U.S. ENERGY CORP. PLACEMENT AGENT AGREEMENT

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Dated as of: May 5, 2006

Newbridge Securities Corporation

1451 Cypress Creek Road, Suite 204

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned, U.S. Energy Corp., a Wyoming corporation (the “Company”), hereby agrees with Newbridge Securities Corporation (the “Placement Agent”) as follows:

 

1. Offering. The Company hereby engages the Placement Agent to act as its exclusive placement agent in connection with the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement dated the date hereof between the Company and Cornell Capital Partners, LP (the “Investor”) (the “Standby Equity Distribution Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company shall issue and sell to the Investor, from time to time, and the Investor shall purchase from the Company (the “Offering”) up to Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000) (the “Commitment Amount”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), at price per share equal to the Purchase Price, as that term is defined in the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement. The Placement Agent services shall consist of reviewing the terms of the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement and advising the Company with respect to those terms. The Placement Agent shall provide its advice in writing to the Company.

 

All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning ascribed to them as in the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement. The Investor will be granted certain registration rights with respect to the Common Stock as more fully set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the Investor dated the date hereof (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). The documents to be executed and delivered in connection with the Offering, including, but not limited, to the Company’s latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, this Agreement, the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement, and the Registration Rights Agreement are referred to sometimes hereinafter collectively as the “Offering Materials.” The Company’s Common Stock purchased by the Investor under the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement is sometimes referred to hereinafter as the “Securities.” The Placement Agent shall not be obligated to sell any Securities.

 

2. Compensation.

 

A. On April 11, 2006 the Company issued to the Placement Agent or its designee one thousand three hundred thirty nine (1,399) shares of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Placement Agent’s Shares”). The Placement Agent shall be entitled to “piggy-back”

 

registration rights with respect to the Placement Agent’s Shares, which shall be triggered upon registration of any shares of Common Stock by the Company pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement dated the date hereof.

 

3. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Placement Agent.

 

A. The Placement Agent represents, warrants and covenants as follows:

 

(i) The Placement Agent has the necessary power to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(ii) The execution and delivery by the Placement Agent of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not result in any violation of, or be in conflict with, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which the Placement Agent is a party or by which the Placement Agent or its properties are bound, or any judgment, decree, order or, to the Placement Agent’s knowledge, any statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Placement Agent. This Agreement when executed and delivered by the Placement Agent, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Placement Agent, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent that (a) the enforceability hereof or thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally, (b) the enforceability hereof or thereof is subject to general principles of equity, or (c) the indemnification provisions hereof or thereof may be held to be in violation of public policy.

 

(iii) Upon receipt and execution of this Agreement, the Placement Agent will promptly forward copies of this Agreement to the Company or its counsel and the Investor or its counsel.

 

(iv) The Placement Agent will not intentionally take any action that it reasonably believes would cause the Offering to violate the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), the respective rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”) or applicable “Blue Sky” laws of any state or jurisdiction.

 

(v) The Placement Agent is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and is a broker-dealer registered as such under the 1934 Act and under the securities laws of the states in which the Securities will be offered or sold by the Placement Agent unless an exemption for such state registration is available to the Placement Agent. The Placement Agent is in material compliance with the rules and regulations applicable to the Placement Agent generally and applicable to the Placement Agent’s participation in the Offering.

 

 

4. Representations and Warranties of the Company.

 

A. The Company represents and warrants as follows:

 

The representations and warranties made by the Company in Sections 4.1 through 4.20 of the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement incorporated by reference herein.

 

(i) Subject to the performance by the Placement Agent of its obligations hereunder the offer and sale of the Securities complies, and will continue to comply, in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 506 of Regulation D promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the 1933 Act and any other applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations and executive orders. Neither the Offering Materials nor any amendment or supplement thereto nor any documents prepared by the Company in connection with the Offering will contain 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. All statements of material facts in the Offering Materials are true and correct as of the date of the Offering Materials.

 

5. Certain Covenants and Agreements of the Company.

 

The Company covenants and agrees at its expense and without any expense to the Placement Agent as follows:

 

A. To advise the Placement Agent of any material adverse change in the Company’s financial condition, prospects or business or of any development materially affecting the Company or rendering untrue or misleading any material statement in the Offering Materials occurring at any time as soon as the Company is either informed or becomes aware thereof.

B. To comply with the terms of the Offering Materials.

C. Upon the effectiveness of a registration statement covering the Securities, the Company shall promptly provide the Placement Agent with an opinion of Counsel to the Company, which opinion shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to and the Placement Agent.

D. At or prior to the Closing, the Company shall have been furnished such documents, certificates and opinions as it may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling the Placement Agent to review or pass upon the matters referred to in this Agreement and the Offering Materials, or in order to evidence the accuracy, completeness or satisfaction of any of the representations, warranties or conditions herein contained.

6. Indemnification and Limitation of Liability.

 

A. The Company hereby agrees that it will indemnify and hold the Placement Agent and each officer, director, shareholder, employee or representative of the Placement Agent

 

and each person controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Placement Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act or the SEC’s Rules and Regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”), harmless from and against any and all loss, claim, damage, liability, cost or expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all reasonable legal fees and other expenses and disbursements incurred in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any action, suit or proceeding, including any inquiry or investigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever or in appearing or preparing for appearance as a witness in any action, suit or proceeding, including any inquiry, investigation or pretrial proceeding such as a deposition) to which the Placement Agent or such indemnified person of the Placement Agent may become subject under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the Rules and Regulations, or any other federal or state law or regulation, common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (a) Section 4 of this Agreement, (b) the Offering Materials (except those written statements relating to the Placement Agent given by the Placement Agent for inclusion therein), (c) any application or other document or written communication executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company filed in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Common Stock under the securities laws thereof, or any state securities commission or agency; (ii) the omission or alleged omission from documents described in clauses (a), (b) or (c) above of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (iii) the breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement made by the Company in this Agreement. The Company further agrees that upon demand by an indemnified person, at any time or from time to time, it will promptly reimburse such indemnified person for any loss, claim, damage, liability, cost or expense actually and reasonably paid by the indemnified person as to which the Company has indemnified such person pursuant hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Paragraph 7(A), any such payment or reimbursement by the Company of fees, expenses or disbursements incurred by an indemnified person in any proceeding in which a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction (after all appeals or the expiration of time to appeal) is entered against the Placement Agent or such indemnified person based upon specific finding of fact that the Placement Agent or such indemnified person’s gross negligence or willful misfeasance will be promptly repaid to the Company.

 

B.  The Placement Agent hereby agrees that it will indemnify and hold the Company and each officer, director, shareholder, employee or representative of the Company, and each person controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act or the Rules and Regulations, harmless from and against any and all loss, claim, damage, liability, cost or expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all reasonable legal fees and other expenses and disbursements incurred in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any action, suit or proceeding, including any inquiry or investigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever or in appearing or preparing for appearance as a witness in any action, suit or proceeding, including any inquiry, investigation or pretrial proceeding such as a deposition) to which the Company or such indemnified person of the Company may become subject under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the Rules and Regulations, or any other federal or state law or regulation, common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon (i) the material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement made by the Placement Agent in this Agreement, or (ii) any false or misleading information provided to the Company in writing by

 

one of the Placement Agent’s indemnified persons specifically for inclusion in the Offering Materials.

 

C. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of commencement of any action covered by Section 7(A) or (B), the party to be indemnified shall, within five (5) business days, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; the omission by one (1) indemnified party to so notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligation to indemnify any other indemnified party that has given such notice and shall not relieve the indemnifying party of any liability outside of this indemnification if not materially prejudiced thereby. In the event that any action is brought against the indemnified party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent it may desire, to assume and control the defense thereof with counsel chosen by it which is reasonably acceptable to the indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election to so assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under such Section 7(A) or (B), for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof, but the indemnified party may, at its own expense, participate in such defense by counsel chosen by it, without, however, impairing the indemnifying party’s control of the defense. Subject to the proviso of this sentence and notwithstanding any other statement to the contrary contained herein, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to choose its or their own counsel and control the defense of any action, all at the expense of the indemnifying party if (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party in connection with the defense of such action at the expense of the indemnifying party, or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to one or all of the indemnifying parties (in which case the indemnifying parties shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses of one additional counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party; provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstance, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all such indemnified parties. No settlement of any action or proceeding against an indemnified party shall be made without the consent of the indemnifying party.

 

D.  In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in Section 7(A) or 7(B) is due in accordance with its terms but is for any reason held by a court to be unavailable on grounds of policy or otherwise, the Company and the Placement Agent shall contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the investigation or defense of same) which the other may incur in such proportion so that the Placement Agent shall be responsible for such percent of the aggregate of such losses, claims, damages and liabilities as shall equal the percentage of the gross proceeds paid to the Placement Agent and the Company shall be responsible for the balance; provided, however, that no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act shall

 

be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 7(D), any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Placement Agent, or any partner, director, officer, employee, representative or any agent of any thereof, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Placement Agent and each person controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each officer of the Company and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against the other party under this Section 7(D), notify such party from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify such party shall not relieve the party from whom contribution may be sought from any obligation they may have hereunder or otherwise if the party from whom contribution may be sought is not materially prejudiced thereby.

 

E. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 7 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any indemnified person or any termination of this Agreement.

 

F. The Company hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any right to or claim of any punitive, exemplary, incidental, indirect, special, consequential or other damages (including, without limitation, loss of profits) against the Placement Agent and each officer, director, shareholder, employee or representative of the placement agent and each person controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Placement Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act or the Rules and Regulations arising out of any cause whatsoever (whether such cause be based in contract, negligence, strict liability, other tort or otherwise). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the aggregate liability of the Placement Agent and each officer, director, shareholder, employee or representative of the Placement Agent and each person controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Placement Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act or the Rules and Regulations shall not exceed the compensation received by the Placement Agent pursuant to Section 2 hereof. This limitation of liability shall apply regardless of the cause of action, whether contract, tort (including, without limitation, negligence) or breach of statute or any other legal or equitable obligation.

 

7. Payment of Expenses.

 

The Company hereby agrees to bear all of the expenses in connection with the Offering, including, but not limited to the following: filing fees, printing and duplicating costs, advertisements, postage and mailing expenses with respect to the transmission of Offering Materials, registrar and transfer agent fees, escrow agent fees and expenses, fees of the Company’s counsel and accountants, issue and transfer taxes, if any.

 

8. Termination.

 

This Agreement shall be co-terminus with, and terminate upon the same terms and conditions as those set forth in the Standby Equity Distribution Agreement.

 

 

 

 

 

A. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all which shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument.

 

B. Any notice required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effective when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, or when received if personally delivered or faxed (upon confirmation of receipt received by the sending party), addressed as follows to such other address of which written notice is given to the others):

 

If to Placement Agent, to:	Newbridge Securities Corporation
	1451 Cypress Creek Road, Suite 204
	Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309
	Attention: Doug Aguililla
	Telephone:  ###-###-####
	Facsimile:  ###-###-####
If to the Company, to:	U.S. Energy Corp.
	877 North 8th West
	Glen L. Larsen Building
	Riverton, WY 82501
	Attention: Mark J. Larsen
	Telephone: (307) 856-9271
	Facsimile: (307) 857-3050
With a copy to:	The Law Office of Stephen E. Rounds
	1544 York Street, Suite 110
	Denver, CO 80206
	Attention : Stephen E. Rounds
	Telephone: (303) 377-6997
	Facsimile: (303) 377-0231

 

C. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in all respects under the laws of the State of New Jersey, without reference to its conflict of laws rules or principles. Any suit, action, proceeding or litigation arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be brought and prosecuted in such federal or state court or courts located within the State of New Jersey as provided by law. The parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consent to the jurisdiction of each such court or courts located within the State of New Jersey and to service of process by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or by any other manner provided by applicable law, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive any right to claim that any suit, action, proceeding or litigation so commenced has been commenced in an inconvenient forum.

 

D. This Agreement and the other agreements referenced herein contain the entire understanding between the parties hereto and may not be modified or amended except by a writing duly signed by the party against whom enforcement of the modification or amendment is sought.

 

E. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Placement Agent Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

	U.S. Energy Corp.
	By: /s/ Mark J. Larsen
	Name:  Mark J. Larsen
	Title:  President
	Newbridge Securities Corporation
	By: Guy S. Amico
	Name: Guy S. Amico
	Title: President