CREDIT AGREEMENT DATED ASOF JUNE 29, 2007 AMONG ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC, AS PARENT GUARANTOR, ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC, AS BORROWER, JPMORGAN CHASEBANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT,

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Credit Agreements
EX-10.1 3 dex101.htm CREDIT AGREEMENT Credit Agreement

Exhibit 10.1

CREDIT AGREEMENT

DATED AS OF

JUNE 29, 2007

AMONG

ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC,

AS PARENT GUARANTOR,

ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC,

AS BORROWER,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT,

WACHOVIA BANK,

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

AS SYNDICATION AGENT,

AND

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

BNP PARIBAS,

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,

AND

UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH,

AS CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENTS,

AND

THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO

SOLE LEAD ARRANGER AND SOLE BOOKRUNNER

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page
   ARTICLE I   
   Definitions and Accounting Matters   

Section 1.01

   Terms Defined Above    1

Section 1.02

   Certain Defined Terms    1

Section 1.03

   Types of Loans and Borrowings    19

Section 1.04

   Terms Generally; Rules of Construction    20

Section 1.05

   Accounting Terms and Determinations    20
   ARTICLE II   
   The Credits   

Section 2.01

   Commitments    20

Section 2.02

   Loans and Borrowings    20

Section 2.03

   Requests for Borrowings    21

Section 2.04

   Interest Elections    22

Section 2.05

   Funding of Borrowings    23

Section 2.06

   Termination, Reduction and Increase of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts    23

Section 2.07

   Borrowing Base    25

Section 2.08

   Letters of Credit    27
   ARTICLE III   
   Payments of Principal and Interest; Prepayments; Fees   

Section 3.01

   Repayment of Loans    31

Section 3.02

   Interest    31

Section 3.03

   Alternate Rate of Interest    32

Section 3.04

   Prepayments    32

Section 3.05

   Fees    33
   ARTICLE IV   
   Payments; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs   

Section 4.01

   Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs    34

Section 4.02

   Presumption of Payment by the Borrower    35

Section 4.03

   Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent    35

Section 4.04

   Disposition of Proceeds    35
   ARTICLE V   
   Increased Costs; Break Funding Payments; Taxes   

Section 5.01

   Increased Costs    36

Section 5.02

   Break Funding Payments    37

Section 5.03

   Taxes    37

Section 5.04

   Designation of Different Lending Office    39

Section 5.05

   Replacement of Lenders    39
   ARTICLE VI   
   Conditions Precedent   

Section 6.01

   Effective Date    40

Section 6.02

   Each Credit Event    43

 

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   ARTICLE VII   
   Representations and Warranties   

Section 7.01

   Organization; Powers    44

Section 7.02

   Authority; Enforceability    44

Section 7.03

   Approvals; No Conflicts    44

Section 7.04

   Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change    44

Section 7.05

   Litigation    45

Section 7.06

   Environmental Matters    45

Section 7.07

   Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults    46

Section 7.08

   Investment Company Act    46

Section 7.09

   Use of Loans and Letters of Credit    46

Section 7.10

   Taxes    47

Section 7.11

   ERISA    47

Section 7.12

   Disclosure; No Material Misstatements    48

Section 7.13

   Insurance    48

Section 7.14

   Restriction on Liens    48

Section 7.15

   Subsidiaries    48

Section 7.16

   Location of Business and Offices    49

Section 7.17

   Properties; Titles, Etc.    49

Section 7.18

   Maintenance of Properties    50

Section 7.19

   Gas Imbalances, Prepayments    51

Section 7.20

   Marketing of Production    51

Section 7.21

   Swap Agreements    51

Section 7.22

   Solvency    51

Section 7.23

   Acquisition    51
   ARTICLE VIII   
   Affirmative Covenants   

Section 8.01

   Financial Statements; Other Information    52

Section 8.02

   Notices of Material Events    54

Section 8.03

   Existence; Conduct of Business    54

Section 8.04

   Payment of Obligations    55

Section 8.05

   Performance of Obligations under Loan Documents    55

Section 8.06

   Operation and Maintenance of Properties    55

Section 8.07

   Insurance    56

Section 8.08

   Books and Records; Inspection Rights    56

Section 8.09

   Compliance with Laws    56

Section 8.10

   Environmental Matters    56

Section 8.11

   Further Assurances    57

Section 8.12

   Reserve Reports    57

Section 8.13

   Title Information    58

Section 8.14

   Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors    59

Section 8.15

   ERISA Compliance    60

Section 8.16

   Swap Agreements    60

Section 8.17

   Unrestricted Subsidiaries    60
   ARTICLE IX   
   Negative Covenants   

Section 9.01

   Financial Covenants    61

Section 9.02

   Debt    61

 

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Section 9.03

   Liens    62

Section 9.04

   Restricted Payments; Redemption of Subordinated Debt    63

Section 9.05

   Investments, Loans and Advances    63

Section 9.06

   Nature of Business; International Operations; Foreign Subsidiaries    64

Section 9.07

   Proceeds of Loans and Letters of Credit    64

Section 9.08

   ERISA Compliance    65

Section 9.09

   Sale or Discount of Receivables    66

Section 9.10

   Mergers, Etc.    66

Section 9.11

   Sale of Properties    66

Section 9.12

   Environmental Matters    67

Section 9.13

   Transactions with Affiliates    67

Section 9.14

   Subsidiaries    67

Section 9.15

   Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions    67

Section 9.16

   Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments    67

Section 9.17

   Swap Agreements    68

Section 9.18

   Tax Status as Partnership; Partnership Agreement    68

Section 9.19

   Designation and Conversion of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries; Debt of Unrestricted Subsidiaries    69
   ARTICLE X   
   Events of Default; Remedies   

Section 10.01

   Events of Default    69

Section 10.02

   Remedies    71
   ARTICLE XI   
   The Agents   

Section 11.01

   Appointment; Powers    71

Section 11.02

   Duties and Obligations of Administrative Agent    72

Section 11.03

   Action by Administrative Agent    72

Section 11.04

   Reliance by Administrative Agent    73

Section 11.05

   Subagents    73

Section 11.06

   Resignation of Agents    73

Section 11.07

   Agents as Lenders    74

Section 11.08

   No Reliance    74

Section 11.09

   Authority of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens    74

Section 11.10

   Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim    74

Section 11.11

   The Arranger, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agents    75
   ARTICLE XII   
   Miscellaneous   

Section 12.01

   Notices    75

Section 12.02

   Waivers; Amendments    76

Section 12.03

   Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver    77

Section 12.04

   Successors and Assigns    79

Section 12.05

   Survival; Revival; Reinstatement    81

Section 12.06

   Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness    82

Section 12.07

   Severability    82

Section 12.08

   Right of Setoff    82

Section 12.09

   GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS    83

Section 12.10

   Headings    84

Section 12.11

   Confidentiality    84

 

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Section 12.12

   Interest Rate Limitation    84

Section 12.13

   No Third Party Beneficiaries    85

Section 12.14

   Collateral Matters; Swap Agreements    85

Section 12.15

   Acknowledgements    85

Section 12.16

   USA Patriot Act Notice    85

 

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Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules

 

Annex I    List of Maximum Credit Amounts
Annex II    Sources and Uses Table
Exhibit A    Form of Note
Exhibit B    Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit C    Form of Interest Election Request
Exhibit D    Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit E-1    Form of Legal Opinion of Ledgewood, special counsel to the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower
Exhibit E-2    Form of Legal Opinion of Local Counsel
Exhibit F-1    Security Instruments
Exhibit F-2    Form of Guaranty and Collateral Agreement
Exhibit G    Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit H-1    Form of Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate
Exhibit H-2    Form of Additional Lender Certificate
Exhibit I    Form of Reserve Report Certificate
Schedule 1.02(a)    Approved Counterparties
Schedule 1.02(b)    Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 7.05    Litigation
Schedule 7.11    ERISA
Schedule 7.15    Subsidiaries and Partnerships; Unrestricted Subsidiaries
Schedule 7.19    Gas Imbalances
Schedule 7.20    Marketing Contracts
Schedule 7.21    Swap Agreements
Schedule 9.02    Existing Debt
Schedule 9.05    Investments

 

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THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of June 29, 2007, is among: ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC, a limited liability company duly formed and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Parent Guarantor”); ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC, a limited liability company duly formed and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Borrower”); each of the Lenders from time to time party hereto; JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (in its individual capacity, “JPMorgan”), as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”); WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as syndication agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “Syndication Agent”); and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., BNP PARIBAS, ROYAL BANK OF CANADA AND UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, as co-documentation agents for the Lenders (each, in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “Documentation Agent”).

R E C I T A L S

A. The Parent Guarantor and the Borrower have requested that the Lenders extend credit to, and on behalf of, the Borrower; and the Agents and the Lenders have agreed to extend credit to, and on behalf of, the Borrower, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

B. Now, therefore, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and of the loans, extensions of credit and commitments hereinafter referred to, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions and Accounting Matters

Section 1.01 Terms Defined Above. As used in this Agreement, each term defined above has the meaning indicated above.

Section 1.02 Certain Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bears interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

Acquisition” means the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Target pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Acquisition Documents.

Acquisition Agreement” means the Purchase and Sale Agreement among MCN Energy Enterprises, Inc., as seller, DTE Energy Company, as seller parent, ATN Michigan, LLC, as buyer, and the Parent Guarantor, as buyer parent dated May 18, 2007, as amended by 1st Amendment to Purchase and Sale Agreement dated June 29, 2007.

Acquisition Documents” means (a) the Acquisition Agreement and (b) all bills of sale, assignments, agreements, instruments and documents executed and delivered in connection therewith.

Acquisition Properties” means the Oil and Gas Properties of the Target and its Subsidiaries.

Additional Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(c)(i).


Additional Lender Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(c)(ii)(E).

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

Agents” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent and each Documentation Agent; and “Agent” shall mean any of the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent or a Documentation Agent, as the context requires.

Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts” at any time shall equal the sum of the Maximum Credit Amounts, as the same may be increased, reduced or terminated pursuant to Section 2.06.

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as the same may from time to time be amended, modified, supplemented or restated.

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus  1/2 of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.

Applicable Margin” means, for any day, with respect to any Loan or with respect to the Commitment Fee Rate, the applicable rate per annum set forth below based on Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage on such day:

 

Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage

   Eurodollar
Loans
   ABR
Loans
   Commitment
Fee Rate

> 110% and < 125%

   225 b.p.    125 b.p.    37.5 b.p.

> 100% and < 110%

   200 b.p.    100 b.p.    37.5 b.p.

> 90% and < 100%

   175 b.p.    75 b.p.    37.5 b.p.

> 75% and < 90%

   150 b.p.    50 b.p.    35 b.p.

> 50% and < 75%

   125 b.p.    25 b.p.    30 b.p.

< 50%

   100 b.p.    0 b.p.    25 b.p.

Each change in the Applicable Margin and the Commitment Fee Rate shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of a change in the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change.

 

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Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts represented by such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount as such percentage is set forth on Annex I or as may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

Approved Counterparty” means (a) any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender, (b) any other Person whose long term senior unsecured debt rating at the time of entry into the applicable Swap Agreement is A-/A3 by S&P or Moody’s (or their equivalent) or higher, or (c) with regard to Swap Agreements in respect of commodities, and subject to the conditions set forth therein, any other Person listed on Schedule 1.02.

Approved Petroleum Engineers” means (a) Ryder Scott Company Petroleum Consultants, L.P., (b) Netherland Sewell & Associates, Inc., (c) Wright & Company, (d) Schlumberger Ltd. and (e) any other independent petroleum engineers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

Arranger” means J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., in its capacities as the sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner hereunder.

Assignee” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.04(b).

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 12.04(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit G or any other form reasonably approved by the Administrative Agent.

Available Cash” means, with respect to any fiscal quarter ending prior to the Termination Date:

(a) the sum of (i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, treated as a single consolidated entity (or the Parent Guarantor’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries), on hand at the end of such fiscal quarter; and (ii) all additional cash and cash equivalents of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries (or the Parent Guarantor’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries) on hand on the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such fiscal quarter resulting from working capital borrowings (including borrowings under this Agreement) made subsequent to the end of such fiscal quarter, less

(b) the amount of any cash reserves established by the board of directors of the Parent Guarantor (or the Parent Guarantor’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries) to (i) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries (including reserves for future capital expenditures including drilling and acquisitions and for anticipated future credit needs of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries), (ii) comply with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject or (iii) provide funds for distributions pursuant to Section 6.3(a), Section 6.4 and Section 6.5 of the Operating Agreement with respect to any one or more of the next four fiscal quarters; provided, that disbursements made by the Parent Guarantor or its Subsidiaries or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such fiscal quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such fiscal quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, within such fiscal quarter if the board of directors of the Parent Guarantor so determines.

 

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Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the Termination Date.

Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America or any successor Governmental Authority.

Borrowing” means Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

Borrowing Base” means at any time an amount equal to the amount determined in accordance with Section 2.07, as the same may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section 2.07(f), Section 8.13(c) or Section 9.11(d).

Borrowing Base Equalization Date” means the date which is the earlier of (i) June 29, 2008 and (ii) the date (after consummation of the Acquisition) on which the Parent Guarantor (and has contributed such net cash proceeds to the Borrower) or the Borrower shall issue equity or debt securities in an aggregate amount of net cash proceeds at least equal to $200,000,000.

Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage” means, as of any day, the fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of the Lenders on such day, and the denominator of which is the Conforming Borrowing Base (or after the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Borrowing Base) in effect on such day.

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York, are authorized or required by law to remain closed; and if such day relates to a Borrowing or continuation of, a payment or prepayment of principal of or interest on, or a conversion of or into, or the Interest Period for, a Eurodollar Loan or a notice by the Borrower with respect to any such Borrowing or continuation, payment, prepayment, conversion or Interest Period, any day which is also a day on which dealings in dollar deposits are carried out in the London interbank market.

Capital Leases” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases on the balance sheet of the Person liable (whether contingent or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder.

Casualty Event” means any loss, casualty or other insured damage to, or any nationalization, taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any Property of the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries having a fair market value in excess of $25,000,000.

Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group of Persons acting in concert as a partnership or other “group” (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) of Equity Interests representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Parent Guarantor (or its successor by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all of its assets); (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Parent Guarantor by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Parent Guarantor nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated; (c) the Parent Guarantor ceases to be the sole member of the Borrower; or (d) Atlas America,

 

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Inc., a Delaware corporation, and/or one or more of its directly or indirectly Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries ceases to own at least 51% of the issued and outstanding voting Equity Interests of Atlas Energy Management, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 5.01(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.

Closing Date MAE” means a “Material Adverse Effect” as defined in the Acquisition Agreement affecting the Target and entitling the buyer not to complete the Acquisition pursuant to Section 9.12 of the Acquisition Agreement.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) modified from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06 and (b) modified from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 12.04(b); and “Commitments” means the aggregate amount of the Commitments of all the Lenders. The amount representing each Lender’s Commitment shall at any time be the lesser of (i) such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount and (ii) such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the then effective Borrowing Base. As of the Closing Date, the aggregate Commitments of the Lenders are $850,000,000.

Commitment Fee Rate” means, for any day, the rate set forth in the definition of “Applicable Margin”.

Conduit Lender” means any special purpose corporation organized and administered by any Lender for the purpose of making Loans otherwise required to be made by such Lender and designated by such Lender in a written instrument; provided, that the designation by any Lender of a Conduit Lender shall not relieve the designating Lender of any of its obligations to fund a Loan under this Agreement if, for any reason, its Conduit Lender fails to fund any such Loan, and the designating Lender (and not the Conduit Lender) shall have the sole right and responsibility to deliver all consents and waivers required or requested under this Agreement with respect to its Conduit Lender, and provided, further, that no Conduit Lender shall (a) be entitled to receive any greater amount pursuant to Section 5.01, 5.02, 5.03 or 12.03 than the designating Lender would have been entitled to receive in respect of the extensions of credit made by such Conduit Lender or (b) be deemed to have any Commitment.

Conforming Borrowing Base” means at any time an amount equal to the amount determined in accordance with Section 2.07, as the same may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section 2.07(f), Section 8.13(c) or Section 9.11(d).

Consolidated Net Income” means with respect to the Parent Guarantor and the Consolidated Subsidiaries, for any period, the aggregate of the net income (or loss) of the Parent Guarantor and the Consolidated Subsidiaries after allowances for taxes for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded from such net income (to the extent

 

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otherwise included therein) the following: (a) the net income of any Person in which the Parent Guarantor or any Consolidated Subsidiary has an interest (which interest does not cause the net income of such other Person to be consolidated with the net income of the Parent Guarantor and the Consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP), except to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions actually paid in cash during such period by such other Person to the Parent Guarantor or to a Consolidated Subsidiary, as the case may be; (b) the net income (but not loss) during such period of any Consolidated Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions or transfers or loans by that Consolidated Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument or Governmental Requirement applicable to such Consolidated Subsidiary or is otherwise restricted or prohibited, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; (c) the net income (or loss) of any Person acquired in a pooling-of-interests transaction for any period prior to the date of such transaction; (d) any extraordinary gains or losses during such period; and (e) any gains or losses attributable to writeups or writedowns of assets, including write-downs under FASB 142 and FASB 144 (to the extent such amounts have been deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income), provided, however, that any ceiling limitation writedowns under SEC guidelines shall be treated as capitalized costs, as if such writedowns had not occurred; and provided further that if the Parent Guarantor or any Consolidated Subsidiary shall acquire or dispose of any Property during such period having a fair market value in excess of $5,000,000, then Consolidated Net Income shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect to such acquisition or disposition, as if such acquisition or disposition had occurred on the first day of such period.

Consolidated Subsidiaries” means each Subsidiary (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the Parent Guarantor (whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired) the financial statements of which shall be (or should have been) consolidated with the financial statements of the Parent Guarantor in accordance with GAAP.

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. For the purposes of this definition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Person that owns directly or indirectly 5% or more of the Equity Interests having ordinary voting power for the election of the directors or other governing body of a Person (other than as a limited partner of such other Person) will be deemed to “control” such other Person. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Debt” means, for any Person, the sum of the following (without duplication): (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, bankers’ acceptances, debentures, notes or other similar instruments; (b) all obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, surety or other bonds and similar instruments; (c) all accounts payable and all accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of Property or services; (d) all obligations under Capital Leases; (e) all obligations under Synthetic Leases; (f) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others secured by a Lien on any Property of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person; (g) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others guaranteed by such Person or in which such Person otherwise assures a creditor against loss of the Debt (howsoever such assurance shall be made) to the extent of the lesser of the amount of such Debt and the maximum stated amount of such guarantee or assurance against loss; (h) all obligations or undertakings of such Person to maintain or cause to be maintained the financial position or covenants of others or to purchase the Debt or Property of others; (i) obligations to deliver commodities, goods or services, including, without limitation, Hydrocarbons, in consideration of one or more advance payments for periods in excess of 120 days prior to the day of delivery, other than sales of Hydrocarbons and gas balancing arrangements in the ordinary course of business; (j) obligations to pay for goods or services whether or not such goods or services are actually received or utilized by such

 

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Person; (k) any Debt of a partnership for which such Person is liable either by agreement, by operation of law or by a Governmental Requirement but only to the extent of such liability; (l) Disqualified Capital Stock; and (m) the undischarged balance of any production payment created by such Person or for the creation of which such Person directly or indirectly received payment. The Debt of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described above to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is not included as a liability of such Person under GAAP.

Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

Disqualified Capital Stock” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is convertible or exchangeable for Debt or redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock) at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is one year after the earlier of (a) the Maturity Date and (b) the date on which there are no Loans, LC Exposure or other obligations hereunder outstanding and all of the Commitments are terminated. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any Equity Interest that would constitute Disqualified Capital Stock solely because (i) the holders thereof have the right to require the Person to repurchase such Equity Interests upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale shall not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock.

dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

EBITDA” means, for any period, the sum of Consolidated Net Income for such period plus the following expenses or charges, without duplication and to the extent deducted from Consolidated Net Income in such period: interest, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization and other noncash charges and expenses (including stock based compensation under FASB 123R and noncash losses under FASB 133 as a result of changes in the fair market value of derivatives), minus all noncash income added to Consolidated Net Income (including all noncash gains under FASB 133 as a result of changes in the fair market value of derivatives); provided that EBITDA for each of the four fiscal quarters set forth below shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect to the Acquisition by adding the Acquisition EBITDA amount set forth opposite such date to actual historical EBITDA for such fiscal quarter:

 

September 30, 2006

   $ 27,325,000

December 31, 2006

   $ 27,325,000

March 31, 2007

   $ 24,735,000

June 30, 2007

   $ 25,000,000

Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 6.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 12.02).

Engineering Reports” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(c)(i).

 

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Environmental Laws” means any and all Governmental Requirements pertaining in any way to health, safety, the environment, the preservation or reclamation of natural resources, or the management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials, in effect in any and all jurisdictions in which the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary is conducting, or at any time has conducted, business, or where any Property of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary is located, including, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”), as amended, the Clean Air Act, as amended, the Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”), as amended, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (“RCRA”), as amended, the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, as amended, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Law, as amended, and other environmental conservation or protection Governmental Requirements.

Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such Equity Interest.

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any successor statutes, and all regulations and guidances promulgated thereunder.

ERISA Affiliate” means each trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which together with the Parent Guarantor or a Subsidiary would be deemed to be a “single employer” within the meaning of section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA or subsections (b), (c), (m) or (o) of section 414 of the Code.

ERISA Event” means (a) a “Reportable Event” described in section 4043 of ERISA, other than a Reportable Event as to which the provisions of 30 days notice to the PBGC is expressly waived under applicable regulations, (b) the withdrawal of the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate from a Plan during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” as defined in section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA, (c) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Plan or the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under section 4041 of ERISA, (d) the institution of proceedings to terminate a Plan by the PBGC, (e) receipt of a notice of withdrawal liability pursuant to Section 4202 of ERISA or (f) any other event or condition which might constitute grounds under section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan.

Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 10.01.

Excepted Liens” means: (a) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (b) Liens in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (c) statutory landlord’s liens, operators’, vendors’, carriers’, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, mechanics’, suppliers’, workers’, materialmen’s, construction or other like Liens arising by operation of law in the ordinary course of business or incident to the exploration, development, operation and maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties each of which is in respect of obligations that are not delinquent or which are being contested

 

8


in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (d) contractual Liens which arise in the ordinary course of business under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, oil and gas partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farm-out agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil and natural gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, overriding royalty agreements, marketing agreements, processing agreements, net profits agreements, development agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or other geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and are for claims which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action, provided that any such Lien referred to in this clause does not materially impair the use of the Property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which such Property is held by the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (e) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies and burdening only deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution, provided that no such deposit account is a dedicated cash collateral account or is subject to restrictions against access by the depositor in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Board and no such deposit account is intended by Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries to provide collateral to the depository institution; (f) easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations in any Property of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary for the purpose of roads, pipelines, transmission lines, transportation lines, distribution lines for the removal of gas, oil, coal or other minerals or timber, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real estate, rights of way, facilities and equipment which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of such Property for the purposes of which such Property is held by the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (g) Liens on cash or securities pledged to secure performance of tenders, surety and appeal bonds, government contracts, performance and return of money bonds, bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, regulatory obligations and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business; (h) judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default, provided that any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such proceeding may be initiated shall not have expired and no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced; and (i) Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business covering only the Property under lease; provided, further that (1) Liens described in clauses (a) through (e), (g) and (h) shall remain “Excepted Liens” only for so long as no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced and (2) no intention to subordinate the first priority Lien granted in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is to be hereby implied or expressed by the permitted existence of any Excepted Lien.

Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of December 18, 2006 among the Borrower, the guarantors, lenders and agents named therein, and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as administrative agent.

Existing Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit set forth in Schedule 1.02(b).

Expense Sharing Agreement” means that certain Applicant’s Expense Agreement dated as of March 24, 2006 between Anthem Securities, Inc. and Atlas Resources, LLC.

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding

 

9


Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

Financial Officer” means, for any Person, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a Financial Officer means a Financial Officer of the Parent Guarantor.

Financial Statements” means the financial statement or statements of the Parent Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries referred to in Section 7.04(a).

Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

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

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government over the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower any Subsidiary, any of their Properties, any Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender.

Governmental Requirement” means any applicable law, statute, code, ordinance, order, determination, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise, permit, certificate, license, authorization or other directive or requirement, whether now or hereinafter in effect, including, without limitation, Environmental Laws, energy regulations and occupational, safety and health standards or controls, of any Governmental Authority.

Guarantors” means:

 

   

the Parent Guarantor,

 

   

AER PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION, INC.,

 

   

AIC, LLC,

 

   

ATLAS AMERICA, LLC,

 

   

ATLAS ENERGY OHIO, LLC,

 

   

ATLAS NOBLE, LLC,

 

   

ATLAS RESOURCES, LLC,

 

   

ATLAS ENERGY MICHIGAN, LLC,

 

   

ATLAS GAS & OIL COMPANY, LLC,

 

   

WESTSIDE PIPELINE COMPANY, LLC,

 

10


   

REI-NY, LLC,

 

   

RESOURCE ENERGY, LLC,

 

   

RESOURCE WELL SERVICES, LLC,

 

   

VIKING RESOURCES LLC, and

 

   

each other Material Subsidiary that guarantees the Indebtedness pursuant to Section 8.14(b).

Guaranty Agreement” means an agreement executed by the Guarantors in substantially the form of Exhibit F-2 unconditionally guarantying on a joint and several basis, payment of the Indebtedness, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

Hazardous Material” means any substance regulated or as to which liability might arise under any applicable Environmental Law including: (a) any chemical, compound, material, product, byproduct, substance or waste defined as or included in the definition or meaning of “hazardous substance,” “hazardous material,” “hazardous waste,” “solid waste,” “toxic waste,” “extremely hazardous substance,” “toxic substance,” “contaminant,” “pollutant,” or words of similar meaning or import found in any applicable Environmental Law; (b) Hydrocarbons, petroleum products, petroleum substances, natural gas, oil, oil and gas waste, crude oil, and any components, fractions, or derivatives thereof; and (c) radioactive materials, explosives, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon, infectious or medical wastes.

Hydrocarbon Interests” means all rights, titles, interests and estates now or hereafter acquired in and to oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon leases, mineral fee interests, overriding royalty and royalty interests, net profit interests and production payment interests, including any reserved or residual interests of whatever nature.

Hydrocarbons” means oil, gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all products refined or separated therefrom.

Indebtedness” means any and all amounts owing or to be owing by the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any Subsidiary: (a) to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document; (b) to any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender under any Swap Agreement or any Specified Cash Management Agreements between the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any Subsidiary and such Lender or Affiliate of a Lender while such Person (or in the case of its Affiliate, the Person affiliated therewith) is a Lender hereunder and (c) all renewals, extensions and/or rearrangements of any of the above.

Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated June 2007 relating to the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and the Transactions.

Initial Reserve Report” means the report of the Borrower dated February 28, 2007, with respect to certain Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006 and with respect to the Acquisition Properties the report of Schlumberger dated as of June 4, 2007 evaluating such Properties as of June 30, 2007.

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04.

 

11


Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period.

Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months, and if available by all the Lenders, nine months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, (b) no Interest Period may have a term which would extend beyond the Maturity Date and (c) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

Interim Redetermination” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(b).

Interim Redetermination Date” means the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to an Interim Redetermination becomes effective as provided in Section 2.07(d).

Investment” means, for any Person: (a) the acquisition (whether for cash, Property, services or securities or otherwise) of Equity Interests of any other Person or any agreement to make any such acquisition (including, without limitation, capital contributions, any “short sale” or any sale of any securities at a time when such securities are not owned by the Person entering into such short sale), (b) the making of any deposit with, or advance, loan or other extension of credit to, any other Person (including the purchase of Property from another Person subject to an understanding or agreement, contingent or otherwise, to resell such Property to such Person, but excluding any such advance, loan or extension of credit having a term not exceeding ninety (90) days representing the purchase price of inventory or supplies sold by such Person in the ordinary course of business) or (c) the entering into of any guarantee of, or other contingent obligation (including the deposit of any Equity Interests to be sold) with respect to, Debt or other liability of any other Person and (without duplication) any amount committed to be advanced, lent or extended to such Person.

Issuing Bank” means JPMorgan in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder and, as the context requires with respect to the Existing Letters of Credit only, Wachovia Bank, N.A. The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

LC Commitment” at any time means Fifty Million dollars ($50,000,000).

LC Disbursement” means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that

 

12


have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.

Lenders” means the Persons listed on Annex I, any Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, and any Person that shall have become a party hereto as an Additional Lender pursuant to Section 2.06(c); provided, that unless the context otherwise requires, each reference herein to the Lenders shall be deemed to include any Conduit Lender.

Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement, including the Existing Letters of Credit.

Letter of Credit Agreements” means all letter of credit applications and other agreements (including any amendments, modifications or supplements thereto) submitted by the Borrower or entered into by the Borrower with the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit.

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to each day during each Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Loan, the rate per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in dollars for a period equal to such Interest Period commencing on the first day of such Interest Period appearing on the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page as of 11:00 A.M., London time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period. In the event that such rate does not appear on such page (or otherwise on such screen), the “LIBO Rate” shall be determined by reference to such other comparable publicly available service for displaying eurodollar rates as may be selected by the Administrative Agent or, in the absence of such availability, by reference to the rate at which the Administrative Agent is offered dollar deposits at or about 11:00 A.M., London time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period in the interbank eurodollar market where its eurodollar and foreign currency and exchange operations are then being conducted for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period for the number of days comprised therein.

Lien” means any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to, or a claim by, a Person other than the owner of the Property, whether such interest is based on the common law, statute or contract, and whether such obligation or claim is fixed or contingent, and including but not limited to (a) the lien or security interest arising from a mortgage, encumbrance, pledge, security agreement, conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for security purposes or (b) production payments and the like payable out of Oil and Gas Properties. The term “Lien” shall include easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be the owner of any Property which it has acquired or holds subject to a conditional sale agreement, or leases under a financing lease or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the Property has been retained by or vested in some other Person in a transaction intended to create a financing.

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes, if any, the Letter of Credit Agreements, the Letters of Credit and the Security Instruments.

Loan Parties” means the Borrower and each Guarantor, including the Parent Guarantor.

Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.

Majority Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having greater than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders holding greater than fifty percent (50%) of the

 

13


outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans or participation interests in Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c)).

Management Agreement” means the Management Agreement dated as of December 18, 2006 between the Parent Guarantor and Atlas Energy Management, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Material Adverse Effect” means any event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on (a) the assets or Properties, financial condition, businesses or operations of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Loan Parties to carry out its business as of the Effective Date or as proposed to be conducted on the Effective Date, or (c) the validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or the rights and remedies available to the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document.

Material Indebtedness” means Debt (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $25,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time, including unpaid amounts in respect of such Swap Agreement.

Material Subsidiary” means, as of any date, any Subsidiary (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) that (a) is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary and (b) together with its Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries), owns Property having a fair market value of $250,000 or more.

Maturity Date” means June 29, 2012.

Maximum Credit Amount” means, as to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Annex I under the caption “Maximum Credit Amounts”, as the same may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time in connection with a reduction or termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section 2.06(b), (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06(c) or (c) modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment permitted by Section 12.04(b). As of the Closing Date, the aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts of the Lenders are $850,000,000.

Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(c)(ii)(D).

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.

Mortgaged Property” means any Property owned by any Loan Party which is subject to the Liens existing and to exist under the terms of the Security Instruments.

Multiemployer Plan” means a Plan which is a multiemployer plan as defined in section 3(37) or 4001 (a)(3) of ERISA.

New Borrowing Base Notice” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(d).

 

14


Non-Recourse Debt” means any Debt of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, in each case in respect of which: (a) the holder or holders thereof (i) shall have recourse only to, and shall have the right to require the obligations of such Unrestricted Subsidiary to be performed, satisfied, and paid only out of, the Property of such Unrestricted Subsidiary and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries (but only to the extent that such Subsidiaries are Unrestricted Subsidiaries) and/or any other Person (other than any Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries which have not been designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries) and (ii) shall have no direct or indirect recourse (including by way of guaranty, support or indemnity) to any Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries which have not be designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries or to any of the Property of such Persons, whether for principal, interest, fees, expenses or otherwise; and (b) the terms and conditions relating to the non-recourse nature of such Debt are in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

Non-US Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(d).

Notes” means the promissory notes, if any, of the Borrower described in Section 2.02(c) and being substantially in the form of Exhibit A, together with all amendments, modifications, replacements, extensions and rearrangements thereof.

Oil and Gas Properties” means (a) Hydrocarbon Interests; (b) the Properties now or hereafter pooled or unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests; (c) all presently existing or future unitization, pooling agreements and declarations of pooled units and the units created thereby (including without limitation all units created under orders, regulations and rules of any Governmental Authority) which may affect all or any portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests; (d) all operating agreements, contracts and other agreements, including production sharing contracts and agreements, which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production, sale, purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable to such Hydrocarbon Interests; (e) all Hydrocarbons in and under and which may be produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, including all oil in tanks, and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, revenues and other incomes from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests; (f) all tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and Properties in any manner appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests and (g) all Properties, rights, titles, interests and estates described or referred to above, including any and all Property, real or personal, now owned or hereinafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon Interests or Property (excluding drilling rigs, automotive equipment, rental equipment or other personal Property which may be on such premises for the purpose of drilling a well or for other similar temporary uses) and including any and all oil wells, gas wells, injection wells or other wells, buildings, structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps, pumping units, field gathering systems, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures, valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus, equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing and rods, surface leases, rights-of-way, easements and servitudes together with all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any and all of the foregoing.

Operating Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of the Parent Guarantor dated as of December 18, 2006, as the same may be amended in accordance with Section 9.18.

Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or Property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement and any other Loan Document.

Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.04(c)(i).

 

15


Partnerships” means the partnerships listed on Schedule 7.15 and any other partnerships which are engaged principally in the acquisition and development of Oil and Gas Properties as may be wholly or partially owned, directly or indirectly, by any Loan Party from time to time hereafter.

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or any successor thereto.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in section 3(2) of ERISA, which (a) is currently or hereafter sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate or (b) was at any time during the six calendar years preceding the date hereof, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Parent Guarantor or a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate.

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York, New York; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective. Such rate is set by the Administrative Agent as a general reference rate of interest, taking into account such factors as the Administrative Agent may deem appropriate; it being understood that many of the Administrative Agent’s commercial or other loans are priced in relation to such rate, that it is not necessarily the lowest or best rate actually charged to any customer and that the Administrative Agent may make various commercial or other loans at rates of interest having no relationship to such rate.

Property” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

Proposed Borrowing Base” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(c)(i).

Proposed Borrowing Base Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(c)(ii).

Redemption” means with respect to any Debt, the repurchase, redemption, prepayment, repayment or defeasance (or the segregation of funds with respect to any of the foregoing) of such Debt. “Redeem” has the correlative meaning thereto.

Redetermination Date” means, with respect to any Scheduled Redetermination or any Interim Redetermination, the date that the redetermined Borrowing Base related thereto becomes effective pursuant to Section 2.07(d).

Register” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 12.04(b)(iv).

Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board, as the same may be amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time.

Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors (including attorneys, accountants and experts) of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

Release” means any depositing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, placing, emitting, discarding, abandoning, emptying, discharging, migrating, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing.

 

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Remedial Work” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 8.10.

Reserve Report” means the Initial Reserve Report and a report, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth, as of each December 31st or June 30th (or such other date in the event of an Interim Redetermination) the oil and gas reserves attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (or the Borrower’s proportionate share of such Oil and Gas Properties in the case of the Partnerships), together with a projection of the rate of production and future net income, taxes, operating expenses and capital expenditures with respect thereto as of such date, consistent with SEC reporting requirements at the time, together with a supplement indicating future net income based upon the Administrative Agent’s usual and customary pricing assumptions for oil and gas loans then in effect, in each case reflecting Swap Agreements in place with respect to such production. Each Reserve Report shall include a report on a well by well basis reflecting the working and revenue interests for the Borrower and each Guarantor, and the net working interest and net revenue interests for each Partnership and such other information and in such form as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

Responsible Officer” means, as to any Person, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the President, any Financial Officer or any Vice President of such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references to a Responsible Officer herein shall mean a Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor.

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other Property) with respect to any Equity Interests in any Person, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other Property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests.

Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Loans and its LC Exposure at such time.

Scheduled Redetermination” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(b).

Scheduled Redetermination Date” means the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to a Scheduled Redetermination becomes effective as provided in Section 2.07(d).

SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor Governmental Authority.

Security Instruments” means the Guaranty Agreement, mortgages, deeds of trust and other agreements, instruments or certificates described or referred to in Exhibit F-1, and any and all other agreements, instruments or certificates now or hereafter executed and delivered by any Loan Party or any other Person (other than Swap Agreements or Specified Cash Management Agreements with the Lenders or any Affiliate of a Lender or participation or similar agreements between any Lender and any other lender or creditor with respect to any Indebtedness pursuant to this Agreement) in connection with, or as security for the payment or performance of the Indebtedness, the Notes, if any, this Agreement, or reimbursement obligations under the Letters of Credit, as such agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Senior Notes” means any unsecured senior or senior subordinated notes issued by the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower under Section 9.02(h) and any guarantees thereof by the Borrower or a Guarantor.

 

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Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower (together with the Subsidiaries of such Subsidiary) which has total assets and liabilities in excess of $15,000,000.

Solvent” means when used with respect to any Person, means that, as of any date of determination, (a) the amount of the “present fair saleable value” of the assets of such Person will, as of such date, exceed the amount of all “liabilities of such Person, contingent or otherwise”, as of such date, as such quoted terms are determined in accordance with applicable federal and state laws governing determinations of the insolvency of debtors, (b) the present fair saleable value of the assets of such Person will, as of such date, be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the liability of such Person on its debts as such debts become absolute and matured, (c) such Person will not have, as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to conduct its business, and (d) such Person will be able to pay its debts as they mature.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.

Specified Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement providing for treasury, depositary, purchasing card or cash management services, including in connection with any automated clearing house transfers of funds or any similar transactions between the Borrower or any Guarantor and any Lender or Affiliate thereof.

Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

Subsidiary” means: (a) any Person of which at least a majority of the outstanding Equity Interests having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors, manager or other governing body of such Person (irrespective of whether or not at the time Equity Interests of any other class or classes of such Person shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by the Parent Guarantor and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries, (b) any partnership of which the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries is a general partner and (c) without duplication of clause (b), each Partnership. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term “Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary of the Parent Guarantor.

Super-Majority Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66- 2/3%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders holding at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66- 2/3%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans or participation interests in Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c)).

Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement, whether exchange traded, “over-the-counter” or otherwise,

 

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involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions.

Synthetic Leases” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, treated as operating leases on the financial statements of the Person liable (whether contingently or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder and which were properly treated as indebtedness for borrowed money for purposes of U.S. federal income taxes, if the lessee in respect thereof is obligated to either purchase for an amount in excess of, or pay upon early termination an amount in excess of, 80% of the residual value of the Property subject to such operating lease upon expiration or early termination of such lease.

Target” means DTE Gas & Oil Company, a Michigan corporation.

Termination Date” means the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.

Total Debt” means, at any date, all Debt of the Parent Guarantor and the Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis other than (i) contingent obligations in respect of Debt described in clause (b) and (ii) Debt described in clause (c) of the definition of “Debt”. For the avoidance of doubt, “Total Debt” shall not include “asset retirement obligations” as such term is used in FASB Statement 143 to the extent such term relates to the plugging and abandonment of wells.

Transactions” means, with respect to (a) the Borrower, the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, and the grant of Liens by the Borrower on Mortgaged Properties pursuant to the Security Instruments and (b) each Guarantor, the execution, delivery and performance by such Guarantor of each Loan Document and each Acquisition Document to which it is a party, consummation of the Acquisition, the guaranteeing of the Indebtedness and the other obligations under the Guaranty Agreement by such Guarantor and such Guarantor’s grant of the security interests and provision of collateral thereunder, and the grant of Liens by such Guarantor on Mortgaged Properties pursuant to the Security Instruments.

Transferee” means any Assignee or Participant.

Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary designated as such on Schedule 7.15 or which the Borrower has designated in writing to the Administrative Agent to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 9.19.

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of which all of the outstanding Equity Interests (other than any directors’ qualifying shares mandated by applicable law), on a fully-diluted basis, are owned by the Parent Guarantor or one or more of the Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries or by the Parent Guarantor and one or more of the Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries.

Section 1.03 Types of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans and Borrowings, respectively, may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan” or a “Eurodollar Borrowing”).

 

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Section 1.04 Terms Generally; Rules of Construction. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any law shall be construed as referring to such law as amended, modified, codified or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect from time to time, (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to the restrictions contained herein), (d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) with respect to the determination of any time period, the word “from” means “from and including” and the word “to” means “to and including” and (f) any reference herein to Articles, Sections, Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement.

Section 1.05 Accounting Terms and Determinations. Unless otherwise specified herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower or the Parent Guarantor notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower or the Parent Guarantor requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower or the Parent Guarantor that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.

ARTICLE II

The Credits

Section 2.01 Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Loans to the Borrower during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment and (b) the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow the Loans.

Section 2.02 Loans and Borrowings.

(a) Borrowings; Several Obligations. Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

(b) Types of Loans. Subject to Section 3.03, each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or

 

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Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(c) Minimum Amounts; Limitation on Number of Borrowings. At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000. At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments. Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of fifteen (15) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.

(d) Notes. If a Lender shall make a written request to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to have its Loans evidenced by a promissory note, then the Borrower shall execute and deliver a single promissory note of the Borrower in substantially the form of Exhibit A, payable to the order of such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount as then in effect, and otherwise duly completed. The date, amount, Type, interest rate and, if applicable, Interest Period of each Loan made by each Lender, and all payments made on account of the principal thereof, may be recorded by such Lender on its books for its Note, and, prior to any transfer, may be endorsed by such Lender on a schedule attached to such Note or any continuation thereof or on any separate record maintained by such Lender; provided that the failure to make any such notation or to attach a schedule shall not affect any Lender’s or the Borrower’s rights or obligations in respect of such Loans or affect the validity of such transfer by any Lender of its Note.

Section 2.03 Requests for Borrowings. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone or by written Borrowing Request in substantially the form of Exhibit B and signed by the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower (a “written Borrowing Request”): (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York, New York time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York, New York time, one Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and each telephonic Borrowing Request shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;

(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”;

(v) the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base and the then effective Conforming Borrowing Base, the current total Revolving Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Borrowing) and the pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Borrowing); and

 

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(vi) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.05.

After the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, information regarding the Conforming Borrowing Base may be omitted from subsequent Borrowing Requests.

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Each Borrowing Request shall constitute a representation that the amount of the requested Borrowing shall not cause the total Revolving Credit Exposures to exceed the total Commitments (i.e., the lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base).

Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section 2.03, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

Section 2.04 Interest Elections.

(a) Conversion and Continuance. Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section 2.04. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.

(b) Interest Election Requests. To make an election pursuant to this Section 2.04, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone or by a written Interest Election Request in substantially the form of Exhibit C and signed by the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower (a “written Interest Election Request”) by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and each telephonic Interest Election Request shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent.

(c) Information in Interest Election Requests. Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(iii) and (iv) shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

 

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(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

(d) Notice to Lenders by the Administrative Agent. Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

(e) Effect of Failure to Deliver Timely Interest Election Request and Events of Default on Interest Election. If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing: (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing (and any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective) and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

Section 2.05 Funding of Borrowings.

(a) Funding by Lenders. Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 1:00 p.m., New York, New York time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request.

(b) Presumption of Funding by the Lenders. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.05(a) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

Section 2.06 Termination, Reduction and Increase of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

(a) Scheduled Termination of Commitments. Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date. If at any time the Aggregate Maximum Credit

 

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Amounts or the Borrowing Base is terminated or reduced to zero, then the Commitments shall terminate on the effective date of such termination or reduction.

(b) Optional Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Credit Amounts.

(i) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; provided that (A) each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 and (B) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 3.04(c), the total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments.

(ii) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts under Section 2.06(b)(i) at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(ii) shall be irrevocable. Any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be permanent and may not be reinstated except pursuant to Section 2.06(c). Each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage.

(c) Optional Increase in Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

(i) Subject to the conditions set forth in Section 2.06(c)(ii), the Borrower may increase the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts then in effect with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent by increasing the Maximum Credit Amount of a Lender or by causing a Person that at such time is not a Lender to become a Lender (an “Additional Lender”).

(ii) Any increase in the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) such increase shall not be less than $50,000,000 unless the Administrative Agent otherwise consents, and no such increase shall be permitted if after giving effect thereto the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts would exceed $1,050,000,000;

(B) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the effective date of such increase or would result after giving effect to such increase;

(C) no Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount may be increased without the consent of such Lender (such consent to be granted in such Lender’s sole discretion);

(D) if the Borrower elects to increase the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts by increasing the Maximum Credit Amount of a Lender, the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and such Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-1 (a “Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate”); and

(E) if the Borrower elects to increase the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts by causing an Additional Lender to become a party to this Agreement, then the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and such Additional Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative

 

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Agent a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-2 (an “Additional Lender Certificate”), together with an Administrative Questionnaire.

(iii) Any such Additional Lender shall be deemed to be a party in all respects to this Agreement and any other Loan Documents to which the Lenders are a party, and upon the effective date set forth in such Additional Lender Certificate or Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate, any such Lender party to a Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate or an Additional Lender Certificate shall purchase a pro rata portion of the outstanding Revolving Credit Exposure of each of the current Lenders such that the Lenders (including any Additional Lender, if applicable) shall have the appropriate portion of the aggregate outstanding Revolving Credit Exposure (based in each case of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage, as revised pursuant to this Section).

Section 2.07 Borrowing Base.

(a) Initial Borrowing Base and Initial Conforming Borrowing Base. For the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the first Redetermination Date, the amount of the Borrowing Base shall be $850,000,000 and the amount of the Conforming Borrowing Base shall be $685,000,000; provided that for the period from the Effective Date until the Borrowing Base Equalization Date the Borrowing Base shall not be less than $850,000,000. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowing Base and the Conforming Borrowing Base may be subject to further adjustments from time to time pursuant to Section 2.07(f), Section 8.13(c) or Section 9.11(d). On the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced to an amount equal to the Conforming Borrowing Base.

(b) Scheduled and Interim Redeterminations. The Borrowing Base and, until the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base, shall be redetermined semi-annually in accordance with this Section 2.07 (a “Scheduled Redetermination”), and, subject to Section 2.07(d), such redetermined amounts shall become effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Agents, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders on April 1st and October 1st of each year, commencing October 1, 2007. In addition, the Borrower may, by notifying the Administrative Agent thereof, and the Administrative Agent may, at the direction of the Super-Majority Lenders, by notifying the Borrower thereof, one time during each six month period, elect any of the foregoing amounts to be redetermined between Scheduled Redeterminations (an “Interim Redetermination”) in accordance with this Section 2.07.

(c) Scheduled and Interim Redetermination Procedure.

(i) Each Scheduled Redetermination and each Interim Redetermination shall be effectuated as follows: Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of (A) the Reserve Report and the certificate required to be delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c), and, in the case of an Interim Redetermination, pursuant to Section 8.12(b) and (c), and (B) such other reports, data and supplemental information, including, without limitation, the information provided pursuant to Section 8.12(c), as may, from time to time, be reasonably requested by the Super-Majority Lenders (the Reserve Report, such certificate and such other reports, data and supplemental information being the “Engineering Reports”), the Administrative Agent shall evaluate the information contained in the Engineering Reports and shall, in good faith, propose a new Borrowing Base, which prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date shall further specify a new Conforming Borrowing Base (all such amounts being the “Proposed Borrowing Base”) based upon such information and such other information (including, without limitation, the status of title information with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties as described in the Engineering Reports and the existence of any other Debt) as the Administrative Agent deems appropriate in its sole discretion and consistent with its normal oil and gas lending criteria as it exists at the particular time.

 

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(ii) The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Proposed Borrowing Base (the “Proposed Borrowing Base Notice”):

(A) in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination (1) if the Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on or before the March 15th and September 15th of such year following the date of delivery or (2) if the Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then promptly after the Administrative Agent has received complete Engineering Reports from the Borrower and has had a reasonable opportunity to determine the Proposed Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.07(c)(i); and

(B) in the case of an Interim Redetermination, promptly, and in any event, within fifteen (15) days after the Administrative Agent has received the required Engineering Reports.

(iii) Any Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) then in effect must be approved or deemed to have been approved by all of the Lenders as provided in this Section 2.07(c)(iii); and any Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) then in effect must be approved or be deemed to have been approved by the Super-Majority Lenders as provided in this Section 2.07(c)(iii). Such decisions will be made by each Lender based upon such criteria as such Lender deems appropriate in its sole discretion and consistent with its normal oil and gas lending criteria as it exists at the particular time. Upon receipt of the Proposed Borrowing Base Notice, each Lender shall have fifteen (15) days to agree with the Proposed Borrowing Base or disagree with the Proposed Borrowing Base by proposing an alternate Borrowing Base (which proposal must prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date also propose a Conforming Borrowing Base). If at the end of such fifteen (15) days, any Lender has not communicated its approval or disapproval in writing to the Administrative Agent, such silence shall be deemed to be an approval of the Proposed Borrowing Base. If, at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) then in effect, or the Super-Majority Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) then in effect, have approved or deemed to have approved, as aforesaid, then the Proposed Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) shall become the new Borrowing Base and the new Conforming Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified in Section 2.07(d). If, however, at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders or the Super-Majority Lenders, as applicable, have not approved or deemed to have approved, as aforesaid, then the Administrative Agent shall poll the Lenders to ascertain the highest amount (which proposal must, prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, also propose a Conforming Borrowing Base) then acceptable to all of the Lenders, or the Super-Majority Lenders in the case of an amount that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base), then in effect, for purposes of this Section 2.07 and such amount shall become the new Borrowing Base (and, prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base), effective on the date specified in Section 2.07(d).

(d) Effectiveness of a Redetermined Borrowing Base. After a redetermined Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) is approved or is deemed to have been approved by all of the Lenders or the Super-Majority Lenders, as applicable, pursuant to Section 2.07(c)(iii), the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the

 

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Lenders (the “New Borrowing Base Notice”), and such amount (or amounts, as applicable) shall become the new Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the new Conforming Borrowing Base), effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Agents, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders:

(i) in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, (A) if the Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on the April 1st or October 1st, as applicable, following such notice, or (B) if the Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of such notice; and

(ii) in the case of an Interim Redetermination, on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of such notice.

(e) Such amount shall then become the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) until the next Scheduled Redetermination Date, the next Interim Redetermination Date or the next adjustment, to the extent applicable, under Section 2.07(f), Section 8.13(c) or Section 9.11, whichever occurs first. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Scheduled Redetermination or Interim Redetermination shall become effective until the New Borrowing Base Notice related thereto is received by the Borrower.

(f) Reduction of Borrowing Base Upon Issuance of Permitted Senior Notes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the issuance of any Senior Notes in accordance with Section 9.02(h), the Borrowing Base and the Conforming Borrowing Base then in effect shall be reduced by an amount equal to the product of 0.25 multiplied by the stated principal amount of such Senior Notes (without regard to any initial issue discount), and the Borrowing Base and the Conforming Borrowing Base as so reduced shall become the new Borrowing Base and the new Conforming Base immediately upon the date of such issuance, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Agents, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders on such date until the next redetermination or modification thereof hereunder; provided that if the date of such issuance constitutes the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced to an amount equal to the Conforming Borrowing Base (as in effect prior to such issuance) less the reduction required by this Section 2.07(f).

Section 2.08 Letters of Credit.

(a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the Issuing Bank to issue US dollar denominated Letters of Credit for its own account or for the account of the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the period from the Effective Date until the day which is five (5) Business Days prior to the end of the Availability Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (unless otherwise agreed by the Issuing Bank, not less than three (3) Business Days in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice:

(i) requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit or identifying the outstanding Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended;

 

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(ii) specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day);

(iii) specifying the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with Section 2.08(c));

(iv) specifying the amount of such Letter of Credit;

(v) specifying the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit; and

(vi) specifying the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base and the current total Revolving Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit) and the pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit).

Each notice shall constitute a representation that after giving effect to the requested issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, as applicable, (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed the LC Commitment and (ii) the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments (i.e., the lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base).

If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit and shall guarantee the reimbursement of any Letter of Credit issued for the account of the Parent Guarantor or a Subsidiary.

(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal, which renewal may be provided for in the initial Letter of Credit, or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.

(d) Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to an existing Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in Section 2.08(e), or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this Section 2.08(d) in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 

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(e) Reimbursement. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than the fifth (5th) Business Day after the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement, together with interest on the amount disbursed from and including the date of disbursement until payment in full of such disbursed amount at a varying rate per annum equal to (i) the then applicable interest rate for ABR Loans for each day such LC Disbursement shall remain outstanding through the fifth (5th) Business Day following its receipt of notice of such disbursement and (ii) thereafter, the post-default rate for ABR Loans for the period from and including the sixth Business Day following the date of such disbursement to and including the date of repayment in full of such disbursed amount. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.05 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.05 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.08(e), the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

(f) Obligations Absolute. The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in Section 2.08(e) shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit Agreement or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or any Letter of Credit Agreement, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section 2.08(f), constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank, the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised all requisite care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make

 

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payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

(g) Disbursement Procedures. The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

(h) Interim Interest. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, until the Borrower shall have reimbursed the Issuing Bank for such LC Disbursement, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Loans. Interest accrued pursuant to this Section 2.08(h) shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

(i) Cash Collateralization. If (i) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.08(i), or (ii) the Borrower is required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c), then the Borrower shall deposit, in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to, in the case of an Event of Default, the LC Exposure, and in the case of a payment required by Section 3.04(c), the amount of such excess as provided in Section 3.04(c), as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective three (3) Business Days after notice from the Administrative Agent, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary described in Section 10.01(h) or Section 10.01(i). The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Bank and the Lenders, an exclusive first priority and continuing perfected security interest in and Lien on such account and all cash, checks, drafts, certificates and instruments, if any, from time to time deposited or held in such account, all deposits or wire transfers made thereto, any and all investments purchased with funds deposited in such account, all interest, dividends, cash, instruments, financial assets and other Property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise payable in respect of, or in exchange for, any or all of the foregoing, and all proceeds, products, accessions, rents, profits, income and benefits therefrom, and any substitutions and replacements therefor. The Borrower’s obligation to deposit amounts pursuant to this Section 2.08(i) shall be absolute and unconditional, without regard to whether any beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit has attempted to draw down all or a portion of such amount under the terms of a Letter of Credit, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall not be subject to any defense or be affected by a right of set-off, counterclaim or recoupment which the Parent Guarantor, any other Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries may now or hereafter have against any such beneficiary, the Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or any other Person for any reason whatsoever. Such deposit shall be held as collateral securing the payment and performance of the Borrower’s and the other Loan Party’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in a “securities account” (within the meaning of Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect from time to time in the State of New York, the “UCC”) over which the Administrative Agent shall have

 

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“control” (within the meaning of the UCC). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may direct the Administrative Agent and the “securities intermediary” (within the meaning of the UCC) to invest amounts credited to the securities account, at the Borrower’s risk and expense, in Investments described in Section 9.05(c) through (f). Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse, on a pro rata basis, the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower and the Loan Party’s under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, and the Borrower is not otherwise required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c), then such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.

(j) Existing Letters of Credit. On the Effective Date, the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed issued under this Agreement without further action on any Person’s part.

ARTICLE III

Payments of Principal and Interest; Prepayments; Fees

Section 3.01 Repayment of Loans. The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Loan on the Termination Date.

Section 3.02 Interest.

(a) ABR Loans. The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin.

(b) Eurodollar Loans. The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Margin.

(c) Post-Default Rate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower or any other Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in Section 3.02(a), or if no rate is then applicable to such amount, at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) plus the highest rate then applicable to ABR Loans as provided in Section 3.02(a).

(d) Interest Payment Dates. Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and on the Termination Date; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to Section 3.02(c) shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than an optional prepayment of an ABR Loan prior to the Termination Date), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment, and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

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(e) Interest Rate Computations. All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and be binding upon the parties hereto.

Section 3.03 Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period; or

(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Majority Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

Section 3.04 Prepayments.

(a) Optional Prepayments. The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with Section 3.04(b).

(b) Notice and Terms of Optional Prepayment. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York, New York time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York, New York time, one (1) Business Day prior to the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 3.02.

(c) Mandatory Prepayments.

(i) If, after giving effect to any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section 2.06(b), the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the total Commitments, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay the Borrowings on the date of such termination or

 

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reduction in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(i).

(ii) Upon any scheduled or interim redetermination of the amount of the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.07(d) or adjustment under Section 8.13(c) at any time, if the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the redetermined or adjusted Borrowing Base, then the Borrower shall, within thirty (30) days after its receipt of a New Borrowing Base Notice inform the Administrative Agent of the Borrower’s election to: (A) prepay the Loans in six equal monthly installments, commencing on the 30th day following its receipt of such New Borrowing Base Notice or notice of adjustment with each payment being equal to 1/6th of the deficiency (provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to this Section 3.04(c)(ii) must be made on or prior to the Termination Date), (B) furnish additional Oil and Gas Properties not evaluated in the Reserve Report having a loan value (as determined by the Lenders in their sole discretion) not less than the deficiency or (C) undertake a combination of clauses (A) and (B) satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and all of the Lenders. If, because of LC Exposure, a Borrowing Base deficiency remains after prepaying all of the Loans, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such remaining Borrowing Base deficiency to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(i).

(iii) Upon any adjustments to the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(f) or Section 9.11, if the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base as adjusted, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(i). The Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment and/or deposit of cash collateral on the date the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or such other Person receives cash proceeds as a result of such disposition or such incurrence of Debt.

(iv) Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be applied, first, ratably to any ABR Borrowings then outstanding, and, second, to any Eurodollar Borrowings then outstanding as the Borrower may direct.

(v) Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowings. Prepayments pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 3.02.

(d) No Premium or Penalty. Prepayments permitted or required under this Section 3.04 shall be without premium or penalty, except as required under Section 5.02.

Section 3.05 Fees.

(a) Commitment Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the applicable Commitment Fee Rate on the average daily amount of the unused amount of each Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Borrowing Base during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the Termination Date. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the third Business Day after the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

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(b) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, (ii) to the Issuing Bank, for its own account, a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, provided that in no event shall such fee be less than $500 during any year, and (iii) to the Issuing Bank, for its own account, its standard and customary fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date of this Agreement; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the Termination Date and any such fees accruing after the Termination Date shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section 3.05(b) shall be payable within 10 days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(c) Administrative Agent Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon among the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

ARTICLE IV

Payments; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.

Section 4.01 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.

(a) Payments by the Borrower. The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York, New York time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without defense, deduction, recoupment, set-off or counterclaim. Fees, once paid, shall be fully earned and shall not be refundable under any circumstances. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices specified in Section 12.01, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 and Section 12.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.

(b) Application of Insufficient Payments. If at any time prior the Termination Date, insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest, fees and other amounts then due hereunder, such

 

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funds shall be applied: first, ratably to reimbursement of expenses and indemnities provided for in this Agreement and the Security Instruments; second, to accrued interest on the Loans; third, to fees; fourth, pro rata to outstanding principal of the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements; and fifth, if applicable, to serve as cash collateral to be held by the Administrative Agent to secure the LC Exposure, in each case, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts then due to such parties.

(c) Sharing of Payments by Lenders. If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this Section 4.01(c) shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to a Loan Party or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section 4.01(c) shall apply). The Parent Guarantor and the Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against either the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

Section 4.02 Presumption of Payment by the Borrower. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

Section 4.03 Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent. If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(b), Section 2.08(d), Section 2.08(e) or Section 4.02 then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.

Section 4.04 Disposition of Proceeds. The Security Instruments contain an assignment by the Borrower and/or the Loan Party’s unto and in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the

 

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Lenders of all of the Borrower’s or each other Loan Party’s interest in and to production and all proceeds attributable thereto which may be produced from or allocated to the Mortgaged Property. The Security Instruments further provide in general for the application of such proceeds to the satisfaction of the Indebtedness and other obligations described therein and secured thereby. Notwithstanding the assignment contained in such Security Instruments, until the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree that they will neither notify the purchaser or purchasers of such production nor take any other action to cause such proceeds to be remitted to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, but the Lenders will instead permit such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower or any other applicable Loan Party and the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to take such actions as may be necessary to cause such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and/or such Loan Parties.

ARTICLE V

Increased Costs; Break Funding Payments; Taxes

Section 5.01 Increased Costs.

(a) Eurodollar Changes in Law. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or

(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificates. A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in Section 5.01(a) or (b) and reasonably detailed calculations therefor shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 30 days after receipt thereof.

 

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(d) Effect of Failure or Delay in Requesting Compensation. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 5.01 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section 5.01 for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than one (1) year prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the one (1) year period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

Section 5.02 Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan into an ABR Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, or (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto, or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 5.05, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market.

A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 5.02 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 30 days after receipt thereof.

Section 5.03 Taxes.

(a) All payments made by any Loan Party under this Agreement or any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on account of, any present or future income, stamp or other taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions or withholdings, now or hereafter imposed, levied, collected, withheld or assessed by any Governmental Authority, excluding net income taxes and franchise taxes (imposed in lieu of net income taxes) imposed on the Administrative Agent or any Lender as a result of a present or former connection between the Administrative Agent or such Lender and the jurisdiction of the Governmental Authority imposing such tax or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein (other than any such connection arising solely from the Administrative Agent or such Lender having executed, delivered or performed its obligations or received a payment under, or enforced, this Agreement or any other Loan Document). If any such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions or withholdings (“Non-Excluded Taxes”) or Other Taxes are required to be withheld from any amounts payable to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder, the amounts so payable to the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall be increased to the extent necessary to yield to the Administrative Agent or such Lender (after payment of all Non-Excluded Taxes and Other Taxes) interest or any such other amounts

 

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payable hereunder at the rates or in the amounts specified in this Agreement, provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to increase any such amounts payable to any Lender with respect to any Non-Excluded Taxes (i) that are attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the requirements of Section 5.03(d) or (e) or (ii) that are United States withholding taxes imposed on amounts payable to such Lender at the time such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement, except to the extent that such Lender’s assignor (if any) was entitled, at the time of assignment, to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such Non-Excluded Taxes pursuant to this Section 5.03(a).

(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(c) Whenever any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes are payable by a Loan Party, as promptly as possible thereafter such Loan Party shall send to the Administrative Agent for its own account or for the account of the relevant Lender, as the case may be, a certified copy of an original official receipt received by such Loan Party showing payment thereof. If such Loan Party fails to pay any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes when due to the appropriate taxing authority or fails to remit to the Administrative Agent the required receipts or other required documentary evidence, the Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for any incremental taxes, interest or penalties that may become payable by the Administrative Agent or any Lender as a result of any such failure.

(d) Each Lender (or Transferee) that is not a “U.S. Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code (a “Non-U.S. Lender”) shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender from which the related participation shall have been purchased) two copies of either U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or Form W-8ECI, or, in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming exemption from U.S. federal withholding tax under Section 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code with respect to payments of “portfolio interest”, a statement substantially in the form of Exhibit H and a Form W-8BEN, or any subsequent versions thereof or successors thereto, properly completed and duly executed by such Non-U.S. Lender claiming complete exemption from, or a reduced rate of, U.S. federal withholding tax on all payments by the Loan Parties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Such forms shall be delivered by each Non-U.S. Lender on or before the date it becomes a party to this Agreement (or, in the case of any Participant, on or before the date such Participant purchases the related participation). In addition, each Non-U.S. Lender shall deliver such forms promptly upon the obsolescence or invalidity of any form previously delivered by such Non-U.S. Lender. Each Non-U.S. Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower at any time it determines that it is no longer in a position to provide any previously delivered certificate to the Borrower (or any other form of certification adopted by the U.S. taxing authorities for such purpose). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5.03(d), a Non-U.S. Lender shall not be required to deliver any form pursuant to this Section 5.03(d) that such Non-U.S. Lender is not legally able to deliver.

(e) A Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of non-U.S. withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement or any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate, provided that such Lender is legally entitled to complete, execute and deliver such documentation and in such Lender’s judgment such completion, execution or submission would not materially prejudice the legal position of such Lender.

(f) If the Administrative Agent or any Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified

 

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by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 5.03, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 5.03 with respect to the Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This Section 5.03 shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

(g) The agreements in this Section 5.03 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

Section 5.04 Designation of Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.01, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 5.03, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (a) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 5.01 or Section 5.03, as the case may be, in the future and (b) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

Section 5.05 Replacement of Lenders. If (a) any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.01, (b) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 5.03, (c) any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, (d) any Lender has not approved (or is not deemed to have approved) an increase in the Borrowing Base proposed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.07(c)(iii) which has been approved by Lenders holding 75% or more of the then outstanding Commitments or (e) any Lender has not approved a proposed waiver or amendment requiring 100% approval or consent but which has been approved by Lenders holding 75% or more of the then outstanding Commitments, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 12.04(b)), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 5.01 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 5.03, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments or will result in the approval of the proposed Borrowing Base. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

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ARTICLE VI

Conditions Precedent

Section 6.01 Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 12.02):

(a) The Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower and each Guarantor setting forth (i) resolutions of its board of directors with respect to the authorization of the Borrower or such Guarantor to execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to enter into the transactions contemplated in those documents, (ii) the officers of the Borrower or such Guarantor (A) who are authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which the Borrower or such Guarantor is a party and (B) who will, until replaced by another officer or officers duly authorized for that purpose, act as its representative for the purposes of signing documents and giving notices and other communications in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) specimen signatures of such authorized officers, and (iv) the articles or certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Borrower and such Guarantor, certified as being true and complete. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders may conclusively rely on such certificate until the Administrative Agent receives notice in writing from the Borrower to the contrary.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of the appropriate State agencies with respect to the existence, qualification and good standing of the Borrower and each Guarantor.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a compliance certificate which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit D, duly and properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor and dated as of the date of Effective Date.

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party hereto counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party.

(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party thereto duly executed counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of the Security Instruments, including the Guaranty Agreement and the other Security Instruments described on Exhibit F-1. In connection with the execution and delivery of the Security Instruments, the Administrative Agent shall:

(i) be reasonably satisfied that the Security Instruments create first priority, perfected Liens (except that Excepted Liens identified in clauses (a) to (d) and (f) of the definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) on at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report; and

(ii) be reasonably satisfied that each of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries which are not Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall have pledged all of its partnership interests in each Partnership; and

 

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(iii) have received certificates, if appropriate, together with undated, blank stock powers for each such certificate, representing all of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower and each of the Guarantors (other than the Parent Guarantor).

(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion of (i) Ledgewood, special counsel to the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto and (ii) local counsel in each of the following states: Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and any other jurisdictions requested by the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit E-2.

(h) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of insurance coverage of the Borrower evidencing that the Borrower is carrying insurance in accordance with Section 7.13.

(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received title information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require satisfactory to the Administrative Agent setting forth the status of title to at least 75% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report.

(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor certifying that the Parent Guarantor or a Loan Party has (i) received all consents and approvals required by Section 7.03, and (ii) no action, investigation, litigation or proceeding pending or threatened in any court or before any Governmental Authority that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent, the Acquisition, any other Transaction or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby.

(k) The Administrative Agent shall have received the financial statements referred to in Section 7.04(a) and the Initial Reserve Report accompanied by a certificate covering the matters described in Section 8.12(c).

(l) The Administrative Agent shall have received appropriate UCC search certificates reflecting no prior Liens encumbering the Properties of each Loan Party, each Partnership and the Target and its Subsidiaries for each of the following jurisdictions: Delaware, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and any other jurisdiction requested by the Administrative Agent; other than those being assigned or released on or prior to the Effective Date or Liens permitted by Section 9.03.

(m) The sources and uses of funding for the Transaction shall be substantially consistent with the Annex II and the terms of such funding sources shall be consistent with the terms hereof or the Transaction Agreement, as applicable; and the Borrower shall have unused availability under this Agreement of not less than $150,000,000. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor certifying that no provision of the Acquisition Agreement shall have been unenforced, waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in any respect materially adverse to the Borrower or the Lenders without the prior consent of the Administrative Agent.

(n) The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor certifying: (A) that the Borrower or a Guarantor is concurrently consummating the Acquisition in accordance with the terms of the Acquisition Agreement (with all of the material conditions precedent thereto having been satisfied in all material respects by the parties thereto) and applicable law and acquiring substantially all of the Acquisition Properties contemplated by the Acquisition Documents; (B) as to the final purchase price for the Acquisition Properties after giving effect to all adjustments as of the closing date contemplated by the Acquisition Documents and

 

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specifying, by category (i.e., working capital, cap-ex, title defect or environmental defect), the amount of such adjustment; (C) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of the Acquisition Properties, if any, which have been excluded from the Acquisition pursuant to the terms of the Acquisition Documents, specifying with respect thereto the basis of exclusion as (1) title defect or (2) environmental defect; (D) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of all Acquisition Properties for which any seller has elected to cure a title defect, (E) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of all Acquisition Properties for which any seller has elected to remediate an adverse environmental condition, and (F) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of all Acquisition Properties which are currently pending final decision by a third party regarding purchase of such property in accordance with any preferential right; (ii) a true and complete executed copy of the Acquisition Agreement; (iii) original counterparts or copies, certified as true and complete, of the assignments, deeds and leases for all of the Acquisition Properties; and (iv) such other related documents and information as the Administrative Agent shall have reasonably requested.

(o) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that immediately after giving effect to the Acquisition, the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries will have no Debt or preferred stock outstanding other than the Indebtedness under this Agreement and other indebtedness listed on Schedule 9.02.

(p) The Parent Guarantor shall have entered into one or more Swap Agreements with Approved Counterparties (collectively, the “Hedge”) relating to the Acquisition Properties which cover at least: (i) during the 24-month period immediately following the Effective Date, the lesser of (A) 90% of the reasonably anticipated projected production from the proved oil and gas interests of the Acquisition Properties, and (B) 100% of the of the reasonably anticipated projected production from the proved developed producing oil and gas interests of the Acquisition Properties; (ii) during the 18-month period immediately following the period described in clause (i), 80% of the reasonably anticipated projected production from the proved developed producing oil and gas interests of the Acquisition Properties; and (iii) during the 24-month period immediately following the period described in clause (ii), 50% of the reasonably anticipated projected production from the proved developed producing oil and gas interests of the Acquisition Properties, in each case calculated separately for each of oil and gas, and otherwise on terms and conditions reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

(q) The Parent Guarantor shall have invested, as a common equity contribution in the Borrower for subsequent investment in ATN Michigan, LLC, cash in an amount of not less than 25% of the total purchase price to be paid for the Acquisition Properties in connection with the Acquisition.

(r) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent of the payment in full of all amounts due under the Existing Credit Agreements, the termination of all commitments to lend thereunder and the release of all Liens securing such obligations and any other obligations secured thereby contemporaneously with the proceeds of the initial funding under this Agreement.

(s) The Lenders shall have received, to the extent requested, all documentation and other information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA Patriot Act.

(t) The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as the Administrative Agent or special counsel to the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the

 

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Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 12.02) at or prior to 2:00 p.m., New York, New York time, on August 1, 2007 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

Section 6.02 Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing (including the initial funding), and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred; provided that with respect to the initial funding on the Effective Date, the condition precedent shall be that no Closing Date MAE shall have occurred.

(c) The representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, except to the extent any such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in which case, on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, such representations and warranties shall continue to be true and correct as of such specified earlier date; provided that with respect to the initial funding on the Effective Date, no Loan Party will be required to make the representation contained in Section 7.04(b) and the only representations (and related Defaults) relating to the Acquisition Properties the making of which shall be a condition precedent under this Section 6.02(c) on the Effective Date shall be those representations contained in Sections 7.01, 7.02, 7.03, 7.07(a), 7.08, 7.09 and 7.23.

(d) The making of such Loan or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, would not conflict with, or cause any Lender or the Issuing Bank to violate or exceed, any applicable Governmental Requirement, and no Change in Law shall have occurred, and no litigation shall be pending or threatened, which does or, with respect to any threatened litigation, seeks to, enjoin, prohibit or restrain, the making or repayment of any Loan, the issuance, amendment, renewal, extension or repayment of any Letter of Credit or any participations therein or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(e) The receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Request in accordance with Section 2.03 or a request for a Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 2.08(b), as applicable.

Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in Section 6.02(a) through (e).

 

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ARTICLE VII

Representations and Warranties

The Parent Guarantor and the Borrower represent and warrant to the Lenders that:

Section 7.01 Organization; Powers. Each of the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and each of their Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority, and has all material governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals necessary, to own its assets and to carry on its business as now conducted, and is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required, except where failure to have such power, authority, licenses, authorizations, consents, approvals and qualifications could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.02 Authority; Enforceability. The Transactions to which it is a party are within each Loan Party’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, member action. Each Loan Document and each Acquisition Document to which an Loan Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, as applicable, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

Section 7.03 Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority or any other third Person, nor is any such consent, approval, registration, filing or other action necessary for the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect other than (i) the recording and filing of the Security Instruments as required by this Agreement and (ii) those third party approvals or consents which, if not made or obtained, would not cause a Default hereunder, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or do not have an adverse effect on the enforceability of the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Loan Party or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Loan Party or its Properties, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any Loan Party and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any Property of any Loan Party (other than the Liens created by the Loan Documents or permitted under Section 9.03).

Section 7.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.

(a) The Parent Guarantor has heretofore furnished to the Lenders (i) combined and consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the related combined and consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, equity, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2006, the three month period ended December 31, 2005 and the years ended September 30, 2005 and 2004, certified by its independent public accountants; and (ii) consolidated balance sheet and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, equity, and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2007, certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the combined or consolidated, as applicable, financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Parent Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the unaudited quarterly financial statements.

(b) The Parent Guarantor has heretofore furnished to the Lenders the unaudited consolidated balance sheet and statements of earnings and cash flows for the Acquisition Properties for the three month period ending March 31, 2007. To the best of the Parent Guarantor’s knowledge, such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Acquisition

 

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Properties as of such date and for such period in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal recurring year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes).

(c) Since December 31, 2006, (i) there has been no event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) the business of the Loan Parties has been conducted only in the ordinary course consistent with past business practices.

(d) No Loan Party or any Consolidated Subsidiary has on the date hereof any material Debt (including Disqualified Capital Stock) or any contingent liabilities, off-balance sheet liabilities or partnerships, liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or long-term commitments or unrealized or anticipated losses from any unfavorable commitments, except as referred to or reflected or provided for in the Financial Statements.

Section 7.05 Litigation.

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 7.05, there are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or affecting the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions.

(b) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the matters disclosed in Schedule 7.05 that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.06 Environmental Matters. Except for such matters as set forth on Schedule 7.06 or that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:

(a) Neither any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary nor the operations conducted thereon violate any order or requirement of any court or Governmental Authority or any Environmental Laws.

(b) Without limitation of clause (a) above, no Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary nor the operations currently conducted thereon or, to the best knowledge of any Loan Party, by any prior owner or operator of such Property or operation, are in violation of or subject to any existing, pending or threatened action, suit, investigation, inquiry or proceeding by or before any court or Governmental Authority or to any remedial obligations under Environmental Laws.

(c) All notices, permits, licenses or similar authorizations, if any, required to be obtained or filed in connection with the operation or use of any and all Property of the Borrower and each Subsidiary, including without limitation past or present treatment, storage, disposal or release of a Hazardous Material or solid waste into the environment, have been duly obtained or filed, and the Borrower and each Subsidiary are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such notices, permits, licenses and similar authorizations.

(d) All Hazardous Materials, solid waste, and oil and gas exploration and production wastes, if any, generated at any and all Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary have in the past been transported, treated and disposed of in accordance with Environmental Laws and so as not to pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health or welfare or the environment, and, to the best knowledge of the Loan Parties, all such transport carriers and treatment and disposal facilities have been

 

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and are operating in compliance with Environmental Laws and so as not to pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health or welfare or the environment, and are not the subject of any existing, pending or threatened action, investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Authority in connection with any Environmental Laws.

(e) The Borrower has taken all steps reasonably necessary to determine and have determined that no Hazardous Materials, solid waste, or oil and gas exploration and production wastes, have been disposed of or otherwise Released and there has been no threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials on or to any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary except in compliance with Environmental Laws and so as not to pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health or welfare or the environment.

(f) To the extent applicable, all Property of the Borrower and each Subsidiary currently satisfies all design, operation, and equipment requirements imposed by the OPA or scheduled as of the Closing Date to be imposed by OPA during the term of this Agreement, and the Borrower does not have any reason to believe that such Property, to the extent subject to OPA, will not be able to maintain compliance with the OPA requirements during the term of this Agreement.

(g) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has any known contingent liability in connection with any Release or threatened Release of any oil, Hazardous Material or solid waste into the environment.

Section 7.07 Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults.

(a) Each of the Parent Guarantor and each Subsidiary is in compliance with all Governmental Requirements applicable to it or its Property and all agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its Property, and possesses all licenses, permits, franchises, exemptions, approvals and other governmental authorizations necessary for the ownership of its Property and the conduct of its business, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Neither the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary is in default nor has any event or circumstance occurred which, but for the expiration of any applicable grace period or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default or would require the Parent Guarantor or a Subsidiary to Redeem or make any offer to Redeem under any indenture, note, credit agreement or instrument pursuant to which any Material Indebtedness is outstanding or by which the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary or any of their Properties is bound.

(c) No Default has occurred and is continuing.

Section 7.08 Investment Company Act. Neither the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Section 7.09 Use of Loans and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit shall be used (a) to provide working capital for exploration and production operations, (b) to refinance existing Debt of the Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement, (c) to provide funding for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including a portion of the purchase price of the Acquisition and the acquisition of exploration and production properties and to make capital contributions to the Partnerships (but such capital contributions shall not be used for the purpose of funding Partnership distributions) and (d) for any distribution advances of Available Cash, provided that

 

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if the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage is equal to or exceeds 90% before or after giving effect to the requested Loan or Letter of Credit, then no proceeds of any Loan or any Letter of Credit may be used to fund Restricted Payments under Section 9.04(a)(iii). No Loan Party is engaged principally, or as one of its or their important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation T, U or X of the Board). No part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit will be used for any purpose which violates the provisions of Regulations T, U or X of the Board.

Section 7.10 Taxes. Each of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in respect of taxes and other governmental charges are, in the reasonable opinion of the Parent Guarantor, adequate. No tax Lien has been filed and no claim is being asserted with respect to any such tax or other such governmental charge.

Section 7.11 ERISA. Except as set forth on Schedule 7.11,

(a) The Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiaries and each ERISA Affiliate have complied in all material respects with ERISA and, where applicable, the Code regarding each Plan.

(b) Each Plan is, and has been, maintained in substantial compliance with ERISA and, where applicable, the Code.

(c) No act, omission or transaction has occurred which could result in imposition on the Parent Guarantor, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate (whether directly or indirectly) of (i) either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i) or (l) of section 502 of ERISA or a tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code or (ii) breach of fiduciary duty liability damages under section 409 of ERISA.

(d) No Plan (other than a defined contribution plan) or any trust created under any such Plan has been terminated since September 2, 1974. No liability to the PBGC (other than for the payment of current premiums which are not past due) by the Parent Guarantor, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate has been or is expected by the Parent Guarantor, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate to be incurred with respect to any Plan. No ERISA Event with respect to any Plan has occurred.

(e) Full payment when due has been made of all amounts which the Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate is required under the terms of each Plan or applicable law to have paid as contributions to such Plan as of the date hereof, and no accumulated funding deficiency (as defined in section 302 of ERISA and section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, exists with respect to any Plan.

(f) The actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under each Plan which is subject to Title IV of ERISA does not, as of the end of the Parent Guarantor’s most recently ended fiscal year, exceed the current value of the assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities. The term “actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities” shall have the meaning specified in section 4041 of ERISA.

 

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(g) Neither the Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains, or contributes to an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate in its sole discretion at any time without any material liability.

(h) Neither the Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or has at any time in the six-year period preceding the date hereof sponsored, maintained or contributed to, any Multiemployer Plan.

(i) Neither the Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate is required to provide security under section 401(a)(29) of the Code due to a Plan amendment that results in an increase in current liability for the Plan.

Section 7.12 Disclosure; No Material Misstatements. The Parent Guarantor and the Borrower have disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Information Memorandum nor any of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any of their Affiliates in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time; provided that the representations regarding Information and Projections in each case, with respect to the Acquisition Properties, shall be limited to the best of the Parent Guarantor’s knowledge.

Section 7.13 Insurance. The Parent Guarantor has, and has caused all its Subsidiaries to have, (a) all insurance policies sufficient for the compliance by each of them with all material Governmental Requirements and all material agreements and (b) insurance coverage in at least amounts and against such risk (including, without limitation, public liability) that are usually insured against by companies similarly situated and engaged in the same or a similar business for the assets and operations of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders have been named as additional insureds in respect of such liability insurance policies and the Administrative Agent has been named as loss payee with respect to Property loss insurance.

Section 7.14 Restriction on Liens. Neither the Parent Guarantor nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any material agreement or arrangement (other than Capital Leases creating Liens permitted by Section 9.03(c), but then only on the Property subject of such Capital Lease), or subject to any order, judgment, writ or decree, which either restricts or purports to restrict its ability to grant Liens to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders on or in respect of their Properties to secure the Indebtedness and the Loan Documents.

Section 7.15 Subsidiaries.

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 7.15 or as disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly furnish a copy to the Lenders), which shall be a supplement to Schedule 7.15, the Parent Guarantor has no Subsidiaries, each Subsidiary is a Wholly-Owned

 

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Subsidiary and the Parent Guarantor has no Foreign Subsidiaries. Schedule 7.15 lists all the Partnerships owned by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries and their partnership interests in each such Partnership. Schedule 7.15 identifies each Subsidiary which is an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Neither the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary has any Foreign Subsidiaries. As of the Effective Date, the Borrower is the only directly owned Subsidiary of the Parent Guarantor.

(b) The Borrower and the Guarantor’s Equity Interests in the Partnerships are free and clear of any and all Liens, claims and encumbrances including any preferential rights to purchase and consents to assignments.

(c) The amount and type of the authorized Equity Interests of each of the Persons listed on Schedule 7.15 are accurately described thereon, and all such Equity Interests that are issued and outstanding have been validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by and issued to the Person listed as their owner on Schedule 7.15. The Borrower and each Guarantor have good and marketable title to all the Equity Interests of the Subsidiaries (except for the Unrestricted Entities) issued to it, free and clear of all Liens, and all such Equity Interests have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable (except to the extent general partnership interests are assessable under applicable law).

Section 7.16 Location of Business and Offices. The Parent Guarantor’s jurisdiction of organization is Delaware; the name of the Parent Guarantor as listed in the public records of Delaware is Atlas Energy Resources, LLC; and the organizational identification number of the Parent Guarantor in Delaware is ###-###-#### (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.01(l) in accordance with Section 12.01). The Borrower’s jurisdiction of organization is Delaware; the name of the Borrower as listed in the public records of Delaware is Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC; and the organizational identification number of the Borrower in Delaware is ###-###-#### (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.01(l) in accordance with Section 12.01). The Parent Guarantor’s and the Borrower’s principal place of business and chief executive offices are located at the address specified in Section 12.01 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(l) and Section 12.01(c)). Each other Loan Parties’ jurisdiction of organization, name as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization, organizational identification number in its jurisdiction of organization, and the location of its principal place of business and chief executive office is stated on Schedule 7.15 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(l)).

Section 7.17 Properties; Titles, Etc.

(a) Each Loan Party, directly or indirectly through is percentage ownership of the Partnerships, good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report and good title to all its personal Properties, in each case, free and clear of all Liens except Liens permitted by Section 9.03. After giving full effect to the Excepted Liens, each Loan Party, directly or indirectly through is percentage ownership of the Partnerships, specified as the owner owns the net interests in production attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests as reflected in the most recently delivered Reserve Report, and the ownership of such Properties shall not in any material respect obligate the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary to bear the costs and expenses relating to the maintenance, development and operations of each such Property in an amount in excess of the working interest of each Property set forth in the most recently delivered Reserve Report that is not offset by a corresponding proportionate increase in the Parent Guarantor’s or such Subsidiary’s net revenue interest in such Property; provided that to the extent the Borrower or a Guarantor is a general partner of a Partnership, it is liable for all of the costs and expenses attributable to such Partnership’s interest, but only

 

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entitled to its percentage interest in such Partnership’s net revenues. All information contained in the most recently delivered Reserve Report is true and correct in all material respects as of the date thereof.

(b) All material leases and agreements necessary for the conduct of the business of the Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries are valid and subsisting, in full force and effect, and there exists no default or event or circumstance which with the giving of notice or the passage of time or both would give rise to a default under any such lease or leases, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) The rights and Properties presently owned, leased or licensed by the Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries including, without limitation, all easements and rights of way, include all rights and Properties necessary to permit the Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries to conduct their business in all material respects in the same manner as its business has been conducted prior to the date hereof.

(d) All of the Properties of the Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries which are reasonably necessary for the operation of their businesses are in good working condition and are maintained in accordance with prudent business standards.

(e) The Parent Guarantor and each Subsidiary owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual Property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Parent Guarantor and such Subsidiary does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries either own or have valid licenses or other rights to use all databases, geological data, geophysical data, engineering data, seismic data, maps, interpretations and other technical information used in their businesses as presently conducted, subject to the limitations contained in the agreements governing the use of the same, which limitations are customary for companies engaged in the business of the exploration and production of Hydrocarbons, with such exceptions as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.18 Maintenance of Properties. Except for such acts or failures to act as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Oil and Gas Properties (and Properties unitized therewith) of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have been maintained, operated and developed in a good and workmanlike manner and in conformity with all Governmental Requirements and in conformity with the provisions of all leases, subleases or other contracts comprising a part of the Hydrocarbon Interests and other contracts and agreements forming a part of the Oil and Gas Properties. Specifically in connection with the foregoing, except for those as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) no Oil and Gas Property is subject to having allowable production reduced below the full and regular allowable (including the maximum permissible tolerance) because of any overproduction (whether or not the same was permissible at the time) and (b) none of the wells comprising a part of the Oil and Gas Properties (or Properties unitized therewith) is deviated from the vertical more than the maximum permitted by Governmental Requirements, and such wells are, in fact, bottomed under and are producing from, and the well bores are wholly within, the Oil and Gas Properties (or in the case of wells located on Properties unitized therewith, such unitized Properties). All pipelines, wells, gas processing plants, platforms and other material improvements, fixtures and equipment owned in whole or in part by the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries that are necessary to conduct normal operations are being maintained in a state adequate to conduct normal operations, and with respect to such of the foregoing which are operated by the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, in a manner consistent with the Parent Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ past practices (other than those the failure of which to maintain in accordance with this Section 7.18 could not reasonably be expect to have a Material Adverse Effect).

 

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Section 7.19 Gas Imbalances, Prepayments. As of the date hereof, except as set forth on Schedule 7.19 or on the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to Section 8.12(c), on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments which would require the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries to deliver Hydrocarbons produced from the Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor exceeding three and one-half percent (3.5%) of monthly production in the aggregate.

Section 7.20 Marketing of Production. Except for contracts listed and in effect on the date hereof on Schedule 7.20, and thereafter either disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent or included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report (with respect to all of which contracts the Parent Guarantor represents that it or its Subsidiaries are receiving a price for all production sold thereunder which is computed substantially in accordance with the terms of the relevant contract and are not having deliveries curtailed substantially below the subject Property’s delivery capacity except as disclosed in Schedule 7.20 or the most recently delivered Reserve Report), no material agreements exist which are not cancelable on 60 days notice or less without penalty or detriment for the sale of production from the Parent Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ Hydrocarbons (including, without limitation, calls on or other rights to purchase, production, whether or not the same are currently being exercised) that (a) pertain to the sale of production at a fixed price and (b) have a maturity or expiry date of longer than six (6) months from the date hereof.

Section 7.21 Swap Agreements. Schedule 7.21, as of the date hereof, and after the date hereof, each report required to be delivered by the Parent Guarantor pursuant to Section 8.01(d), sets forth, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of the Parent Guarantor, each Subsidiary and the Partnerships, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark to market value thereof, all credit support agreements relating thereto (including any margin required or supplied) and the counterparty to each such agreement.

Section 7.22 Solvency. Each Loan Party is, and after giving effect to the Acquisition and the incurrence of all Debt and obligations being incurred in connection herewith and therewith will be and will continue to be, Solvent.

Section 7.23 Acquisition. The copies of the Acquisition Documents previously delivered by the Parent Guarantor to the Administrative Agent are true, accurate and complete and have not been amended or modified in any manner, other than pursuant to amendments or modifications previously delivered to the Administrative Agent. The representations made in the Acquisition Agreement concerning the Acquisition Properties are true and correct in all material respects.

ARTICLE VIII

Affirmative Covenants

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower covenant and agree with the Lenders that:

 

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Section 8.01 Financial Statements; Other Information. The Parent Guarantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a) Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available, but in any event in accordance with then applicable law and not later than 100 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Parent Guarantor, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Parent Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied.

(b) Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available, but in any event in accordance with then applicable law and not later than 55 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Parent Guarantor, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Parent Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

(c) Certificate of Financial Officer – Compliance. Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) or Section 8.01(b), a compliance certificate of a Financial Officer of the Parent Guarantor in substantially the form of Exhibit D hereto (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto and (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 9.01.

(d) Certificate of Financial Officer – Swap Agreements. Concurrently with the delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) or Section 8.01(b), a certificate of a Financial Officer, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth as of a recent date, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of the Parent Guarantor, each Subsidiary and each Partnership, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes and volumes attributable to Partnership production), the net mark-to-market value therefor, any new credit support agreements relating thereto not listed on Schedule 7.21, any margin required or supplied under any credit support document, and the counterparty to each such agreement.

(e) Certificate of Insurer – Insurance Coverage. Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a), a certificate of insurance coverage from each insurer with respect to the insurance required by Section 8.07, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, all copies of the applicable policies.

(f) Other Accounting Reports. Promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of each other report or letter (except standard and customary correspondence) submitted to the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries by independent accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by them of the books of the Parent Guarantor or any such Subsidiary, and a copy of any response by the Parent Guarantor or any such Subsidiary, or the board of directors of the Parent Guarantor or any such Subsidiary, to such letter or report.

 

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(g) SEC and Other Filings; Reports to Shareholders. Promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Parent Guarantor to its shareholders generally, as the case may be. Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(a) and Section 8.01(b) and this Section 8.01(g) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which the Parent Guarantor posts such documents to EDGAR (or such other free, publicly-accessible internet database that may be established and maintained by the SEC as a substitute for or successor to EDGAR).

(h) Notices Under Material Instruments. Promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any financial statement, report or notice furnished to or by any Person pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or other similar agreement, other than this Agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to any other provision of this Section 8.01.

(i) Lists of Purchasers. Promptly upon written request of the Administrative Agent, a list of Persons purchasing Hydrocarbons from the Borrower or any Subsidiary accounting for at least 85% of the revenues resulting from the sale of all Hydrocarbons in the one-year period prior to the “as of” date of such Reserve Report.

(j) Notice of Sales of Oil and Gas Properties. Within 30 days of the end of each calendar month, a list of all Oil or Gas Properties or any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary disposed if the aggregate value of all such Properties and Equity Interests so disposed of since the last Scheduled Redetermination Date exceeds $35,000,000.

(k) Notice of Casualty Events. Prompt written notice, and in any event within three Business Days, after the Borrower obtains knowledge thereof, of the occurrence of any Casualty Event or the commencement of any action or proceeding that could reasonably be expected to result in a Casualty Event.

(l) Information Regarding the Loan Parties. Prompt written notice (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days prior thereto) of any change (i) in any Loan Party’s corporate name or in any trade name used to identify such Person in the conduct of its business or in the ownership of its Properties, (ii) in the location of any Loan Party’s chief executive office or principal place of business, (iii) in any Loan Party’s identity or corporate structure or in the jurisdiction in which such Person is incorporated or formed, (iv) in any Loan Party’s jurisdiction of organization or such Person’s organizational identification number in such jurisdiction of organization, and (v) in any Loan Party’s federal taxpayer identification number.

(m) Production Report and Lease Operating Statements. Promptly upon written request of the Administrative Agent, a report setting forth, for the current fiscal year to date, the volume of production and sales attributable to production (and the prices at which such sales were made and the revenues derived from such sales) from the Oil and Gas Properties, and setting forth the related ad valorem, severance and production taxes and lease operating expenses attributable thereto and incurred.

(n) Notices of Certain Changes. Promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days after the execution thereof, copies of any amendment, modification or supplement to the certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws, any preferred stock designation or any other organic document of the Parent Guarantor or any Loan Party.

 

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(o) Notices Relating to Acquisition. In the event that after the Effective Date: (i) any material matter being disputed in accordance with the terms of the Acquisition Documents is resolved, (ii) the Parent Guarantor or any Loan Party asserts a claim for indemnification or such a claim is resolved or (iii) a Loan Party and the seller(s) calculate and agree upon the “closing statement” or “final closing statement” as contemplated by the Acquisition Documents, then, in each such case, the Borrower shall promptly give the Administrative Agent notice in reasonable detail of such circumstances.

(p) Certificate of Financial Officer – Consolidating Information. If, at any time, any of the Subsidiaries of the Parent Guarantor are Unrestricted Subsidiaries, then concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) or Section 8.01(b), a certificate of a Financial Officer setting forth consolidating spreadsheets that show all Unrestricted Subsidiaries and the eliminating entries, in such form as would be presentable to the auditors of the Parent Guarantor or other reconciliation of cash flows for such Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

(q) Issuance of Senior Notes. In the event the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower intends to issue any Senior Notes, prior written notice of such intended offering therefor, the amount thereof and the anticipated date of closing and will furnish a copy of the preliminary offering memorandum (if any) and the final offering memorandum (if any).

(r) Other Requested Information. Promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary (including, without limitation, any Plan or Multiemployer Plan and any reports or other information required to be filed under ERISA and such information about any Partnership), or compliance with the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

Section 8.02 Notices of Material Events. The Parent Guarantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of the following:

(a) the occurrence of any Event of Default;

(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or arbitration by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary thereof not previously disclosed in writing to the Lenders or any material adverse development in any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or arbitration previously disclosed to the Lenders that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in liability in excess of $25,000,000;

(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000,000; and

(d) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice delivered under this Section 8.02 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

Section 8.03 Existence; Conduct of Business. The Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Loan Party to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct

 

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of its business and maintain, if necessary, its qualification to do business in each other jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 9.10.

Section 8.04 Payment of Obligations. The Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay its obligations, including tax liabilities of the Parent Guarantor and all of its Subsidiaries before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or result in the seizure or levy of any material Property of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary.

Section 8.05 Performance of Obligations under Loan Documents. The Borrower will pay the Loans according to the reading, tenor and effect thereof, and the Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, do and perform every act and discharge all of the obligations to be performed and discharged by them under the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, this Agreement, at the time or times and in the manner specified.

Section 8.06 Operation and Maintenance of Properties. The Parent Guarantor, at its own expense, will, and will cause each Subsidiary to:

(a) operate its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties or cause such Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties to be operated in a careful and efficient manner in accordance with the practices of the industry and in compliance with all applicable contracts and agreements and in compliance with all Governmental Requirements, including, without limitation, applicable pro ration requirements and Environmental Laws, and all applicable laws, rules and regulations of every other Governmental Authority from time to time constituted to regulate the development and operation of its Oil and Gas Properties and the production and sale of Hydrocarbons and other minerals therefrom, except, in each case, where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) keep and maintain all Property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted preserve, maintain and keep in good repair, working order and efficiency (ordinary wear and tear excepted) all of its material Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties, including, without limitation, all equipment, machinery and facilities, except to the extent a portion of such Property is no longer capable of producing Hydrocarbons in economically reasonable amounts.

(c) promptly pay and discharge, or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be paid and discharged, all delay rentals, royalties, expenses and indebtedness accruing under the leases or other agreements affecting or pertaining to its Oil and Gas Properties and will do all other things necessary to keep unimpaired their rights with respect thereto and prevent any forfeiture thereof or default thereunder.

(d) promptly perform or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be performed, in accordance with industry standards, the obligations required by each and all of the assignments, deeds, leases, sub-leases, contracts and agreements affecting its interests in its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties.

 

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(e) to the extent the Borrower is not the operator of any Property, the Borrower shall use reasonable efforts to cause the operator to comply with this Section 8.06.

Section 8.07 Insurance. The Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations. The loss payable clauses or provisions in said insurance policy or policies insuring any of the collateral for the Loans shall be endorsed in favor of and made payable to the Administrative Agent as its interests may appear and such policies shall name the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as “additional insureds” and provide that the insurer will endeavor to give at least 30 days prior notice of any cancellation to the Administrative Agent.

Section 8.08 Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its Properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as reasonably requested.

Section 8.09 Compliance with Laws. The Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its Property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 8.10 Environmental Matters.

(a) The Parent Guarantor shall at its sole expense: (i) comply, and shall cause its Properties and operations and each Subsidiary and each Subsidiary’s Properties and operations to comply, with all applicable Environmental Laws, the breach of which could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) not Release or threaten to Release, and shall cause each Subsidiary not to Release or threaten to Release, any Hazardous Material on, under, about or from any of the Parent Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties or any other property offsite the Property to the extent caused by the Parent Guarantor’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ operations except in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, the Release or threatened Release of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) timely obtain or file, and shall cause each Subsidiary to timely obtain or file, all environmental permits, if any, required under applicable Environmental Laws to be obtained or filed in connection with the operation or use of the Parent Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties, which failure to obtain or file could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, and shall cause each Subsidiary to promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, any assessment, evaluation, investigation, monitoring, containment, cleanup, removal, repair, restoration, remediation or other remedial obligations (collectively, the “Remedial Work”) in the event any Remedial Work is required or reasonably necessary under applicable Environmental Laws because of or in connection with the actual or suspected past, present or future Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material on, under, about or from any of the Parent Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties, which failure to commence and diligently prosecute to completion could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (v) conduct, and cause its Subsidiaries to conduct, their respective operations and businesses in a manner that will not expose any Property or Person to Hazardous Materials that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for a claim for damages or compensation that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

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(vi) establish and implement, and shall cause each Subsidiary to establish and implement, such procedures as may be necessary to continuously determine and assure that the Parent Guarantor’s and its Subsidiaries’ obligations under this Section 8.10 are timely and fully satisfied, which failure to establish and implement could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) The Parent Guarantor will promptly, but in no event later than five days of the occurrence of a triggering event, notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in writing of any action, investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Authority or any demand or lawsuit by any Person against the Parent Guarantor or its Subsidiaries or their Properties of which the Parent Guarantor has knowledge in connection with any Environmental Laws if the Parent Guarantor could reasonably anticipate that such action will result in liability (whether individually or in the aggregate) in excess of $10,000,000, not fully covered by insurance, subject to normal deductibles.

(c) The Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, provide environmental assessments, audits and tests in accordance with the most current version of the American Society of Testing Materials standards upon request by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and no more than once per year in the absence of any Event of Default (or as otherwise required to be obtained by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders by any Governmental Authority), in connection with any future acquisitions of Oil and Gas Properties or other Properties.

Section 8.11 Further Assurances.

(a) The Parent Guarantor at its expense will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, promptly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent all such other documents, agreements and instruments reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to comply with, cure any defects or accomplish the conditions precedent, covenants and agreements of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary, as the case may be, in the Loan Documents, including the Notes, if any, or to further evidence and more fully describe the collateral intended as security for the Indebtedness, or to correct any omissions in this Agreement or the Security Instruments, or to state more fully the obligations secured therein, or to perfect, protect or preserve any Liens created pursuant to this Agreement or any of the Security Instruments or the priority thereof, or to make any recordings, file any notices or obtain any consents, all as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent, in connection therewith.

(b) The Borrower and the Parent Guarantor hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to file one or more financing or continuation statements, and amendments thereto, relative to all or any part of the Mortgaged Property without the signature of any Loan Party where permitted by law. A carbon, photographic or other reproduction of the Security Instruments or any financing statement covering the Mortgaged Property or any part thereof shall be sufficient as a financing statement where permitted by law.

Section 8.12 Reserve Reports.

(a) On or before March 1st and September 1st of each year, commencing September 1, 2007, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report. The Reserve Report as of December 31 of each year shall be prepared by one or more Approved Petroleum Engineers or by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower and audited or reviewed by one or more Approved Petroleum Engineers, and all other Reserve Reports shall be prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower and otherwise in a manner consistent with the preceding December 31st Reserve Report. Each Reserve Report prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower shall be certified by the chief engineer to be true and accurate in all

 

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material respects and to have been prepared in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding December 31st Reserve Report.

(b) In the event of an Interim Redetermination, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower who shall certify such Reserve Report to be true and accurate in all material respects and to have been prepared in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding December 31 Reserve Report. For any Interim Redetermination requested by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.07(b), the Borrower shall provide such Reserve Report with an “as of” date as required by the Administrative Agent as soon as possible, but in any event no later than forty-five (45) days following the receipt of such request.

(c) With the delivery of each Reserve Report, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit I from a Responsible Officer certifying that in all material respects: (i) the information contained in the Reserve Report and any other information delivered in connection therewith is true and correct, (ii) the Borrower or its Subsidiaries owns good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report and such Properties are free of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 9.03, (iii) except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments in excess of the volume specified in Section 7.19 with respect to its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report which would require the Borrower or any Subsidiary to deliver Hydrocarbons either generally or produced from such Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor, (iv) none of their Oil and Gas Properties have been sold since the date of the last Borrowing Base determination except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, which certificate shall list all of its Oil and Gas Properties sold and in such detail as reasonably required by the Administrative Agent, (v) attached to the certificate is a list of all marketing agreements entered into subsequent to the later of the date hereof or the most recently delivered Reserve Report which the Borrower could reasonably be expected to have been obligated to list on Schedule 7.20 had such agreement been in effect on the date hereof and (vi) attached thereto is a schedule of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that are Mortgaged Properties and demonstrating the percentage of the Borrowing Base that the value of such Mortgaged Properties represent.

Section 8.13 Title Information.

(a) On or before the delivery to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of each Reserve Report required by Section 8.12(a), the Borrower will deliver, if requested by the Administrative Agent, title information in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent covering enough of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that were not included in the immediately preceding Reserve Report, so that the Administrative Agent shall have received together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, reasonably satisfactory title information on at least 75% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.

(b) If the Borrower has provided title information for additional Properties under Section 8.13(a), the Borrower shall, within 60 days of notice from the Administrative Agent that title defects or exceptions exist with respect to such additional Properties, either (i) cure any such title defects or exceptions (including defects or exceptions as to priority) which are not permitted by Section 9.03 raised by such information, (ii) substitute acceptable Mortgaged Properties with no title defects or exceptions except for Excepted Liens (other than Excepted Liens described in clauses (e), (g) and (h) of such definition) having an equivalent value or (iii) deliver title information in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent so that the Administrative Agent shall have received,

 

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together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, reasonably satisfactory title information on at least 75% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.

(c) If the Borrower is unable to cure any title defect requested by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to be cured within the 60-day period or the Borrower does not comply with the requirements to provide acceptable title information covering 75% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recent Reserve Report, such default shall not be a Default, but instead the Administrative Agent and/or the Super-Majority Lenders shall have the right to exercise the following remedy in their sole discretion from time to time, and any failure to so exercise this remedy at any time shall not be a waiver as to future exercise of the remedy by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders. To the extent that the Administrative Agent or the Super-Majority Lenders are not satisfied with title to any Mortgaged Property after the 60-day period has elapsed, such unacceptable Mortgaged Property shall not count towards the 75% requirement, and the Administrative Agent may send a notice to the Borrower and the Lenders that the then outstanding Borrowing Base shall be reduced by an amount as determined by the Super-Majority Lenders to cause the Borrower to be in compliance with the requirement to provide acceptable title information on 75% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties. This new Borrowing Base shall become effective immediately after receipt of such notice.

Section 8.14 Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors.

(a) In connection with each redetermination of the Borrowing Base, the Borrower shall review the Reserve Report and the list of current Mortgaged Properties (as described in Section 8.12(c)(vi)) to ascertain whether the Mortgaged Properties represent at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently completed Reserve Report after giving effect to exploration and production activities, acquisitions, dispositions and production. In the event that the Mortgaged Properties do not represent at least 80% of such total value, then the Borrower shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, grant within thirty (30) days of the delivery of the certificate referred to in Section 8.12(c) to the Administrative Agent as security for the Indebtedness a first-priority Lien interest (provided that Excepted Liens of the type described in clauses (a) to (d) and (f) of the definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) on additional Oil and Gas Properties not already subject to a Lien of the Security Instruments such that after giving effect thereto, the Mortgaged Properties will represent at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties included in the then effective Borrowing Base. All such Liens will be created and perfected by and in accordance with the provisions of deeds of trust, security agreements and financing statements or other Security Instruments, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and in sufficient executed (and acknowledged where necessary or appropriate) counterparts for recording purposes. In order to comply with the foregoing, if any Subsidiary places a Lien on its Oil and Gas Properties and such Subsidiary is not a Guarantor, then it shall become a Guarantor and comply with Section 8.14(b).

(b) The Parent Guarantor shall promptly cause each Material Subsidiary to guarantee the Indebtedness pursuant to the Guaranty Agreement. In connection with any such guaranty, the Parent Guarantor shall, or shall cause such Subsidiary to, (i) execute and deliver a supplement to the Guaranty Agreement executed by such Subsidiary, (ii) grant a first-priority security interest in all of the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary (including, without limitation, delivery of original certificates evidencing the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary, as appropriate, together with undated stock powers for each certificate duly executed in blank by the registered owner thereof) and (iii) execute and deliver such other additional documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

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(c) In the event that the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary becomes a partner in a Partnership or acquire additional interest in a Partnership, then the Borrower shall, or shall cause such Subsidiary to, (i) grant a first-priority security interest in all the Equity Interests owned by such Person in such Partnership and (ii) execute and deliver such other additional documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent.

Section 8.15 ERISA Compliance. The Parent Guarantor will promptly furnish and will cause the Subsidiaries and any ERISA Affiliate to promptly furnish to the Administrative Agent (a) promptly after the filing thereof with the United States Secretary of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service or the PBGC, copies of each annual and other report with respect to each Plan or any trust created thereunder, (b) promptly upon becoming aware of the occurrence of any ERISA Event or of any “prohibited transaction,” as described in section 406 of ERISA or in section 4975 of the Code, in connection with any Plan or any trust created thereunder, a written notice signed by the President or the principal Financial Officer, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate, as the case may be, specifying the nature thereof, what action the Parent Guarantor, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto, and, when known, any action taken or proposed by the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor or the PBGC with respect thereto, and (c) promptly upon receipt thereof, copies of any notice of the PBGC’s intention to terminate or to have a trustee appointed to administer any Plan. With respect to each Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan), the Parent Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary and ERISA Affiliate to, (i) satisfy in full and in a timely manner, without incurring any late payment or underpayment charge or penalty and without giving rise to any lien, all of the contribution and funding requirements of section 412 of the Code (determined without regard to subsections (d), (e), (f) and (k) thereof) and of section 302 of ERISA (determined without regard to sections 303, 304 and 306 of ERISA), and (ii) pay, or cause to be paid, to the PBGC in a timely manner, without incurring any late payment or underpayment charge or penalty, all premiums required pursuant to sections 4006 and 4007 of ERISA.

Section 8.16 Swap Agreements. The Parent Guarantor shall maintain the hedge position established by the Swap Agreements required under Section 6.01(p) during the period specified therein and shall neither assign, terminate or unwind any such Swap Agreements nor sell any Swap Agreements if the effect of such action (when taken together with any other Swap Agreements executed contemporaneously with the taking of such action) would have the effect of canceling its positions under such Swap Agreements required hereby.

Section 8.17 Unrestricted Subsidiaries. The Parent Guarantor:

(a) will cause the management, business and affairs of each of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries to be conducted in such a manner (including, without limitation, by keeping separate books of account, furnishing separate financial statements of Unrestricted Subsidiaries to creditors and potential creditors thereof and by not permitting Properties of the Parent Guarantor and its respective Subsidiaries to be commingled) so that each Unrestricted Subsidiary that is a corporation will be treated as a corporate entity separate and distinct from Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries; provided that the foregoing will not prohibit payments under the Expense Sharing Agreement or other expense sharing agreements with such Unrestricted Subsidiaries which are consistent with past practices and/or required by any applicable Governmental Authority.

(b) will not, and will not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, incur, assume, guarantee or be or become liable for any Debt of any of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

(c) will not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to hold any Equity Interest in, or any Debt of, the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary.

 

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ARTICLE IX

Negative Covenants

Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower covenant and agree with the Lenders that:

Section 9.01 Financial Covenants

(a) Ratio of Total Debt to EBITDA. The Parent Guarantor will not, as of any date of determination, permit its ratio of Total Debt as of such day to EBITDA for the four fiscal quarters ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date of determination for which financial statements are available to be greater than:

(i) for the period beginning on the Closing Date through December 31, 2008: 4.0:1,

(ii) for the period beginning after December 31, 2008 through December 31, 2009: 3.75:1, and

(iii) thereafter: 3.5:1.

For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing ratio shall be calculated to exclude Total Debt and EBITDA attributable to the Unrestricted Subsidiaries (but to include cash distributions from Anthem Securities paid to the Borrower or other Loan Party).

(b) Current Ratio. The Parent Guarantor will not permit, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, its ratio of (i) consolidated current assets (including the unused amount of the total Commitments, but excluding non-cash assets under FAS 133) to (ii) consolidated current liabilities (excluding non-cash obligations under FAS 133, current maturities of Loans and those portions of advance payments received by the Loan Parties for drilling and completion of oil and gas wells that exceed the cost to the Loan Parties and are classified as current liabilities) to be less than 1.0 to 1.0; provided that for purposes of this covenant, current assets and current liabilities of Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall be excluded.

Section 9.02 Debt. The Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries) to, incur, create, assume or suffer to exist any Debt, except:

(a) the Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents or any guaranty of or suretyship arrangement for the Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents.

(b) Debt of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries existing on the date hereof that is reflected in the Financial Statements and Schedule 9.02 and any renewals and extensions thereof (but not any increases).

(c) accounts payable and accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of Property or services, from time to time incurred in the ordinary course of business which are not greater than ninety (90) days past the date of invoice or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP.

 

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(d) Debt under Capital Leases not to exceed $25,000,000 (excluding capitalized leases of Hydrocarbon Interests).

(e) Debt associated with worker’s compensation claims, performance, bid, surety or similar bonds or surety obligations required by Governmental Requirements or third parties in connection with the operation of the Oil and Gas Properties.

(f) intercompany Debt between the Parent Guarantor and any Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries to the extent permitted by Section 9.05(g); provided that such Debt is not held, assigned, transferred, negotiated or pledged to any Person other than the Parent Guarantor or one of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries, and, provided further, that any such Debt owed by either the Parent Guarantor or a Guarantor shall be subordinated to the Indebtedness on terms set forth in the Guaranty Agreement.

(g) endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business.

(h) Senior Notes provided that (i) at the time of incurring such Debt (A) no Default has occurred and is then continuing and (B) no Default would result from the incurrence of such Debt after giving effect to the incurrence of such Debt (and any concurrent repayment of Debt with the proceeds of such incurrence), (ii) such Debt does not have any scheduled amortization prior to one year after the Maturity Date, (iii) such Debt does not mature sooner than one year after the Maturity Date, (iv) the terms of such Debt are not materially more onerous, taken as a whole, than the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (v) such Debt and any guarantees thereof are on prevailing market terms for similar situated companies.

(i) Debt owed to Atlas America, Inc. not to exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate; provided, that, all such debt shall be unsecured and subordinated to the Indebtedness on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(j) other Debt not to exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Subsidiary which is a Partnership shall incur or become liable in respect of any Debt.

Section 9.03 Liens. The Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any of its Properties (now owned or hereafter acquired), except:

(a) Liens securing the payment of any Indebtedness.

(b) Excepted Liens.

(c) Liens securing Capital Leases permitted by Section 9.02(d) but only on the Property under lease.

(d) Liens on Property of Unrestricted Subsidiaries securing Non-Recourse Debt of such Unrestricted Subsidiaries permitted by Section 9.20(d).

(e) Liens on cash and securities pledged to secure Swap Agreements, provided the aggregate amount of all such cash and securities shall not exceed $25,000,000.

 

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(f) Liens on Property not constituting collateral for the Indebtedness and not otherwise permitted by the foregoing clauses of this Section 9.03; provided that the aggregate principal or face amount of all Debt secured under this Section 9.03(f) shall not exceed $10,000,000 at any time.

Section 9.04 Restricted Payments; Redemption of Subordinated Debt.

(a) Restricted Payments. The Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, return any capital to its stockholders or make any distribution of its Property to its Equity Interest holders, except (i) the Parent Guarantor may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock), (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests and (iii) so long as no Borrowing Base deficiency or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, and, subject to the proviso in Section 7.09(d), the Parent Guarantor may declare and pay quarterly cash dividends to its members of Available Cash in accordance with the Operating Agreement.

(b) Redemption of Senior Notes. The Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, prior to the date that is one year after the Maturity Date: (i) call, make or offer to make any optional or voluntary Redemption of or otherwise optionally or voluntarily Redeem (whether in whole or in part) any Senior Notes permitted to be incurred hereunder, provided that the Parent Guarantor may Redeem such Debt with the net cash proceeds of any sale of Equity Interests of the Parent Guarantor (other than Disqualified Capital Stock); or (ii) amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms of the Senior Notes or any indenture, agreement, instrument, certificate or other document relating to the Senior Notes permitted hereunder other than supplemental indentures to add guarantors if such Person has become a Guarantor of the Indebtedness.

Section 9.05 Investments, Loans and Advances. The Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make or permit to remain outstanding any Investments in or to any Person, except that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to:

(a) Investments reflected in the Financial Statements or which are disclosed to the Lenders in Schedule 9.05.

(b) accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business.

(c) direct obligations of the United States or any agency thereof, or obligations guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof, in each case maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof.

(d) commercial paper maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof rated no lower than A2 or P2 by S&P or Moody’s, respectively.

(e) deposits maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof with, including certificates of deposit issued by, any Lender or any office located in the United States of any other bank or trust company which is organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, has capital, surplus and undivided profits aggregating at least $100,000,000 (as of the date of such bank or trust company’s most recent financial reports) and has a short term deposit rating of no lower than A2 or P2, as such rating is set forth from time to time, by S&P or Moody’s, respectively.

 

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(f) deposits in money market funds investing exclusively in Investments described in Section 9.05(c), Section 9.05(d) or Section 9.05(e).

(g) Investments (i) made by the Parent Guarantor in or to the Borrower, (ii) made by the Borrower in or to any Subsidiary of the Borrower which is a Guarantor, (iii) made by any Subsidiary in or to the Borrower or any Guarantor, and (iv) made by the Borrower or any Guarantor (other than the Parent Guarantor) or any Subsidiary in or to any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor in an aggregate amount in all such Subsidiaries at any one time outstanding not to exceed $5,000,000.

(h) Investments (including, without limitation, capital contributions), in the Partnerships.

(i) loans or advances to employees, officers or directors of the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices.

(j) Investments in stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts arising from Investments permitted under this Section 9.05 owing to the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary as a result of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding of the obligor in respect of such debts or upon the enforcement of any Lien in favor of the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries

(k) Non-hostile acquisitions of Equity Interests or assets constituting a business unit of any Person, provided that: (i) immediately prior to and after giving effect to such acquisition, no Default or Event of Default exists or would result therefrom; (ii) if such acquisition is of Equity Interests, substantially all of the Equity Interests of such Person are acquired and such Person becomes a Guarantor; (iii) such Person is principally engaged in the same business as the Obligors; (iv) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 9.01 based on the trailing four (4) quarters and as adjusted on a pro forma basis for such acquisition; (v) such acquired Person or assets shall not be subject to any material liabilities except as permitted by this Agreement and Loan Documents; and (vi) a first priority perfected Lien shall be granted to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders in such acquired assets.

(l) Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries not to exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate at any time.

(m) other Investments not to exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate at any time.

Section 9.06 Nature of Business; International Operations; Foreign Subsidiaries. Neither the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary will allow any material change to be made in the character of its business as a domestic independent oil and gas exploration and production company. From and after the date hereof, the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries will not acquire or make any other expenditure (whether such expenditure is capital, operating or otherwise) in or related to, any Oil and Gas Properties not located within the geographical boundaries of the United States.

Section 9.07 Proceeds of Loans and Letters of Credit. The Parent Guarantor will not permit the proceeds of the Loans to be used for any purpose other than those permitted by Section 7.09. Neither the Parent Guarantor nor any Person acting on behalf of the Parent Guarantor has taken or will take any action which might cause any of the Loan Documents to violate Regulations T, U or X or any other regulation of the Board or to violate Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation thereunder, in each case as now in effect or as the same may hereinafter be in effect. If requested by the Administrative Agent, the Parent Guarantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the requirements of FR Form U-1 or such other form referred to in Regulation U, Regulation T or Regulation X of the Board, as the case may be.

 

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Section 9.08 ERISA Compliance. The Parent Guarantor and the Subsidiaries will not at any time:

(a) engage in, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to engage in, any transaction in connection with which the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate could be subjected to either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i) or (l) of section 502 of ERISA or a tax imposed by Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code, if either of which would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) terminate, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to terminate, any Plan in a manner, or take any other action with respect to any Plan, which could reasonably be expected to result in any liability of the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate to the PBGC.

(c) fail to make, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to fail to make, full payment when due of all amounts which, under the provisions of any Plan, agreement relating thereto or applicable law, the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions thereto if such failure could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(d) permit to exist, or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit to exist, any accumulated funding deficiency within the meaning of section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, with respect to any Plan which exceeds $2,000,000.

(e) permit, or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit, the actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under any Plan maintained by the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate which is regulated under Title IV of ERISA to exceed the current value of the assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities. The term “actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities” shall have the meaning specified in section 4041 of ERISA.

(f) contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, any Multiemployer Plan.

(g) acquire, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to acquire, an interest in any Person that causes such Person to become an ERISA Affiliate with respect to the Parent Guarantor or a Subsidiary or with respect to any ERISA Affiliate of the Parent Guarantor or a Subsidiary if such Person sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or at any time in the six-year period preceding such acquisition has sponsored, maintained, or contributed to, (i) any Multiemployer Plan, or (ii) any other Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA under which the actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under such Plan exceeds the current value of the assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities by any amount in excess of $2,000,000.

(h) incur, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to incur, a liability to or on account of a Plan under sections 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA.

(i) contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, any employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide

 

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benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by such entities in their sole discretion at any time without any material liability.

(j) amend, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to amend, a Plan resulting in a material increase in current liability such that the Parent Guarantor, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate is required to provide security to such Plan under section 401(a)(29) of the Code.

Section 9.09 Sale or Discount of Receivables. Except for receivables obtained by the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary out of the ordinary course of business or the settlement of joint interest billing accounts in the ordinary course of business or discounts granted to settle collection of accounts receivable or the sale of defaulted accounts arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof and not in connection with any financing transaction, neither the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary will discount or sell (with or without recourse) to any other Person that is not the Parent Guarantor or a Guarantor any of its notes receivable or accounts receivable.

Section 9.10 Mergers, Etc. Neither the Parent Guarantor nor any Loan Party will merge into or with or consolidate with any other Person, or sell, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its Property to any other Person (any such transaction, a “consolidation”); provided that:

(a) any Subsidiary (other than the Borrower) may participate in a consolidation with the Parent Guarantor (provided that the Parent Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving Person), and

(b) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may participate in a consolidation with the Borrower (provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person) or any other Subsidiary (provided that if a Party to such consolidation is a Guarantor or the surviving Person is a Material Subsidiary, then the survivor is either a Guarantor or becomes a Guarantor under Section 8.14(b), and if one of such Subsidiaries party to such consolidation is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, then the surviving Person shall be a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary).

Section 9.11 Sale of Properties. The Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, assign, farm-out, convey or otherwise transfer any Property except for (a) the sale of Hydrocarbons in the ordinary course of business; (b) farmouts of undeveloped acreage, zones or depths and assignments in connection with such farmouts; (c) the sale or transfer of equipment that is no longer necessary for the business of the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary or is replaced by equipment of at least comparable value and use; (d) the sale or other disposition (including Casualty Events) of any Oil and Gas Property or any interest therein or any Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties; provided that (i) 100% of the consideration received in respect of such sale or other disposition shall be cash or other similar Oil and Gas Properties, (ii) the consideration received in respect of such sale or other disposition shall be equal to or greater than the fair market value of the Oil and Gas Property, interest therein or Subsidiary subject of such sale or other disposition (as reasonably determined by the board of directors of the Parent Guarantor and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Parent Guarantor shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor certifying to that effect), (iii) if such sale or other disposition of Oil and Gas Property (including farm-outs under Section 9.11(b)) or Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report during any period between two successive Scheduled Redetermination Dates has a fair market value in excess of ten percent (10%) of the then effective Borrowing Base, individually or in the aggregate, the Borrowing Base (and prior to the Borrowing Base Equalization Date, the Conforming Borrowing Base) shall be reduced, effective immediately upon such sale or disposition, by an amount equal to the allocated value, if any, assigned such Property in the most recently delivered Borrowing Base and (iv) if any such sale or other disposition is of a Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties, such sale or other disposition shall include

 

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all the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary; and (e) sales and other dispositions of Properties not regulated by Section 9.11(a) to (d) having a fair market value not to exceed $10,000,000 during any 6-month period.

Section 9.12 Environmental Matters. The Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, cause or permit any of its Property to be in violation of, or do anything or permit anything to be done which will subject any such Property to a Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Materials, exposure to any Hazardous Materials, or to any Remedial Work under any applicable Environmental Laws, assuming disclosure to the applicable Governmental Authority of all relevant facts, conditions and circumstances, if any, pertaining to such Property where such violations, Release or threatened Release, exposure, or remedial obligations could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.13 Transactions with Affiliates. Except for the Management Agreement and the Expense Sharing Agreement, the Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any transaction, including, without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease or exchange of Property or the rendering of any service, with any Affiliate (other than the Guarantors and Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of the Parent Guarantor) unless such transactions are otherwise permitted under this Agreement and are upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to it than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate.

Section 9.14 Subsidiaries. The Parent Guarantor shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, create or acquire any additional Subsidiary or designate or redesignate a Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless the Parent Guarantor gives written notice to the Administrative Agent of such creation or acquisition and complies with Section 8.14(b). The Parent Guarantor shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, assign or otherwise dispose of any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary except in compliance with Section 9.11(d). Neither the Parent Guarantor nor any Subsidiary shall have any Foreign Subsidiaries.

Section 9.15 Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions. The Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any contract, agreement or understanding which in any way prohibits or restricts the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on any of its Property in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders or restricts any Subsidiary from paying dividends or making distributions to the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any other Loan Party, or which requires the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection therewith; provided, however, that the preceding restrictions will not apply to encumbrances or restrictions arising under or by reason of (a) this Agreement or the Security Instruments, (b) any leases or licenses or similar contracts as they affect any Property or Lien subject to a lease or license, (c) any contract, agreement or understanding creating Liens on Capital Leases permitted by Section 9.03(c) (but only to the extent related to the Property on which such Liens were created), (d) any restriction with respect to a Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement entered into for the direct or indirect sale or disposition of all or substantially all the equity or Property of such Subsidiary (or the Property that is subject to such restriction) pending the closing of such sale or disposition, or (e) customary provisions with respect to the distribution of Property in joint venture agreements.

Section 9.16 Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments. The Parent Guarantor will not allow gas imbalances, take-or-pay or other prepayments with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary that would require the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary to deliver Hydrocarbons at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor to exceeding three and one-half percent (3.5%) of monthly production in the aggregate.

 

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Section 9.17 Swap Agreements. The Parent Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Swap Agreements with any Person other than:

(a) Swap Agreements listed on Schedule 7.21 and other Swap Agreements (other than purchase options) in respect of commodities entered into by the Borrower fixing prices on oil and/or gas expected to be produced by the Loan Parties and the Partnerships provided that (i) such contracts shall be with an Approved Counterparty, (ii) no such contract shall be entered into by the Borrower on behalf of another Person, except where the Borrower has the contractual authority to enter into such Swap Agreements on behalf of such Person and the obligations under such Swap Agreements are fully recourse to such Person and (iii) the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with other commodity Swap Agreements then in effect other than basis differential swaps on volumes already hedged pursuant to other Swap Agreements) do not exceed, as of the date such Swap Agreement is executed: (A) during the 24-month period immediately following the date on which such Swap Agreement is entered: the lesser of (1) 90% of the reasonably anticipated projected production from its and its Subsidiaries’ and the Partnerships proved Oil and Gas Properties (including the Acquisition Properties) and (2) 100% of the reasonably anticipated projected production from its and its Subsidiaries’ and the Partnerships proved developed producing Oil and Gas Properties (including the Acquisition Properties), and (B) for the 24-month period immediately following the period described in clause (A), 85% of the reasonably anticipated projected production from its, its Subsidiaries and the Partnerships’ proved, developed, producing Oil and Gas Properties. Any such projections to be adjusted as follows: (A) Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report shall reflect the actual historical decline profile of such Oil and Gas Properties and (B) Oil and Gas Properties not evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report shall reflect a reasonable decline profile based upon actual historical decline profiles of similar or analogous Oil and Gas Properties) for each month during the period during which such Swap Agreement is in effect for each of crude oil and natural gas, calculated separately.

(b) Swap Agreements in respect of interest rates with an Approved Counterparty, as follows: (i) Swap Agreements effectively converting interest rates from fixed to floating, the notional amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Swap Agreements of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries then in effect effectively converting interest rates from fixed to floating) do not exceed 50% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Parent Guarantor’s Debt for borrowed money which bears interest at a fixed rate and (ii) Swap Agreements effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed, the notional amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Swap Agreements of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries then in effect effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed) do not exceed 75% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Parent Guarantor’s Debt for borrowed money which bears interest at a floating rate.

(c) Except as set forth in Section 9.03(e), in no event shall any Swap Agreement contain any requirement, agreement or covenant for the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary to post collateral or margin to secure their obligations under such Swap Agreement or to cover market exposures.

Section 9.18 Tax Status as Partnership; Partnership Agreement. The Parent Guarantor shall not alter its status as a partnership for purposes of United States Federal Income taxes. The Parent Guarantor shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, amend or modify any provision of the Operating Agreement or any other organizational document, or any agreements with Affiliates of the type referred to in Section 9.13, if such amendment or modification could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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Section 9.19 Designation and Conversion of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries; Debt of Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

(a) Unless designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary on Schedule 7.15 as of the date hereof or thereafter, assuming compliance with Section 9.19(b), any Person that becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall be classified as a Subsidiary.

(b) The Borrower may designate by written notification thereof to the Administrative Agent, any Subsidiary, including a newly formed or newly acquired Subsidiary, as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if prior, and after giving effect, to such designation, neither a Default nor a Borrowing Base deficiency would exist and such designation is deemed to be an Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount equal to the fair market value as of the date of such designation of the Borrower’s direct and indirect ownership interest in such Subsidiary and such Investment would be permitted to be made at the time of such designation under Section 9.05(l). Except as provided in this Section 9.19(b), no Subsidiary may be redesignated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

(c) The Borrower may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Subsidiary if after giving effect to such designation, the representations and warranties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries contained in each of the Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of such date as if made on and as of the date of such redesignation (or, if stated to have been made expressly as of an earlier date, were true and correct as of such date), no Default would exist and the Borrower complies with the requirements of Section 8.14, Section 8.17 and Section 9.14. Any such designation shall be treated as a cash dividend in an amount equal to the lesser of the fair market value of the Borrower’s direct and indirect ownership interest in such Subsidiary or the amount of the Borrower’s cash investment previously made for purposes of the limitation on Investments under Section 9.05(l).

(d) The Borrower shall not permit the aggregate principal amount of all Non-Recourse Debt outstanding at any one time to exceed $25,000,000.

ARTICLE X

Events of Default; Remedies

Section 10.01 Events of Default. One or more of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for payment or prepayment thereof or otherwise.

(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in Section 10.01(a)) payable under any Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three Business Days.

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary in or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification of any Loan Document or waiver under such Loan Document, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect when made or deemed made.

(d) the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained Section 8.02(a) or in ARTICLE IX.

 

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(e) the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in Section 10.01(a), Section 10.01(b) or Section 10.01(d)) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after the earlier to occur of (i) notice thereof from the Administrative Agent or any Lender to the Borrower or (ii) a Responsible Officer of the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary otherwise becoming aware of such default.

(f) the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable.

(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the Redemption thereof or any offer to Redeem to be made in respect thereof (other than as permitted by the definition of Disqualified Capital Stock), prior to its scheduled maturity or require the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary to make an offer in respect thereof.

(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of any Loan Party or any Significant Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Loan Party or any Significant Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 30 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered.

(i) any Loan Party or any Significant Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in Section 10.01(h), (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Loan Party or any Significant Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing.

(j) any Loan Party or any Significant Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability, or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due.

(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $25,000,000 shall be rendered against Parent Guarantor, any of its Subsidiaries, including the Borrower, or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged (or provision shall not be made for such discharge), or a stay of execution thereof shall not be procured, within the period of time prescribed by applicable rules of civil procedure in which to perfect an appeal thereof.

(l) the Loan Documents after delivery thereof shall for any reason, except to the extent permitted by the terms thereof, cease to be in full force and effect and valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with their terms against any Loan Party or shall be repudiated, or cease to

 

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create a valid and perfected Lien of the priority required thereby on any of the collateral purported to be covered thereby, except to the extent permitted by the terms of this Agreement, or any Loan Party shall so state in writing.

(m) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $25,000,000.

(n) a Change in Control shall occur.

Section 10.02 Remedies.

(a) In the case of an Event of Default other than one described in Section 10.01(h), Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j), at any time thereafter during the continuance of such Event of Default, the Majority Lenders may, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Notes and the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Loan Parties accrued hereunder and under the Notes and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.08(i)), shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by each Loan Party; and in case of an Event of Default described in Section 10.01(h), Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j), the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the Notes and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and the other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors accrued hereunder and under the Notes and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.08(i)), shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by each Loan Party.

(b) In the case of the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and each Lender will have all other rights and remedies available to it or them at law and equity.

(c) All proceeds realized from the liquidation or other disposition of collateral or otherwise received after the Termination Date, whether by acceleration or otherwise, shall be applied: first, to reimbursement of expenses and indemnities provided for in this Agreement and the Security Instruments; second, to accrued interest on the Loans; third, to fees; fourth, pro rata to outstanding principal of the Loans, to serve as cash collateral to be held by the Administrative Agent to secure the LC Exposure and Indebtedness referred to in Clause (b) of the definition of Indebtedness owing to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender; fifth, to any other Indebtedness; and any excess shall be paid to the Borrower or as otherwise required by any Governmental Requirement.

ARTICLE XI

The Agents

Section 11.01 Appointment; Powers. Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably (subject to Section 11.06) appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to

 

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the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof and the other Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.

Section 11.02 Duties and Obligations of Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing (the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law; rather, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties), (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except as provided in Section 11.03, and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Parent Guarantor or a Lender, and shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or in any other Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in ARTICLE VI or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or as to those conditions precedent specifically required to be to the Administrative Agent’s satisfaction, (vi) the existence, value, perfection or priority of any collateral security or the financial or other condition of the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries or any other obligor or guarantor, or (vii) any failure by the Parent Guarantor or any other Person (other than itself) to perform any of its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document or the performance or observance of any covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Article VI, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed closing date specifying its objection thereto.

Section 11.03 Action by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by any of the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.02) and in all cases the Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to act hereunder or under any other Loan Documents unless it shall (a) receive written instructions from the Majority Lenders or the Lenders, as applicable, (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.02) specifying the action to be taken and (b) be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expenses which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The instructions as aforesaid and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto by the Administrative Agent shall be binding on all of the Lenders. If a Default has occurred and is continuing, then the Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect

 

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to such Default as shall be directed by the requisite Lenders in the written instructions (with indemnities) described in this Section 11.03, provided that, unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders. In no event, however, shall the Administrative Agent be required to take any action which exposes the Administrative Agent to personal liability or which is contrary to this Agreement, the Loan Documents or applicable law. If a Default has occurred and is continuing, neither the Syndication Agent nor the Documentation Agents shall have any obligation to perform any act in respect thereof. No Agent shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Majority Lenders or the Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.02), and otherwise no Agent shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by it hereunder or under any other Loan Document or under any other document or instrument referred to or provided for herein or therein or in connection herewith or therewith INCLUDING ITS OWN ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE, except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Section 11.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon and each of the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby waives the right to dispute the Administrative Agent’s record of such statement, except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts. The Agents may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the holder thereof for all purposes hereof unless and until a written notice of the assignment or transfer thereof permitted hereunder shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent.

Section 11.05 Subagents. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent in good faith after due inquiry. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding Sections of this ARTICLE XI shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

Section 11.06 Resignation of Agents. Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Agent as provided in this Section 11.06, any Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Majority Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with and upon the approval of the Borrower (so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. After the Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this ARTICLE XI and

 

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Section 12.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Agent.

Section 11.07 Agents as Lenders. Each bank serving as an Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not an Agent hereunder.

Section 11.08 No Reliance. Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder. The Agents shall not be required to keep themselves informed as to the performance or observance by the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries of this Agreement, the Loan Documents or any other document referred to or provided for herein or to inspect the Properties or books of the Parent Guarantor or its Subsidiaries. Except for notices, reports and other documents and information expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, no Agent or the Arranger shall have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the affairs, financial condition or business of the Parent Guarantor (or any of its Affiliates) which may come into the possession of such Agent or any of its Affiliates. In this regard, each Lender acknowledges that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is acting in this transaction as special counsel to the Administrative Agent only, except to the extent otherwise expressly stated in any legal opinion or any Loan Document. Each other party hereto will consult with its own legal counsel to the extent that it deems necessary in connection with the Loan Documents and the matters contemplated therein.

Section 11.09 Authority of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens. Each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to release any collateral that is permitted to be sold or released pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver to the Borrower, at the Borrower’s sole cost and expense, any and all releases of Liens, termination statements, assignments or other documents reasonably requested by the Borrower in connection with any sale or other disposition of Property to the extent such sale or other disposition is permitted by the terms of Section 9.11 or Section 12.02(b).

Section 11.10 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

(a) In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Indebtedness that are owing and unpaid

 

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and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Section 12.03) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(ii) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Section 12.03.

(b) Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Indebtedness or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

Section 11.11 The Arranger, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agents. The Arranger, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agents shall have no duties, responsibilities or liabilities under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents other than their duties, responsibilities and liabilities in their capacity as Lenders hereunder.

ARTICLE XII

Miscellaneous

Section 12.01 Notices.

(a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to Section 12.01(b)), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

(i) if to the Borrower, to it at West Pointe Corporate Center I, 1550 Coraopolis Heights Road, Moon Township, Pennsylvania 15108, Attention of Matthew A. Jones, (Telecopy No.  ###-###-####/Email: ***@***);

(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to it at: 1 Chase Tower, 10 South Dearborn, IL1-0010, Chicago, Illinois 60603 Attention: Mi Y Kim, Phone No.  ###-###-####, Fax No.  ###-###-####, and for all other correspondence other than borrowings, continuation, conversion and Letter of Credit requests 600 Travis, 20th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention of Robert C. Mertensotto (Telecopy No.  ###-###-####); and

(iii) if to any other Lender, in its capacity as such, or any other Lender in its capacity as the Issuing Bank, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

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(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to ARTICLE II, ARTICLE III, ARTICLE IV and ARTICLE V unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

(c) Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

Section 12.02 Waivers; Amendments.

(a) No failure on the part of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender to exercise and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any right, power or privilege, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right, power or privilege, under any of the Loan Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege under any of the Loan Documents preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by Section 12.02(b), and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof nor any Security Instrument nor any provision thereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and the Majority Lenders or by the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Majority Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Maximum Credit Amount of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) increase the Borrowing Base or the Conforming Borrowing Base without the written consent of all Lenders, decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base or the Conforming Borrowing Base without the consent of the Super-Majority Lenders, or modify Section 2.07 without the consent of each Lender, (iii) extend or post-pone the Borrowing Base Equalization Date without the written consent of each Lender, (iv) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, or reduce any other Indebtedness hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (v) postpone the scheduled date of payment or prepayment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or any other Indebtedness hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone or extend the Termination Date without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (vi) change Section 4.01(b) or Section 4.01(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (vii) release any Guarantor (except as set forth in the Guaranty Agreement), release any of the collateral (other than as provided in Section 11.09), or reduce the percentage set forth in Section 8.14(a) to less than 80%, without

 

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the written consent of each Lender, or (viii) change any of the provisions of this Section 12.02(b) or the definitions of “Super-Majority Lenders” or “Majority Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or under any other Loan Documents or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder or any other Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or the Issuing Bank hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such other Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any supplement to Schedule 7.15 (Subsidiaries) shall be effective simply by delivering to the Administrative Agent a supplemental schedule clearly marked as such and, upon receipt, the Administrative Agent will promptly deliver a copy thereof to the Lenders.

Section 12.03 Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

(a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel and other outside consultants for the Administrative Agent, the reasonable travel, photocopy, mailing, courier, telephone and other similar expenses, and the cost of environmental audits and surveys and appraisals, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration (both before and after the execution hereof and including advice of counsel to the Administrative Agent as to the rights and duties of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect thereto) of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers of or consents related to the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all costs, expenses, taxes, assessments and other charges incurred by any Agent or any Lender in connection with any filing, registration, recording or perfection of any security interest contemplated by this Agreement or any Security Instrument or any other document referred to therein and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including its rights under this Section 12.03, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including, without limitation, all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

(b) THE BORROWER SHALL INDEMNIFY THE ARRANGER, EACH AGENT, THE ISSUING BANK AND EACH LENDER, AND EACH RELATED PARTY OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING PERSONS (EACH SUCH PERSON BEING CALLED AN “INDEMNITEE”) AGAINST, DEFEND AND HOLD EACH INDEMNITEE HARMLESS FROM, ANY AND ALL LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, PENALITIES, LIABILITIES AND RELATED EXPENSES, INCLUDING THE REASONABLE FEES, CHARGES AND DISBURSEMENTS OF ANY COUNSEL FOR ANY INDEMNITEE, INCURRED BY OR ASSERTED AGAINST ANY INDEMNITEE ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION WITH, OR AS A RESULT OF (i) THE EXECUTION OR DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ANY AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, THE PERFORMANCE BY THE PARTIES HERETO OR THE PARTIES TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR THE CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR BY ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, (ii) THE FAILURE OF THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY LOAN PARTY TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THIS AGREEMENT, OR WITH ANY GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENT, (iii) ANY INACCURACY OF ANY REPRESENTATION OR ANY BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY OR COVENANT OF THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY GUARANTOR

 

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SET FORTH IN ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY INSTRUMENTS, DOCUMENTS OR CERTIFICATIONS DELIVERED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (iv) ANY LOAN OR LETTER OF CREDIT OR THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS THEREFROM, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, (A) ANY REFUSAL BY THE ISSUING BANK TO HONOR A DEMAND FOR PAYMENT UNDER A LETTER OF CREDIT IF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH DEMAND DO NOT STRICTLY COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT, OR (B) THE PAYMENT OF A DRAWING UNDER ANY LETTER OF CREDIT NOTWITHSTANDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE, NON-DELIVERY OR OTHER IMPROPER PRESENTATION OF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (v) ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, (vi) THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUSINESS OF THE PARENT GUARANTOR AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (vii) ANY ASSERTION THAT THE LENDERS WERE NOT ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE PROCEEDS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE SECURITY INSTRUMENTS, (viii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE PRESENCE, GENERATION, STORAGE, RELEASE, THREATENED RELEASE, USE, TRANSPORT, DISPOSAL, ARRANGEMENT OF DISPOSAL OR TREATMENT OF OIL, OIL AND GAS WASTES, SOLID WASTES OR HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, (ix) THE BREACH OR NON-COMPLIANCE BY THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY WITH ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY, (x) THE PAST OWNERSHIP BY THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OF ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES OR PAST ACTIVITY ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES WHICH, THOUGH LAWFUL AND FULLY PERMISSIBLE AT THE TIME, COULD RESULT IN PRESENT LIABILITY, (xi) THE PRESENCE, USE, RELEASE, STORAGE, TREATMENT, DISPOSAL, GENERATION, THREATENED RELEASE, TRANSPORT, ARRANGEMENT FOR TRANSPORT OR ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPOSAL OF OIL, OIL AND GAS WASTES, SOLID WASTES OR HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ON OR AT ANY OF THE PROPERTIES OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR ANY ACTUAL OR ALLEGED PRESENCE OR RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OR FROM ANY PROPERTY OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (xii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY RELATED IN ANY WAY TO THE PARENT GUARANTOR OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, OR (xiii) ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH OR SAFETY CONDITION IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, OR (xiv) ANY ACTUAL OR PROSPECTIVE CLAIM, LITIGATION, INVESTIGATION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY INDEMNITEE IS A PARTY THERETO, AND SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL EXTEND TO EACH INDEMNITEE NOTWITHSTANDING THE SOLE OR CONCURRENT NEGLIGENCE OF EVERY KIND OR CHARACTER WHATSOEVER, WHETHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE, WHETHER AN AFFIRMATIVE ACT OR AN OMISSION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL TYPES OF NEGLIGENT CONDUCT IDENTIFIED IN THE RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS OF ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES OR BY REASON OF STRICT LIABILITY IMPOSED WITHOUT FAULT ON ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES; PROVIDED THAT SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL NOT, AS TO ANY INDEMNITEE, BE AVAILABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES OR RELATED EXPENSES HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH INDEMNITEE.

(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to any Agent or the Issuing Bank under Section 12.03(a) or (b), each Lender severally agrees to pay to such Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid

 

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amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against such Agent or the Issuing Bank in its capacity as such.

(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.

(e) All amounts due under this Section 12.03 shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.

Section 12.04 Successors and Assigns.

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section 12.04. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in Section 12.04(c)) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement

(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees (each, an “Assignee”) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent of:

(A) the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund (as defined below) or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other Person; and

(B) the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld).

(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that (1) no such consent of the

 

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Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (2) such amounts shall be aggregated in respect of each Lender and its Affiliates or Approved Funds, if any;

(B) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and

(C) the Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

For the purposes of this Section 12.04, “Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) Person or an Affiliate of a Person that administers or manages a Lender.

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) below, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the Assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 5.01, 5.02, 5.03 and 12.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 12.04(b) shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 12.04(c).

(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Maximum Credit Amount of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Exposures owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an Assignee, the Assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the Assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in Section 12.04(b) and any written consent to such assignment required by Section 12.04(b), the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this Section 12.04(b).

(c) (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the

 

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performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver that (1) requires the consent of each Lender directly affected thereby pursuant to the proviso to the second sentence of Section 12.02 and (2) directly affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 5.01, 5.02 and 5.03 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 12.04(b). To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 12.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant shall be subject to Section 4.01 as though it were a Lender.

(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 5.01 or 5.03 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. Any Participant that is a Non-U.S. Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 5.03 unless such Participant complies with Section 5.03(d).

(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or Assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Conduit Lender may assign any or all of the Loans it may have funded hereunder to its designating Lender without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent and without regard to the limitations set forth in Section 12.04(b). Each of the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, each Lender and the Administrative Agent hereby confirms that it will not institute against a Conduit Lender or join any other Person in instituting against a Conduit Lender any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceeding under any state bankruptcy or similar law, for one year and one day after the payment in full of the latest maturing commercial paper note issued by such Conduit Lender; provided, however, that each Lender designating any Conduit Lender hereby agrees to indemnify, save and hold harmless each other party hereto for any loss, cost, damage or expense arising out of its inability to institute such a proceeding against such Conduit Lender during such period of forbearance.

Section 12.05 Survival; Revival; Reinstatement.

(a) All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower herein and by the Loan Parties in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any

 

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Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 and Section 12.03 and ARTICLE XI shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.

(b) To the extent that any payments on the Indebtedness or proceeds of any collateral are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid to a trustee, debtor in possession, receiver or other Person under any bankruptcy law, common law or equitable cause, then to such extent, the Indebtedness so satisfied shall be revived and continue as if such payment or proceeds had not been received and the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ Liens, security interests, rights, powers and remedies under this Agreement and each Loan Document shall continue in full force and effect. In such event, each Loan Document shall be automatically reinstated and the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower shall take (and shall cause each other Loan Party to take) such action as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to effect such reinstatement.

Section 12.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.

(a) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.

(b) This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents represent the final agreement among the parties hereto and thereto and may not be contradicted by evidence of prior, contemporaneous or subsequent oral agreements of the parties. There are no unwritten oral agreements between the parties.

(c) Except as provided in Section 6.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

Section 12.07 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof or thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 12.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations (of whatsoever kind, including, without limitations obligations under Swap Agreements) at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for

 

82


the credit or the account of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary against any of and all the obligations of the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary owed to such Lender now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section 12.08 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender or its Affiliates may have.

Section 12.09 GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS.

(a) THIS AGREEMENT AND THE NOTES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT UNITED STATES FEDERAL LAW PERMITS ANY LENDER TO CONTRACT FOR, CHARGE, RECEIVE, RESERVE OR TAKE INTEREST AT THE RATE ALLOWED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE WHERE SUCH LENDER IS LOCATED.

(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THE LOAN DOCUMENTS SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH PARTY HEREBY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW) IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS. THIS SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION IS NON-EXCLUSIVE AND DOES NOT PRECLUDE A PARTY FROM OBTAINING JURISDICTION OVER ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY COURT OTHERWISE HAVING JURISDICTION.

(c) EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE SERVICE OF PROCESS OF ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED COURTS IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY THE MAILING OF COPIES THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, TO IT AT THE ADDRESS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 12.01 OR SUCH OTHER ADDRESS AS IS SPECIFIED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.01 (OR ITS ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION), SUCH SERVICE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER SUCH MAILING. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF A PARTY OR ANY HOLDER OF A NOTE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO COMMENCE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR OTHERWISE PROCEED AGAINST ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.

(d) EACH PARTY HEREBY (i) IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN; (ii) IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO CLAIM OR RECOVER IN ANY SUCH LITIGATION ANY SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES OTHER THAN, OR IN ADDITION TO, ACTUAL DAMAGES; (iii) CERTIFIES THAT NO PARTY HERETO NOR ANY REPRESENTATIVE OR AGENT OF COUNSEL FOR ANY PARTY HERETO HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, OR IMPLIED THAT SUCH PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF

 

83


LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVERS, AND (iv) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT, THE LOAN DOCUMENTS AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 12.09.

Section 12.10 Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

Section 12.11 Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and each Lender agrees to keep confidential all non-public information provided to it by the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries, the Administrative Agent or any Lender pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement that is designated by the provider thereof as confidential; provided that nothing herein shall prevent the Administrative Agent or any Lender from disclosing any such information (a) to the Administrative Agent, any other Lender or any affiliate thereof, (b) subject to an agreement to comply with the provisions of this Section, to any actual or prospective Transferee or any direct or indirect counterparty to any Swap Agreement (or any professional advisor to such counterparty), (c) to its employees, directors, agents, attorneys, accountants and other professional advisors or those of any of its affiliates, (d) upon the request or demand of any Governmental Authority, (e) in response to any order of any court or other Governmental Authority or as may otherwise be required pursuant to any Governmental Requirement, (f) if requested or required to do so in connection with any litigation or similar proceeding, (g) that has been publicly disclosed, (h) to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any similar organization or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about a Lender’s investment portfolio in connection with ratings issued with respect to such Lender, or (i) in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder or under any other Loan Document.

Each Lender acknowledges that information furnished to it pursuant to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their respective securities, and confirms that it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and that it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with those procedures and applicable law, including Federal and state securities laws.

All information, including requests for waivers and amendments, furnished by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent pursuant to, or in the course of administering, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents will be syndicate-level information, which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower and its Affiliates and their related parties or their respective securities. Accordingly, each Lender represents to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that it has identified in its Administrative Questionnaire a credit contact who may receive information that may contain material non-public information in accordance with its compliance procedures and applicable law, including Federal and state securities laws.

Section 12.12 Interest Rate Limitation. It is the intention of the parties hereto that each Lender shall conform strictly to usury laws applicable to it. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the

 

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Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

Section 12.13 No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the agreement of the Lenders to make Loans and the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend Letters of Credit hereunder are solely for the benefit of the Borrower, and no other Person (including, without limitation, the Parent Guarantor and any Subsidiary of the Borrower, any obligor, contractor, subcontractor, supplier or materialman) shall have any rights, claims, remedies or privileges hereunder or under any other Loan Document against the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender for any reason whatsoever. There are no third party beneficiaries.

Section 12.14 Collateral Matters; Swap Agreements. The benefit of the Security Instruments and of the provisions of this Agreement relating to any collateral securing the Indebtedness shall also extend to and be available to those Lenders or their Affiliates which are counterparties to any Swap Agreement with the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries on a pro rata basis in respect of any obligations of the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which arise under any such Swap Agreement while such Person or its Affiliate is a Lender, but only while such Person or its Affiliate is a Lender, including any Swap Agreements between such Persons in existence prior to the date hereof. No Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender shall have any voting rights under any Loan Document as a result of the existence of obligations owed to it under any such Swap Agreements.

Section 12.15 Acknowledgements. Each of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower hereby acknowledges that:

(a) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;

(b) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary relationship with or duty to the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between Administrative Agent and Lenders, on one hand, and the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor; and

no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower and the Lenders.

Section 12.16 USA Patriot Act Notice. Each Lender hereby notifies the Parent Guarantor that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Parent Guarantor in accordance with the Act.

[SIGNATURES BEGIN NEXT PAGE]

 

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The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

BORROWER:     ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
    By:  

Atlas Energy Resources, LLC,

its sole member

        By:   /s/ Matthew A. Jones
         

Matthew A. Jones

Chief Financial Officer

PARENT GUARANTOR:    

ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

        By:   /s/ Matthew A. Jones
         

Matthew A. Jones

Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page 1 - Credit Agreement]


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:    

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as a Lender and as Administrative Agent

    By:     
      Name:  
      Title:  

 

[Signature Page 2 - Credit Agreement]


ANNEX I

LIST OF MAXIMUM CREDIT AMOUNTS

 

Name of Lender

   Applicable Percentage     Maximum Credit Amount

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   %     $ 45,000,000

Wachovia Bank, National Association

     $ 41,000,000

Bank of America, N.A.

     $ 41,000,000

BNP Paribas

     $ 41,000,000

Royal Bank of Canada

     $ 41,000,000

UBS AG, Stamford Branch

     $ 41,000,000

Royal Bank of Scotland plc

     $ 40,000,000

Bank of Montreal

     $ 35,000,000

Scotia Capital

     $ 35,000,000

Calyon New York Branch

     $ 35,000,000

Bank of Scotland

     $ 35,000,000

RZB Bank LLC

     $ 30,000,000

Citibank, N.A.

     $ 30,000,000

Societe Generale

     $ 30,000,000

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

     $ 30,000,000

U.S. Bank National Association

     $ 30,000,000

WestLB AG New York Branch

     $ 30,000,000

Compass Bank

     $ 27,500,000

Comerica Bank

     $ 27,500,000

DZ Bank

     $ 27,500,000

KeyBanc

     $ 27,500,000

Union Bank of California, N.A.

     $ 27,500,000

Sumitomo

     $ 27,500,000

Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd.

     $ 25,000,000

Fortis Capital Corp.

     $ 25,000,000

Guaranty Bank

     $ 25,000,000

Total

   100 %   $ 850,000,000

 

Annex I -1


ANNEX II

SOURCES AND USES TABLE

 

Sources:   

Senior Secured Revolving Facility

   $ 650,000,000 *

Equity Commitment

   $ 600,000,000  

Total Sources

   $ 1,250,000,000  
Uses:   

Purchase Price

   $ 1,225,000,000  

Payment of Fees and Expenses

   $ 25,000,000  

Total Uses

   $ 1,250,000,000  

 

* May be increased to $725,000,000.

 

Annex II - 1


EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF] NOTE

 

$[                ]   [                ], 200[__]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”) hereby promises to pay to the order of [            ] (the “Lender”), at the principal office of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (the “Administrative Agent”), at [            ], the principal sum of [            ] Dollars ($[            ]) (or such lesser amount as shall equal the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement, as hereinafter defined), in lawful money of the United States of America and in immediately available funds, on the dates and in the principal amounts provided in the Credit Agreement, and to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each such Loan, at such office, in like money and funds, for the period commencing on the date of such Loan until such Loan shall be paid in full, at the rates per annum and on the dates provided in the Credit Agreement.

The date, amount, Type, interest rate, Interest Period and maturity of each Loan made by the Lender to the Borrower, and each payment made on account of the principal thereof, shall be recorded by the Lender on its books and, prior to any transfer of this Note, may be endorsed by the Lender on the schedules attached hereto or any continuation thereof or on any separate record maintained by the Lender. Failure to make any such notation or to attach a schedule shall not affect any Lender’s or the Borrower’s rights or obligations in respect of such Loans or affect the validity of such transfer by any Lender of this Note.

This Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement, dated as of June 29, 2007, among Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, as parent guarantor, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and the other agents and lenders signatory thereto (including the Lender), and evidences Loans made by the Lender thereunder (such Credit Agreement as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms used in this Note have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement.

This Note is issued pursuant to the Credit Agreement and is entitled to the benefits provided for in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Credit Agreement provides for the acceleration of the maturity of this Note upon the occurrence of certain events, for prepayments of Loans upon the terms and conditions specified therein and other provisions relevant to this Note.

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
By:   Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole member
By:     
Name:     
Title:     

 

Exhibit A - 1


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF BORROWING REQUEST

[                    ], 200[__]

Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007, (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “Credit Agreement”), among the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent and the other agents and lenders (the “Lenders”) which are or become parties thereto (unless otherwise defined herein, each capitalized term used herein is defined in the Credit Agreement), hereby requests a Borrowing as follows:

(i) Aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing is $[            ];

(ii) Date of such Borrowing is [            ], 200[__];

(iii) Requested Borrowing is to be [an ABR Borrowing] [a Eurodollar Borrowing];

(iv) In the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period applicable thereto is [            ];

(v) Amount of Borrowing Base [add if applicable: the Conforming Borrowing Base] in effect on the date hereof is $[            ]; [$[            ] and $[            ]];

(vi) Total Revolving Credit Exposures [add if applicable: the Conforming Borrowing Base] on the date hereof (i.e., outstanding principal amount of Loans and total LC Exposure) is $[            ]; [$[            ] and $[            ]];and

(vii) Pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures [add if applicable: the Conforming Borrowing Base] (giving effect to the requested Borrowing) is $[            ]; [$[            ] and $[            ]];and

(viii) Location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.05 of the Credit Agreement, is as follows:

[                                                             ]

[                                                             ]

[                                                             ]

[                                                             ]

[                                                             ]

 

Exhibit B - 1


The undersigned certifies that he/she is the [            ] of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower, and that as such he/she is authorized to execute this certificate on behalf of each of them. The undersigned further certifies, represents and warrants on behalf of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower that the Borrower is entitled to receive the requested Borrowing under the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement.

 

PARENT GUARANTOR:     ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
    By:     
      Name:  
      Title:  
BORROWER:     ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
    By:   Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole member
    By:     
      Name:  
      Title:  

 

Exhibit B - 2


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF INTEREST ELECTION REQUEST

[            ], 200[__]

Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), pursuant to Section 2.04 of the Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007, (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “Credit Agreement”), among Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, as parent guarantor, the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent and the other agents and lenders (the “Lenders”) which are or become parties thereto (unless otherwise defined herein, each capitalized term used herein is defined in the Credit Agreement), hereby makes an Interest Election Request as follows:

(i) The Borrowing to which this Interest Election Request applies, and if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information specified pursuant to (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing) is [            ];

(ii) The effective date of the election made pursuant to this Interest Election Request is [            ], 200[__];[and]

(iii) The resulting Borrowing is to be [an ABR Borrowing] [a Eurodollar Borrowing][; and

[(iv) [If the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing] The Interest Period applicable to the resulting Borrowing after giving effect to such election is [            ]].

The undersigned certifies that he/she is the [            ] of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower, and that as such he/she is authorized to execute this certificate on behalf of each of them. The undersigned further certifies, represents and warrants on behalf of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower that the Borrower is entitled to receive the requested continuation or conversion under the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement.

 

PARENT GUARANTOR:     ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
    By:     
      Name:  
      Title:  
BORROWER:     ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
    By:   Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole member
    By:     
      Name:  
      Title:  

 

Exhibit C - 1


EXHIBIT D

[FORM OF]

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

The undersigned hereby certifies that he/she is the [            ] of Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Parent Guarantor”), and that as such he/she is authorized to execute this certificate on behalf of the Parent Guarantor and Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”). With reference to the Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007, (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto being the “Agreement”), among the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents and lenders (the “Lenders”) which are or become a party thereto, and such Lenders, the undersigned represents and warrants as follows (each capitalized term used herein having the same meaning given to it in the Agreement unless otherwise specified):

(a) The representations and warranties of the Parent Guarantor and the Borrower contained in Article VII of the Agreement and in the Loan Documents and otherwise made in writing by or on behalf of either the Parent Guarantor or the Borrower pursuant to the Agreement and the Loan Documents were true and correct when made, and are repeated at and as of the time of delivery hereof and are true and correct in all material respects at and as of the time of delivery hereof, except to the extent such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date or the Majority Lenders have expressly consented in writing to the contrary.

(b) The Parent Guarantor and the Borrower has performed and complied with all agreements and conditions contained in the Agreement and in the Loan Documents required to be performed or complied with by it prior to or at the time of delivery hereof [or specify default and describe].

(c) Since December 31, 2006, no change has occurred, either in any case or in the aggregate, in the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower or any Subsidiary which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect [or specify event].

(d) There exists no Default or Event of Default [or specify Default and describe].

(e) Attached hereto are the detailed computations necessary to determine whether the Parent Guarantor is in compliance with Section 9.01 as of the end of the [fiscal quarter][fiscal year] ending [            ].

EXECUTED AND DELIVERED this [            ] day of [                    ].

 

ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
By:     
Name:     
Title:     

 

Exhibit D - 1


EXHIBIT E

FORM OF LEGAL OPINION

 

Exhibit E - 1


EXHIBIT E-2

FORM OF LEGAL OPINION OF LOCAL COUNSEL

[                    ] [            ], 2007

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

as Administrative Agent

 

  Re: Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007 among Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as parent guarantor, Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the banks now or hereafter signatory thereto (the “Lenders”), and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity the “Administrative Agent”), and other agents for the Lenders (the “Credit Agreement”).

Gentlemen:

We have acted as special [            ] counsel to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including [            ], a [            ] (“Mortgagor”), in connection with the execution and delivery of that certain Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement and Financing Statement dated June 29, 2007 by the Mortgagor in favor of the Administrative Agent, for its benefit and the benefit of the Lenders and others (the “Mortgage”). This opinion is being furnished to you pursuant to Section 6.01(g) of the Credit Agreement. All capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the same meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement. In connection with the opinions set forth herein, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (the “Loan Documents”):

 

  [(A)] the Mortgage[; and]

 

 

[(B)

the UCC-1 Financing Statement covering as-extracted collateral and goods that are or are to become fixtures prepared in connection with the Mortgage (the “Financing Statement”)].1

In rendering the opinions set forth herein, we have relied upon certificates of officers of the Mortgagor, certificates or telegrams of public officials and such other documents, records and information as we have deemed necessary or appropriate. We have assumed that all signatures are genuine; that all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic; that all documents submitted to us as copies conform to the originals; and that the facts stated in all such documents are true and correct. In rendering this opinion, we have not made any independent investigation as to accuracy or completeness of any facts or representations, warranties, data or other information, whether written or oral, that may have been made by or on behalf of the parties, except as specifically set forth herein.


1

Under Section 9.502 of UCC, a record of our form of mortgage is effective as a financing statement filed as a fixture filing or as a financing statement covering as-extracted collateral or timber to be cut. Some counties, however, maintain separate indexes for UCC filings, and in such case, a UCC-1 financing statement covering such collateral should be prepared and filed separately.

 

Exhibit E-2 -1


Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications set forth herein, it is our opinion that:

1. The form of the Mortgage, including the form of acknowledgments thereto, [and the Financing Statement,] comply with the laws of the State of [            ], including all applicable recording, filing and registration laws and regulations, and are adequate and legally sufficient for the purposes intended to be accomplished thereby.

2. The descriptions of those portions of the Mortgaged Property located within the State of [            ] which are shown on Exhibit “A” attached to the Mortgage are legally sufficient descriptions for the purpose of creating and maintaining the Liens purported to be created by the Mortgage and for the purposes of all applicable recording, filing and registration laws in the State of [            ].

3. So far as the law of the State of [            ] is concerned, the Mortgage constitutes legal, valid and binding obligations of the Mortgagor enforceable against it in accordance with their terms except as limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity.

4. The Mortgage is effective to create in favor of the Administrative Agent (or the Trustee named therein, as applicable) for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, for the payment of the obligations described therein, a valid mortgage Lien on all of the Mortgagor’s right, title and interest in and to the portion of the Mortgaged Property constituting real property described in the Mortgage as being mortgaged thereby and a valid security interest in all of the Mortgagor’s right, title and interest in and to as-extracted collateral located in the county in which the Mortgaged Property is situated and all fixtures located on the real property described in the Mortgage.

5. Fully executed counterparts of the Mortgage and the Financing Statement should be filed for record in each county in the State of [            ] where any portion of the Mortgaged Property is located [or if other, please specify]. Other than the foregoing, no authorization, consent, approval, license or exemption of, or filing or registration with, any Governmental Authority of the State of [            ] is necessary for either the due execution and delivery by the Mortgagor of the Mortgage, the perfection of the Liens intended to be created thereby or with the holding and enforcement by the Administrative Agent of the Mortgage or the obligations secured thereby.

6. After the recordings and filings specified in paragraph 5 have occurred, the Liens created by the Mortgage will be perfected.

7. After the recordings and filings specified in paragraph 5 have occurred, no instruments need be recorded, registered or filed or re-recorded, re-registered or re-filed in any public office in the State of [            ] in connection with the execution and delivery of the Mortgage in order to maintain the perfection and priority of the Liens created thereby after the date of recordation, other than [state rule if necessary] and continuation statements as required by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of [            ].

8. No state or local recording tax, stamp tax or other similar fee, tax or governmental charge (other than statutory filing and recording fees to be paid upon the filing of the Mortgage [or the Financing Statement]) is required to be paid in connection with the filing and recording of [either] the Mortgage [or the Financing Statement][, except as follows: explain if necessary].

9. The execution, delivery and performance by the Mortgagor of its obligations under the Mortgage will not result in a violation of any laws, rules and regulations of the State of [            ]

 

Exhibit E-2 -2


which, in our experience, exercising customary professional diligence, are normally applicable to transactions of the type provided for in the Loan Documents.

10. A [            ] state court of competent jurisdiction or a federal court sitting in the State of [            ] of competent jurisdiction and applying conflicts of laws principles of the State of [            ], if properly presented with a choice of law issue, will honor the choice of New York law to govern the Credit Agreement, the Notes and the Mortgage that state such documents shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

The foregoing opinions are subject to the following additional assumptions and qualifications:

[add appropriate qualifications, if any].

The opinions rendered herein are for the sole benefit of, and may only be relied upon by, the addressee and the Persons from time to time Lenders under the Credit Agreement, and the opinions herein expressed are not to be used, circulated or otherwise referred to in connection with any transaction other than those contemplated by the Loan Documents. This opinion is specifically limited to the presently effective laws of the State of [            ]. We have not been asked to, and we do not, render any opinion as to any matter except as specifically set forth herein.

Very truly yours,

 

Exhibit E-2 - 3


EXHIBIT F-1

SECURITY INSTRUMENTS

1) Guaranty and Collateral Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007 by the Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, and each other Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.

2) Financing Statements in respect of item 1.

3) Stock Powers delivered in respect of item 1.

a) AER Pipeline Construction, Inc.

4) Open-End Mortgage dated June 29, 2007 by Atlas Gas & Oil Company, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company, as Mortgagor (filed in various Michigan counties).

5) Financing Statement in respect of item 4.

6) Open-End Mortgage, Indenture, Security Agreement, Financing Statement, Fixture Filing and Assignment of Production dated June 29, 2007 from Resource Energy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Viking Resources, LLC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company, as Mortgagors (filed in various Ohio counties).

7) Financing Statements in respect of item 6.

8) Open-End Mortgage, Security Agreement, Financing Statement, Fixture Filing and Assignment of Production dated June 29, 2007 by Atlas Resources, LLC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company, Atlas America, LLC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company, and Viking Resources, LLC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company, as Mortgagors (filed in various Pennsylvania counties).

9) Financing Statements in respect of item 8.

10) Open-End Mortgage, Indenture, Security Agreement, Financing Statement and Assignment of Production dated June 29, 2007 from Resource Energy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, REI-NY, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as Mortgagors (filed in Chautauqua County, New York).

11) Financing Statements in respect of item 10.

12) Fee Letter dated May 18, 2007 among the Parent Guarantor, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger.

 

Exhibit F-1 - 1


EXHIBIT F-2

FORM OF GUARANTY AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT

 

Exhibit F-2 - 1


EXHIBIT G

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including any letters of credit and guarantees included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the “Assigned Interest”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

1.    Assignor:                                     

 

2.    Assignee:                                     

 

[and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]2]

 

3.    Borrower: Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC

 

4.    Administrative Agent: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement

 

5.    Credit Agreement: The Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007 among Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, as parent guarantor, Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC, as borrower, the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto

 

6.    Assigned Interest:

2

Select as applicable.

 

Exhibit G - 1


Commitment Assigned

  

Aggregate Amount of

Commitment/Loans
for all Lenders

  

Amount of

Commitment/Loans
Assigned

  

Percentage

Assigned of
Commitment/Loans3

   $      $      %
   $      $      %
   $      $      %

Effective Date:                     , 20        [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
By:     
Title:  
ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
By:     
Title:  

The undersigned hereby consent to the within assignment:4

 

ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC     JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent
By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole member    
By:          By:     
 

Name:

Title:

     

Name:

Title:


3

Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

 

4

Consents to be included to the extent required by Section 12.04(b) of the Credit Agreement.

 

Exhibit G - 2


ANNEX 1

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

1. Representations and Warranties.

1.1 Assignor. The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

1.2. Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 8.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Non-US Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

3. General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

Exhibit G - 3


EXHIBIT H-1

FORM OF MAXIMUM CREDIT AMOUNT INCREASE CERTIFICATE

[                ], 200[__]

 

To: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
     as Administrative Agent

The Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Agents and certain Lenders have heretofore entered into the Credit Agreement, dated as of June 29, 2007, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (the “Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning given to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

This Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate is being delivered pursuant to Section 2.06(c) of the Credit Agreement.

Please be advised that the undersigned has agreed to (a) increase its Maximum Credit Amount under the Credit Agreement effective [            ], 200[__] from $[            ] to $[            ] and (b) that it shall continue to be a party in all respect to the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

The [Borrower/Lender] shall pay the fee payable to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.06(c)(ii) of the Credit Agreement.

 

    Very truly yours,
PARENT GUARANTOR:     ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
    By:     
      Name:  
      Title:  
BORROWER:     ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
    By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole member
    By:     
      Name:  
      Title:  

 

Exhibit H-1 - 1


Accepted and Agreed:

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent

By:     
Name:     
Title:     
Accepted and Agreed:
[                                             ]
By:     
Name:     
Title:     

 

Exhibit H-1 - 2


EXHIBIT H-2

FORM OF ADDITIONAL LENDER CERTIFICATE

[                ], 200[__]

 

To: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
   as Administrative Agent

The Parent Guarantor, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Agents and certain Lenders have heretofore entered into the Credit Agreement, dated as of June 29, 2007, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (the “Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning given to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

This Additional Lender Certificate is being delivered pursuant to Section 2.06(c) of the Credit Agreement.

Please be advised that the undersigned has agreed (a) to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement effective [            ], 200[__] with a Maximum Credit Amount of $[            ] and (b) that it shall be a party in all respect to the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

This Additional Lender Certificate is being delivered to the Administrative Agent together with (i) if the Additional Lender is a Non-US Lender, any documentation required to be delivered by such Additional Lender pursuant to Section 5.03(d) of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Additional Lender, and (ii) an Administrative Questionnaire in the form supplied by the Administrative Agent, duly completed by the Additional Lender. The [Borrower/Additional Lender] shall pay the fee payable to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.06(c)(ii) of the Credit Agreement.

 

    Very truly yours,
PARENT GUARANTOR:     ATLAS ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC
    By:     
      Name:  
    Title:  

 

Exhibit H-2 - 1


BORROWER:     ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
    By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole member
    By:     
      Name:  
    Title:  

 

Accepted and Agreed:

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent

By:     
Name:     
Title:     
Accepted and Agreed:
[                                             ]
By:     
Name:     
Title:     

 

Exhibit H-2 - 2


EXHIBIT I

FORM OF RESERVE REPORT CERTIFICATE

[September]/[March] 1, [year]

This Reserve Report Certificate (“Certificate”) is executed and delivered pursuant to Section 8.12 (c) of that certain Credit Agreement dated as of June 29, 2007 among Atlas Energy Resources, LLC (“Parent Guarantor”), Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC (“Borrower”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (“Administrative Agent”) and the Lenders named therein and as may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (the “Credit Agreement”). Unless otherwise defined herein, all capitalized terms shall have the meaning set forth in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned, a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, hereby certifies to the Administrative Agent and Lenders that in all material respects:

(i) the information contained in the Reserve Report attached hereto as Attachment 1 to this Certificate (“Reserve Report”) and any other information delivered in connection therewith is true and correct;

(ii) the Borrower or its Subsidiaries owns good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Reserve Report and such Properties are free of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 9.03 of the Credit Agreement;

(iii) except as set forth in Attachment 2 to this Certificate, on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments in excess of the volume specified in Section 7.19 of the Credit Agreement with respect to its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Reserve Report which would require the Borrower or any Subsidiary to deliver Hydrocarbons either generally or produced from such Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor;

(iv) except as listed in Attachment 3 to this Certificate, no Oil and Gas Properties have been sold since the date of the last Borrowing Base determination;

(v) attached hereto as Attachment 4 to this Certificate is a list of all marketing agreements entered into subsequent to the later of the date hereof or the most recently delivered Reserve Report which the Borrower could reasonably be expected to have been obligated to list on Schedule 7.20 of the Credit Agreement had such agreement been in effect on the date hereof; and

(vi) attached hereto as Attachment 5 to this Certificate is a schedule of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by the Reserve Report that are Mortgaged Properties and showing the percentage of the Borrowing Base that the value of such Mortgaged Properties represent.

 

Exhibit I - 1


IN WITNESS WHEROF, I have hereunto signed this Certificate as of the              day of [Month], [Year].

 

Address for Notice:

 

West Point Corporate Center I

1550 Coraopolis Heights Road

   

BORROWER:

 

  ATLAS ENERGY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC

  By: Atlas Energy Resources, LLC, its sole member

Moon Township, Pennsylvania 15108

Attention: Matthew A. Jones

      By:     

Fax No.: 215 ###-###-####

E-mail ***@***

       

Matthew A. Jones

Chief Financial Officer

 

Exhibit I - 2


ATTACHMENT 1

RESERVE REPORT

 

Exhibit I - 3


ATTACHMENT 2

GAS IMBALANCES, TAKE OR PAY, OR OTHER PREPAYMENTS

 

Exhibit I - 4


ATTACHMENT 3

OIL & GAS PROPERTIES SOLD

 

Exhibit I - 5


ATTACHMENT 4

MARKETING AGREEMENTS ENTERED INTO SUBSEQUENT TO [date]

 

Exhibit I - 6


ATTACHMENT 5

OIL & GAS PROPERTIES that are MORTGAGED PROPERTIES

 

Mortgaged Property Name

  

Percentage of the Borrowing Base that the

value of Mortgaged Property represents

 

Exhibit I - 7