Underwriting Agreement, dated November 8, 2021, among Talos Energy Inc., the selling stockholders listed in Schedule A thereto and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Underwriting Agreements
EX-1.1 2 d252234dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

6,000,000 Shares

TALOS ENERGY INC.

Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

November 8, 2021

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

Ladies and Gentlemen:

1. Introductory. The stockholders listed on Schedule A hereto (the “Selling Stockholders”) agree severally with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (the “Underwriter”) to sell to the Underwriter an aggregate of 6,000,000 shares (the “Firm Securities”) of the common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), of Talos Energy Inc. (the “Company”). Certain of the Selling Stockholders also agree to sell to the Underwriter, at the option of the Underwriter, an aggregate of not more than 900,000 additional outstanding shares (“Optional Securities”) of the Company’s Common Stock, as set forth below. The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities are herein collectively called the “Securities”.

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders.

(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter that:

(i) Filing and Effectiveness of Registration Statements; Certain Defined Terms. The Company has filed with the Commission two registration statements on Form S-3 (File No. 333-231925) and Form S-3 (File No. 333-255489), respectively, each including a related prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the Securities under the Act, which have become effective. “Registration Statements” at any particular time means such registration statements in the forms then filed with the Commission, including any amendment thereto, any document incorporated by reference therein and all 430B Information and all 430C Information with respect to such registration statements, that in any case have not been superseded or modified. “Registration Statements” without reference to a time means the Registration Statements as of the Applicable Time. For purposes of this definition, 430B Information shall be considered to be included in the Registration Statements as of the time specified in Rule 430B.

For purposes of this Agreement:

430B Information” means information included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of the Registration Statements pursuant to Rule 430B(e) or retroactively deemed to be a part of the Registration Statements pursuant to Rule 430B(f).

430C Information” means information included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of the Registration Statements pursuant to Rule 430C.

Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Apollo Entity” means AP Talos Energy LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Applicable Time” means 4:11 p.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.


Closing Date” has the meaning defined in Section 3 hereof.

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Final Prospectus” means the Statutory Prospectus relating to the Securities, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act.

General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being so specified in Schedule B to this Agreement.

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Securities in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

Riverstone Entity” means ILX Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Rules and Regulations” means the rules and regulations of the Commission.

Securities Laws” means, collectively, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”), the Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations, the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of “issuers” (as defined in Sarbanes-Oxley) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and, as applicable, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ Stock Market (“Exchange Rules”).

Statutory Prospectus” with reference to any particular time means the prospectus relating to the Securities that is included in the Registration Statements immediately prior to that time, including all 430B Information and all 430C Information with respect to the Registration Statements. For purposes of the foregoing definition, 430B Information shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus only as of the actual time that form of prospectus (including a prospectus supplement) is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and not retroactively.

Unless otherwise specified, a reference to a “rule” or “Rule” is to the indicated rule under the Act.

(ii) Compliance with Securities Act Requirements. (i) (A) At the time the Registration Statements initially became effective, (B) at the time of each amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether by post-effective amendment, incorporated report or form of prospectus), (C) at the Applicable Time and (D) on each Closing Date, the Registration Statements conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and did not and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) (A) on its date, (B) at the time of filing the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) and (C) on each Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any such document based upon written information furnished to the Company (i) by or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(c) hereof and (ii) by or on behalf of any Selling Stockholder, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

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(iii) Ineligible Issuer Status. (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statements that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Securities and (ii) at the date of this Agreement, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.

(iv) General Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, neither (i) any General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated November 8, 2021 (the “Preliminary Prospectus”) (which is the most recent Statutory Prospectus distributed to investors generally) and the other information, if any, stated in Schedule B to this Agreement to be included in the General Disclosure Package, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (ii) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company (i) by or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c) hereof and (ii) by or on behalf of any Selling Stockholder, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

(v) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Underwriter as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statements. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statements or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would 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, (i) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Underwriter and (ii) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission. This representation and warranty in its entirety does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company (i) by or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c) hereof and (ii) by or on behalf of any Selling Stockholder, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

(vi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with all requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets, conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification except where the failure to be so qualified or licensed would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”).

 

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(vii) Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated or formed, as the case may be, and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, with all requisite corporate or limited liability company power and authority, as applicable, to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, except where the failure to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign entity in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or licensed would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other ownership interests of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and, in the case of any such corporation, is fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital stock of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects, other than those arising under the Credit Agreement, dated as of May 10, 2018, by and among Talos Production LLC and the other parties thereto (as amended from time to time, the “Bank Credit Facility”), and the Indenture, dated as of January 4, 2021, by and among Talos Production Inc., as issuer, the guarantors party thereto from time to time and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and collateral agent (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Indenture”). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed on Schedule C to this Agreement except for subsidiaries that, considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, would not constitute a “significant subsidiary” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act).

(viii) Securities. The Securities and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and conform to the information in the General Disclosure Package and to the description of such Securities contained in the Final Prospectus in all material respects; the stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Common Stock; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder.

(ix) No Finders Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company has not engaged any broker, finder, commission agent or other person (other than the Underwriter) in connection with the offering and there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

(x) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings (other than any such contracts, agreements or understandings under which such requirement has been waived) between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the Securities registered pursuant to a registration statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act (collectively, “registration rights”), and any person to whom the Company has granted registration rights has agreed not to exercise such rights until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period referred to in Section 5(k) hereof.

(xi) Listing. The Securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

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(xii) Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the sale of the Securities, except (i) such as have been or, prior to each Closing Date, will be, obtained or made, (ii) where the failure of the Company to obtain or make any such consent, approval, authorization, order, filing or registration would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) such as may be required under the Act, the Exchange Act, state or foreign securities or “Blue Sky” laws or by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

(xiii) Title to Property. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, or such as individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, charges, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made thereof by them and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, or such as individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them.

(xiv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter, by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; except, in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii), that would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. A “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(xv) Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter, by-laws or similar organizational documents or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xvi) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xvii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits issued by appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory bodies (collectively, “Licenses”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business in the manner described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted by them, except where the failure to possess such Licenses would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its

 

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subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Licenses, except where the failure to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xviii) Absence of Labor Dispute. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that could have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xix) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or have the right to use sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, domain names, licenses, approvals, trade secrets, inventions, technology, know-how, rights in confidential information and other intellectual property and similar rights, including registrations and applications for registration thereof (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed to be conducted by them in the General Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, and the expected expiration of any such Intellectual Property Rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property Rights that, if determined adversely to the Company and its subsidiaries could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xx) Environmental Laws. Except for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, (a) the Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) is in compliance with all, and has not violated any, applicable foreign, federal, state or local statutes, laws, rules, regulations, judgments, orders, decrees, ordinances, codes or other legally binding requirements (including common law) relating to pollution, the protection of the environment (including natural resources) or human health or safety (to the extent such health or safety relates to exposure to Hazardous Substances, as defined below), or the generation, use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, discharge, disposal or release of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Substance (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) has timely applied for or received and, to the extent received, is in compliance with all, and has not violated any, permits, licenses, authorizations or other approvals required under Environmental Laws to conduct its business as it is currently being conducted; and (iii) has not received written notice of any pending or threatened violation of, or liability under, any Environmental Law and, to the knowledge of the Company, there is no event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in the receipt of any such notice; and (b) there are no costs or liabilities arising under Environmental Laws with respect to the operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, (x) there is no proceeding that is pending, or that is known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceeding regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $300,000 or more will be imposed, and (y) none of the Company or its subsidiaries reasonably anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws. For purposes of this subsection, “Hazardous Substance” means any chemical, pollutant, contaminant, solid or hazardous waste, toxic substance, hazardous substance, petroleum and petroleum product.

(xxi) Accurate Disclosure. The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Business—Government Regulation,” “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest),” “Legal Proceedings,” “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” “Description of Capital Stock” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences for Non-U.S. Holders,” and insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or legal or regulatory proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings in all material respects and present the information required to be shown.

 

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(xxii) Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(xxiii) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the third-party statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus is based on or derived from sources that are not reliable and accurate.

(xxiv) Internal Controls and Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company, its subsidiaries and the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) are in compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley, the rules and regulations promulgated therewith and all applicable Exchange Rules. The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting (collectively, “Internal Controls”) that comply with the Securities Laws and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances 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 U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) and to maintain accountability for assets, (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 General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weakness in the Internal Controls.

(xxv) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Securities; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are to the Company’s knowledge, threatened or contemplated.

(xxvi) Financial Statements. The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Act and present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis. Ernst & Young LLP has certified the audited financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements, General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to each of the Company and its subsidiaries within the Rules and Regulations and as required by the Act and the applicable rules and guidance from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). The other financial data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a basis consistent with

 

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the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company. The Company does not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” within the meaning of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46), not disclosed in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, other than such liabilities and obligations that where incurred in the ordinary course of business. There are no financial statements that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus that are not so included or incorporated by reference.

(xxvii) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (i) there has been no change, nor any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that is material and adverse, (ii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, (iii) there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, (iv) there has been no obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company or any of its subsidiaries taken as a whole, incurred by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business and (v) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with its business 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.

(xxviii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required to register as an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

(xxix) Ratings. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined in Section (3)(a)(62) of the Exchange Act (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering any of the actions described in Section 7(d)(ii) hereof.

(xxx) Taxes. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all material federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement and have paid all material taxes required to be paid thereon (except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no material tax deficiency has been, or is reasonably expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(xxxi) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company believes are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect in all material respects; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has 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 from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

 

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(xxxii) Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or its subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or its subsidiaries on the other hand, which is required to be described in the General Disclosure Package which is not so described therein.

(xxxiii) Anti-Corruption. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director or officer thereof, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent, representative or partner of the Company or its subsidiaries, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any person, including to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office), to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, affiliates that are controlled by the Company have, in the past five years, conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

(xxxiv) Anti-Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxxv) Economic Sanctions.

(A) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors or officers, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent or representative of the Company or its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is:

(1) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the United Nations Security Council (UN), the European Union (EU), Her Majesty’s Treasury (UK HMT), the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO), the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

(2) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Crimea and Syria).

 

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(B) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(1) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

(2) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(C) For the past five years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, and are not now knowingly engaged in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(xxxvi) Cybersecurity. Except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i)(A) there has been no security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data and databases (including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third-party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its subsidiaries, and any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification; and (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented appropriate controls, policies, procedures and technological safeguards to maintain and protect the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with industry standards and practice, or as required by applicable regulatory standards.

(xxxvii) ERISA Matters. Except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the minimum funding standard under Section 302 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”), has been satisfied by each “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) with respect to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries could have any liability (each an “Employee Benefit Plan”), and the trust forming part of each such plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), is so qualified and nothing has occurred since the date of such qualification which could reasonably be expected to result in the loss of such qualification; (ii) each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under Section 515 of ERISA; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries maintain or are required to contribute to a “welfare plan” (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) which provides retiree or other post-employment welfare benefits or insurance coverage (other than “continuation coverage” (as defined in Section 602 of ERISA)); (iv) each Employee Benefit Plan is in and has been operated in compliance with all applicable laws, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (v) no event has occurred (including a “reportable event” as such term is defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) and no condition exists with respect to each Employee Benefit Plan that would subject the Company or any of its subsidiaries to any tax, fine, lien, penalty or liability imposed by ERISA or the Code; (vi) no non-exempt “prohibited transaction” as defined under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code has occurred with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan; and (vii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have incurred or would reasonably be expected to incur any liability under Title IV of ERISA.

 

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(xxxviii) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statements, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed by the Company without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed by the Company other than in good faith.

(xxxix) Distributions. No subsidiary of the Company is prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), the Bank Credit Facility and the Indenture.

(b) Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter that:

(i) Good Standing. Such Selling Stockholder is a validly existing Delaware limited liability company, is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and has the power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder.

(ii) Title to Securities. Such Selling Stockholder has and on each Closing Date hereinafter mentioned will have valid and unencumbered title to the Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date and full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date hereunder; and upon the delivery of and payment for the Securities on such Closing Date hereunder, the Underwriter will acquire valid and unencumbered title to the Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date.

(iii) Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder is required to be obtained or made by such Selling Stockholder for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities sold by such Selling Stockholders, except (A) such as have been or, prior to each Closing Date will be, obtained or made, (B) for the registration of the offer and sale of the Securities under the Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders or filings as may be required under the Exchange Act and applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and sale of the Securities by the Underwriter and (C) for such that, if not obtained, have not or would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Selling Stockholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(iv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not result in a material breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholders pursuant to, (i) any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or any of its properties or any agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the properties of such Selling Stockholder is subject, or (ii) the charter, by-laws or similar organizational documents of such Selling Stockholder that is a corporation or the constituent documents of such Selling Stockholder that is not a natural person or a corporation, except in the case of clause (i) above, for any default or violation that would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of such Selling Stockholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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(v) Final Prospectus. On its date, at the time of filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on each Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The preceding sentence applies only to written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder specifically for use in the Final Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

(vi) No Undisclosed Material Information. The sale of the Securities by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement is not prompted by any material information concerning the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is not set forth the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

(vii) General Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, neither (i) the General Disclosure Package, or (ii) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence applies only to written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder specifically for use in the General Disclosure Package or any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

(viii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder.

(ix) No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and as contemplated by this Agreement, such Selling Stockholder has not engaged any broker, finder, commission agent or other person (other than the Underwriter) in connection with the offering of the Securities, and there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between such Selling Stockholder and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against such Selling Stockholder or the Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering of the Securities.

(x) Absence of Manipulation. Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(xi) No Distribution of Offering Material. Such Selling Stockholder has not distributed and will not distribute any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Selling Stockholder agrees, severally and not jointly, to sell to the Underwriter the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Selling Stockholder in Schedule A hereto, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Selling Stockholders the Firm Securities at a purchase price of $12.13 per share.

 

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The Selling Stockholders will deliver the Firm Securities through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for the account of the Underwriter against payment of the purchase price in federal (same day) funds by official bank check or checks or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Underwriter drawn to the order of such Selling Stockholder, at the office of Latham & Watkins LLP, 811 Main Street, Suite 3700, Houston, Texas 77002, at 9:00 a.m., New York time, on November 12, 2021, or at such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter as the Underwriter and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “First Closing Date”. For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act, the First Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the settlement date for payment of funds and delivery of all of the Securities sold pursuant to the offering. Delivery of the Firm Securities will be made through the facilities of the DTC unless the Underwriter shall otherwise instruct.

In addition, upon written notice from the Underwriter given to the Company and the Selling Stockholders from time to time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date of the Final Prospectus, the Underwriter may purchase all or less than all of the Optional Securities at the purchase price per Security to be paid for the Firm Securities. Such notice shall set forth (i) the aggregate number of shares of Optional Securities to be sold by the Selling Stockholders as to which the Underwriter is exercising the option and (ii) the time, date and place at which the Optional Securities will be delivered (each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities being herein referred to as an “Optional Closing Date,” which may be the First Closing Date) (the First Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”). The Selling Stockholders agree, severally and not jointly, to sell to the Underwriter the respective numbers of Optional Securities obtained by multiplying the number of Optional Securities specified in such notice by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares set forth opposite the names of such Selling Stockholders in Schedule A hereto under the caption “Number of Optional Securities to be Sold” and the denominator of which is the total number of Optional Securities (subject to adjustment by the Underwriter to eliminate fractions). No Optional Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Underwriter to the Company and the Selling Stockholders.

4. Offering by the Underwriter. It is understood that the Underwriter proposes to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.

5. Certain Agreements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders. The Company, other than with respect to subsection (i), and, with respect to subsections (h), (i) and (j) only, each of the Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, agree with the Underwriter that:

(a) Additional Filings. The Company has filed or will file each Statutory Prospectus (including the Final Prospectus) pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b)(2) (or, if applicable and consented to by the Underwriter, Rule 424(b)(5)) not later than the second business day following the earlier of the date it is first used or the execution and delivery of this Agreement. The Company has complied and will comply with Rule 433.

(b) Filing of Amendments: Response to Commission Requests. The Company will promptly advise the Underwriter of any proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statements or any Statutory Prospectus at any time and will not effect such amendment or supplementation without the Underwriter’s consent; and the Company will also advise the Underwriter promptly of (i) the filing of any such amendment or supplement, (ii) any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment to the Registration Statements, for any supplement to any Statutory Prospectus or for any additional information, (iii) the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration Statements or the threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Act, and (iv) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceedings for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(c) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act by the Underwriter or any dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,

 

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or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Registration Statements or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriter and any other dealers upon request of the Underwriter, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance. Neither the Underwriter’s consent to, nor the Underwriter’s delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof.

(d) Rule 158. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the date of this Agreement and satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.

(e) Furnishing of Prospectuses. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter copies of the Registration Statements, including all exhibits, any Statutory Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriter requests. The Company will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriter all such documents.

(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter designates and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution.

(g) Reporting Requirements. During the period of five years hereafter, the Company will furnish to the Underwriter, as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of its annual report to stockholders for such year; and the Company will furnish to the Underwriter (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report and any definitive proxy statement of the Company filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act or mailed to stockholders, and (ii) from time to time, such other information concerning the Company as the Underwriter may reasonably request. However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system), it is not required to furnish such reports or statements as described in this Section 5(g) to the Underwriter.

(h) Payment of Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company and each Selling Stockholder agree with the Underwriter that the Company and such Selling Stockholder will pay all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company and such Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, under this Agreement, including but not limited to any filing fees and other expenses incurred in connection with qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter designates and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto, costs and expenses related to the review by FINRA of the offering and sale of the Securities (including filing fees and the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriter relating to such review), in connection with the review and approval of the Underwriter’s participation in the offering and distribution of the Securities, costs and expenses relating to investor presentations or any “road show” in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities including, without limitation, any travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company, fees and expenses incident to listing the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE American, NASDAQ Stock Market and other national and foreign exchanges, the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants, the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar, the fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act, any transfer taxes payable in connection with the delivery of the Securities to the Underwriter and expenses incurred in distributing preliminary prospectuses and the Final Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) to the Underwriter and for expenses incurred for preparing, printing and distributing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses to investors or prospective investors. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section 5(h) and Sections 8 and 9 hereof, the Underwriter will pay all of its own costs and expenses, including the fees of its counsel and travel and lodging expenses of its representatives and employees.

 

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(i) Use of Proceeds. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Selling Stockholders do not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to the Underwriter or affiliate of the Underwriter.

(j) Absence of Manipulation. None of the Company, its subsidiaries or the Selling Stockholders, will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(k) Restriction on Sale of Securities by the Company. For the period specified below (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company will not, directly or indirectly, take any of the following actions with respect to its Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock (“Lock-Up Securities”): (i) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of Lock-Up Securities, (ii) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, contract to purchase or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase Lock-Up Securities, (iii) enter into any swap, hedge or any other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequences of ownership of Lock-Up Securities, (iv) establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in Lock-Up Securities within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (v) submit or file with the Commission a registration statement (other than any registration statement on Form S-8 or an amendment of any registration statement on Form S-8) under the Act relating to Lock-Up Securities, or publicly disclose the intention to take any such action, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, except (a) issuances of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants or options, in each case outstanding on the date hereof, (b) grants of employee stock options or other compensatory awards of Lock-Up Securities, awards settled in Lock-Up Securities or awards the value of which is based in whole or in part on the value of the Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the terms of the Talos Energy Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”), (c) issuances of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options or the vesting or settlement of any other award granted pursuant to the LTIP, (d) issuances of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan or (e) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Common Stock, provided that (I) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period and (II) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of its Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Lock-Up Period. The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date hereof and continue for 30 days after the date hereof or such earlier date that the Underwriter consents to in writing.

6. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company and the Selling Stockholders represent and agree that, unless they obtain the prior consent of the Underwriter, and the Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Underwriter, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Underwriter is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company and the Underwriter agree that any such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus is listed on Schedule B hereto. The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping. The Company represents that it has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions in Rule 433 to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show.

7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriter. The obligations of the Underwriter to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities on the First Closing Date and the Optional Securities to be purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders herein (as though made on such Closing Date), to the accuracy of the statements of Company officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their respective obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:

 

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(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. The Underwriter shall have received a letter, dated the date hereof and each Closing Date, of Ernst & Young LLP covering the financial information in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm and independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Laws and in the form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter (except that, in any letter dated a Closing Date, the specified date referred to in the comfort letters shall be a date no more than three days prior to such Closing Date).

(b) Reserve Engineer Letters. The Underwriter shall have received a letter on the date hereof, dated the date hereof, and on each Closing Date, dated as of such Closing Date, of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, covering the information with respect to the Company’s estimated oil, natural gas and NGL reserves in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and other customary matters.

(c) Filing of Prospectus. The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 5(a) hereof. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statements or of any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Act shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of any Selling Stockholder, the Company or the Underwriter, shall be contemplated by the Commission.

(d) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Underwriter, is so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to market the Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating of any debt securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act), or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating); (iii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Underwriter, impractical to market or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iv) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Stock Market, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (v) any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (vi) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vii) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment or clearance services in the United States or any other country where such securities are listed or (viii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Underwriter, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it impractical or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities.

(e) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Underwriter shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Company, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

(f) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholders. The Underwriter shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of the respective counsel for each of the Selling Stockholders, such opinion or opinions, dated such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Underwriter may require, including the opinion of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, counsel for the Selling Stockholders, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

 

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(g) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter. The Underwriter shall have received from Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, such opinion or opinions, dated such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Underwriter may require, and the Selling Stockholders and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(h) Officers’ Certificate. The Underwriter shall have received a certificate, dated such Closing Date:

(i) of an executive officer of the Company and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company in which such officers shall state that: the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2(a) of this Agreement are true and correct; the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statements has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Act have been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge and after reasonable investigation, are contemplated the Commission; and, subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the General Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package or as described in such certificate; and

(ii) of each Selling Stockholder (or one or more attorneys in fact on behalf of such Selling Stockholder), signed by, or on behalf of, such Selling Stockholder stating that (i) the representations and warranties of such Selling Stockholder set forth in Section 2(b) are true and correct on and as of such Closing Date and (ii) such Selling Stockholder has complied with all its agreements contained herein and has satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date.

(i) Lock-Up Agreements. On or prior to the date hereof, the Underwriter shall have received lockup agreements in the form set forth on Exhibit C hereto from each executive officer and director of the Company and the sponsors that are stockholders of the Company (including the Selling Stockholders).

(j) Backup Withholding. Each Selling Stockholder will deliver to the Underwriter a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).

The Selling Stockholders and the Company will furnish the Underwriter with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Underwriter reasonably requests. The Underwriter may, in its sole discretion, waive compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriter hereunder.

8. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriter by the Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statements at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act or the General Disclosure Package or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such

 

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Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below.

(b) Indemnification of Underwriter by Selling Stockholders. Each of the Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, in proportion to the number of Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Party against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statements at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act or the General Disclosure Package or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Selling Stockholders will only be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the respective Selling Stockholder specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Selling Stockholder consists of the following information: the legal name of such Selling Stockholder, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned and offered by such Selling Stockholder and the address and other information with respect to such Selling Stockholder that appears in the applicable footnotes as set forth under the caption “Selling Stockholders”.

(c) Indemnification of Company and Selling Stockholders. The Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers who signs the Registration Statements and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each Selling Stockholder (each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”) against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statements at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not the Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter consists of the following information in the Final Prospectus furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter: (i) the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and (ii) the information contained in the paragraphs relating to stabilization by the Underwriter under the caption “Underwriting.”

 

18


(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a), (b) or (c) 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 party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of an indemnified party.

(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a), (b) or (c) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter. The relative fault 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, the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriter and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (e). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the 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 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriter’s obligations in this subsection (e) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriter agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(e) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 8(e).

 

19


9. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Selling Stockholders, of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriter set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of the Underwriter, any Selling Stockholder, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. If the purchase of the Securities by the Underwriter is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9 or the occurrence of any event specified in clause (iv), (vi) or (vii) of Section 7(d) hereof, the Company and the Selling Stockholders will, jointly and severally, reimburse the Underwriter for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by it in connection with the offering of the Securities, and the respective obligations of the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 hereof shall remain in effect. In addition, if any Securities have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 2 and all obligations under Section 5 shall also remain in effect.

10. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriter, will be mailed, delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the Underwriter at: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telecopied and confirmed to it at 333 Clay Street, Suite 3300, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention: General Counsel; or, if sent to the Selling Stockholders or any of them, will be mailed, delivered or telecopied and confirmed as set forth in Schedule A.

11. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

12. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

13. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company and the Selling Stockholders acknowledge and agree that:

(a) No Other Relationship. The Underwriter has been retained solely to act as underwriter in connection with the sale of the Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company or the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Final Prospectus, irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company or the Selling Stockholders on other matters;

(b) Arms’ Length Negotiations. The price of the Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by the Selling Stockholders following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriter and the Selling Stockholders are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(c) Absence of Obligation to Disclose. The Company and the Selling Stockholders have been advised that the Underwriter and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company or the Selling Stockholders and that the Underwriter has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company or the Selling Stockholders by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and

(d) Waiver. The Company and the Selling Stockholders waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims they may have against the Underwriter for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agree that the Underwriter shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company or the Selling Stockholders in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company.

 

20


14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

15. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

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

17. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

(a) In the event that the Underwriter is a Covered Entity and becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from the Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(b) In the event that the Underwriter is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of the Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against the Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

For purposes of this Section 17, the following terms have the following meanings:

BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

Covered Entity” means any of the following:

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

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U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

18. Regulation BI. The Selling Stockholders acknowledge and agree that the Underwriter has not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor has the Underwriter solicited any action from the Selling Stockholders with respect to the offering and sale of the Securities, and the Selling Stockholders have consulted their respective own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The Selling Stockholders further acknowledge and agree that, although the Underwriter may provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation to the Selling Stockholders in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities, the Underwriter is not making a recommendation to the Selling Stockholders to participate in the offering and sale of the Securities or sell any Securities at the purchase price to be paid by the Underwriter, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that the Underwriter is making such a recommendation.

[Signature Pages Follows]

 

22


If the foregoing is in accordance with the Underwriter’s understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Selling Stockholders, the Company and the Underwriter in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,
TALOS ENERGY INC.
By:  

/s/ Shannon E. Young, III

Name:   Shannon E. Young, III
Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

AP TALOS ENERGY LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:   Apollo Talos Holdings, L.P.,
  its sole member
By:   Apollo ANRP Advisors (APO DC), L.P.,
  its general partner
By:   Apollo ANRP Advisors (APO DC-GP), LLC,
  its general partner
By:  

/s/ James Elworth

Name:   James Elworth
Title:     Vice President
and  
By:   Apollo Talos Holdings, L.P.,
  its sole member
By:   Apollo Advisors VII (APO DC), L.P.,
  its general partner
By:   Apollo Advisors VII (APO DC-GP), LLC,
  its general partner
By:  

/s/ James Elworth

Name:   James Elworth
Title:     Vice President

ILX HOLDINGS, LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:  

/s/ Peter Haskopoulos

Name:   Peter Haskopoulos
Title:     Managing Director

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
        J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
        By:  

/s/ Lucy Brash

  Name:   Lucy Brash
  Title:     Executive Director

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


SCHEDULE A

 

Selling Stockholder

   Number of
Firm

Securities
to be

Sold
     Number of
Optional
Securities to be
Sold
 

AP Talos Energy LLC

     3,674,663        900,000  

ILX Holdings, LLC

     2,325,337        0  

Total

     6,000,000        900,000  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The notice address for each Selling Stockholder for purposes of Section 10 of this Agreement is as follows:

(a) if to the Apollo Entity:

Apollo Talos Holdings, L.P.

9 West 57th Street

New York, NY 10019

Attention: Gregory Beard

Facsimile: (646) 514-5668

Email: ***@***

With a copy to:

Apollo Management VII, L.P.

9 West 57th Street

New York, NY 10019

Attention: Laurie Medley

Facsimile: (646) 607.0528

Email: ***@***

and

Apollo Commodities Management, L.P. with respect to Series I

9 West 57th Street

New York, NY 10019

Attention: Laurie Medley

Facsimile: (646) 607.0528

Email: ***@***

(b) if to the Riverstone Entity:

c/o Riverstone Holdings LLC

712 Fifth Avenue, 36th Floor

New York, NY 10019

Attention: General Counsel

Facsimile: (888) 801-9301

Email: ***@***

 

 

Schedule A-1


SCHEDULE B

 

1.

General Use Free Writing Prospectuses (included in the General Disclosure Package)

“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” includes each of the following documents:

None.

 

 

Schedule B-1


SCHEDULE C

 

Subsidiary

  

Jurisdiction of

Formation or Incorporation

ANRP (Talos DC), LLC    Delaware
CKB Petroleum, LLC    Delaware
Stone Energy Holding, L.L.C.    Delaware
Talos Argo Inc.    Delaware
Talos Energy Holdings LLC    Delaware
Talos Energy International LLC    Delaware
Talos Energy LLC    Delaware
Talos Energy Offshore LLC    Delaware
Talos Energy Operating Company LLC    Delaware
Talos Energy Phoenix LLC    Delaware
Talos ERT LLC    Delaware
Talos Exploration LLC    Delaware
Talos Gulf Coast LLC    Delaware
Talos Gulf Coast Offshore LLC    Delaware
Talos Gulf Coast Onshore LLC    Delaware
Talos Oil and Gas LLC    Delaware
Talos Petroleum LLC    Delaware
Talos Production Inc.    Delaware
Talos Production Finance Inc.    Delaware
Talos Resources LLC    Delaware
Talos Third Coast LLC    Delaware
Talos Energy México 2 S. de R. L. de C. V.    Mexico
Talos Energy México 7 S. de R. L. de C. V.    Mexico
Talos Energy Offshore México 2 S. de R. L. de C. V.    Mexico
Talos Energy Offshore México 7 S. de R. L. de C. V.    Mexico
Phoenix-Durango Offshore Company, S. de R.L. de C.V.    Mexico
Rio Norte Offshore Company, S. de R.L. de C.V.    Mexico
Talos International Holdings SCS    Luxembourg

 

 

 

Schedule C-1


Exhibit A

Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Company

Subject to the assumptions, qualifications, exclusions and other limitations which are identified in this letter, we advise you that:

 

  1.

Based solely on our review of the Company Good Standing Certificate, the Company validly exists as a corporation and is in good standing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”).

 

  2.

The Company has the corporate power and authority to own and lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement.

 

  3.

The Securities have been duly authorized and, when delivered and paid for in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, will not have been sold in violation of or subject to preemptive rights under the DGCL or any Specified Contract that entitled or will entitle any person to acquire any shares from the Company upon sale thereof.

 

  4.

The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

  5.

The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company, and the sale of the Securities to you, do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any of the terms or provisions of the Company Certificate of Incorporation and Company Bylaws, (ii) result in any breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under any Specified Contracts, it being expressly understood that in each case we express no opinion as to compliance with any financial covenant or test or cross-default provision in any Specified Contract, (iii) violate or conflict with any judgment, decree or order identified to us by the Company (we note that none were identified) of any court or any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, and (iv) violate any Specified Law, except in the case of clause (ii), for any such conflict, breach, violation or default which has been waived by the party or parties with power to waive such conflict, breach, violation or default. (The advice in this paragraph is referred to herein as the “No Conflicts Opinion”).

 

  6.

No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency under any Specified Law is required to be obtained by the Company with respect to the sale of the Securities contemplated by, and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement (except, in each case, for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders or qualifications as may be required under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated under either of them, or any state or foreign securities or blue sky laws, with respect to which we express no opinion, and except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders or qualifications as may have already been taken, made or obtained). (The advice in this paragraph is referred to herein as the “No Consent Opinion”).

 

  7.

Based solely upon our review of the Specified Contracts, except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statements, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus, the Company is not a party to any agreement other than any such agreement that would require the inclusion in the Registration Statements of shares or other securities owned by any person or entity other than the Selling Stockholders.

 

 

Exhibit A-1


  8.

The Time of Sale Information, as of 4:11 p.m. on November 8, 2021, each Registration Statement, as of its effective date, and the Prospectus, as of its date, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements as to form of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, except that in each case (i) we do not express any opinion as to any financial statements or supporting schedules (or any notes to any such statements or schedules); other financial and accounting data and natural resource reserve or engineering information or data or estimated future net revenues therefrom, in each case in (or omitted from) the Time of Sale Information, the Registration Statements or the Prospectus and (ii) we do not, other than expressly stated in paragraph 9 immediately below, assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Time of Sale Information, the Registration Statements or the Prospectus.

 

  9.

The statements under the captions “Description of Capital Stock” (in the 2021 Base Prospectus) and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences for Non-U.S. Holders” in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters or documents referred to therein, are accurate in all material respects.

 

  10.

The Company is not required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Exhibit A-2


Exhibit B

Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Selling Stockholders

1. Each Selling Stockholder is a Delaware limited liability company or Delaware limited partnership, as applicable, that is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

2. Each Selling Stockholder has all necessary partnership or limited liability company power, as applicable, to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares.

3. The execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized by each Selling Stockholder and has been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of each Selling Stockholder.

4. With respect to each Selling Stockholder, the sale of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder under the Underwriting Agreement, the execution and delivery by the Selling Stockholder of the Underwriting Agreement and the performance by such Selling Stockholder of its obligations thereunder will not (a) result in the violation of such Selling Stockholder’s Entity Documents, (b) violate any agreement filed as an exhibit to the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-255489) to which such Selling Stockholder is a party, (c) breach or result in a default under any agreement, indenture or instrument listed on Schedule B to this letter or (d) violate the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “LPA”), the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “LLCA”) and those laws, rules and regulations of the United States of America and the State of New York (“Applicable Law”), in each case, which in our experience are normally applicable to the transactions of the type contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, except in the case of clauses (b), (c) and (d) above, where the breach, default or violation could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Selling Stockholder’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement. For purposes of this letter, the term “Applicable Law” does not include federal securities laws or state securities laws, other anti-fraud laws, or any law, rule or regulation that is applicable to the Selling Stockholder, the Shares, the Underwriting Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby solely because such law, rule or regulation is part of a regulatory regime applicable to any party to the Underwriting Agreement or any of its affiliates due to the specific assets or business of such party or such affiliate.

5. With respect to each Selling Stockholder, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any Governmental Authority, which has not been obtained, taken or made is required by such Selling Stockholder under any Applicable Law for the execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholder of the Underwriting Agreement and the performance by such Selling Stockholder of its obligations thereunder. For purposes of this letter, the term “Governmental Authority” means any executive, legislative, judicial, administrative or regulatory body of the State of Delaware, the State of New York or the United States of America.

6. Assuming the Underwriter acquires its interest in the Shares it has purchased from the Selling Stockholders under the Underwriting Agreement without notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York on the date hereof (the “NY-UCC”)) with respect to the Shares, (i) the Underwriter that has purchased the Shares delivered on the date hereof to The Depository Trust Company (assuming The Depository Trust Company is a clearing corporation within the meaning of Section 8-102(a)(5) of the NY-UCC) or other securities intermediary (assuming such other securities intermediary is a securities intermediary within the meaning of Section 8-102(14) of the NY-UCC) by making payment therefor as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, and that has had the Shares credited by book entry to the securities account or accounts (within the meaning of Section 8-501(a) of the NY-UCC, assuming that the securities intermediary’s jurisdiction (within the meaning of Section 8-110(e) of the NY-UCC) for the securities account or accounts is the State of New York) of the

 

Exhibit B-1


Underwriter maintained by The Depository Trust Company or such other securities intermediary will have acquired a security entitlement (within the meaning of Section 8-102(a)(17) of the NY-UCC) to such Shares purchased by the Underwriter and (ii) no action based on an adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-102(a)(1) and Section 8-502 of the NY-UCC) may be asserted against the Underwriter with respect to such Shares.

 

Exhibit B-2


Exhibit C

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

November 8, 2021

Talos Energy Inc.

333 Clay Street, Suite 3300

Houston, Texas 77002

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

Ladies and Gentlemen:

As an inducement to the underwriter to execute the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), pursuant to which an offering (the “Offering”) will be made of shares of the common stock (the “Securities”) of Talos Energy Inc., and any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereto (the “Company”), the undersigned hereby agrees that during the period specified in the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any Securities, enter into a transaction that would have the same effect, or enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Securities, whether any such aforementioned transaction is to be settled by delivery of the Securities or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any such transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each case, the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (the “Underwriter”). In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, it will not, during the Lock-Up Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Securities or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for the Securities.

The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Lock-Up Agreement and continue and include the date that is 30 days after the public offering date set forth on the final prospectus used to sell the Securities (the “Public Offering Date”) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, to which you are or expect to become parties.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the restrictions in this Lock-Up Agreement shall not apply to: (i) transfers of Securities or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities (a) as a bona fide gift or gifts; (b) to a family member, trust or family partnership (for purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, a “family member” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); (c) to a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity of which the undersigned and the immediate family of the undersigned are the legal and beneficial owner of all of the outstanding equity securities or similar interests; or (d) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under the foregoing clauses (a) through (c); (ii) if the undersigned is a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership, any transfer of Securities or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities to (a) its limited or general partners, members or stockholders or (b) its affiliates or other entities controlled or managed by the undersigned or any of its affiliates (other than the Company and its subsidiaries); (iii) the exercise of options or vesting or settlement of any other equity-based award, in each case, granted under the Talos Energy Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan, including any Securities withheld by the Company to pay the applicable exercise price or taxes associated with such awards, provided, however, that any Securities received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement, following any applicable net settlement or net withholding, will be subject to the restrictions of this Lock-Up Agreement; (iv) any Securities acquired by the undersigned in the open market after completion of the Offering; (v) the transfer or disposition of any Securities (a) as a result of the operation of law, or pursuant to an order of a court (including a domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree, or separation agreement) or regulatory agency or (b) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession; (vi) the repurchase of Securities

 

Exhibit C-1


by the Company pursuant to equity award agreements or other contractual arrangements providing for the right of said repurchase in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s employment or service with the Company; (vii) the entering into by the undersigned of a written trading plan (“Rule 10b5-1 Plan”) pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) during the Lock-Up Period (or amendment to an existing Rule 10b5-1 Plan) and transfers or sales of Securities pursuant to such Rule 10b5-1 Plan, provided that any filing required to be made under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act as a result of such transfer or sale shall state that such transfer or sale is pursuant to a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1; and (viii) transfers or sales of Securities pursuant to any Rule 10b5-1 Plan that has been entered into by the undersigned prior to the date of this Letter Agreement, provided that any filing required to be made under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act as a result of such transfer or sale shall state that such transfer or sale is pursuant to a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (i), (1) each donee, distributee or transferee shall agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (2) such transfer or distribution shall not involve a disposition for value and (3) no filing by the undersigned or any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act, or other public announcement, shall be voluntarily made in connection with any such transfer, and if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act in connection with such transfer during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such report to the effect that the filing relates to a bona fide gift or that such transfer or other disposition of Securities, as applicable, or any security convertible into Securities, is to an immediate family member, an entity of which the undersigned and the immediate family of the undersigned are the legal and beneficial owner of all of the outstanding equity securities or similar interests, or a nominee or custodian of an immediately family member or such entity, and not a disposition for value; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (ii), (1) that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement prior to such transfer, (2) such transfer does not involve a disposition for value and (3) no filing or public announcement by any party (transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act, or other public announcement, shall be voluntarily made in connection with any such transfer, and if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act in connection with such transfer during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such report to the effect that the filing relates to a transfer or other disposition of Securities, as applicable, or any security convertible into Securities, to such entity’s limited or general partners, members or stockholders or its affiliates or other entities controlled or managed by the undersigned; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (v), no filing by the undersigned or any party (transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act, or other public announcement, shall be voluntarily made in connection with any such transfer, and if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act related thereto during the Lock-Up Period, such report shall disclose that such transfer was as a result of the operation of law, or pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency or by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (vi), no filing by the undersigned under the Exchange Act, or other public announcement, shall be voluntarily made in connection with any such transfer, and if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act related thereto during the Lock-Up Period, such report shall disclose that such transfer was a result of the repurchase of Securities by the Company pursuant to equity award agreements or other contractual arrangements in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s employment or service with the Company. The Company and the Underwriter acknowledge and agree that any other Lock-Up Agreement executed in connection with the Offering shall contain the same terms as provided herein and to the extent any person is released or otherwise granted a waiver or modification of its Lock-Up Agreement executed in connection with the Offering, the undersigned shall be simultaneously granted the same release, waiver of modification with respect to this Lock-Up Agreement.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent and registrar are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of Securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Agreement.

This Lock-Up Agreement shall be binding on the undersigned and the successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns of the undersigned. This Lock-Up Agreement shall lapse and become null and void if the Public Offering Date shall not have occurred on or before November 9, 2021, or upon notification by the Company to the Underwriter that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering. This agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

[Signature page follows]

 

Exhibit C-2


Very truly yours,
[Name of officer, director or stockholder]
By:  

 

Name:
Title:

 

Exhibit C-3