TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

B.

Expenses.  The Company will pay all expenses associated with each registration, including filing and printing fees, the Company’s counsel and accounting fees and expenses, costs associated with clearing the Registrable Securities for sale under applicable state securities laws, and listing fees. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any discounts, commissions, fees of underwriters, selling brokers, dealer managers or similar securities industry professionals with respect to the Registrable Securities being sold, or any legal fees or other costs of the holders.

 

C.

Effectiveness.

 

1.

The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to have the Registration Statement declared effective as soon as practicable.  The Company shall notify the Purchaser by facsimile or e-mail as promptly as practicable, and in any event, within two (2) Trading Days, after any Registration Statement is declared effective and shall simultaneously provide the Purchaser with copies of any related Prospectus to be used in connection with the sale or other disposition of the securities covered thereby.  If (A) a Registration Statement covering the Registrable Securities is not declared effective by the Commission prior to the earlier of (i) five (5) Trading Days after the Commission shall have informed the Company that no review of the Registration Statement will be made or that the Commission has no further comments on the Registration Statement or (ii) the 90th day after the filing date, or (B) after a Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission, sales cannot be made pursuant to such Registration Statement for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a stop order, or the Company’s failure to update the Registration Statement), but excluding any Allowed Delay (as defined below), then the Company will make payments to Purchaser, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, in an amount equal to 1.0% of the aggregate amount invested by Purchaser for each 30-day period or pro rata for any portion thereof following the date by which such Registration Statement should have been effective (the “Blackout Period”).  Such payments shall constitute the Purchaser’s exclusive monetary remedy for such events, but shall not affect the right of the Purchaser to seek injunctive relief.  The amounts payable as liquidated damages pursuant to this paragraph shall be paid monthly within ten (10) days of the last day of each month following the commencement of the Blackout Period until the termination of the Blackout Period. The Blackout Period shall expire upon the declaration of effectiveness by the Commission of the Registration Statement (if the Blackout Period is covered by clause (A) of this Section 2(c)(i)) or the date on which sales pursuant to the Registration Statement may resume (if the Blackout Period is covered by clause (B) of this Section 2(c)(i)). Such payments shall be made to Purchaser in cash no later than ten (10) days after the end of each 30-day period.  Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary contained herein, liquidated damages, if any, payable pursuant to this Section 2(c) shall cease to accrue after the date that is six (6) months after the Closing Date.

 

2.

For not more than twenty (20) consecutive days or for a total of not more than forty-five (45) days in any twelve (12) month period, the Company may suspend the use of any Prospectus included in any Registration Statement contemplated by this Section 2 in the event that the Company determines in good faith that such suspension is necessary to (A) delay the disclosure of material non-public information concerning the Company, the disclosure of which at the time is not, in the good faith opinion of the Company, in the best interests of the Company or (B) amend or supplement the affected Registration Statement or the related Prospectus so that such Registration Statement or Prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the case of the Prospectus in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (C) to file a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement to comply with the undertakings required by Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K (an “Allowed Delay”); provided, that the Company shall promptly (a) notify Purchaser in writing of the commencement of and the reasons for an Allowed Delay, but shall not (without the prior written consent of Purchaser) disclose to Purchaser any material non-public information giving rise to an Allowed Delay, (b) advise the Purchaser in writing to cease all sales under the Registration Statement until the end of the Allowed Delay and (c) use commercially reasonable efforts to terminate an Allowed Delay as promptly as practicable.

 

D.

Rule 415; Cutback  If at any time the Commission takes the position that the offering of some or all of the Registrable Securities in a Registration Statement is not eligible to be made on a delayed or continuous basis under the provisions of Rule 415 under the Securities Act or requires any Purchaser to be named as an “underwriter”, the Company shall (i) remove from the Registration Statement such portion of the Registrable Securities (the “Cut Back Shares”) and/or (ii) agree to such restrictions and limitations on the registration and resale of the Registrable Securities as the Commission may require to assure the Company’s compliance with the requirements of Rule 415 (collectively, the “Commission Restrictions”); provided, however, that the Company shall not agree to name Purchaser as an “underwriter” in such Registration Statement without the prior written consent of Purchaser. No liquidated damages shall accrue as to any Cut Back Shares until such date as the Company is able to effect the registration of such Cut Back Shares in accordance with any Commission Restrictions (such date, the “Restriction Termination Date”).  From and after the Restriction Termination Date applicable to any Cut Back Shares, all of the provisions of this Section 2 (including the liquidated damages provisions) shall again be applicable to such Cut Back Shares; provided, however, that (i) the Filing Deadline for the Registration Statement including such Cut Back Shares shall be forty-five (45) days after such Restriction Termination Date, and (ii) the date by which the Company is required to obtain effectiveness with respect to such Cut Back Shares under Section 2(c) shall be the 90th day immediately after the filing date of the Registration Statement filed with respect to such Cut Back Shares.

III.

Company Obligations.  The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the terms hereof, and pursuant thereto the Company will:

 

A.

use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and to remain continuously effective for a period that will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement as amended from time to time, have been sold, and (ii) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement may be sold without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 (the “Effectiveness Period”);

 

B.

prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective for the Effectiveness Period and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the distribution of all of the Registrable Securities covered thereby;

 

C.

provide copies to and permit one counsel designated by the Purchaser to review each Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto no fewer than five (5) days prior to their filing with the Commission and not file any document to which such counsel reasonably objects;

 

D.

furnish to the holders of Registrable Securities (i) promptly after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed with the Commission, or received by the Company (but not later than two (2) Trading Days after the filing date, receipt date or sending date, as the case may be) one (1) copy of any Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, each preliminary prospectus and Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, and each letter written by or on behalf of the Company to the Commission or the staff of the Commission, and each item of correspondence from the Commission or the staff of the Commission, in each case relating to such Registration Statement (other than any portion of any thereof which contains information for which the Company has sought confidential treatment), and (ii) such number of copies of a Prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto and such other documents as Purchaser may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by Purchaser that are covered by the related Registration Statement;

 

E.

use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness and, (ii) if such order is issued, obtain the withdrawal of any such order at the earliest possible moment;

 

G.

use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange, interdealer quotation system or other market on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;

 

H.

immediately notify the Purchaser, at any time prior to the end of the Effectiveness Period, upon discovery that, or upon the happening of any event as a result of which, the Prospectus includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing, and promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish to such holder a supplement to or an amendment of such Prospectus as may be necessary so that such Prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing; and

 

I.

otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including, without limitation, Rule 172 under the Securities Act, file any final Prospectus, including any supplement or amendment thereof, with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, promptly inform the Purchaser in writing if, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, the Company does not satisfy the conditions specified in Rule 172 and, as a result thereof, the Purchaser are required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with any disposition of Registrable Securities and take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate the registration of the Registrable Securities hereunder; and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than the Availability Date (as defined below), an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve (12) months, beginning after the effective date of each Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act, including Rule 158 promulgated thereunder (for the purpose of this subsection 3(i), “Availability Date” means the 45th day following the end of the fourth fiscal quarter that includes the effective date of such Registration Statement, except that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, “Availability Date” means the 90th day after the end of such fourth fiscal quarter).

 

J.

with a view to making available to the holders of Registrable Securities the benefits of Rule 144 (or its successor rule) and any other rule or regulation of the Commission that may at any time permit the Purchaser to sell shares of Common Stock to the public without registration, the Company covenants and agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to:  (i) make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144, until the earlier of (A) six months after such date as all of the Registrable Securities may be sold without restriction by the holders thereof pursuant to Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect or (B) such date as all of the Registrable Securities shall have been resold; and (ii) file with the Commission in a timely manner (including any applicable extension periods) all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Exchange Act.

IV.

Obligations of the Purchaser.

 

A.

Purchaser shall furnish in writing to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it, as shall be reasonably required to effect the registration of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request.  At least five (5) Trading Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of any Registration Statement, the Company shall notify Purchaser of the information the Company requires from Purchaser if Purchaser elects to have any of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement.  Purchaser shall provide such information to the Company at least two (2) Trading Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement if Purchaser elects to have any of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement. The Company shall not be required to include the Registrable Securities of a holder thereof in a Registration Statement and shall not be required to pay any liquidated or other damages under Sections 2(a) or 2(c) hereof to such holder or other Person who fails to furnish to the Company a fully completed selling stockholder questionnaire at least two Trading Days prior to the Filing Date.

 

B.

Purchaser, by its acceptance of the Registrable Securities agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement hereunder, unless Purchaser has notified the Company in writing of its election to exclude all of its Registrable Securities from such Registration Statement.

 

C.

Purchaser agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of either (i) the commencement of an Allowed Delay pursuant to Section 2(c)(ii), or (ii) the happening of an event pursuant to Section 3(h) hereof, Purchaser will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities, until the Purchaser is advised by the Company that such dispositions may again be made.

V.

Indemnification.

 

A.

Indemnification by the Company.  The Company will indemnify and hold harmless Purchaser, its affiliates, and their respective beneficiaries, trustees, heirs, directors, managers, officers, stockholders, members, partners, employees, agents, successors and assigns, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any preliminary Prospectus or final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereof; (ii) any blue sky application or other document executed by the Company specifically for that purpose or based upon written information furnished by the Company filed in any state or other jurisdiction in order to qualify any or all of the Registrable Securities under the securities laws thereof (any such application, document or information herein called a “Blue Sky Application”); (iii) the omission or alleged omission to state in a Blue Sky Application a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (iv) any violation by the Company or its agents of any rule or regulation promulgated under the Securities Act applicable to the Company or its agents and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with such registration; or (v) any failure to register or qualify the Registrable Securities included in any such Registration Statement in any state where the Company or its agents has affirmatively undertaken or agreed in writing that the Company will undertake such registration or qualification on Purchaser’s behalf and will reimburse Purchaser, and each such officer, director or member and each such controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case if and to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon (i) Purchaser’s failure to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, (ii) the use by Purchaser of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Purchase in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective, or (iii) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission so made in conformity with information furnished by Purchaser or any such controlling person in writing specifically for use in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or Blue Sky Application.

 

B.

Indemnification by the Purchaser.  Purchaser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company, its directors, officers, employees, stockholders and each person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expense (including reasonable attorney fees) resulting from (i) Purchaser’s failure to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act; (ii) the use by Purchaser of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Purchase in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective; or (iii) any untrue statement of a material fact or any omission of a material fact required to be stated in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto or in any Blue Sky Application or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (A) to the extent, but only to the extent that (1) such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information furnished in writing by Purchaser to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto or Blue Sky Application or (2) such information relates to Purchaser or Purchaser’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by Purchaser expressly for use in a Registration Statement (it being understood that the Purchaser has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto.  In no event shall the liability of Purchaser be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expense paid by Purchaser in connection with any claim relating to this Section 5 and the amount of any damages Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission) received by Purchaser upon the sale of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement giving rise to such indemnification obligation, except in the case of fraud or willful misconduct by Purchaser.

 

C.

Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings.  Any person entitled to indemnification hereunder shall (i) give prompt notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification and (ii) permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; provided that any person entitled to indemnification hereunder shall have the right to employ separate counsel and to participate in the defense of such claim, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such person unless (a) the indemnifying party has agreed to pay such fees or expenses, or (b) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense of such claim and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such person or (c) in the reasonable judgment of any such person, based upon written advice of its counsel, a conflict of interest exists between such person and the indemnifying party with respect to such claims (in which case, if the person notifies the indemnifying party in writing that such person elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such claim on behalf of such person); and provided, further, that the failure of any indemnified party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations hereunder, except to the extent that such failure to give notice shall materially adversely affect the indemnifying party in the defense of any such claim or litigation.  It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for fees or expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all such indemnified parties.  No indemnifying party will, except with the consent of the indemnified party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect of such claim or litigation.

 

D.

Contribution.  If for any reason the indemnification provided for in the preceding paragraphs (a) and (b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient to hold it harmless, other than as expressly specified therein, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnified party and the indemnifying party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from any person not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  In no event shall the contribution obligation of a holder of Registrable Securities be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 5 and the amount of any damages such holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission) received by it upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation except in the case of fraud or willful misconduct by such holder.

VI.

Miscellaneous.

 

A.

Amendments and Waivers.  This Agreement may be amended only by a writing signed by the Company and the Purchaser.  The Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company shall have obtained the written consent to such amendment, action or omission to act, of the Purchaser.

 

B.

Notices.  All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made as set forth in Section 5.4 of the Purchase Agreement.

 

C.

Assignments and Transfers by Purchaser.  The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Purchaser and its respective successors and assigns.  Purchaser may transfer or assign, in whole or from time to time in part, to one or more persons its rights hereunder in connection with the transfer of Registrable Securities by Purchaser to such person, provided that Purchaser complies with all laws applicable thereto and provides written notice of assignment to the Company promptly after such assignment is effected.

 

D.

Assignments and Transfers by the Company.  This Agreement may not be assigned by the Company (whether by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the Purchaser, provided, however, that in the event that the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, share exchange or similar business combination transaction in which the Common Stock is converted into the equity securities of another Person, from and after the effective time of such transaction, such Person shall, by virtue of such transaction, be deemed to have assumed the obligations of the Company hereunder, the term “Company” shall be deemed to refer to such Person and the term “Registrable Securities” shall be deemed to include the securities received by the Purchaser in connection with such transaction unless such securities are otherwise freely tradable by the Purchaser after giving effect to such transaction.

 

E.

Benefits of the Agreement.  The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective permitted successors and assigns of the parties.  Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and assigns any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.

 

F.

Execution.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart.  In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof..

 

G.

Headings.  The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

H.

Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

I.

Further Assurances.  The parties shall execute and deliver all such further instruments and documents and take all such other actions as may reasonably be required to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby and to evidence the fulfillment of the agreements herein contained.

 

J.

Entire Agreement.  This Agreement, together with the Purchase Agreement and the exhibits and schedules hereto and thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

 

K.

Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.  The parties agree that venue for any dispute arising under this Agreement will lie exclusively in the state or federal courts located in the County of Los Angeles, California, and the parties irrevocably waive any right to raise forum non conveniens or any other argument that such venue is not the proper venue.  The parties irrevocably consent to personal jurisdiction in the state and federal courts in the County of Los Angeles, California.  The Company and Purchaser consent to process being served in any such Action by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.  Nothing in this Section 6(k) shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

L.

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.

 

M.

Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.

 

 

4927 Calloway Dr., Bakersfield, California 93312

Attn:  President

By: /s/ Maston N. Cunningham 

     Maston N. Cunningham

     President and Chief Executive Officer

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

Fax:

 

K&L Gates LLP

1900 Main Street

Suite 600

Irvine, CA 92614

Attn: Joshua A. Lane, Esq.

Fax: (949) 623-4456