EX-101 INSTANCE DOCUMENT

EX-10.1 2 c60750exv10w1.htm EX-10.1 exv10w1
Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
AMENDMENT AGREEMENT
     This Amendment Agreement dated as of May 9, 2007 (this “Amendment”) is among (i) THE WILLIAMS COMPANIES, INC., a Delaware corporation (“TWC”), WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“MLP”), NORTHWEST PIPELINE CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (“NWP”), TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (“TGPL”, and together with TWC, MLP and NWP, the “Borrowers”), (ii) the banks, financial institutions and other institutional lenders (“Banks”) that are parties to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 1, 2006 (the “Credit Agreement”) among the Borrowers, the Banks, CITIBANK, N.A., BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (each, an “Issuing Bank”, and collectively, the “Issuing Banks”), and CITIBANK, N.A., as administrative agent (the “Agent”) under the Credit Agreement, (iii) the Agent, and (iv) the Issuing Banks. In consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the Borrowers, the Banks, the Agent and the Issuing Banks agree as set forth herein.
     Section 1. Amendments to Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement is hereby amended as follows:
     Section 1.1. Section 1.01. Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by amending the definitions of “Rating Category” and “Termination Date” to read as follows:
     “Rating Category” means, as to any Borrower, the relevant category (designated as a “Level” followed by a Roman numeral) applicable to such Borrower from time to time as set forth on Schedule IV, which is based on the ratings (or lack thereof) of such Borrower’s senior unsecured long-term debt by S&P or Moody’s. In the event there is a split between the ratings of any Borrower’s senior unsecured long-term debt by S&P and Moody’s, “Rating Category” shall be determined based on the lower rating of such Borrower’s senior unsecured long-term debt by S&P or Moody’s; provided that if such Borrower’s rating is BB- or higher from S&P and Ba3 or higher from Moody’s and there is a split between the two ratings, the pricing for such Borrower will be based on (i) if the split is one subgrade, the higher rating and (ii) if the split is more than one subgrade, the rating that is one subgrade below the higher rating. For example, if S&P rates the senior unsecured long-term debt of a Borrower BB+ and Moody’s rates such debt B2, then Level VI on Schedule IV shall apply to such Borrower. For the avoidance of doubt (x) if there is a split between Level I and Level III, then Level I shall apply and (y) if the applicable Borrower’s rating is BB- or higher from S&P and Ba3 or higher from Moody’s and if there is a split between Level I and Level IV, V or VI, then Level III shall apply.
     “Termination Date” means the earlier of (i) May 1,2012 or (ii) the date of termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.4 or 6.1.
     Section 1.2. Schedule IV. Schedule IV of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting it in its entirety and replacing it with Schedule IV attached hereto.
     Section 2. Miscellaneous.
     Section 2.1. Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Amendment, nor consent to any departure by any Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless effected in accordance with Section 8.1 of the Credit Agreement.
     Section 2.2. Governing Law. This Amendment and the Credit Agreement as amended hereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

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     Section 2.3. Preservation. Except as specifically modified by the terms of this Amendment, all of the terms, provisions, covenants, warranties and agreements contained in the Credit Agreement, any Credit Document or any other document executed in connection with or pursuant to the Credit Agreement remain in full force and effect. Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined herein and are defined in the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, are used herein as defined in the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby. Each reference to the Credit Agreement in any Credit Document or other document executed in connection with or pursuant to the Credit Agreement shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement as amended hereby.
     Section 2.4. Execution in Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
     Section 2.5. Representations and Warranties. Each Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Banks that:
     (a) The execution, delivery and performance by such Borrower, the performance of the Credit Agreement as amended hereby by such Borrower and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby are within such Borrower’s corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company action, require no material authorization, approval or other action by, or notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body, do not contravene (i) such Borrower’s charter, by-laws or formation agreement or (ii) law or any restriction under any material agreement binding on or affecting such Borrower and will not result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien prohibited by the Credit Agreement.
     (b) this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by such Borrower,
     (c) this Amendment and the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of such Borrower, enforceable against such Borrower in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar law affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity,
     (d) the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.1 of the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, and each of the representations and warranties contained in any other Credit Document, in each case made by such Borrower as to itself and to its Subsidiaries only, are correct in all material respects on and as of the date hereof as though made on and as of the date hereof (unless such representation and warranty speaks solely as of a particular date or a particular period, in which case, as of such date or for such period),
     (e) no event has occurred and is continuing or would result from the transactions contemplated hereby, which constitutes a Default or an Event of Default, and
     (f) after giving effect to this Amendment, such Borrower will be in compliance with each proviso set forth in Section 2.I(a) of the Credit Agreement and the first proviso set forth in Section 2.1 (b) of the Credit Agreement.
     Section 2.6. Bank Credit Decision. Each of the Banks and Issuing Banks acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, any Issuing Bank or any other Bank and based

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on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Amendment and to agree to the various matters set forth herein. Each of the Banks and Issuing Banks also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, any Issuing Bank or any other Bank and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking any action under the Credit Agreement as amended hereby.
     Section 2.7. Effectiveness. This Amendment shall become effective as of the date first written above (the “Amendment Effective Date”) only upon the satisfaction of all of the following conditions precedent:
     (a) Execution of (i) this Amendment by each of the Banks, the Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Borrowers and (ii) the Acknowledgment and Consent attached to this Amendment by each of TWC and Pipeline Holdco. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Amendment or the Acknowledgement and Consent by telecopier shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment or Acknowledgement and Consent, as applicable.
     (b) The Agent shall have received certified copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors, or an authorized committee thereof or other relevant Person, of each Borrower and Pipeline Holdco authorizing in the case of each Borrower, the execution of this Amendment, and in the case of TWC and Pipeline Holdco, the Acknowledgement and Consent attached hereto.
     (c) The Agent shall have received a certificate of each Borrower and Pipeline Holdco, signed on behalf of such Borrower or Pipeline Holdco, as applicable, by an Authorized Officer thereof, dated as of the Amendment Effective Date (the statements made in which certificate shall be true on and as of the Amendment Effective Date), certifying as to (i) the absence of any amendments to the charter or other organizational documents of such Person not included in the certificate previously delivered to the Agent pursuant to Section 3.1(d) of the Credit Agreement, (ii) the due incorporation or formation and good standing and valid existence of such Person as an entity organized under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and (iii) the signature and incumbency certificate of each such Person, in each case as delivered to the Agent on the Effective Date of the Credit Agreement, is in full force and effect and has not been amended or modified in any respect since such Effective Date.
     (d) The Borrowers shall have paid all fees and expenses incurred by Agent’s counsel in connection with this Amendment.
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.
[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank — signature pages follow]

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  BORROWERS:

THE WILLIAMS COMPANIES, INC.

 
 
  By:   /s/ Rodney J. Sailor    
    Name:   Rodney J. Sailor   
    Title:   Vice President & Treasurer   
 
  WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.
 
 
  By:   Williams Partners GP LLC, its general partner    
     
  By:   /s/ Rodney J. Sailor    
    Name:   Rodney J. Sailor   
    Title:   Treasurer   
 
  NORTHWEST PIPELINE CORPORATION
 
 
  By:   /s/ Rodney J. Sailor    
    Name:   Rodney J. Sailor   
    Title:   Assistant Treasurer   
 
  TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE
CORPORATION

 
 
  By:   /s/ Rodney J. Sailor    
    Name:   Rodney J. Sailor   
    Title:   Assistant Treasurer   
Signature Page to Amendment Agreement


 

         
         
  AGENT:

CITIBANK, N.A.,
as Agent
 
 
  By:   /s/ Todd Mogil    
    Authorized Officer   
    Todd Mogil, Attorney-in-Fact   
       
  ISSUING BANKS:

CITIBANK, N.A., as Issuing Bank
 
 
  By:   /s/ Todd Mogil    
    Authorized Officer   
    Todd Mogil, Attorney-in-Fact   
 
  BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as Issuing Bank
 
 
  By:   /s/ Ronald E. McKaig    
    Authorized Officer
Ronald E. McKaig 
 
    Senior Vice President   
 
  JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Issuing Bank
 
 
  By:   /s/ [ILLEGIBLE]    
    Authorized Officer   
Signature Page to Amendment Agreement


 

         
  BANKS:

CITIBANK, N.A.

 
 
  By:   /s/ Todd Mogil    
    Authorized Officer   
    Todd Mogil,    
    Attorney-in-Fact   
 
  BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
 
 
  By:   /s/ Ronald E. McKaig    
    Authorized Officer   
    Ronald E. McKaig   
    Senior Vice President   
 
  JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
 
 
  By:   /s/ [ILLEGIBLE]    
    Authorized Officer   
 
  THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
 
 
  By:   /s/ Andrew Ostrov    
    Authorized officer
Andrew Ostrov 
 
    Director   
 
  THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ Lucy Walker    
    Authorized Officer   
    Lucy Walker   
    Vice President   
 
  ABN AMRO BANK N.V.
 
 
  By:   /s/ John D. Reed    
    Authorized officer
John D. Reed, 
 
    Director   
 
  By:   /s/ Todd D. Vaubel    
    Authorized officer
Todd D. Vaubel, 
 
    Asst. V. President   
 
  BANK OF OKLAHOMA, NA
 
 
  By:   /s/ Robert D. Mattax    
    Authorized Officer   
    Robert D. Mattax,   
    Senior Vice President   
 
Signature Page to Amendment Agreement


 

             
      BARCLAYS BANK PLC
 
 
      By:   /s/ Nicholas Bell    
        Authorized Officer 
        Name:   Nicholas Bell   
        Title:   Director   
             
      BAYERISCHE LANDESBANK, Cayman Islands Branch
 
 
      By:   /s/ Nikolai von Mengden    
        Authorized officer
Nikolai von Mengden 
 
        Senior Vice President   
             
         
      By:   /s/ ANNETTE SCHMIDT    
        Authorized officer
ANNETTE SCHMIDT 
 
        FIRST VICE PRESIDENT   
             
BNP PARIBAS
BNP PARIBAS
 
 
By:   /s/ Mark A. Cox    By:   /s/ Larry Robinson    
  Authorized officer
Mark A. Cox 
    Authorized officer
Larry Robinson 
 
  Managing Director      Director   
             
CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH
 
CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH
 
 
By:   /s/ Michael D. Willis     By:   /s/ Page Dillehunt    
  Authorized officer     Authorized officer  
  Michael D. Willis      Page Dillehunt   
  Director      Managing Director   
             
      LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.
 
 
      By:   /s/ Frank P. Turner    
        Authorized Officer 
        Frank P. Turner,   
        Vice President   
             
      MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL CORPORATION
 
 
      By:   /s/ Carol J.E. Feeley    
        Authorized officer
Carol J.E. Feeley 
 
        Vice President   
             
      MIZUHO CORPORATE BANK, LTD.
 
 
      By:   /s/ Leon Mo    
        Authorized officer
        Name:   Leon Mo   
        Title:   Senior Vice President   
             
Signature Page to Amendment Agreement


 

         
  NATIXIS (f.k.a. NATEXIS BANQUES POPULAIRES)
 
 
  By:   /s/ Louis P. Laville, III    
    Authorized Officer   
    Louis P. Laville, III   
    Managing Director   
     
  By:   /s/ Daniel Payer    
    Authorized Officer   
    Daniel Payer   
    Director   
 
  REGIONS BANK
 
 
  By:   /s/ [ILLEGIBLE]    
    Authorized Officer   
       
  ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
 
 
  By:   /s/ [ILLEGIBLE]    
    Authorized Officer   
       
  THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD., HOUSTON AGENCY
 
 
  By:   /s/ Kelton Glasscock V.P.    
    Authorized Officer
Kelton Glasscock V.P. 
 
       
  By:   /s/ Jay Fort, V.P.    
    Authorized Officer
Jay Fort, V.P. 
 
       
  TORONTO DOMINION (TEXAS) LLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ Debbi L. Brito    
    Authorized Officer   
    DEBBI L. BRITO
AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY 
 
 
  WACHOVIA BANK, N.A.
 
 
  By:   /s/ Paul Pritchett    
    Authorized Officer   
    Name:   Paul Pritchett  
    Title:   Vice President   
 
  WESTLB AG, NEW YORK BRANCH
 
 
  By:   /s/ Duncan Robertson    
    Authorized Officer   
    DUNCAN ROBERTSON   
    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR   
     
  By:   /s/ Thomas D. Murray    
    Authorized Officer   
    THOMAS D. MURRAY   
    MANAGING DIRECTOR   
Signature Page to Amendment Agreement

 


 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND CONSENT
     To induce the Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Banks to execute the foregoing Amendment, each undersigned Credit Party hereby (a) consents to the execution, delivery and performance of such Amendment Agreement, (b) agrees that (1) neither any Credit Document executed by it nor any obligation of any of the undersigned nor any right or remedy of the Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Bank with respect to any undersigned Credit Party is released or impaired by such Amendment, and (2) this acknowledgment and consent shall not be construed as requiring the consent or agreement of any undersigned Credit Party in any circumstance, and (c) ratifies and confirms all provisions of the Credit Documents executed by it.
         
  THE WILLIAMS COMPANIES, INC.
 
 
  By:   /s/ Rodney J. Sailor    
    Name:   Rodney J. Sailor   
    Title:   Vice President & Treasurer   
 
  WILLIAMS GAS PIPELINE COMPANY, LLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ Rodney J. Sailor    
    Name:   Rodney J. Sailor   
    Title:   Assistant Treasurer   
 
Signature Page to Acknowledgment and Consent

 


 

SCHEDULE IV
Applicable Commitment Fee and Applicable Margins
     Pricing is based upon the lower rating from S&P and Moody’s with respect to the relevant Borrower’s senior unsecured long-term debt; provided that if a Borrower’s rating is BB- or higher from S&P and Ba3 or higher from Moody’s and there is a split between the two ratings, the pricing for such Borrower will be based on (i) if the split is one subgrade, the higher rating and (ii) if the split is more than one subgrade, the rating that is one subgrade below the higher rating. For the avoidance of doubt (x) if there is a split between Level I and Level III, then Level I shall apply and (y) if the applicable Borrower’s rating is BB-or higher from S&P and Ba3 or higher from Moody’s and if there is a split between Level I and Level IV, V or VI, then Level III shall apply. Each Borrower’s pricing is based on its own ratings. All amounts are in basis points (1/100%) per annum.
                                                 
    Level I     Level II     Level III     Level IV     Level V     Level VI  
    BBB or Baa2     BBB- and     BBB- or     BB+ or     BB or     BB- or Ba3  
    or Higher     Baa3     Baa3     Ba1     Ba2     or Lower  
Applicable Commitment Fee Rate:
    9.0       11.0       12.5       20.0       25.0       30.0  
 
                                   
Applicable Margin
(for Eurodollar Rate Advances):
    45.0       60.0       75.0       100.0       125.0       150.0  
 
                                   
Applicable Margin
(for Base Rate Advances):
    0       0       0       0       25.0       50.0  
 
                                   
Schedule IV