Lonestar Prospect Exploration Agreement, dated September 1, 2010

 

 

Lario Oil & Gas Company shall be the Operator of the Contract Area, and shall conduct and direct and have full control of all operations on the Contract Area as permitted and required by, and within the limits of this agreement. In its performance hereunder for the Non-Operators, Operator shall be an independent contractor not subject to the control or direction of the Non-Operators except as to the type of operation to be undertaken in accordance with the election procedures contained in this agreement. Operator shall not be deemed, or hold itself out as, the agent of the Non-Operators with authority to bind them to any obligation or liability assumed or incurred by Operator as to any third party. Operator shall conduct its activities under this agreement as a reasonable pru dent operator, in a good and workmanlike manner, with due diligence and dispatch, in accordance with good oilfield practice, and in compliance with applicable law and regulation, but in no event shall it have any liability as Operator to the other parties for losses sustained or liabilities incurred except such as may result from gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

 

 

 

1.   Resignation or Removal of Operator: Operator may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to Non-Operators. If Operator terminates its legal existence, no longer owns an interest hereunder in the Contract Area, or is no longer capable of serving as Operator, Operator shall be deemed to have resigned without any action by Non-Operators, except the selection of a successor. Operator may be removed only for good cause by the affirmative vote of Non-Operators owning a majority interest based on ownership as shown on Exhibit "A" remaining after excluding the voting interest of Operator; such vote shall not be deemed effective until a written notice has been delivered to the Operator by a Non-Opera tor detailing the alleged default and Operator has failed to cure the default within thirty (30) days from its receipt of the notice or, if the default concerns an operation then being conducted, within forty-eight (48) hours of its receipt of the notice. For purposes hereof, "good cause" shall mean not only gross negligence or willful misconduct but also the material breach of or inability to meet the standards of operation contained in Article V.A. or material failure or inability to perform its obligations under this agreement.

Subject to Article VII.D.1., such resignation or removal shall not become effective until 7:00 o'clock A.M. on the first day of the calendar month following the expiration of ninety (90) days after the giving of notice of resignation by Operator or action by the Non-Operators to remove Operator, unless a successor Operator has been selected and assumes the duties of Operator at an earlier date. Operator, after effective date of resignation or removal, shall be bound by the terms hereof as a Non-Operator. A change of a corporate name or structure of Operator or transfer of Operator's interest to any single subsidiary, parent or successor corporation shall not be the basis for removal of Operator.

2.   Selection of Successor Operator: Upon the resignation or removal of Operator under any provision of this agreement, a successor Operator shall be selected by the parties. The successor Operator shall be selected from the parties owning an interest in the Contract Area at the time such successor Operator is selected. The successor Operator shall be selected by the affirmative vote of two (2) or more parties owning a majority interest based on ownership as shown on Exhibit "A"; provided, however, if an Operator which has been removed or is deemed to have resigned fails to vote or votes only to succeed itself, the successor Operator shall be selected by the affirmative vote of the party or parties owning a majority interest based on owne rship as shown on Exhibit "A" remaining after excluding the voting interest of the Operator that was removed or resigned. The former Operator shall promptly deliver to the successor Operator all records and data relating to the operations conducted by the former Operator to the extent such records and data are not already in the possession of the successor operator. Any cost of obtaining or copying the former Operator's records and data shall be charged to the joint account.

3.   Effect of Bankruptcy: If Operator becomes insolvent, bankrupt or is placed in receivership, it shall be deemed to have resigned without any action by Non-Operators, except the selection of a successor. If a petition for relief under the federal bankruptcy laws is filed by or against Operator, and the removal of Operator is prevented by the federal bankruptcy court, all Non-Operators and Operator shall comprise an interim operating committee to serve until Operator has elected to reject or assume this agreement pursuant to the Bankruptcy Code, and an election to reject this agreement by Operator as a debtor in possession, or by a trustee in bankruptcy, shall be deemed a resignation as Operator without any action by Non-Operators, except the selection o f a successor. During the period of time the operating committee controls operations, all actions shall require the approval of two (2) or more parties owning a majority interest based on ownership as shown on Exhibit "A." In the event there are only two (2) parties to this agreement, during the period of time the operating committee controls operations, a third party acceptable to Operator, Non-Operator and the federal bankruptcy court shall be selected as a member of the operating committee, and all actions shall require the approval of two (2) members of the operating committee without regard for their interest in the Contract Area based on Exhibit "A."

The number of employees or contractors used by Operator in conducting operations hereunder, their selection, and the hours of labor and the compensation for services performed shall be determined by Operator, and all such employees or contractors shall be the employees or contractors of Operator.

1.   Competitive Rates and Use of Affiliates: All wells drilled on the Contract Area shall be drilled on a competitive contract basis at the usual rates prevailing in the area. If it so desires, Operator may employ its own tools and equipment in the drilling of wells, but its charges therefor shall not exceed the prevailing rates in the area and the rate of such charges shall be agreed upon by the parties in writing before drilling operations are commenced, and such work shall be performed by Operator under the same terms and conditions as are customary and usual in the area in contracts of independent contractors who are doing work of a similar nature. All work performed or materials supplied by affiliates or relat ed parties of Operator shall be performed or supplied at competitive rates, pursuant to written agreement, and in accordance with customs and standards prevailing in the industry.

 

 

 

 

2.   Discharge of Joint Account Obligations: Except as herein otherwise specifically provided, Operator shall promptly pay and discharge expenses incurred in the development and operation of the Contract Area pursuant to this agreement and shall charge each of the parties hereto with their respective proportionate shares upon the expense basis provided in Exhibit "C." Operator shall keep an accurate record of the joint account hereunder, showing expenses incurred and charges and credits made and received.

3.   Protection from Liens: Operator shall pay, or cause to be paid, as and when they become due and payable, all accounts of contractors and suppliers and wages and salaries for services rendered or performed, and for materials supplied on, to or in respect of the Contract Area or any operations for the joint account thereof, and shall keep the Contract Area free from liens and encumbrances resulting therefrom except for those resulting from a bona fide dispute as to services rendered or materials supplied.

4.   Custody of Funds: Operator shall hold for the account of the Non-Operators any funds of the Non-Operators advanced or paid to the Operator, either for the conduct of operations hereunder or as a result of the sale of production from the Contract Area, and such funds shall remain the funds of the Non-Operators on whose account they are advanced or paid until used for their intended purpose or otherwise delivered to the Non-Operators or applied toward the payment of debts as provided in Article VII.B. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to establish a fiduciary relationship between Operator and Non-Operators for any purpose other than to account for Non-Operator funds as herein specifically provided. Not hing in this paragraph shall require the maintenance by Operator of separate accounts for the funds of Non-Operators unless the parties otherwise specifically agree.

5.   Access to Contract Area and Records: Operator shall, except as otherwise provided herein, permit each Non-Operator or its duly authorized representative, at the Non-Operators sole risk and cost, full and free access at all reasonable times to all operations of every kind and character being conducted for the joint account on the Contract Area and to the records of operations conducted thereon or production therefrom, including Operator's books and records relating thereto. Such access rights shall not be exercised in a manner interfering with Operator's conduct of an operation hereunder and shall not obligate Operator to furnish any geologic or geophysical data of an interpretive nature unless the cost of prepara tion of such interpretive data was charged to the joint account. Operator will furnish to each Non-Operator upon request copies of any and all reports and information obtained by Operator in connection with production and related items, including, without limitation, meter and chart reports, production purchaser statements, run tickets and monthly gauge reports, but excluding purchase contracts and pricing information to the extent not applicable to the production of the Non-Operator seeking the information. Any audit of Operator's records relating to amounts expended and the appropriateness of such expenditures shall be conducted in accordance with the audit protocol specified in Exhibit "C."

6.   Filing and Furnishing Governmental Reports: Operator will file, and upon written request promptly furnish copies to each requesting Non-Operator not in default of its payment obligations, all operational notices, reports or applications required to be filed by local, State, Federal or Indian agencies or authorities having jurisdiction over operations hereunder. Each Non-Operator shall provide to Operator on a timely basis all information necessary to Operator to make such filings.

7.   Drilling and Testing Operations: The following provisions shall apply to each well drilled hereunder, including but not limited to the Initial Well:

 (b) Operator will send to Non-Operators such reports, test results and notices regarding the progress of operations on the well as the Non- Operators shall reasonably request, including, but not limited to, daily drilling reports, completion reports, and well logs.

 (c) Operator shall adequately test all Zones encountered which may reasonably be expected to be capable of producing Oil and Gas in paying quantities as a result of examination of the electric log or any other logs or cores or tests conducted hereunder.

8.   Cost Estimates. Upon request of any Consenting Party, Operator shall furnish estimates of current and cumulative costs incurred for the joint account at reasonable intervals during the conduct of any operation pursuant to this agreement. Operator shall not be held liable for errors in such estimates so long as the estimates are made in good faith.

9.   Insurance: At all times while operations are conducted hereunder, Operator shall comply with the workers compensation law of the state where the operations are being conducted; provided, however, that Operator may be a self-insurer for liability under said compensation laws in which event the only charge that shall be made to the joint account shall be as provided in Exhibit "C." Operator shall also carry or provide insurance for the benefit of the joint account of the parties as outlined in Exhibit "D" attached hereto and made a part hereof. Operator shall require all contractors engaged in work on or for the Contract Area to comply with the workers compensation law of the state where the operations are be ing conducted and to maintain such other insurance as Operator may require.

In the event automobile liability insurance is specified in said Exhibit "D," or subsequently receives the approval of the parties, no direct charge shall be made by Operator for premiums paid for such insurance for Operator's automotive equipment.

 

 

 

On or before the 1st day of October. 2010, Operator shall commence the drilling of the Initial Well at the following location:

MORROW #1-7 WELL TO BE DRILLED IN SECTION 7, TOWNSHIP 15 NORTH, RANGE 2 WEST, COLUSA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

and shall thereafter continue the drilling of the well with due diligence to:

TEST THE DEEPEST PROSPECTIVE HORIZON AS AGREED TO BY A MAJORITY OF THE PARTIES AS SHOWN ON EXHIBIT “A” HERETO.

The drilling of the Initial Well and the participation therein by all parties is obligatory, subject to Article VI.C.1. as to participation in Completion operations and Article VI.F. as to termination of operations and Article XI as to occurrence of force majeure.

1.   Proposed Operations: (If any party hereto should desire to drill any well on the Contract Area other than the Initial Well, THEN THE PROVISION OF ARTICLE XVI (IN OR OUT) SHALL APPLY) If any party should desire to Rework, Sidetrack, Deepen, Recomplete or Plug Back a dry hole or a well no longer capable of producing in paying quantities in which such party has not otherwise relinquished its interest in the proposed objective Zone under this agreement, the party desiring to drill, Rework, Sidetrack, Deepen, Recomplete or Plug Back such a well shall give written notice of the proposed operation to the parti es who have not otherwise relinquished their interest in such objective Zone under this agreement and to all other parties in the case of a proposal for Sidetracking or Deepening, specifying the work to be performed, the location, proposed depth, objective Zone and the estimated cost of the operation. The parties to whom such a notice is delivered shall have FIFTEEN (15) days after receipt of the notice within which to notify the party proposing to do the work whether they elect to participate in the cost of the proposed operation. If a drilling rig is on location, notice of a proposal to Rework, Sidetrack, Recomplete, Plug Back or Deepen may be given by telephone or facsimile and the response period shall be limited to TWENTY FOUR (24) hours, exclusive of Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays. Failure of a party to whom such notice is delivered to reply within the period above fixed shall constitute an election by that party not to participate in the cost of the proposed operation. Any proposal by a party to conduct an operation conflicting with the operation initially proposed shall be delivered to all parties within the time and in the manner provided in Article VI.B.6.

If all parties to whom such notice is delivered elect to participate in such a proposed operation, the parties shall be contractually committed to participate therein provided such operations are commenced within the time period hereafter set forth, and Operator shall, no later than ninety (90) days after expiration of the notice period of thirty (30) days (or as promptly as practicable after the expiration of the TWENTY FOUR (24) hour period when a drilling rig is on location, as the case may be), actually commence the proposed operation and thereafter complete it with due diligence at the risk and expense of the parties participating therein; provided, however, said commencement date may be extended upon written notice of same by Operator to the other parties, for a period of up to thirty (30) additional days if, in the sole opinion of Operator, such additional time is reasonably necessary to obtain permits from governmental authorities, surface rights (including rights-of-way) or appropriate drilling equipment, or to complete title examination or curative matter required for title approval or acceptance. If the actual operation has not been commenced within the time provided (including any extension thereof as specifically permitted herein or in the force majeure provisions of Article XI) and if any party hereto still desires to conduct said operation, written notice proposing same must be resubmitted to the other parties in accordance herewith as if no prior proposal had been made. Those parties that did not participate in the drilling of a well for which a proposal to Deepen or Sidetrack is made hereunder shall, if such parties desire to participate in the proposed Deepening or Sidetracking operation, reimburse the Drilling Parties in accordance with Article VI.B.4. in the event of a Deepening operation and in accordance with Articl e Vl.B.5. in the event of a Sidetracking operation.

 

 

 

2.     Operations by Less Than All Parties:

(a)    Determination of Participation. (THIS PROVISION EXCLUDES A PROPOSAL TO DRILL ANY WELL ON THE CONTRACT AREA WHERE ARTICLE XVI (IN OR OUT) SHALL APPLY) If any party to whom such notice is delivered as provided in Article VI.B.1. or VI.C.1. (Option No. 2) elects not to participate in the proposed operation, then, in order to be entitled to the benefits of this Article, the party or parties giving the notice and such other parties as shall elect to participate in the operation shall, no later than ninety (90) days after the expiration of the notice period of thirty (30) days (or as promptly as practicable after the expiration of the TWENTY FOUR (24) hour period when a drilling rig is on location, a s the case may be) actually commence the proposed operation and complete it with due diligence. Operator shall perform all work for the account of the Consenting Parties; provided, however, if no drilling rig or other equipment is on location, and if Operator is a Non-Consenting Party, the Consenting Parties shall either: (i) request Operator to perform the work required by such proposed operation for the account of the Consenting Parties, or (ii) designate one of the Consenting Parties as Operator to perform such work. The rights and duties granted to and imposed upon the Operator under this agreement are granted to and imposed upon the party designated as Operator for an operation in which the original Operator is a Non-Consenting Party. Consenting Parties, when conducting operations on the Contract Area pursuant to this Article VI.B.2., shall comply with all terms and conditions of this agreement.

If less than all parties approve any proposed operation, the proposing party, immediately after the expiration of the applicable notice period, shall advise all Parties of the total interest of the parties approving such operation and its recommendation as to whether the Consenting Parties should proceed with the operation as proposed. Each Consenting Party, within TWENTY FOUR (24) hours (exclusive of Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays) after delivery of such notice, shall advise the proposing party of its desire to (i) limit participation to such party’s interest as shown on Exhibit "A" or (ii) carry only its proportionate part (determined by dividing such party’s interest in the Contract Area by the interests of all Consenting Parties in the Contract Area) of Non-Consenting Parties' interests, or (iii) carry its proport ionate part (determined as provided in (ii)) of Non-Consenting Parties' interests together with all or a portion of its proportionate part of any Non-Consenting Parties' interests that any Consenting Party did not elect to take. Any interest of Non-Consenting Parties that is not carried by a Consenting Party shall be deemed to be carried by the party proposing the operation if such party does not withdraw its proposal. Failure to advise the proposing party within the time required shall be deemed an election under (i). In the event a drilling rig is on location, notice may be given by telephone, and the time permitted for such a response shall not exceed a total of TWENTY FOUR (24) hours (exclusive of Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays). The proposing party, at its election, may withdraw such proposal if there is less than 100% participation and shall notify all parties of such decision within ten (10) days, or within twenty-four (24) hours if a drilling rig is on location, following expiration of the appli cable response period. If 100% subscription to the proposed operation is obtained, the proposing party shall promptly notify the Consenting Parties of their proportionate interests in the operation and the party serving as Operator shall commence such operation within the period provided in Article VI.B.1., subject to the same extension right as provided therein.

(b)    Relinquishment of Interest for Non-Participation. (THIS PROVISION EXCLUDES A PROPOSAL TO DRILL ANY WELL ON THE CONTRACT AREA WHERE ARTICLE XVI (IN OR OUT) SHALL APPLY) The entire cost and risk of conducting such operations shall be borne by the Consenting Parties in the proportions they have elected to bear same under the terms of the preceding paragraph. Consenting Parties shall keep the leasehold estates involved in such operations free and clear of all liens and encumbrances of every kind created by or arising from the operations of the Consenting Parties. If such an operation results in a dry hole, then subject to Articles VI.B.6. and VI.E.3., the Consenting Parties shall plug and abandon t he well and restore the surface location at their sole cost, risk and expense; provided, however, that those Non-Consenting Parties that participated in the drilling, Deepening or Sidetracking of the well shall remain liable for, and shall pay, their proportionate shares of the cost of plugging and abandoning the well and restoring the surface location insofar only as those costs were not increased by the subsequent operations of the Consenting Parties. If any well Reworked, Sidetracked, Deepened, Recompleted or Plugged Back under the provisions of this Article results in a well capable of producing Oil and/or Gas in paying quantities, the Consenting Parties shall Complete and equip the well to produce at their sole cost and risk, and the well shall then be turned over to Operator (if the Operator did not conduct the operation) and shall be operated by it at the expense and for the account of the Consenting Parties. Upon commencement of operations for the drilling, Reworking, Sidetracking, Recompleting, Deep ening or Plugging Back of any such well by Consenting Parties in accordance with the provisions of this Article, each Non-Consenting Party shall be deemed to have relinquished to Consenting Parties, and the Consenting Parties shall own and be entitled to receive, in proportion to their respective interests, all of such Non-Consenting Party’s interest in the well and share of production therefrom or, in the case of a Reworking, Sidetracking, Deepening, Recompleting or Plugging Back, or a Completion pursuant to Article VI.C.1. Option No. 2, all of such Non-Consenting Party’s interest in the production obtained from the operation in which the Non-Consenting Party did not elect to participate. Such relinquishment shall be effective until the proceeds of the sale of such share, calculated at the well, or market value thereof if such share is not sold (after deducting applicable ad valorem, production, severance, and excise taxes, royalty, overriding royalty and other interests not excepted by Article III C. payable out of or measured by the production from such well accruing with respect to such interest until it reverts), shall equal the total of the following:

 

 

 

(i)  100% of each such Non-Consenting Party’s share of the cost of any newly acquired surface equipment beyond the wellhead connections (including but not limited to stock tanks, separators, treaters, pumping equipment and piping), plus 100% of each such Non-Consenting Party’s share of the cost of operation of the well commencing with first production and continuing until each such Non-Consenting Party’s relinquished interest shall revert to it under other provisions of this Article, it being agreed that each Non-Consenting Party’s share of such costs and equipment will be that interest which would have been chargeable to such Non-Consenting Party had it participated in the well from the beginning of the operations; and

(ii)   400% of (a) that portion of the costs and expenses of Reworking, Sidetracking, Deepening, Plugging Back, testing, Completing, and Recompleting, after deducting any cash contributions received under Article VIII.C., and of (b) that portion of the cost of newly acquired equipment in the well (to and including the wellhead connections), which would have been chargeable to such Non-Consenting Party if it had participated therein.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VI.B., if the well does not reach the deepest objective Zone described in the notice proposing the well for reasons other than the encountering of granite or practically impenetrable substance or other condition in the hole rendering further operations impracticable, Operator shall give notice thereof to each Non-Consenting Party who submitted or voted for an alternative proposal under Article VI.B.6. to drill the well to a shallower Zone than the deepest objective Zone proposed in the notice under which the well was drilled, and each such Non-Consenting Party shall have the option to participate in the initial proposed Completion of the well by paying its share of the cost of drilling the well to its actual depth, calculated in the manner provided in Article VI.B.4. (a). If any such Non-Consenting Party does not elect to participate in the first Completion proposed for such well, the relinquishment provisions of this Article VI.B.2. (b) shall apply to such party's interest.

(c)    Reworking, Recompleting or Plugging Back. An election not to participate in the drilling, Sidetracking or Deepening of a well shall be deemed an election not to participate in any Reworking or Plugging Back operation proposed in such a well, or portion thereof, to which the initial non-consent election applied that is conducted at any time prior to full recovery by the Consenting Parties of the Non-Consenting Party’s recoupment amount. Similarly, an election not to participate in the Completing or Recompleting of a well shall be deemed an election not to participate in any Reworking operation proposed in such a well, or portion thereof, to which the initial non-consent election applied that is conducted at any time prior to full recovery by th e Consenting Parties of the Non-Consenting Party’s recoupment amount. Any such Reworking, Recompleting or Plugging Back operation conducted during the recoupment period shall be deemed part of the cost of operation of said well and there shall be added to the sums to be recouped by the Consenting Parties 150% of that portion of the costs of the Reworking, Recompleting or Plugging Back operation which would have been chargeable to such Non-Consenting Party had it participated therein. If such a Reworking, Recompleting or Plugging Back operation is proposed during such recoupment period, the provisions of this Article VI.B. shall be applicable as between said Consenting Parties in said well.

(d)   Recoupment Matters. During the period of time Consenting Parties are entitled to receive Non-Consenting Party’s share of production, or the proceeds therefrom, Consenting Parties shall be responsible for the payment of all ad valorem, production, severance, excise, gathering and other taxes, and all royalty, overriding royalty and other burdens applicable to Non-Consenting Party’s share of production not excepted by Article III.C. In the case of any Reworking, Sidetracking, Plugging Back, Recompleting or Deepening operation, the Consenting Parties shall be permitted to use, free of cost, all casing, tubing and other equipment in the well, but the ownership of all such equipment shall remain unchanged; and upon abandonment of a well after such Reworking, Sidetr acking, Plugging Back, Recompleting or Deepening, the Consenting Parties shall account for all such equipment to the owners thereof, with each party receiving its proportionate part in kind or in value, less cost of salvage. Within ninety (90) days after the completion of any operation under this Article, the party conducting the operations for the Consenting Parties shall furnish each Non-Consenting Party with an inventory of the equipment in and connected to the well, and an itemized statement of the cost of drilling, Sidetracking, Deepening, Plugging Back, testing, Completing, Recompleting, and equipping the well for production; or, at its option, the operating party, in lieu of an itemized statement of such costs of operation, may submit a detailed statement of monthly billings. Each month thereafter, during the time the Consenting Parties are being reimbursed as provided above, the party conducting the operations for the Consenting Parties shall furnish the Non-Consenting Parties with an itemized statem ent of all costs and liabilities incurred in the operation of the well, together with a statement of the quantity of Oil and Gas produced from it and the amount of proceeds realized from the sale of the well's working interest production during the preceding month. In determining the quantity of Oil and Gas produced during any month, Consenting Parties shall use industry accepted methods such as but not limited to metering or periodic well tests. Any amount realized from the sale or other disposition of equipment newly acquired in connection with any such operation which would have been owned by a Non-Consenting Party had it participated therein shall be credited against the total unreturned costs of the work done and of the equipment purchased in determining when the interest of such Non-Consenting Party shall revert to it as above provided; and if there is a credit balance, it shall be paid to such Non-Consenting Party.

 

 

 

 

If and when the Consenting Parties recover from a Non-Consenting Party's relinquished interest the amounts provided for above, the relinquished interests of such Non-Consenting Party shall automatically revert to it as of 7:00 a.m. on the day following the day on which such recoupment occurs, and, from and after such reversion, such Non-Consenting Party shall own the same interest in such well, the material and equipment in or pertaining thereto, and the production therefrom as such Non-Consenting Party would have been entitled to had it participated in the drilling, Sidetracking, Reworking, Deepening, Recompleting or Plugging Back of said well. Thereafter, such Non-Consenting Party shall be charged with and shall pay its proportionate part of the further costs of the operation of said well in accordance with-the terms of this agreeme nt and Exhibit "C" attached hereto.

3.   Stand-By Costs: When a well which has been drilled or Deepened has reached its authorized depth and all tests have been completed and the results thereof furnished to the parties, or when operations on the well have been otherwise terminated pursuant to Article VI.F., stand-by costs incurred pending response to a party's notice proposing a Reworking, Sidetracking, Deepening, Recompleting, Plugging Back or Completing operation in such a well (including the period required under Article VI.B.6. to resolve competing proposals) shall be charged and borne as part of the drilling or Deepening operation just completed. Stand-by costs subsequent to all parties responding, or expiration of the response time permitted, which ever first occurs, and prior to agreement as to the participating interests of all Consenting Parties pursuant to the terms of the second grammatical paragraph of Article Vl.B.2. (a), shall be charged to and borne as part of the proposed operation, but if the proposal is subsequently withdrawn because of insufficient participation, such stand-by costs shall be allocated between the Consenting Parties in the proportion each Consenting Party’s interest as shown on Exhibit "A" bears to the total interest as shown on Exhibit "A" of all Consenting Parties.  In the event that notice for a Sidetracking operation is given while the drilling rig to be utilized is on location, any party may request and receive up to five (5) additional days after expiration of the forty-eight hour response period specified in Article VI.B.1. within which to respond by paying for all stand-by costs and other costs incurred during such extended response period; Operator may require such party to pay the estimated stand-b y time in advance as a condition to extending the response period. If more than one party elects to take such additional time to respond to the notice, standby costs shall be allocated between the parties taking additional time to respond on a day-to-day basis in the proportion each electing party’s interest as shown on Exhibit "A" bears to the total interest as shown on Exhibit "A" of all the electing parties.

4.   Deepening: If less than all the parties elect to participate in a drilling, Sidetracking, or Deepening operation proposed pursuant to Article VI.B.1., the interest relinquished by the Non-Consenting Parties to the Consenting Parties under Article VI.B.2. shall relate only and be limited to the lesser of (i) the total depth actually drilled or (ii) the objective depth or Zone of which the parties were given notice under Article VI.B.1. ("Initial Objective"). Such well shall not be Deepened beyond the Initial Objective without first complying with this Article to afford the Non-Consenting Parties the opportunity to participate in the Deepening operation.  In the event any Consenting Party desires to drill or Deepen a Non-Consent Well to a depth below the Initial Objective, such party shall give notice thereof, complying with the requirements of Article VI.B.1., to all parties (including Non-Consenting Parties). Thereupon, Articles VI.B.1. and 2. shall apply and all parties receiving such notice shall have the right to participate or not participate in the Deepening of such well pursuant to said Articles VI.B.1. and 2. If a Deepening operation is approved pursuant to such provisions, and if any Non-Consenting Party elects to participate in the Deepening operation, such Non-Consenting party shall pay or make reimbursement (as the case may be) of the following costs and expenses:

(a)   If the proposal to Deepen is made prior to the Completion of such well as a well capable of producing in paying quantities, such Non-Consenting Party shall pay (or reimburse Consenting Parties for, as the case may be) that share of costs and expenses incurred in connection with the drilling of said well from the surface to the Initial Objective which Non-Consenting Party would have paid had such Non-Consenting Party agreed to participate therein, plus the Non-Consenting Party's share of the cost of Deepening and of participating in any further operations on the well in accordance with the other provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, all costs for testing and Completion or attempted Completion of the well incurred by Consenting Parties prior to the point of actual operations to Deepen beyond the Initial Object ive shall be for the sole account of Consenting Parties.

 

 

 

 

(b)   If the proposal is made for a Non-Consent Well that has been previously Completed as a well capable of producing in paying quantities, but is no longer capable of producing in paying quantities, such Non-Consenting Party shall pay (or reimburse Consenting Parties for, as the case may be) its proportionate share of all costs of drilling, Completing, and equipping said well from the surface to the Initial Objective, calculated in the manner provided in paragraph (a) above, less those costs recouped by the Consenting Parties from the sale of production from the well. The Non-Consenting Party shall also pay its proportionate share of all costs of re-entering said well. The Non-Consenting Parties' proportionate part (based on the percentage of such well Non-Consenting Party would have owned had it previously participated in such Non-Consent Well) of the costs of salvable materials and equipment remaining in the hole and salvable surface equipment used in connection with such well shall be determined in accordance with Exhibit "C." If the Consenting Parties have recouped the cost of drilling, Completing, and equipping the well at the time such Deepening operation is conducted, then a Non-Consenting Party may participate in the Deepening of the well with no payment for costs incurred prior to re-entering the well for Deepening. The foregoing shall not imply a right of any Consenting Party to propose any Deepening for a Non-Consent Well prior to the drilling of such well to its Initial Objective without the consent of the other Consenting Parties as provided in Article VI.F.

5.     Sidetracking: Any party having the right to participate in a proposed Sidetracking operation that does not own an interest in the affected wellbore at the time of the notice shall, upon electing to participate, tender to the wellbore owners its proportionate share (equal to its interest in the Sidetracking operation) of the value of that portion of the existing wellbore to be utilized as follows:

(a) If the proposal is for Sidetracking an existing dry hole, reimbursement shall be on the basis of the actual costs incurred in the initial drilling of the well down to the depth at which the Sidetracking operation is initiated.

(b) If the proposal is for Sidetracking a well which has previously produced, reimbursement shall be on the basis of such party's proportionate share of drilling and equipping costs incurred in the initial drilling of the well down to the depth at which the Sidetracking operation is conducted, calculated in the manner described in Article VI.B.4(b) above. Such party's proportionate share of the cost of the well's salvable materials and equipment down to the depth at which the Sidetracking operation is initiated shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Exhibit "C."

6.     Order of Preference of Operations. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this agreement, if any party desires to propose the conduct of an operation that conflicts with a proposal that has been made by a party under this Article VI, such party shall have fifteen (15) days from delivery of the initial proposal, in the case of a proposal to drill a well or to perform an operation on a well where no drilling rig is on location, or twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays, from delivery of the initial proposal, if a drilling rig is on location for the well on which such operation is to be conducted, to deliver to all parties entitled to participate in the proposed oper ation such party's alternative proposal, such alternate proposal to contain the same information required to be included in the initial proposal. Each party receiving such proposals shall elect by delivery of notice to Operator within five (5) days after expiration of the proposal period, or within twenty-four (24) hours (exclusive of Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays) if a drilling rig is on location for the well that is the subject of the proposals, to participate in one of the competing proposals. Any party not electing within the time required shall be deemed not to have voted. The proposal receiving the vote of parties owning the largest aggregate percentage interest of the parties voting shall have priority over all other competing proposals; in the case of a tie vote, the initial proposal shall prevail. Operator shall deliver notice of such result to all parties entitled to participate in the operation within five (5) days after expiration of the election period (or within twenty-four (24) hours, ex clusive of Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays, if a drilling rig is on location). Each party shall then have two (2) days (or twenty-four (24) hours if a rig is on location) from receipt of such notice to elect by delivery of notice to Operator to participate in such operation or to relinquish interest in the affected well pursuant to the provisions of Article VI.B.2.; failure by a party to deliver notice within such period shall be deemed an election not to participate in the prevailing proposal.

7.     Conformity to Spacing Pattern. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article VI.B.2., it is agreed that no wells shall be proposed to be drilled to or Completed in or produced from a Zone from which a well located elsewhere on the Contract Area is producing, unless such well conforms to the then-existing well spacing pattern for such Zone.

8.      Paying Wells. No party shall conduct any Reworking, Deepening, Plugging Back, Completion, Recompletion, or Sidetracking operation under this agreement with respect to any well then capable of producing in paying quantities except with the consent of all parties that have not relinquished interests in the well at the time of such operation.

 

 

 

 

1.      Completion: Without the consent of all parties, no well shall be drilled, Deepened or Sidetracked, except any well drilled, Deepened or Sidetracked pursuant to the provisions of Article VI.B.2. of this agreement. Consent to the drilling, Deepening or Sidetracking shall include:

x        Option No. 1: All necessary expenditures for the drilling, Deepening or Sidetracking, testing, Completing and equipping of the well, including necessary tankage and/or surface facilities.

      Option No. 2: All necessary expenditures for the drilling, Deepening or Sidetracking and testing of the well. When such well has reached its authorized depth, and all logs, cores and other tests have been completed, and the results thereof furnished to the parties, Operator shall give immediate notice to the Non-Operators having the right to participate in a Completion attempt whether or not Operator recommends attempting to Complete the well, together with Operator's AFE for Completion costs if not previously provided. The parties receiving such notice shall have forty-eight (48) hours (exclusive of Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays) in which to elect by delivery of notice to Operator to participate in a recommended Completion at tempt or to make a Completion proposal with an accompanying AFE. Operator shall deliver any such Completion proposal, or any Completion proposal conflicting with Operator's proposal, to the other parties entitled to participate in such Completion in accordance with the procedures specified in Article VI.B.6.

Election to participate in a Completion attempt shall include consent to all necessary expenditures for the Completing and equipping of such well, including necessary tankage and/or surface facilities but excluding any stimulation operation not contained on the Completion AFE. Failure of any party receiving such notice to reply within the period above fixed shall constitute an election by that party not to participate in the cost of the Completion attempt; provided, that Article VI.B.6. shall control in the case of conflicting Completion proposals. If one or more, but less than all of the parties, elect to attempt a Completion, the provisions of Article VI.B.2. hereof (the phrase "Reworking, Sidetracking, Deepening, Recompleting or Plugging Back" as contained in Article VI.B.2. shall be deemed to include "Completing") shall apply to t he operations thereafter conducted by less than all parties; provided, however, that Article VI.B.2 shall apply separately to each separate Completion or Recompletion attempt undertaken hereunder, and an election to become a Non-Consenting Party as to one Completion or Recompletion attempt shall not prevent a party from becoming a Consenting Party in subsequent Completion or Recompletion attempts regardless whether the Consenting Parties as to earlier Completions or Recompletions have recouped their costs pursuant to Article VI.B.2.; provided further, that any recoupment of costs by a Consenting Party shall be made solely from the production attributable to the Zone in which the Completion attempt is made. Election by a previous Non-Consenting Party to participate in a subsequent Completion or Recompletion attempt shall require such party to pay its proportionate share of the cost of salvable materials and equipment installed in the well pursuant to the previous Completion or Recompletion attempt, insofar an d only insofar as such materials and equipment benefit the Zone in which such party participates in a Completion attempt.

2.      Rework, Recomplete or Plug Back: No well shall be Reworked, Recompleted or Plugged Back except a well Reworked, Recompleted, or Plugged Back pursuant to the provisions of Article VI.B.2. of this agreement. Consent to the Reworking, Recompleting or Plugging Back of a well shall include all necessary expenditures in conducting such operations and Completing and equipping of said well, including necessary tankage and/or surface facilities.

Operator shall not undertake any single project reasonably estimated to require an expenditure in excess of TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($25,000.00) except in connection with the drilling, Sidetracking, Reworking, Deepening, Completing, Recompleting or Plugging Back of a well that has been previously authorized by or pursuant to this agreement; provided, however, that, in case of explosion, fire, flood or other sudden emergency, whether of the same or different nature, Operator may take such steps and incur such expenses as in its opinion are required to deal with the emergency to safeguard life and property but Operator, as promptly as possible, shall report the emergency to the other parties. If Operator prepares an AFE for its own use, Operator shall furnish any Non-Operator so requesting an information copy thereof for any single project costing in excess TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($25,000.00). Any party who has not relinquished its interest in a well shall have the right to propose that Operator perform repair work or undertake the installation of artificial lift equipment or ancillary production facilities such as salt water disposal wells or to conduct additional work with respect to a well drilled hereunder or other similar project (but not including the installation of gathering lines or other transportation or marketing facilities, the installation of which shall be governed by separate agreement between the parties) reasonably estimated to require an expenditure in excess of the amount first set forth above in this Article VI.D. (except in connection with an operation required to be proposed under Articles VI.B.1. or VI.C.1. Option No. 2, which shall be governed exclusively by those Articles). Operator shall deliver such proposal to all parties entitled to participate therein. If within thirty (30) days thereof Operator se cures the written consent of any party or parties owning at least 50% of the interests of the parties entitled to participate in such operation, each party having the right to participate in such project shall be bound by the terms of such proposal and shall be obligated to pay its proportionate share of the costs of the proposed project as if it had consented to such project pursuant to the terms of the proposal.

 

 

 

 

1.    Abandonment of Dry Holes: Except for any well drilled or Deepened pursuant to Article VI.B.2., any well which has been drilled or Deepened under the terms of this agreement and is proposed to be completed as a dry hole shall not be plugged and abandoned without the consent of all parties. Should Operator, after diligent effort, be unable to contact any party, or should any party fail to reply within forty-eight (48) hours (exclusive of Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays) after delivery of notice of the proposal to plug and abandon such well, such party shall be deemed to have consented to the proposed abandonment. All such wells shall be plugged and abandoned in accordance with applicable regulations and at the cost, risk and expense of the parties who participated in the cost of drilling or Deepening such well. Any party who objects to plugging and abandoning such well by notice delivered to Operator within forty-eight (48) hours (exclusive of Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays) after delivery of notice of the proposed plugging shall take over the well as of the end of such forty-eight (48) hour notice period and conduct further operations in search of Oil and/or Gas subject to the provisions of Article Vl.B.; failure of such party to provide proof reasonably satisfactory to Operator of its financial capability to conduct such operations or to take over the well within such period or thereafter to conduct operations on such well or plug and abandon such well shall entitle Operator to retain or take possession of the well and plug and abandon the well. The party taking over the well shall indemnify Operator (if Operator is an abandoning party) and the other abandoning parties against liability for any furt her operations conducted on such well except for the costs of plugging and abandoning the well and restoring the surface, for which the abandoning parties shall remain proportionately liable.

2.     Abandonment of Wells That Have Produced: Except for any well in which a Non-Consent operation has been conducted hereunder for which the Consenting Parties have not been fully reimbursed as herein provided, any well which has been completed as a producer shall not be plugged and abandoned without the consent of all parties. If all parties consent to such abandonment, the well shall be plugged and abandoned in accordance with applicable regulations and at the cost, risk and expense of all the parties hereto. Failure of a party to reply within sixty (60) days of delivery of notice of proposed abandonment shall be deemed an election to consent to the proposal. If, within sixty (60) days after delivery of notice of the proposed abandonment of any well, all parties do not agree to the abandonment of such well, those wishing to continue its operation from the Zone then open to production shall be obligated to take over the well as of the expiration of the applicable notice period and shall indemnify Operator (if Operator is an abandoning party) and the other abandoning parties against liability for any further operations on the well conducted by such parties. Failure of such party or parties to provide proof reasonably satisfactory to Operator of their financial capability to conduct such operations or to take over the well within the required period or thereafter to conduct operations on such well shall entitle Operator to retain or take possession of such well and plug and abandon the well.

Parties taking over a well as provided herein shall tender to each of the other parties its proportionate share of the value of the well's salvable material and equipment, determined in accordance with the provisions of Exhibit "C," less the estimated cost of salvaging and the estimated cost of plugging and abandoning and restoring the surface; provided, however, that in the event the estimated plugging and abandoning  and surface restoration costs and the estimated cost of salvaging are higher than the value of the well's salvable material and equipment, each of the abandoning parties shall tender to the parties continuing operations their proportionate shares of the estimated excess cost. Each abandoning party shall assign to the non-abandoning parties, without warranty, express or implied, as to title or as to quantity, o r fitness for use of the equipment and material, all of its interest in the wellbore of the well and related equipment, together with its interest in the Leasehold insofar and only insofar as such Leasehold covers the right to obtain production from that wellbore in the Zone then open to production. If the interest of the abandoning party is or includes an Oil and Gas Interest, such party shall execute and deliver to the non-abandoning party or parties an oil and gas lease, limited to the wellbore and the Zone then open to production, for a term of one (1) year and so long thereafter as Oil and/or Gas is produced from the Zone covered thereby, such lease to be on the form attached as Exhibit "B." The assignments or leases so limited shall encompass the Drilling Unit upon which the well is located. The payments by, and the assignments or leases to, the assignees shall be in a ratio based upon the relationship of their respective percentage of participation in the Contract Area to the aggregate of the percenta ges of participation in the Contract Area of all assignees. There shall be no readjustment of interests in the remaining portions of the Contract Area.

 

 

 

 

Thereafter, abandoning parties shall have no further responsibility, liability, or interest in the operation of or production from the well in the Zone then open other than the royalties retained in any lease made under the terms of this Article. Upon request, Operator shall continue to operate the assigned well for the account of the non-abandoning parties at the rates and charges contemplated by this agreement, plus any additional cost and charges which may arise as the result of the separate ownership of the assigned well. Upon proposed abandonment of the producing Zone assigned or leased, the assignor or lessor shall then have the option to repurchase its prior interest in the well (using the same valuation formula) and participate in further operations therein subject to the provisions hereof.

3.    Abandonment of Non-Consent Operations: The provisions of Article VI.E.1. or VI.E.2. above shall be applicable as between Consenting Parties in the event of the proposed abandonment of any well excepted from said Articles; provided, however, no well shall be permanently plugged and abandoned unless and until all parties having the right to conduct further operations therein have been notified of the proposed abandonment and afforded the opportunity to elect to take over the well in accordance with the provisions of this Article Vl.E.; and provided further, that Non-Consenting Parties who own an interest in a portion of the well shall pay their proportionate shares of abandonment and surface restoration cos ts for such well as provided in Article Vl.B.2.(b).

Upon the commencement of an operation for the drilling, Reworking, Sidetracking, Plugging Back, Deepening, testing, Completion or plugging of a well, including but not limited to the Initial Well, such operation shall not be terminated without consent of parties bearing 50% of the costs of such operation; provided, however, that in the event granite or other practically impenetrable substance or condition in the hole is encountered which renders further operations impractical, Operator may discontinue operations and give notice of such condition in the manner provided in Article VI.B.l, and the provisions of Article Vl.B. or VI.E. shall thereafter apply to such operation, as appropriate.

X   Option No. 1: Gas Balancing Agreement Attached:

Each party shall take in kind or separately dispose of its proportionate share of all Oil and Gas produced from the Contract Area, exclusive of production which may be used in development and producing operations and in preparing and treating Oil and Gas for marketing purposes and production unavoidably lost. Any extra expenditure incurred in the taking in kind or separate disposition by any parry of its proportionate share of the production shall be borne by such party. Any party taking its share of production in kind shall be required to pay for only its proportionate share of such part of Operator's surface facilities which it uses.

Each party shall execute such division orders and contracts as may be necessary for the sale of its interest in production from the Contract Area, and, except as provided in Article VII.B., shall be entitled to receive payment directly from the purchaser thereof for its share of all production.

If any party fails to make the arrangements necessary to take in kind or separately dispose of its proportionate share of the Oil produced from the Contract Area, Operator shall have the right, subject to the revocation at will by the party owning it, but not the obligation, to purchase such Oil or sell it to others at any time and from time to time, for the account of the non-taking party. Any such purchase or sale by Operator may be terminated by Operator upon at least ten (10) days written notice to the owner of said production and shall be subject always to the right of the owner of the production upon at least ten (10) days written notice to Operator to exercise at any time its right to take in kind, or separately dispose of, its share of all Oil not previously delivered to a purchaser. Any purchase or sale by Operator of any oth er party’s share of Oil shall be only for such reasonable periods of time as are consistent with the minimum needs of the industry under the particular circumstances, but in no event for a period in excess of one (1) year.

Any such sale by Operator shall be in a manner commercially reasonable under the circumstances but Operator shall have no duty to share any existing market or to obtain a price equal to that received under any existing market. The sale or delivery by Operator of a non-taking party’s share of Oil under the terms of any existing contract of Operator shall not give the non-taking party any interest in or make the non-taking party a party to said contract. No purchase shall be made by Operator without first giving the non-taking party at least ten (10) days written notice of such intended purchase and the price to be paid or the pricing basis to be used.

All parties shall give timely written notice to Operator of their Gas marketing arrangements for the following month, excluding price, and shall notify Operator immediately in the event of a change in such arrangements. Operator shall maintain records of all marketing arrangements, and of volumes actually sold or transported, which records shall be made available to Non-Operators upon reasonable request.

In the event one or more parties' separate disposition of its share of the Gas causes split-stream delivers to separate pipelines and/or deliveries which on a day-to-day basis for any reason are not exactly equal to a party's respective proportionate share of total Gas sales to be allocated to it, the balancing or accounting between the parties shall be in accordance with any Gas balancing agreement between the parties hereto, whether such an agreement is attached as Exhibit "E" or is a separate agreement. Operator shall give notice to all parties of the first sales of Gas from any well under this agreement.

 

 

 

    Option No. 2: No Gas Balancing Agreement:

Each party shall take in kind or separately dispose of its proportionate share of all Oil and Gas produced from the Contract Area, exclusive of production which may be used in development and producing operations and in preparing and treating Oil and Gas for marketing purposes and production unavoidably lost. Any extra expenditure incurred in the taking in kind or separate disposition by any party of its proportionate share of the production shall be borne by such party. Any party taking its share of production in kind shall be required to pay for only its proportionate share of such part of Operator's surface facilities which it uses.

Each party shall execute such division orders and contracts as may be necessary for the sale of its interest in production from the Contract Area, and, except as provided in Article VII.B., shall be entitled to receive payment directly from the purchaser thereof for its share of all production.

If any party fails to make the arrangements necessary to take in kind or separately dispose of its proportionate share of the Oil and/or Gas produced from the Contract Area, Operator shall have the right, subject to the revocation at will by the party owning it, but not the obligation, to purchase such Oil and/or Gas or sell it to others at any time and from time to time, for the account of the nontaking party. Any such purchase or sale by Operator may be terminated by Operator upon at least ten (10) days written notice to the owner of said production and shall be subject always to the right of the owner of the production upon at least ten (10) days written notice to Operator to exercise its right to take in kind, or separately dispose of, its share of all Oil and/or Gas not previously delivered to a purchaser; provided, however, that the effective date of any such revocation may be deferred at Operator's election for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days if Operator has committed such production to a purchase contract having a term extending beyond such ten (10) -day period. Any purchase or sale by Operator of any other party's share of Oil and/or Gas shall be only for such reasonable periods of time as are consistent with the minimum needs of the industry under the particular circumstances, but in no event for a period in excess of one (1) year.

Any such sale by Operator shall be in a manner commercially reasonable under the circumstances, but Operator shall have no duty to share any existing market or transportation arrangement or to obtain a price or transportation fee equal to that received under any existing market or transportation arrangement. The sale or delivery by Operator of a non-taking party's share of production under the terms of any existing contract of Operator shall not give the non-taking party any interest in or make the non-taking party a party to said contract. No purchase of Oil and Gas and no sale of Gas shall be made by Operator without first giving the non-taking party ten days written notice of such intended purchase or sale and the price to be paid or the pricing basis to be used. Operator shall give notice to all parties of the first sale of Gas fr om any well under this Agreement.

All parties shall give timely written notice to Operator of their Gas marketing arrangements for the following month, excluding price, and shall notify Operator immediately in the event of a change in such arrangements. Operator shall maintain records of all marketing arrangements, and of volumes actually sold or transported, which records shall be made available to Non-Operators upon reasonable request.

The liability of the parties shall he several, not joint or collective. Each party shall be responsible only for its obligations, and shall be liable only for its proportionate share of the costs of developing and operating the Contract Area. Accordingly the liens granted among the parties in Article VII.B. are given to secure only the debts of each severally and no party shall have any liability to third parties hereunder to satisfy the default of any other party in the payment of any expense or obligation hereunder. It is not the intention of the parties to create, nor shall this agreement be construed as creating, a mining or other partnership, joint venture, agency relationship or association, or to render the parties liable as partners, co-venturers, or principals. In their relations with each other under this agreement, the part ies shall not be considered fiduciaries or to have established a confidential relationship but rather shall be free to act on an arm's-length basis in accordance with their own respective selfinterest, subject, however, to the obligation of the parties to act in good faith in their dealings with each other with respect to activities hereunder.

 

 

 

 

Each party grants to the other parties hereto a lien upon any interest it now owns or hereafter acquires in Oil and Gas Leases and Oil and Gas Interests in the Contract Area, and a security interest and/or purchase money security interest in any interest it now owns or hereafter acquires in the personal property and fixtures on or used or obtained for use in connection therewith, to secure performance of all of its obligations under this agreement including but not limited to payment of expense, interest and fees, the proper disbursement of all monies paid hereunder, the assignment or relinquishment of interest in Oil and Gas Leases as required hereunder, and the proper performance of operations hereunder. Such lien and security interest granted by each party hereto shall include such party’s leasehold interests, working interes ts, operating rights, and royalty and overriding royalty interests in the Contract Area now owned or hereafter acquired and in lands pooled or unitized therewith or otherwise becoming subject to this agreement, the Oil and Gas when extracted therefrom and equipment situated thereon or used or obtained for use in connection therewith (including, without limitation, all wells, tools, and tubular goods), and accounts (including, without limitation, accounts arising from gas imbalances or from the sale of Oil and/or Gas at the wellhead), contract rights, inventory and general intangibles relating thereto or arising therefrom, and all proceeds and products of the foregoing.

To perfect the lien and security agreement provided herein, each party hereto shall execute and acknowledge the recording supplement and/or any financing statement prepared and submitted by any party hereto in conjunction herewith or at any time following execution hereof, and Operator is authorized to file this agreement or the recording supplement executed herewith as a lien or mortgage in the applicable real estate records and as a financing statement with the proper officer under the Uniform Commercial Code in the state in which the Contract Area is situated and such other states as Operator shall deem appropriate to perfect the security interest granted hereunder. Any party may file this agreement, the recording supplement executed herewith, or such other documents as it deems necessary as a lien or mortgage in the applicable rea l estate records and/or a financing statement with the proper officer under the Uniform Commercial Code. Each party represents and warrants to the other parties hereto that the lien and security interest granted by such party to the other parties shall be a first and prior lien, and each party hereby agrees to maintain the priority of said lien and security interest against all persons acquiring an interest in Oil and Gas Leases and Interests covered by this agreement by, through or under such party. All parties acquiring an interest in Oil and Gas Leases and Oil and Gas Interests covered by this agreement, whether by assignment, merger, mortgage, operation of law, or otherwise, shall be deemed to have taken subject to the lien and security interest granted by this Article VII.B. as to all obligations attributable to such interest hereunder whether or not such obligations arise before or after such interest is acquired.

To the extent that parties have a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code of the state in which the Contract Area is situated, they shall be entitled to exercise the rights and remedies of a secured party under the Code. The bringing of a suit and the obtaining of judgment by a party for the secured indebtedness shall not be deemed an election of remedies or otherwise affect the lien rights or security interest as security for the payment thereof. In addition, upon default by any party in the payment of its share of expenses, interests or fees, or upon the improper use of funds by the Operator, the other parties shall have the right, without prejudice to other rights or remedies, to collect from the purchaser the proceeds from the sale of such defaulting party's share of Oil and Gas until the amount owed by such party, plu s interest as provided in "Exhibit C," has been received, and shall have the right to offset the amount owed against the proceeds from the sale of such defaulting party's share of Oil and Gas. All purchasers of production may rely on a notification of default from the non-defaulting party or parties stating the amount due as a result of the default, and all parties waive any recourse available against purchasers for releasing production proceeds as provided in this paragraph.

If any party fails to pay its share of cost within one hundred twenty (120) days after rendition of a statement therefor by Operator, the nondefaulting parties, including Operator, shall, upon request by Operator, pay the unpaid amount in the proportion that the interest of each such party bears to the interest of all such parties. The amount paid by each party so paying its share of the unpaid amount shall be secured by the liens and security rights described in Article VII.B., and each paying party may independently pursue any remedy available hereunder or otherwise.

If any party does not perform all of its obligations hereunder, and the failure to perform subjects such party to foreclosure or execution proceedings pursuant to the provisions of this agreement, to the extent allowed by governing law, the defaulting party waives any available right of redemption from and after the date of judgment, any required valuation or appeasement of the mortgaged or secured property prior to sale, any available right to stay execution or to require a marshalling of assets and any required bond in the event a receiver is appointed. In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable law, each party hereby grants to the other parties a power of sale as to any property that is subject to the lien and security rights granted hereunder, such power to be exercised in the manner provided by applicable law or otherwise in a commercially reasonable manner and upon reasonable notice.

Each party agrees that the other parties shall be entitled to utilize the provisions of Oil and Gas lien law or other lien law of any state in which the Contract Area is situated to enforce the obligations of each party hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to the extent permitted by applicable law, Non-Operators agree that Operator may invoke or utilize the mechanics' or materialmen's lien law of the state in which the Contract Area is situated in order to secure the payment to Operator of any sum due hereunder for services performed or materials supplied by Operator.

 

 

 

 

Operator, at its election, shall have the right from time to time to demand and receive from one or more of the other parties payment in advance of their respective shares of the estimated amount of the expense to be incurred in operations hereunder during the next succeeding month, which right may be exercised only by submission to each such party of an itemized statement of such estimated expense, together with an invoice for its share thereof. Each such statement and voice for the payment in advance of estimated expense shall be submitted on or before the 20th day of the next preceding month. Each party shall pay to Operator its proportionate share of such estimate within fifteen (15) days after such estimate and invoice is received. If any party fails to pay its share of said estimate within said time, the amount due shall bear in terest as provided in Exhibit "C" until paid. Proper adjustment shall be made monthly between advances and actual expense to the end that each party shall bear and pay its proportionate share of actual expenses incurred, and no more.

If any party fails to discharge any financial obligation under this agreement, including without limitation the failure to make any advance under the preceding Article VII.C. or any other provision of this agreement, within the period required for such payment hereunder, then in addition to the remedies provided in Article VII.B. or elsewhere in this agreement, the remedies specified below shall be applicable. For purposes of this Article VII.D., all notices and elections shall be delivered only by Operator, except that Operator shall deliver any such notice and election requested by a non-defaulting Non-Operator, and when Operator is the party in default, the applicable notices and elections can be delivered by any Non-Operator. Election of any one or more of the following remedies shall not preclude the subsequent use of any other r emedy specified below or otherwise available to a non-defaulting party.

1.     Suspension of Rights: Any party may deliver to the party in default a Notice of Default, which shall specify the default, specify the action to be taken to cure the default, and specify that failure to take such action will result in the exercise of one or more of the remedies provided in this Article. If the default is not cured within thirty (30) days of the delivery of such Notice of Default, all of the rights of the defaulting party granted by this agreement may upon notice be suspended until the default is cured, without prejudice to the right of the non-defaulting party or parties to continue to enforce the obligations of the defaulting party previously accrued or thereafter accruing und er this agreement. If Operator is the party in default, the Non-Operators shall have in addition the right, by vote of Non-Operators owning a majority in interest in the Contract Area after excluding the voting interest of Operator, to appoint a new Operator effective immediately. The rights of a defaulting party that may be suspended hereunder at the election of the non-defaulting parties shall include, without limitation, the right to receive information as to any operation conducted hereunder during the period of such default, the right to elect to participate in an operation proposed under Article Vl.B. of  this agreement, the right to participate in an operation being conducted under this agreement even if the party has previously elected to participate in such operation, and the right to receive proceeds of production from any well subject to this agreement.

2.     Suit for Damages: Non-defaulting parties or Operator for the benefit of non-defaulting parties may sue (at joint account expense) to collect the amounts in default, plus interest accruing on the amounts recovered from the date of default until the date of collection at the rate specified in Exhibit "C" attached hereto. Nothing herein shall prevent any party from suing any defaulting party to collect consequential damages accruing to such party as a result of the default.

3.    Deemed Non-Consent: The non-defaulting party may deliver a written Notice of Non-Consent Election to the defaulting party at any time after the expiration of the thirty-day cure period following delivery of the Notice of Default, in which event if the billing is for the drilling of a new well or the Plugging Back, Sidetracking, Reworking or Deepening of a well which is to be or has been plugged as a dry hole, or for the Completion or Recompletion of any well, the defaulting party will be conclusively deemed to have elected not to participate in the operation and to be a Non-Consenting Party with respect thereto under Article VI.B. or VI.C., as the case may be, to the extent of the costs unpaid by such party , notwithstanding any election to participate theretofore made. If election is made to proceed under this provision, then the non-defaulting parties may not elect to sue for the unpaid amount pursuant to Article VII.D.2. Until the delivery of such Notice of Non-Consent Election to the defaulting party, such party shall have the right to cure its default by paying its unpaid share of costs plus interest at the rate set forth in Exhibit "C," provided, however, such payment shall not prejudice the rights of the nondefaulting parties to pursue remedies for damages incurred by the non-defaulting parties as a  result of the default. Any interest relinquished pursuant to this Article VII.D.3. shall be offered to the non-defaulting parties in proportion to their interests, and the non-defaulting parties electing to participate in the ownership of such interest shall be required to contribute their shares of the defaulted amount upon their election to participate therein.

 

 

 

 

4.    Advance Payment: If a default is not cured within thirty (30) days of the delivery of a Notice of Default, Operator, or Non-Operators if Operator is the defaulting party, may thereafter require advance payment from the defaulting party of such defaulting party's anticipated share of any item of expense for which Operator, or Non-Operators, as the case may be, would be entitled to reimbursement under any provision of this agreement, whether or not such expense was the subject of the previous default. Such right includes, but is not limited to, the right to require advance payment for the estimated costs of drilling a well or Completion of a well as to which an election to participate in drilling or Complet ion has been made. If the defaulting party fails to pay the required advance payment, the non-defaulting parties may pursue any of the remedies provided in this Article VII.D. or any other default remedy provided elsewhere in this agreement. Any excess of funds advanced remaining when the operation is completed and all costs have been paid shall be promptly returned to the advancing party.

5.      Costs and Attorneys' Fees. In the event any party is required to bring legal proceedings to enforce any financial obligation of a party hereunder, the prevailing party in such action shall be entitled to recover all court costs, costs of collection, and a reasonable attorney's fee, which the lien provided for herein shall also secure.

Rentals, shut-in well payments and minimum royalties which may be required under the terms of any lease shall be paid by the party or parties who subjected such lease to this agreement at its or their expense. In the event two or more parties own and have contributed interests in the same lease to this agreement, such parties may designate one of such parties to make said payments for and on behalf of all such parties. Any party may request, and shall be entitled to receive, proper evidence of all such payments. In the event of failure to make proper payment of any rental, shut-in well payment or minimum royalty through mistake or oversight where such payment is required to continue the lease in force, any loss which results from such non-payment shall be borne in accordance with the provisions of Article IV.B.2.

Operator shall notify Non-Operators of the anticipated completion of a shut-in well, or the shutting in or return to production of a producing well, at least five (5) days (excluding Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays) prior to taking such action, or at the earliest opportunity permitted by circumstances, but assumes no liability for failure to do so. In the event of failure by Operator to so notify Non-Operators, the loss of any lease contributed hereto by Non-Operators for failure to make timely payments of any shut-in well payment shall be borne jointly by the parties hereto under the provisions of Article IV.B.3.

Beginning with the first calendar year after the effective date hereof, Operator shall render for ad valorem taxation all property subject to this agreement which by law should be rendered for such taxes, and it shall pay all such taxes assessed thereon before they become delinquent. Prior to the rendition date, each Non-Operator shall furnish Operator information as to burdens (to include, but not be limited to, royalties, overriding royalties and production payments) on Leases and Oil and Gas Interests contributed by such Non-Operator. If the assessed valuation of any Lease is reduced by reason of its being subject to outstanding excess royalties, overriding royalties or production payments, the reduction in ad valorem taxes resulting therefrom shall inure to the benefit of the owner or owners of such Lease, and Operator shall adjus t the charge to such owner or owners so as to reflect the benefit of such reduction. If the ad valorem taxes are based in whole or in part upon separate valuations of each party's working interest, then notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, charges to the joint account shall be made and paid by the parties hereto in accordance with the tax value generated by each party’s working interest. Operator shall bill the other parties for their proportionate shares of all tax payments in the manner provided in Exhibit "C."

If Operator considers any tax assessment improper, Operator may, at its discretion, protest within the time and manner prescribed by law, and prosecute the protest to a final determination unless all parties agree to abandon the protest prior to final determination. During the pendency of administrative or judicial proceedings, Operator may elect to pay, under protest, all such taxes and any interest and penalty. When any such protested assessment shall have been finally determined, Operator shall pay the tax for the joint account, together with any interest and penalty accrued, and the total cost shall then be assessed against the parties, and be paid by them, as provided in Exhibit "C."

Each party shall pay or cause to be paid all production, severance, excise, gathering and other taxes imposed upon or with respect to the production or handling of such party’s share of Oil and Gas produced under the terms of this agreement.

 

The Leases covered by this agreement, insofar as they embrace acreage in the Contract Area, shall not be surrendered in whole or in part unless all parties consent thereto.

However, should any party desire to surrender its interest in any Lease or in any portion thereof, such party shall give written notice of the proposed surrender to all parties, and the parties to whom such notice is delivered shall have thirty (30) days after delivery of the notice within which to notify the party proposing the surrender whether they elect to consent thereto. Failure of a party to whom such notice is delivered to reply within said 30-day period shall constitute a consent to the surrender of the Leases described in the notice. If all parties do not agree or consent thereto, the party desiring to surrender shall assign, without express or implied warranty of title, all of its interest in such Lease, or portion thereof, and any well, material and equipment which may be located thereon and any rights in production therea fter secured, to the parties not consenting to such surrender. If the interest of the assigning party is or includes an Oil and Gas Interest, the assigning party shall execute and deliver to the party or parties not consenting to such surrender an oil and gas lease covering such Oil and Gas Interest for a term of one (1) year and so long thereafter as Oil and/or Gas is produced from the land covered thereby, such lease to be on the form attached hereto as Exhibit "B."  Upon such assignment or lease, the assigning party shall be relieved from all obligations thereafter accruing, but not theretofore accrued, with respect to the interest assigned or leased and the operation of any well attributable thereto, and the assigning party shall have no further interest in the assigned or leased premises and its equipment and production other than the royalties retained in any lease made under the terms of this Article. The party assignee or lessee shall pay to the party assignor or lessor the reasonable salva ge value of the latter's interest in any well's salvable materials and equipment attributable to the assigned or leased acreage. The value of all salvable materials and equipment shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Exhibit "C," less the estimated cost of salvaging and the estimated cost of plugging and abandoning and restoring the surface. If such value is less than such costs, then the party assignor or lessor shall pay to the party assignee or lessee the amount of such deficit. If the assignment or lease is in favor of more than one party, the interest shall be shared by such parties in the proportions that the interest of each bears to the total interest of all such parties. If the interest of the parties to whom the assignment is to be made varies according to depth, then the interest assigned shall similarly reflect such variances. Any assignment, lease or surrender made under this provision shall not reduce or change the assignor's, lessor's or surrendering party’s interest a s it was immediately before the assignment, lease or surrender in the balance of the Contract Area; and the acreage assigned, leased or surrendered, and subsequent operations thereon, shall not thereafter be subject to the terms and provisions of this agreement but shall be deemed subject to an Operating Agreement in the form of this agreement.

If any party secures a renewal or replacement of an Oil and Gas Lease or Interest subject to this agreement, then all other parties shall be notified promptly upon such acquisition or, in the case of a replacement Lease taken before expiration of an existing Lease, promptly upon expiration of the existing Lease. The parties notified shall have the right for a period of thirty (30) days following delivery of such notice in which to elect to participate in the ownership of the renewal or replacement Lease, insofar as such Lease affects lands within the Contract Area, by paying to the party who acquired it their proportionate shares of the acquisition cost allocated to that part of such Lease within the Contract Area, which shall be in proportion to the interests held at that time by the parties in the Contract Area. Each party who parti cipates in the purchase of a renewal or replacement Lease shall be given an assignment of its proportionate interest therein by the acquiring party.

If some, but less than all, of the parties elect to participate in the purchase of a renewal or replacement Lease, it shall be owned by the parties who elect to participate therein, in a ratio based upon the relationship of their respective percentage of participation in the Contract Area to the aggregate of the percentages of participation in the Contract Area of all parties participating in the purchase of such renewal or replacement Lease. The acquisition of a renewal or replacement Lease by any or all of the parties hereto shall not cause a readjustment of the interests of the parties stated in Exhibit "A," but any renewal or replacement Lease in which less than all parties elect to participate shall not be subject to this agreement but shall be deemed subject to a separate Operating Agreement in the form of this agreement.

If the interests of the parties in the Contract Area vary according to depth, then their right to participate proportionately in renewal or replacement Leases and their right to receive an assignment of interest shall also reflect such depth variances.

 

 

 

 

The provisions of this Article shall apply to renewal or replacement Leases whether they are for the entire interest covered by the expiring Lease or cover only a portion of its area or an interest therein. Any renewal or replacement Lease taken before the expiration of its predecessor Lease, or taken or contracted for or becoming effective within six (6) months after the expiration of the existing Lease, shall be subject to this provision so long as this agreement is in effect at the time of such acquisition or at the time the renewal or replacement Lease becomes effective; but any Lease taken or contracted for more than six (6) months after the expiration of an existing Lease shall not be deemed a renewal or replacement Lease and shall not be subject to the provisions of this agreement.

The provisions in this Article shall also be applicable to extensions of Oil and Gas Leases.

For the purpose of maintaining uniformity of ownership in the Contract Area in the Oil and Gas Leases, Oil and Gas Interests, wells, equipment and production covered by this agreement no party shall sell, encumber, transfer or make other disposition of its interest in the Oil and Gas Leases and Oil and Gas Interests embraced within the Contract Area or in wells, equipment and production unless such disposition covers either:

1.    the entire interest of the party in all Oil and Gas Leases, Oil and Gas Interests, wells, equipment and production; or

2.    an equal undivided percent of the party’s present interest in all Oil and Gas Leases, Oil and Gas Interests, wells, equipment and production in the Contract Area.

Every sale, encumbrance, transfer or other disposition made by any party shall be made expressly subject to this agreement and shall be made without prejudice to the right of the other parties, and any transferee of an ownership interest in any Oil and Gas Lease or Interest shall be deemed a party to this agreement as to the interest conveyed from and after the effective date of the transfer of ownership; provided, however, that the other parties shall not be required to recognize any such sale, encumbrance, transfer or other disposition for any purpose hereunder until thirty (30) days after they have received a copy of the instrument of transfer or other satisfactory evidence thereof in writing from the transferor or transferee. No assignment or other disposition of interest by a party shall relieve such party of obligations previous ly incurred by such party hereunder with respect to the interest transferred, including without limitation the obligation of a party to pay all costs attributable to an operation conducted hereunder in which such party has agreed to participate prior to making such assignment, and the lien and security interest granted by Article VII.B. shall continue to burden the interest transferred to secure payment of any such obligations.

If, at any time the interest of any party is divided among and owned by four or more co-owners, Operator, at its discretion, may require such co-owners to appoint a single trustee or agent with full authority to receive notices, approve expenditures, receive billings for and approve and pay such party's share of the joint expenses, and to deal generally with, and with power to bind, the co-owners of such party's interest within the scope of the operations embraced in this agreement; however, all such co-owners shall have the right to enter into and execute all contracts or agreements for the disposition of their respective shares of the Oil and Gas produced from the Contract Area and they shall have the right to receive, separately, payment of the sale proceeds thereof.

O     (Optional; Check if applicable.) NOT APPLICABLE

 

 

 

Should any party desire to sell all or any part of its interests under this agreement, or its rights and interests in the Contract Area, it shall promptly give written notice to the other parties, with full information concerning its proposed disposition, which shall include the name and address of the prospective transferee (who must be ready, willing and able to purchase), the purchase price, a legal description sufficient to identify the property, and all other terms of the offer. The other parties shall then have an optional prior right, for a period of ten (10) days after the notice is delivered, to purchase for the stated consideration on the same terms and conditions the interest which the other party proposes to sell; and, if this optional right is exercised, the purchasing parties shall share the purchased interest in the pro portions that the interest of each bears to the total interest of all purchasing parties. However, there shall be no preferential right to purchase in those cases where any party wishes to mortgage its interests, or to transfer title to its interests to its mortgagee in lieu of or pursuant to foreclosure of a mortgage of its interests, or to dispose of its interests by merger, reorganization, consolidation, or by sale of all or substantially all of its Oil and Gas assets to any party, or by transfer of its interests to a subsidiary or parent company or to a subsidiary of a parent company, or to any company in which such party owns a majority of the stock.

If, for federal income tax purposes, this agreement and the operations hereunder are regarded as a partnership, and if the parties have not otherwise agreed to form a tax partnership pursuant to Exhibit "G" or other agreement between them, each party thereby affected elects to be excluded from the application of all of the provisions of Subchapter "K," Chapter 1, Subtitle "A," of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code"), as permitted and authorized by Section 761 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Operator is authorized and directed to execute on behalf of each party hereby affected such evidence of this election as may be required by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States or the Federal Internal Revenue Service, including specifically, but not by way of limitation, all of the returns, st atements, and the data required by Treasury Regulations §1.761. Should there be any requirement that each party hereby affected give further evidence of this election, each such party shall execute such documents and furnish such other evidence as may be required by the Federal Internal Revenue Service or as may be necessary to evidence this election. No such party shall give any notices or take any other action inconsistent with the election made hereby. If any present or future income tax laws of the state or states in which the Contract Area is located or any future income tax laws of the United States contain provisions similar to those in Subchapter "K," Chapter 1, Subtitle "A," of the Code, under which an election similar to that provided by Section 761 of the Code is permitted, each party hereby affected shall make such election as may be permitted or required by such laws. In making the foregoing election, each such party states that the income derived by such party from operations hereunder can be adequately determined without the computation of partnership taxable income.

Operator may settle any single uninsured third party damage claim or suit arising from operations hereunder if the expenditure does not exceed TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($25,000.00) and if the payment is in complete settlement of such claim or suit. If the amount required for settlement exceeds the above amount, the parties hereto shall assume and take over the further handling of the claim or suit, unless such authority is delegated to Operator. All costs and expenses handling, settling, or otherwise discharging such claim or suit shall be at the joint expense of the parties participating in the operation from which the claim or suit arises. If a claim is made against any party or if any party is sued on account of any matter arising from operations hereunder over which such individual has no control because of the rights given Operator by this agreement, such party shall immediately notify all other parties, and the claim or suite shall be treated as any other claim or suit involving operations hereunder.

 

 

If any party is rendered unable, wholly or in part, by force majeure to carry out its obligations under this agreement, other than the obligation to indemnify or make money payments or furnish security, that party shall give to all other parties prompt written notice of the force majeure with reasonably full particulars concerning it; thereupon, the obligations of the party giving the notice, so far as they are affected by the force majeure, shall be suspended during, but no longer than, the continuance of the force majeure. The term "force majeure," as here employed, shall mean an act of God, strike, lockout, or other industrial disturbance, act of the public enemy, war, blockade, public riot, lightning, fire, storm, flood or other act of nature, explosion, governmental action, governmental delay, restraint or inaction, unavailability o f equipment, and any other cause, whether of the kind specifically enumerated above or otherwise, which is not reasonably within the control of the party claiming suspension.

The affected party shall use all reasonable diligence to remove the force majeure situation as quickly as practicable. The requirement that any force majeure shall be remedied with all reasonable dispatch shall not require the settlement of strikes, lockouts, or other labor difficulty by the party involved, contrary to its wishes; how all such difficulties shall be handled shall be entirely within the discretion of the party concerned.

All notices authorized or required between the parties by any of the provisions of this agreement, unless otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and delivered in person or by United States mail, courier service, telegram, telex, telecopier or any other form of facsimile, postage or charges prepaid, and addressed to such parties at the addresses listed on Exhibit "A." All telephone or oral notices permitted by this agreement shall be confirmed immediately thereafter by written notice. The originating notice given under any provision hereof shall be deemed delivered only when received by the party to whom such notice is directed, and the time for such party to deliver any notice in response thereto shall run from the date the originating notice is received. "Receipt" for purposes of this agreement with respect to written n otice delivered hereunder shall be actual delivery of the notice to the address of the party to be notified specified in accordance with this agreement, or to the telecopy, facsimile or telex machine of such party. The second or any responsive notice shall be deemed delivered when deposited in the United States mail or at the office of the courier or telegraph service, or upon transmittal by telex, telecopy or facsimile, or when personally delivered to the party to be notified, provided, that when response is required within 24 or 48 hours, such response shall be given orally or by telephone, telex, telecopy or other facsimile within such period. Each party shall have the right to change its address at any time, and from time to time, by giving written notice thereof to all other parties. If a party is not available to receive notice orally or by telephone when a party attempts to deliver a notice required to be delivered within 24 or 48 hours, the notice may be delivered in writing by any other method speci fied herein and shall be deemed delivered in the same manner provided above for any responsive notice.

This agreement shall remain in full force and effect as to the Oil and Gas Leases and/or Oil and Gas Interests subject hereto for the period of time selected below; provided, however, no party hereto shall ever be construed as having any right, title or interest in or to any Lease or Oil and Gas Interest contributed by any other party beyond the term of this agreement.

X           Option No. 1: So long as any of the Oil and Gas Leases subject to this agreement remain or are continued in force as to any part of the Contract Area, whether by production, extension, renewal or otherwise.

           Option No. 2: In the event the well described in Article VI.A., or any subsequent well drilled under any provision of this agreement, results in the Completion of a well as a well capable of production of Oil and/or Gas in paying quantities, this agreement shall continue in force so long as any such well is capable of production, and for an additional period of days thereafter; provided, however, if, prior to the expiration of such additional period, one or more of the parties hereto are engaged in drilling, Reworking, Deepening, Sidetracking, Plugging Back, testing or attempting to Complete or Re-complete a well or wells hereunder, this agreement shall continue in force until such operations have been completed and if production results therefrom, this agreemen t shall continue in force as provided herein. In the event the well described in Article VI.A., or any subsequent well drilled hereunder, results in a dry hole, and no other well is capable of producing Oil and/or Gas from the Contract Area, this agreement shall terminate unless drilling, Deepening, Sidetracking, Completing, Recompleting, Plugging Back or Reworking operations are commenced within days from the date of abandonment of said well. "Abandonment" for such purposes shall mean either (i) a decision by all parties not to conduct any further operations on the well or (ii) the elapse of 180 days from the conduct of any operations on the well, whichever first occurs.

 

 

 

 

The termination of this agreement shall not relieve any party hereto from any expense, liability or other obligation or any remedy therefor which has accrued or attached prior to the date of such termination. Upon termination of this agreement and the satisfaction of all obligations hereunder, in the event a memorandum of this Operating Agreement has been filed of record, Operator is authorized to file of record in all necessary recording offices a notice of termination, and each party hereto agrees to execute such a notice of termination as to Operator's interest, upon request of Operator, if Operator has satisfied all its financial obligations.

This agreement shall be subject to the applicable laws of the state in which the Contract Area is located, to the valid rules, regulations, and orders of any duly constituted regulatory body of said state; and to all other applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and orders.

Nothing herein contained shall grant, or be construed to grant, Operator the right or authority to waive or release any rights, privileges, or obligations which Non-Operators may have under federal or state laws or under rules, regulations or orders promulgated under such laws in reference to oil, gas and mineral operations, including the location, operation, or production of wells, on tracts offsetting or adjacent to the Contract Area.

With respect to the operations hereunder, Non-Operators agree to release Operator from any and all losses, damages, injuries, claims and causes of action arising out of, incident to or resulting directly or indirectly from Operator's interpretation or application of rules, rulings, regulations or orders of the Department of Energy or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or predecessor or successor agencies to the extent such interpretation or application was made in good faith and does not constitute gross negligence. Each Non-Operator further agrees to reimburse Operator for such Non-Operator's share of production or any refund, fine, levy or other governmental sanction that Operator may be required to pay as a result of such an incorrect interpretation or application, together with interest and penalties thereon owing by Operator as a result of such incorrect interpretation or application.

This agreement shall be binding upon each Non-Operator when this agreement or a counterpart thereof has been executed by such Non-Operator and Operator notwithstanding that this agreement is not then or thereafter executed by all of the parties to which it is tendered or which are listed on Exhibit "A" as owning an interest in the Contract Area or which own, in fact, an interest in the Contract Area. Operator may, however, by written notice to all Non-Operators who have become bound by this agreement as aforesaid, given at any time prior to the actual spud date of the Initial Well but in no event later than five days prior to the date specified in Article VI.A. for commencement of the Initial Well, terminate this agreement if Operator in its sole discretion determines that there is insufficient participation to justify commencement of drilling operations. In the event of such a termination by Operator, all further obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease as of such termination. In the event any Non-Operator has advanced or prepaid any share of drilling or other costs hereunder, all sums so advanced shall be returned to such Non-Operator without interest. In the event Operator proceeds with drilling operations for the Initial Well without the execution hereof by all persons listed on Exhibit "A" as having a current working interest in such well, Operator shall indemnify Non-Operators with respect to all costs incurred for the Initial Well which would have been charged to such person under this agreement if such person had executed the same and Operator shall receive all revenues which would have been received by such person under this agreement if such person had executed the same.

 

 

 

 

This agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, devisees, legal representatives, successors and assigns, and the terms hereof shall be deemed to run with the Leases or Interests included within the Contract Area.

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original for all purposes.

For the purposes of assuming or rejecting this agreement as an executory contract pursuant to federal bankruptcy laws, this agreement shall not be severable, but rather must be assumed or rejected in its entirety, and the failure of any party to this agreement to comply with all of its financial obligations provided herein shall be a material default.

The parties hereby establish, for purposes of joint exploration and development, an Area of Mutual Interest (hereinafter referred to as an “AMI”) comprising the Contract Area and attached as Exhibit 1 to the Lonestar Exploration Agreement. The term of the AMI shall remain in force and effect as long as any leases on the Leasehold Acreage are in effect. At such termination date, the AMI may be extended and redefined in a similar manner for successive one (1) year periods by mutual agreement of the parties hereto. During the term of this AMI, if any party hereto (“Acquiring Party”) acquires any oil and gas leases or any interest therein, any unleased oil and gas interest or any farmouts or contracts with respect thereto which affect the lands and minerals lying within the AMI (“Oil and Gas Interests”) , the Acquiring Party shall promptly advise the other party hereto (“Offeree”) of such acquisition. In such event, each Offeree shall have the right to acquire its proportionate working interest share in such Oil and Gas Interest in accordance with the other provisions of this AMI.

Promptly upon acquiring such Oil and Gas Interest, the Acquiring Party shall, in writing, advise the Offeree of such acquisition. The notice shall include a copy of all instruments of acquisition including, by way of example but not of limitation, copies of the leases, assignments, subleases, farmouts or other contracts affecting the Oil and Gas Interest. The Acquiring Party shall also enclose an itemized statement of the actual costs and expenses incurred by the Acquiring Party in acquiring such Oil and Gas Interest, excluding, however, costs and expenses of its own personnel (“Acquisition Costs”). Each Offeree shall have a period of fifteen (15) days after receipt of the notice within which to furnish the Acquiring Party written notice of its election to acquire its proportionate interest in the offered Oil and Gas Inter est. If, however, a well in search of oil or gas is being drilled within the AMI, or at a location outside of the AMI, of which the result could be expected to materially affect the value of the offered Oil and Gas Interest, Offeree shall have a period of forty-eight (48) hours after the receipt of the notice within which to elect to acquire its proportionate interest in the Oil and Gas Interest so offered. It is provided, however, that the forty-eight (48) hour election period shall not apply unless the Acquiring Party shall give the notice to the Offeree within the two (2) days after the date on which the Acquiring Party acquired the Oil and Gas Interest so offered. In addition thereto, the Acquiring Party shall also:

(i)    furnish the Offeree with the approximate location of the well then being drilled and the name of the Operator or drilling contractor drilling the well, and

(ii)    specifically advise the Offeree that the Offeree shall have a period of forty-eight (48) hours within which to elect to acquire an interest in the offered Oil and Gas Interest.

The above information shall be in addition to the information and copies of instruments provided for above in connection with the usual notices of acquisition of an Oil and Gas Interest. If the Acquiring Party shall not have received actual written notice of the election of Offeree to acquire its proportionate interest within the fifteen (15) day or forty-eight (48) hours period, as the case may be, such failure shall constitute an election by such Offeree not to acquire its interest in the Oil and Gas Interest. Each Offeree accepting the offered Oil and Gas Interest shall be entitled to participate in such Oil and Gas Interest in the proportion to which its interest in the AMI bears to the aggregate interest in the AMI of the Acquiring Party and all other Offerees who have elected to acquire any interest in the Oil and Gas Interests so offered. Promptly after the delays for the election shall have expired, the Acquiring Party, shall invoice each Offeree electing to acquire an interest for its proportionate part of the Acquisition Costs. Each Offeree shall immediately reimburse the Acquiring Party for its share of the Acquisition Costs, as reflected by the invoice. Upon receipt of such reimbursement, the Acquiring Party shall execute and deliver an appropriate assignment to such Offeree. If the Acquiring Party does not receive the amount due from the Offeree within thirty (30) days after the receipt of the Offeree of the invoice for its costs, the Acquiring Party may, at its election, give written notice to such delinquent party that the failure of the Acquiring Party to receive the amount due within forty-eight (48) hours after receipt of such notice by the delinquent Offeree shall constitute a withdrawal by the delinquent Offeree of its former election to acquire the interest, and such Offeree shall no longer have the right to acquire an interest in the offered Oil and Gas Interest.

 

 

 

If the Oil and Gas Interest covers lands both within and outside the AMI, the Acquiring Party may, at its option, offer either the entire Oil and Gas Interest, or only the portion of the Oil and Gas Interest, covering lands within the AMI. If less than the entirety is offered, the Acquiring Party’s costs applicable to the offered interest shall be that portion of the total cost which the Oil and Gas Interest offered bears to the total Oil and Gas Interest. If the entirety of the premises covered by the Oil and Gas interest is offered and each party thereto acquires its proportionate interest, the lands lying outside the AMI shall become part of the Contract Area subject hereto, but the AMI shall not thereby be enlarged. The provisions of this AMI shall not apply to acquisitions as a result of merger, consolidation, reorganizatio n or an acquisition from a parent, subsidiary or affiliated corporation, or, as to individuals, from ascendants, or descendants, or trusts of which such parties are beneficiaries. Neither shall it apply to sales and acquisitions between partners in a partnership or joint venture entered into prior to the effective date of this Agreement.

B.            Payment of Invoices:

The parties to this Agreement agree to pay Operator within fifteen (15) days after receipt of any uncontested invoice. If any party or parties to this Agreement do not pay an uncontested invoice within fifteen (15) days upon receipt thereof, the operator can serve notice by certified mail that an invoice or invoices are in arrears and that Operator demands payment of all amounts overdue. If any party or parties do not pay all amounts outstanding and due under such uncontested invoice within fifteen (15) days of its receipt of the above referenced notice by Operator, the Operator shall have one of the following options:

1.  Operator may sue the non-paying party or parties for the amount of the invoice and for the interest due thereon as set forth in Exhibit

“C” hereto, and the non-paying party or parties shall be totally liable and shall pay all attorney’s fees and court costs relating thereto; or

2.  Operator may demand that any non-paying party or parties relinquish and assign to paying parties all its right, title and interest in and to this Agreement, all oil and gas leases within the Contract Area and any acreage farmout agreements or similar interests acquired by the non-paying party or parties within the subject Area of Mutual Interest. Said assignment shall be made free and clear of any overriding royalties, production payments, mortgages, liens or other encumbrances placed thereon by, or resulting from, the non-consenting party’s ownership and operations subsequent to the effective date of this Agreement, but otherwise shall be without warranty either express or implied.

The options contained herein are in addition to those rights set forth elsewhere in this Agreement, and Operator shall have the right to exercise all of its rights herein contained including, but not limited to, those rights set forth in Articles VII.B and VII C hereof.

A sale or assignment of interest by any party will not relieve or release such party of its obligations hereunder. Further, the assigning party shall be and remain liable for the obligations incurred by its assignee unless and until said assignee has been approved in writing by the other parties hereto, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. However, no approval shall be given unless and until all monies due and accounts payable accruing out of the development and operation of the lease(s) subject hereto shall have been paid in full by the party assigning its interest and the Operator has been furnished with a certified copy of the recorded instrument evidencing the sale or assignment.

Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained herein, it is agreed that if the drilling of a well should be necessary under the terms or requirements of any lease or leases covered hereby in order to maintain said lease or any portion thereof in force and effect, and if any party or parties desire not to participate in the drilling of such well and the other party or parties desire to conduct such drilling operations, then such well may be drilled by such party or parties without the joinder of the other party or parties. In that event and if and when said well shall have been so drilled and completed or abandoned, the party or parties not participating in the drilling thereof shall transfer and assign to the other party or parties all of its right, title and interest in and to the subject new well and in and to all lands c ontaining any Zones (as defined below in Section XVI.F.) penetrated by the new well, excepting only any drilling or existing wells located on and in such lands with respect to which the non-participating party is not then in default. In the event of any such assignment, the acreage as to which it should be so made and leasehold rights thereon shall no longer be subject to this Agreement. In the event any party to this Agreement elects to exercise its right to non-consent to the drilling or completion of any proposed well within the proposed spacing unit; then in that event the non-consenting party shall forfeit all rights to participate in future wells within the geological structure of that well of said prospect.

 

 

 

Furthermore, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained anywhere in this Operating Agreement, any Party that shall Non-Consent with respect to the drilling or completion of any new well pursuant to Article VI.B. or Article VII.D above shall, upon making such Non-Consent election and effective as of the date thereof, relinquish and forever release to the Consenting Parties, pro-rata, all of the Non-Consenting Party's right, title and interest in and to the subject new well and in and to all lands containing any Zone or Zones (as hereinafter defined) penetrated by the subject new well, excepting only any then drilling or existing well(s) located on and in such lands with respect to which the Non-Consenting Party is not then in default. The term "Zone" shall mean a stratum of earth containing or thought to contain a common accumu lation of oil, gas or other hydrocarbon substances separately producible from any other common accumulation of oil, gas or other hydrocarbons.

The size, extent and location of any Zone or Zones to be relinquished and released shall be determined by majority vote in interest of the Consenting Parties based upon reasonable geological and geophysical evidence. If the Non-Consenting Party(s) does/do not agree with the determination made by majority vote of the Consenting Parties, the matter shall be submitted to binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The size, extent and location of any Zone or Zones so determined may be adjusted or modified from time to time based upon drilling and reasonable geological and geophysical evidence by majority vote of the Consenting Parties and subject to the same agreement and arbitration procedure on behalf of the Non-Consenting Party.

The Non-Consenting Party(s) shall execute and deliver (in recordable form) any and all assignments, conveyances and other writings as may be necessary to evidence the full relinquishment and release of all right, title and interest in and to any subject new well and all lands containing any Zone or Zones penetrated by any subject new well.

In addition to the rights granted Operator under Article VII.C, Operator shall have the right to issue a Cash Call for any well to be drilled under the terms of Article VI.A. or VI.B. The Cash Call shall be in the form of an invoice, due and payable within fifteen (15) days (or as promptly as possible when a drilling rig or seismic crew is on location), and shall include a copy of the Cost Estimate from which said Cash Call is being made. The amount of the Cash Call for the seismic program shall be determined by the applicable provisions of the geophysical contract. The amount of the Cash Call for any well shall be determined by the "dry hole" cost set forth in the Cost Estimate and each Non-Operator shall be invoiced for his proportionate Working Interest share of that cost. All Cash Call monies must be received prior to the commence ment of geophysical operations or drilling operations for the well. Failure to pay the Cash Call prior to commencement of seismic or drilling operations may be considered, at the sole discretion of the Operator, as an election not to participate in the drilling of the well or shooting the seismic program notwithstanding any previous consent received pursuant to this Agreement, and the Non-Operator's interest shall thereafter be governed by the terms of Article XVI.E and Article VI.B.2.

In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Article XVI and other provisions of the Operating Agreement, the provisions of this Article XVI shall control.

The terms, covenants and conditions of this Agreement shall be covenants running with the leasehold estates covered herein, and with each transfer or assignment of said lands or leasehold estates. Each party making an assignment or transfer of lands or leasehold estates covered hereby shall state in such assignment or transfer that it is subject to all of the terms, covenants and conditions hereof, and shall promptly give notice to the Operator of any such assignment or transfer.

 

 

 

Reference is made to that certain Lonestar Exploration Agreement dated August 23, 2010 by and between Lario Oil & Gas Company, XXXXX, Delta Oil & Gas Inc., XXXXX, XXXXX, XXXXX.

Article VI (A) of this Joint Operating Agreement shall be construed to incorporate language from that Exploration Agreement insofar as the Initial Test Well(s) in any certain Prospect involving a Non-Participating Party(ies) to that well(s).

b)           The forfeited interests will be offered to the Participating Parties on a proportionate basis. Should any provision of this Joint Operating Agreement conflict with any provision of the Exploration Agreement, the provision of that Exploration Agreement shall prevail.

 

This agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and to their respective heirs, devisees, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original for all purposes.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed this 1st day of September, 2010.

LARIO OIL & GAS COMPANY

 

_________________________________                                   By:/s/ Michael W. O’Shaughnessy                

    Michael W. O’Shaughnessy

_________________________________

Title: _____________________________

Date:_____________________________

XXXXX

_________________________________                                   By:______________________________

                                                                                                                      XXXXX

________________________________

Title:_____________________________

Date:_____________________________

XXXXX

_______________________________                                       By:______________________________

      XXXXX

_______________________________

Title_____________________________

Date:_____________________________

DELTA OIL & GAS

 

By: /s/ Kulwant Sandher                                

      Kulwant Sandher

Title_____________________________

Date:_____________________________

XXXXX

______________________________                                         By:______________________________

      XXXXX

_______________________________

Title_____________________________

Date:_____________________________

XXXXX

_______________________________                                        By:______________________________

      XXXXX

_______________________________

Title_____________________________

Date:_____________________________