Amended Promissory Note amended March 1, 2025 between Lazarus Energy Holdings, LLC and Blue Dolphin Pipe Line Company
Exhibit 10.55
AMENDED PROMISSORY NOTE
$4,000,000.00 March 1, 2025
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, BLUE DOLPHIN PIPE LINE COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (“Debtor”), unconditionally promises to pay to the order of LAZARUS ENERGY HOLDINGS, LLC, a Delaware corporation (together with its successors and assigns, “Lender”), without setoff, at its offices at 801 Travis, Suite 2100 Houston, Texas 77002, or at such other place as may be designated by Lender, the principal amount of FOUR MILLION AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($4,000,000.00), together with interest computed daily on the outstanding principal balance hereunder, at an annual interest rate (the “Rate”), and in accordance with the payment schedule indicated below. This PROMISSORY NOTE (this “Note”) is executed pursuant to and evidences a loan funded by Lender under that certain AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT dated as of even date herewith (the “Amendment Date”), between Debtor and Lender (as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”), to which reference is made for a statement of the collateral, rights and obligations of Debtor and Lender in relation thereto, but neither this reference to the Loan Agreement nor any provision thereof shall affect or impair the absolute and unconditional obligation of Debtor to pay unpaid principal of and interest on this Note when due. As of March 1, 2025, the principal and accumulated interest was $5,307,555.00. The effective date of this Note is August 15, 2016 (the “Effective Date”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meanings as in the Loan Agreement.
1. Rate. Prior to the Maturity Date, the Rate shall be the LESSER of (a) the MAXIMUM RATE (defined below), or (b) TWELVE PERCENT (12.0%). Notwithstanding any provision of this Note or any other agreement or commitment between Debtor and Lender, whether written or oral, express or implied, Lender shall never be entitled to charge, receive or collect, nor shall amounts received hereunder be credited so that Lender shall be paid, as interest a sum greater than interest at the Maximum Rate. It is the intention of the parties that this Note, and all instruments securing the payment of this Note or executed or delivered in connection therewith, shall comply with applicable law. If Lender ever contracts for, charges, receives or collects anything of value which is deemed to be interest under applicable law, and if the occurrence of any circumstance or contingency, whether acceleration of maturity of this Note, prepayment of this Note, delay in advancing proceeds of this Note or any other event, should cause such interest to exceed the Maximum Rate, any amount which exceeds interest at the Maximum Rate shall be applied to the reduction of the unpaid principal balance of this Note or any other Indebtedness, and if this Note and such other Indebtedness are paid in full, any remaining excess shall be paid to Debtor. In determining whether the interest exceeds interest at the Maximum Rate, the total amount of interest shall be spread, prorated and amortized throughout the entire term of this Note until its payment in full. The term “Maximum Rate” as used in this Note means the maximum nonusurious rate of interest per annum permitted by whichever of applicable United States federal law or Texas law permits the higher interest rate, including to the extent permitted by applicable law, any amendments thereof hereafter or any new law hereafter coming into effect to the extent a higher Maximum Rate is permitted thereby. If at any time the Rate shall exceed the Maximum Rate, the Rate shall be automatically limited to the Maximum Rate until the total amount of interest accrued hereunder equals the amount of interest which would have accrued if there had been no limitation to the Maximum Rate. To the extent, if any, that Chapter 303 of the Texas Finance Code, as amended, (the “Act”) is relevant to Lender for purposes of determining the Maximum Rate, the parties elect to determine the Maximum Rate under the Act pursuant to the “weekly ceiling” from time to time in effect, as referred to and defined in §303.001-303.016 of the Act; subject, however, to any right Lender subsequently may have under applicable law to change the method of determining the Maximum Rate.
2. Accrual Method. Interest on the Indebtedness evidenced by this Note shall be computed on the basis of a THREE HUNDRED SIXTY (360) day year and shall accrue on the actual number of days elapsed for any whole or partial month in which interest is being calculated. In computing the number of days during which interest accrues, the day on which funds are initially advanced shall be included regardless of the time of day such advance is made, and the day on which funds are repaid shall be included unless repayment is credited prior to the close of business on the Business Day received as provided herein.
3. Payment Schedule. Except as expressly provided herein to the contrary, all payments on this Note shall be applied in the following order of priority: (a) the payment or reimbursement of any expenses, costs or obligations (other than the outstanding principal balance hereof and interest hereon) for which either Debtor shall be obligated or Lender shall be entitled pursuant to the provisions of this Note or the other Loan Documents, (b) the payment of accrued but unpaid interest hereon, and (c) the payment of all or any portion of the principal balance hereof then outstanding hereunder, in the direct order of maturity. If any payment of principal or interest on this Note shall become due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and such extension of time shall be included in computing interest in connection with such payment. This Note shall be due and payable as follows:
(a) Principal and interest payments in the amount of $250,000.00 per month beginning April 15, 2025 through February 15, 2027; and
(b) A final payment of the outstanding principal balance of this Note, including all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, in the amount of $245,820.27 on March 15, 2027 or by APRIL 15, 2027 (the later of such dates being the “Maturity Date”).
4. Waivers, Consents and Covenants. Debtor (a) waives presentment, demand, protest, notice of demand, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration of maturity, notice of protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, and any other notice required to be given under the law in connection with the delivery, acceptance, performance or enforcement of this Note or any other documents executed in connection with this Note or any other Loan Documents now or hereafter executed in connection with any obligation of Debtor to Lender; (b) consents to all delays, extensions, renewals or other modifications of this Note or the Loan Documents, or waivers of any term hereof or of the Loan Documents, or release or discharge by Lender, or release, substitution or exchange of any security for the payment hereof, or the failure to act on the part of Lender, or any indulgence shown by Lender (without notice to or further assent); (c) agrees that no such action, failure to act or failure to exercise any right or remedy by Lender shall in any way affect or impair the obligations of Debtor or be construed as a waiver by Lender of, or otherwise affect, any of Lender’s rights under this Note or under any of the Loan Documents; and (d) agrees to pay, on demand, all costs and expenses of collection or defense of this Note and/or the enforcement or defense of Lender’s rights with respect to, or the administration, supervision, preservation, or protection of, or realization upon, any property securing payment hereof, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney’s fees, including fees related to any suit, mediation or arbitration proceeding, out of court payment agreement, trial, appeal, bankruptcy proceedings or other proceeding, in such amount as may be determined reasonable by any arbitrator or court, whichever is applicable.
5. Prepayments. Prepayments may be made in whole or in part at any time without premium or penalty.
6. Waiver. The failure at any time of Lender to exercise any of its options or any other rights hereunder shall not constitute a waiver thereof, nor shall it be a bar to the exercise of any of its options or rights at a later date. All rights and remedies of Lender shall be cumulative and may be pursued singly, successively or together, at the option of Lender. The acceptance by Lender of any partial payment shall not constitute a waiver of Lender’s rights under this Note. No waiver of any of its rights hereunder, and no modification or amendment of this Note, shall be deemed to be made by Lender unless the same shall be in writing, duly signed on behalf of Lender; each such waiver shall apply only with respect to the specific instance involved, and shall in no way impair the rights of Lender or the obligations of Debtor to Lender in any other respect at any other time.
7. Applicable Law, Venue and Jurisdiction. Debtor agrees that this Note shall be deemed to have been made in the State of Texas at Lender’s address indicated at the beginning of this Note and shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Texas and is performable in the City and County of Texas indicated at the beginning of this Note. In any litigation in connection with or to enforce this Note or any Loan Documents, Debtor irrevocably consents to and confers personal jurisdiction on the courts of the State of Texas or the United States courts located within the State of Texas. Nothing contained herein shall, however, prevent Lender from bringing any action or exercising any rights within any other state or jurisdiction or from obtaining personal jurisdiction by any other means available under applicable law.
8. Partial Invalidity. The unenforceability or invalidity of any provision of this Note shall not affect the enforceability or validity of any other provision herein and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Note or of the Loan Documents to any person or circumstance shall not affect the enforceability or validity of such provision as it may apply to other persons or circumstances.
9. Binding Effect. This Note shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of Debtor and Lender and their respective successors, assigns, heirs and personal representatives, provided, however, that no obligations of Debtor hereunder can be assigned without prior written consent of Lender.
10. Controlling Document. To the extent that this Note conflicts with or is in any way incompatible with any other document related specifically to the loan evidenced by this Note, this Note shall control over any other such document, and if this Note does not address an issue, then each other such document shall control to the extent that it deals most specifically with an issue.
11. Commercial Purpose. DEBTOR REPRESENTS TO LENDER THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS LOAN ARE TO BE USED PRIMARILY FOR BUSINESS, COMMERCIAL OR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES AND NOT FOR PERSONAL, FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD PURPOSES. DEBTOR ACKNOWLEDGES HAVING READ AND UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREES TO BE BOUND BY, ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS NOTE.
12. Collection. If this Note is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection, or if it is collected through any legal proceeding at law or in equity or in bankruptcy, receivership or other court proceedings, Debtor agrees to pay all costs of collection, including, but not limited to, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees.
13. Waiver of Jury Trial. DEBTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, PROCEEDING, OR COUNTERCLAIM THAT RELATES TO OR ARISES OUT OF THIS NOTE OR ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR THE ACTS OR FAILURE TO ACT OF OR BY LENDER IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF ANY OF THE TERMS OR PROVISIONS OF THIS NOTE OR THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS.
REMAINDER OF PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK
EXECUTED as of the Amendment Date.
DEBTOR: ADDRESS:
BLUE DOLPHIN PIPE LINE COMPANY
801 Travis Street, Suite 2100
Houston, TX 77002
By: BLUE DOLPHIN ENERGY COMPANY
Its: Sole Shareholder
By:
Name: Jonathan P. Carroll
Title: President
