precision shall immediately cease any offers, sales or other distribution of Registrable Securities thereunder), and, at the request of Precision, Weatherford shall prepare a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the shareholders of Precision in connection with the distribution of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (iii) of the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a registration statement, or of any order suspending or preventing the use of any related prospectus or suspending the qualification of any of the Registrable Securities included in such registration statement for sale or distribution in any jurisdiction;

 

 

 

 

 

(f)

 

cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by Weatherford are then listed and, if not so listed, to be listed on a securities exchange or on the NASD automated quotation system and, if listed on the NASD automated quotation system, use its reasonable best efforts to secure designation of all such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement as a NASDAQ “national market system security” within the meaning of Rule 11Aa2-1 of the Exchange Act or, failing that, to secure NASDAQ authorization for such Registrable Securities;

 

 

 

 

 

(g)

 

provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of such registration statement;

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(h)

 

otherwise use its reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earning statement covering the period of at least twelve months beginning with the first day of Weatherford’s first full fiscal quarter after the effective date of the registration statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder;

 

 

 

 

 

(i)

 

permit Precision, if Precision is an underwriter or controlling person of Weatherford, to participate in the preparation of such registration or comparable statement and to require the insertion therein of material relating to the Precision or the plan of distribution of the Registrable Securities, furnished to Weatherford in writing, which in the reasonable judgment of Precision and its counsel should be included;

 

 

 

 

 

(j)

 

in the event of the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a registration statement, or of any order suspending or preventing the use of any related prospectus or suspending the qualification of any Registrable Securities included in such registration statement for sale or distribution in any jurisdiction, Weatherford shall use its reasonable best efforts promptly to obtain the withdrawal of such order and shall prepare and file an amended or supplemented prospectus, if required; and

 

 

 

 

 

(k)

 

use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable Precision to consummate the distribution of such Registrable Securities to its shareholders pro rata as a dividend.

 

1.3

 

Expenses.

 

 

(a)

 

Registration Expenses. All Registration Expenses shall be borne by Weatherford.

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

 

Selling Expenses. All fees and expenses of counsel for Precision, state securities or blue sky fees and expenses, fees and expenses of Precision’s transfer agent, and any broker or dealer discounts or commissions attributable to the sale or distribution of Registrable Securities shall be borne solely by Precision.

SECTION 2. LOCKUP AGREEMENT.

      2.1 Except for distributions by Precision to its shareholders pro rata either as a dividend or other distribution method pursuant to the Registration Statement, Precision hereby agrees to not effect any public sale or distribution (including any sales pursuant to Rule 144) of equity securities of Weatherford, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities, during the seven days prior to and the 90-day period beginning on the effective date of any underwritten registered public offering of equity securities of Weatherford or securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for equity securities of Weatherford (except as part of such underwritten registration), unless the underwriters managing

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the registered public offering otherwise agree, and Precision will deliver an undertaking to the managing underwriters (if requested) consistent with this covenant. Precision shall not be obligated to comply the provisions of this Section 2.1 more than two times in any 12-month period.

SECTION 3. INDEMNIFICATION.

      3.1 Indemnification by Weatherford. Weatherford agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, Precision, its officers and directors and each Person who controls Precision (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses caused by any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in any registration statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus, or any amendment thereof


 
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