Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION VERSION
25,000,000 Shares
PETROHAWK ENERGY CORPORATION
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
May 8, 2008
Lehman Brothers
Inc.
Merrill Lynch &
Co. ,
Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in
Schedule 1 attached hereto,
c/o Lehman Brothers Inc.
745 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Petrohawk Energy Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), proposes
to sell 25,000,000 shares (the “ Firm Stock ”)
of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share
(the “ Common Stock ”). In addition, the Company
proposes to grant to the underwriters (the “
Underwriters ”) named in Schedule 1
attached to this agreement (this “ Agreement ”)
an option to purchase up to 3,750,000 additional shares of the
Common Stock on the terms set forth in Section 3 (the “
Option Stock ”). The Firm Stock and the Option Stock,
if purchased, are hereinafter collectively called the “
Stock .” This is to confirm the agreement concerning
the purchase of the Stock from the Company by the
Underwriters.
1. Representations,
Warranties and Agreements of the Company. The Company
represents, warrants and agrees that:
(a) A registration statement on Form
S-3 relating to the Stock (i) has been prepared by the Company
in conformity with 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 delivered by the
Company to you as the representatives (the “
Representatives ”) of the Underwriters. As used in
this Agreement:
(i) “ Applicable Time
” means 7:30 p.m. (New York City time) May 8,
2008;
(ii) “ Effective Date
” means any date as of which any part of such registration
statement relating to the Stock became, or is deemed to have
become, effective under the Securities Act in accordance with the
Rules and Regulations;
(iii) “ Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus ” means each “free writing
prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and
Regulations) prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or
referred to by the Company in connection with the offering of the
Stock, including any free writing prospectus identified on
Schedule 4 hereto;
(iv) “ Preliminary
Prospectus ” means any preliminary prospectus relating to
the Stock included in such registration statement or filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations,
including any preliminary prospectus supplement thereto relating to
the Stock;
(v) “ Pricing Disclosure
Package ” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the information
included in Schedule 3 hereto and each Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Company on or before the
Applicable Time, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus under Rule 433 of the Rules and
Regulations;
(vi) “ Prospectus
” means the final prospectus relating to the Stock, including
any prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Stock, as filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations; and
(vii) “ Registration
Statement ” means, collectively, the various parts of
such registration statement, 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 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. 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) prior to or on the date hereof
(including, for purposes hereof, any documents incorporated by
reference therein prior to or on 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 any annual
report of the Company on Form 10-K filed with the Commission
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the
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
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suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or
examination for such purpose has been instituted or threatened by
the Commission. The Commission has not notified the Company of any
objection to the use of the form of the Registration
Statement.
(b) The Company has been since the
time of initial filing of the Registration Statement and continues
to be eligible to use the Registration Statement for the offering
of the Stock, including not having been an “ineligible
issuer” (as defined in Rule 405) at any such time or
date. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf
registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405) and was
filed not earlier than the date that is three years prior to the
applicable Delivery Date (as defined in Section 4).
(c) The Registration Statement
conformed and will conform in all material respects on the
Effective Date and on the applicable 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) and on the applicable
Delivery Date 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.
(d) The Registration Statement did
not, as of the 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 Company through the
Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for
inclusion therein, which information is specified in
Section 8(e).
(e) The Prospectus will not, as of
its date and on the applicable 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 Company through the Representatives by
or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein,
which information is specified in Section 8(e).
(f) 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 necessary to
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make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.
(g) The Pricing Disclosure Package
did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact 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 Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and
in conformity with written information furnished to the Company
through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter
specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified
in Section 8(e).
(h) Each Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus (including, without limitation, any road show that is a
free writing prospectus under Rule 433), when considered
together with the Pricing 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 and warranty is made with
respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with
information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company
through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter
specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified
in Section 8(e).
(i) 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 Company has complied
with any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus pursuant to the Rules and Regulations. The Company has
not made any offer relating to the Stock that would constitute an
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of
the Representatives, except as set forth on Schedule 4
hereto. The Company has 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.
(j) Each of the Company and its
subsidiaries (as defined in Section 17) has been duly
organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a
corporation or other business entity under the laws of its
jurisdiction of organization and is duly qualified to do business
and in good standing as a foreign corporation or other business
entity in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of
property or the conduct of its businesses requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in
good standing could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity,
properties, business or prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “ Material Adverse
Effect ”); each of the Company and its subsidiaries has
all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and
to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged. The Company does
not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation,
association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in
Exhibit 21.1 to
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the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent
fiscal year for which such report is filed other than entities that
were not required to be listed on such report. None of the
subsidiaries of the Company (other than the subsidiaries set forth
on Schedule 5 (collectively, the “ Significant
Subsidiaries ”)) is a “significant
subsidiary” (as defined in Rule 405).
(k) The Company has an authorized
capitalization as set forth in each of the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of
capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly
issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, conform to the
description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state
securities laws and not in violation of any preemptive right,
resale right, right of first refusal or similar right. All of the
Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or
exchange any securities for shares of the Company’s capital
stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, conform to the
description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state
securities laws. All of the issued shares of capital stock or other
ownership interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been
duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company,
free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims,
except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus and except for (i) liens which
secure obligations under the Company’s senior revolving
credit facility; and (ii) such liens, encumbrances, equities
or claims as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) The shares of the Stock to be
issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have
been duly authorized and, upon payment and delivery in accordance
with this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, will conform to the description thereof contained
in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, will be issued in
compliance with federal and state securities laws and will be free
of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, rights of first
refusal and similar rights.
(m) The Company has all requisite
corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its
obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and
validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(n) The execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the
proceeds from the sale of the Stock as described under “Use
of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus will
not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of
any of the terms or provisions of, impose any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company and its
subsidiaries, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement
or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound
or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is subject; (ii) result in any violation of
the
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provisions of
the charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (iii) result in any
violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any
court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or
assets.
(o) No consent, approval,
authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any
court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or
assets is required for the execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, the application of the proceeds from the sale
of the Stock as described under “Use of Proceeds” in
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for the registration
of the Stock under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required
under the Exchange Act and applicable state securities laws in
connection with the purchase and sale of the Stock by the
Underwriters.
(p) Except for that certain
Registration Rights Agreement to be entered into among the Company,
certain subsidiaries of the Company (the “ Guarantors
”) and the initial purchasers party thereto (the “
Initial Purchasers ”) pursuant to that certain
Purchase Agreement of even date herewith among the Company, the
Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers, there are no contracts,
agreements or understandings between the Company and any person
granting such person the right (other than rights which have been
waived in writing or otherwise satisfied) to require the Company to
file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect
to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such
person or to require the Company to include such securities in the
securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in
any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration
statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.
(q) The Company has not sold or
issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of
the Stock contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities
Act, the Rules and Regulations or the interpretations thereof by
the Commission.
(r) Except as described in the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has sustained, since the date of the latest audited
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with
its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether
or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, order or decree, and since such date, there
has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any adverse change, or
any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or
affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of
operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, management,
business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as
a whole, in each case except as could not, in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(s) Since the date as of which
information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and
except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the
Company has not (i) incurred any liability or obligation,
direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that
were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) entered into
any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business or
(iii) declared or paid any dividend on its capital stock.
(t) The historical financial
statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules)
included or incorporated by reference in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities
Act and present fairly the financial condition, results of
operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown
thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been
prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods involved.
(u) The pro forma financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus include assumptions that provide a
reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly
attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the
related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those
assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper
application of those adjustments to the historical financial
statement amounts in the pro forma financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus. The pro forma financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of Regulation S-X under the Act.
(v) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who
have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries, whose report appears in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus or is incorporated by reference therein and
who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(g)
hereof, are independent public accountants as required by the
Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and the rules and
regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the
“PCAOB”); and Ernst & Young LLP, whose report
appears in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or is
incorporated by reference therein and who have delivered the
initial letter referred to in Section 7(h) hereof, were independent
public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the Rules
and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the PCAOB during
the periods covered by the financial statements on which they
reported contained or incorporated by reference in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus.
(w) Netherland, Sewell &
Associates, Inc., an oil and gas consulting firm (“
NSAI ”), whose report dated February 22, 2008, is
summarized or excerpted in reports incorporated by reference, or
included, in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and who has
delivered the letter referred to in Section 7(j) hereof, was, as of
the date of such report, and is, as of the date hereof, an
independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company. The
written engineering report prepared by NSAI dated February 22,
2008, setting forth the proved reserves attributed to the oil and
gas properties of the Company
7
and its
subsidiaries accurately reflects in all material respects the
ownership interests of the Company its subsidiaries in the
properties therein as of December 31, 2007; the information
furnished by the Company to NSAI for purposes of preparing its
report, including, without limitation, production, costs of
operation and development, current prices for production,
agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of
production, was true, correct and complete in all material respects
on the date supplied and was prepared in accordance with customary
industry practices, as indicated in the letter of NSAI dated
February 22, 2008.
(x) The statistical and
market-related data included in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the consolidated financial statements of the Company
and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus are based on or derived from
sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in
all material respects.
(y) Neither the Company nor any
subsidiary is, and as of the applicable Delivery Date and, after
giving effect to the offer and sale of the Stock and the
application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use
of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and
the Prospectus, none of them will be, (i) an “investment
company” within the meaning of such term under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Investment Company
Act ”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder or (ii) a “business development
company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the
Investment Company Act).
(z) There are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject that could, in
the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect or could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and to the
Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or
contemplated by governmental authorities or others.
(aa) No relationship, direct or
indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the one hand, and
the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of
the Company, on the other hand, that is required to be described in
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus which is
not so described.
(bb) No labor disturbance by the
employees of the Company or its subsidiaries exists or, to the
knowledge of the Company, is imminent that could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(cc) (i) Each “employee
benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the
Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“
ERISA ”)) for which the Company or any member of its
“Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which
is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the
meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the “ Code ”)) would have any
liability (each
8
a “
Plan ”) has been maintained in material compliance
with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable
statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code;
(ii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA
(a) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of
Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to
occur, (b) no “accumulated funding deficiency”
(within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or
Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, has occurred
or is reasonably expected to occur, (c) the fair market value
of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all
benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those
assumptions used to fund such Plan) and (d) neither the
Company or any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or
reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA
(other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the PBGC in
the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan
(including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning
of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA); and (iii) each Plan that
is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so
qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure
to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(dd) The Company and each of its
subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign
income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the
date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all
taxes due thereon, and (i) no tax deficiency has been
determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor
(ii) does the Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies
that could, in the case of clause (i) or (ii) in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(ee) There are no transfer taxes or
other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any
state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
issuance by the Company or sale by the Company of the Stock.
(ff) Neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its charter or by-laws
(or similar organizational documents), (ii) is in default, and
no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both,
would constitute such a default, in the due performance or
observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or
other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it
is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject or
(iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or
regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over it or its property or assets 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, except in the case
of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such conflict,
breach, violation or default could not, in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(gg) There is and has been no failure
on the part of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company,
any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their
9
capacities as
such, to comply with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection
therewith.
(hh) The Company and each of its
subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, patents, franchises,
certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of
governmental or regulatory authorities (“ Permits
”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their
properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the
foregoing that could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and its
subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations
with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows,
or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or
termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the
rights of the holder or any such Permits, except for any of the
foregoing that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(ii) The Company and each of its
subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material
patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade
names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations,
copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology
(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 have
no reason to believe that the conduct of their respective
businesses will conflict with, and have not received any notice of
any claim of conflict with, any such rights of others.
(jj) The Company and each of its
subsidiaries (i) are, and at all times prior hereto were, in
compliance with all laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders,
judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any
governmental authority, including without limitation any
international, national, state, provincial, regional, or local
authority, relating to the protection of human health or safety,
the environment, or natural resources, or to hazardous or toxic
substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“
Environmental Laws ”) applicable to such entity, which
compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining, maintaining and
complying with all permits and authorizations and approvals
required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective
businesses, and (ii) have not received notice of any actual or
alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any potential
liability for or other obligation concerning the presence, disposal
or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants
or contaminants, except in the case of clause (i) or
(ii) where such non-compliance, violation, liability, or other
obligation could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus, (A) there are no proceedings
that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against the Company
or any of its subsidiaries under Environmental Laws in which a
governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings
regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of
$100,000 or more will be imposed, (B) the Company and its
subsidiaries are not aware of any issues regarding compliance with
Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under
Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or
wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (C) none of
the
10
Company and its
subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures other than
in the ordinary course of business relating to Environmental
Laws.
(kk) No subsidiary of the Company is
currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any
dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on
such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company
any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from
transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to
the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as
described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(ll) Neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any
director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with
or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, has
(i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution,
gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political
activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to
any foreign or domestic government official or employee from
corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any
provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or
(iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment,
kickback or other unlawful payment.
(mm) The operations of the Company
and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in
compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting
requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act
of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all
jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related
or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered
or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “
Money Laundering Laws ”) and no action, suit or
proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority
or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its
subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending
or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, except, in each
case, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(nn) Neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any
director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions
administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S.
Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”); and the Company
will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering,
or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to
any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity,
for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently
subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(oo) The Company has not distributed
and, prior to the later to occur of any Delivery Date and
completion of the distribution of the Stock, will not distribute
any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of
the Stock other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus,
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives
have consented in accordance with Section 1(i) or 5(a)(vii) and any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth on Schedule 4
hereto.
11
(pp) The Company has not taken and
will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or
that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause
or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
shares of the Stock.
(qq) The Company has applied for
listing of the Stock and expects the Stock to be approved for
listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on the New York
Stock Exchange.
(rr) As of the date hereof,
(i) all royalties, rentals, deposits and other amounts owed
under the oil and gas leases constituting the oil and gas
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries have been properly
and timely paid (other than amounts held in suspense accounts
pending routine payments or related to disputes about the proper
identification of royalty owners), and no material amount of
proceeds from the sale or production attributable to the oil and
gas properties of the Company and the subsidiaries are currently
being held in suspense by any purchaser thereof, except where such
amounts due could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company or any of the subsidiaries,
and (ii) there are no claims under take-or-pay contracts
pursuant to which natural gas purchasers have any make-up rights
affecting the interests of the Company or the subsidiaries in their
oil and gas properties, except where such claims could not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Company or any of the subsidiaries.
(ss) Except as described in the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Company and the subsidiaries
have defensible title to all of their interests in oil and gas
properties (other than interests earned under farm-out,
participation or similar agreements in which an assignment or
transfer is pending) and all other real property owned by the
Company and the subsidiaries and good title to all other properties
owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages,
pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or
encumbrances of any kind except such as (i) are described in
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (ii) liens and
encumbrances under operating agreements, unitization and pooling
agreements, production sales contracts, farm-out agreements and
other oil and gas exploration participation and production
agreements, in each case that secure payment of amounts not yet due
and payable for the performance of other unmatured obligations and
are of a scope and nature customary in the oil and gas industry or
arise in connection with drilling and production operations, or
(iii) would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the value of
the affected property or the use made and proposed to be made of
such property by the Company or its subsidiaries, as the case may
be; except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, all of the
leases and subleases of real property of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
holds properties described in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any
claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the
rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any of such
leases or subleases, or affecting or questioning the rights of the
Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the
leased or subleased premises under any such lease or
sublease.
12
Any
certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to
the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection
with the offering of the Stock shall be deemed a representation and
warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each
Underwriter.
2. Purchase of the Stock by
the Underwriters. On the basis of the representations and
warranties contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions
of, this Agreement, the Company agrees to sell 25,000,000 shares of
the Firm Stock to the several Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the
number of shares of the Firm Stock set forth opposite that
Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto. The
respective purchase obligations of the Underwriters with respect to
the Firm Stock shall be rounded among the Underwriters to avoid
fractional shares, as the Representatives may determine.
In
addition, the Company grants to the Underwriters an option to
purchase up to 3,750,000 additional shares of Option Stock. Such
option is exercisable in the event that the Underwriters sell more
shares of Common Stock than the number of Firm Stock in the
offering and as set forth in Section 4 hereof. Each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the
number of shares of Option Stock (subject to such adjustments to
eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine)
that bears the same proportion to the total number of shares of
Option Stock to be sold on such Delivery Date as the number of
shares of Firm Stock set forth in Schedule 1 hereto
opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of
shares of Firm Stock.
The
price of both the Firm Stock and any Option Stock purchased by the
Underwriters shall be $25.335 per share.
The
Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Firm Stock or
Option Stock to be delivered on the applicable Delivery Date,
except upon payment for all such Stock to be purchased on such
Delivery Date as provided herein.
3. Offering of Stock by
the Underwriters . Upon authorization by the
Representatives of the release of the Firm Stock, the several
Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Stock for sale upon the
terms and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Delivery of and Payment
for the Stock . Delivery of and payment for the Firm
Stock shall be made at 10:
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