Exhibit 1.1
TEPPCO PARTNERS, L.P.
$250,000,000 5.90% Senior Notes due 2013
$350,000,000 6.65% Senior Notes due 2018
$400,000,000 7.55% Senior Notes due 2038
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
March 24, 2008
UBS
Securities LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.
Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC,
As
Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I attached hereto,
c/o UBS
Securities LLC
677 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, CT 06901
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
TEPPCO Partners, L.P.,
a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership
”), proposes to issue and sell to the underwriters listed on
Schedule I hereto (collectively, the “
Underwriters ”) (i) $250,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of the Partnership’s 5.90% Senior Notes due 2013 (the
“ 2013 Notes ”), (ii) $350,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of the Partnership’s 6.65% Senior Notes due
2018 (the “ 2018 Notes ”) and (iii) $400,000,000
aggregate principal amount of the Partnership’s 7.55% Senior
Notes due 2038 (the “ 2038 Notes ,” and together
with the 2013 Notes and the 2018 Notes, the “ Notes
”), as set forth on Schedule I hereto. The Notes
are to be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior
unsecured basis pursuant to guarantees (the “
Guarantees ,” and together with the Notes, the “
Securities ”) by TE Products Pipeline Company, LLC,
a Texas limited liability company (“ TE Products
Pipeline ”), TCTM, L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership (“ TCTM ”), TEPPCO Midstream
Companies, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“
TEPPCO Midstream ”), and Val Verde Gas Gathering
Company, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“ Val
Verde ” and, together with TE Products Pipeline, TCTM and
TEPPCO Midstream, the “ Subsidiary Guarantors
”).
The 2013 Notes are to be issued under
the Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2002 (the “
Base Indenture ”), among the Partnership, as issuer,
TE Products Pipeline, TCTM, TEPPCO Midstream and Jonah Gas
Gathering Company, a Wyoming general partnership (“
Jonah Gas ”), or their predecessors, as subsidiary
guarantors, and U.S. Bank National Association, as successor
trustee to Wachovia Bank, National Association and First Union
National Bank (such successor trustee being referred to herein as
the “ Trustee ”), as previously amended by the
Full Release of Guarantee, dated as of July 31, 2006, pursuant
to which Jonah Gas was fully released and discharged from all
obligations in connection with the Indenture (the “ Full
Release of Guarantee ”), and as shall be amended and
supplemented by the Fifth Supplemental Indenture thereto, to be
dated as of the Delivery Date; the 2018 Notes are to be issued
under the Base
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Indenture, as previously amended by the Full Release of Guarantee,
and as shall be amended and supplemented by the Sixth Supplemental
Indenture thereto, to be dated as of the Delivery Date; and the
2038 Notes are to be issued under the Base Indenture, as previously
amended by the Full Release of Guarantee, and as shall be amended
and supplemented by the Seventh Supplemental Indenture thereto, to
be dated as of the Delivery Date. Such Fifth Supplemental
Indenture, Sixth Supplemental Indenture and Seventh Supplemental
Indenture are referred to collectively as the “
Supplemental Indentures .” The Base Indenture as
amended and supplemented by the Full Release of Guarantee and the
Supplemental Indentures as of the Delivery Date is referred to
herein as the “ Indenture .”
Texas Eastern Products Pipeline
Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, is the
general partner of the Partnership and is referred to herein as the
“ General Partner .” TEPPCO GP, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation, is (x) the sole general partner
of TCTM and (y) the sole managing member of TE Products
Pipeline and TEPPCO Midstream, and is referred to herein as “
TEPPCO GP .” TEPPCO NGL Pipeline, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company, is the general partner of Val Verde and
is referred to herein as “ TEPPCO NGL Pipelines
.” In this Agreement, (i) TEPPCO GP and TEPPCO NGL
Pipelines are referred to collectively as the “ Subsidiary
General Partners ,” (ii) the Partnership and the
Subsidiary Guarantors are referred to collectively as the “
Obligors ,” (iii) the Obligors, the General
Partner and the Subsidiary General Partners are referred to
collectively as the “ TEPPCO Parties .”
This is to confirm the agreement
among the TEPPCO Parties and the Underwriters concerning the
purchase of the Securities from the Partnership by the
Underwriters.
1. Representations,
Warranties and Agreements of the TEPPCO Parties . Each of
the TEPPCO Parties jointly and severally represents and warrants
to, and agrees with, the Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on
Form S-3 (File No. 333-110207) relating to the Securities (i)
has been prepared by the Obligors pursuant to the requirements of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities
Act ”), and the rules and regulations (the “
Rules and Regulations ”) of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”)
thereunder; (ii) has been filed with the Commission under the
Securities Act; and (iii) is effective under the Securities
Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment
thereto have been made available by the Obligors to you as the
representatives (the “ Representatives ”) of the
Underwriters. As used in this Agreement:
(i) “ Applicable Time
” means 5:11 p.m. (New York City time) on the date of
this Agreement;
(ii) “ Base Prospectus
” means the base prospectus included in the Registration
Statement at the Applicable Time;
(iii) “ Disclosure
Package ” means (i) the Base Prospectus,
(ii) the Preliminary Prospectus as amended or supplemented as
of the Applicable Time, (iii) the Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto,
and (iv) the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to
Section 5(b) of this Agreement;
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(iv) “ Effective Date
” means any date as of which any part of such registration
statement relating to the Securities became, or is deemed to have
become, effective under the Securities Act in accordance with the
Rules and Regulations;
(v) “ Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus ” means each “free writing
prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and
Regulations) or “issuer free writing prospectus” (as
defined in Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations) prepared by
or on behalf of the Partnership or the Subsidiary Guarantors or
used or referred to by the Partnership or the Subsidiary Guarantors
in connection with the offering of the Securities (including,
without limitation, the electronic road show posted on
www.netroadshow.com on March 24, 2008 and any other
road show prepared by or on behalf of the Partnership or the
Subsidiary Guarantors or used or referred to by the Partnership or
the Subsidiary Guarantors in connection with the offering of the
Securities that is a free writing prospectus under Rule 433);
(vi) “ Preliminary
Prospectus ” means any preliminary prospectus relating to
the Securities included in such registration statement or filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations, including the Base Prospectus and any preliminary
prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Securities;
(vii) “ Prospectus
” means the final prospectus relating to the Securities,
including the Base Prospectus and any prospectus supplement thereto
relating to the Securities, as filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations; and
(viii) “ Registration
Statement ” means, collectively, the various parts of the
registration statement referred to in this Section 1(a), each
as amended as of the Effective Date for such part, including any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and all exhibits to such
registration statement.
Any
reference to any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any
documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-3
under the Securities Act as of the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, or in the case of
the Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time. Any reference to
the “ most recent Preliminary Prospectus ” shall
be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in
the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) on or
prior to the date hereof. Any reference to any amendment or
supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “
Exchange Act ”), after the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated
by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as
the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to include the most recent
annual report of the Partnership on Form 10-K filed with the
Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act
after the original Effective Date that is incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement. The Commission has not issued any
order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination for such
purpose
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has been
instituted or, to the Partnership’s knowledge, threatened by
the Commission. The Commission has not notified any of the TEPPCO
Parties of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration
Statement.
(b) Well-Known Seasoned
Issuer and Not an Ineligible Issuer . The Partnership is a
“well known seasoned issuer” (as defined in
Rule 405 under the Securities Act), including not having been
an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405
under the Securities Act) at any such time or date. The
Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding
or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act,
and the Partnership is not the subject of a pending proceeding
under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the
offering of the Notes.
(c) Form of Documents .
The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all
material respects on each Effective Date and on the Delivery Date,
and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the
date hereof will conform in all material respects when filed, to
the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and
the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects when filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) to the requirements of
the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The documents
incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus conformed, and any further documents so incorporated
will conform, when filed with the Commission, in all material
respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities
Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform
in all material respects to the requirements applicable to them
under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “
Trust Indenture Act ”).
(d) Registration
Statement . The Registration Statement did not, as of each
Effective Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
provided that no representation or warranty is made as to
information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on
behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which
information is specified in Section 8(b).
(e) Prospectus . The
Prospectus will not, as of its date and on the Delivery Date,
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; provided that no
representation or warranty is made as to information contained in
or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Partnership through the
Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for
inclusion therein, which information is specified in
Section 8(b).
(f) Documents Incorporated
by Reference . The documents incorporated by reference in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus did not, and any further
documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not,
when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or
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necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(g) Disclosure Package .
The Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; provided that no
representation or warranty is made as to information contained in
or omitted from the Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership
through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriters
specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified
in Section 8(b).
(h) Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus and Disclosure Package . Each Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, when considered together with the Disclosure Package as
of the Applicable Time, did not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is
made as to information contained in or omitted from any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Partnership through the
Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriters specifically
for inclusion therein, which information is specified in
Section 8(b).
(i) Each Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus . Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or
will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the
Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations on the date of first
use, and the Obligors have complied with any filing requirements
applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the
Rules and Regulations. No TEPPCO Party has made any offer relating
to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus without the prior written consent of the
Representatives, except as set forth on Schedule IV
hereto. The Obligors have retained in accordance with the Rules and
Regulations all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not
required to be filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations (it
being understood that, as of the date hereof, the Partnership and
the Subsidiary Guarantors have not retained any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus for the three year period required thereby). Each Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus does not and will not include any
information that conflicts with the information contained in the
Registration Statement or the Disclosure Package, including any
document incorporated therein and any prospectus supplement deemed
to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The
foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions
from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the TEPPCO Parties
by the Underwriters through the Representatives specifically for
inclusion therein, which information consists solely of the
information specified in Section 8(b).
(j) Formation and
Qualification of the Partnership Entities . Each of the TEPPCO
Parties and the other subsidiaries of the Partnership listed on
Schedule III hereto (each, a “ Partnership
Entity ” and collectively, the “ Partnership
Entities ”) has been duly formed or incorporated, as the
case may be, and is validly existing in good standing under the
laws of its respective jurisdiction of formation or incorporation,
as the case may be, with all corporate, limited liability company
or partnership, as the case may be, power and authority necessary
to
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own or
hold its properties and conduct the businesses in which it is
engaged and, in the case of the General Partner, TEPPCO NGL
Pipelines and TEPPCO GP, to act as general partner or sole managing
member, as applicable, of the Partnership, Val Verde and the other
Subsidiary Guarantors, respectively, in each case in all material
respects as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus. Each Partnership Entity is duly
registered or qualified to do business and is in good standing as a
foreign corporation, limited liability company or limited
partnership, as the case may be, in each jurisdiction in which its
ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses
requires such qualification or registration, except where the
failure to so qualify or register would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or
prospects of the Partnership Entities taken as a whole (a “
Material Adverse Effect ”) or subject the limited
partners of the Partnership to any material liability or
disability.
(k) Ownership of General
Partner . Enterprise GP Holdings L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership (“ EPE ”), owns 100% of the issued
and outstanding membership interests in the General Partner; such
membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued
in accordance with the limited liability company agreement of the
General Partner, as amended and/or restated on or prior to the date
hereof (the “ GP LLC Agreement ”); and EPE owns
such membership interests free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or claims other
than those in favor of lenders of EPE.
(l) Ownership of General
Partner Interest in the Partnership . The General Partner is
the sole general partner of the Partnership with a 1.999999%
general partner interest in the Partnership (including the right to
receive Incentive Distributions (as defined in the Partnership
Agreement) (the “ Incentive Distribution Rights
”)); such general partner interest has been duly authorized
and validly issued in accordance with the agreement of limited
partnership of the Partnership, as amended and/or restated on or
prior to the date hereof (the “ Partnership Agreement
”); and the General Partner owns such general partner
interest free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security
interests, equities, charges or claims.
(m) Ownership of the TEPPCO
GP . The Partnership owns 100% of the issued and outstanding
capital stock of TEPPCO GP; such capital stock has been duly
authorized and validly issued in accordance with the bylaws of
TEPPCO GP, as amended or restated on or prior to the date hereof
(the “ TEPPCO GP Bylaws ”), and the certificate
of incorporation of TEPPCO GP, as amended and restated on or prior
to the date hereof (the “ TEPPCO GP Certificate of
Incorporation ”), and is fully paid and non-assessable;
and the Partnership owns such capital stock free and clear of all
liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or
claims.
(n) Ownership of TE Products
Pipeline, TCTM and TEPPCO Midstream . (i) TEPPCO GP is
(x) the sole general partner of TCTM (with a 0.001% general
partner interest in TCTM) and (y) the sole managing member of
TE Products Pipeline and TEPPCO Midstream (with a 0.001% membership
interest in each of TE Products Pipeline and TEPPCO Midstream);
each such general partner or membership interest has been duly
authorized and validly issued in accordance with the agreement of
limited partnership or limited liability company agreement, as
applicable, of each of TE Products Pipeline, TCTM and TEPPCO
Midstream, in each case as amended and/or restated on or prior to
the date hereof (collectively, the “ TE Products Pipeline,
TCTM and TEPPCO Midstream Agreements ”); and TEPPCO GP
owns each such general
6
partner
or membership interest free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
security interests, equities, charges or claims; and (ii) the
Partnership is (x) the sole limited partner of TCTM and
(y) the sole non-managing member of TE Products Pipeline and
TEPPCO Midstream; each such limited partner or membership interest
has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the
applicable TE Products Pipeline, TCTM and TEPPCO Midstream
Agreement and is fully paid (to the extent required under the
applicable TE Products Pipeline, TCTM and TEPPCO Midstream
Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may
be affected by Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware
Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “ Delaware LP
Act ”), Section 101.206 of the Texas Business
Organizations Code and as otherwise described in the Prospectus);
and the Partnership owns such limited partner and membership
interests free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security
interests, equities, charges or claims.
(o) Ownership of TEPPCO NGL
Pipelines . TEPPCO Midstream owns 100% of the issued and
outstanding membership interests in TEPPCO NGL Pipelines; such
membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued
in accordance with the limited liability company agreement of
TEPPCO NGL Pipelines, as amended and/or restated on or prior to the
date hereof (the “ TEPPCO NGL Pipelines Agreement
”); and TEPPCO Midstream owns such membership interests free
and clean of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities,
charges or claims other than those in favor of lenders of TEPPCO
Midstream.
(p) Ownership of Val
Verde . (i) TEPPCO NGL Pipelines is the sole general
partner of Val Verde with a 0.001% general partner interest in Val
Verde; such general partner interest has been duly authorized and
validly issued in accordance with the agreement of limited
partnership of Val Verde, as amended and/or restated on or prior to
the date hereof (the “ Val Verde Partnership
Agreement ”) (the Val Verde Partnership Agreement and the
TE Products Pipeline, TCTM and TEPPCO Midstream Agreements,
collectively, the “ Subsidiary Guarantor Agreements
”); and TEPPCO NGL Pipelines owns such general partner
interest free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security
interests, equities, charges or claims; and (ii) TEPPCO
Midstream is the sole limited partner of Val Verde with a 99.999%
limited partner interest in Val Verde; such limited partner
interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance
with the Val Verde Partnership Agreement and is fully paid (to the
extent required under the Val Verde Partnership Agreement) and
non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by
Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act and as
otherwise described in the Prospectus); and TEPPCO Midstream owns
such limited partner interest free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or
claims.
(q) No Registration
Rights . Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor
the offering of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement
gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any
securities of the Partnership, the Subsidiary Guarantors or any of
the other subsidiaries of the Partnership listed on
Schedule III hereto (the “ Non-guarantor
Subsidiaries ”), except such rights as have been
waived.
(r) Authority . Each of
the TEPPCO Parties has all requisite power and authority to execute
and deliver this Agreement and to perform its respective
obligations hereunder, and the Obligors have all requisite power
and authority to execute and deliver the Base Indenture and the
Supplemental Indentures and to perform their respective obligations
thereunder. The Obligors
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have all
requisite power and authority to issue, sell and deliver the Notes
and the Guarantees, respectively, in accordance with and upon the
terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Partnership
Agreement, the Subsidiary Guarantor Agreements, the Indenture, the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and Prospectus. All
action required to be taken by the TEPPCO Parties or any of their
security holders, partners or members for (i) the due and
proper authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the Indenture, (ii) the authorization, issuance, sale and
delivery of the Securities and (iii) the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby has been duly and
validly taken.
(s) Ownership of
Non-guarantor Subsidiaries . All of the outstanding shares of
capital stock, partnership interests or membership interests, as
the case may be, of each of the Non-guarantor Subsidiaries have
been duly and validly authorized and issued, and are fully paid and
non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by
(i) Section 17-607 of the Delaware LP Act, in the case of
partnership interests in a Delaware limited partnership, (ii)
Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act, in the case of
membership interests in a Delaware limited liability company,
(iii) Section 101.206 of the Texas Business Organizations
Code, in the case of membership interests in a Texas limited
liability company, and (iv) except as otherwise disclosed in
the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). Except as described in
the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Partnership and/or
the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, directly or
indirectly, owns the shares of capital stock, partnership interests
or membership interests in each of the Non-guarantor Subsidiaries
as set forth on Schedule III hereto free and clear of
all liens, encumbrances (other than contractual restrictions on
transfer contained in the applicable constituent documents),
security interests, equities, charges, claims or restrictions upon
voting or any other claim of any third party. None of the TEPPCO
Parties has any subsidiaries other than as set forth on
Schedule III hereto that would be deemed to be a
“ significant subsidiary ” as such term is
defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
(t) Authorization, Execution
and Delivery of Agreement . This Agreement has been duly
authorized and validly executed and delivered by each of the TEPPCO
Parties.
(u) Authorization, Execution
and Enforceability of Agreements . (i) the Partnership
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
General Partner and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the
General Partner, enforceable against the General Partner in
accordance with its terms; (ii) the TE Products Pipeline, TCTM
and TEPPCO Midstream Agreements have been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by TEPPCO GP and are valid and legally binding
agreements of TEPPCO GP, enforceable against TEPPCO GP in
accordance with their terms; (iii) the TEPPCO NGL Pipelines
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
TEPPCO Midstream and is a valid and legally binding agreement of
TEPPCO Midstream, enforceable against TEPPCO Midstream in
accordance with its terms; and (iv) the Val Verde Partnership
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
TEPPCO NGL Pipelines and is a valid and legally binding agreement
of TEPPCO NGL Pipelines, enforceable against TEPPCO NGL Pipelines
in accordance with its terms; provided that, with respect to
each such agreement listed in this paragraph, the enforceability
thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to
or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general
principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
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(v) Enforceability of
Indenture . The Base Indenture has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by (i) the Partnership, (ii) the
predecessor of TE Products Pipeline, (iii) TCTM and (iv) the
predecessor of TEPPCO Midstream. Each of the Supplemental
Indentures has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each
of the Obligors. The execution and delivery of, and the performance
by the Obligors of their respective obligations under the Indenture
have been duly and validly authorized by each of the Obligors.
Assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the
Trustee, the Indenture when executed and delivered by the Obligors,
will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the
Obligors, enforceable against the Obligors in accordance with its
terms; provided that, the enforceability thereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or
affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general
principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). The Indenture is
duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.
(w) Valid Issuance of the
Notes . The Notes have been duly authorized for issuance and
sale to the Underwriters, and, when executed by the Partnership and
authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of
the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will have been duly
executed and delivered by the Partnership, and will constitute the
valid and legally binding obligations of the Partnership entitled
to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the
Partnership in accordance with their terms; provided that,
the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and
similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights
generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of
whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity
or at law).
(x) Valid Issuance of the
Guarantees . The Guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantors have
been duly authorized by the Subsidiary General Partners on behalf
of the Subsidiary Guarantors and, on the Delivery Date, will have
been duly executed and delivered by the Subsidiary Guarantors; when
the Notes have been issued, executed and authenticated in
accordance with the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the
Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the
Guarantees will constitute the valid and legally binding
obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors entitled to the benefits
of the Indenture and will be enforceable against the Subsidiary
Guarantors in accordance with their terms as set forth in the
Indenture; provided that, the enforceability thereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or
affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general
principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(y) No Conflicts or
Violations . None of the (i) offering, issuance and sale
by the Obligors of the Securities, (ii) the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the
Securities by the TEPPCO Parties that are parties hereto and
thereto, or (iii) consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby (A) conflicts or will conflict
with or constitutes or will constitute a violation of the
certificate of limited partnership or agreement of limited
partnership, certificate of formation or limited liability company
agreement, certificate or articles of incorporation or bylaws or
other organizational documents of any of the Partnership Entities,
(B) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will
constitute a breach or violation of, or a default (or an event
that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute
9
such a
default) under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of
the Partnership Entities is a party or by which any of them or any
of their respective properties or assets may be bound,
(C) violates or will violate any statute, law or regulation or
any order, judgment, decree or injunction of any court, arbitrator
or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over any of the
Partnership Entities or any of their respective properties or
assets, or (D) results or will result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of any of the Partnership Entities, which conflicts,
breaches, violations, defaults or liens, in the case of clauses
(B) or (D), would, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(z) No Consents . No
permit, consent, approval, authorization, order, registration,
filing or qualification (“ consent ”) of or with
any court, governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the
Partnership Entities or any of their respective properties is
required in connection with (i) the offering, issuance and
sale by the Obligors of the Securities in the manner contemplated
in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, (ii) the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities by
the TEPPCO Parties that are parties thereto or (iii) the
consummation by the TEPPCO Parties of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities, except for
(A) such consents required under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act, the Trust Indenture Act (all of which have been
obtained) and state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with
the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters
and (B) such consents that have been, or prior to the Delivery
Date (as defined herein) will be, obtained.
(aa) No Default . None
of the Partnership Entities is (i) in violation of its
certificate of limited partnership or agreement of limited
partnership, certificate of formation or limited liability company
agreement, certificate or articles of incorporation or bylaws or
other organizational documents, (ii) in violation of any law,
statute, ordinance, administrative or governmental rule or
regulation applicable to it or of any order, judgment, decree or
injunction of any court or governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over it or has failed to obtain any license, permit,
certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or
permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct
of its business, or (iii) in breach, default (and no event
that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a
default has occurred or is continuing) or violation in the
performance of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in
any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or
in any agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which it
is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound,
which breach, default or violation, in the case of clause
(ii) or (iii), would, if continued, have a Material Adverse
Effect, or could materially impair the ability of any of the
Partnership Entities to perform their obligations under this
Agreement or the Base Indenture together with the Supplemental
Indentures.
(bb) Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm . Deloitte & Touche LLP, who has
audited the audited financial statements contained or incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements included in
the year ended December 31, 2005) is an independent registered
public accounting firm with respect to the Partnership and the
General Partner within the meaning of the Securities Act and the
applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the
10
Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
(United States) (the “ PCAOB ”).
(cc) Financial
Statements . The historical financial statements (including the
related notes and supporting schedule) contained or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus (i) comply in all material respects with the
applicable requirements under the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act (except that certain supporting schedules are omitted),
(ii) present fairly in all material respects the financial
position, results of operations and cash flows of the entities
purported to be shown thereby on the basis stated therein at the
respective dates or for the respective periods, and (iii) have
been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America consistently applied
throughout the periods involved, except to the extent disclosed
therein. The other financial information of the General Partner and
the Partnership and its subsidiaries, including non-GAAP financial
measures, if any, contained or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
has been derived from the accounting records of the General
Partner, the Partnership and its subsidiaries, and fairly presents
the information purported to be shown thereby. Nothing has come to
the attention of any of the Partnership Entities that has caused
them to believe that the statistical and market-related data
included in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from
sources that are reliable and accurate in all material
respects.
(dd) No Distribution of
Other Offering Materials . None of the Partnership Entities has
distributed or, prior to the completion of the distribution of the
Securities, will distribute, any offering material in connection
with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus,
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives
have consented in accordance with Section 1(i) or 5(l) and the
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth on Schedule IV
hereto and any other materials, if any, permitted by the Securities
Act, including Rule 134 of the Rules and Regulations.
(ee) Conformity to
Description of the Securities . The Securities, when issued and
delivered against payment therefor as provided in this Agreement
and in the Indenture, will conform in all material respects to the
descriptions thereof contained or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(ff) Certain
Transactions . Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and the
Disclosure Package, subsequent to the respective dates as of which
such information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Disclosure Package, (i) none of the Partnership Entities has
incurred any liability or obligation, indirect, direct or
contingent, or entered into any transactions, not in the ordinary
course of business, that, individually or in the aggregate, is
material to the Partnership Entities, taken as a whole, and
(ii) there has not been any material change in the
capitalization or material increase in the long-term debt of the
Partnership Entities, or any dividend or distribution of any kind
declared, paid or made by the Partnership on any class of its
partnership interests.
(gg) No Omitted
Descriptions; Legal Descriptions . There are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the TEPPCO
Parties, threatened or
11
contemplated, against any of the Partnership Entities, or to which
any of the Partnership Entities is a party, or to which any of
their respective properties or assets is subject, that are required
to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus but are not described as required, and
there are no agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or other
instruments that are required to be described in the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that are not described
or filed as required by the Securities Act or the Rules and
Regulations or the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations
thereunder. The statements included in or incorporated by reference
into the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus under the headings “Description of the
Notes,” “Description of Debt Securities,”
“Certain ERISA Considerations,” and “Certain
United States Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as
such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or
proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of
such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings.
(hh) Title to Properties
. Each Partnership Entity has (i) good and indefeasible title
to all its interests in its properties that are material to the
operations of the Partnership Entities, taken as a whole, and
(ii) good and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid
rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of other real and
personal property which are material to the business of the
Partnership Entities, in each case free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except
such as (A) do not materially affect the value of such
property and do not materially interfere with the use made and
proposed to be made of such property by the Partnership Entities,
(B) could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect or (C) are described, and subject to the
limitations contained, in the Disclosure Package.
(ii) Rights-of-Way .
Each of the Partnership Entities has such consents, easements,
rights-of-way or licenses from any person (“
rights-of-way ”) as are necessary to conduct its
business in the manner described in the Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, subject to such
qualifications as may be set forth in the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus and except for such rights-of-way the failure of
which to have obtained would not have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Partnership
Entities has fulfilled and performed all its material obligations
with respect to such rights-of-way and no event has occurred which
allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or
termination thereof or would result in any impairment of the rights
of the holder of any such rights-of-way, except for such
revocations, terminations and impairments that will not have a
Material Adverse Effect, subject in each case to such qualification
as may be set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;
and, except as described in the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, none of such rights-of-way contains any restriction
that is materially burdensome to the Partnership Entities, taken as
a whole.
(jj) Permits . Each of
the Partnership Entities has such permits, consents, licenses,
franchises, certificates and authorizations of governmental or
regulatory authorities (“ permits ”) as are
necessary to own or lease its properties and to conduct its
business in the manner described in the Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, subject to such
qualifications as may be set forth in the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus and except for such permits that, if not obtained,
would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect; each of the Partnership Entities has fulfilled and
performed
12
all its
material obligations with respect to such permits in the manner
described, and subject to the limitations contained in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and no event has occurred
that would prevent the permits from being renewed or reissued or
that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow,
revocation or termination thereof or results or would result in any
impairment of the rights of the holder of any such permit, except
for such non-renewals, non-issues, revocations, terminations and
impairments that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have
a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Partnership Entities has
received notification of any revocation or modification of any such
permit or has any reason to believe that any such permit will not
be renewed in the ordinary course.
(kk) Books and Records;
Accounting Controls . The Partnership Entities (i) make
and keep books, records and accounts that, in reasonable detail,
accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of
assets, and (ii) maintain systems of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that
(A) transactions are executed in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization;
(B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America and
to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for
assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and
appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(ll) Related Party
Transactions . No relationship, direct or indirect, exists
between or among the Partnership Entities on the one hand, and the
directors, officers, partners, customers or suppliers of the
General Partner and its affiliates (other than the Partnership
Entities) on the other hand, which is required to be described in
the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and which is not so
described.
(mm) Environmental
Compliance . There has been no storage, generation,
transportation, handling, treatment, disposal or discharge of any
kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by any
of the Partnership Entities (or, to the knowledge of the TEPPCO
Parties, any other entity (including any predecessor) for whose
acts or omissions any of the Partnership Entities is or could
reasonably be expected to be liable) at, upon or from any of the
property now or previously owned or leased by any of the
Partnership Entities or upon any other property, in violation of
any statute or any ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment,
decree or permit or which would, under any statute or any
ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order,
judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for
any violation or liability that could not reasonably be expected to
have, individually or in the aggregate with all such violations and
liabilities, a Material Adverse Effect; and there has been no
disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto
such property or into the environment surrounding such property of
any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with
respect to which any of the TEPPCO Parties has knowledge, except
for any such disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any
kind which could not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate with all such discharges and other releases, a
Material Adverse Effect.
(nn) Insurance . The
Partnership Entities maintain insurance covering their properties,
operations, personnel and businesses against such losses and risks
as are reasonably adequate to
13
protect
them and their businesses in a manner consistent with other
businesses similarly situated. Except as disclosed in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Partnership
Entities has received notice from any insurer or agent of such
insurer that substantial capital improvements or other expenditures
will have to be made in order to continue such insurance; all such
insurance is outstanding and duly in force on the date hereof and
will be outstanding and duly in force on the Delivery Date.
(oo) Litigation . There
are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which any
Partnership Entity is a party or of which any property or assets of
any Partnership Entity is the subject that, individually or in the
aggregate, if determined adversely to such Partnership Entity,
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
to the knowledge of the TEPPCO Parties, no such proceedings are
threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
threatened by others.
(pp) No Labor Disputes .
No labor dispute with the employees that are engaged in the
business of the Partnership or its subsidiaries exists or, to the
knowledge of the TEPPCO Parties, is imminent or threatened that is
reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(qq) Intellectual
Property . Each Partnership Entity owns or possesses adequate
rights to use all material patents, patent applications,
trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations,
service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures)
necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses; and the
conduct of their respective businesses will not conflict in any
material respect with, and no Partnership Entity has received any
notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of
others.
(rr) Investment Company
. None of the Partnership Entities is now, or after sale of the
Securities to be sold by the Obligors hereunder and application of
the net proceeds from such sale as described in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus under the caption “Use of
Proceeds” will be, an “ investment company
” or a company “ controlled by ” an
“ investment company ” within the meaning of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “
Investment Company Act ”).
(ss) Absence of Certain
Actions . No action has been taken and no statute, rule,
regulation or order has been enacted, adopted or issued by any
governmental agency or body which prevents the issuance or sale of
the Securities in any jurisdiction; no injunction, restraining
order or order of any nature by any federal or state court of
competent jurisdiction has been issued with respect to any
Partnership Entity which would prevent or suspend the issuance or
sale of the Securities or the use of the Disclosure Package in any
jurisdiction; no action, suit or proceeding is pending against or,
to the knowledge of the TEPPCO Parties, threatened against or
affecting any Partnership Entity before any court or arbitrator or
any governmental agency, body or official, domestic or foreign,
which could reasonably be expected to interfere with or adversely
affect the issuance of the Securities or in any manner draw into
question the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the
Indenture or any action taken or to be taken pursuant hereto or
thereto; and the Obligors have complied with any and all requests
by any securities
14
authority in any jurisdiction for additional information to be
included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(tt) No Stabilizing
Transactions . None of the General Partner, the Partnership,
the Subsidiary General Partners, the Subsidiary Guarantors or any
of their affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to or which has constituted or which would reasonably be
expected to cause or result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise,
in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of
the Partnership or the Subsidiary Guarantors to facilitate the sale
or resale of the Securities.
(uu) Form S-3 . The
conditions for the use of Form S-3 by the Obligors, as set forth in
the General Instructions thereto, have been satisfied.
(vv) Disclosure Controls
. The General Partner and the Partnership have established and
maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is
defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange
Act) which (i) are designed to ensure that material
information relating to the Partnership, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, is made known to the General Partner’s
principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by
others within those entities, particularly during the periods in
which the periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are
being prepared; (ii) have been evaluated for effectiveness as
of the end of the period covered by the Partnership’s most
recent annual report filed with the Commission; and (iii) are
effective in achieving reasonable assurances that the
Partnership’s desired control objectives as described in
Item 9A of the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the period ended December 31, 2007 (the “ 2007 Annual
Report ”) have been met.
(ww) No Deficiency in
Internal Controls . Based on the evaluation of its internal
controls and procedures conducted in connection with the
preparation and filing of the 2007 Annual Report, neither the
Partnership nor the General Partner is aware of (i) any
significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or
operation of its internal controls over financial reporting (as
defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange
Act) that are likely to adversely affect the Partnership’s
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data; or
(ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
or other employees who have a role in the Partnership’s
internal controls over financial reporting.
(xx) No Changes in Internal
Controls . Since the date of the most rec
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