Jones Energy, Inc. 12,500,000 Shares of Class A Common Stock Underwriting Agreement

EX-1.1 2 a13-17492_1ex1d1.htm EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

Execution Version

Jones Energy, Inc.

12,500,000 Shares of Class A Common Stock

Underwriting Agreement

July 23, 2013

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Barclays Capital Inc.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Jones Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (collectively, the “Representatives”), an aggregate of 12,500,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Underwritten Shares”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 1,875,000 shares of Class A Common Stock of the Company (the “Option Shares”). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of Class A Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the “Stock.”

The Company is a Delaware corporation that was formed for the purpose of making the proposed issuance and sale of the Shares (the “offering”). Upon consummation of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, the Company will (i) contribute the net proceeds of the offering to Jones Energy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“JEH LLC”), in exchange for units of membership interest in JEH LLC (the “JEH LLC Units”) and (ii) become the sole managing member of JEH LLC. It is understood and agreed to by all parties that concurrently with, or prior to, the closing of this offering, JEH LLC, will complete a corporate reorganization (the “Reorganization”), pursuant to which the following transactions will occur:

A. The members of JEH LLC (the “Existing Owners”) will convert their existing membership interests in JEH LLC into JEH LLC Units and the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of JEH LLC will be amended and restated (as amended and restated, the “JEH LLC Third Amended and Restated LLC Agreement”) to, among other things, modify JEH LLC’s capital structure to consist solely of JEH LLC Units.

B. The Company will enter into an Exchange Agreement with JEH LLC and the Existing Owners (the “Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which the Existing Owners and their permitted transferees will have the right, subject to the terms of the Exchange Agreement, to exchange their JEH LLC Units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class B Common Stock of the Company) for shares of Class A Common Stock (or, at JEH LLC’s option, for a cash payment) on a one-for-one basis, subject to certain adjustments.

C. In connection with the Reorganization, the certificate of incorporation of the Company will be amended and restated (as amended and restated, the “Company Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) and the bylaws of the Company will be amended and restated (as amended and restated, the “Company Restated Bylaws,” and together with the Company Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the JEH LLC Third Amended and Restated LLC Agreement and the Exchange Agreement, the “Transaction Documents”).

The effective time of the Reorganization is hereinafter referred to as the “Reorganization Effective Time.”

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:

1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement (File No. 333-188896), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex B, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated July 11, 2013 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex B hereto.

“Applicable Time” means 7:00 A.M., New York City time, on July 24, 2013.

2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.

(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share (the “Purchase Price”) of $14.0625.

In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an

amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares.

If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.

The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date or later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.

(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.

(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Baker Botts L.L.P., 98 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 1500, Austin, Texas 78701 at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on July 29, 2013, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date,” and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date.”

Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date in definitive form registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not later than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally,

neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company and JEH LLC. The Company and JEH LLC, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to each Underwriter that:

(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that neither the Company nor JEH LLC makes any representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company or JEH LLC in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(b) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that neither the Company nor JEH LLC makes any representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company or JEH LLC in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex B hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to

the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that neither the Company nor JEH LLC makes any representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company or JEH LLC in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(d) Emerging Growth Company. From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.

(e) Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications and (ii) has not authorized anyone to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed or approved for distribution any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

(f) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(g) Financial Statements. The historical combined financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of JEH LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of JEH LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; the balance sheet (including the related notes thereto) of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus complies in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and presents fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated; the statement of revenues and direct operating expenses of the interests of Chalker Energy Partners III, LLC and Participating Owners in certain oil and gas properties acquired by JEH LLC (including the related notes thereto) included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus complies in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and presents fairly in all material respects the results of operations related to such interests for the period specified; all such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. The pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and give effect to assumptions made on a reasonable basis as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. All other financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby.

(h) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of JEH LLC and the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock or membership interests, as applicable (other than the Reorganization), short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, or JEH LLC and any of its subsidiaries, on the other hand, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company or JEH LLC on any class of capital stock or membership interests, as applicable, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) none of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) none of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or

any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(i) Organization and Good Standing. The Company, JEH LLC and each of their respective subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company and JEH LLC of their obligations under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement. The subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 to this Agreement will be the only significant subsidiaries of the Company after giving effect to the Reorganization.

(j) Capitalization of the Company. After giving effect to the Reorganization, the Company will have an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization;” all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock or other equity interests of the Company, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock or other equity interests of the Company, as the case may be, conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and, after giving effect to the Reorganization, the Company will own 25.3% of the issued and outstanding JEH LLC Units (or such additional amount to reflect the exercise of the Underwriters’ option to purchase Option Shares pursuant to Section 2 hereof); such JEH LLC Units will be duly and validly authorized and issued, fully paid and non-assessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act, as applicable, and limited to the extent set forth in JEH LLC’s organizational documents) and will be owned by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party, except as may exist pursuant to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of December 31, 2009, among Jones Energy Holdings, LLC, as Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner, and the lenders thereto, as amended through the date hereof (the “Credit Agreement”), and that certain Second Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of December 31, 2009, among Jones Energy Holdings, LLC, as Borrower, Wells Fargo Energy Capital, Inc., as Administrative Agent, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner, and the lenders thereto, as amended through the date hereof (the “Term Loan”).

(k) Capitalization of JEH LLC. All the outstanding membership interests in JEH LLC have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any membership interests or other equity interest in JEH LLC or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any membership interests or other equity interests in JEH LLC or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the membership interests or other equity interests in JEH LLC, as the case may be, conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding membership interests or other equity interests in each subsidiary of JEH LLC have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act and Sections 101.206 and 101.613 of the Texas Business Organization Code, as applicable, and limited to the extent set forth in each subsidiary’s organizational documents) and are owned directly or indirectly by JEH LLC, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party, except as may exist pursuant to the Credit Agreement and Term Loan.

(l) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries (the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company or JEH LLC (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof), as applicable, and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, and (ii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements. Each of the Company and JEH LLC has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company or JEH LLC of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company, JEH LLC or their respective subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.

(m) Due Authorization. Each of the Company and JEH LLC has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby has been duly and validly taken.

(n) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and JEH LLC.

(o) The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions

thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(p) Other Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document to which the Company and JEH LLC is a party, as applicable, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and JEH LLC, as applicable, and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of each of the Company and JEH LLC, as applicable, enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.

(q) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(r) No Violation or Default. None of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(s) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and JEH LLC of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, including the Reorganization, will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(t) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company or JEH LLC of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for (i) the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act, (ii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and

registrations or qualifications as may be required by FINRA and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters, (iii) consents that have been, or prior to the Closing Date will be, obtained, and (iv) consents that, if not obtained, would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially impair the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated herein or to consummate the Reorganization.

(u) Consents Necessary to Effect the Reorganization. Each of the Company and JEH LLC have received, or will receive prior to the Reorganization Effective Time, all consents, approvals and authorizations necessary to effect the Reorganization under its organizational documents, the Delaware LLC Act or the Delaware General Corporation Law, as applicable and the Credit Agreement and the Term Loan, other than such consents, approvals and authorizations that, if not obtained, would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to materially impair the ability of the Company or JEH LLC to consummate the transactions contemplated herein or to consummate the Reorganization.

(v) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; to the knowledge of the Company or JEH LLC, no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(w) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

(x) Independent Reserve Engineers. Cawley Gillespie & Associates, Inc. (“CGA”), who has prepared the reserve reports and estimates of proved reserves disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, has represented to the Company and JEH LLC that they are, and the Company and JEH LLC believe them to be, independent reserve engineers with respect to the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and as required by the Securities Act for the periods set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(y) Information Underlying Reserve Reports. The oil and natural gas proved reserve estimates of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are derived from reports that have been prepared by CGA, and such estimates fairly reflect, in all material respects, the oil and natural gas reserves attributable to the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries at the dates indicated therein and are prepared in accordance, in all material respects, with Commission guidelines applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.

(z) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple (in the case of real property) to, or have valid and marketable rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are material to the respective businesses of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries, (ii) could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect or (iii) are created under or permitted by the Credit Agreement and the Term Loan.

(aa) Title to Oil and Gas Properties. Each of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries has good and defensible title to all of its oil and gas properties in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except (i) such as are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) such as are created under or permitted by the Credit Agreement and the Term Loan, or (iii) such as do not materially interfere with the use of the properties of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole; and all of the leases and subleases under which the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries holds or uses properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are in full force and effect, with such exceptions as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and none of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company, JEH LLC or their respective subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company, JEH LLC or any respective subsidiary thereof to the continued possession or use of the leased or subleased premises, except for such claims that, if successfully asserted, would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided however, that the enforceability of such leases and subleases, as the case may be, may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

(bb) Rights-of-Way. The Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries have such consents, easements, rights-of-way or licenses from any person (“rights-of-way”) as are necessary to enable the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries to conduct their respective businesses in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for such rights-of-way the failure of which to obtain would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The rights-of-way owned by Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries are subject only to such qualifications, reservations and encumbrances as may be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(cc) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted, and the conduct of their respective businesses will not conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others, except as would not reasonably be expected , individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company, JEH LLC or their respective subsidiaries has received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any such rights of others in connection with its patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and know-how, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(dd) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.

(ee) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

(ff) Taxes. The Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and local tax returns required to be filed by them through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes with respect to such tax returns (or such taxes are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves for such taxes have been established), except to the extent that the failure to file such tax returns and/or pay such taxes would not, individually and in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(gg) Licenses and Permits. The Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course.

(hh) No Labor Disputes. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company or JEH

LLC, is contemplated or threatened, and each of the Company and JEH LLC is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its respective subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers.

(ii) Compliance with and Liability under Environmental Laws. (i) The Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries (a) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and the common law relating to pollution or the protection of the environment, natural resources or human health or safety, including those relating to the generation, storage, treatment, use, handling, transportation, Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (b) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, (c) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, (d) are not conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law at any location, and (e) are not a party to any order, decree or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Environmental Law, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company, JEH LLC or their respective subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such matter, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (b) the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws, including the Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries, and (c) none of the Company, JEH LLC or their respective subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws.

(jj) Hazardous Materials. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, use, handling, treatment, Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials by or caused by the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries, any other entity (including any predecessor) for whose acts or omissions the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is or could reasonably be expected to be liable) at, on, under or from any property or facility now or previously owned, operated or leased by the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries, or at, on, under or from any other property or facility, in violation of any Environmental Laws or in a manner or amount or to a location that could reasonably be expected to result in any liability under any Environmental Law, except for any violation or liability which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. “Hazardous Materials” means any material, chemical, substance, waste, pollutant, contaminant, compound, mixture, or constituent thereof, in any form or amount, including petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) and petroleum products, natural gas liquids, asbestos and asbestos containing materials, naturally occurring radioactive materials,

brine, and drilling mud, regulated or which can give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. “Release” means any spilling, leaking, seepage, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing, depositing, dispersing, or migrating in, into or through the environment, or in, into from or through any building or structure.

(kk) Compliance with ERISA. Except, in each case, for any such matter as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which each of the Company and JEH LLC or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, as applicable, has been satisfied (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period); (iv) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (v) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (vi) none of the Company, JEH LLC or any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (the “PBGC”), in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); (vii) there is no pending audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the PBGC or any other governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to any Plan; and (viii) an increase in the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries’ “accumulated postretirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 106) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year has not occurred and is not reasonably likely to occur.

(ll) Disclosure Controls. The Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (to extent required by and as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure to be made.

(mm) Accounting Controls. The Company, JEH and their respective subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance

with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the internal controls over financial reporting of the Company or JEH LLC. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the ability of the Company or JEH LLC to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s or JEH LLC’s internal controls over financial reporting.

(nn) Insurance. The Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are reasonably adequate to protect the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and none of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

(oo) No Unlawful Payments. None of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company or JEH LLC, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

(pp) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or JEH LLC, threatened.

(qq) Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company or JEH LLC, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of

the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and each of the Company and JEH LLC will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(rr) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Company or JEH LLC is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company or JEH LLC, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company or JEH LLC any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or JEH LLC or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or JEH LLC or any other subsidiary of the Company or JEH LLC, except for such prohibitions as exist pursuant to the Credit Agreement or the Term Loan or as are otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(ss) No Broker’s Fees. None of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

(tt) No Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no person has the right to require the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares.

(uu) No Stabilization. None of the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

(vv) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

(ww) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company or JEH LLC that has caused the Company or JEH LLC to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

(xx) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. To the extent applicable to the Company on the date hereof, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company or JEH LLC, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.

(yy) Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any

offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

(zz) Corporate Reorganization. As of the Closing Date, the Company and JEH LLC will have filed all notices, reports, documents or other information required to be filed pursuant to, and will have otherwise complied with all requirements of, all applicable laws in connection with the consummation of the Reorganization, except in each case where such failure would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(aaa) No Downgrade. There are no debt securities or preferred stock of, or guaranteed by, the Company, JEH LLC or any of their respective subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second business day succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.

(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or

any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will use its best efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.

(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be

required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(g) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

(h) Clear Market. For a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company, its officers and directors or certain affiliates of the Company, each as listed on Schedule 3 hereto (each, a “Lock-Up Party”), will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock (including, without limitation, Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by each such Lock-Up Party in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant), or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing (other than filings on Form S-8 relating to the Company Stock Plans), or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., other than (i) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (ii) any shares of Stock issued in connection with the Reorganization or upon the exercise of options granted under Company Stock Plans and (iii) any JEH LLC Units exchanged by the Existing Owners under the Exchange Agreement in connection with any exercise by the Underwriters of the option to purchase Option Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or announces material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed by this Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the announcement of the material news or the occurrence of the material news or material event.

If J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter described in Section 6(m) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company and JEH LLC will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds.”

(j) No Stabilization. The Company and JEH LLC will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.

(k) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”).

(l) Reports. For a period of two years from the date of this Agreement, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system.

(m) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

(n) Filings. The Company will file with the Commission such reports as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

(o) Emerging Growth Company. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 4(h) hereof.

5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

(a) It has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares; provided that the Company hereby consents to the use of a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex D hereto; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.

(c) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company and JEH LLC of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company and JEH LLC contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Company and JEH LLC and their respective officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(c) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(h) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(d) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of each of the Company and JEH LLC and one additional senior executive officer of each of the Company and JEH LLC who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(f) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company and JEH LLC in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company and JEH LLC has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a) and (c) above.

(e) Auditor Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably

satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(f) Reserve Engineer Confirmation Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, CGA shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in reserve engineers’ “confirmation letters” to underwriters with respect to the reserve reports, estimates of proved reserves and other reserve information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A hereto.

(h) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(i) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares.

(j) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company, JEH LLC and their respective subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(k) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.

(l) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and each of the Lock-Up Parties relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the

date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(m) Corporate Reorganization. The Reorganization, as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, shall have been consummated in the manner described therein.

(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company and JEH LLC shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. Each of the Company and JEH LLC agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (C) any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”) (in the case of (B) or (C), taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package) or (D) the Pricing Disclosure Package, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

Indemnification of QIU. The Company hereby confirms its engagement of Barclays Capital Inc. as, and Barclays Capital Inc. hereby confirms its agreement with the Company to render services as, a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) Rule 5121(f)(12) with respect to the offering and sale of the Shares. Barclays Capital Inc., in its capacity as qualified independent underwriter and not otherwise, is referred to herein as the “QIU.” The Company will indemnify and hold harmless Barclays Capital Inc., in its capacity as QIU, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the QIU may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (iii) any act or omission to act

or any alleged act or omission to act by Barclays Capital Inc. as QIU in connection with any transaction contemplated by this Agreement or undertaken in preparing for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares, except with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) for any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information furnished to the Company by Barclays Capital Inc., in its capacity as QIU, for use therein, and except with respect to clause (iii) to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability results from the gross negligence or bad faith of Barclays Capital Inc. in performing the services as QIU, and will reimburse the QIU for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the QIU in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

(b) Indemnification of the Company and JEH LLC. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, JEH LLC and their respective directors, the Company’s officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or JEH LLC within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any road show or the Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and the information contained in the fourteenth and fifteenth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting.”

(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person (other than reasonable costs of investigation) unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one

separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred; provided, however that if indemnity may be sought pursuant to the second paragraph of Section 7(a) above in respect of such proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm of the Underwriters, their affiliates and such control persons of the Underwriters, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for Barclays Capital Inc. in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, its affiliates, directors, officers and all persons, if any, who control Barclays Capital Inc., in its capacity as QIU, within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff providing for an indemnifiable loss hereunder, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment to the extent provided herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities required to be indemnified thereby, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and JEH LLC, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and JEH LLC, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and JEH LLC, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company and JEH LLC, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and JEH LLC or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company, JEH LLC and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (d) above were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to paragraphs (d) and (e) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 paragraphs (a) through (e) are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in securities settlement or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

10. Defaulting Underwriter.

(a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional

Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

11. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company and JEH LLC, jointly and severally, will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of their obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares under the state or foreign securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA (including the related

reasonable fees and expenses of Underwriters’ counsel in an amount not to exceed $15,000); (ix) all costs and expenses of the officers and employees of the Company and JEH LLC and any other expenses of the Company and JEH LLC relating to any investor or “road show” presentations in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares, including, without limitation, any travel expenses of the officers and employees of the Company and JEH LLC and any other expenses of the Company and JEH LLC, provided it is expressly agreed that the Company and JEH LLC, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, will each pay 50% of the costs of any chartered aircraft used by the Underwriters and the Company or JEH LLC in connection with any such meetings with investors (it being understood that the Underwriters will bear all other expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with any roadshow, including travel, car and meeting venue expenses); and (x) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section and Sections 7 and 10 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they make.

(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9(ii), (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares due to the Company or JEH LLC’s failure to fulfill the conditions set forth in Section 6 hereof, the Company and JEH LLC, jointly and severally, agree to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, JEH LLC and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company, JEH LLC or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company, JEH LLC or the Underwriters.

14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term “significant subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.

15. Miscellaneous.

(a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o J.P. Morgan

Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: (212) 622-8358); Attention Equity Syndicate Desk. Notices to the Company or JEH LLC shall be given to it at 807 Las Cimas Parkway, Austin, TX 78746, (fax:: (512) 328-5394); Attention: Mike S. McConnell.

(c) Patriot Act Compliance. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company and JEH LLC, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

(d) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.

(e) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(f) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

(g) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

	Very truly yours,

	Jones Energy, Inc.

	By:	/s/ Jonny Jones
		Name: Jonny Jones
		Title: Chief Executive Officer

	Jones Energy Holdings, LLC

	By:	/s/ Jonny Jones
		Name: Jonny Jones
		Title: Chief Executive Officer

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement

Accepted: July 23, 2013


J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC


By:	/s/ Yaw Asamoah-Duodu
	Authorized Signatory


BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.


By:	/s/ Victoria Hale
	Authorized Signatory


WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC


By:	/s/ David Herman
	Authorized Signatory


For themselves and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement

Schedule 1

Underwriter		Number of Shares
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC		4,812,500
Barclays Capital Inc.		2,687,500
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC		1,500,000
Jefferies LLC		687,500
Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities, Inc.		687,500
Capital One Southcoast, Inc.		375,500
Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc.		375,500
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc.		375,500
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC		375,500
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.		375,500
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated		250,000

Total		12,500,000

Schedule 2

Subsidiaries

Jones Energy Holdings, LLC (Delaware)

CCPR Sub LLC (Delaware)

Nosley Assets, LLC (Delaware)

Jones Energy, LLC (Texas)

JRJ Opco, LLC (Texas)

Schedule 3

Lock-Up Parties

Jones Energy, Inc.

MCP (C) II Jones Intermediate LLC

MCP II Co-Investment Jones Intermediate LLC

MCP II Jones Intermediate LLC

MCP II (TE) AIF Jones Intermediate LLC

MCP II (Cayman) AIF Jones Intermediate LLC

MCP II Executive Fund Jones Intermediate LLC

Wells Fargo Central Pacific, Inc.

Jonny Jones

Robert Brooks

Howard Hoffen

Gregory D. Myers

Mike S. McConnell

Eric Niccum

Annex A

Form of Opinion of Counsel for Jones Energy, Inc.

(a) The Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Securities Act; each of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and to the knowledge of such counsel no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or in connection with the offering is pending or threatened by the Commission.

(b) The Company, JEH LLC and each of the subsidiaries set forth on Schedule I (the “Subsidiaries”) are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction set forth opposite the name of such entity on Schedule I, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, in each case except where the failure to be so qualified or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) After giving effect to the Reorganization, the Company will have an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization;” all the issued shares of capital stock of the Company (including the Shares being delivered at the applicable Closing Date) have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are, or in the case of the Shares being delivered at the applicable Closing Date, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

(d) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, any equity securities of the Company pursuant to the Company Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Company Restated Bylaws or any other agreement or instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

(e) After giving effect to the Reorganization, the Company will own 25.3% of the issued and outstanding JEH LLC Units (or such additional amount to reflect the exercise of the Underwriters’ option to purchase Option Shares pursuant to Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement); such JEH LLC Units will be duly and validly authorized and issued, fully paid and non-assessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act, as applicable, and limited to the extent set forth in JEH LLC’s organizational documents) and will be owned by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance or security interest (each, a “Lien”) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming the Company as the debtor is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, other than those Liens that may exist pursuant to the Credit Agreement or the Term Loan.

(f) Each of the Company and JEH LLC has all requisite corporate or limited liability company power and authority to execute and deliver each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and to perform its obligations thereunder; and all corporate or limited liability company action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by the Company and JEH LLC of each of the

A-1

Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated thereby has been validly taken.

(g) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and JEH LLC.

(h) Each Transaction Document to which the Company and JEH LLC, as applicable, are a party, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of each of the Company and JEH LLC, as applicable, enforceable against each of the Company and JEH LLC in accordance with its terms, provided that the enforceability thereof may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and (ii) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

(i) Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(j) None of (i) the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and JEH LLC of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, (ii) the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares being delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, or (iii) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, including the Reorganization, will (A) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (other than Liens arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement and Term Loan) upon any property or assets of the Company, JEH LLC and each of the Subsidiaries under any agreement or other instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, (B) constitute a violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company, JEH LLC or any of the Subsidiaries or (C) result in the violation of the DGCL, the Delaware LLC Act, the laws of the State of Texas or federal law applicable to the Company, JEH LLC or any of the Subsidiaries, except, in the case of clauses (A) and (C) above, for such conflict, breach, violation, default or Lien that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and except in the case of clause (C) for federal or state securities laws or anti-fraud laws.

(k) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification (“consent”) of or with any Delaware, Texas or federal court, arbitrator, governmental agency or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company, JEH LLC and each of the Subsidiaries under the DGCL, the Delaware LLC Act, the laws of the State of Texas or federal law, is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and JEH LLC of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares being delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, or the consummation by the Company and JEH LLC of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except (i) for registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and consents required under the Exchange Act, applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, and the rules of the FINRA in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters (as to which such counsel need not express an opinion), (ii) for such consents that have been obtained or made, (iii) for any such consents the absence or omission of which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (iv) as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

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(l) The statements in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the headings “Material U.S. federal income and estate tax considerations for non-U.S. holders,” “Description of capital stock,” and in the Registration Statement in item 14, insofar as they describe the terms of the Shares, provisions of federal statutes, rules or regulations or the DGCL or any contracts and other legal instruments, are accurate in all material respects.

(m) To the knowledge of such counsel, (A) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (B) there are no contracts or other instruments that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and that have not been so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(n) After giving effect to the application of the proceeds received by the Company and JEH LLC from the offering and sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (i) rely in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers and employees of the Company and JEH LLC and upon information obtained from public officials, (ii) assume that all documents submitted to such counsel as originals are authentic, that all copies submitted to such counsel conform to the originals thereof, and that the signatures on all documents examined by such counsel are genuine, (iii) state that its opinion is limited to matters governed by federal law, the Texas Limited Liability Company Act, the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Delaware LLC Act, (iv) with respect to the opinions expressed as to the good standing or due qualification or registration as a foreign corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, of the Company, JEH LLC and each of their respective subsidiaries, state that such opinions are based upon certificates of good standing provided by the Secretary of State of the state of formation and certificates of foreign qualification or registration provided by the Secretary of State of the states listed on an annex to be attached to such counsel’s opinion (each of which shall be dated as of a date not more than fourteen days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as applicable, and shall be provided to counsel to the Underwriters), (v) state that they express no opinion with respect to (A) any permits to own or operate any real or personal property or (B) state or local taxes or tax statutes to which any of the members of JEH LLC may be subject; and (vi) with respect to the opinions expressed in paragraphs (c) and (d) relating to the existence of any Lien for which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code is on file, rely solely upon such counsel’s review of reports, dated as of recent dates, prepared by CT Lien Solutions, a Wolters Kluwer Company, purporting to describe all financing statements on file as of the dates thereof in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, naming the Company or JEH LLC as debtor.

In addition, such counsel shall make statements to the following effect:

Such counsel has reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of each of the Company and JEH LLC, representatives of its independent registered public accounting firm, representatives of the independent reserve engineers of the Company and JEH LLC and with the Underwriters’ representatives and their counsel, at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and related matters were discussed. The purpose of such counsel’s professional engagement was not

A-3

to establish or confirm factual matters set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and such counsel has not undertaken to verify independently any of the factual matters in such documents. Moreover, many of the determinations required to be made in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus involve matters of a non-legal nature. Accordingly, such counsel is not passing upon, and does not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (except to the extent stated in paragraph (l) above). Subject to the foregoing and on the basis of the information such counsel gained in the course of performing the services referred to above, such counsel advises the Underwriters that:

(a) the Registration Statement, as of the latest effective date, the Preliminary Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time, and the Prospectus, as of its date and as of the applicable Closing Date, appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and

(b) nothing came to such counsel’s attention that caused it to believe that:

(1) the Registration Statement, as of the latest Effective Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,

(2) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or

(3) the Prospectus, as of its date or as of the applicable Closing Date, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

it being understood that in each case such counsel has not been asked to, and does not, express any belief with respect to (a) the financial statements and schedules or other financial or accounting information contained or included therein or omitted therefrom, (b) the summary reserve report of independent reserve engineer and reserve information contained or included therein or omitted therefrom, or (c) representations and warranties and other statements of fact contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement.

The opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P. described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

A-4

Annex B

a. Pricing Disclosure Package

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated July 23, 2013, filed pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act

b. Pricing Information Provided Orally by Underwriters

Price per share to the public: $15.00

Number of Shares Offered: 12,500,000 Underwritten Shares or, if the Underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional Shares granted in Section 2 hereof, 14,375,000 Shares

B-1

Annex C

Written Testing-the-Waters Communications

None

C-1

Annex D

Jones Energy, Inc.

Pricing Term Sheet

D-1

Exhibit A

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

[·], 2013

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Barclays Capital Inc.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting
Agreement referred to below

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10179

Re: Jones Energy, Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Jones Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of shares of Class A common stock, $0.001 per share par value, of the Company (the “Securities”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of each of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Class A Common Stock, $0.001 per share par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant), or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing (other than any filings on Form S-8 relating to the Company Stock Plans), (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, in each case other than (A) the Securities to be sold by the undersigned pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (B) any JEH LLC Units exchanged by the Existing Owners under the

Exchange Agreement in connection with any exercise by the Underwriters of the option to purchase Option Shares, (C) transfers of shares of Common Stock as a bona fide gift or gifts, and (D) distributions of shares of Common Stock to members, partners or stockholders of the undersigned; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (C) or (D), each donee or distributee shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter in the form of this paragraph; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (C) or (D), no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 180-day period referred to above).

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) each of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by each of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed by this Letter Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release, announcement of the material news or occurrence of the material event.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from, all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

	Very truly yours,

	[NAME OF STOCKHOLDER]


	By:
		Name:
		Title:

Exhibit B

Form of Waiver of Lock-up

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

Corporation
Public Offering of Class A Common Stock

[·], 20

[Name and Address of
Officer or Director
Requesting Waiver]

Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:

This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the offering by Jones Energy, Inc. (the “Company”) of shares of Class A common stock, $0.001 par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Company and the lock-up letter dated [·], 2013 (the “Lock-up Letter”), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated , 20 , with respect to shares of Common Stock (the “Shares”).

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. hereby agree to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Letter, but only with respect to the Shares, effective , 20 ; provided, however, that such [waiver] [release] is conditioned on the Company announcing the impending [waiver] [release] by press release through a major news service at least two business days before effectiveness of such [waiver] [release]. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].

Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Letter shall remain in full force and effect.

	Yours very truly,

	[Signatures of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. Representatives]

	[Names of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. Representatives]

cc: Company

Exhibit C

[Form of Press Release]

Jones Energy, Inc.
[Date]

Jones Energy, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of shares of Class A common stock, are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Company’s Class A common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on , 20 , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.