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Form 8-K Kimbell Royalty Partners For: Jul 12

July 18, 2018 7:32 AM

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): July 18, 2018 (July 12, 2018)

 

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

1-38005

 

47-5505475

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

 

(Commission
File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

777 Taylor Street, Suite 810
Fort Worth, Texas

 

76102

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (817) 945-9700

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2):

 

o            Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o            Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company                                              x

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.       x

 

 

 



 

Introductory Note

 

On July 12, 2018, Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), completed its previously announced acquisition (the “Acquisition”) of (i) all of the equity interests in certain subsidiaries owned by Haymaker Minerals & Royalties, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Haymaker Minerals”), pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement (the “HMR Acquisition Purchase Agreement”) by and among the Partnership, Haymaker Minerals and Haymaker Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Haymaker Services”), and (ii) all of the equity interests in certain subsidiaries owned by Haymaker Resources, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Haymaker Resources” and, together with Haymaker Minerals, the “Haymaker Sellers”), pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement (the “HR Acquisition Purchase Agreement” and, together with the HMR Acquisition Purchase Agreement, the “Haymaker Purchase Agreements”) by and among the Partnership, Haymaker Resources and Haymaker Services.

 

Item 1.01.                                        Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

Amendment to the Existing Credit Agreement

 

On July 12, 2018, in connection with the Acquisition, the Partnership entered into an amendment (the “Credit Agreement Amendment”) to the Partnership’s existing Credit Agreement, dated as of January 11, 2017 (the “Existing Credit Agreement” and, the Existing Credit Agreement as amended by the Credit Agreement Amendment, the “Amended Credit Agreement”), by and among the Partnership, certain subsidiaries of the Partnership as guarantors, Frost Bank, as administrative agent, and the other lenders party thereto. The Credit Agreement Amendment increased commitments under the Amended Credit Agreement from $50 million to $200 million. Under the Amended Credit Agreement, availability under the facility will equal the lesser of the aggregate maximum commitments of the lenders and the borrowing base. The initial borrowing base under the Amended Credit Agreement was set at $200 million. The Amended Credit Agreement permits aggregate commitments under the facility to be increased to $500 million, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions and the procurement of additional commitments from new or existing lenders.

 

The Credit Agreement Amendment amends the Existing Credit Agreement to provide for, among other things, (i) the addition of the subsidiaries the Partnership acquired in the Acquisition, as well as Kimbell Royalty Operating, LLC (“OpCo”), as guarantors under the Amended Credit Agreement, (ii) limitations on the Partnership’s ability to incur certain debt or issue preferred equity (other than 110,000 Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “Preferred Units”)), (iii) limitations on redemptions of the Preferred Units and the ability of the Partnership and the restricted subsidiaries of the Partnership to make distributions and other restricted payments, in each case, unless certain conditions are satisfied, (iv) increased limitations on the Partnership’s ability to dispose of certain assets or encumber certain assets, (v) a decrease in the applicable margin under the Existing Credit Agreement, which varies based upon the level of borrowing base usage, by 0.25% for each applicable level as set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement, such that the applicable margin will range from 1.00% to 2.00% in the case of ABR Loans (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) and 2.00% to 3.00% in the case of LIBOR Loans (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) and (vi) the addition of certain restrictions on the Partnership’s and OpCo’s ability to take certain actions or amend their organizational documents.  Additionally, the Credit Agreement Amendment permits certain transactions to effect the intended change of the Partnership’s U.S. federal income tax status from a pass-through partnership to an entity taxable as a corporation by means of a “check-the-box” election and to effect an “up-C” structure, including allowing for all assets and liabilities of the Partnership to be transferred to OpCo and for OpCo to become a non-wholly owned subsidiary guarantor.

 

The foregoing description of the Credit Agreement Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Credit Agreement Amendment, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated into this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

Board Rights Agreement

 

As previously disclosed, on May 28, 2018, the Partnership entered into a Series A Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement (the “Preferred Purchase Agreement”) with certain affiliates of Apollo Capital Management, L.P.

 

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(collectively, the “Purchasers”) to issue and sell the Preferred Units for a cash purchase price of $1,000 per Preferred Unit, resulting in gross proceeds to the Partnership of $110 million. The Preferred Units were offered in a private placement (the “Preferred Unit Transaction”) exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in reliance on the exemptions set forth in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. The terms and provisions of the Preferred Purchase Agreement are described in the Partnership’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on June 1, 2018 (the “Signing 8-K”).

 

On July 12, 2018, pursuant to the Preferred Purchase Agreement, the Partnership, Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, the general partner of the Partnership (the “General Partner”), and Kimbell GP Holdings, LLC entered into a Board Representation and Observation Agreement (the “Board Rights Agreement”) with the Purchasers. Pursuant to the Board Rights Agreement, the Partnership granted holders of the Preferred Units board observer rights beginning three years after the closing of the Preferred Unit Transaction, and board appointment rights beginning four years after the closing of the Preferred Unit Transaction and in the case of events of default with respect to the Preferred Units. The information regarding the Board Rights Agreement set forth in Item 1.01 of the Signing 8-K is incorporated into this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

The foregoing description of the Board Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Board Rights Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated into this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

Voting Agreements

 

On July 12, 2018, pursuant to the Haymaker Purchase Agreements, the Partnership entered into (i) a Voting Agreement with Haymaker Minerals and (ii) a Voting Agreement with EIGF Aggregator III LLC, TE Drilling Aggregator LLC and Haymaker Management, LLC (collectively, the “Haymaker Resources Holders”), pursuant to which Haymaker Minerals and the Haymaker Resources Holders have agreed to vote in favor of (A) the Partnership’s proposal to change its U.S. federal income tax status from a partnership to an entity taxable as a corporation and (B) an amendment to the Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan to increase the number of common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (“Common Units”) eligible for issuance thereunder, subject to a cap set forth in the Haymaker Purchase Agreements.

 

The Voting Agreements prohibit Haymaker Minerals and the Haymaker Resources Holders from selling or disposing of Common Units at any time during the term of the Voting Agreements, subject to certain exceptions. The Voting Agreements terminate on January 8, 2019.

 

The foregoing description of the Voting Agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Voting Agreements, a copy of each of which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 and Exhibit 10.4 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated into this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

Registration Rights Agreement

 

On July 12, 2018, pursuant to the terms of the Haymaker Purchase Agreements and the Preferred Purchase Agreement, the Partnership entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with Haymaker Minerals, the Haymaker Resources Holders and the Purchasers, pursuant to which, among other things, the Partnership has agreed to (i) prepare, file with the Commission and use its reasonable best efforts to cause to become effective within 160 days of the execution of the Registration Rights Agreement, a shelf registration statement (the “Shelf Registration Statement”) with respect to the resale of the Common Units issued to Haymaker Minerals and the Haymaker Resources Holders under the Haymaker Purchase Agreements and issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Units by the Purchasers (all such Common Units being “Registrable Securities”) that would permit some or all of the Registrable Securities to be resold in registered transactions, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement while Haymaker Minerals, the Haymaker Resources Holders, the Purchasers and each of their transferees that hold Registrable Securities are in possession of Registrable Securities and (iii) under certain circumstances, initiate underwritten offerings for the Registrable Securities.

 

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If the Shelf Registration Statement is not effective prior to the 180th day after the execution of the Registration Rights Agreement and, likewise, if a Shelf Registration Statement is not effective prior to the day the Preferred Units are convertible into Common Units pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership (the “Second Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement”), then Haymaker Minerals, the Haymaker Resources Holders and the Purchasers, as applicable, will be entitled to certain liquidated damages as set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

In addition, the Registration Rights Agreement permits Haymaker Minerals, the Haymaker Resources Holders and the Purchasers to request to sell any or all of their Registrable Securities in an underwritten offering that is registered pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, subject to certain exceptions, including, among other things, that the gross proceeds from the sale are reasonably expected to exceed $50 million in the aggregate.

 

The foregoing description of the Registration Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Registration Rights Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated into this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

Transition Services Agreement

 

On July 12, 2018, pursuant to the Haymaker Purchase Agreements, the Partnership entered into a Transition Services Agreement with Haymaker Services (the “Transition Services Agreement”). Pursuant to the Transition Services Agreement, Haymaker Services will provide certain administrative services and accounting assistance on a transitional basis for total compensation of approximately $2.3 million through December 31, 2018, at which point, the Transition Services Agreement will terminate.

 

The foregoing description of the Transition Services Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Transition Services Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.5 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated into this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

Item 2.01.                                        Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

 

On July 12, 2018, the Partnership completed the Acquisition of (i) all of the equity interests in certain subsidiaries owned by Haymaker Minerals pursuant to the HMR Acquisition Purchase Agreement and (ii) all of the equity interests in certain subsidiaries owned by Haymaker Resources pursuant to the HR Acquisition Purchase Agreement. The terms and provisions of each of the Haymaker Purchase Agreements are described in the Signing 8-K.

 

The aggregate consideration for the Acquisition consisted of (i) approximately $210 million in cash (the “Cash Consideration”), consisting of $87.3 million in cash pursuant to the HMR Acquisition Purchase Agreement (the $84 million purchase price, including amounts held in escrow, after standard pre-closing adjustments) and $129.5 million in cash pursuant to the HR Acquisition Purchase Agreement (the $126 million purchase price, including amounts held in escrow, after standard pre-closing adjustments), and (ii) the issuance of 10,000,000 Common Units (the “Common Unit Consideration”), consisting of 4,000,000 Common Units pursuant to the HMR Acquisition Purchase Agreement and 6,000,000 Common Units pursuant to the HR Acquisition Purchase Agreement. The Partnership funded the Cash Consideration with borrowings under the Amended Credit Agreement and net proceeds from the Preferred Unit Transaction. The Common Unit Consideration was issued in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, in reliance on the exemptions set forth in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

 

Upon the completion of the Acquisition, the subsidiaries the Partnership acquired from the Haymaker Sellers each became wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Partnership.

 

Item 2.03.                                        Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

 

The information set forth under the caption “Amendment to the Existing Credit Agreement” in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated into this Item 2.03 by reference.

 

Item 3.02.                                        Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

 

As reported in the Signing 8-K, on May 28, 2018, the Partnership entered into the Preferred Purchase Agreement with the Purchasers to issue and sell the Preferred Units in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, in reliance on the exemptions set forth in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.  Pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Purchase Agreement, the Partnership issued and sold the Preferred Units to the Purchasers on July 12, 2018. The terms and provisions of the Preferred Units are described in detail in the Signing 8-K, and such descriptions are incorporated into this Item 3.02 by reference to the Signing 8-K.

 

As reported in the Signing 8-K and pursuant to the Haymaker Purchase Agreements, on May 28, 2018, the Partnership agreed to issue the Common Unit Consideration in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, in reliance on the exemptions set forth in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

 

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Pursuant to the terms of the Haymaker Purchase Agreements, the Partnership issued the Common Unit Consideration to Haymaker Minerals and the Haymaker Resources Holders on July 12, 2018.

 

Item 3.03.                                        Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

 

On July 12, 2018, the Partnership issued the Preferred Units pursuant to the Preferred Purchase Agreement, which Preferred Units entitle their holders to certain rights that are senior to the rights of holders of Common Units, such as rights to certain distributions and rights upon liquidation of the Partnership. In addition, on July 12, 2018, pursuant to the terms of the Haymaker Purchase Agreements and the Preferred Purchase Agreement, the Partnership entered into the Registration Rights Agreement with Haymaker Minerals, the Haymaker Resources Holders and the Purchasers with respect to the resale of the Registrable Securities. The general effect of the issuance of the Preferred Units and entry into the Registration Rights Agreement upon the rights of the holders of Common Units is more fully described in Items 1.01 and 5.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, which descriptions are incorporated into this Item 3.03 by reference.

 

Item 5.03                                           Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

On July 12, 2018, in connection with the Preferred Unit Transaction, the General Partner amended and restated the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership by executing the Second Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, which sets forth the rights, preferences, privileges and other terms relating to the Preferred Units.

 

A summary of the rights, preferences and privileges of the Preferred Units and other material terms and conditions of the Second Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement is set forth in the Signing 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

The foregoing description of the Second Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Second Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated into this Item 5.03 by reference.

 

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Item 9.01.                                        Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(a) Financial Statements of Business Acquired.

 

Financial statements of Haymaker Minerals and Haymaker Properties, L.P. (“Haymaker Properties”) are not included in this Current Report on Form 8-K. Such financial statements will be filed within 71 calendar days after the date of filing of this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

(b) Financial Statements of Business Acquired.

 

Pro forma financial information relative to Haymaker Minerals and Haymaker Properties is not included in this Current Report on Form 8-K. Such pro forma financial information will be filed within 71 calendar days after the date of filing of this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Number

 

Description

 

 

 

3.1

 

Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, dated as of July 12, 2018

 

 

 

4.1

 

Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2018, by and among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, EIGF Aggregator III LLC, TE Drilling Aggregator LLC, Haymaker Management, LLC, Haymaker Minerals & Royalties, LLC, AP KRP Holdings, L.P., ATCF SPV, L.P., Zeus Investments, L.P., Apollo Kings Alley Credit SPV, L.P., Apollo Thunder Partners, L.P., AIE III Investments, L.P., Apollo Union Street SPV, L.P., Apollo Lincoln Private Credit Fund, L.P, Apollo SPN Investments I (Credit), LLC and AA Direct, L.P.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2018, by and among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, each of the guarantors party thereto, the several lenders from time to time parties thereto and Frost Bank, as administrative agent

 

 

 

10.2

 

Board Representation and Observation Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2018, by and among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, Kimbell GP Holdings, LLC, AA Direct, L.P., AP KRP Holdings, L.P., AIE III Investments, L.P., Apollo Kings Alley Credit SPV, L.P., Apollo SPN Investments I (Credit), LLC, Apollo Thunder Partners, L.P., ATCF SPV, L.P., Apollo Union Street SPV, L.P., Zeus Investments, L.P. and Apollo Lincoln Private Credit Fund, L.P.

 

 

 

10.3

 

Voting Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2018, by and between Haymaker Minerals & Royalties, LLC and Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

 

 

 

10.4

 

Voting Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2018, by and among EIGF Aggregator III LLC, TE Drilling Aggregator LLC, Haymaker Management, LLC and Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

 

 

 

10.5

 

Transition Services Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2018, by and between Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP and Haymaker Services, LLC

 

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SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

 

 

By:

Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC,

 

 

its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ R. Davis Ravnaas

 

 

R. Davis Ravnaas

 

 

President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

Date: July 18, 2018

 

 

6


Exhibit 3.1

 

Execution Version

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

 

OF

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

2

 

 

 

Section 1.1

Definitions

2

Section 1.2

Construction

26

 

 

 

ARTICLE II ORGANIZATION

27

 

 

 

Section 2.1

Formation

27

Section 2.2

Name

27

Section 2.3

Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices

27

Section 2.4

Purpose and Business

27

Section 2.5

Powers

28

Section 2.6

Term

28

Section 2.7

Title to Partnership Assets

28

 

 

 

ARTICLE III RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

28

 

 

 

Section 3.1

Limitation of Liability

28

Section 3.2

Management of Business

29

Section 3.3

Outside Activities of the Limited Partners

29

Section 3.4

Rights of Limited Partners

29

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

30

 

 

 

Section 4.1

Certificates

30

Section 4.2

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates

31

Section 4.3

Record Holders

31

Section 4.4

Transfer Generally

32

Section 4.5

Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests

32

Section 4.6

Transfer of the General Partner Interest

33

Section 4.7

Restrictions on Transfers

34

Section 4.8

Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders

34

Section 4.9

Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders

35

 

 

 

ARTICLE V CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

37

 

 

 

Section 5.1

Organizational Contributions

37

Section 5.2

Contributions by the Contributing Parties on the Closing Date and Pursuant to the Contribution Agreement

37

Section 5.3

Contributions by Limited Partners

37

Section 5.4

Deferred Issuance and Distribution

38

Section 5.5

Interest and Withdrawal

38

Section 5.6

Capital Accounts

38

 

i



 

Section 5.7

Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests

41

Section 5.8

Preemptive Right

42

Section 5.9

Splits and Combinations

42

Section 5.10

Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests

43

Section 5.11

Deemed Capital Contributions by Partners

43

Section 5.12

Establishment of Series A Preferred Units

43

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

62

 

 

 

Section 6.1

Allocations for Capital Account Purposes

62

Section 6.2

Allocations for Tax Purposes

69

Section 6.3

Distributions to Record Holders

71

Section 6.4

Special Provisions Relating to the Series A Preferred Units

72

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

73

 

 

 

Section 7.1

Management

73

Section 7.2

Replacement of Fiduciary Duties

75

Section 7.3

Certificate of Limited Partnership

75

Section 7.4

Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority to Sell Assets of the Partnership Group

75

Section 7.5

Reimbursement of the General Partner

76

Section 7.6

Outside Activities

77

Section 7.7

Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members

78

Section 7.8

Indemnification

78

Section 7.9

Liability of Indemnitees

80

Section 7.10

Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties

81

Section 7.11

Other Matters Concerning the General Partner

84

Section 7.12

Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests

84

Section 7.13

Reliance by Third Parties

84

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

85

 

 

 

Section 8.1

Records and Accounting

85

Section 8.2

Fiscal Year

85

Section 8.3

Reports

85

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX TAX MATTERS

86

 

 

 

Section 9.1

Tax Returns and Information

86

Section 9.2

Tax Elections

86

Section 9.3

Tax Controversies

86

Section 9.4

Withholding

87

 

 

 

ARTICLE X ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

87

 

 

 

Section 10.1

Admission of Limited Partners

87

 

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Section 10.2

Admission of Successor General Partner

88

Section 10.3

Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership

89

 

 

 

ARTICLE XI WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

89

 

 

 

Section 11.1

Withdrawal of the General Partner

89

Section 11.2

Removal of the General Partner

91

Section 11.3

Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner

91

Section 11.4

Withdrawal of Limited Partners

92

 

 

 

ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

92

 

 

 

Section 12.1

Dissolution

92

Section 12.2

Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution

93

Section 12.3

Liquidator

94

Section 12.4

Liquidation

94

Section 12.5

Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership

95

Section 12.6

Return of Contributions

95

Section 12.7

Waiver of Partition

95

Section 12.8

Capital Account Restoration

95

 

 

 

ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

95

 

 

 

Section 13.1

Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner

95

Section 13.2

Amendment Procedures

97

Section 13.3

Amendment Requirements

97

Section 13.4

Special Meetings

98

Section 13.5

Notice of a Meeting

98

Section 13.6

Record Date

99

Section 13.7

Postponement and Adjournment

99

Section 13.8

Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes

99

Section 13.9

Quorum and Voting

100

Section 13.10

Conduct of a Meeting

100

Section 13.11

Action Without a Meeting

100

Section 13.12

Right to Vote and Related Matters

101

 

 

 

ARTICLE XIV MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION

102

 

 

 

Section 14.1

Authority

102

Section 14.2

Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion

102

Section 14.3

Approval by Limited Partners

104

Section 14.4

Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion

105

Section 14.5

Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion

105

 

 

 

ARTICLE XV RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

106

 

 

 

Section 15.1

Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests

106

 

 

 

ARTICLE XVI GENERAL PROVISIONS

108

 

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Section 16.1

Addresses and Notices; Written Communications

108

Section 16.2

Further Action

109

Section 16.3

Binding Effect

109

Section 16.4

Integration

109

Section 16.5

Creditors

109

Section 16.6

Waiver

109

Section 16.7

Third-Party Beneficiaries

109

Section 16.8

Counterparts

109

Section 16.9

Applicable Law; Forum, Venue and Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury

109

Section 16.10

Invalidity of Provisions

110

Section 16.11

Consent of Partners

111

Section 16.12

Facsimile and Email Signatures

111

 

iv



 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

THIS SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP, dated as of July 12, 2018, is entered into by and among KIMBELL ROYALTY GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the General Partner, and with any other Persons who are or become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein.

 

WHEREAS, the General Partner and the other parties thereto entered into that certain First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership dated as of February 8, 2017 (the “Prior Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS, Section 5.7(a) of the Prior Agreement provides that the Partnership may, for any Partnership purpose, at any time and from time to time, issue additional Partnership Interests (other than the General Partner Interest) for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners;

 

WHEREAS, Section 5.7(b) of the Prior Agreement provides that each additional Partnership Interest authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.7(a) of the Prior Agreement may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior or junior to existing classes and series of Partnership Interests) as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including (i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or shall be required to redeem the Partnership Interest; (v) whether such Partnership Interest is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Interest shall be issued, evidenced by Certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Interest; and (viii) the right, if any, of each such Partnership Interest to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Interest;

 

WHEREAS, Section 5.7(c) of the Prior Agreement provides that the General Partner shall (i) take all actions that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with each issuance of Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 5.7 of the Prior Agreement, and (ii) do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Interests pursuant to the terms of the Prior Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units or other Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading;

 

WHEREAS, the General Partner, without the approval of any other Partner, may amend any provision of the Prior Agreement pursuant to (i) Section 13.1(d)(i) of the Prior Agreement to reflect a change that the General Partner determines does not adversely affect the Limited

 

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Partners considered as a whole or any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests in any material respect, and (ii) Section 13.1(g) of the Prior Agreement to reflect an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the authorization or issuance of any class or series of Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 5.7 of the Prior Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors deems it advisable and in the best interests of the Partnership to enter into this Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, which provides for (i) (a) the authorization of a new class of Units to be designated as Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units and (b) fixes the preferences and the relative participating, optional and other special rights, powers and duties pertaining to the Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units, including, without limitation, the conversion of the Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units into Common Units in accordance with the terms described therein, (ii) the issuance of the Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units to the Purchasers pursuant to the Series A Purchase Agreement and (iii) such other matters as are provided therein;

 

WHEREAS, the General Partner has, pursuant to its authority under Section 13.1(d)(i) and 13.1(g) of the Prior Agreement, made the determinations required thereby and accordingly is adopting this Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership; and

 

WHEREAS, acting pursuant to the power and authority granted to it under Section 13.1(d) and Section 13.1(g) of the Prior Agreement, the General Partner has determined that this Amendment does not require the approval of any other Partner.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the General Partner does hereby amend and restate the Prior Agreement, pursuant to its authority under Section 13.1 of the Prior Agreement, to provide, in its entirety, as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1                Definitions. The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.

 

Accrual Election” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(i)(B).

 

Accumulated Distributions” means, with respect to any Series A Preferred Unit, as of any date, the aggregate amount of accrued and unpaid distributions added to the Series A Liquidation Preference in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(i)(B).

 

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Adjusted Capital Account” means, with respect to any Partner, the balance in such Partner’s Capital Account at the end of each taxable period of the Partnership, after giving effect to the following adjustments:

 

(a)         Credit to such Capital Account any amounts that such Partner is (x) obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) or (y) deemed obligated to restore pursuant to the penultimate sentences of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5); and

 

(b)         Debit to such Capital Account the items described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6).

 

The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith. The “Adjusted Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Adjusted Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.

 

Adjusted Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the quotient of (a) the sum, as of such date, of (i) Total Debt, plus (ii) the aggregate liquidation preference of all Outstanding Series A Senior Securities, and (b) EBITDAX for the period of the four fiscal quarters most recently ended as of such date for which financial information has been filed with the Commission.

 

Adjusted Property” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 5.6(d)(i) or Section 5.6(d)(ii).

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Without limiting the foregoing, for purposes of this Agreement, any Person that individually or together with its Affiliates, has the direct or indirect right to designate or cause the designation of at least one member to the Board of Directors, and any such Person’s Affiliates, shall be deemed to be Affiliates of the General Partner.

 

Agreed Allocation” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1, including a Curative Allocation (if appropriate to the context in which the term “Agreed Allocation” is used).

 

Agreed Value” of (a) a Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property at the time of contribution and (b) an Adjusted Property means the fair market value of such Adjusted Property on the date of the Revaluation Event as described in Section 5.6(d), in each case as determined by the General Partner. The General Partner shall use such method as it determines to be appropriate to allocate the aggregate Agreed Value of Contributed Properties

 

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contributed to the Partnership in a single or integrated transaction among each separate property on a basis proportional to the fair market value of each Contributed Property.

 

Agreement” means this Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

Arrangement Fee” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Series A Purchase Agreement.

 

Asset Contributor” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.2(a).

 

Associate” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer, manager, general partner or managing member or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.

 

Available Cash” means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation Date:

 

(a)         the sum of:

 

(i)                       all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries on hand at the end of that Quarter; and

 

(ii)                    as determined by the General Partner, all cash or cash equivalents of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries on hand on the date of determination of Available Cash for that Quarter resulting from Working Capital Borrowings made after the end of that Quarter;

 

(b)         less the amount of cash reserves established by the General Partner to:

 

(i)                       provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries (including reserves for future capital expenditures and for future credit needs of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries) after that Quarter;

 

(ii)                    comply with applicable law or any debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or its assets are subject; and

 

(iii)                 provide funds for distributions under Section 6.3 or to the holders of Series A Preferred Units for any one or more of the next four Quarters; provided, however, that disbursements made by the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of that Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash for that Quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, within that Quarter if the General Partner so determines.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Available Cash” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.

 

Blocker Corporation” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(x)(A).

 

Blocker Merger” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(x)(A).

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors or board of managers of the General Partner, if the General Partner is a corporation or limited liability company, or the board of directors or board of managers of the general partner of the General Partner, if the General Partner is a limited partnership, as applicable.

 

Book-Tax Disparity” means with respect to any item of Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for U.S. federal income tax purposes as of such date. A Partner’s share of the Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property shall be reflected by the difference between such Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 5.6 and the hypothetical balance of such Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been maintained strictly in accordance with U.S. federal income tax accounting principles.

 

Business Day” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the State of Texas shall not be regarded as a Business Day.

 

Capital Account” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 5.6. The “Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.

 

Capital Contribution” means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership or that is contributed or deemed contributed to the Partnership on behalf of a Partner (including, in the case of an underwritten offering of Units, the amount of any underwriting discounts or commissions).

 

Carrying Value” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property or an Adjusted Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, Simulated Depletion, amortization and other cost recovery deductions charged to the Partners’ Capital Accounts in respect of such property and (b) with respect to any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such property for U.S. federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of determination. In the case of any oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code), adjusted basis shall be determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.613A—3(e)(3)(iii)(C). The Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Section 5.6(d) and to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General Partner.

 

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Cause” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding the General Partner liable to the Partnership or any Limited Partner for actual fraud or willful misconduct in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.

 

Certificate” means a certificate, in such form (including global form if permitted by applicable rules and regulations) as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more classes of Partnership Interests. The initial form of certificate approved by the General Partner for Common Units is attached as Exhibit A to this Agreement. Any modification to or replacement of such form of Certificate adopted by the General Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement.

 

Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in Section 7.3, as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

Closing Date” means February 8, 2017.

 

Closing Price” means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of the date of determination, the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day, regular way, as reported on the principal National Securities Exchange on which Limited Partner Interests of such class are listed or admitted to trading or, if Limited Partner Interests of such class are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, the last quoted price on such day, or if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the primary reporting system then in use with respect to Limited Partner Interests of such class, or, if on any such day Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by any such system, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in Limited Partner Interests of such class selected by the General Partner, or if on any such day no market maker is making a market in Limited Partner Interests of such class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day as determined by the General Partner.

 

Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.

 

Combined Interest” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.3(a).

 

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Unit” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement.

 

Common Unitholder” means a Record Holder of Common Units.

 

Conflicts Committee” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed of two or more directors, each of whom (a) is not an officer or employee of the General Partner, (b) is not

 

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an officer, director or employee of any Affiliate of the General Partner (other than Group Members), (c) is not a holder of any ownership interest in the General Partner or its Affiliates or any Group Member other than (i) Common Units and (ii) awards that are granted to such director in his or her capacity as a director under any long-term incentive plan, equity compensation plan or similar plan implemented by the General Partner or the Partnership and (d) is determined by the Board of Directors to be independent under the independence standards for directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading (or if the Common Units are not listed or admitted to trading, the New York Stock Exchange).

 

Contributed Property” means each property, in such form as may be permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed or deemed contributed to the Partnership. Once the Carrying Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.6(d), such property shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted Property.

 

Contributing Parties” means, collectively, the Equity Contributors and the Asset Contributors.

 

Contribution Agreement” means that certain Contribution, Conveyance, Assignment and Assumption Agreement, dated as of December 20, 2016, by and among the Partnership, the General Partner, Kimbell Intermediate GP, LLC, Kimbell Intermediate Holdings, LLC, Kimbell Royalty Holdings, LLC and the other parties named therein, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments contemplated or referenced thereunder.

 

Contribution Agreement Parties” means, collectively, the Contributing Parties, the General Partner and the Partnership Group.

 

Conversion” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(x)(A).

 

Conversion Price” means $18.50, as may be adjusted as set forth in Section 5.12(b)(v)(E).

 

Converted Entity” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(x)(A).

 

Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement dated as of January 11, 2017, among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, as the borrower, the several lenders thereto from time to time, and Frost Bank, as administrative agent and sole arranger, as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (except in contravention hereof), together with any Replacement Credit Agreement.  Any term defined herein by reference to the Credit Agreement (and any embedded defined terms therein) shall have the meaning set forth in the Credit Agreement as of the Series A Issuance Date, giving effect to any amendment, amendment and restatement or other modification dated as of the Series A Issuance Date.  When applying U.S. GAAP to the terms of this Agreement, including when referencing any calculation made under or in accordance with the Credit Agreement, U.S. GAAP will be deemed to treat leases that would have been classified as operating leases in accounting principles in the United States as in effect on December 31, 2015 in a manner consistent with the treatment of such leases under

 

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general accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect on December 31, 2015, notwithstanding any modifications or interpretive changes thereto that may occur thereafter.

 

Curative Allocation” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(c)(xi).

 

Current Market Price” means, as of any date, for any class of Limited Partner Interests, the average of the daily Closing Prices per Limited Partner Interest of such class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date.

 

Customary Credit Facility” means a reserve-based revolving credit facility (including the Credit Agreement, as in effect as of the Series A Issuance Date, giving effect to any amendment, amendment and restatement or other modification dated as of the Series A Issuance Date) (a) with a conforming borrowing base based on the normal and customary standards and practices of, and provided solely by an administrative agent and lenders that are, commercial banks that are regulated by the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and are in the business of valuing and re-determining the value of oil and gas properties in connection with conforming, reserve-based oil and gas loan transactions in the United States based upon, inter alia, the review by such lenders of the hydrocarbon reserves, royalty interests and assets and liabilities of the borrower and guarantors thereunder, with such valuation being determined at least semi-annually during each year and on such other occasions as may be required or provided for by the terms of the documentation therefor, (b) with respect to which all Indebtedness and other obligations under such credit facility are pari passu in right of payment, pricing, security and liquidation thereof, and (c) that does not carry any call protection (including, without limitation, any make-whole protection, prepayment premium, yield protection or similar protection or premium).

 

Deferred Issuance and Distribution” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.4.

 

Delaware Act” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C. Section 17-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

 

Departing General Partner” means a former General Partner from and after the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2.

 

Derivative Partnership Interests” means any options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights, tracking, profit and phantom interests and other derivative securities relating to, convertible into or exchangeable for Partnership Interests.

 

Distribution Rate” means 7.0% per annum, as may be adjusted as set forth in Section 5.12(b)(i)(B) and Section 5.12(b)(ix)(D).

 

EBITDAX” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Credit Agreement (including any embedded defined terms therein); provided, however, for purposes of calculating EBITDAX herein, EBITDAX (a) shall be calculated without giving effect to the add-backs provided under clauses (4), (5), (7) (other than on account of extraordinary losses for such period) and (8) of the

 

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definition of “EBITDAX” as provided in the Credit Agreement and (b) shall not be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis (as such term is defined in the Credit Agreement); provided that notwithstanding any limitations in the Credit Agreement, EBITDAX shall be determined with respect to the Partnership and all of its Subsidiaries (i.e., such calculation shall not be limited to Restricted Subsidiaries (as such term is defined in the Credit Agreement)).

 

Economic Risk of Loss” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).

 

Eligibility Certificate” means a certificate the General Partner may request a Limited Partner or a transferee of a Limited Partner Interest to execute as to such Person’s (or such Person’s beneficial owners’) nationality, citizenship or other related status for the purpose of determining whether such Limited Partner is an Ineligible Holder.

 

Equity Contributors” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.2(b).

 

Equity Securities” means, with respect to any Person, (a) any capital stock or other equity securities, (b) any securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock or other equity securities or containing any profit participation features, (c) any rights, options or incentive units, directly or indirectly, to subscribe for or to purchase any capital stock, other equity securities or securities containing any profit participation features or, directly or indirectly, to subscribe for or to purchase any securities, directly or indirectly, convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock, other equity securities or securities containing any profit participation features, or (d) any stock appreciation rights, phantom stock rights or other similar rights.

 

Event Issue Value” means, with respect to any Common Unit as of any date of determination, (a) in the case of a Revaluation Event that includes the issuance of Common Units pursuant to a public offering and solely for cash, the price paid for such Common Units or (b) in the case of any other Revaluation Event, the Closing Price of the Common Units on the date of such Revaluation Event or, if the General Partner determines that a value for the Common Unit other than such Closing Price more accurately reflects the Event Issue Value, the value determined by the General Partner.

 

Event of Withdrawal” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.1(a).

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

 

Exchange Agreement” means an Exchange Agreement to be entered into among the Partnership, the General Partner, Kimbell Royalty Operating, LLC, the Kimbell Art Foundation, Haymaker Minerals & Royalties, LLC, EIGF Aggregator III LLC, TE Drilling Aggregator LLC and Haymaker Management, LLC.

 

Excluded Amounts” means the Arrangement Fee.

 

Final Partnership Redemption Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(ix)(C).

 

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Forced Redemption Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(ix)(A).

 

General Partner” means Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the Partnership, in their capacity as the general partner of the Partnership.

 

General Partner Interest” means the non-economic management interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without reference to any Limited Partner Interest held by it), which includes any and all rights, powers and benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement. The General Partner Interest does not include any rights to ownership or profits or losses or any rights to receive distributions from operations or upon the liquidation or winding-up of the Partnership.

 

Gross Liability Value” means, with respect to any Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i), the amount of cash that a willing assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Liability in an arm’s-length transaction.

 

Group” means two or more Persons that, with or through any of their respective Affiliates or Associates, have any contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons), exercising investment power over or disposing of any Partnership Interests.

 

Group Member” means a member of the Partnership Group.

 

Group Member Agreement” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint venture, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

Incumbent Board” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Series A Change of Control” in Section 1.1.

 

Indebtedness” of any Person shall mean, if and to the extent (other than with respect to clause (e) below) the same would constitute indebtedness or a liability in accordance with U.S. GAAP, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, (c) the deferred purchase price of assets or services that in accordance with U.S. GAAP would be required to be shown as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person (other than (i) any earn-out obligation until such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with U.S. GAAP and (ii) obligations resulting under firm transportation contracts or take or pay contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business),

 

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(d) the face amount of all letters of credit issued for the account of such Person and, without duplication, all drafts drawn thereunder, (e) all Indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) described in the other clauses of this definition of any other Person secured by any lien on any property owned by such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness has been assumed by such Person (but if such Indebtedness has not been assumed, limited to the lesser of the amount of such Indebtedness and the fair market value of the property securing such Indebtedness), (f) the undischarged balance of any production payment created by such Person or for the creation of which such Person directly or indirectly received payment and (g) without duplication, all guarantee obligations of such Person in respect of Indebtedness of another Person of the types described in the other clauses of this definition); provided that Indebtedness shall not include (i) trade and other ordinary-course payables and accrued expenses arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) deferred or prepaid revenues, (iii) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed obligations of the respective seller, (iv) in the case of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, (A) all intercompany Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business and (B) intercompany liabilities in connection with the cash management, tax and accounting operations of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, (v) production payments and reserve sales, (vi) in-kind obligations relating to net oil, natural gas liquids or natural gas balancing positions arising in the ordinary course of business and (vii) any obligation in respect of a farm-in agreement or similar arrangement whereby such Person agrees to pay all or a share of the drilling, completion or other expenses of an exploratory or development well (which agreement may be subject to a maximum payment obligation, after which expenses are shared in accordance with the working or participation interest therein or in accordance with the agreement of the parties) or perform the drilling, completion or other operation on such well in exchange for an ownership interest in an oil or gas property.

 

Indemnitee” means (a) the General Partner, (b) any Departing General Partner, (c) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d) any Person who is or was a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of (i) any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or (ii) any Affiliate of any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (e) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner as a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of another Person owing a fiduciary or contractual duty or standard of care to any Group Member; provided, however, that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, and (f) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement because such Person’s status, service or relationship exposes such Person to potential claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings relating to the Partnership Group’s business and affairs.

 

Ineligible Holdermeans a Limited Partner whose nationality, citizenship or other related status the General Partner determines, upon receipt of an Eligibility Certificate or other requested information, has created or would create under any federal, state or local law or regulation to which a Group Member is subject, a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property in which a Group Member has an interest.

 

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Initial Accrual Period” means the period beginning on the Series A Issuance Date and ending on the last day of the fourth non-consecutive Quarter with respect to which an Accrual Election is made.  For the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall the Accrual Election be made in consecutive Quarters.

 

Initial Public Offering” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public, including any offer and sale of Common Units pursuant to the Underwriters’ Option, as described in the Registration Statement.

 

Interest Percentage” means the percentage set forth opposite each Contributing Party’s name on Exhibit A of the Contribution Agreement.

 

IRR” means, as of any measurement date, the cumulative internal rate of return, compounded annually, with respect to a Series A Preferred Unit (i.e., the annual discount rate for which the net present value of all cash inflows from all Capital Contributions  made to acquire such Series A Preferred Unit, and all cash outflows from all cash distributions in respect of such Series A Preferred Unit, are equal to $0), as calculated using the XIRR function in Microsoft Excel (or if such program is no longer available, such other software program for calculating a cumulative, annually-compounded internal rate of return approved by the Board of Directors, with the affirmative vote of the Record Holders of the Series A Required Voting Percentage, such affirmative vote not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) ((x) taking into account the respective dates of each such Capital Contribution  and distribution, as well as the IRR measurement date, (y) treating each such Capital Contribution  as a negative amount for purposes of such net present value calculation and (z) treating each such cash distribution in respect of any such Series A Preferred Unit as a positive amount for purposes of such net present value calculation). IRR shall be calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed over a 365-day year. In calculating IRR for all such Series A Preferred Units as of any particular date, (a) the aggregate cash amounts distributed pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(i). with respect to any such Series A Preferred Unit on such date, and all amounts previously distributed pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(i) with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit, shall be taken into account, (b) Excluded Amounts shall be disregarded and not included as Capital Contributions or distributions in respect of Series A Preferred Units, and (c) Capital Contributions and cash distributions in respect of Series A Preferred Units will be deemed to have been received or paid on the actual date of receipt or payment.

 

Liability” means any liability or obligation of any nature, whether accrued, contingent or otherwise.

 

Limited Partner” means, unless the context otherwise requires, the Organizational Limited Partner prior to its withdrawal from the Partnership, each Contributing Party, each additional Person that becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and any Departing General Partner upon the change of its status from General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section 11.3, in each case, in such Person’s capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership. For purposes of the Delaware Act, the Limited Partners shall constitute a single class or group of limited partners.

 

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Limited Partner Interest” means an ownership interest of a Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units, Series A Preferred Units or other Partnership Interests (other than a General Partner Interest) or a combination thereof (but excluding Derivative Partnership Interests), and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

 

Liquidation Date” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 12.2, the date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without such an election being made and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.

 

Liquidator” means one or more Persons selected by the General Partner to perform the functions described in Section 12.4 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within the meaning of the Delaware Act.

 

Management Services Agreement” means the management services agreements, dated as of February 8, 2017, among the Partnership, Kimbell Operating Company, LLC and the other parties thereto.

 

Merger Agreement” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.1.

 

Minimum IRR” means, as of any measurement date: (a) prior to the fifth anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date, a 13.0% IRR with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit; (b) on or after the fifth anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date and prior to the sixth anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date, a 14.0% IRR with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit; and (c) on or after the sixth anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date, a 15.0% IRR with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit.

 

Minimum Return Amount” means, at the applicable time of determination:

 

(1)                                 an amount in cash in the aggregate equal to the product of (A) the number of outstanding Series A Preferred Units multiplied by (B) for each such outstanding Series A Preferred Unit the greatest of (1) an amount (together with all prior distributions made in respect of such Series A Preferred Unit) necessary to achieve the Minimum IRR, (2) an amount (together with all prior distributions made in respect of such Series A Preferred Unit) necessary to achieve a Return on Investment equal to 1.2 times with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit and (3) the Series A Liquidation Preference with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit; and

 

(2)                                 on a per Series A Preferred Unit basis, an amount in cash equal to the quotient of (x) the aggregate amount calculated in accordance with clause (1) above and (y) the number of outstanding Series A Preferred Units.

 

National Securities Exchange” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act (or any successor to such Section) and any other securities

 

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exchange (whether or not registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) (or successor to such Section) of the Exchange Act) that the General Partner shall designate as a National Securities Exchange for purposes of this Agreement.

 

Net Agreed Value” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such property is subject when contributed and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.6(d)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed, reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution.

 

Net Income” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of income and gain for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.6(b) and shall include Simulated Gain (as provided in Section 6.1(d)(iii)), but shall not include Simulated Depletion, Simulated Loss, or items specially allocated under Section 6.1(c).

 

Net Loss” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of income and gain for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.6(b) and shall include Simulated Gain (as provided in Section 6.1(d)(iii)), but shall not include Simulated Depletion, Simulated Loss, or any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(c).

 

Noncompensatory Option” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.721-2(f).

 

Nonrecourse Built-in Gain” means with respect to any Contributed Properties or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.2(c) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.

 

Nonrecourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code), Simulated Depletion or Simulated Loss that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a Nonrecourse Liability.

 

Nonrecourse Liability” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2).

 

Notice of Election to Purchase” has the meaning given such term in Section 15.1(b).

 

NYMEX Pricing” means, as of any date of determination with respect to any month (a) for crude oil, the closing settlement price for the Light, Sweet Crude Oil futures contract for each month, and (b) for natural gas, the closing settlement price for the Henry Hub Natural Gas

 

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futures contract for such month, in each case as published by New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) on its website currently located at http://www.cmegroup.com/ or any successor thereto (as such pricing may be corrected or revised from time to time by the NYMEX in accordance with its rules and regulations)

 

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to, or the general counsel or other inside counsel of, the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the General Partner or to such other Person selecting such counsel or obtaining such opinion.

 

Option Closing Date” means the date or dates on which any Common Units were sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters upon exercise of the Underwriters’ Option.

 

Organizational Limited Partner” means Rivercrest Royalties, LLC, in its capacity as the organizational limited partner of the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Outstanding” means, with respect to Partnership Interests, all Partnership Interests that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding in the Partnership’s Register as of the date of determination; provided, however, that if at any time any Person or Group (other than the General Partner or its Affiliates) beneficially owns 20% or more of the Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding, none of the Partnership Interests owned by such Person or Group shall be entitled to be voted on any matter or be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Partnership Interests so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such Partnership Interests shall not, however, be treated as a separate class of Partnership Interests for purposes of this Agreement or the Delaware Act); provided, further, that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to (a) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding directly from the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership), (b) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding directly or indirectly from a Person or Group described in clause (a) provided that the General Partner shall have notified such Person or Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply, (c) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of any class of Partnership Interests issued by the Partnership with the prior approval of the Board of Directors, (d) any of the Contributing Parties or their respective Affiliates, (e) any holder of Series A Preferred Units in connection with any vote, consent or approval of the holders of Series A Preferred Units as a separate class, or on an as-converted basis with the holders of the Common Units, on any matter, (f) any Person or Group who owns 20% or more of the Partnership Interests of a class as the result of (A) any redemption or purchase of any other Person’s or Persons’ Partnership Interests by the Partnership or other similar action by the Partnership or (B) any conversion of Series A Preferred Units into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(B).

 

Partner Nonrecourse Debt” has the meaning given such term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).

 

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Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain” has the meaning given such term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).

 

Partner Nonrecourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code), Simulated Depletion or Simulated Loss that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(1), are attributable to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt.

 

Partners” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.

 

Partnership” means Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

 

Partnership Group” means, collectively, the Partnership and its Subsidiaries.

 

Partnership Indebtedness Documents” shall mean any agreement, document or instrument governing or evidencing any Indebtedness for borrowed money of the Partnership or its Subsidiaries.

 

Partnership Interest” means any class or series of equity interest in the Partnership, which shall include any Limited Partner Interests and the General Partner Interest but shall exclude any Derivative Partnership Interests.

 

Partnership Minimum Gain” means that amount determined in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(b)(2) and 1.704-2(d).

 

Partnership Redemption Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(ix)(D).

 

Partnership Series A Redemption Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(viii)(A).

 

Paying Agent” shall mean the Transfer Agent, acting in its capacity as paying agent for the Series A Preferred Units, and its successors and assigns, or any other Person appointed to serve as paying agent by the Partnership.

 

Percentage Interest” means, as of any date of determination, as to any Unitholder with respect to Units, the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the number of Units held by such Unitholder by (b) the total number of Outstanding Units. The Percentage Interest with respect to the General Partner Interest shall at all times be zero. For purposes of determining the Percentage Interest of any Unitholder with respect to Series A Preferred Units as of any date of determination, each Series A Preferred Unit shall be deemed to have converted into the number of Common Units into which such Series A Preferred Unit is convertible as of such date at the then applicable Series A Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(A), and such Common Units shall be deemed to be Outstanding Units and such Series A Preferred Units shall be deemed not to be Outstanding Units.

 

Permitted Dispositions” means:

 

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(1)                                 sales, lease assignments, conveyances and other dispositions of oil and gas properties and related assets to which no Proved Developed Producing Reserves are attributable and farm-outs of undeveloped acreage to which no Proved Developed Producing Reserves are attributable and assignments in connection with such farm-outs; and

 

(2)                                 any exchange or swap of oil and gas properties; provided, that the consideration received in respect of such exchange or swap is equal to or greater than the fair market value of the oil and gas properties subject of such exchange or swap (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors).

 

Permitted Transactions” means:

 

(1)                                 any transaction or series of related transactions involving aggregate payments or consideration not in excess of $2,000,000;

 

(2)                                 any transaction on terms, taken as a whole, that are substantially as favorable to the Partnership or the applicable Subsidiary as it would obtain at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate;

 

(3)                                 employment and severance arrangements and health, disability and similar insurance or benefit plans between the Partnership and its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees or consultants (including management and employee benefit plans or agreements, subscription agreements or similar agreements pertaining to the repurchase of Units or other Equity Securities pursuant to put/call rights or similar rights with current or former employees, officers, directors or consultants and equity option or incentive plans and other compensation arrangements), in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

 

(4)                                 any issuance of Units or other equity interests or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities, Units or other Equity Securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment arrangements, equity options and equity ownership plans approved by the General Partner;

 

(5)                                 transactions pursuant to the Management Services Agreements and any amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto that are not, taken as a whole, materially less favorable to Partnership and its Subsidiaries than such agreements as in effect on the Series A Issuance Date;

 

(6)                                 any transaction in respect of which the Partnership obtains an opinion from an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm, in each case of nationally-recognized standing that is in the good faith determination of the Partnership qualified to render such opinion, which opinion states that such transaction is (i) fair, from a financial point of view, to the Partnership or the applicable Subsidiary and (ii) on terms, taken as a whole, that are no less favorable to the Partnership or the applicable Subsidiary than would be obtained in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate;

 

(7)                                 any transaction with an Affiliate if such transaction has been approved by the Conflicts Committee in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;

 

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(8)                                 Pro Rata distributions in respect of, and Pro Rata redemptions or repurchases of, the Series A Preferred Units and other Units not prohibited by Section 5.12(b)(ii)(B);

 

(9)                                 amendments to this Agreement or the Certificate of Limited Partnership permitted by Section 5.12(b)(ii)(B)(14) and the other terms of this Agreement; and

 

(10)                          transactions contemplated by Section 5.12(b)(viii), that are also effected in compliance with Section 5.09 of the Series A Purchase Agreement.

 

Person” means an individual or a corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, estate, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

 

Plan of Conversion” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.1.

 

Prior Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals.

 

Privately Placed Units” means any Common Units issued for cash or property other than pursuant to a public offering.

 

Pro Rata” means when used with respect to (a) Units or any class thereof, apportioned equally among all designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (b) all Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, and (c) some but not all Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among such Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests; provided, however, when used with respect to Series A Preferred Units, means apportioned among such Series A Preferred Units based on the number of Outstanding Series A Preferred Units or, if used with respect to Series A Preferred Units being redeemed or converted, apportioned among such Series A Preferred Units based on the number of such Series A Preferred Units being redeemed or converted.

 

Property” means all assets, properties and rights of any type owned or acquired by the Partnership at the time of determination.

 

Proved Developed Producing Reserves” shall have the meaning assigned such term in the SPE Definitions.

 

PV10” means, in respect of the Proved Developed Producing Reserves of the Partnership’s and its Subsidiaries’ oil and gas properties, the net present value of future cash flows (discounted at 10% per annum) as reasonably calculated in good faith by the Partnership, and, if requested by the Record Holders of the Series A Required Voting Percentage, certified in writing by an authorized officer of the Partnership to the Record Holders as true and correct, but provided that each calculation of such expected future cash flow shall be made in accordance with the then existing standards of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, provided, further, that in any event (a) appropriate deductions shall be made for severance and ad valorem taxes, and for operating, gathering, transportation and marketing costs required for the production and sale of such reserves, (b) the pricing assumptions used in determining PV10 for any particular reserves shall

 

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be based upon the Strip Price and (c) the cash-flows derived from the pricing assumptions set forth in clause (b) above shall be further adjusted to account for the historical basis differential.

 

Purchase Date” means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for purchase of all Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited Partner Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV.

 

Quarter” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the Partnership.

 

Recapture Income” means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed without regard to any adjustment required by Section 734 or Section 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any property or asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.

 

Record Date” means the date established by the General Partner or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to receive notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote by ballot or give approval of Partnership action in writing or by electronic transmission without a meeting, or entitled to exercise rights in respect of, any lawful action of Limited Partners (including voting) or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in any offer.

 

Record Holder” means (a) with respect to any class of Partnership Interests for which a Transfer Agent has been appointed, the Person in whose name a Partnership Interest of such class is registered on the books of the Transfer Agent and in the Register as of the Partnership’s close of business on a particular Business Day or (b) with respect to other classes of Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership Interest is registered in the Register as of the Partnership’s close of business on a particular Business Day.

 

Redeemable Interests” means any Partnership Interests for which a redemption notice has been given, and has not been withdrawn, pursuant to Section 4.9.

 

Reference Date” means May 28, 2018.

 

Register” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.5(a).

 

Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-215458) as it has been amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial Public Offering.

 

Required Allocations” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, loss and deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i), Section 6.1(c)(ii), Section 6.1(c)(iv), Section 6.1(c)(v), Section 6.1(c)(vi), Section 6.1(c)(vii), Section 6.1(c)(ix), or Section 6.1(d).

 

Replacement Credit Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(ii)(B)(3).

 

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Reserve Report” means a Reserve Report (as such term is defined in the Credit Agreement) prepared by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. or Ryder Scott Company, L.P. (or any successor or, in the event that both have ceased to do business, any other independent petroleum engineer selected by the Board of Directors and reasonably approved by the Record Holders of the Series A Required Voting Percentage (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned)) that is prepared in connection with the second scheduled redetermination each calendar year under the Credit Agreement or, if the Credit Agreement ceases to exist or no longer includes such a requirement, that is prepared as of on or about the last day of each fiscal year, or in each case, at the option of the Board of Directors, prepared as of a more recent date.

 

Return on Investment” means, with respect to each Series A Preferred Unit, as of any measurement date, an amount equal to the quotient of (a) the aggregate cash distributions made by the Partnership in respect of such Series A Preferred Unit and (b) the Series A Issue Price.

 

Revaluation Event” means an event that results in an adjustment of the Carrying Value of each Partnership property pursuant to Section 5.6(d).

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.

 

Series A Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(1)                                 the Limited Partners of the Partnership prior to any merger, consolidation or other business combination transaction (or series of related transactions) do not continue to own at least 50% of the Partnership or other surviving entity following such merger, consolidation or other business combination transaction (or series of related transactions) to which the Partnership is a party;

 

(2)                                 the acquisition, directly or indirectly (including, without limitation, by any merger, consolidation or business combination), of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of the voting equity interests of the General Partner (as measured by voting power rather than the number of shares, units or the like); provided, however, any such acquisition shall not constitute a Series A Change of Control if (i) the acquiring entity is an Affiliate of Rochelle Royalties, LLC, BGT Investments LLC or Double Eagle Interests, LLC as of the Series A Issuance Date and (ii) the beneficial owners of Rochelle Royalties, LLC (or their heirs or estates) as of the Reference Date beneficially own or control at least one-third of the voting equity interests (as measured by voting power rather than number of shares, units or the like) of such acquiring entity;

 

(3)                                 any direct or indirect sale, lease, exchange, transfer, conveyance or other disposition by the Partnership, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

(4)                                 the removal of the General Partner as general partner of the Partnership by the Limited Partners of the Partnership; provided, however, any such removal shall not constitute a Series A Change of Control if (i) the successor General Partner is an Affiliate of Rochelle Royalties, LLC, BGT Investments LLC or Double Eagle Interests, LLC as

 

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of the Series A Issuance Date and (ii) the beneficial owners of Rochelle Royalties, LLC (or their heirs or estates) as of the Reference Date beneficially own or control at least one-third of the voting equity interests (as measured by voting power rather than number of shares, units or the like) of the successor General Partner;

 

(5)                                 the Common Units are no longer listed or admitted to trading on a National Securities Exchange;

 

(6)                                 any dissolution or liquidation of the Partnership; or

 

(7)                                 individuals who, as of the Series A Issuance Date, constitute the Board of Directors (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that any individual becoming a member of the Board of Directors subsequent to such date who was appointed by Kimbell GP Holdings, LLC, shall be considered as though such individual was a member of the Incumbent Board.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, no transaction contemplated by Section 5.09 of the Series A Purchase Agreement shall constitute a Series A Change of Control.

 

Series A Conversion Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(v)(D).

 

Series A Conversion Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(v)(C)(1).

 

Series A Conversion Notice Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(v)(C)(1).

 

Series A Conversion Rate” means, (i) as of any time of determination pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(A), the number of Common Units issuable upon the conversion of each Series A Preferred Unit, which shall be equal to (x) the Series A Liquidation Preference (on a per Series A Preferred Unit basis) divided by (y) the Conversion Price then in effect or (ii) as of any time of determination pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(B), the number of Common Units issuable upon the conversion of each Series A Preferred Unit, which shall be equal to (x) the Minimum Return Amount (on a per Series A Preferred Unit basis) divided by (y) the Conversion Price then in effect.

 

Series A Conversion Unit” means a Common Unit issued upon conversion of a Series A Preferred Unit pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v). Immediately upon such issuance, each Series A Conversion Unit shall be considered a Common Unit for all purposes hereunder.

 

Series A Converting Unitholder” means, a Series A Preferred Unitholder (a) who has delivered a Series A Conversion Notice to the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(v)(C)(1) or (b) to whom the Partnership has delivered a Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(v)(C)(2).

 

Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(a) of this Agreement.

 

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Series A Distribution Amount” means, with respect to any Quarter ending on or after September 30, 2018, an amount per Series A Preferred Unit equal to the Series A Liquidation Preference multiplied by the Distribution Rate per annum (calculated on the basis of a 365- (or 366-, as the case may be) day year for the actual days elapsed) for such Quarter; provided, however, for purposes of determining the Series A Distribution Amount for the Quarter ending September 30, 2018, such Quarter shall be deemed to commence on the Series A Issuance Date and end on, and include, September 30, 2018 but calculated on the basis of a 365- (or 366-, as the case may be) day year as set forth above.

 

Series A Distribution Payment Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(i)(A).

 

Series A Issuance Date” means the Closing Date (as such term is defined in the Series A Purchase Agreement).

 

Series A Issue Price” means $1,000.00 per Series A Preferred Unit.

 

Series A Junior Securities” means any class or series of Partnership Interests that, with respect to distributions on such Partnership Interests and distributions in respect of such Partnership Interests upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Partnership, ranks junior to the Series A Preferred Units, and shall include the Common Units, but shall not include any Series A Parity Securities or Series A Senior Securities.

 

Series A Liquidation Preference” means, as of any date of determination, with respect to each Series A Preferred Unit an amount equal to (a) the Series A Issue Price plus (b) the Accumulated Distributions.

 

Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(v)(C)(2).

 

Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(v)(C)(2).

 

Series A Parity Securities” means any class or series of Partnership Interests that, with respect to distributions on such Partnership Interests or distributions in respect of such Partnership Interests upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Partnership, ranks pari passu with (but not senior to) the Series A Preferred Units.  For the avoidance of doubt, classes or series of Partnership Interests may qualify as Series A Parity Securities irrespective of whether or not the record date, distribution payment date, distribution rate, distribution periods or payment mechanics of such class or series of Partnership Interests match those of any other class or series of Series A Parity Securities.

 

Series A Partial Period Distributions” means, with respect to a conversion or redemption of a Series A Preferred Unit, an amount equal to the Series A Distribution Amount multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days elapsed in the Quarter in which such conversion or redemption occurs and the denominator of which is the actual number of days in such Quarter.

 

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Series A Preferred Unitholder” means a Record Holder of Series A Preferred Units.

 

Series A Preferred Units” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(a).

 

Series A Purchase Agreement” means the Series A Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement, dated as of the Reference Date, between the Partnership and the Series A Purchasers, as amended, supplemented and restated from time to time.

 

Series A Purchasers” means the Purchasers, as defined in the Series A Purchase Agreement.

 

Series A Quarterly Distribution” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(i)(B).

 

Series A Redemption Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(viii)(B).

 

Series A Redemption Price” means an amount per Series A Preferred Unit equal to the Minimum Return Amount applicable to such Series A Preferred Unit.

 

Series A Required Voting Percentage” means at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Series A Preferred Units, voting separately as a single class.

 

Series A Senior Securities” means any class or series of Partnership Interests that, with respect to distributions on such Partnership Interests or distributions in respect of such Partnership Interests upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Partnership, ranks senior to the Series A Preferred Units.

 

Series A Unitholder Redemption Right” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(ix)(A).

 

Series A Unitholder Redemption Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(ix)(B).

 

Series A Unitholder Redemption Units” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(ix)(B).

 

Simulated Basis” means the Carrying Value of any oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code).

 

Simulated Depletion” means, with respect to an oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code), a depletion allowance computed in accordance with U.S. federal income tax principles set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.611-2(a)(1) (as if the Simulated Basis of the property was its adjusted tax basis) and in the manner specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2), applying the cost depletion method. For purposes of computing Simulated Depletion with respect to any oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code), the Simulated Basis of such property shall be deemed to be the Carrying Value of such property, and in no event shall such allowance for Simulated Depletion, in the aggregate, exceed such Simulated Basis. If the Carrying Value of an oil and gas property is

 

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adjusted pursuant to Section 5.6(d) during a taxable period, following such adjustment Simulated Depletion shall thereafter be calculated under the foregoing provisions based upon such adjusted Carrying Value.

 

Simulated Gain” means the excess, if any, of the amount realized from the sale or other disposition of an oil or gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code) over the Carrying Value of such property and determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2).

 

Simulated Loss” means the excess, if any, of the Carrying Value of an oil or gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code) over the amount realized from the sale or other disposition of such property and determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2).

 

SPE Definitions” means, with respect to any term, the definition thereof adopted by the Board of Directors, Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Inc., March 1997.

 

Special Approval” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee.

 

Special Purpose Person” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b)(x)(A).

 

“Strip Price” means, at any time of determination, (a) for the remainder of the current calendar year, the average NYMEX Pricing for the remaining months in the current calendar year, (b) for each of the succeeding four complete calendar years, the average NYMEX Pricing for the twelve months in each such calendar year, and (c) for the succeeding fifth complete calendar year, and for each calendar year thereafter, the average NYMEX Pricing for the twelve months in such fifth calendar year.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof; (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general partner of such partnership, but only if such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, controls such partnership on the date of determination; or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person.

 

Surviving Business Entity” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.2(b)(ii).

 

Tax Matters Partner” has the meaning given such term in Section 9.3(a).

 

Total Debt” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Credit Agreement (including any embedded defined terms therein); provided that notwithstanding any limitations in the Credit

 

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Agreement, Total Debt shall be determined with respect to the Partnership and all of its Subsidiaries (i.e., such calculation shall not be limited to Restricted Subsidiaries (as such term is defined in the Credit Agreement)).

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which the referenced Partnership Interests of any class are listed or admitted for trading is open for the transaction of business or, if such Partnership Interests are not listed or admitted for trading on any National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking institutions in New York City are not legally required to be closed.

 

Transaction Documents” has the meaning given such term in Section 7.1(b).

 

Transfer” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.4(a).

 

Transfer Agent” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as may be appointed from time to time by the General Partner to act as registrar and transfer agent for any class of Partnership Interests in accordance with the Exchange Act and the rules of the National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed (if any); provided, however that, if no such Person is appointed as registrar and transfer agent for any class of Partnership Interests, the General Partner shall act as registrar and transfer agent for such class of Partnership Interests.

 

Treasury Regulation” means the United States Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code.

 

Underwriter” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement who purchased Common Units pursuant thereto.

 

Underwriters’ Option” means the option to purchase additional Common Units granted to the Underwriters by the Partnership pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Underwriting Agreement” means that certain Underwriting Agreement dated as of February 2, 2017, by and among the representative of the Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner and the other parties thereto, providing for the purchase of Common Units by the Underwriters in the Initial Public Offering.

 

Unit” means a Partnership Interest that is designated by the General Partner as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units and Series A Preferred Units.

 

Unit Majority” means a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and the Outstanding Series A Preferred Units voting on an as-converted basis, voting together as a class.

 

Unitholders” means the Record Holders of Units.

 

Unrealized Gain” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.6(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.6(d) as of such date).

 

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Unrealized Loss” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.6(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.6(d)).

 

Unrestricted Person” means (a) each Indemnitee, (b) each Partner, (c) each Person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, employee or agent of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner and (d) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Unrestricted Person” for purposes of this Agreement from time to time.

 

U.S. GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles, as in effect from time to time, consistently applied.

 

Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.1(b).

 

“Wholly-owned Subsidiary” of a Person means any Subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding capital stock or other ownership interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) are owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more Wholly-owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

Working Capital Borrowings” means borrowings incurred pursuant to a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement that are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to the Partners; provided, however that when such borrowings are incurred it is the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within 12 months from the date of such borrowings other than from additional Working Capital Borrowings.

 

Section 1.2                Construction. Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include,” “includes,” “including” or words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d) the terms “hereof,” “herein” or “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. The General Partner has the power to construe and interpret this Agreement and to act upon any such construction or interpretation. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any construction or interpretation of this Agreement by the General Partner and any action taken pursuant thereto and any determination made by the General Partner in good faith shall, in each case, be conclusive and binding on all Record Holders and all other Persons for all purposes.

 

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ARTICLE II

 

ORGANIZATION

 

Section 2.1                Formation. The General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner have formed the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act. The General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner have previously entered into the Prior Agreement. The purpose of this Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership is to (a) establish the rights and obligations of Series A Preferred Units in connection with the issuance of such Partnership Interests and (b) make other miscellaneous revisions. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties, liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware Act.

 

Section 2.2                Name. The name of the Partnership shall be “Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP”. Subject to applicable law, the Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the General Partner, including the name of the General Partner. The words “Limited Partnership,” “LP,” “Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The General Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time and shall notify the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular communication to the Limited Partners.

 

Section 2.3                Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices. Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at the Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The principal office of the Partnership shall be located at 777 Taylor Street, Suite 810, Fort Worth, Texas 76102 or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner shall be 777 Taylor Street, Suite 810, Fort Worth, Texas 76102 or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners.

 

Section 2.4                Purpose and Business. The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form, hold and dispose of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by the General Partner, in its sole discretion, and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and (b) do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member; provided, however, that the General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the General Partner determines

 

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would be reasonably likely to cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner has no obligation or duty to the Partnership or the Limited Partners to propose or approve, and may, in its sole discretion, decline to propose or approve, the conduct by the Partnership of any business in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

Section 2.5                Powers. The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.

 

Section 2.6                Term. The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.

 

Section 2.7                Title to Partnership Assets. Title to the assets of the Partnership, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity or its Subsidiaries, and no Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such assets of the Partnership or any portion thereof. Title to any or all assets of the Partnership may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees of the General Partner or its Affiliates, as the General Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any assets of the Partnership for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees of the General Partner or its Affiliates shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership or one or more of the Partnership’s designated Affiliates as soon as reasonably practicable; provided, further, that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior to any such transfer, shall provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to any successor General Partner. All assets of the Partnership shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such assets of the Partnership is held.

 

ARTICLE III

 

RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

 

Section 3.1                Limitation of Liability. The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.

 

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Section 3.2                Management of Business. No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the Partnership. No action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as such, shall be deemed to be participating in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) nor shall any such action affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this Agreement.

 

Section 3.3                Outside Activities of the Limited Partners. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.6, each Limited Partner shall be entitled to and may have business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to the Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Partnership Group. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner.

 

Section 3.4                Rights of Limited Partners.

 

(a)         Each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably related, as determined by the General Partner, to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand, and at such Limited Partner’s own expense:

 

(i)                       to obtain from the General Partner either (A) the Partnership’s most recent filings with the Commission on Form 10-K and any subsequent filings on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K or (B) if the Partnership is no longer subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the information specified in, and meeting the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act or any successor or similar rule or regulation under the Securities Act (provided, however, that the foregoing materials shall be deemed to be available to a Limited Partner in satisfaction of the requirements of this Section 3.4(a)(i) if posted on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website);

 

(ii)                    to obtain a current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each Partner; and

 

(iii)                 to obtain a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto.

 

(b)         To the fullest extent permitted by law, the rights to information granted the Limited Partners pursuant to Section 3.4(a) replace in their entirety any rights to information provided for in Section 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act and each of the Partners and each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in Partnership Interests hereby agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law that they do not have any rights as Partners to receive any information either

 

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pursuant to Sections 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act or otherwise except for the information identified in Section 3.4(a).

 

(c)          The General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable, (i) any information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the General Partner in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or its business or (C) that any Group Member is required by law or regulation or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.4).

 

(d)         Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or Section 17-305 of the Delaware Act, each of the Partners, each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement hereby agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law that they do not have rights to receive information from the Partnership or any Indemnitee for the purpose of determining whether to pursue litigation or assist in pending litigation against the Partnership or any Indemnitee relating to the affairs of the Partnership except pursuant to the applicable rules of discovery relating to litigation commenced by such Person or Group.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP
INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

 

Section 4.1                Certificates. Owners of Partnership Interests and, where appropriate, Derivative Partnership Interests, shall be recorded in the Register and, when deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors, ownership of such interests shall be evidenced by a physical certificate or book entry notation in the Register.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, unless the General Partner shall determine otherwise in respect of some or all of any or all classes of Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests, Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests shall not be evidenced by physical certificates. Certificates, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer or any Senior Vice President and the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, or other authorized officer of the General Partner.  The signatures of such officers upon a certificate may, to the extent permitted by law, be facsimiles.  In case any officer who has signed or whose signature has been placed upon such certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Partnership with the same effect as if he or she were such officer at the date of its issuance. If a Transfer Agent has been appointed for a class of Partnership Interests, no Certificate for such class of Partnership Interests shall be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided, however, that, if the General Partner elects to cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests of such class in global form, the Certificate shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Partnership Interests have been duly registered in accordance with the directions of the Partnership. With respect to any Partnership Interests that are represented by physical certificates, the General Partner may determine that such Partnership Interests will no

 

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longer be represented by physical certificates and may, upon written notice to the holders of such Partnership Interests and subject to applicable law, take whatever actions it deems necessary or appropriate to cause such Partnership Interests to be registered in book entry or global form and may cause such physical certificates to be cancelled or deemed cancelled.  The General Partner shall have the power and authority to make all such other rules and regulations as it may deem expedient concerning the issue, transfer and registration or replacement of Certificates.

 

Section 4.2                Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates.

 

(a)         If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the same number and type of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests as the Certificate so surrendered.

 

(b)         The appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign, a new Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued, if the Record Holder of the Certificate:

 

(i)                       makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;

 

(ii)                    requests the issuance of a new Certificate before the General Partner has notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;

 

(iii)                 if requested by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner a bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the General Partner may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the Certificate; and

 

(iv)                satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General Partner or the Transfer Agent.

 

If a Limited Partner fails to notify the General Partner within a reasonable period of time after such Limited Partner has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent receives such notification, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Limited Partner shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate.

 

(c)          As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.2, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith.

 

Section 4.3                Record Holders. The names and addresses of Unitholders as they appear in the Register shall be the official list of Record Holders of the Partnership Interests for all purposes.

 

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The Partnership and the General Partner shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person or Group, regardless of whether the Partnership or the General Partner shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading. Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or in some other representative capacity for another Person or Group in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests, as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Person on the other, such representative Person shall be the Limited Partner with respect to such Partnership Interest upon becoming the Record Holder in accordance with Section 10.1(a) and have the rights and obligations of a Partner hereunder as, and to the extent, provided herein, including Section 10.1(b).

 

Section 4.4                Transfer Generally.

 

(a)         The term “transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest, shall mean a transaction by which the holder of a Partnership Interest assigns all or any part of such Partnership Interest to another Person who is or becomes a Partner as a result thereof, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, excluding a pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage but including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.

 

(b)         No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV. Any transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be, to the fullest extent permitted by law, null and void.

 

(c)          Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or limit a disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of the General Partner or any Limited Partner of any or all of such Person’s shares of stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests in the General Partner or such Limited Partner and the term “transfer” shall not include any such disposition.

 

Section 4.5                Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests.

 

(a)         The General Partner shall keep, or cause to be kept by the Transfer Agent on behalf of the Partnership, one or more registers in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the registration and transfer of Limited Partner Interests, and any Derivative Partnership Interests, as applicable, shall be recorded (the “Register”).

 

(b)         The General Partner shall not recognize any transfer of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates until the Certificates evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are surrendered for registration of transfer. No charge shall be imposed by the General Partner for such transfer; provided, however, that as a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under

 

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this Section 4.5, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed with respect thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith. Upon surrender of a Certificate for registration of transfer of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions of this Section 4.5(b), the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and in the case of Certificates evidencing Limited Partner Interests for which a Transfer Agent has been appointed, the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number and type of Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered. Upon the proper surrender of a Certificate, such transfer shall be recorded in the Register.

 

(c)          Upon the receipt by the General Partner of proper transfer instructions from the Record Holder of uncertificated Partnership Interests, such transfer shall be recorded in the Register.

 

(d)         By acceptance of the transfer of any Limited Partner Interests in accordance with this Section 4.5 and except as provided in Section 4.8, each transferee of a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person) acknowledges and agrees to the provisions of Section 10.1(a).

 

(e)          Subject to (i) the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.5, (ii) Section 4.3, (iii) Section 4.7, (iv) with respect to any class or series of Limited Partner Interests, the provisions of any statement of designations or an amendment to this Agreement establishing such class or series, (v) any contractual provisions binding on any Limited Partner and (vi) provisions of applicable law, including the Securities Act, Limited Partner Interests shall be freely transferable.

 

Section 4.6                Transfer of the General Partner Interest.

 

(a)         Subject to Section 4.6(b), the General Partner may transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest without the approval of any Limited Partner or any other Person.

 

(b)         Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed) and (iii) such transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership interest owned by the General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.2, be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner effective immediately prior to

 

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the transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.

 

Section 4.7                Restrictions on Transfers.

 

(a)         Except as provided in Section 4.7(c), notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable U.S. federal or state securities laws or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation or (iii) cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).  The Partnership may issue stop transfer instructions to any Transfer Agent in order to implement any restriction on transfer contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(b)         The General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests if it determines, with the advice of counsel, that such restrictions are necessary or advisable to (i) avoid a significant risk of the Partnership’s becoming taxable as a corporation or otherwise becoming taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed) or (ii) preserve the uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement; provided, however, that any amendment that would result in the delisting or suspension of trading of any class of Limited Partner Interests on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is then listed or admitted to trading must be approved, prior to such amendment being effected, by the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of such class.

 

(c)          Except as provided in Section 4.7(a), nothing contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement, shall preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into through the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

 

(d)         In addition to any other restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement, transfers of Partnership Interests by a Series A Preferred Unitholder shall be subject to the restrictions imposed by Section 5.12(b)(vii).

 

Section 4.8                Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders.

 

(a)         The General Partner may upon demand or on a regular basis require Limited Partners and transferees of Limited Partner Interests, in connection with a transfer, to execute an Eligibility Certificate or provide other information as is necessary for the General Partner to determine if any such Limited partners or transferees are Ineligible Holders.

 

(b)         If any Limited Partner fails to furnish to the General Partner within 30 days of its request an Eligibility Certificate or other requested information related thereto, or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or other requested information the General Partner determines that a Limited Partner or a transferee of a Limited Partner is an Ineligible Holder, the Limited Partner

 

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Interests owned by such Limited Partner shall be subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.9 or the General Partner may refuse to effect the transfer of the Limited Partner Interests to such transferee. In addition, the General Partner shall be substituted for any Limited Partner that is an Ineligible Holder as the Limited Partner in respect of the Ineligible Holder’s Limited Partner Interests.

 

(c)          The General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited Partner Interests held by it on behalf of Ineligible Holders, distribute the votes in the same ratios as the votes of Limited Partners (including the General Partner and its Affiliates) in respect of Limited Partner Interests other than those of Ineligible Holders are cast, either for, against or abstaining as to the matter.

 

(d)         Upon dissolution of the Partnership, an Ineligible Holder shall have no right to receive a distribution in kind pursuant to Section 12.4 but shall be entitled to the cash equivalent thereof, and the Partnership shall provide cash in exchange for an assignment of the Ineligible Holder’s share of any distribution in kind. Such payment and assignment shall be treated for purposes hereof as a purchase by the Partnership from the Ineligible Holder of his, her or its Limited Partner Interest (representing the right to receive his, her or its share of such distribution in kind).

 

(e)          At any time after an Ineligible Holder can and does certify that he, she or it  no longer is an Ineligible Holder, he, she or it may, upon application to the General Partner, request that with respect to any Limited Partner Interests of such Ineligible Holder not redeemed pursuant to Section 4.9, such Ineligible Holder be admitted as a Limited Partner, and upon approval of the General Partner, such Ineligible Holder shall be admitted as a Limited Partner and shall no longer constitute an Ineligible Holder, and the General Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the Limited Partner in respect of such Limited Partner Interests.

 

(f)           This Section 4.8 does not apply with respect to the Series A Preferred Units and the Series A Conversion Units.

 

Section 4.9                Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders.

 

(a)         If at any time a Limited Partner fails to furnish an Eligibility Certificate or any information requested within 30 days (or such other period as the General Partner may determine) of receipt of a request from the General Partner to furnish an Eligibility Certificate, or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or such other information the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner is an Ineligible Holder, the Partnership may, unless the Limited Partner establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such Limited Partner is not an Ineligible Holder or has transferred his, her or its Limited Partner Interests to a Person who is not an Ineligible Holder and who furnishes an Eligibility Certificate to the General Partner prior to the date fixed for redemption as provided below, redeem the Limited Partner Interest of such Limited Partner as follows:

 

(i)                       The General Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the date fixed for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited Partner, at his, her or its last address designated in the Register by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when so mailed. The notice shall specify the Redeemable

 

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Interests, the date fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the redemption price shall be made upon redemption of the Redeemable Interests (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender of the Certificates evidencing the Redeemable Interests at the place specified in the notice) and that on and after the date fixed for redemption no further allocations or distributions to which the Limited Partner would otherwise be entitled in respect of the Redeemable Interests shall accrue or be made.

 

(ii)                    The aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an amount equal to the Current Market Price (the date of determination of which shall be the date fixed for redemption) of Limited Partner Interests of the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the number of Limited Partner Interests of each such class included among the Redeemable Interests. The redemption price shall be paid, as determined by the General Partner, in cash or by delivery of a promissory note of the Partnership in the principal amount of the redemption price, bearing interest at the rate of 5% annually and payable in three equal annual installments of principal together with accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption date.

 

(iii)                 The Limited Partner or his, her or its duly authorized representative shall be entitled to receive the payment for the Redeemable Interests at the place of payment specified in the notice of redemption on the redemption date (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner or transferee at the place specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificates evidencing the Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by an assignment duly executed in blank).

 

(iv)                After the redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer constitute issued and Outstanding Limited Partner Interests.

 

(b)         The provisions of this Section 4.9 shall also be applicable to Limited Partner Interests held by a Limited Partner as nominee, agent or representative of a Person determined to be an Ineligible Holder.

 

(c)          Nothing in this Section 4.9 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of redemption from transferring his, her or its Limited Partner Interest before the redemption date if such transfer is otherwise permitted under this Agreement and the transferor provides notice of such transfer to the General Partner. Upon receipt of notice of such a transfer, the General Partner shall withdraw the notice of redemption, provided, however, that the transferee of such Limited Partner Interest certifies to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such transferee is not an Ineligible Holder. If the transferee fails to make such certification within 30 days after the request, and, in any event, before the redemption date, such redemption shall be effected from the transferee on the original redemption date.

 

(d)         This Section 4.9 does not apply with respect to the Series A Preferred Units and the Series A Conversion Units.

 

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ARTICLE V

 

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF
PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

 

Section 5.1                Organizational Contributions. In connection with the formation of the Partnership on October 30, 2015 under the Delaware Act, the General Partner was admitted as the sole General Partner of the Partnership and the Organizational Limited Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $1,000.00 in exchange for an initial Limited Partner Interest equal to a 100% Percentage Interest and was admitted as the Organizational Limited Partner of the Partnership. On the Closing Date, the initial Limited Partner Interest held by the Organizational Limited Partner was redeemed as provided for in the Contribution Agreement and the initial Capital Contribution of the Organizational Limited Partner was refunded, and all interest or other profit that may have resulted from the investment or other use of such initial Capital Contribution was distributed to the Organizational Limited Partner.

 

Section 5.2                Contributions by the Contributing Parties on the Closing Date and Pursuant to the Contribution Agreement.

 

(a)         On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, each Person set forth on Exhibit C of the Contribution Agreement (each, an “Asset Contributor”) contributed to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, an overriding royalty, royalty or other mineral interest in the assets set forth opposite such Asset Contributor’s name on Exhibit C of the Contribution Agreement in exchange for (i) an amount of cash equal to the product of such Asset Contributor’s Interest Percentage and $83,700,000, (ii) the issuance by the Partnership of a number of Common Units equal to the product of such Asset Contributor’s Interest Percentage and 10,582,708 Common Units and (iii) the right to receive such Asset Contributor’s pro rata portion of the Deferred Issuance and Distribution, as further described in Section 5.4.

 

(b)         On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, each Person set forth on Exhibit B of the Contribution Agreement (each, an “Equity Contributor”) contributed to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, the equity interests set forth opposite such Equity Contributor’s name on Exhibit B of the Contribution Agreement in exchange for (i) an amount of cash equal to the product of such Equity Contributor’s Interest Percentage and $83,700,000, (ii) the issuance by the Partnership of a number of Common Units equal to the product of such Equity Contributor’s Interest Percentage and 10,582,708 Common Units and (iii) the right to receive such Equity Contributor’s pro rata portion of the Deferred Issuance and Distribution, as further described in Section 5.4.

 

Section 5.3                Contributions by Limited Partners.

 

(a)         On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter contributed cash to the Partnership in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to each Underwriter, all as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

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(b)         Upon the exercise, if any, of the Underwriters’ Option, each Underwriter shall contribute cash to the Partnership on the applicable Option Closing Date in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to each Underwriter, all as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

(c)          No Limited Partner shall be required to make any additional Capital Contribution to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Section 5.4                Deferred Issuance and Distribution. Upon the exercise of the Underwriters’ Option, any Common Units not purchased by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriters’ Option were issued to the Contributing Parties in accordance with each such Contributing Party’s Interest Percentage. Upon the exercise of the Underwriters’ Option, the Partnership distributed to each Contributing Party an amount of cash equal to the product of (a) such Contributing Party’s Interest Percentage and (b) the net proceeds (after the underwriting discount and structuring fee incurred by the Partnership or the other Contribution Agreement Parties in connection therewith) of such exercise of the Underwriters’ Option (such net proceeds, together with any Common Units issued to the Contributing Parties pursuant to this Section 5.4, the “Deferred Issuance and Distribution”).

 

Section 5.5                Interest and Withdrawal. No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon termination of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions. Any such return shall be a compromise to which all Partners agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.

 

Section 5.6                Capital Accounts.

 

(a)         The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a separate Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). Such Capital Account shall be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital Contributions made by the Partner with respect to such Partnership Interest, (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain computed in accordance with Section 5.6(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1, and (iii) the portion of any amount realized from the disposition of an oil and gas property that constitutes Simulated Gain allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with Section 6.1(d)(iii) and decreased by (x) the amount of cash or Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions to the Partner of cash or property made with respect to such Partnership Interest, (y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.6(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1, and (z) Simulated Depletion and Simulated Loss in accordance with Section 6.1(d)(ii).

 

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(b)         For purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss, deduction, Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss that is to be allocated pursuant to Article VI and is to be reflected in the Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition and classification of any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition and classification for U.S. federal income tax purposes (including any method of depreciation, cost recovery or amortization used for that purpose), provided, that:

 

(i)                       Solely for purposes of this Section 5.6, the Partnership shall be treated as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner based upon the provisions of the applicable Group Member Agreement) of all property owned by (x) any other Group Member that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and (y) any other partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes of which a Group Member is, directly or indirectly, a partner, member or other equity holder.

 

(ii)                    All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of (or to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted nor amortized under Section 709 of the Code, if any, shall, for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an item of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1.

 

(iii)                 The computation of all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss shall be made (x) except as otherwise provided in this Agreement and Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership, and (y) as to those items described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) or 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without regard to the fact that such items are not includable in gross income or are neither currently deductible nor capitalized for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

(iv)                To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) of the Code (including pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.734-2(b)(l)) is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain or loss.

 

(v)                   In the event the Carrying Value of Partnership property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.6(d), any Unrealized Gain resulting from such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain and any Unrealized Loss resulting from such adjustment shall be treated as an item of loss.

 

(vi)                Any income, gain, loss, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property as of such date of disposition were equal in amount to the property’s Carrying Value as of such date.

 

(vii)             Any deductions for depreciation, amortization or other cost recovery attributable to any Contributed Property or Adjusted Property shall be determined under the rules prescribed

 

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by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d)(2) as if the adjusted basis of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property immediately following such adjustment. Simulated Depletion shall be computed in accordance with the provisions of the definition of Simulated Depletion.

 

(viii)          The Gross Liability Value of each Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i) shall be adjusted at such times as provided in this Agreement for an adjustment to Carrying Values. The amount of any such adjustment shall be treated for purposes hereof as an item of loss (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership) or an item of gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership).

 

(c)          A transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a pro rata portion of the Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership Interest so transferred.

 

(d)         (i) Consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(h)(2), on an issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the issuance of a Noncompensatory Option, the issuance of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services or the conversion of the Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to Section 11.3(b), the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property; provided, however, that in the event of the issuance of a Partnership Interest pursuant to the exercise of a Noncompensatory Option where the right to share in Partnership capital represented by such Partnership Interest differs from the consideration paid to acquire and exercise such option, the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately after the issuance of such Partnership Interest shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property and the Capital Accounts of the Partners shall be adjusted in a manner consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s); provided further, however, that in the event of an issuance of Partnership Interests for a de minimis amount of cash or Contributed Property, in the event of an issuance of a Noncompensatory Option to acquire a de minimis Partnership Interest, or in the event of an issuance of a de minimis amount of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services, the General Partner may determine that such adjustments are unnecessary for the proper administration of the Partnership. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to the issuance of additional Partnership Interests (or, in the case of a Revaluation Event resulting from the exercise of a Noncompensatory Option, immediately after the issuance of the Partnership Interest acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Noncompensatory Option) shall be determined by the General Partner using such method of valuation as it may adopt. In making its determination of the fair market values of individual properties, the General Partner may first determine an aggregate value for the assets of the Partnership that takes into account the current trading price of the Common Units, the fair market value of all other Partnership Interests at such time, and the amount of Partnership Liabilities. The General Partner may allocate such aggregate value among the individual properties of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines appropriate).

 

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Absent a contrary determination by the General Partner, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership assets (including, without limitation, cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a Revaluation Event shall be the value that would result in the Capital Account for each Common Unit that is Outstanding prior to such Revaluation Event being equal to the Event Issue Value.

 

(ii)                    In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately prior to any distribution to a Partner of any Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the Carrying Value of all Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of a distribution other than one made pursuant to Section 12.4 be determined in the same manner as that provided in Section 5.6(d)(i) or (B) in the case of a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 12.4, be determined by the Liquidator using such method of valuation as it may adopt.

 

Section 5.7                Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests.

 

(a)         Subject to Section 5.12(b)(iii), the Partnership may issue additional Partnership Interests (other than the General Partner Interest) and Derivative Partnership Interests for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.

 

(b)         Each additional Partnership Interest authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.7(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior or junior to existing classes and series of Partnership Interests), as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including (i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or shall be required to redeem the Partnership Interest; (v) whether such Partnership Interest is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Interest shall be issued, evidenced by Certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Interest; and (viii) the right, if any, of each such Partnership Interest to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Interest.

 

(c)          The General Partner shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.7, (ii) the conversion of the Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii) reflecting the admission of such additional Limited Partners in the Register as the Record Holders of such Limited Partner Interests and (iv) all additional issuances of Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests. The General

 

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Partner shall determine the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or other Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests being so issued. The General Partner shall do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests or in connection with the conversion of Combined Interest into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units or other Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

 

(d)         No fractional Units shall be issued by the Partnership.

 

Section 5.8                Preemptive Right. Except as provided in this Section 5.8 or as otherwise provided in a separate agreement by the Partnership, no Person shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any Partnership Interest, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created. Other than with respect to the issuance of Partnership Interests in connection with the Initial Public Offering, the General Partner shall have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates, to purchase Partnership Interests from the Partnership whenever, and on the same terms that, the Partnership issues Partnership Interests to Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates equal to that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such Partnership Interests.

 

Section 5.9                Splits and Combinations.

 

(a)         Subject to Section 5.12(b)(v)(E), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Interests to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests so long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis or stated as a number of Units are proportionately adjusted retroactively to the beginning of the Partnership.

 

(b)         Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice (or such shorter periods as required by applicable law). The General Partner also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership Interests to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision or combination. The General Partner shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.

 

(c)          Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the Partnership may issue Certificates or uncertificated Partnership Interests to the Record Holders of Partnership Interests as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Interests held by such Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect such changes. If any such

 

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combination results in a smaller total number of Partnership Interests Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of Partnership Interests represented by Certificates, the surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.

 

(d)         The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution, subdivision, or combination of Partnership Interests. If a distribution, subdivision, combination or reorganization of Partnership Interests would result in the issuance of fractional Units but for the provisions of Section 5.7(d) and this Section 5.9(d), each fractional Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (and a 0.5 Unit shall be rounded to the next higher Unit).

 

Section 5.10         Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests. All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 or 17-804 of the Delaware Act.

 

Section 5.11         Deemed Capital Contributions by Partners. Consistent with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.83-6(d), if any Partner (or its successor) transfers property (including cash) to any employee or other service provider of the Partnership Group and such Partner is not entitled to be reimbursed by (or otherwise elects not to seek reimbursement from) the Partnership for the value of such property, then (a) such property shall be treated as having been contributed to the Partnership by such Partner and (b) immediately thereafter the Partnership shall be treated as having transferred such property to the employee or other service provider.

 

Section 5.12         Establishment of Series A Preferred Units.

 

(a)         General. There is hereby created a class of Units designated as “Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units” (the “Series A Preferred Units”), with the designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, privileges, powers, duties and obligations as are set forth in this Agreement. A total of 110,000 Series A Preferred Units shall be issued by the Partnership on the Series A Issuance Date pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Series A Purchase Agreement. Each Series A Preferred Unit shall constitute a “security” within the meaning of, and governed by, (i) Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code (including Section 8-102(a)(15) thereof) as in effect from time to time in the State of Delaware, and (ii) the corresponding provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code of any other applicable jurisdiction that now or hereafter substantially includes the 1994 revisions to Article 8 thereof as adopted by the American Law Institute and the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and approved by the American Bar Association on February 14, 1995.

 

(b)         Rights of Series A Preferred Units. The Series A Preferred Units shall have the following rights, preferences and privileges and the Series A Preferred Unitholders shall be subject to the following duties and obligations:

 

(i)                       Distributions.

 

(A)                Commencing with the Quarter ending on September 30, 2018 and continuing through the applicable Series A Conversion Date, subject to Section 5.12(b)(i)(D) each

 

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Record Holder of Series A Preferred Units as of an applicable Record Date for each Quarter shall be entitled to receive, in respect of each Series A Preferred Unit held by such Record Holder, cumulative distributions in cash in respect of such Quarter equal to the sum of (1) the Series A Distribution Amount for such Quarter and (2) the Accumulated Distributions with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit (collectively, the “Series A Quarterly Distribution”). Each Series A Quarterly Distribution shall be payable quarterly but no later than the earlier of (i) 45 days after the end of the applicable Quarter and (ii) the payment date of distributions, if any, on any Series A Parity Securities and Series A Junior Securities (each such payment date, a “Series A Distribution Payment Date”). If the General Partner establishes an earlier Record Date for any distribution to be made by the Partnership on other Partnership Interests in respect of any Quarter, then the Record Date established pursuant to this Section 5.12(b)(i)(A) for a Series A Quarterly Distribution in respect of such Quarter shall be such earlier Record Date.

 

(B)                Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 5.12(b)(i)(A), prior to the end of the Initial Accrual Period, the Partnership may, at the sole election of the Board of Directors, with respect to any Series A Distribution Amount in respect of any Quarter, elect in any non-consecutive Quarters (an “Accrual Election”) to have an amount equal to the quotient of (i) (A) the amount that would have been payable if such Series A Distribution Amount had been paid in cash less (B) the amount actually paid in cash divided by (ii) 0.7 be Accumulated Distributions and added to the Series A Liquidation Preference in lieu of paying such Series A Distribution Amount in cash.  If the Partnership fails to pay or declare in its entirety a Series A Distribution Amount in respect of any Quarter prior to the end of the Initial Accrual Period and does not make an Accrual Election in respect thereof, the Partnership shall be deemed to have made an Accrual Election for all purposes of this Agreement if the Partnership did not make an Accrual Election with respect to the immediately preceding Quarter; provided, that if the Partnership (x) fails to pay in full, in cash and when due, (1) any Series A Quarterly Distribution that is required to be paid after the Initial Accrual Period or (2) any Series A Quarterly Distribution that is required to be paid during the Initial Accrual Period if an Accrual Election was made in the immediately preceding Quarter, or (y) materially breaches any of its covenants in this Agreement and such breach has not been cured by the Partnership within 30 days after notice thereof by a Record Holder of Series A Preferred Units, then the Distribution Rate during such Quarter and each of the following Quarters shall be increased to 20% per annum until all Accumulated Distributions are paid in full in cash, and any such material breach is no longer ongoing and (ii) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Partnership shall not be permitted to, and shall not, declare or make, any distributions, redemptions or repurchases in respect of any Series A Junior Securities at any time that there are any Accumulated Distributions.

 

(C)                Each Series A Preferred Unit will have the right to share in any special distributions by the Partnership of cash, securities or other property Pro Rata with the Common Units on an as-converted basis, provided that special distributions shall not include regular quarterly distributions paid in the normal course of business on the Common Units pursuant to Section 6.3 of this Agreement. No adjustment pursuant to

 

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Section 5.12(b)(v)(E) shall be made with respect to a special distribution referred to in this Section 5.12(b)(i)(C).

 

(D)                Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5.12(b)(i) to the contrary, with respect to any Series A Preferred Unit that is converted into a Common Unit, (1) with respect to a distribution to be made to Record Holders as of the Record Date that precedes such conversion, the Record Holder of such Series A Preferred Unit as of such Record Date shall be entitled to receive such distribution in respect of such Series A Preferred Unit on the corresponding Series A Distribution Payment Date, but shall not be entitled to receive such distribution in respect of such Record Date established for Record Holders of Common Units in respect of the Common Units into which such Series A Preferred Unit was converted after such Record Date, and (2) with respect to a distribution to be made to Record Holders as of any Record Date that follows such conversion, the Record Holder of the Series A Conversion Units into which such Series A Preferred Unit was converted as of such Record Date shall be entitled to receive such distribution in respect of such Series A Conversion Units on the payment date thereof, but shall not be entitled to receive such distribution in respect of such Series A Preferred Unit on the corresponding Series A Distribution Payment Date. For the avoidance of doubt, if a Series A Preferred Unit is converted into Series A Conversion Unit pursuant to the terms of this Agreement after a Record Date but prior to the corresponding Series A Distribution Payment Date, then the Record Holder of such Series A Preferred Unit as of such Record Date shall nonetheless remain entitled to receive on the Series A Distribution Payment Date a distribution in respect of such Series A Preferred Unit pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(i)(A) and, until such distribution is received, Section 5.12(b)(i)(A) shall continue to apply.

 

(ii)                    Voting Rights.

 

(A)                Except as provided in Section 5.12(b)(ii)(B) and Section 5.12(b)(iii), the Outstanding Series A Preferred Units shall have voting rights that are identical to the voting rights of the Common Units into which such Series A Preferred Units would be converted at the then-applicable Series A Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(A) (regardless of whether the Series A Preferred Units are then convertible), and shall vote as a single class with the holders of the Common Units on each matter with respect to which each Record Holder of a Common Unit is entitled to vote; provided that the Outstanding Series A Preferred Units shall not vote with the holders of Common Units on any matter requiring the approval of the Common Units pursuant to Section 13.3(c) of this Agreement. Except with respect to Section 13.3(c), each reference in this Agreement to a vote of Record Holders of Common Units shall be deemed to constitute a reference to the Record Holders of Common Units and Series A Preferred Units, voting together as a single class during any period in which any Series A Preferred Units are Outstanding.

 

(B)                Except as provided in Section 5.12(b)(ii)(C), notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in addition to all other requirements imposed by Delaware law, and all other voting rights granted under this Agreement, the affirmative vote of the Record Holders of the Series A Required Voting Percentage shall be required for the

 

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Partnership to, or to permit any of its Subsidiaries to (in each case, directly or indirectly, including by way of amendment to this Agreement, by merger, consolidation, reclassification or otherwise):

 

(1)                                 incur any Indebtedness for borrowed money (including under any Customary Credit Facility) that would be included in the definition of Total Debt (but assuming for such purposes that any undrawn letters of credit or bank guarantees constitute Total Debt), if (i) either clause of the proviso in Section 5.12(b)(i)(B) is applicable or (2) pro forma for such incurrence and the application of any proceeds thereof, the Adjusted Leverage Ratio would exceed 3.50;

 

(2)                                 borrow under the Credit Agreement, at any time, an amount exceeding 95% of the Partnership’s and its Subsidiaries’ PV10 calculated based on the most recent Reserve Report;

 

(3)                                 enter into any credit facility in replacement of or to refinance the Credit Agreement (a “Replacement Credit Agreement”) that is not a Customary Credit Facility or amend, restate, supplement or otherwise modify the Credit Agreement in any manner if the result thereof is that the Credit Agreement as so amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified fails to satisfy the definition of Customary Credit Facility;

 

(4)                                 incur any Indebtedness for borrowed money except for  Indebtedness under the Customary Credit Facility, except for:

 

(a)                                 Indebtedness among the Partnership and its Subsidiaries;

 

(b)                                 Indebtedness which, in the aggregate, together with all other Indebtedness permitted by this clause (4)(b), does not exceed $5,000,000 in principal amount outstanding;

 

(c)                                  Indebtedness in respect of Capital Leases (as defined in the Credit Agreement) or purchase money financings in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time not to exceed $5,000,000;

 

(d)                                 Indebtedness consisting of the financing of insurance premiums in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(e)                                  any renewals, refinancings or extensions of any of the foregoing;

 

(5)                                 enter into, adopt or agree to any “restricted payment” provisions (or other similar provisions that restrict or limit the payment of distributions on, or the redemption of, the Series A Preferred Units) under any Partnership Indebtedness Document that would be more materially restrictive, taken as a whole, on the payment of dividends on, or

 

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redemption of, the Series A Preferred Units than those existing in the Partnership Indebtedness Documents as of the Series A Issuance Date (provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, any decrease in the amount available to make restricted payments under any such provisions that are the result of the Partnership utilizing capacity under such provisions or any decrease in capacity as a result of the operation of such provisions as set forth in the Partnership Indebtedness Documents as of the Series A Issuance Date, shall not require the consent of the Record Holders of the Series A Required Voting Percentage);

 

(6)                                 declare, or pay, any distribution on or repurchase or redeem any Series A Junior Securities (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Common Units) if (i) the pro forma Adjusted Leverage Ratio exceeds 3.50, immediately after giving effect thereto or (ii) either clause of the proviso in Section 5.12(b)(i)(B) is applicable;

 

(7)                                 declare, or pay, any special or one-time distribution with respect to any class of Series A Junior Securities, including any distribution that is not out of Available Cash, unless such special or one-time distribution is made on a pro rata basis to the Series A Preferred Units and any class of Series A Parity Securities;

 

(8)                                 form or create any Subsidiaries of the Partnership, other than Wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Partnership, issue, or permit to be issued, any Equity Securities of any Subsidiaries of the Partnership, other than to Wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Partnership, except as expressly contemplated by Section 5.09 of the Series A Purchase Agreement and the Partnership is permitted to own each of OGM Partners I, RCPTX, Ltd. and Oakwood Minerals I, L.P. as non-Wholly-owned Subsidiaries, in the proportions owned as of the date of the date hereof;

 

(9)                                 to the fullest extent permitted by law: (1) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (2) file a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (3) file a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (4) file an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against it in a proceeding of the type described in the preceding clauses (1)-(3); or (5) seek, consent to or acquiesce in the appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries or of all or any substantial part of their properties; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to any of the Subsidiaries of the Partnership, if (a) the Partnership shall determine that the existence thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and that the bankruptcy or liquidation thereof is not adverse in any

 

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material respect to the Series A Preferred Unitholders or (b) if a Subsidiary is to be liquidated, such Subsidiary has no material assets.

 

(10)                          make, change or revoke any entity classification election in respect of the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries for U.S. federal income tax purposes or relevant state or local income tax purposes, except as expressly provided in Section 5.09 of the Series A Purchase Agreement.

 

(11)                          except for Permitted Transactions, enter into, or modify, any agreement or transaction between or among the Partnership and/or its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the General Partner, its officers or employees or members of the Board of Directors and/or their respective Affiliates (other than the Partnership and its Wholly-owned Subsidiaries) on the other hand;

 

(12)                          except for Permitted Dispositions, sell, lease, assign, convey or otherwise dispose of (including by farmout or similar transaction) any oil and gas properties of the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries having a fair market value in excess of $50 million in any fiscal year and $125 million in the aggregate while any Series A Preferred Units are outstanding;

 

(13)                          enter into a Series A Change of Control unless in connection therewith the Partnership redeems in full for cash all of the Outstanding Series A Preferred Units in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(vi); or

 

(14)                          except as expressly provided in Section 5.09 of the Series A Purchase Agreement, amend or amend and restate this Agreement or the Certificate of Limited Partnership (including by merger or otherwise or any amendment contemplated by and made in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(iii) if such amendment is materially adverse to any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the Series A Preferred Units. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, any amendment shall be deemed to have such a materially adverse impact if such amendment would:

 

(a)         reduce the Series A Distribution Amount or the Series A Quarterly Distribution, change the form of payment of distributions on the Series A Preferred Units, defer the date from which distributions on the Series A Preferred Units will accrue, cancel any accrued and unpaid distributions on the Series A Preferred Units or any interest accrued thereon (including any Accumulated Distributions or Series A Partial Period Distributions), or change the seniority rights of the Series A Preferred Unitholders as to the payment of distributions in relation to the holders of any other class or series of Partnership Interests;

 

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(b)         reduce the amount payable or change the form of payment to the Record Holders of the Series A Preferred Units upon the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or sale of all or substantially all of the assets, of the Partnership, or change the seniority of the liquidation preferences of the Record Holders of the Series A Preferred Units in relation to the rights of the holders of any other class or series of Partnership Interests upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Partnership; or

 

(c)          make the Series A Preferred Units redeemable or convertible at the option of the Partnership other than as set forth in this Agreement.

 

(C)                Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5.12(b)(ii), in no event shall the consent of the Series A Preferred Unitholders, as a separate class, be required in connection with any Series A Change of Control; provided, that, in connection with any Series A Change of Control, the Partnership shall be required to redeem in full for cash all of the Outstanding Series A Preferred Units in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(vi); provided, further, that nothing in the foregoing shall limit the voting rights of any Series A Preferred Unitholder in connection with any vote of Record Holders of Common Units and Series A Preferred Units together as a single class that may be required to approve such transaction.

 

(D)                Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5.12(b)(ii), in no event shall the consent of the Series A Preferred Unitholders, as a separate class, be required in connection with any exchange made pursuant to the Exchange Agreement.

 

(iii)                 Issuances of Series A Senior Securities and Series A Parity Securities. The Partnership shall not, without the affirmative vote of the Record Holders of the Series A Required Voting Percentage, issue, authorize or create any (a) Series A Senior Securities or any obligation or security convertible into, exchangeable for or evidencing the right to purchase any Series A Senior Securities (or amend the provisions of any class of Partnership Interests to convert, reclassify or otherwise make such class of Partnership Interests a class of Series A Senior Securities), (b) Series A Parity Securities or any obligation or security convertible into, exchangeable for or evidencing the right to purchase any Series A Parity Securities (or amend the provisions of any class of Partnership Interests to convert, reclassify or otherwise make such class of Partnership Interests a class of Series A Parity Securities) or (c) additional Series A Preferred Units.  Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, subject to Section 5.12(b)(v)(E), the Partnership may, without any vote of the holders of Outstanding Series A Preferred Units voting as a separate class (but without prejudice to their rights to vote on an as-converted basis to the extent that the Common Units are entitled to vote on any such matter), create (by reclassification or otherwise) and issue Series A Junior Securities in an unlimited amount.

 

(iv)                Legends. Unless otherwise directed by the General Partner, each book entry or Certificate evidencing a Series A Preferred Unit shall bear a restrictive notation in substantially the following form (except that clause (C) and clause (I) shall not be included in such restrictive notation following any Conversion):

 

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THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE U.S. FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE OR (C) CAUSE KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). THE GENERAL PARTNER OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP MAY IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT DETERMINES, WITH THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL, THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY OR ADVISABLE TO (I) AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES OR (II) PRESERVE THE UNIFORMITY OF THE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP (OR ANY CLASS OR CLASSES OR SERIES THEREOF). THIS SECURITY IS SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON ITS TRANSFER PROVIDED IN THE SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP, AS AMENDED, SUPPLEMENTED OR RESTATED FROM TIME TO TIME. COPIES OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE HOLDER OF RECORD OF THIS SECURITY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL PARTNER AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE PARTNERSHIP. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.

 

(v)                   Conversion.

 

(A)                At the Option of the Series A Preferred Unitholders. Beginning with the earlier of (1) the second anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date and (2) immediately prior to the liquidation of the Partnership under Section 12.4 of this Agreement, the Series A Preferred Units owned by any Series A Preferred Unitholder shall be convertible, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time upon the request of such Series A Preferred Unitholder, but not more than once per Quarter by such Series A Preferred Unitholder (inclusive of any conversion by such Series A Preferred Unitholder’s Affiliates, with each Series A Preferred Unitholder and its Affiliates being entitled to a single conversion right per Quarter), into a number of Common Units determined by multiplying the number of Series A Preferred Units to be converted by the Series A

 

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Conversion Rate at such time; provided, however, that the Partnership shall not be obligated to honor any such conversion request unless (i) such conversion will involve an aggregate number of Series A Preferred Units with an underlying value of Common Units equal to or greater than $10 million (taking into account and including any concurrent conversion requests by any other Series A Preferred Unitholders) based on the Closing Price of Common Units on the Trading Day immediately preceding the Series A Conversion Notice Date (or such lesser amount to the extent such exercise covers all of the Series A Preferred Units of such Series A Preferred Unitholder and its Affiliates) and (ii) the Closing Price of the Common Units on the principal National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are then listed for, or admitted to, trading exceeded 130% of the Conversion Price for any 20 Trading Days during the 30-Trading Day period immediately preceding the Series A Conversion Notice Date. Immediately upon the issuance of Series A Conversion Units as a result of any conversion of Series A Preferred Units hereunder, subject to Section 5.12(b)(i)(D), all rights of the Series A Converting Unitholder with respect to such Series A Preferred Units shall cease, including any further accrual of distributions, and such Series A Converting Unitholder thereafter shall be treated for all purposes as the owner of Common Units. Fractional Common Units shall not be issued to any Person pursuant to this Section 5.12(b)(v)(A); provided, however, that instead of issuing any fractional Common Unit, the Partnership shall round down the number of Common Units issued to such Series A Preferred Unitholder to the nearest whole number and pay cash to such Person in lieu of issuing such fractional Common Unit (with the amount of such cash payment being equal to the such fractional interest multiplied by the Conversion Price).

 

(B)                At the Option of the Partnership. At any time on or after the second anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date, the Partnership shall have the option, at any time, to convert all or any portion of the Series A Preferred Units then Outstanding into a number of Common Units determined by multiplying the number of Series A Preferred Units to be converted by the Series A Conversion Rate at such time. Fractional Common Units shall not be issued to any Person pursuant to this Section 5.12(b)(v)(B); provided, however, that instead of issuing any fractional Common Unit, the Partnership shall round down the number of Common Units issued to any applicable Series A Preferred Unitholder to the nearest whole number and pay cash to such Person in lieu of issuing such fractional Common Unit (with the amount of such cash payment being equal to the such fractional interest multiplied by the Conversion Price). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in order for the Partnership to exercise such option:

 

(1)                                 such conversion must involve an aggregate number of Series A Preferred Units with an underlying value of Common Units equal to or greater than $10 million based on the Closing Price of Common Units on the Trading Day immediately preceding the Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice Date (or such lesser amount to the extent such exercise covers all of the Series A Preferred Units of such Series A Preferred Unitholder and its Affiliates);

 

(2)                                 the Common Units must be listed for, or admitted to, trading on a National Securities Exchange;

 

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(3)                                 the Closing Price of the Common Units on the principal National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are then listed for, or admitted to, trading must exceed 160% of the Conversion Price for any 20 Trading Days during the 30-Trading Day period immediately preceding the Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice Date;

 

(4)                                 the average daily trading volume of the Common Units on the principal National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are then listed for, or admitted to, trading must exceed 100,000 Common Units (as such amount may be adjusted to reflect any Unit split, combination or similar event) for the 60 Trading Days immediately preceding the Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice Date;

 

(5)                                 the Partnership shall not have repurchased on any day in the 30-Trading Day period immediately preceding the Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice Date more than 10% of the 30-day trailing average trading volume of the Common Units on the principal National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are then listed for, or admitted to, trading (calculated as of the Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice Date); and

 

(6)                                 the Partnership must have an effective registration statement on file with the Commission covering resales of the underlying Common Units to be received by the applicable Series A Preferred Unitholders upon any such conversion; provided, however, that the Partnership shall not have the right to convert any Series A Preferred Units of a Series A Preferred Unitholder unless the Partnership simultaneously makes the allocation under Section 6.1(c)(ix) so that the Capital Account of each Series A Conversion Unit being converted equals that of the initial Outstanding Common Unit.

 

Nothing in this Section 5.12(b)(v)(B), however, is intended to limit or prevent a Series A Preferred Unitholder from electing to convert its Series A Preferred Units into Common Units in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(v)(A), and the Partnership shall not have any right to convert Series A Preferred Units from a Series A Preferred Unitholder to the extent such Series A Preferred Unitholder validly delivers to the Partnership a valid Series A Conversion Notice covering all of the Series A Preferred Units that are the subject of the applicable Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice prior to the Series A Conversion Date in respect of the applicable Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice.

 

(C)                Conversion Notice.

 

(1)                                 To convert Series A Preferred Units into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(A), a Series A Converting Unitholder shall give written notice (a “Series A Conversion Notice,” and the date such notice is received, a “Series A Conversion Notice Date”) to the Partnership stating that such Series A Preferred Unitholder elects to so convert Series

 

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A Preferred Units pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(A), the number of Series A Preferred Units to be converted. The applicable Series A Conversion Units shall be issued in the name of the Record Holder of such Series A Preferred Units.

 

(2)                                 To convert Series A Preferred Units into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(B), the Partnership shall give written notice (a “Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice,” and the date such notice is sent by the Partnership, a “Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice Date”) to each Record Holder of Series A Preferred Units stating that the Partnership elects to so convert Series A Preferred Units pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(B), that the conditions for electing conversion have been satisfied and the number of Series A Preferred Units to be so converted. The applicable Series A Conversion Units shall be issued in the name of the Record Holder of such Series A Preferred Units.

 

(D)                Timing. If a Series A Conversion Notice is delivered by a Series A Preferred Unitholder to the Partnership or a Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice is delivered by the Partnership to a Series A Preferred Unitholder, each in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(v)(C), the Partnership shall issue the applicable Series A Conversion Units (i) no later than five Business Days after the Series A Conversion Notice Date or (ii) on the Series A Mandatory Conversion Notice Date, as the case may be (any date of issuance of Common Units upon conversion of Series A Preferred Units pursuant to this Section 5.12(b)(v) or Section 5.12(b)(vi), a “Series A Conversion Date”). On any Series A Conversion Date, the Partnership shall instruct, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause, its Transfer Agent to electronically transmit the Series A Conversion Units issuable upon conversion to such Series A Preferred Unitholder, by crediting the account of the Series A Preferred Unitholder through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission system. The parties agree to coordinate with the Transfer Agent to accomplish this objective. Subject to Section 5.12(b)(i)(D), upon issuance of Series A Conversion Units to the Series A Converting Unitholder (or its designated recipient(s)), all rights of such Series A Converting Unitholder with respect to the converted Series A Preferred Units shall cease, and such Series A Converting Unitholder shall be treated for all purposes as the Record Holder of such Series A Conversion Units.

 

(E)                 Distributions, Combinations, Subdivisions and Reclassifications by the Partnership. If, after the Series A Issuance Date, the Partnership (1) makes a distribution on the Common Units payable in Common Units or other Partnership Interests, (2) subdivides or splits its Outstanding Common Units into a greater number of Common Units, (3) combines or reclassifies the Common Units into a lesser number of Common Units, (4) issues by reclassification of its Common Units any Partnership Interests (including any reclassification in connection with a merger, consolidation or business combination in which the Partnership is the surviving Person), (5) effects a Pro Rata repurchase of Common Units, in each case other than in connection with a Series A Change of Control (which shall be governed by Section 5.12(b)(vi), (6) issues to holders of Common Units, in their capacity as holders of Common Units, rights, options or warrants entitling them to subscribe for or purchase Common Units at less than the

 

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market value thereof, (7) distributes to holders of Common Units evidences of indebtedness, Partnership Interests (other than Common Units) or other assets (including securities, but excluding any distribution referred to in clause (1) above, any rights or warrants referred to in clause (6) above, any consideration payable in connection with a tender or exchange offer made by the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries and any distribution of Units or any class or series, or similar Partnership Interest, of or relating to a Subsidiary or other business unit of the Partnership in the case of certain spin-off transactions described below), or (8) consummates a spin-off, where the Partnership makes a distribution to all holders of Common Units consisting of Units of any class or series, or similar equity interests of, or relating to, a Subsidiary or other business unit of the Partnership, then the Series A Conversion Rate, the Series A Redemption Price and, solely for purposes of Section 5.12(b)(v)(B)(2), the Conversion Price, in each case, in effect at the time of the Record Date for such distribution or the effective date of any such other transaction shall be proportionately adjusted: (A) in respect of clauses (1) through (4) above, so that the conversion of the Series A Preferred Units after such time shall entitle each Series A Preferred Unitholder to receive the aggregate number of Common Units (or any Partnership Interests into which such Common Units would have been combined, consolidated, merged or reclassified, as applicable) that such Series A Preferred Unitholder would have been entitled to receive if the Series A Preferred Units had been converted into Common Units immediately prior to such Record Date or effective date, as the case may be, (B) in respect of clauses (5) through (8) above, in the reasonable discretion of the General Partner, to appropriately ensure that the Series A Preferred Units are convertible into an economically equivalent number of Common Units after taking into account the event described in clauses (5) through (8) above, and (C) in addition to the foregoing, in the case of a merger, consolidation or business combination in which the Partnership is the surviving Person, the Partnership shall provide effective provisions to ensure that the provisions in this Section 5.12(b)(v)(E) relating to the Series A Preferred Units shall not be abridged or amended and that the Series A Preferred Units shall thereafter retain the same powers, economic rights, preferences and relative participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereon, that the Series A Preferred Units had immediately prior to such transaction or event. Notwithstanding the above, if any other terms of the Series A Preferred Units require adjustment to achieve the economic equivalence described above, such terms shall be proportionately adjusted in the manner determined in the General Partner’s reasonable discretion, to take into account any such subdivision, split, combination or reclassification. An adjustment made pursuant to this Section 5.12(b)(v)(E) shall become effective immediately after the Record Date, in the case of a distribution, and shall become effective immediately after the applicable effective date, in the case of a subdivision, combination, reclassification (including any reclassification in connection with a merger, consolidation or business combination in which the Partnership is the surviving Person) or split. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever any event described above shall occur.

 

(F)                  No Adjustments for Certain Items. Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this Section 5.12(b)(v), no adjustment shall be made to the Series A Conversion Rate, the Series A Redemption Price or the Series A Issue Price pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(v)(E) of this Agreement as a result of any of the following:

 

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(1)                                 any cash distributions made to holders of the Common Units (unless made in breach of Section 5.12(b)(i)(B);

 

(2)                                 any issuance of Partnership Interests in exchange for cash;

 

(3)                                 any grant of Common Units or options, warrants or rights to purchase or receive Common Units or the issuance of Common Units upon the exercise or vesting of any such options, warrants or rights in respect of services provided to or for the benefit of the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, under compensation plans and agreements approved by the General Partner (including any long-term incentive plan);

 

(4)                                 any issuance of Common Units as all or part of the consideration to effect (A) the closing of any acquisition by the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries of assets or equity interests of a third party in an arm’s-length transaction or from the Contributing Parties in a transaction approved by the Conflicts Committee in accordance with this Agreement or (B) the consummation of a merger, consolidation or other business combination of the Partnership with another entity in which the Partnership survives and the Common Units remain Outstanding, provided that any such transaction set forth in clause (A) or (B) of this Section 5.12(b)(v)(F)(4) is approved by the General Partner;

 

(5)                                 the issuance of Common Units upon conversion of Series A Preferred Units; or

 

(6)                                 the issuance of Series A Parity Securities.

 

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (x) whenever the issuance of a Partnership Interest or other event would require an adjustment to the Series A Conversion Rate under one or more provisions of this Agreement, only one adjustment shall be made to the Series A Conversion Rate in respect of such issuance or event and (y) unless otherwise determined by the General Partner, no adjustment to the Series A Conversion Rate or the Series A Issue Price shall be made with respect to any distribution or other transaction described in Section 5.12(b)(v)(E) if the Series A Preferred Unitholders are entitled to participate in such distribution or transaction as if they held a number of Common Units issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Units immediately prior to such event at the then applicable Series A Conversion Rate, without having to convert their Series A Preferred Units.

 

(G)                Conversion of Series A Preferred Units.

 

(1)                                 The Partnership shall keep free from preemptive rights a sufficient number of Common Units to permit the conversion of all outstanding Series A Preferred Units into Common Units to the extent provided in, and in accordance with, this Section 5.12(b)(v).

 

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(2)                                 All Common Units delivered upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Units in accordance with this Section 5.12(b)(v) shall be (i) newly issued, (ii) duly authorized, validly issued fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 17-303, 17-607 or 17-804 of the Delaware Act, and shall be free from preemptive rights and free of any lien, claim, rights or encumbrances, other than those arising under the Delaware Act or this Agreement, as amended by this Amendment and (iii) with respect to Common Units delivered upon a conversion in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(v)(B), registered for public resale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to an effective registration statement that is then-available for the resale of such Common Units.

 

(3)                           The Partnership shall comply with all applicable securities laws regulating the offer and delivery of any Common Units upon conversion of Series A Preferred Units and, if the Common Units are then listed or quoted on the New York Stock Exchange or any other National Securities Exchange or other market shall list or cause to have quoted and keep listed and quoted the Common Units issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Units to the extent permitted or required by the rules of such exchange or market.

 

(vi)                Series A Change of Control. In the event of a Series A Change of Control, the Partnership shall redeem all (and not less than all) of the Series A Preferred Units for a cash amount per Series A Preferred Unit equal to the Series A Redemption Price. Any redemption pursuant to this Section 5.12(b)(vi) shall be paid in cash.  No later than five (5) Trading Days prior to the consummation of such Series A Change of Control, the Partnership shall deliver a written notice to the Record Holders of the Series A Preferred Units stating the date on which the Series A Preferred Units will be redeemed and the Partnership’s computation of the amount of cash to be received by the Record Holder upon redemption of such Series A Preferred Units. The Partnership shall remit all such cash consideration to such Record Holders immediately prior to the consummation of such Series A Change of Control. The Record Holders shall deliver to the Partnership Certificates representing the Series A Preferred Units, if any, as soon as practicable following such redemption. Record Holders of the Series A Preferred Units shall retain all of the rights and privileges thereof unless and until the consideration due to such Record Holders as a result of such redemption is paid in full. After any such redemption and the payment in full of the consideration due as a result of such redemption, any such redeemed Series A Preferred Unit shall no longer constitute an issued and Outstanding Limited Partner Interest.

 

(vii)             Restrictions on Transfers of Series A Preferred Units.

 

(A)                Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5.12(b)(vii) (other than the restriction on transfers prior to any Conversion to a Person that is not a U.S. resident individual or an entity that is not treated as a U.S. corporation or partnership set forth in Section 5.12(b)(vii)(B), and subject to Section 4.7 of this Agreement, each Series A Preferred Unitholder shall be permitted to transfer any Series A Preferred Units owned by

 

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such Series A Preferred Unitholder to any of its respective Affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.12(b)(vii) are in addition to such other restrictions set forth in this Agreement.

 

(B)                Without the prior written consent of the General Partner, except as specifically provided in this Agreement, each Series A Preferred Unitholder shall not: (1) prior to the first anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date, offer, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Series A Preferred Units; (2) prior to the first anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date, directly or indirectly engage in any short sales or other derivative or hedging transactions with respect to any class or series of Partnership Interests; or (3) prior to any Conversion, effect any transfer of Series A Preferred Units in a manner that violates the terms of this Agreement; provided, however, that any Series A Preferred Unitholder may at any time on and after the Series A Issuance Date, pledge all or any portion of its Series A Preferred Units to any holders of obligations owed by such Series A Preferred Unitholder, including to the trustee for, or agent or representative of, such Series A Preferred Unitholder, and, in each case, as applicable, subject to clause (3) above, any such pledge and any foreclosure, sale or other remedy exercised pursuant to the pledge thereon and/or subsequent transfer by any such pledgee on any such pledged Series A Preferred Units shall not be considered a violation or breach of this Section 5.12(b)(vii)(B); provided, further that any Series A Preferred Unitholder may (subject to complying with Clause (3) above) transfer any Partnership Interests to one or more of its Affiliates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any transferee (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include any pledgee of Series A Preferred Units) receiving any Series A Preferred Units pursuant to this Section 5.12(b)(vii)(B) (including upon any foreclosure upon pledged Series A Preferred Units) shall be obligated to agree to the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.12(b)(vii)(B) of this Agreement as a condition to such transfer. For the avoidance of doubt, in no way shall this Section 5.12(b)(vii)(B) of this Agreement or any other provision of this Agreement (i) prohibit changes in the composition of any Series A Preferred Unitholder or its direct or indirect owners, partners or members so long as such changes in composition only relate to changes in direct or indirect ownership of such Series A Preferred Unitholder, (ii) prohibit any direct or indirect owners, partners or members of the general partner of any Series A Preferred Unitholder from changing over time, (iii) prohibit limited partners or members of any ultimate fund that indirectly owns any Series A Preferred Unitholder from transferring interests to other Persons in the secondary market or (iv) prohibit any Series A Preferred Unitholder from exercising any rights set forth in Section 5.12(b)(ix).

 

(C)                Subject to Section 4.7 of this Agreement and compliance with any applicable securities laws or other provisions of this Agreement, at any time after the first anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date, the Series A Preferred Unitholders may freely transfer their Series A Preferred Units; provided, however, that this Section 5.12(b)(vii)(C) shall not eliminate, modify or reduce the obligations set forth in clauses (2) or (3) of Section 5.12(b)(vii)(B).

 

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(viii)          Partnership Optional Redemption.

 

(A)                Upon not less than 20 Business Days prior written notice (each, a “Partnership Series A Redemption Notice”), the Partnership may redeem all of the Series A Preferred Units, or less than all so long as any such redemption includes an aggregate number of Series A Preferred Units with an aggregate Minimum Return Amount that is equal to or greater than $20 million, at any time for a cash amount per Series A Preferred Unit equal to the Series A Redemption Price.

 

(B)                On and after any date fixed for redemption (each a “Series A Redemption Date”), provided that the Partnership has made available at the office of the Transfer Agent a sufficient amount of funds to effect the redemption, distributions will cease to accrue on the Series A Preferred Units called for redemption, such Series A Preferred Units shall no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of such units as holders of Series A Preferred Units shall cease except the right to receive the cash deliverable upon such redemption, without interest from the Series A Redemption Date. Notice of any redemption will be irrevocable and will be provided by the Partnership not less than twenty (20) Business Days prior to the Series A Redemption Date, addressed to the respective Record Holders of the Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the books and records of the Partnership. No failure to give such notice or any defect therein shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series A Preferred Units except as to any Series A Preferred Unitholder to whom the Partnership has failed to give notice or except as to any Series A Preferred Unitholder to whom notice was defective. In addition to any information required by applicable law, such notice shall state: (1) the Series A Redemption Date; (2) the Series A Redemption Price; and (3) whether all or less than all of the Outstanding Series A Preferred Units are to be redeemed, the aggregate amount of Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed and, if less than all Series A Preferred Units held by such Series A  Preferred Unitholder are to be redeemed, the number of Series A Preferred Units that will be redeemed. The notice may also require delivery of Certificates representing the Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed, if any, together with certification as to the ownership of such Series A Preferred Units. Upon the redemption of Series A Preferred Units pursuant to this Section 5.12(b)(viii) and the payment in full of the consideration due as a result of such redemption, all rights of a Series A Preferred Unitholder with respect to the redeemed Series A Preferred Units shall cease, and such redeemed Series A Preferred Units shall cease to be Outstanding for all purposes of this Agreement.

 

(C)                If the Partnership defaults in the payment of the redemption price by failing to pay such price by the date specified in the notice of redemption, then the Series A Preferred Units that were called for redemption shall remain outstanding and continue to accumulate the Series A Distribution Amount and have all other rights, preferences and privileges of Series A Preferred Units.

 

(D)                Upon any redemption of Series A Preferred Units pursuant to this Section 5.12(b)(viii), the Partnership shall pay the Series A Redemption Price to the applicable Series A Preferred Unitholders by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account specified by each such Series A Preferred Unitholder in writing to the General Partner as requested in the notice of redemption.

 

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(E)                 Except as provided in Section 5.12(b)(ix) of this Agreement, no Series A Preferred Unitholder shall have the right to require the Partnership to redeem any Series A Preferred Units. Except as provided in this Section 5.12(b)(viii), the Partnership shall not have the right under any provision of this Agreement at its option to redeem Series A Preferred Units.

 

(ix)                Series A Preferred Unitholder Optional Redemption.

 

(A)                Commencing on the seventh anniversary of the Series A Issuance Date (the “Forced Redemption Date”) the Series A Preferred Unitholders shall have the right to cause the Partnership to redeem the Outstanding Series A Preferred Units (in whole or in part so long as any such redemption includes an aggregate number of Series A Preferred Units with an aggregate Minimum Return Amount that is equal to or greater than $20 million) (the “Series A Unitholder Redemption Right”) for cash in an aggregate amount equal to the number of Series A Preferred Units so redeemed multiplied by the Series A Redemption Price.

 

(B)                The Series A Preferred Unitholders may exercise the Series A Unitholder Redemption Right at any time after the Forced Redemption Date (but not more than once per Quarter by such Series A Preferred Unitholder (inclusive of any conversion by such Series A Preferred Unitholder’s Affiliates, with each Series A Preferred Unitholder and its Affiliates being entitled to a single redemption right per Quarter)) by delivering to the Partnership a notice of redemption (the “Series A Unitholder Redemption Notice”); provided, however, that no Series A Unitholder Redemption Notice will be valid if delivered less than ten Business Days before the date set for distributions pursuant to Section 6.3 of this Agreement. Such Series A Unitholder Redemption Notice shall be in writing and include the number of Units to be redeemed from the applicable Series A Preferred Unitholders (the “Series A Unitholder Redemption Units”).

 

(C)                Within five Business Days of a receipt of a Series A Unitholder Redemption Notice, the Partnership shall deliver a notice (the “Final Partnership Redemption Notice”) that states (i) the Series A Unitholder Redemption Date, (ii) the number of Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed (as set forth in the Series A Unitholder Redemption Notice) and (iii) the place where any Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed that are in certificated form are to be redeemed and shall be presented and surrendered for payment in cash therefor.   Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after delivery of any Series A Unitholder Redemption Notice, the Partnership shall not be permitted to, and shall not, declare or make, any distributions, redemptions or repurchases in respect of any Series A Junior Securities or Series A Parity Securities until the Partnership has paid and delivered in full an amount of cash sufficient to redeem each of the Series A Preferred Units included in the Series A Unitholder Redemption Notice.

 

(D)                The Partnership shall deposit with the Paying Agent cash sufficient to redeem each of the Series A Preferred Units as to which the Partnership has delivered a Final Partnership Redemption Notice in accordance with Section 5.12(b)(ix)(C) no later than the open of business on the fifth Business Day following the delivery of the Final

 

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Partnership Redemption Notice (such date, the “Partnership Redemption Date”), and the Partnership shall, at the time of such deposit, give the Paying Agent irrevocable instructions and authority to deliver the cash consideration to the Series A Preferred Unitholders for each of their Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed as set forth in the Final Partnership Redemption Notice. If a Final Partnership Redemption Notice shall have been given, then from and after the Series A Unitholder Redemption Date, unless the Partnership defaults in providing to the Series A Preferred Unitholders cash for each of the Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed sufficient for such redemption at the time and place specified for payment pursuant to the Final Partnership Redemption Notice, (i) all dividends on such Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed shall cease to accrue, (ii) Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed shall be deemed no longer outstanding and (iii) all other rights with respect to the Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed, including the rights, if any, to receive notices, will terminate, except only the rights of Series A Preferred Unitholders thereof to receive the cash consideration for each of their Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed. If the Partnership defaults in providing to the Series A Preferred Unitholders cash for each of the Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed as set forth in the Final Partnership Redemption Notice, then the Series A Preferred Units included in the Series A Unitholder Redemption Notice that were called for redemption shall remain outstanding and continue to accumulate the Series A Distribution Amount and have all other rights, preferences and privileges of Series A Preferred Units; provided that (x) the Distribution Rate shall be 20% for the Quarter in which such default occurs and in all Quarters after such default with respect to such Series A Preferred Units and (y) the Partnership shall not be permitted to, and shall not, declare or make, any distributions, redemptions or repurchases in respect of any Series A Junior Securities or Series A Parity Securities (including, for the avoidance of doubt, with respect to the Quarter in respect of which the Partnership first failed to pay in full the Series A Redemption Price in respect of the Series A Unitholder Redemption Units in cash when due). The Partnership shall be entitled to receive from the Paying Agent the interest income, if any, earned on such funds deposited with the Paying Agent (to the extent that such interest income is not required to pay the cash consideration for each of the Series A Preferred Units to be redeemed), and the holders of any Series A Preferred Units so redeemed shall have no claim to any such interest income. Any funds deposited with the Paying Agent hereunder by the Partnership for any reason, including redemption of Series A Preferred Units, that remain unclaimed or unpaid after two years after the Series A Unitholder Redemption Date, shall be, to the extent permitted by applicable law, repaid to the Partnership upon its written request, after which repayment the Series A Preferred Unitholders entitled to such redemption shall have recourse only to the Partnership. Notwithstanding any Final Partnership Redemption Notice, there shall be no redemption of any Series A Preferred Units called for redemption until funds sufficient to pay the full consideration with respect to each such share shall have been deposited by the Partnership with the Paying Agent.

 

(x)                   Structuring.

 

(A)                Blocker Merger.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, at the request of the Record Holder of the Series A Required Voting Percentage, in connection with any conversion of the Partnership or any successor thereto into a

 

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corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “Conversion” and, following any such Conversion, the entity into which the Partnership shall be converted shall be referred to as the “Converted Entity”) by (i) the conversion of the Partnership into a corporation pursuant to Section 18-216 of the Delaware Act (or any successor Section thereto), (ii) the transfer by each Partner of Units held by such Partner to one or more corporations in exchange for shares of any such corporation (including by merger of the Partner into a corporation), (iii) the filing of an election to be classified as an association taxable as a corporation pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3(c), or (iv) any other structure or means by which to effect a Conversion, any Special Purpose Person that is classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes that directly or indirectly owns Series A Preferred Units (each,  a “Blocker Corporation”) shall be merged or consolidated into the Converted Entity in a tax-free reorganization or transfer as a condition precedent to the completion of such Conversion and on terms reasonably acceptable to such Record Holders of the Series A Required Voting Percentage (each such merger or consolidation, a “Blocker Merger”), and the owners of securities of such Blocker Corporation (A) shall be entitled to the same consideration (whether in the form of cash, publicly-traded property, non-publicly-traded property, or any combination thereof) that such Blocker Corporation would have received in, or owned following, the Conversion had the Conversion been effected without giving effect to such Blocker Merger and (B) shall be responsible for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless the Converted Entity and its Affiliates against, any liabilities of the Blocker Corporation, other than any liabilities arising from or relating to the ownership of the Series A Preferred Units (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any taxes with respect to taxable periods (or portions thereof) ending prior to the closing of such Blocker Merger). For purposes of this Section 5.12(b)(x)(A), a “Special Purpose Person” is an entity which demonstrates to the reasonable satisfaction of the Partnership that it was formed on or after May 25, 2018, for the sole purpose of owning (directly or indirectly) Series A Preferred Units and participating in the Blocker Merger (if any) and other reasons incidental to such purposes.

 

(B)                Up-C. In connection with the implementation of an “Up-C” structure by or with respect to the Partnership or any successor thereto and as a condition precedent of the completion of such transaction, at the request of the Record Holders of the Series A Required Voting Percentage, any Series A Preferred Unitholder shall be entitled to participate in such structure in a manner that is reasonably acceptable to such Record Holders of the Series A Required Voting Percentage and the General Partner such that the Series A Preferred Unitholder (i) owns interests in the pass-through entity conducting the business of the Partnership, with such interests having generally the same terms and economic entitlements as the Series A Preferred Units, (ii) has the right to exchange such Series A Preferred Units for cash or shares of the public vehicle, (iii) has the right to receive payments pursuant to any tax receivable or similar agreement, and (iv) to the extent that any Series A Preferred Unitholder receives shares of the public vehicle in addition to interests in the pass-through entity, makes such transfers to the public vehicle as are reasonably necessary to assure that the transactions incident to the actual or deemed incorporation of the public vehicle qualify under Section 351 of the Code; provided that any such transfer described in clause (iv) shall not have a material commercial impact on the Series A Preferred Unitholders; provided, further, that in the

 

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case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), any such terms afforded to the Series A Preferred Unitholders shall not be less favorable than those afforded to any other Person.

 

(C)                Liquidation Following Conversion.  Following a Conversion, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Converted Entity, either voluntary or involuntary, the Series A Preferred Unitholders shall be entitled to receive, out of the assets of the Converted Entity available for distribution, prior to any distribution of any assets of the Converted Entity to the Common Unitholders or to the holders of any other class or series of Equity Securities of the Converted Entity, an amount per Series A Preferred Unit equal to Series A Redemption Price.

 

(D)                Termination of Allocations.  The provisions of Section 6.1 and Section 6.2 shall not apply to tax periods following a Conversion

 

(xi)                Fully Paid and Non-Assessable. Any Series A Conversion Unit(s) delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Act), and shall be free and clear of any liens, claims, rights or encumbrances other than those arising under the Delaware Act, or this Agreement or created by the holders thereof.

 

(xii)             Notices. For the avoidance of doubt, the Partnership shall distribute to the Record Holders of Series A Preferred Units copies of all notices, materials, annual and quarterly reports, proxy statements, information statements and any other documents distributed generally to the Record Holders of Common Units of the Partnership, at such times and by such method as such documents are distributed to such Record Holders of such Common Units.

 

(xiii)          Additional Information. Upon the affirmative vote of the Series A Required Voting Percentage and no more than once a quarter, the General Partner agrees to make available its chief executive officer, president or chief financial officer to discuss with the Series A Preferred Unitholders the Partnership’s financial condition and operations.

 

(xiv)         Termination.  Except for the right of a holder of Series A Preferred Units to receive Common Units and certain payments as expressly set forth in Section 5.12(b)(v), in the case of conversion of Series A Preferred Units, or Section 5.12(b)(vi), Section 5.12(b)(viii) or Section 5.12(b)(ix), in the case of redemption of Series A Preferred Units, Section 5.12 and Section 6.4 shall automatically terminate and be of no further force and effect at such time as no Series A Preferred Units remain Outstanding.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Section 6.1                Allocations for Capital Account Purposes. For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of the Partners among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss, deduction, amount realized and Simulated Gain

 

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(computed in accordance with Section 5.6(b)) for each taxable period shall be allocated among the Partners, and the Capital Accounts of the Partners shall be adjusted for Simulated Depletion and Simulated Loss, as provided herein below.  Consistent with Section 5.6(d), the taxable periods for which allocations shall be made pursuant to this Section 6.1 shall include any taxable periods ending on a Series A Redemption Date or a Series A Conversion Date, as applicable, and any Series A Preferred Units being redeemed or converted on such date shall be treated as Outstanding as of the last day of the taxable period ending on such date for purposes of this Section 6.1.

 

(a)         Net Income.  After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(c) and Capital Account adjustments pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(ii), Net Income for each taxable period (including all items of income, gain, loss, and deduction and, to the extent provided in Section 6.1(d)(iii), Simulated Gain taken into account in computing Net Income for such taxable period) shall be allocated as follows:

 

(i)                       First, to the General Partner until the aggregate amount of Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(a)(i) for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate amount of Net Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(iii) for all previous taxable periods; and

 

(ii)                    Second, the balance, if any, 100% to the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

(b)         Net Loss.  After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(c) and Capital Account adjustments pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(ii), Net Loss for each taxable period (including all items of income, gain, loss, deduction and, to the extent provided in Section 6.1(d)(iii), Simulated Gain taken into account in computing Net Loss for such taxable period) shall be allocated as follows:

 

(i)                       First, 100% to the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Adjusted Capital Account of each Common Unitholder is equal to zero;

 

(ii)                    Second, 100% to all Series A Preferred Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Adjusted Capital Account of each Series A Preferred Unitholder is equal to zero; and

 

(iii)                 Third, the balance, if any, to the General Partner;

 

provided, that Net Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b) to the extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account).

 

(c)          Special Allocations.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, the following special allocations shall be made for each taxable period in the following order:

 

(i)                       Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income, gain and Simulated Gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and

 

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amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision.  For purposes of this Section 6.1(c), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income, gain and Simulated Gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(c) with respect to such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(vi)  and Section 6.1(c)(vii)).  This Section 6.1(c)(i) is intended to comply with the Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

(ii)                    Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain.  Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other than Section 6.1(c)(i)), except as provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, any Partner with a share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable period shall be allocated items of Partnership income, gain and Simulated Gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor provisions.  For purposes of this Section 6.1(c), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income, gain and Simulated Gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(c), other than Section 6.1(c)(i) and other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(vi) and Section 6.1(c)(vii), with respect to such taxable period.  This Section 6.1(c)(ii) is intended to comply with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

(iii)                 Priority Allocations.

 

(A)                Net Agreed Value.  If the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to Section 12.4) with respect to a Unit exceeds the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of property distributed with respect to another Unit, each Unitholder receiving such greater cash or property distribution shall be allocated gross income in an amount equal to the product of (aa) the amount by which the distribution (on a per Unit basis) to such Unitholder exceeds the distribution with respect to the Unit receiving the smallest distribution and (bb) the number of Units owned by the Unitholder receiving the greater distribution.

 

(B)                Series A Preferred Unitholder Periodic Allocations.  After the application of Section 6.1(c)(iii)(A), the remaining Partnership items of gross income and gain (including Unrealized Gain and Simulated Gain) for the taxable period shall be allocated to the Series A Preferred Unitholders, Pro Rata, in the following order:

 

(1)                                 first, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (x) the Minimum IRR from the Closing Date through the last day of such taxable period with respect to each Series A Preferred Unit that is Outstanding as of the last day of such taxable period, over (y) the cumulative gross income and gain allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B)(1) from

 

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all prior taxable periods and the cumulative Capital Contributions with respect to each Series A Preferred Unit that is Outstanding as of the last day of such taxable period; and

 

(2)                                 second, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (x) the cumulative amount of Net Loss allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(b) for all prior taxable periods with respect to each Series A Preferred Unit that is Outstanding as of the last day of such taxable period, over (y) the cumulative gross income and gain allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B)(2) for all prior taxable periods with respect to each Series A Preferred Unit that is Outstanding as of the last day of such taxable period.

 

(C)                Redemption Allocations.  If any Series A Preferred Units are redeemed pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(vi), (viii) or (ix) and the Capital Account with respect to each such Unit does not equal the Series A Redemption Price, then items of gross income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated to the Series A Preferred Unitholders whose Units are being redeemed, Pro Rata, in a manner such that, to the extent possible, the Capital Account balance with respect to each such Series A Preferred Unit equals the Series A Redemption Price; provided that such Capital Account balance shall be determined after giving effect to (x) all Capital Contributions made with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit, (y) all distributions made with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit, and (z) all allocations made pursuant to this Section 6.1 with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit for all periods.  If, after making such allocations, the Capital Account balance with respect to each such Series A Unit does not equal the Series A Redemption Price, then (i) to the extent the Series A Redemption Price exceeds such Capital Account balance, the Partnership will be deemed to make a guaranteed payment to the Series A Preferred Unitholders whose Series A Preferred Units are being redeemed in an aggregate amount equal to the amount of such excess for each Series A Preferred Unit being redeemed, and the deduction with respect to the deemed guaranteed payments will be allocated 100% to the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata, or (ii) to the extent such Capital Account balance exceeds the Series A Redemption Price, the Partnership will be deemed to make a guaranteed payment to the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata, in an aggregate amount equal to the amount of such excess for each Series A Preferred Unit being redeemed, and the deduction with respect to the deemed guaranteed payments will be allocated 100% to the Series A Preferred Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

(D)                Liquidation Allocations.  If upon the liquidation of the Partnership, the Capital Account with respect to each Series A Preferred Unit does not equal the Series A Redemption Price, then items of gross income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated to the Series A Preferred Unitholders, Pro Rata, in a manner such that, to the extent possible, the Capital Account balance with respect to each such Series A Unit equals the Series A Redemption Price; provided that such Capital Account balance shall be determined after giving effect to (x) all Capital Contributions made with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit, (y) all distributions made with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit, and (z) all allocations made pursuant to this Section 6.1 with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit for all periods.  If, after making such allocations, the Capital Account balance with respect to each such Series A Unit does not equal the Series A Redemption

 

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Price, then (i) to the extent the Series A Redemption Price exceeds such Capital Account balance, the Partnership will make a guaranteed payment to the Series A Preferred Unitholders, Pro Rata, in an aggregate amount equal to the amount of such excess for each Series A Preferred Unit, and the deduction with respect to the guaranteed payments will be allocated 100% to the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata, or (ii) to the extent such Capital Account balance exceeds the Series A Redemption Price, the Partnership will make a guaranteed payment to the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata, in an aggregate amount equal to the amount of such excess for each Series A Preferred Unit, and the deduction with respect to the guaranteed payments will be allocated 100% to the Series A Preferred Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

(iv)                Qualified Income Offset.  In the event any Partner unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations or distributions described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Partnership gross income and gain shall be specially allocated to such Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in its Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations or distributions as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iv) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if this Section 6.1(c)(iv) were not in this Agreement.

 

(v)                   Gross Income Allocations.  In the event any Partner has a deficit balance in its Capital Account at the end of any taxable period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount such Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and (B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be specially allocated items of Partnership gross income, gain and Simulated Gain in the amount of such excess as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(v) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Capital Account after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if Section 6.1(c)(iv) and this Section 6.1(c)(v) were not in this Agreement.

 

(vi)                Nonrecourse Deductions.  Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated to the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata.  If the General Partner determines that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions should be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized, upon notice to the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically closest ratio that does satisfy such requirements.

 

(vii)             Partner Nonrecourse Deductions.  Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to the Partner Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i).  If more than one Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt, such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions attributable thereto shall be allocated between or among

 

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such Partners in accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of Loss.  This Section 6.1(c)(vii) is intended to comply with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(1) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

(viii)          Nonrecourse Liabilities.  For purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess of the sum of (A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated among the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

(ix)                Code Section 754 Adjustments.  To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) of the Code (including pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.734-2(b)(1)) is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts as a result of a distribution to a Partner in complete liquidation of such Partner’s interest in the Partnership, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain or Simulated Gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss or Simulated Loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis) taken into account pursuant to Section 5.6, and such item of gain, loss, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury Regulations.

 

(x)                   Economic Uniformity; Changes in Law.  For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof), the General Partner shall (i) adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (ii) make special allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction, Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss; and (iii) amend the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to preserve or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof).  The General Partner may adopt such conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this Agreement as provided in this Section 6.1(c)(x) only if such conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests or the Partnership.

 

(xi)                Curative Allocation.

 

(A)                Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, other than the Required Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be taken into account in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of items of gross income, gain, loss, deduction, Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had the Required Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not otherwise been provided in this Section 6.1 and Simulated Depletion and Simulated Loss had been included in the definition of Net Income and Net Loss.  In exercising its discretion under this Section 6.1(c)(xi)(A), the

 

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General Partner may take into account future Required Allocations that, although not yet made, are likely to offset other Required Allocations previously made.  Allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(xi)(A) shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations shall otherwise be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners.

 

(B)                The General Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply the provisions of Section 6.1(c)(xi)(A) in whatever order is most likely to minimize the economic distortions that might otherwise result from the Required Allocations, and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(xi)(A) among the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic distortions.

 

(xii)             Equalization of Capital Accounts With Respect to Privately Placed Units.  Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss deemed recognized as a result of a Revaluation Event shall first be allocated to the (A) Unitholders holding Privately Placed Units, Pro Rata, or (B) Unitholders holding Common Units (other than Privately Placed Units), Pro Rata, as applicable, to the extent necessary to cause the Capital Account in respect of each Privately Placed Unit then Outstanding to equal the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit (other than Privately Placed Units) then Outstanding.

 

(xiii)          Allocations Regarding Certain Payments Made to Employees and Other Service Providers.  Consistent with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.83-6(d), if any Partner (or its successor) transfers property (including cash) to any employee or other service provider of the Partnership Group and such Partner is not entitled to be reimbursed by (or otherwise elects not to seek reimbursement from) the Partnership for the value of such property, then any items of deduction or loss resulting from or attributable to such transfer shall be allocated to the Partner (or its successor) that made such transfer and was deemed to have contributed such property to the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.11.

 

(xiv)         Converted Series A Preferred Units; Economic Uniformity.  With respect to any taxable period ending upon, or after, a Series A Conversion Date, items of Partnership income, gain, deduction and loss shall be allocated to each Series A Preferred Unitholder holding converted Series A Preferred Units until each such Partner has been allocated an amount of Partnership income, gain, deduction and loss that increases, or decreases, as the case may be, the Capital Account maintained with respect to such converted Series A Preferred Units to an amount equal to the product of (A) the number of converted Series A Preferred Units and (B) the capital amount attributable to one Common Unit.  For purposes of this Section 6.1(c)(xiv), the Capital Account maintained with respect to a converted Series A Preferred Unit shall give effect to (i) all Capital Contributions made with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit, (ii) all distributions made with respect to such Series A Preferred Unit, (iii) all allocations made pursuant to such converted Series A Preferred Unit for all periods, and (iv) all adjustments pursuant to Section 5.6(d).  The purpose for this allocation is to establish uniformity between the Capital Accounts underlying converted Series A Preferred Units and the Capital Accounts underlying Common Units.

 

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(d)         Simulated Basis; Simulated Depletion and Simulated Loss; Simulated Gain; Amount Realized.

 

(i)                       Simulated Basis.  For purposes of determining and maintaining the Partners’ Capital Accounts, (i) the initial Simulated Basis of each oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code) of the Partnership shall be allocated among the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata and (ii) if the Carrying Value of an oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code) is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.6(d), the Simulated Basis of such property (as adjusted to reflect the adjustment to the Carrying Value of such property), shall be allocated to the Common Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

(ii)                    Simulated Depletion and Simulated Loss.  For purposes of applying clause (z) of the second sentence of Section 5.6(a), Simulated Depletion and Simulated Loss with respect to each oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code) of the Partnership shall reduce each Partner’s Capital Account in proportion to the manner in which the Simulated Basis of such property is allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i).

 

(iii)                 Simulated Gain.  For purposes of applying clause (iii) of the second sentence of Section 5.6(a), Simulated Gain for any taxable period shall be treated as included in either Net Income or Net Loss and allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or Section 6.1(b), as appropriate.

 

(iv)                Amount Realized.  For purposes of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2) and 1.704-1(b)(4)(iii), the amount realized on the disposition of any oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code) of the Partnership shall be allocated (i) first to the Partners in an amount equal to the remaining Simulated Basis of such property in the same proportions as the Simulated Basis of such property was allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i), and (ii) any remaining amount realized shall be allocated to the Partners in the same ratio as Simulated Gain from the disposition of such oil and gas property is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or Section 6.1(b).

 

Section 6.2                Allocations for Tax Purposes.

 

(a)         Except as otherwise provided herein, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.

 

(b)         The deduction for depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code) shall be computed for U.S. federal income tax purposes separately by the Partners rather than by the Partnership in accordance with Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Code.  Except as provided in Section 6.2(c), for purposes of such computation (before taking into account any adjustments resulting from an election made by the Partnership under Section 754 of the Code), the adjusted tax basis of each oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code) that is (i) a Contributed Property shall initially be allocated among the non-contributing Common Unitholders, Pro Rata, but not in excess of any such Partner’s share of Simulated Basis as determined pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i), and (ii) not a Contributed Property or an Adjusted Property shall initially be allocated to the Partners in proportion to each such Partner’s share of Simulated Basis as determined pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i).  If there is an event described in Section 5.6(d), the General Partner shall reallocate the adjusted tax basis of each oil and gas

 

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property in a manner (i) consistent with the principles of Section 704(c) of the Code and (ii) that maintains the U.S. federal income tax fungibility of the Units.

 

Each Partner shall separately keep records of his, her or its share of the adjusted tax basis in each oil and gas property, allocated as provided above, adjust such share of the adjusted tax basis for any cost or percentage depletion allowable with respect to such property, and use such adjusted tax basis in the computation of its cost depletion or in the computation of his, her or its gain or loss on the disposition of such property by the Partnership.

 

(c)          In an attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss, depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be allocated for U.S. federal income tax purposes among the Partners in the manner provided under Section 704(c) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code, as determined appropriate by the General Partner (taking into account the General Partner’s discretion under Section 6.1(c)(x)); provided that, in all events, the General Partner shall apply the “remedial allocation method” in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d).  For purposes of applying the “remedial allocation method” to oil and gas properties (i) the amount by which any Partner’s Capital Account is adjusted for Simulated Depletion shall be treated as an amount of book depletion allocated to such Partner and (ii) the amount of cost depletion computed by such Partner under Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Code shall be treated as an amount of tax depletion allocated to such Partner.

 

(d)         The General Partner may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity of such property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6) or any successor regulations thereto.  If the General Partner determines that such reporting position cannot reasonably be taken, the General Partner may adopt depreciation and amortization conventions under which all purchasers acquiring Limited Partner Interests in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in the Partnership’s property.  If the General Partner chooses not to utilize such aggregate method, the General Partner may use any other depreciation and amortization conventions to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Units, so long as such conventions would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or Record Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests.

 

(e)          In accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1245-1(e) and 1.1250-1(f), any gain allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable disposition of any Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after taking into account other required allocations of gain pursuant to this Section 6.2, be characterized as Recapture Income in the same proportions and to the same extent as such Partners (or their predecessors in interest) have been allocated any deductions directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains as Recapture Income.

 

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(f)           All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership; provided, however, that such allocations, once made, shall be adjusted (in the manner determined by the General Partner) to take into account those adjustments permitted or required by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.

 

(g)          Each item of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction shall, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, be determined for each taxable period and prorated on a monthly basis and shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership’s Units are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of each month; provided, however, such items for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in which the Closing Date occurs shall be allocated to the Partners who are issued Units as a result of the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement and the Underwriting Agreement; and provided, further, that gain or loss on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the Partnership or any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction, as determined by the General Partner, shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership’s Units are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of the month in which such item is recognized for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  The General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation to the extent permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder, and the Partners hereby agree that any such methods selected by the General Partner are made by the “agreement of the partners” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.706-4(f).

 

(h)         Allocations that would otherwise be made to a Partner under the provisions of this Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method determined by the General Partner.

 

(i)             If, as a result of an exercise of a Noncompensatory Option, a Capital Account reallocation is required under Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s)(3), the General Partner shall make corrective allocations pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(x).

 

Section 6.3                Distributions to Record Holders.

 

(a)         Except as provided in Section 5.12(b)(i), within 45 days following the end of each Quarter, an amount equal to 100% of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be distributed in accordance with this Article VI by the Partnership to the Common Unitholders as of the Record Date selected by the General Partner. For the avoidance of doubt, distributions to the holders of Series A Preferred Units shall be made pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(i) and not this Section 6.3.

 

(b)         The Partnership shall make distributions of Available Cash pursuant to this Section 6.3, if any, to the holders of Common Units, Pro Rata.

 

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(c)          All distributions required to be made under this Agreement shall be made subject to Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Act.

 

(d)         Notwithstanding Section 6.3(b), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, cash shall be applied and distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section 12.4.

 

(e)          Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or through any Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.

 

Section 6.4                Special Provisions Relating to the Series A Preferred Units.

 

(a)         Subject to any applicable transfer restrictions in Section 4.7 of this Agreement Section 5.12(b)(vii), the holder of a Series A Preferred Unit or a Series A Conversion Unit shall provide notice to the Partnership of the transfer of any such Series A Preferred Unit or Series A Conversion Unit, as applicable, by the earlier of (i) thirty (30) days following such transfer and (ii) the last Business Day of the calendar year during which such transfer occurred; provided, however, that no such notice will be required with respect to a transfer of a Series A Conversion Unit unless the Partnership has notified the Purchasers that it has made the allocation provided for under Section 6.1(c)(xiv) and was not able to cause the capital account of each Series A Conversion Unit to equal that of an Outstanding Common Unit. In connection with the condition imposed by this Section 6.4, the Partnership shall take whatever steps are required to provide economic uniformity to the Series A Conversion Unit in preparation for a transfer of such Unit; provided, however, that no such steps may be taken that would have a material adverse effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units (for this purpose the allocations of income, gain, loss and deductions, the making of any guaranteed payments or any reallocation of Capital Account balances, among the Partners in accordance with Section 5.6(d)(i), Article VI, and Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s)(4) with respect to Series A Preferred Units or Series A Conversion Units will be deemed not to have a material adverse effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units).

 

(b)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the holders of the Series A Preferred Units (i) shall (A) possess the rights and obligations provided in this Agreement with respect to a Limited Partner pursuant to Article III and Article VII and (B) have a Capital Account as a Partner pursuant to Section 5.6 and Article VI and all other provisions related thereto and (ii) shall not (A) be entitled to vote on any matters requiring the approval or vote of the holders of Outstanding Units, except as provided in this Agreement or (B) be entitled to any distributions other than as provided in Section 5.12 of this Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE VII

 

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

 

Section 7.1                Management.

 

(a)         The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, but without limitation on the ability of the General Partner to delegate its rights and power to other Persons, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no Limited Partner in its capacity as such shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Section 7.4, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4, including the following and subject to any approval that may be required by Section 5.12(b)(ii):

 

(i)                       the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into or exchangeable for Partnership Interests, and the incurring of any other obligations;

 

(ii)                    the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership;

 

(iii)                 the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the merger or other combination of the Partnership with or into another Person (the matters described in this clause (iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.4 or Article XIV);

 

(iv)                the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the conduct of the business or operations of the Partnership Group; subject to Section 7.7(a), the lending of funds to other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or guarantee of obligations of any Group Member; and the making of capital contributions to any Group Member;

 

(v)                   the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if the same results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case);

 

(vi)                the distribution of cash held by the Partnership;

 

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(vii)             the selection and dismissal of officers, employees, agents, internal and outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;

 

(viii)          the maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group, the Partners and Indemnitees;

 

(ix)                the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of assets and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other Persons (including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of assets to, any Group Member from time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.4;

 

(x)                   the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation;

 

(xi)                the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;

 

(xii)             the entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange regarding some or all of the Limited Partner Interests or other securities issued by a Group Member or the delisting of such securities from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be required under Section 4.7);

 

(xiii)          the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Interests, or the issuance of Derivative Partnership Interests;

 

(xiv)         the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in the management of any Group Member; and

 

(xv)            the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates, including any agreements to render services to a Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the Partnership.

 

(b)         Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and each other Person who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests or is otherwise bound by this Agreement hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement and the Group Member Agreement of each other Group Member, the Management Services Agreements, the Underwriting Agreement, the Contribution Agreement and the other agreements described in or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) (in each case other than this Agreement, without giving effect to any amendments, supplements or restatements thereof entered into after the date such Person becomes bound by the provisions of this Agreement); (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or on behalf of the Partnership) is authorized to execute, deliver and perform

 

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the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests or are otherwise bound by this Agreement; and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this Agreement (including the exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the rights accorded pursuant to Article XV) shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty or any other obligation of any type whatsoever that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or of any duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise.

 

Section 7.2                Replacement of Fiduciary Duties. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that, at law or in equity, the General Partner or any other Indemnitee would have duties (including fiduciary duties) to the Partnership, to another Partner, to any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or to any other Person bound by this Agreement, all such duties (including fiduciary duties) are hereby eliminated, to the fullest extent permitted by law, and replaced with the duties expressly set forth herein.  The elimination of duties (including fiduciary duties) and replacement thereof with the duties expressly set forth herein are approved by the Partnership, each of the Partners, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement.

 

Section 7.3                Certificate of Limited Partnership. The General Partner caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the Delaware Act on October 30, 2015. The General Partner shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent the General Partner determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of Section 3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.

 

Section 7.4                Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority to Sell Assets of the Partnership Group. Except as provided in Article XII and Article XIV, the General Partner may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority; provided, however, that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any disposition of any or all of the assets of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance.

 

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Section 7.5                Reimbursement of the General Partner.

 

(a)         Except as provided in this Section 7.5 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member of any Group Member.

 

(b)         The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the General Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services for the Partnership Group or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group), and (ii) all other expenses allocable to the Partnership Group or otherwise incurred by the General Partner or its Affiliates in connection with managing and operating the Partnership Group’s business and affairs (including expenses allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates). The General Partner shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.5 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.8.  Any allocation of expenses to the Partnership by the General Partner in a manner consistent with its or its Affiliates past business practices shall be deemed to have been made in good faith. This provision does not affect the ability of the General Partner and its Affiliates to enter into an agreement to provide services to any Group Member for a fee or otherwise than for cost.

 

(c)          The General Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners, may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership employee benefit plans, employee programs and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests), or cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests in connection with, or pursuant to, any employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or sponsored by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates in each case for the benefit of officers, employees and directors of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide to any officers, employees, consultants and directors pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliates from the Partnership to fulfill options or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.5(b). Any and all obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.5(c) shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.

 

(d)         The General Partner and its Affiliates may charge any member of the Partnership Group a management fee to the extent necessary to allow the Partnership Group to reduce the amount of

 

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any state franchise or income tax or any tax based upon the revenues or gross margin of any member of the Partnership Group if the tax benefit produced by the payment of such management fee or fees exceeds the amount of such fee or fees.

 

Section 7.6                Outside Activities.

 

(a)         The General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of the Partnership, (i) agrees that its sole business shall be to act as a general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other partnership or limited liability company of which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner or member and to undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto (including being a Limited Partner in the Partnership) and (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general partner or managing member, if any, of one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt securities or equity interests in any Group Member or (C) the guarantee of, and mortgage, pledge or encumbrance of any or all of its assets in connection with, any indebtedness of any Group Member.

 

(b)         Subject to the terms of Section 7.6(c), each Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the business and activities of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to any Group Member or any Partner. None of any Group Member, any Limited Partner or any other Person shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, or the partnership relationship established hereby in any business ventures of any Unrestricted Person.

 

(c)          Subject to the terms of Section 7.6(a), Section 7.6(b) and the Contribution Agreement, but otherwise notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the engaging in competitive activities by any Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.6 is hereby approved by the Partnership and all Partners, (ii) it shall be deemed not to be a breach of any duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise, of the General Partner or any other Unrestricted Person for the Unrestricted Persons (other than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership or any other Group Member and (iii) the Unrestricted Persons shall have no obligation hereunder or as a result of any duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to present business opportunities to the Partnership or any other Group Member. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any duty existing at law or in equity, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to any Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner).  Except as provided for in the Contribution Agreement, no Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for any Group Member, shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to any Group Member, and such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) shall not be liable to the

 

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Partnership, to any Limited Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement for breach of any duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise, by reason of the fact that such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) pursues or acquires for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to any Group Member, provided, however, that such Unrestricted Person does not engage in such business or activity using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership to such Unrestricted Person.

 

(d)         The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other Partnership Interests in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights relating to all Units and/or other Partnership Interests acquired by them. The term “Affiliates” when used in this Section 7.6(d) with respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group Member.

 

(e)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall limit or otherwise affect any separate contractual obligations outside of this Agreement of any Person (including any Unrestricted Person) to the Partnership or any of its Affiliates.

 

Section 7.7                Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members.

 

(a)         The General Partner or any of its Affiliates may, but shall be under no obligation to, lend to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, funds needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in such amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided, however, that in any such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party or impose terms materially less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or imposed on the borrowing party by unrelated lenders on comparable loans made on an arm’s-length basis (without reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner. The borrowing party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs) incurred by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this Section 7.7(a) and Section 7.7(b), the term “Group Member” shall include any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the Group Member.

 

(b)         The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the General Partner. No Group Member may lend funds to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates (other than another Group Member).

 

Section 7.8                Indemnification.

 

(a)         To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all threatened, pending or completed claims, demands, actions, suits or

 

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proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal and including appeals, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee and acting (or omitting or refraining to act) in such capacity on behalf of or for the benefit of the Partnership; provided, however, that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless pursuant to this Agreement if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; provided, further, no indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.8 shall be available to any Indemnitee (other than a Group Member) with respect to any such Affiliate’s obligations pursuant to the Transaction Documents. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.8 shall be made only out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.

 

(b)         To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.8(a) in appearing at, participating in or defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized by this Section 7.8.

 

(c)          The indemnification provided by this Section 7.8 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under this Agreement, any other agreement, pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law, in equity or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity (including any capacity under the Underwriting Agreement), and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.

 

(d)         The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner, its Affiliates, the Indemnitees and such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against, or expense that may be incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s or any other Group Member’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership or any other Group Member, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, the Partnership may enter into additional indemnification agreements with any Indemnitee.

 

(e)          For purposes of this Section 7.8, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of

 

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its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.8(a); and action taken or omitted by it with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.

 

(f)           In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.

 

(g)          An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 7.8 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

 

(h)         The provisions of this Section 7.8 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees and their heirs, successors, assigns, executors and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.

 

(i)             No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

 

(j)            This Section 7.8 shall not limit the right of the Partnership, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to, and purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of, Persons other than Indemnitees.

 

Section 7.9                Liability of Indemnitees.

 

(a)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, to the fullest extent allowed by law, no Indemnitee or any of its employees or Persons acting on its behalf shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Partners, or any other Persons who have acquired interests in Partnership Interests or are bound by this Agreement, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred, of any kind or character, as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee or any of its employees or Persons acting on its behalf unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee or any of its employees or Persons acting on its behalf acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

 

(b)         The General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents,

 

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and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner if such appointment was not made in bad faith.

 

(c)          To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee or any of its employees or Persons acting on its behalf has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership or to the Partners or to any other Persons who have acquired a  Partnership Interest or are otherwise bound by this Agreement, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee or any of its employees or Persons acting on its behalf acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Partnership, the Limited Partners, or any other Persons who have acquired interests in the Partnership Interests or are bound by this Agreement for its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(d)         Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.9 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.9 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

 

Section 7.10         Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties.

 

(a)         Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, on the other, any resolution or course of action by the General Partner or its Affiliates in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any Group Member Agreement, of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is (i) approved by Special Approval, (ii) approved by the vote of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates), (iii) determined by the Board of Directors to be on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) determined by the Board of Directors to be fair and reasonable to the Partnership, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). The General Partner shall be authorized but not required in connection with its resolution of such conflict of interest to seek Special Approval or Unitholder approval of such resolution, and the General Partner may also adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval or Unitholder approval.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or applicable law, whenever the General Partner makes a determination to refer or not to refer any potential conflict of interest to the Conflicts Committee for Special Approval, to seek or not to seek Unitholder approval or to adopt or not to adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval or Unitholder approval, then the General Partner shall be entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner, and the General Partner shall

 

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not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard or duty imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion.  If Special Approval is sought, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision, the Conflicts Committee acted in good faith. If the Board of Directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in clauses (iii) or (iv) of this Section 7.10(a) or that a director satisfies the eligibility requirements to be a member of the Conflicts Committee, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision, the Board of Directors acted in good faith.  In any proceeding brought by any Limited Partner or by or on behalf of such Limited Partner or any other Limited Partner or the Partnership challenging any action by the Conflicts Committee with respect to any matter referred to the Conflicts Committee for Special Approval by the General Partner, any action by the Board of Directors in determining whether the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in clauses (iii) or (iv) of this Section 7.10(a) or whether a director satisfies the eligibility requirements to be a member of the Conflicts Committee, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of overcoming the presumption that the Conflicts Committee or the Board of Directors, as applicable, acted in good faith.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or equity, the existence of the conflicts of interest described in the Registration Statement are hereby approved by all Partners and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or any such duty.

 

(b)         Whenever the General Partner or the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof (including the Conflicts Committee), makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any Affiliate of the General Partner causes the General Partner to do so, in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement, then, unless another express lesser standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, the Board of Directors or such committee or such Affiliates causing the General Partner to do so, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different duties or standards (including fiduciary duties or standards) imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. A determination or other action or inaction shall conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement, if the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action subjectively believe that the determination or other action or inaction is in, or not adverse to, the best interests of the Partnership Group; provided, however, that if the Board of Directors is making a determination or taking or declining to take an action pursuant to clause (iii) or clause (iv) of the first sentence of Section 7.10(a), then in lieu thereof, such determination or other action or inaction shall conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement if the members of the Board of Directors making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action subjectively believe that the determination or other action or inaction meets the standard set forth in clause (iii) or clause (iv) of the first sentence of Section 7.10(a), as applicable.

 

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(c)          Whenever the General Partner (including the Board of Directors or any committee thereof) makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its individual capacity as opposed to in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then the General Partner, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, are entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any duty (including any fiduciary or other duty) existing at law, in equity or otherwise or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner, and the General Partner, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action shall be permitted to do so in their sole and absolute discretion. By way of illustration and not of limitation, whenever the phrase, “the General Partner at its option,” or some variation of that phrase, is used in this Agreement, it indicates that the General Partner is acting in its individual capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner votes or transfers its Partnership Interests, or refrains from voting or transferring its Partnership Interests, it shall be acting in its individual capacity.

 

(d)         The General Partner’s organizational documents may provide that determinations to take or decline to take any action in its individual, rather than representative, capacity may or shall be determined by its members, if the General Partner is a limited liability company, stockholders, if the General Partner is a corporation, or the members or stockholders of the General Partner’s general partner, if the General Partner is a partnership.

 

(e)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the General Partner and its Affiliates shall have no duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the ordinary course of business or (ii) permit any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with such use. Any determination by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall be at its option.

 

(f)           Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement or expressly required by the Delaware Act, neither the General Partner, the Board of Directors, any committee thereof or any other Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to the Partnership or any Limited Partner (including without limitation, any Series A Preferred Unitholders) and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the General Partner or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the General Partner or such other Indemnitee.

 

(g)          The Unitholders hereby authorize the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership as a general partner or managing member of a Group Member, to approve actions by the general

 

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partner or managing member of such Group Member similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the General Partner pursuant to this Section 7.10.

 

Section 7.11         Other Matters Concerning the General Partner.

 

(a)         The General Partner, the Board of Directors (or any committee thereof) and any other Indemnitee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

(b)         The General Partner, the Board of Directors (or any committee thereof) and any other Indemnitee may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by it, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the advice or opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner or such Indemnitee, respectively, reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.

 

(c)          The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership or any Group Member.

 

Section 7.12         Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests. Subject to Section 5.12(b)(ii)(B)(6), the General Partner may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests. As long as Partnership Interests are held by any Group Member, such Partnership Interests shall not be considered Outstanding for any purpose, except as otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner may also purchase or otherwise acquire and sell or otherwise dispose of Partnership Interests for its own account, subject to the provisions of Article IV and Article X.

 

Section 7.13         Reliance by Third Parties. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner and any officer of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner or any such officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) dealing with the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument

 

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executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner or its representatives shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

 

Section 8.1                Records and Accounting. The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including the Register and all other books and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.4(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the Register, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, magnetic tape, photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device; provided, however, that the books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

 

Section 8.2                Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December 31.

 

Section 8.3                Reports.

 

(a)         Whether or not the Partnership is subject to the requirement to file reports with the Commission, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 105 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Partnership (or such shorter period as required by the Commission), the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website) to each Record Holder of a Unit or other Partnership Interest as of a date selected by the General Partner, an annual report containing financial statements of the Partnership for such fiscal year of the Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including a balance sheet and statements of operations, Partnership equity and cash flows, such statements to be audited by a firm of independent public accountants selected by the General Partner, and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

(b)         Whether or not the Partnership is subject to the requirement to file reports with the Commission, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 50 days after the close of each Quarter (or such shorter period as required by the Commission) except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable

 

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means (including posting on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website) to each Record Holder of a Unit, as of a date selected by the General Partner, a report containing unaudited financial statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

TAX MATTERS

 

Section 9.1                Tax Returns and Information. The Partnership shall timely file all returns of the Partnership that are required for U.S. federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the accrual method and the taxable period or years that it is required by law to adopt, from time to time, as determined by the General Partner. In the event the Partnership is required to use a taxable period other than a year ending on December 31, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to change the taxable period of the Partnership to a year ending on December 31. The tax information reasonably required by Record Holders for federal, state and local income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable period shall be furnished to them within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership’s taxable period ends. The classification, realization and recognition of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the accrual method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Section 9.2                Tax Elections.

 

(a)         The Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance with applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation of the right to seek to revoke any such election upon the General Partner’s determination that such revocation is in the best interests of the Partners. Notwithstanding any other provision herein contained, for the purposes of computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the General Partner shall be authorized (but not required) to adopt a convention whereby the price paid by a transferee of a Partnership Interest shall be deemed to be the lowest quoted closing price of the Partnership Interests on any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading during the calendar month in which such transfer is deemed to occur pursuant to Section 6.2(g) without regard to the actual price paid by such transferee.

 

(b)         Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine whether the Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.

 

Section 9.3                Tax Controversies.

 

(a)         Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated as the “tax matters partner” (as defined in Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code) (the “Tax Matters Partner”) and is authorized and required to represent the Partnership (at the Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. Each Partner agrees to cooperate with the Tax Matters

 

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Partner and to do or refrain from doing any or all things reasonably required by the Tax Matters Partner to conduct such proceedings. Each Partner agrees that notice of or updates regarding tax controversies shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made by the Tax Matters Partner if the Partnership has either (i) filed the information for which notice is required with the Commission via its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system and such information is publicly available on such system or (ii) made the information for which notice is required available on any publicly available website maintained by the Partnership, whether or not such Partner remains a Partner in the Partnership at the time such information is made publicly available.

 

(b)         With respect to tax returns filed for taxable years beginning on or after December 31, 2017, the General Partner (or its designee) shall be designated as the “partnership representative” in accordance with the rules prescribed pursuant to Section 6223 of the Code and shall have the sole authority to act on behalf of the Partnership in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. The General Partner (or its designee) shall exercise, in its sole discretion, any and all authority of the “partnership representative” under the Code, including, without limitation, (i) binding the Partnership and its Partners with respect to tax matters and (ii) determining whether to make any available election under Section 6226 of the Code. The General Partner shall amend the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations implementing the partnership audit, assessment and collection rules adopted by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, H.R. 1314, Public Law Number 114-74, including any amendments to those rules.

 

Section 9.4                Withholding. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other U.S. federal, state or local law, including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code. To the extent that the Partnership is required or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the allocation or distribution of income to any Partner (including by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the General Partner may treat the amount withheld as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 6.3 or Section 12.4(c) in the amount of such withholding from such Partner.

 

ARTICLE X

 

ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

 

Section 10.1         Admission of Limited Partners.

 

(a)         By acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests transferred in accordance with Article IV or acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests issued in accordance with Article V or pursuant to a merger, consolidation or conversion pursuant to Article XIV, and except as provided in Section 4.8, each transferee of, or other such Person acquiring a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee, agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person or Group, which nominee, agent or representative shall be subject to Section

 

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10.1(b) below) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued to such Person when such Person becomes the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or acquired, (ii) shall become bound, and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound, by the terms of this Agreement, (iii) shall be deemed to represent that the transferee or acquirer has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and (iv) shall be deemed to make any consents, acknowledgements or waivers contained in this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement by such Person. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement. A Person may become a Limited Partner without the consent or approval of any of the Partners. A Person may not become a Limited Partner without acquiring a Limited Partner Interest and becoming the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interest. The rights and obligations of a Person who is an Ineligible Holder shall be determined in accordance with Section 4.8.

 

(b)         With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person that is the Record Holder (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), such Record Holder shall, in exercising the rights of a Limited Partner in respect of such Units, including the right to vote, on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, take all action as a Limited Partner by virtue of being the Record Holder of such Units in accordance with the direction of the Person who is the beneficial owner of such Units, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume such Record Holder is so acting without further inquiry.  The provisions of this Section 10.1(b) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3.

 

(c)          The name and mailing address of each Record Holder shall be listed in the Register. The General Partner shall update the Register from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable). A Limited Partner Interest may be represented by a Certificate, as provided in Section 4.1.

 

(d)         Any transfer of a Limited Partner Interest shall not entitle the transferee to share in the profits and losses, to receive distributions, to receive allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit or any similar item or to any other rights to which the transferor was entitled until the transferee becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.1(a).

 

Section 10.2         Admission of Successor General Partner. A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to (a) the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or (b) the transfer of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6, provided, however, that no such successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such successor is hereby authorized to and shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.

 

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Section 10.3         Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership. To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the General Partner shall take all steps necessary or appropriate under the Delaware Act to amend the Register and any other records of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by law, the General Partner shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

 

Section 11.1         Withdrawal of the General Partner.

 

(a)         The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “Event of Withdrawal”):

 

(i)                       The General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written notice to the other Partners;

 

(ii)                    The General Partner transfers all of its General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6;

 

(iii)                 The General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;

 

(iv)                The General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A) through (C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;

 

(v)                   A final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner; or

 

(vi)                (A)  if the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation;

 

(B)                if the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner;

 

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(C)                if the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust;

 

(D)                if the General Partner is a natural person, his or her death or adjudication of incompetency; and

 

(E)                 otherwise upon the termination of the General Partner.

 

If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), Section 11.1(a)(v), Section 11.1(a)(vi)(A), Section 11.1(a)(vi)(B), Section 11.1(a)(vi)(C) or Section 11.1(a)(vi)(E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.

 

(b)         Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances: (i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 12:00 a.m., Central Time, on December 31, 2026, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners; provided, however, that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved by Unitholders holding a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership an Opinion of Counsel (“Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act or cause any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously so treated or taxed); (ii) at any time after 12:00 a.m., Central Time, on December 31, 2026, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to Section 11.2; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the Outstanding Units. The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the General Partner gives notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), a successor is not selected by the Unitholders as provided herein or the Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 12.1, unless the business of the

 

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Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.

 

Section 11.2         Removal of the General Partner. The General Partner may be removed if such removal is both (i) for Cause and (ii) approved by the Unitholders holding at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a single class. Any such action by such holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the Unitholders holding a Unit Majority. Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.2. The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.2, automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. The right of the holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.

 

Section 11.3         Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner.

 

(a)         In the event of withdrawal of the General Partner under circumstances where such withdrawal does not violate this Agreement, if the successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1, the Departing General Partner shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal of such Departing General Partner, to require its successor to purchase its General Partner Interest and its or its Affiliates’ general partner interest (or equivalent interest), if any, in the other Group Members (collectively, the “Combined Interest”) in exchange for an amount in cash equal to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be determined and payable as of the effective date of its withdrawal. If the General Partner is removed by the Unitholders pursuant to Section 11.2 or if the General Partner withdraws under circumstances where such withdrawal violates this Agreement, and if a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner), such successor shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner (or, in the event the business of the Partnership is continued, prior to the date the business of the Partnership is continued), to purchase the Combined Interest for such fair market value of such Combined Interest. In either event, the Departing General Partner shall be entitled to receive all reimbursements due such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 7.5, including any employee related liabilities (including severance liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the Departing General Partner or its Affiliates (other than any Group Member) for the benefit of the Partnership or the other Group Members.

 

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For purposes of this Section 11.3(a), the fair market value of the Combined Interest shall be determined by agreement between the Departing General Partner and its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days after the effective date of such Departing General Partner’s withdrawal or removal, by an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the Departing General Partner and its successor, which, in turn, may rely on other experts, and the determination of which shall be conclusive as to such matter. If such parties cannot agree upon one independent investment banking firm or other independent expert within 45 days after the effective date of such withdrawal or removal, then the Departing General Partner shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, the Departing General Partner’s successor shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, and such firms or experts shall mutually select a third independent investment banking firm or independent expert, which third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert shall determine the fair market value of the Combined Interest. In making its determination, such third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert may consider the then current trading price of Units on any National Securities Exchange on which Units are then listed or admitted to trading, the value of the Partnership’s assets, the rights and obligations of the Departing General Partner and other factors it may deem relevant.

 

(b)         If the Combined Interest is not purchased in the manner set forth in Section 11.3(a), the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) shall become a Limited Partner and its Combined Interest shall be converted into Common Units pursuant to a valuation made by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected pursuant to Section 11.3(a), without reduction in such Partnership Interest (but subject to proportionate dilution by reason of the admission of its successor). Any successor General Partner shall indemnify the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) as to all debts and liabilities of the Partnership arising on or after the date on which the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) becomes a Limited Partner. For purposes of this Agreement, conversion of the Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner to Common Units shall be characterized as if the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) contributed its Combined Interest to the Partnership in exchange for the newly issued Common Units.

 

Section 11.4         Withdrawal of Limited Partners. No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided, however, that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.

 

ARTICLE XII

 

DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

 

Section 12.1         Dissolution. The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected pursuant to Section 11.1, Section 11.2 or Section 12.2, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and such successor General

 

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Partner shall continue the business of the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 12.2) its affairs shall be wound up, upon:

 

(a)         an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel is received as provided in Section 11.1(b) or Section 11.2 and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.2;

 

(b)         an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by the holders of a Unit Majority;

 

(c)          the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act; or

 

(d)         at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act.

 

Section 12.2         Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution. Upon (a) dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)(i) or Section 11.1(a)(iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a successor to such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, within 90 days thereafter, or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv), Section 11.1(a)(v) or Section 11.1(a)(vi), then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If such an election is so made, then:

 

(i)                       the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in accordance with this Article XII;

 

(ii)                    if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then the interest of the former General Partner shall be treated in the manner provided in Section 11.3; and

 

(iii)                 the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be bound by this Agreement;

 

provided, however, that the right of the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x) the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act and (y) neither the Partnership nor any Group Member would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).

 

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Section 12.3         Liquidator. Upon dissolution of the Partnership, in accordance with the provisions of Article XII, the General Partner shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.4) necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.

 

Section 12.4         Liquidation. The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, discharge its liabilities and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act and the following:

 

(a)         The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree. If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to its Net Agreed Value; and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.

 

(b)         Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3) and amounts to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article VI. With respect to any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.

 

(c)          All property and all cash (including cash equivalents) in excess of (x) that required to satisfy or discharge liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) and (y) that required to satisfy liquidation preferences of the Series A Preferred Units provided for under Section 6.1(c)(iii) or

 

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Section 5.12(b)(x)(C) shall be distributed to the Partners in accordance with, and to the extent of, the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments (other than those made by reason of distributions pursuant to this Section 12.4(c)) for the taxable period of the Partnership during which the liquidation of the Partnership occurs (with such date of occurrence being determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)), and such distribution shall be made by the end of such taxable period (or, if later, within 90 days after said date of such occurrence).

 

Section 12.5         Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership. Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.

 

Section 12.6         Return of Contributions. The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from assets of the Partnership.

 

Section 12.7         Waiver of Partition. To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.

 

Section 12.8         Capital Account Restoration. No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of the Partnership.

 

ARTICLE XIII

 

AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT;
MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

 

Section 13.1         Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner. Each Partner agrees that the General Partner, without the approval of any other Partner, subject to Section 5.12(b)(ii)(B), may amend any provision of this Agreement and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:

 

(a)         a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal office of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the Partnership;

 

(b)         admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this Agreement;

 

(c)          a change that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that the Group Members shall not be treated as associations taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

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(d)         a change that the General Partner determines (i) does not adversely affect the Limited Partners considered as a whole or any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests in any material respect; provided that for purposes of determining whether an amendment satisfies the requirements of this Section 13.1(d), the General Partner may in its sole discretion disregard any adverse effect on any class or classes of Partnership Interests the holders of which have approved such amendment pursuant to Section 13.3(c), (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the Units (including the division of any class or classes of Outstanding Units into different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of Units) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are or shall be listed or admitted to trading, (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.9 or (iv) is required to effect the intent expressed in the Registration Statement or the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(e)          a change in the fiscal year or taxable period of the Partnership and any other changes that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in the fiscal year or taxable period of the Partnership including, if the General Partner shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which distributions are to be made by the Partnership;

 

(f)           an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership, or the General Partner or its directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;

 

(g)          an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the authorization or issuance of any class or series of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 5.7;

 

(h)         any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General Partner acting alone;

 

(i)             an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion approved in accordance with Section 14.3;

 

(j)            an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section 2.4 or Section 7.1(a);

 

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(k)         an amendment to Section 10.1 providing that any transferee of a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interest for the account of another Person) shall be deemed to certify that the transferee is not an Ineligible Holder;

 

(l)             a merger, conveyance or conversion pursuant to Section 14.3(c) or Section 14.3(d); or

 

(m)     any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.

 

Section 13.2         Amendment Procedures. Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no obligation or duty to the Partnership or the Limited Partners to propose or approve, and may decline to propose or approve, any amendment to this Agreement in its sole discretion. An amendment to this Agreement shall be effective upon its approval by the General Partner and, except as otherwise provided by Section 13.1 or Section 13.3, the holders of a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage of Outstanding Units is required under this Agreement or by Delaware law. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding Units or class of Outstanding Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the General Partner shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Units or class of Outstanding Units, as applicable, or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. The General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any amendments. The General Partner shall be deemed to have notified all Record Holders as required by this Section 13.2 if it has posted or made accessible such amendment through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website.

 

Section 13.3         Amendment Requirements.

 

(a)         Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units or percentage of a particular class of Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner) required to take any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of (i) in the case of any provision of this Agreement other than Section 11.2 or Section 13.4, reducing such percentage or (ii) in the case of Section 11.2 or Section 13.4 increasing such percentages, unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of holders of Outstanding Units (or holders of Outstanding Units of such applicable class, as the case may be) whose aggregate Outstanding Units (generally or of such applicable class, as the case may be) constitute (x) in the case of a reduction as described in subclause (a)(i) hereof, not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced, (y) in the case of an increase in the percentage in Section 11.2, not less than 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units, or (z) in the case of an increase in the percentage in Section 13.4, not less than a majority of the Outstanding Units.

 

(b)         Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no amendment to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c) or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce

 

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in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates without its consent, which consent may be given or withheld at its option.

 

(c)          Except as provided in Section 14.3, and without limitation of the General Partner’s authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of any Partners as contemplated in Section 13.1, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of the class affected.

 

(d)         Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(b), no amendments shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment shall not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner under applicable partnership law of the state under whose laws the Partnership is organized.

 

(e)          Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units.

 

Section 13.4         Special Meetings. All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a special meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that the signing Limited Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the specific purposes for which the special meeting is to be called and the class or classes of Units for which the meeting is proposed. No business may be brought by any Limited Partner before such special meeting except the business listed in the related request. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the General Partner shall send or cause to be sent a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either directly or indirectly through the Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the time notice of the meeting is given as provided in Section 16.1. Limited Partners shall not be permitted to vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business. If any such vote were to take place, to the fullest extent permitted by law, it shall be deemed null and void to the extent necessary so as not to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.

 

Section 13.5         Notice of a Meeting. Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record Holders of the class or classes of Units for which a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section 16.1. The

 

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notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when deposited in the mail or sent by other means of written communication.

 

Section 13.6         Record Date. For purposes of determining the Limited Partners who are Record Holders of the class or classes of Limited Partner Interests entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 13.11 the General Partner shall set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading or U.S. federal securities laws, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange or U.S. federal securities laws shall govern) or (b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the date by which such Limited Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to give such approvals. If the General Partner does not set a Record Date, then (a) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners shall be the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, and (b) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to give approvals without a meeting shall be the date the first written approval is deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner in accordance with Section 13.11.

 

Section 13.7         Postponement and Adjournment. Prior to the date upon which any meeting of Limited Partners is to be held, the General Partner may postpone such meeting one or more times for any reason by giving notice to each Limited Partner entitled to vote at the meeting so postponed of the place, date and hour at which such meeting would be held. Such notice shall be given not fewer than two days before the date of such meeting and otherwise in accordance with this Article XIII. When a meeting is postponed, a new Record Date need not be fixed unless the aggregate amount of such postponement shall be for more than 45 days after the original meeting date. Any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner one or more times for any reason, including the failure of a quorum to be present at the meeting with respect to any proposal or the failure of any proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval. No vote of the Limited Partners shall be required for any adjournment. A meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner as to one or more proposals regardless of whether action has been taken on other matters. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XIII.

 

Section 13.8         Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes. The transaction of business at any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held after call and notice in accordance with Section 13.4 and Section 13.5, if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully

 

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called or convened; and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove of any matters submitted for consideration or to object to the failure to submit for consideration any matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included, if such objection is expressly made at the beginning of the meeting.

 

Section 13.9         Quorum and Voting. The presence, in person or by proxy, of holders of a majority of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by the Limited Partners requires approval by the holders of a greater percentage of such Units, in which case the quorum shall be such greater percentage. At any meeting of the Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at which a quorum is present, the act of Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners, unless a different percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in which case the act of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent at least such different percentage or the act of the Limited Partners holding the requisite percentage of the necessary class, as applicable, shall be required. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the restrictions in the definition of “Outstanding” that apply to Persons that beneficially own 20% or more of any class of Partnership Interests shall not restrict a Series A Preferred Unitholder from voting all, and being deemed present with respect to all, of his, her or its Series A Preferred Units on any matter, including, as applicable, on an as-converted basis with the holders of Common Units. The Limited Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the exit of enough Limited Partners to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by the required percentage of Outstanding Units or the act of the Limited Partners holding the requisite percentage of the necessary class, as applicable, specified in this Agreement.

 

Section 13.10                                    Conduct of a Meeting. The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall designate a Person to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the General Partner. The General Partner may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the submission and revocation of approvals in writing.

 

Section 13.11                                    Action Without a Meeting. If authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less

 

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than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted (unless such provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Outstanding Units held by such Limited Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Outstanding Units that were not voted. If approval of the taking of any permitted action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner, (b) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date sufficient approvals are first deposited with the Partnership and (c) an Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the General Partner to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) shall not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.

 

Section 13.12                                    Right to Vote and Related Matters.

 

(a)         Only those Record Holders of the Outstanding Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such Outstanding Units.

 

(b)         With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person that is the Record Holder (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), such Record Holder shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and in accordance with the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner of such Units, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume such Record Holder is so acting without further inquiry. The provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3.

 

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ARTICLE XIV

 

MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION

 

Section 14.1         Authority. The Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including a limited liability partnership)) or convert into any such entity, whether such entity is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America or any other country, pursuant to a written plan of merger or consolidation (“Merger Agreement”) or a written plan of conversion (“Plan of Conversion”), as the case may be, in accordance with this Article XIV.

 

Section 14.2         Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.

 

(a)         Merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV requires the prior consent of the General Partner; provided, however, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to consent to a merger, consolidation or conversion, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Securities Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in determining whether to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

(b)         If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation, the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:

 

(i)                       the name and state or country of domicile of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;

 

(ii)                    the name and state of domicile of the business entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “Surviving Business Entity”);

 

(iii)                 the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;

 

(iv)                the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (A) if any general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such general or limited partner interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (B) in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such

 

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certificates, which cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;

 

(v)                   a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership, operating agreement or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;

 

(vi)                the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement (provided, however, that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated therein); and

 

(vii)             such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

(c)          If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the conversion, the General Partner shall approve the Plan of Conversion, which shall set forth:

 

(i)                       the name of the converting entity and the converted entity;

 

(ii)                    a statement that the Partnership is continuing its existence in the organizational form of the converted entity;

 

(iii)                 a statement as to the type of entity that the converted entity is to be and the state or country under the laws of which the converted entity is to be incorporated, formed or organized;

 

(iv)                the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the converted entity;

 

(v)                   in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership;

 

(vi)                in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership, articles of incorporation, or other organizational documents of the converted entity;

 

(vii)             the effective time of the conversion, which may be the date of the filing of the articles of conversion or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Plan of Conversion (provided, however, that if the effective time of the conversion is to be later than the date of the filing of such articles of conversion, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such articles of conversion and stated therein); and

 

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(viii)          such other provisions with respect to the proposed conversion that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

Section 14.3         Approval by Limited Partners.

 

(a)         Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e), the General Partner, upon its approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall direct that the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as applicable, be submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent, in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article XIII. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the written consent and, subject to any applicable requirements of Regulation 14A pursuant to the Exchange Act or successor provision, no other disclosure regarding the proposed merger, consolidation or conversion shall be required.

 

(b)         Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a Unit Majority unless the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, effects an amendment to any provision of this Agreement that, if contained in an amendment to this Agreement adopted pursuant to Article XIII, would require for its approval the vote or consent of a greater percentage of the Outstanding Units or of any class of Limited Partners, in which case such greater percentage vote or consent shall be required for approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.

 

(c)          Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e), after such approval by vote or consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate of merger or articles of conversion pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger, consolidation or conversion may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.

 

(d)         Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, but subject to Section 5.12(b)(ii)(B), the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity that shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such merger, conveyance or conversion other than those it receives from the Partnership or other Group Member if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger, conveyance or conversion, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of limited liability under the laws of the jurisdiction governing the other limited liability entity (if that jurisdiction is not Delaware) of any Limited Partner as compared to its limited liability under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the sole purpose of such merger, conveyance or conversion is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the General Partner determines that the governing instruments of the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with substantially the same rights and obligations as are herein contained.

 

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(e)          Additionally, notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV, but subject to Section 5.12(b)(ii)(B), or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into another limited liability entity if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner under the laws of the jurisdiction governing the other limited liability entity (if that jurisdiction is not Delaware) as compared to its limited liability under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to this Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (iii) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each Unit outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Partnership Interest of the Partnership after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (v) the number of Partnership Interests to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation does not exceed 20% of the Partnership Interests Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.

 

(f)           Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with this Article XIV may (i) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (ii) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for the Partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.3 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.

 

Section 14.4         Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion. Upon the required approval by the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, a certificate of merger or certificate of conversion or other filing, as applicable, shall be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or the appropriate filing office of any other jurisdiction, as applicable, in conformity with the requirements of the Delaware Act or other applicable law.

 

Section 14.5         Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.

 

(a)         At the effective time of the merger:

 

(i)                       all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of action belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each constituent business entity;

 

(ii)                    the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the merger or consolidation;

 

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(iii)                 all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and

 

(iv)                all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.

 

(b)         At the effective time of the conversion:

 

(i)                       the Partnership shall continue to exist, without interruption, but in the organizational form of the converted entity rather than in its prior organizational form;

 

(ii)                    all rights, title, and interests to all real estate and other property owned by the Partnership shall continue to be owned by the converted entity in its new organizational form without reversion or impairment, without further act or deed, and without any transfer or assignment having occurred, but subject to any existing liens or other encumbrances thereon;

 

(iii)                 all liabilities and obligations of the Partnership shall continue to be liabilities and obligations of the converted entity in its new organizational form without impairment or diminution by reason of the conversion;

 

(iv)                all rights of creditors or other parties with respect to or against the prior interest holders or other owners of the Partnership in their capacities as such in existence as of the effective time of the conversion shall continue in existence as to those liabilities and obligations and may be pursued by such creditors and obligees as if the conversion did not occur;

 

(v)                   a proceeding pending by or against the Partnership or by or against any of Partners in their capacities as such may be continued by or against the converted entity in its new organizational form and by or against the prior Partners without any need for substitution of parties; and

 

(vi)                the Partnership Interests that are to be converted into partnership interests, shares, evidences of ownership, or other securities in the converted entity as provided in the plan of conversion shall be so converted, and Partners shall be entitled only to the rights provided in the Plan of Conversion.

 

ARTICLE XV

 

RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

 

Section 15.1         Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests.

 

(a)         Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time the General Partner and its Affiliates hold more than 80% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding, the General Partner shall then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable at its option, to purchase all, but not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such class then

 

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Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three Business Days prior to the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed and (y) the highest price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such Limited Partner Interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period preceding the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed.

 

(b)         If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects to exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests granted pursuant to Section 15.1(a), the General Partner shall deliver to the applicable Transfer Agent or exchange agent notice of such election to purchase (the “Notice of Election to Purchase”) and shall cause the Transfer Agent or exchange agent to mail a copy of such Notice of Election to Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of such class (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner), together with such information as may be required by law, rule or regulation, at least 10, but not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date.  Such Notice of Election to Purchase shall also be filed and distributed as may be required by the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed.  The Notice of Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) at which Limited Partner Interests shall be purchased and state that the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such Limited Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, in the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, or instructions agreeing to such redemption in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of the Transfer Agent or exchange agent as the Transfer Agent or exchange agent, as applicable, may specify, or as may be required by any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed. Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of Limited Partner Interests at his, her or its address as reflected in the Register shall be conclusively presumed to have been given regardless of whether the owner receives such notice. On or prior to the Purchase Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent or exchange agent cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate purchase price of all of such Limited Partner Interests to be purchased in accordance with this Section 15.1. If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly given as aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the deposit described in the preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Limited Partner Interests subject to purchase as provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date, notwithstanding that any Certificate or redemption instructions shall not have been surrendered for purchase or provided, respectively, all rights of the holders of such Limited Partner Interests (including any rights pursuant to Article IV, Article V, Article VI, and Article XII) shall thereupon cease, except the right to receive the purchase price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) for Limited Partner Interests therefor, without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent or the exchange agent of the Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, in the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, or instructions agreeing to such redemption, and such Limited Partner Interests shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, in the Register, and the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be the Record Holder of all such Limited Partner Interests from and after the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interests (including

 

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all rights as owner of such Limited Partner Interests pursuant to Article IV, Article V, Article VI and Article XII).

 

(c)          Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the terms of Article XV of this Agreement shall not apply so long as the Series A Preferred Units are Outstanding.

 

(d)         In the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, at any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Limited Partner Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1 may surrender his, her or its Certificate evidencing such Limited Partner Interest to the Transfer Agent or exchange agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in Section 15.1(a), therefor, without interest thereon, in accordance with procedures set forth by the General Partner.

 

ARTICLE XVI

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 16.1         Addresses and Notices; Written Communications.

 

(a)         Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the Partner at the address described below. Except as otherwise provided herein, any notice, payment or report to be given or made to a Partner hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interests at his, her or its address as shown in the Register, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Interests by reason of any assignment or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) a Partner shall consent to receiving notices, demands, requests, reports or proxy materials via electronic mail or by the Internet or (ii) the rules of the Commission shall permit any report or proxy materials to be delivered electronically or made available via the Internet, any such notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials shall be deemed given or made when delivered or made available via such mode of delivery.  An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by the General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report. If any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder appearing in the Register is returned by the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in his, her or its address) if they are available for the Partner at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners. Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3. The General Partner

 

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may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.

 

(b)         The terms “in writing,” “written communications,” “written notice” and words of similar import shall be deemed satisfied under this Agreement by use of e-mail and other forms of electronic communication.

 

Section 16.2         Further Action. The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Section 16.3         Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

 

Section 16.4         Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.

 

Section 16.5         Creditors. None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.

 

Section 16.6         Waiver. No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

 

Section 16.7         Third-Party Beneficiaries. Each Partner agrees that (a) any Indemnitee shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee and (b) any Unrestricted Person shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Unrestricted Person.

 

Section 16.8         Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a Limited Partner Interest, pursuant to Section 10.1(a) without execution hereof.

 

Section 16.9         Applicable Law; Forum, Venue and Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury.

 

(a)         This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.

 

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(b)         Each of the Partners and each Person or Group holding any beneficial interest in the Partnership (whether through a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing or otherwise):

 

(i)                       irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings (A) arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement (including any claims, suits or actions to interpret, apply or enforce the provisions of this Agreement or the duties, obligations or liabilities among Partners or of Partners to the Partnership, or the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the Partners or the Partnership), (B) brought in a derivative manner on behalf of the Partnership, (C) asserting a claim of breach of a duty (including a fiduciary duty) owed by any director, officer, or other employee of the Partnership or the General Partner, or owed by the General Partner, to the Partnership or the Partners, (D) asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Act or (E) asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, any other court located in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction), in each case regardless of whether such claims, suits, actions or proceedings sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds, or are derivative or direct claims;

 

(ii)                    irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in connection with any such claim, suit, action or proceeding;

 

(iii)                 agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such courts or of any other court to which proceedings in such courts may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper;

 

(iv)                expressly waives any requirement for the posting of a bond by a party bringing such claim, suit, action or proceeding;

 

(v)                   consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such services shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided, however, nothing in this clause (v) shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law; and

 

(vi)                IRREVOCABLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUCH CLAIM, SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING.

 

Section 16.10                                    Invalidity of Provisions. If any provision or part of a provision of this Agreement is or becomes for any reason, invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions and/or parts thereof contained herein shall not be affected thereby, and this Agreement shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reformed and construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision, or part of a provision, had never been contained herein, and such provisions and/or parts shall be reformed so that it would be valid, legal and enforceable to the maximum extent possible.

 

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Section 16.11                                    Consent of Partners. Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and each Partner shall be bound by the results of such action.

 

Section 16.12                                    Facsimile and Email Signatures. The use of facsimile signatures and signatures delivered by email in portable document format (.pdf) or similar format affixed in the name and on behalf of the Transfer Agent of the Partnership on certificates representing Common Units is expressly permitted by this Agreement.

 

[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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

 

 

GENERAL PARTNER:

 

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY GP, LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Name:

R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Title:

President and Chief Financial Officer

 

Signature Page to Second Amended and Restated

Agreement of Limited Partnership of Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

 



 

EXHIBIT A

to the Second Amended and Restated

Agreement of Limited Partnership of

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

 

Certificate Evidencing Common Units

Representing Limited Partner Interests in

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

 

No.

Common Units

 

In accordance with Section 4.1 of the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “Partnership Agreement”), Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), hereby certifies that                      (the “Holder”) is the registered owner of             Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “Common Units”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. The rights, preferences and limitations of the Common Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the Common Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership Agreement. Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and shall be furnished without charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal offices of the Partnership located at 777 Taylor Street, Suite 810, Fort Worth, Texas 76102. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.

 

THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER (AS DEFINED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT) WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). KIMBELL ROYALTY GP, LLC, THE GENERAL PARTNER OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP, MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT DETERMINES, WITH THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL, THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO (A) AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES OR (B) PRESERVE THE UNIFORMITY OF LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS (AS

 

A-1



 

DEFINED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT). THIS SECURITY MAY BE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON ITS TRANSFER PROVIDED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. COPIES OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE HOLDER OF RECORD OF THIS SECURITY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL PARTNER AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICES OF THE PARTNERSHIP. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.

 

The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership Agreement and (iii) made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.

 

This Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose unless it has been countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar. This Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

Dated:

 

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

 

 

 

 

Countersigned and Registered by:

 

 

By:

KIMBELL ROYALTY GP, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

As Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

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[Reverse of Certificate]

 

ABBREVIATIONS

 

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM — as tenants in common

 

UNIF GIFT/TRANSFERS MIN ACT

TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties

 

_____________ Custodian _____________

JT TEN — as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common

 

(Cust)                                  (Minor)

 

Under Uniform Gifts/Transfers to CD Minors Act (State)

 

Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.

 

ASSIGNMENT OF COMMON UNITS OF
KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED,                  hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto

 

(Please print or typewrite name and address of assignee)

(Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee)

 

                          Common Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                          as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP.

 

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

NOTE: The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in every particular. without alteration, enlargement or change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15

 

 

 

(Signature)

 

 

 

 

 

(Signature)

 

 

 

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No transfer of the Common Units evidenced hereby shall be registered on the books of the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Common Units to be transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer.

 

A-4


Exhibit 4.1

 

Execution Version

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of July 12, 2018 (this “Agreement”), is by and among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), and the holders of common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “Common Units”) listed on the signature page hereof.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, as of May 28, 2018, the Partnership entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement among Haymaker Resources, LP, Haymaker Services, LLC (solely for the purpose of Section 6.20 therein) and the Partnership and a Securities Purchase Agreement among Haymaker Minerals & Royalties, LLC (together with Haymaker Resources, LP, the “Sellers”), Haymaker Services, LLC (solely for the purpose of Section 6.20 therein) and the Partnership (collectively, the “Haymaker Purchase Agreements”), pursuant to which the Sellers will contribute certain of their assets to the Partnership in consideration for cash and Common Units;

 

WHEREAS, as of May 28, 2018, the Partnership entered into a Series A Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement (the “Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement” and, together with the Haymaker Purchase Agreements, the “Purchase Agreements”) with AA Direct, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AP KRP Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AIE III Investments, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Apollo Kings Alley Credit SPV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Apollo SPN Investments I (Credit), LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Apollo Thunder Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, ATCF Subsidiary (DC), LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Apollo Union Street SPV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Zeus Strategic US Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and Apollo Lincoln Private Credit Fund, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (collectively, “Apollo”), providing for the issuance and sale of Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units (the “Preferred Units”) of the Partnership convertible into Common Units;

 

WHEREAS, the Partnership has proposed to change the Partnership’s U.S. federal income tax status from a partnership to an entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes by means of a “check-the-box” election, “up-C” structure, a combination thereof or otherwise, as well as to approve an amendment, or amendment and restatement, to the Partnership’s limited partnership agreement in connection therewith (collectively, the “Election”); and

 

WHEREAS, resales by the Holders of the Common Units may be required to be registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, depending upon the status of a Holder or the intended method of distribution of the Common Units.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 



 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1                               Definitions.

 

(a)                                 For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings specified in this Section 1.1.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any Person who, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with any Person.

 

Amended Partnership Agreement” means Amendment No. 1 to the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, dated as of the date hereof, as amended or restated from time to time.

 

Automatic Shelf Registration Statement” means an “Automatic Shelf Registration Statement,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Beneficial Ownership” and terms of similar import shall be as defined under and determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

 

Business Day” means any day on which the NYSE is open for trading.

 

Common Unit Price” means the arithmetic average of the daily VWAP of the Common Units for the fifteen (15) consecutive trading days prior to the determination date.

 

Election Amendment” means, subject to Section 2.13, the amendment to this Agreement as may be executed simultaneously with the effective date of the Election.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar federal statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.

 

Excluded Registration” means a registration under the Securities Act of (i) securities pursuant to one or more Demand Requests pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof, (ii) securities registered on Form S-8 or any similar successor form and (iii) securities registered to effect the acquisition of or combination with another Person.

 

Existing Holders” means any securityholder who has registration rights pursuant to the Existing Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Existing Registration Rights Agreement” means that certain Contribution, Conveyance, Assignment and Assumption Agreement dated as of December 20, 2016 by and among the Partnership, Kimbell Intermediate Holdings, LLC, Kimbell Royalty Holdings, LLC and each of the other parties listed on the Exhibit A thereto, as may be amended from time to time.

 

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General Partner” means Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of the Partnership.

 

Holder” means (i) a securityholder listed on the signature page hereof and (ii) any direct or indirect transferee of any such securityholder, in each case that holds Registrable Securities, including any securityholder that receives Registrable Securities upon a distribution or liquidation of a Holder, who has been assigned the rights of the transferor Holder under this Agreement in accordance with Section 2.8.

 

Liquidated Damages Multiplier” means the product of the Common Unit Price and the number of Registrable Securities (including Common Units issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Units at the date of determination) held by such applicable Holder as provided in Section 2.1(b) and Section 2.5(b).

 

NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.

 

Person” or “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or other agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

Prospectus” means the prospectus (including any preliminary, final or summary prospectus) included in any Registration Statement, all amendments and supplements to such prospectus and all other material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.

 

Overnight Underwritten Offering” means an underwritten offering that is launched after the close of trading on one trading day and priced before the open of trading on the next succeeding trading day.

 

register,” “registered” and “registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing a Registration Statement in compliance with the Securities Act, and the declaration or ordering of the effectiveness of such Registration Statement.

 

Registrable Securities” means, at any time, (a) the Common Units issued to the Holders under the Haymaker Purchase Agreements or (b) Common Units issued or issuable to the Holders upon the conversion of the Preferred Units pursuant to the Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement, in each case including any other securities of the Partnership or any successor of the Partnership issued or issuable with respect to such Common Units by way of a unit dividend or unit split or in connection with a combination of units, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or reorganization or similar event involving a change in the capital structure of the Partnership; providedhowever, that Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (i) they have been distributed to the public pursuant to an offering registered under the Securities Act, (ii) they have been distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 (or any successor provision) under the Securities Act, or (iii) they have been transferred or sold to any Person to whom the rights under this Agreement are not assigned in accordance with this Agreement.

 

Registration Expenses” means all expenses (other than Selling Expenses) arising from or incident to the Partnership’s performance of or compliance with this Agreement, including, without limitation: (i) SEC, stock exchange, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. and

 

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other registration and filing fees; (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with complying with any securities or blue sky laws (including, without limitation, fees, charges and disbursements of counsel in connection with blue sky qualifications of the Registrable Securities); (iii) all printing, messenger and delivery expenses; (iv) the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Partnership and of its independent public accountants, reserve engineers, and any other accounting and legal fees, charges and expenses incurred by the Partnership (including, without limitation, any expenses arising from any special audits or “comfort” letters required in connection with or incident to any registration); (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on the NYSE (or NASDAQ or any other national securities exchange on which the Common Units may then be listed) or the quotation of Registrable Securities on any inter-dealer quotation system; (vi) the fees and expenses incurred by the Partnership in connection with any road show for underwritten offerings; and (vii) reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Holders in connection with the filing or amendment of any Registration Statement or Prospectus hereunder; provided that, with respect to any offering, Registration Expenses shall only include such fees and expenses of one counsel to the Sellers and one counsel to Apollo (which, in the case of Holders of Registrable Securities other than Apollo, shall be chosen by the Holders of a majority of Registrable Securities (other than Apollo) to be included in such offering).

 

Registration Statement” means any registration statement of the Partnership that covers the resale of any Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement filed with, or to be filed with, the SEC under the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act, including the related Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including pre- and post-effective amendments, and all exhibits, financial information and all other material incorporated by reference in such registration statement or Prospectus.

 

Required Holders” means Holders who then own beneficially more than 50% of the Registrable Securities.

 

Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such rule.

 

Same-Day Offering” means an underwritten offering that is launched before the open of trading on one trading day and priced before the open of trading or after the close of trading on such same trading day.

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal agency at the time administering the Securities Act.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any similar federal statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.

 

Selling Expenses” means the underwriting fees, discounts and commissions, placement fees of underwriters, broker commissions and any transfer taxes, in each case, applicable to all Registrable Securities registered by the Holders.

 

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Shelf Registration Statement” means a “shelf” registration statement of the Partnership that covers all the Registrable Securities (and may cover other securities of the Partnership) on Form S-3 and under Rule 415 under the Securities Act or, if the Partnership is not then eligible to file on Form S-3, on Form S-1 or any other appropriate form under the Securities Act, or any successor rule that may be adopted by the SEC, including without limitation any such registration statement filed pursuant to Section 2.1, and all amendments and supplements to such “shelf” registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case, including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

Target Apollo Effective Date” means the earliest date that the Preferred Units may convert into Common Units pursuant to the Amended Partnership Agreement.

 

Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.

 

VWAP” per Common Unit on any trading day shall mean the per share volume-weighted average price as displayed on Bloomberg page “VWAP” (or its equivalent if such a page is not available) in respect of the period from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on such trading day; or if such price is not available, “VWAP” shall mean the market value per share of Common Units on such trading day as determined, using a volume-weighted average method, by a nationally recognized independent investment banking firm retained by the applicable Holder for this purpose.

 

Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(b)                                 For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in the sections indicated:

 

Term

 

Section

Advice

 

2.5(a)

Agreement

 

Introductory Paragraph

Apollo

 

Recitals

Blackout Period

 

2.4(s)

Common Units

 

Introductory Paragraph

Demand Request

 

2.1(d)

Effective Date

 

2.1(a)

Election

 

Recitals

First Target Effective Date

 

2.1(b)

Haymaker Purchase Agreements

 

Recitals

LD Period

 

2.1(b)

LD Termination Date

 

2.1(b)

Liquidated Damages

 

2.1(b)

Material Adverse Effect

 

2.1(f)

Opt-Out Notice

 

2.2(c)

 

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Participating Majority

 

2.1(e)

Partnership

 

Introductory Paragraph

Partnership Notice

 

2.1(d)

Partnership Underwritten Offering

 

2.3

Piggyback Registration Notice

 

2.2(a)

Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement

 

Recitals

Preferred Units

 

Recitals

Purchase Agreements

 

Recitals

Records

 

2.4(l)

Requesting Holder

 

2.1(d)

Seller Affiliates

 

2.7

Sellers

 

Recitals

Suspension Notice

 

2.5(a)

Suspension Period

 

2.1(g)

Underwritten Shelf Takedown

 

2.1(c)

 

1.2                               Other Definitional and Interpretive Matters. Unless otherwise expressly provided or the context otherwise requires, for purposes of this Agreement the following rules of interpretation apply.

 

(a)                                 When calculating the period of time before which, within which or following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Agreement, the date that is the reference date in calculating such period is excluded. If the last day of such period is a non-Business Day, the period in question ends on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

(b)                                 Any reference in this Agreement to $ means U.S. dollars.

 

(c)                                  Any reference in this Agreement to gender includes all genders, and words imparting the singular number also include the plural and vice versa.

 

(d)                                 The provision of a Table of Contents, the division of this Agreement into Articles, Sections and other subdivisions and the insertion of headings are for convenience of reference only and do not affect, and should not be utilized in, the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

(e)                                  All references in this Agreement to any “Article” or “Section” are to the corresponding Article or Section of this Agreement.

 

(f)                                   The words “herein,” “hereinafter,” “hereof,” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not merely to a subdivision in which such words appear unless the context otherwise requires.

 

(g)                                  The word “including” or any variation thereof means “includingbut not limited to,” and does not limit any general statement that it follows to the specific or similar items or matters immediately following it.

 

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(h)                                 Any reference to Common Units shall apply to any other securities of the Partnership or any successor of the Partnership issued or issuable with respect to such Common Units by way of a unit dividend or unit split or in connection with a combination of units, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or reorganization or similar event involving a change in the capital structure of the Partnership.

 

ARTICLE II

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

 

2.1                               Shelf Registration.

 

(a)                                 The Partnership will prepare, file (to the extent not previously filed) and use its reasonable best efforts to cause to become effective no later than the 160th day following the date of this Agreement (the “Effective Date”), a Shelf Registration Statement (which Shelf Registration Statement shall be an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement if the Partnership is then eligible to file an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement), registering for resale the Registrable Securities under the Securities Act. The plan of distribution indicated in the Shelf Registration Statement will include all such methods of sale as any Holder may reasonably request in writing at least five Business Days prior to the filing of the Shelf Registration Statement and that can be included in the Shelf Registration Statement under the rules and regulations of the SEC. Until all Registrable Securities cease to be Registrable Securities, the Partnership shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep current and effective such Shelf Registration Statement and file such supplements or amendments to such Shelf Registration Statement (or file a new Shelf Registration Statement (which Shelf Registration Statement shall be an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement if the Partnership is then eligible to file an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement) when such preceding Shelf Registration Statement expires pursuant to the rules of the SEC) as may be necessary or appropriate in order to keep such Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective and useable for the resale of all Registrable Securities under the Securities Act. Any Shelf Registration Statement when declared effective (including the documents incorporated therein by reference) will comply in all material respects as to form with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and will not contain 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.

 

(b)                                 If a Shelf Registration Statement required by Section 2.1(a) is not declared effective prior to the 180th day following the date of this Agreement, with respect to each Holder other than Apollo (the “First Target Effective Date”) (or, with respect to Apollo, the Target Apollo Effective Date), then each applicable Holder shall be entitled to a payment (with respect to the Registrable Securities held by such applicable Holder), as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, of 0.25% of the Liquidated Damages Multiplier per 30-day period, that shall accrue daily, for the first 60 days following the First Target Effective Date or Target Apollo Effective Date, as applicable, increasing by an additional 0.25% of the Liquidated Damages Multiplier per 30-day period, that shall accrue daily, for each subsequent 60 days (i.e., 0.5% for 61-120 days, 0.75% for 121-180 days and 1.0%

 

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thereafter), up to a maximum of 1.00% of the Liquidated Damages Multiplier per 30-day period (the “Liquidated Damages”). The Liquidated Damages payable pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence shall be payable within 10 Business Days after the end of each such 30-day period. Any Liquidated Damages shall be paid to each such applicable Holder in immediately available funds. The accrual of Liquidated Damages shall cease (a “LD Termination Date” and, each such period beginning on the First Target Effective Date or Target Apollo Effective Date, as applicable, and ending on a LD Termination Date being, a “LD Period”) at the earlier of (i) such Shelf Registration Statement becoming effective and (ii) when such Holder no longer holds Registrable Securities. Any amount of Liquidated Damages shall be prorated for any period of less than 30 calendar days accruing during a LD Period. If the Partnership is unable to cause a Shelf Registration Statement to go effective by the First Target Effective Date or Target Apollo Effective Date, as applicable, as a result of an acquisition, merger, reorganization, disposition or other similar transaction, then the Partnership may request a waiver of the Liquidated Damages, and the applicable Holders may grant or withhold their consent to such request in their discretion. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 2.1(b) shall relieve the Partnership from its obligations under Section 2.1(a).

 

(c)                                  Any one or more Holders of Registrable Securities may request to sell all or any portion of their Registrable Securities in an underwritten offering that is registered pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement (each, an “Underwritten Shelf Takedown”); providedhowever, that in the case of each such Underwritten Shelf Takedown, such Holder or Holders will be entitled to make such demand only if the gross proceeds from the sale of Registrable Securities in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown (before the deduction of underwriting expenses and discounts) is reasonably expected to exceed, in the aggregate, $50 million. At the request of such Holders, the plan of distribution for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown may include a customary “road show” (including an “electronic road show”) or other substantial marketing effort by the Partnership and the underwriters . Subject to the other limitations contained in this Agreement, the Partnership will not be obligated hereunder to effect an Underwritten Shelf Takedown within 90 days after the closing of an Underwritten Shelf Takedown and the Holders shall be entitled to have no more than three Underwritten Shelf Takedowns per calendar year.

 

(d)                                 All requests (a “Demand Request”) for Underwritten Shelf Takedowns shall be made by the Holder or Holders making such request (the “Requesting Holder”) by giving written notice to the Partnership. Each Demand Request shall specify the approximate number of Registrable Securities to be sold in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown and the expected price range of securities to be sold in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown. Within five Business Days after receipt of any Demand Request, the Partnership shall send written notice of such requested Underwritten Shelf Takedown to all other Holders of Registrable Securities (the “Partnership Notice”) and shall include in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Partnership has received written requests for inclusion therein within five Business Days after sending the Partnership Notice. Any Holder shall have the right to withdraw such Holder’s request for inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown pursuant to this Section 2.1(d) by giving written notice to the Partnership

 

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of such withdrawal until the earlier of (i) the issuance of a press release by the Partnership with respect to such Underwritten Shelf Takedown or (ii) the filing of any prospectus or prospectus supplement relating to such Underwritten Shelf Takedown.

 

(e)                                  The Participating Majority shall select one or more nationally prominent firms of investment bankers reasonably acceptable to the Partnership to act as the managing underwriter or underwriters in connection with such Underwritten Shelf Takedown. The “Participating Majority” shall mean, with respect to any particular Underwritten Shelf Takedown, the Holder(s) of a majority of the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown. All Holders proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement with such underwriter or underwriters in accordance with Section 2.1(h). The Partnership will use its reasonable best efforts to cause members of senior management to cooperate with the underwriter(s) in connection with the Underwritten Shelf Takedown and make themselves reasonably available to participate in the marketing process in connection with the Underwritten Shelf Takedown as required by the managing underwriter(s) and providing such additional information reasonably requested by the managing underwriter(s) (in addition to the minimum information required by law, rule or regulation) in any prospectus relating to the Underwritten Shelf Takedown.

 

(f)                                   If the managing underwriter(s) for such Underwritten Shelf Takedown advise the Partnership and the participating Holders that the inclusion of the amount of securities (including Registrable Securities) requested to be included in the Registration Statement will materially and adversely affect the pricing of the offering (a “Material Adverse Effect”), then the Partnership shall so advise all Holders of Registrable Securities and the Existing Holders which would otherwise be underwritten pursuant hereto, and the amount of securities that may be included in the underwriting shall be allocated among the participating Holders and participating Existing Holders, (i) first, among the participating Holders as nearly as possible on a pro rata basis based on the total amount of Registrable Securities requested by such Holders to be included in such underwriting and (ii) second, to the extent all Registrable Securities requested to be included in such underwriting by the participating Holders have been included, to any participating Existing Holders and other Persons pursuant to contractual registration rights as nearly as possible on a pro rata basis based on the total amount of Registrable Securities (as defined in the Existing Registration Rights Agreement and other contractual registration rights) requested by such Existing Holders and other Persons to be included in such underwriting. The Partnership shall prepare preliminary and final prospectus supplements for use in connection with the Underwritten Shelf Takedown, containing such additional information as may be reasonably requested by the underwriter(s).

 

(g)                                  Upon written notice to the Holders of Registrable Securities, the Partnership shall be entitled to suspend, for a period of time not to exceed the periods specified in Section 2.4(s) (each, a “Suspension Period”), the use of any Registration Statement or Prospectus and shall not be required to amend or supplement the Registration Statement, any related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference if (i) the Partnership receives any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to such Registration Statement or Prospectus or

 

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for additional information that pertains to such Holders as sellers of Registrable Securities; (ii) the SEC issues any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) the Partnership receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and (iv) the board of directors, chief executive officer or chief financial officer of the General Partner determines in its or his or her reasonable good faith judgment that the Registration Statement or any Prospectus may contain an untrue statement of a material fact or may omit any fact necessary to make the statements in the Registration Statement or Prospectus not misleading; provided, that the Partnership shall use its good faith efforts to amend the Registration Statement or Prospectus to correct such untrue statement or omission as promptly as reasonably practicable, unless the Partnership determines in good faith that such amendment would reasonably be expected to have a materially detrimental effect on the Partnership.

 

(h)                                 If requested by the managing underwriter(s) for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown, the Partnership shall enter into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters for such offering, such agreement to be in form and substance (including with respect to representations and warranties by the Partnership) as is customarily given by the Partnership to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, and to contain indemnities generally to the effect and to the extent provided in Section 2.7. No Holders of Registrable Securities may participate in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown unless such Holder (i) agrees to sell such Holder’s Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Partnership and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents, each in customary form, reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements; provided, however, that no such Holder shall be required to (A) make any representations or warranties in connection with any such registration other than representations and warranties as to (1) such Holder’s ownership of his or its Registrable Securities to be sold or transferred free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances, (2) such Holder’s power and authority to effect such transfer and (3) such matters pertaining to compliance with securities laws as may be reasonably requested or (B) undertake any indemnification obligations to the Partnership or the underwriters with respect thereto except as otherwise provided in Section 2.7.

 

(i)                                     Each of the Holders hereby agrees (a) to cooperate with the Partnership and to furnish to the Partnership all such information regarding such Holder, its ownership of Registrable Securities and the disposition of such securities in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement and any filings with any state securities commission as the Partnership may reasonably request, (b) to the extent required by the Securities Act, to deliver or cause delivery of the Prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, any amendment or supplement thereto, to any purchaser of Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement from the Holder and (c) if requested by the Partnership, to notify the Partnership of any sale of Registrable Securities by such Holder.

 

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2.2                               Piggyback Registrations.

 

(a)                                 Each time the Partnership proposes to register any of its equity securities (other than pursuant to an Excluded Registration) under the Securities Act for sale to the public (whether for the account of the Partnership or the account of any Existing Holder) and the form of registration statement to be used (including a Shelf Registration Statement) permits the registration of Registrable Securities, the Partnership shall give prompt written notice (a “Piggyback Registration Notice”) to each Holder of Registrable Securities (which notice shall be given not less than (i) five Business Days prior to the anticipated filing date or (ii) three Business Days in the case of an Overnight Underwritten Offering, Same-Day Offering or similar “bought deal”), which notice shall offer each such Holder the opportunity to include any or all of its or his Registrable Securities in such registration statement, subject to the limitations contained in Section 2.2(b) hereof. Each Holder who desires to have its or his Registrable Securities included in such registration statement shall so advise the Partnership in writing (stating the number of Registrable Securities desired to be registered) within three Business Days (or one Business Day in the case of an Overnight Underwritten Offering, Same-Day Offering or similar “bought deal”) after the date of such notice from the Partnership. Any Holder shall have the right to withdraw such Holder’s request for inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in any registration statement pursuant to this Section 2.2(a) by giving written notice to the Partnership of such withdrawal. Subject to Section 2.2(b) below, the Partnership shall include in such registration statement all such Registrable Securities so requested to be included therein; providedhowever, that the Partnership may at any time withdraw or cease proceeding with any such registration if it shall at the same time withdraw or cease proceeding with the registration of all other equity securities originally proposed to be registered. For the avoidance of doubt, any registration or offering pursuant to this Section 2.2 shall not be considered an Underwritten Shelf Takedown for purposes of Section 2.1 of this Agreement.

 

(b)                                 With respect to any registration pursuant to Section 2.2(a), if the managing underwriter(s) advise the Partnership that the inclusion of the amount of securities (including Registrable Securities) requested to be included in the Registration Statement will have a Material Adverse Effect, the Partnership shall so advise all Holders of Registrable Securities and the Existing Holders which would otherwise be underwritten pursuant hereto, and the amount of securities that may be included in the Registration Statement shall be allocated: (i) in the case of a registration for the account of the Partnership, (a) first, to include the securities the Partnership proposes to register, (b) second, among the participating Holders and participating Existing Holders as nearly as possible on a pro rata basis based on the total amount of Registrable Securities requested by such Holders and Registrable Securities (as defined in the Existing Registration Rights Agreement) requested by such Existing Holders to be included in such underwriting and (c) third, among any other Persons pursuant to contractual registration rights on as nearly as possible on a pro rata basis, and (ii) in the case of a registration for the account of the Existing Holders or any other Persons pursuant to contractual registration rights, (a) first, among the participating Existing Holders as nearly as possible on a pro rata basis based on the total amount of Registrable Securities (as defined in the Existing Registration Rights Agreement) requested by such Existing Holders to be included in such underwriting, (b)

 

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second, among the participating Holders as nearly as possible on a pro rata basis based on the total amount of Registrable Securities requested by such Holders to be included in such underwriting (c) third, to include the securities the Partnership proposes to register, if at all, and (d) fourth, among any such other Persons pursuant to contractual registration rights as nearly as possible on a pro rata basis. If, as a result of the provisions of this Section 2.2(b), any Holder shall not be entitled to include all Registrable Securities in a registration that such Holder has requested to be so included, such Holder may withdraw such Holder’s request to include Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement. No Person may participate in any Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.2(a) unless such Person (i) agrees to sell such person’s Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Partnership and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents, each in customary form, reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements; providedhowever, that no such Person shall be required to (A) make any representations or warranties in connection with any such registration other than representations and warranties as to (1) such Person’s ownership of his or its Registrable Securities to be sold or transferred free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances, (2) such Person’s power and authority to effect such transfer and (3) such matters pertaining to compliance with securities laws as may be reasonably requested or (B) undertake any indemnification obligations to the Partnership or the underwriters with respect thereto except as otherwise provided in Section 2.7.

 

(c)                                  Any Holder of Registrable Securities may deliver written notice (an “Opt-Out Notice”) to the Partnership requesting that such Holder of Registrable Securities not receive from the Partnership any Piggyback Registration Notice; provided, however, that such Holder of Registrable Securities may later revoke any such Opt-Out Notice in writing.  Following receipt of an Opt-Out Notice from a holder of Registrable Securities (unless subsequently revoked), the Partnership shall not deliver any notice to such Holder of Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.2(a) and such Holder of Registrable Securities shall no longer be entitled to participate in any registration or offering pursuant to Section 2.2(a).

 

2.3                               Holdback Agreement. Upon the request of the Partnership, by electing to include Registrable Securities in a Partnership registration statement pursuant to Section 2.1 or  Section 2.2, the Holder shall agree not to effect any sale or distribution of securities of the Partnership of the same or similar class or classes of the securities included in the Partnership registration statement or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities, including a sale pursuant to Rule 144, during such periods as reasonably requested (but in no event for a period longer than 45 days following  the date of the applicable Prospectus; provided each of the executive officers and directors of the Partnership that hold  Common Units of the Partnership or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Units of the Partnership are subject to the same restriction for the entire time period required of the Holders hereunder) by the representatives of the underwriters, if an underwritten offering by the Partnership (a “Partnership Underwritten Offering”); provided further, for the avoidance of doubt, that such restrictions shall only apply if the Holders are able to sell Registrable Securities in such a Partnership Underwritten Offering. The provisions of this Section 2.3 will no longer apply to a Holder once such Holder ceases to hold at least 1% of

 

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the Registrable Securities acquired as a result of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreements. The provisions of this Section 2.3 shall not apply to (i) any transfer of Registrable Securities by a Holder to (a) any stockholder, member, managing member, general or limited partner of any Holder, or (b) any investment fund managed by any of such persons or (c) any other Affiliate of any Holder, or to any other Affiliate of a Holder, so long as such transfer is not for value and any such person agrees to and remains to be bound hereby, (ii) the entry by any Holder of a bona fide pledge of any Registrable Securities (and any foreclosure on any such pledge) and (iii) any hedging transaction with respect to an index or basket of securities where the equity securities of the Partnership constitute a de minimis amount.

 

2.4                               Registration Procedures. In connection with the registration and sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Agreement, the Partnership will use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration and the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof, and pursuant thereto the Partnership will:

 

(a)                                 if the Registration Statement is not automatically effective upon filing, use reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective as promptly as reasonably practicable;

 

(b)                                 promptly notify each selling Holder, promptly after the Partnership receives notice thereof, of the time when such Registration Statement has been declared effective or a supplement to any prospectus forming a part of such Registration Statement has been filed;

 

(c)                                  after the Registration Statement becomes effective, promptly notify each selling Holder of any request by the SEC that the Partnership amend or supplement such Registration Statement or Prospectus;

 

(d)                                 prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be reasonably necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective during the period set forth in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement for the period required to effect the distribution of the Registrable Securities as set forth in Section 2 hereof;

 

(e)                                  furnish to the selling Holders such numbers of copies of such Registration Statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, each Prospectus (including each preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus supplement) and such other documents as the Holder and any underwriter(s) may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities;

 

(f)                                   use its reasonable best efforts to register and qualify the Registrable Securities under such other securities or blue-sky laws of such jurisdictions as shall be reasonably requested by the Holders and any underwriter(s) and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable the Holders and any underwriter(s) to consummate the disposition of the Registrable Securities in such

 

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jurisdictions; providedhowever, that the Partnership shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to qualify to do business in or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction, unless the Partnership is already subject to service in such jurisdiction and except as may be required by the Securities Act, or subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction, unless the Partnership is already subject to taxation in such jurisdiction;

 

(g)                                  use its reasonable best efforts to cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on a national securities exchange or trading system and each securities exchange and trading system (if any) on which similar equity securities issued by the Partnership are then listed;

 

(h)                                 provide a transfer agent and registrar for the Registrable Securities and provide a CUSIP number for all such Registrable Securities, in each case not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement;

 

(i)                                     use its reasonable best efforts to furnish, on the date that shares of Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriters for sale, if such securities are being sold through underwriters, (i) an opinion, dated as of such date, of the counsel representing the Partnership for the purposes of such registration, in form and substance as is customarily given to underwriters by the Partnership in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters, (ii) a letter dated as of such date, from the independent public accountants of the Partnership, in form and substance as is customarily given by independent public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters and (iii) an engineers’ reserve report letter as of such date, from the independent petroleum engineers of the Partnership, in form and substance as is customarily given by independent petroleum engineers to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters;

 

(j)                                    if requested by the Holders, cooperate with the Holders and the managing underwriter(s) (if any) to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (which shall not bear any restrictive legends unless required under applicable law) representing securities sold under the Registration Statement, and enable such securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as such Holders or the managing underwriter (if any) may request and keep available and make available to the Partnership’s transfer agent prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement a supply of such certificates;

 

(k)                                 in the event of any underwritten public offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in form and substance as is customarily given by the Partnership to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, with the underwriter(s) of such offering;

 

(l)                                     upon execution of confidentiality agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Partnership, promptly make available for inspection by the selling Holders, any underwriter(s) participating in any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement, and any attorney or accountant or other agent retained by any such

 

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underwriter or selected by the selling Holders, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents, and properties of the Partnership reasonably requested (collectively, “Records”), and use reasonable best efforts to cause the Partnership’s officers, directors, employees, and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably requested by any such seller, underwriter, attorney, accountant, or agent, in each case, as necessary or advisable to verify the accuracy of the information in such Registration Statement and to conduct appropriate due diligence in connection therewith; provided, that Records that the Partnership determines, in good faith, to be confidential and that it notifies the selling Holders are confidential shall not be disclosed by the selling Holders unless the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction or is otherwise required by applicable law. Each Holder agrees that information obtained by it as a result of such inspections shall be deemed confidential and shall not be used by it or its affiliates (other than with respect to such Holders’ due diligence) unless and until such information is made generally available to the public, and further agrees that, upon learning that disclosure of such Records is sought in a court of competent jurisdiction, to the extent permitted and to the extent practicable it shall give notice to the Partnership and allow the Partnership to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of the Records deemed confidential;

 

(m)                             promptly notify the selling Holders and any underwriter(s) of the notification to the Partnership by the SEC of its initiation of any proceeding with respect to the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and in the event of the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, or of any order suspending or preventing the use of any related Prospectus or suspending the qualification of any Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement for sale in any jurisdiction, use its reasonable best efforts to obtain promptly the withdrawal of such order;

 

(n)                                 promptly notify the selling Holders and any underwriter(s) at any time when a Prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act of the occurrence of any event as a result of which the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement, as then in effect, 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 under which they were made, and at the request of any Holder promptly prepare and furnish to such Holder a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such Prospectus, or a revised Prospectus, as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such securities, 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 under which they were made (following receipt of any supplement or amendment to any Prospectus, the selling Holders shall deliver such amended, supplemental or revised Prospectus in connection with any offers or sales of Registrable Securities, and shall not deliver or use any Prospectus not so supplemented, amended or revised);

 

(o)                                 promptly notify the selling Holders and any underwriter(s) of the receipt by the Partnership of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any

 

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Registrable Securities for sale under the applicable securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction;

 

(p)                                 make available to each Holder (i) promptly after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed with the SEC, or received by the Partnership, one copy of each Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, each preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, each letter written by or on behalf of the Partnership to the SEC or the staff of the SEC (or other governmental agency or self-regulatory body or other body having jurisdiction, including any domestic or foreign securities exchange), and each item of correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC (or other governmental agency or self-regulatory body or other body having jurisdiction, including any domestic or foreign securities exchange), in each case relating to such Registration Statement, and (ii) such number of copies of each Prospectus, including a preliminary Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto and such other documents as any Holder or any underwriter may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities. The Partnership will promptly notify the Holders of the effectiveness of each Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or the filing of any supplement or amendment to such Registration Statement or of any Prospectus supplement. The Partnership will promptly respond to any and all comments received from the SEC, with a view towards causing each Registration Statement or any amendment thereto to be declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable and shall file an acceleration request, if necessary, as soon as practicable following the resolution or clearance of all SEC comments or, if applicable, following notification by the SEC that any such Registration Statement or any amendment thereto will not be subject to review;

 

(q)                                 take no direct or indirect action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act; provided, that, to the extent that any prohibition is applicable to the Partnership, the Partnership will take all reasonable action to make any such prohibition inapplicable;

 

(r)                                    take such other actions as are reasonably necessary in order to facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities; and

 

(s)                                   notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Partnership shall not be required to file a Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or effect a requested Underwritten Shelf Takedown (or, if the Partnership has filed a Shelf Registration Statement and has included Registrable Securities therein, the Partnership shall be entitled to suspend the offer and sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement) for a period of up to 60 days if (i) the board of directors of the General Partner determines that a postponement is in the best interest of the Partnership and its unitholders generally due to a proposed transaction involving the Partnership and determines in good faith that the Partnership’s ability to pursue or consummate such a transaction would be materially and adversely affected by any required disclosure of such transaction in the Shelf Registration Statement, (ii) the board of directors of the General Partner determines such registration would render the Partnership unable to comply with applicable securities laws or (iii) the board of directors of the General Partner determines

 

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such registration would require disclosure of material information that the Partnership has a bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential (any such period, a “Blackout Period”); providedhowever, that in no event shall any Blackout Period and/or Suspension Period collectively exceed an aggregate of 90 days in any 12-month period.

 

2.5                               Suspension of Dispositions.

 

(a)                                 Each Holder agrees by acquisition of any Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of any notice (a “Suspension Notice”) from the Partnership of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 2.1(g)Section 2.4(n) or Section 2.4(s), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus, or until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Partnership that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings which are incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. The Partnership shall extend the period of time during which the Partnership is required to maintain the Registration Statement effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such Suspension Notice to and including the date such Holder either receives the supplemented or amended Prospectus or receives the Advice. If so directed by the Partnership, such Holder will deliver to the Partnership all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice. The Partnership shall use its reasonable best efforts and take such actions as are reasonably necessary to render the Advice as promptly as practicable.  Any Underwritten Shelf Takedown which is suspended because of a Suspension Notice shall not be deemed to be a Demand Request for purposes of Section 2.1(c) unless and until a suspension pursuant to this Section 2.5 is concluded and such Underwritten Shelf Offering is completed.

 

(b)                                 If (i) any of the Holders shall be prohibited from selling their Registrable Securities under a Shelf Registration Statement or other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement as a result of a suspension pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph in excess of the periods permitted therein or (ii) a Shelf Registration Statement or other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement is filed and declared effective but, during the period from which such Shelf Registration Statement is first declared or becomes effective until all Registrable Securities cease to be Registrable Securities, shall thereafter cease to be effective or fail to be usable for its intended purpose without being succeeded within 10 Business Days by a post-effective amendment thereto, a supplement to the prospectus or a report filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or l5(d) of the Exchange Act, then, until the suspension is lifted or a post-effective amendment, supplement or report is filed with the SEC, but not including any day on which a suspension is lifted or such amendment, supplement or report is filed and declared effective, if applicable, the Partnership shall pay each such Holder an amount equal to the Liquidated Damages, following the earlier of (x) the date on which the suspension period exceeded the permitted period and (y) the 11th Business Day after such Shelf Registration Statement or other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement ceased to be effective or failed to be useable for its intended purposes, as liquidated damages and not as

 

17



 

a penalty (for purposes of calculating Liquidated Damages, the date in (x) or (y) above shall be deemed the First Target Effective Date or, with respect to Apollo, the Target Apollo Effective Date, as used in the definition of Liquidated Damages). For purposes of this paragraph, a suspension shall be deemed lifted with respect to each such Holder on the date that notice that the suspension has been terminated is delivered to such Holder. Liquidated Damages shall cease to accrue pursuant to this paragraph upon the earlier of (i) a suspension being deemed lifted and (ii) when such Holder no longer holds Registrable Securities included in such Shelf Registration Statement.

 

2.6                               Registration Expenses. All Registration Expenses shall be borne by the Partnership. In addition, for the avoidance of doubt, the Partnership shall pay its internal expenses in connection with the performance of or compliance with this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit or quarterly review, the expense of any liability insurance and the expenses and fees for listing the securities to be registered on each securities exchange on which they are to be listed. All Selling Expenses relating to Registrable Securities registered shall be borne by the Holders of such Registrable Securities pro rata on the basis of the number of Registrable Securities sold.

 

2.7                               Indemnification.

 

(a)                                 The Partnership agrees to indemnify and reimburse, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each Holder that is a seller of Registrable Securities, and each of its employees, advisors, agents, representatives, partners, officers, and directors and each Person who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) (collectively, the “Seller Affiliates”) (i) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses, joint or several (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements except as limited by Section 2.7(c)) based upon, arising out of, related to or resulting from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication,  or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation or investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon, arising out of, related to or resulting from any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission, and (iii) against any and all costs and expenses (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) as may be reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon, arising out of, related to or resulting from any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission, or such violation of the Securities Act or Exchange Act, to the extent that any such expense or cost is not paid under subparagraph (i) or (ii) above; except insofar as any such statements are made in reliance upon information furnished to the Partnership in writing by such seller or any Seller Affiliate expressly for use therein. The reimbursements required by this Section 2.7(a) will be made by periodic payments during

 

18



 

the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or expenses incurred.

 

(b)                                 In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder that is a seller of Registrable Securities is participating, each such Holder will furnish to the Partnership such information and affidavits as the Partnership reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any Written Testing-the —Waters Communication and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each such seller will indemnify the Partnership and its directors and officers and each Person who controls the Partnership (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements except as limited by Section 2.7(c)) resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission is contained in any information or affidavit so furnished by such seller or any of its Seller Affiliates in writing specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement; provided that the obligation to indemnify will be several, not joint and several, among such sellers of Registrable Securities, and the liability of each such seller of Registrable Securities will be in proportion to the amount of Registrable Securities sold by them, and, providedfurther, that such liability will be limited to the net amount received by such seller from the applicable sale of Registrable Securities.

 

(c)                                  Any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder will (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give such notice shall not limit the rights of such Person) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; providedhowever, 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. If such defense is not assumed by the indemnifying party as permitted hereunder, the indemnifying party will not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). If such defense is assumed by the indemnifying party pursuant to the provisions hereof, such indemnifying party shall not settle or otherwise compromise the applicable claim unless (i) such settlement or compromise contains a full and unconditional release of the indemnified party or (ii) the indemnified party otherwise consents in writing (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim will not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified (which

 

19



 

shall be chosen by the Holders of a majority of Registrable Securities so indemnified) by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party, a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim, in which event the indemnifying party shall be obligated to pay the reasonable fees and disbursements of such additional counsel or counsels.

 

(d)                                 Each party hereto agrees that, if for any reason the indemnification provisions contemplated by Section 2.7(a) or Section 2.7(b) are unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in connection with the actions which resulted in the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 2.7(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders or any underwriters or all of them were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 2.7(d).The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or, except as provided in Section 2.7(c), defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 2.7(d), no Holder shall be required to contribute an amount greater than the dollar amount by which the net proceeds received by such Holder with respect to the sale of any Registrable Securities exceeds the amount of damages which such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any and all untrue or alleged untrue statements of material fact or omissions or alleged omissions of material fact made in any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto related to such sale of Registrable Securities. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders’ obligations in this Section 2.7(d) to contribute shall be several in proportion to the amount of Registrable Securities registered by them and not joint.

 

If indemnification is available under this Section 2.7, the indemnifying parties shall indemnify each indemnified party to the full extent provided in Section 2.7(a) and Section 2.7(b) without regard to the relative fault of said indemnifying party or indemnified party or any other equitable consideration provided for in

 

20



 

this Section 2.7(d) subject, in the case of the Holders, to the limited dollar amounts set forth in Section 2.7(b).

 

(e)                                  No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement effected without its written consent (which consent may not be unreasonably delayed or withheld). Each indemnifying party agrees that it will not, without the indemnified party’s prior written consent, consent to entry of any judgment or settle or compromise any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding in respect to which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder unless the foregoing contains and unconditional release, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified parties, of the indemnified parties from all liability and obligation arising therefrom.

 

(f)                                   The indemnification and contribution provided for under this Agreement will remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling Person of such indemnified party and will survive the transfer of securities.

 

2.8                               Transfer of Registration Rights. The registration rights of a Holder under this Agreement with respect to any Registrable Securities may be transferred or assigned to any purchaser or transferee of Registrable Securities; providedhowever, that (i) such Holder shall give the Partnership written notice prior to the time of such transfer stating the name and address of the transferee and identifying the securities with respect to which the rights under this Agreement are being transferred; (ii) such transferee shall agree in writing, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Partnership, to be bound as a Holder by the provisions of this Agreement; and (iii) immediately following such transfer the further disposition of such securities by such transferee shall be restricted to the extent set forth under applicable law.

 

2.9                               Current Public Information. With a view to making available to the Holders of Registrable Securities the benefits of Rule 144 and Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act and other rules and regulations of the SEC that may at any time permit a Holder of Registrable Securities to sell securities of the Partnership to the public without registration, the Partnership covenants that it will (i) for as long as the Common Units are registered pursuant to Section 12(b), Section 12(g) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, use its reasonable best efforts to file in a timely manner all reports and other documents required, if any, to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations adopted thereunder, (ii) if it is not required to file such reports, make available information necessary to comply with Rule 144 and Rule 144A, if available with respect to resales of the Registrable Securities under the Securities Act, at all times, and (iii) take such further action as any holder or holders of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (x) Rule 144 and Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act (if available with respect to resales of the Registrable Securities), as such rules may be amended from time to time or (y) any other rules or regulations now existing or hereafter adopted by the SEC.

 

2.10                        Partnership Obligations Regarding Transfers. In connection with any sale or transfer of Registrable Securities by any Holder, including any sale or transfer pursuant to Rule

 

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144 and Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act and other rules and regulations of the SEC that may at any time permit a Holder of Registrable Securities to sell securities of the Partnership to the public without registration, the Partnership shall, to the extent allowed by law, take any and all action necessary or reasonably requested by such Holder in order to permit or facilitate such sale or transfer, including, without limitation, at the sole expense of the Partnership, by (i) issuing such directions to any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, as applicable, (ii) delivering such opinions to the transfer agent, registrar or depositary as are customary for the transaction of this type and are reasonably requested by the same, and (iii) taking or causing to be taken such other actions as are reasonably necessary (in each case on a timely basis) in order to cause any legends, notations or similar designations restricting transferability of the Registrable Securities held by such Holder to be removed and to rescind any transfer restrictions (other than as may apply pursuant to Section 2.3) with respect to such Registrable Securities; providedhowever, that such Holder shall deliver to the Partnership, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Partnership, representation letters regarding such Holder’s compliance with Rule 144 or Rule 144A, as may be applicable.

 

2.11                        No Conflict of Rights. The Partnership represents and warrants that except for the Existing Registration Rights Agreement, it has not granted, and is not subject to, any registration rights that are superior to, inconsistent with or that in any way violate or subordinate the rights granted to the Holders hereby. The Partnership shall not, prior to the termination of this Agreement, grant any registration rights that are superior to, inconsistent with or that in any way violate or subordinate the rights granted to the Holders hereby.

 

2.12                        Free Writing Prospectuses. The Partnership shall not permit any officer, director, underwriter, broker or any other person acting on behalf of the Partnership to use any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) in connection with any registration statement covering Registrable Securities, without the prior written consent of each participating Holder and any underwriter. No Holder shall, or permit any officer, manager, underwriter, broker or any other person acting on behalf of such Holder to use any free-writing prospectus in connection with any registration statement covering Registrable Securities, without the prior written consent of the Partnership.

 

2.13                        Election Amendment. If, in the opinion of the Required Holders (including Apollo), an amendment to this Agreement is necessary to provide the Holders with the same registration rights with respect to Registrable Securities as contemplated under this Agreement, the Partnership and the Holders shall prepare and deliver, simultaneously with the effective date of the Election, the Election Amendment to reflect the final structure of the Election and any related amendment to the Partnership’s agreement of limited partnership. If applicable in connection with the Election, the Election Amendment shall provide for the registration, on the same terms and conditions of the Agreement, of any securities the Registrable Securities will be convertible into as a result of the Election.

 

2.14                        Section 2(a)(11) Underwriter. The Partnership will not name a Holder as an underwriter as defined in Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act in any Shelf Registration Statement without such Holder’s consent. If the staff of the SEC requires the Partnership to name any Holder as an underwriter as defined in Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act, and such Holder does not consent thereto, then such Holder’s Registrable Securities shall not be included on such Shelf

 

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Registration Statement, such Holder shall no longer be entitled to receive Liquidated Damages under this Agreement with respect to such Holder’s Registrable Securities and the Partnership shall have no further obligations hereunder with respect to Registrable Securities held by such Holder, unless such Holder has not had an opportunity to conduct customary underwriter’s due diligence (including receipt of comfort letters and opinions of counsel) with respect to the Partnership at the time such Holder’s consent is sought.

 

ARTICLE III

 

TERMINATION

 

3.1                               Termination. The provisions of this Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon the date when there shall no longer be any Registrable Securities outstanding.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

4.1                               Notices. Any notice or other communication required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand, by facsimile transmission or electronic mail transmission, or by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested. Notices shall be deemed to have been given upon delivery, if delivered by hand, three days after mailing, if mailed, and upon receipt of an appropriate electronic confirmation, if delivered by facsimile or electronic mail transmission. Notices shall be delivered to the parties at the addresses set forth below:

 

 

 

If to the Partnership:

 

 

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP
777 Taylor Street, Suite 810

Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Email: [email protected]
Facsimile: (817) 877-3728
Attention: Robert D. Ravnaas

 

 

 

With copies to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Baker Botts L.L.P.
910 Louisiana Street
Houston, Texas 77002
Email: [email protected] and
[email protected]
Facsimile: 713.229.2858
Attention: Jason A. Rocha and Josh Davidson

 

 

 

If to any Holder, at its address listed on the signature pages hereof.

 

 

 

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Any party may from time to time change its address or designee for notification purposes by giving the other parties prior notice in the manner specified above of the new address or the new designee and the subsequent date upon which the change shall be effective.

 

4.2                               Choice of Law; Exclusive Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

(a)                                 This Agreement shall be constructed, interpreted and enforced in accordance with, and the respective rights and obligations of the parties shall be governed by, the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflicts of law that would require the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.

 

(b)                                 All actions and proceedings for the enforcement of or based on, arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be heard and determined exclusively in any state or federal court in Harris County, Texas, and each of the parties hereto hereby (i) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts (and, in the case of appeals, appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such action or proceeding, (ii) irrevocably waives the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any such action or proceeding, (iii) agrees that it shall not bring any such action in any court other than the above-specified courts, and (iv) irrevocably consents to service of process by first class certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, to the address at which the Partnership or Holder, as the case may be, is to receive notice in accordance with Section 4.1. The parties hereto agree that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by applicable law.

 

(c)                                  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives any and all rights to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or related to this Agreement.

 

4.3                               No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever, under or by reason of this Agreement; providedhowever, the parties hereto hereby acknowledge that the Persons set forth in Section 2.7 are express third-party beneficiaries of the obligations of the parties hereto set forth in Section 2.7.

 

4.4                               Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon and benefit the Partnership, each Holder and their respective successors and assigns. The Partnership shall not, directly or indirectly, enter into any merger, consolidation or reorganization in which the Partnership shall not be the surviving entity unless the surviving entity shall, prior to such merger, consolidation or reorganization, agree in writing to assume the obligations of the Partnership under this Agreement, and for that purpose references hereunder to “Registrable Securities” shall be deemed to include the common equity interests or other securities, if any, which the Holders would be entitled to receive in exchange for Registrable Securities under any such merger, consolidation or reorganization, provided that, to the extent the Holders receive securities that are by their terms convertible into common equity interests of the issuer thereof, then any such common equity interests as are issued or

 

24



 

issuable upon conversion of said convertible securities shall be included within the definition of “Registrable Securities.”

 

4.5                               Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties in separate counterparts (including by means of executed counterparts delivered via facsimile or other electronic means), each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

4.6                               Severability. In case any provision in this Agreement shall be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

4.7                               No Waivers; Amendments.

 

(a)                                 No failure or delay on the part of the Partnership or any Holder in exercising any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or remedy preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy. The remedies provided for herein are cumulative and are not exclusive of any remedies that may be available to the Partnership or any Holder at law or in equity or otherwise.

 

(b)                                 Any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and is signed by the Partnership and the Required Holders (including Apollo).

 

4.8                               Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the other writings referred to herein or therein or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, contain the entire agreement between the Holders and the Partnership with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous arrangements or understandings with respect thereto.

 

4.9                               Remedies; Specific Performance.

 

(a)                                 Each Holder shall have all rights and remedies reserved for such Holder pursuant to this Agreement and all rights and remedies which such Holder has been granted at any time under any other agreement or contract and all of the rights which such Holder has under any law or equity. Any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement will be entitled to enforce such rights specifically, to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights granted by law or equity.

 

(b)                                 The parties hereto recognize and agree that money damages may be insufficient to compensate the Holders of any Registrable Securities for breaches by the Partnership of the terms hereof and, consequently, that the equitable remedies of injunctive relief and of specific performance of the terms hereof will be available in the event of any such breach, without the necessity of posting bonds or other security. If any action should be brought in equity to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement, none of the parties hereto shall raise the defense that there is an adequate remedy at law.

 

25



 

4.10                        Negotiated Agreement. This Agreement was negotiated by the parties with the benefit of legal representation, and any rule of construction or interpretation otherwise requiring this Agreement to be construed or interpreted against any party shall not apply to the construction or interpretation hereof.

 

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the date first written above.

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

 

 

By: Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Name:

R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Title:

President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

 

777 Taylor Street, Suite 810

 

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Facsimile: (817) 877-3728

 

Attention: R. Davis Ravnaas

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

 

 

Baker Botts L.L.P.

 

910 Louisiana Street

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

Email: [email protected] and
[email protected]

 

Facsimile: (713) 229-2858

 

Attention: Jason A. Rocha and Josh Davidson

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 



 

 

EIGF AGGREGATOR III LLC

 

 

 

By: EIGF Aggregator LLC, its managing member

 

 

 

By

/s/ David Rockecharlie

 

Name:

David Rockecharlie

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

c/o Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.

 

600 Travis Street, Suite 7200

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Facsimile: (713) 583-9430

 

Attention: Dashiell Lane

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

 

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

 

609 Main Street, Suite 4500

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

Email: [email protected] and
[email protected]

 

Facsimile: (713) 836-3601

 

Attention: John D. Pitts, P.C. and David M. Castro, Jr., P.C.

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 



 

 

TE DRILLING AGGREGATOR LLC

 

 

 

By:

KKR Energy Income and Growth Fund I-TE L.P., its sole member

 

 

 

 

By:

KKR Associates EIGF TE L.P., its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

KKR EIGF LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

By

/s/ David Rockecharlie

 

Name:

David Rockecharlie

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

c/o Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.

 

600 Travis Street, Suite 7200

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Facsimile: (713) 583-9430

 

Attention: Dashiell Lane

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

 

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

 

609 Main Street, Suite 4500

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

Email: [email protected] and
[email protected]

 

Facsimile: (713) 836-3601

 

Attention: John D. Pitts, P.C. and David M. Castro, Jr., P.C.

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 



 

 

HAYMAKER MANAGEMENT, LLC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Name:

Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

5300 Memorial Drive, Suite 500

 

Houston, TX 77380

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Attention: Vasilis Mouratoff

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

 

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

 

609 Main Street, Suite 4500

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

Email: [email protected] and
[email protected]

 

Facsimile: (713) 836-3601

 

Attention: John D. Pitts, P.C. and David M. Castro, Jr., P.C.

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 



 

 

HAYMAKER MINERALS & ROYALTIES, LLC

 

 

 

By

/s/ Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Name:

Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

c/o Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors

 

811 Main Street, 14th Floor

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Attention: Kevin Brophy

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

 

 

DLA Piper LLP (US)

 

1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 2800

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Facsimile: (713) 300-6019

 

Attention: Jack Langlois

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 



 

 

AP KRP HOLDINGS, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Hybrid Value Advisors (APO DC), L.P., its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Hybrid Value Advisors (APO DC-GP), LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

ATCF SPV, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Tower Credit Advisors (DC), L.P., its general partner

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Tower Credit Advisors (DC-GP), LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

By:

APH Holdings (DC), L.P., its sole member

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Principal Holdings IV GP, Ltd., its general partner

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 



 

 

ZEUS INVESTMENTS, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Zeus Strategic Advisors, L.P., its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Zeus Strategic Advisors, LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

APOLLO KINGS ALLEY CREDIT SPV, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Kings Alley Credit Advisors (DC), L.P., its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Kings Alley Credit Advisors (DC-GP), LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

APOLLO THUNDER PARTNERS, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Thunder Management, LLC, its investment manager

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 



 

 

AIE III INVESTMENTS, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Europe Advisors III, L.P., its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Europe Capital Management III, LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

APOLLO UNION STREET SPV, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Union Street SPV Advisors, LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

APOLLO LINCOLN PRIVATE CREDIT FUND, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Lincoln Private Credit Advisors (APO DC), L.P., its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Lincoln Private Credit Advisors (APO DC-GP), LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 



 

 

APOLLO SPN INVESTMENTS I (CREDIT), LLC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

AA DIRECT, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

AA Direct GP, LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Hybrid Value Advisors, L.P., its sole member

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Hybrid Value Capital Management, LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

Name:

Joseph D. Glatt

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

c/o Apollo Capital Management, L.P.

 

9 West 57th Street, 37th Floor

 

New York, New York 10019

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Attention: Daniel Vogel

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

 

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

 

609 Main Street, 47th Floor

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

Email:

[email protected]

 

 

[email protected]

 

Attention:  Adam Larson and Julian Seiguer

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 


Exhibit 10.1

 

Execution Version

 

AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

This Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement dated as of July 12, 2018 (this “Amendment”) is among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Borrower”), each of the Guarantors party hereto, the undersigned Lenders (as defined below), and Frost Bank, a Texas state bank, as Administrative Agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.                                    The Borrower, the financial institutions party thereto as Lenders (the “Existing Lenders”), and the Administrative Agent have entered into the Credit Agreement dated as of January 11, 2017 (as amended, restated, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement” and, as amended by this Amendment, the “Amended Credit Agreement”).

 

B.                                    Certain of the Guarantors (the “Existing Guarantors”) are party to that certain Guarantee, dated as of February 8, 2017 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, including by this Amendment, the “Guarantee”), in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties (as defined in the Guarantee).

 

C.                                    The Borrower and the Existing Guarantors are party to that certain Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of February 8, 2017 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, including by this Amendment, the “Pledge and Security Agreement”), in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

 

D.                                    The Borrower proposes to acquire through certain Existing Guarantors from Haymaker Resources, LP, a Delaware limited partnership ( “Haymaker Resources”), (i) all of the issued and outstanding limited partner interests (the “Haymaker Resources Limited Partner Interests”) of Haymaker Properties, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Haymaker Properties”) and (ii) all of the issued and outstanding membership interests (the “Haymaker GP Membership Interests”) of Haymaker Properties GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the sole general partner of Haymaker Properties (“Haymaker GP”), pursuant to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 28, 2018 (the “Haymaker Resources Purchase Agreement”), among Haymaker Resources, as seller, the Borrower, as buyer, and Haymaker Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

E.                                     The Borrower proposes to acquire from Haymaker Minerals & Royalties, LLC (“Haymaker M&R”) all of the issued and outstanding membership interests (the “Haymaker M&R Membership Interests” and, together with the Haymaker Resources Limited Partner Interests and the Haymaker GP Membership Interests, the “Haymaker Acquired Interests”) of Haymaker Holding Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Haymaker Holding”), and Haymaker Greenfield, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Haymaker Greenfield” and, together with Haymaker Holding, Haymaker Properties and Haymaker GP, the “Haymaker Acquired Companies”), pursuant to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 28, 2018 (the “Haymaker M&R Purchase Agreement,” and, together with the Haymaker Resources Purchase Agreement, the “Haymaker Acquisition Agreements” and, the

 



 

transactions to be consummated pursuant thereto, the “Haymaker Acquisition”), among Haymaker M&R, as seller, the Borrower, as buyer, and Haymaker Services, LLC.

 

F.                                      The Borrower proposes to (i) issue and sell for a purchase price of $110,000,000, 110,000 Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units of the Borrower (the “Apollo Preferred Equity Units”) to AP KRP Holdings, L.P., AA Direct, L.P., AIE III Investments, L.P., Apollo Kings Alley Credit SPV, L.P., Apollo SPN Investments I (Credit), LLC, Apollo Thunder Partners, L.P., ATCF Subsidiary (DC), LLC, Apollo Union Street SP, L.P., Zeus Strategic US Holdings, L.P. and Apollo Lincoln Fixed Income Fund, L.P. (collectively, the “Apollo Group”) and (ii) amend the limited partnership agreement of the Borrower in connection with the issuance of the Apollo Preferred Equity Units, in each case pursuant to that certain Series A Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 28, 2018 (the “Preferred Equity Purchase Agreement” and, the transactions to be consummated pursuant thereto, the “Preferred Equity Transaction”) among the Borrower and the Apollo Group.

 

G.                                    The Borrower has requested an increase in the Total Commitment, and in connection therewith, and an allocation of Commitments pursuant to this Amendment, each of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., Fifth Third Bank, Royal Bank of Canada and BOKF, NA dba Bank of Texas (each a “New Lender” and collectively the “New Lenders,” and, together with the Existing Lenders, the “Lenders”) will become a Lender under the Amended Credit Agreement such that after giving effect to the increase in the Total Commitment and the allocation of Commitments, the Commitments of the Existing Lenders and the New Lenders shall be as set forth on Schedule 13.2 attached hereto as Exhibit B.

 

H.                                   The Borrower intends to change its U.S. federal income tax status from a pass-through partnership to an entity taxable as a corporation by means of a “check-the-box” election and to effect an “up-C” structure, as well as cause MergerSub (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) to merge with certain members or Affiliates of the Apollo Group (collectively, the “Blocker Mergers”), in each case as described (i) in the “steps” set forth in the Transaction Steps for Kimbell Up-C Conversion Memorandum, dated as of July 6, 2018 and disclosed to the Lenders on or about such date (the “Tax Change Memorandum”) and (ii) the draft Information Statement intended to be filed by the Borrower in connection with the change in tax status, dated as of July 9, 2018 and disclosed to the Lenders on or about such date (the “Information Statement” and, the transactions contemplated by the Tax Change Memorandum and the Information Statement, together with such immaterial ancillary or incidental transactions necessary or advisable in connection therewith that are not adverse to the Lenders, the “Tax Change Transactions”).

 

I.                                        The Borrower has requested that the Lenders consent to the Haymaker Acquisition, the Preferred Equity Transaction and the Tax Change Transactions and amend certain terms of the Credit Agreement to, among other things, finance in part the Borrower’s acquisition of the Haymaker Acquired Companies pursuant to the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements. Subject to the terms of this Amendment, the Administrative Agent and the undersigned Lenders have agreed to provide the consent and amendments set forth herein.

 

THEREFORE, in fulfillment of the foregoing, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent,

 

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and the undersigned Lenders hereby agree as follows:

 

Section 1.                                           Definitions; References.  Unless otherwise defined in this Amendment, each term used in this Amendment which is defined in the Credit Agreement has the meaning assigned to such term in the Credit Agreement.

 

Section 2.                                           Consent.  The Administrative Agent and the undersigned Lenders hereby consent to the Haymaker Acquisition, the Preferred Equity Transaction and the Tax Change Transactions, in each case subject to (i) the Borrower’s compliance with the requirements of Section 9.11 of the Amended Credit Agreement in connection with the Haymaker Acquisition and the creation of Kimbell Royalty Operating, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“OpCo”), and Kimbell Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“MergerSub”) on the terms and conditions, as the requirements of Section 9.11 of the Amended Credit Agreement are modified, as set forth in Sections 6, 9 and 10 of this Amendment (the “Consent”) and (ii) the other terms and conditions of this Amendment.  The Consent is contingent solely upon the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 9 of this Amendment.  Such Consent is limited to the extent described herein and shall not be construed to be a consent to any other acquisition, or a waiver of any terms, provisions, covenants, warranties or agreements contained in the Credit Agreement or in any of the other Credit Documents.

 

Section 3.                                           Co-Syndication Agents.  Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, and Credit Suisse Loan Funding LLC will become Co-Syndication Agents under the Credit Agreement.

 

Section 4.                                           Amendments to Credit Agreement.  Upon the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 9 of this Amendment and, unless otherwise specified, effective as of the Amendment Effective Date:

 

(a)                                 the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to read in its entirety as set forth in Annex A attached hereto;

 

(b)                                 Exhibit D (Compliance Certificate) to the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated and replaced in its entirety with the exhibit attached hereto as Exhibit A; and

 

(c)                                  Schedule 13.2 (Notice Addresses and Commitments) to the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated and replaced in its entirety with the schedule attached hereto as Exhibit B.

 

Section 5.                                           New Lenders and Allocation of the Commitments.

 

(a)                                 Each New Lender is hereby added to the Credit Agreement as a Lender and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement binding on a Lender.  Each New Lender (i) confirms that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents, together with copies of the financial statements referred to therein and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Amendment; (ii) agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or agent and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own

 

3



 

credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Agreement; (iii) appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (iv) agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.  By its execution of this Amendment, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent hereby consent to the addition of the New Lenders, as and to the extent required under Section 13.6 of the Credit Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Simultaneously with the effectiveness of this Amendment (but after giving effect to clause (a) above), (i) Schedule 13.2 of the Credit Agreement is hereby replaced in its entirety with the schedule attached hereto as Exhibit B, which reflects the Commitment of each Existing Lender and each New Lender as of the date of, and after giving effect to, this Amendment and (ii) the Commitment of each of the Lenders and the amount of all outstanding Advances shall be allocated among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments, and to effect such allocations, each Lender whose Commitment upon the effectiveness of this Amendment exceeds its Commitment immediately prior to the effectiveness of this Amendment (each an “Assignee Lender”) shall be deemed to have purchased all right, title and interest in, and all obligations in respect of, the appropriate portion of the Commitments of the Lenders whose Commitments are less than their respective Commitments immediately prior to the effectiveness of this Amendment (each an “Assignor Lender”), so that the Commitments of each Lender will be as set forth on the schedule attached hereto as Exhibit B. Such purchases shall be deemed to have been effected by way of, and subject to the terms and conditions of, an Assignment and Acceptance in the form of Exhibit E attached to the Credit Agreement and, except for replacement Notes to be provided to the Lenders in the principal amount of their respective Commitments (after giving effect to this Amendment), no other documents or instruments shall be, or shall be required to be, executed or paid in connection with such assignments (all of which are hereby waived).  The Assignor Lenders and the Assignee Lenders shall make such cash settlements among themselves, through the Administrative Agent, as the Administrative Agent may direct (after giving effect to any netting effected by the Administrative Agent) with respect to such allocations and assignments.

 

(c)                                  The increase to the Total Commitment made under this Amendment is made pursuant to Section 4.4 of the Credit Agreement. This Amendment is made and executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Existing Lenders and the New Lenders in lieu of their execution of a Total Commitment Increase Agreement (as set forth in Exhibit G-1 to the Credit Agreement) and an Additional Lender Agreement as set forth in Exhibit G-2 to the Credit Agreement as provided for in Section 4.4 of the Credit Agreement (both of which are hereby waived).

 

Section 6.                                           Joinder to Guarantee and Pledge and Security Agreement.  The Guarantee provides that additional parties may become Guarantors under the Guarantee, and the Pledge and Security Agreement provides that additional parties may become Grantors (as defined in the Pledge and Security Agreement) under the Pledge and Security Agreement.  Each Haymaker Acquired Company and each of OpCo and MergerSub desires to become a Guarantor under the Guarantee and a Grantor under the Pledge and Security Agreement in order to induce the

 

4



 

Secured Parties to continue to make credit extensions and accommodations under the Credit Documents, the agreements with respect to Cash Management Services provided by any Lender or an Affiliate of any Lender, any Letter of Credit issued by an Issuing Bank, and the applicable Hedge Transactions with swap counterparties.

 

(a)                     Joinder to Guarantee.  In accordance with Section 9.11(a) of the Amended Credit Agreement and Section 15 of the Guarantee, each Haymaker Acquired Company and each of OpCo and MergerSub hereby becomes a Guarantor under the Guarantee with the same force and effect as if it were an original signatory thereto as a Guarantor, and OpCo, MergerSub and each Haymaker Acquired Company hereby (a) agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Guarantee applicable to it as a Guarantor thereunder and guarantees the Guaranteed Obligations pursuant to Section 2 of the Guarantee and (b) represents and warrants that the representations and warranties made by it as a Guarantor thereunder are true and correct on and as of the date hereof, except for any such representations and warranties that were made as of a specified date.  Each reference to a “Guarantor” or an “Additional Guarantor” in the Guarantee shall be deemed to include each Haymaker Acquired Company and each of OpCo and MergerSub (the “New Guarantors”).  Section 15 of the Guarantee is hereby deemed to be amended to permit the joinder pursuant to this clause (a) of this Section 6. The New Guarantors’ execution of this Agreement is deemed to be an execution of the Guarantee Supplement (as defined in the Guarantee), and this Section 6(a) of this Agreement hereby constitutes the “Guarantee Supplement” to the Guarantee referred to in Section 15 thereof.

 

(b)                     Joinder to Pledge and Security Agreement.  In accordance with Section 9.11(a) of the Amended Credit Agreement and Section 5.8 of the Pledge and Security Agreement, each Haymaker Acquired Company and each of OpCo and MergerSubs hereby becomes a Grantor under the Pledge and Security Agreement with the same force and effect as if it were an original signatory thereto as a Grantor, and each Haymaker Acquired Company and each of OpCo and MergerSub hereby (a) agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Pledge and Security Agreement applicable to it as a Grantor thereunder, (b) grants to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest in such Haymaker Acquired Company’s, OpCo’s and MergerSub’s right, title and interest in and to the Collateral (as defined in the Pledge and Security Agreement, wherever located and whether now owned or at any time hereafter acquired by such Haymaker Acquired Company or in which such Haymaker Acquired Company, OpCo or MergerSub now has or at any time in the future may acquire any right, title or interest, as security for the prompt and complete payment and performance when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of such Haymaker Acquired Company’s, OpCo’s or such MergerSub’s Secured Obligations (as defined in the Pledge and Security Agreement) and (c) represents and warrants that the representations and warranties made by it as a Grantor thereunder are true and correct on and as of the date hereof, except for any such representations and warranties that were made as of a specified date.  Each reference to a “Grantor” in the Pledge and Security Agreement shall be deemed to include each Haymaker Acquired Company, OpCo and Mergersub. The Pledge and Security Agreement is hereby deemed to be amended to permit the joinder pursuant to this Section 6(b), and this Section 6(b) of this Agreement hereby constitutes the “supplement” to the Pledge and Security Agreement referred to in Section 5.8 thereof.  Annexes 1 and 2 and Schedules 2.1(n) and 5.6 of the Pledge and Security Agreement are hereby supplemented by the information set forth in Exhibit C attached hereto.

 

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(c)                      The Borrower hereby confirms that notwithstanding the definition of “Excluded Subsidiary” and the fact that OpCo will not be a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower after giving effect to the Tax Change Transactions, OpCo will not be released as a Guarantor or a Grantor as a result of the Tax Change Transactions.

 

Section 7.                                           Reaffirmation of Liens and Guarantee.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower and the Existing Guarantors (i) are parties to certain Security Documents securing and supporting the Obligations under the Credit Documents, (ii) represent and warrant that they have no defenses to the enforcement of the Security Documents and that according to their terms the Security Documents will continue in full force and effect to secure the Obligations under the Credit Documents, as the same may be amended, supplemented, or otherwise modified, and (iii) acknowledge, represent, and warrant that the liens and security interests created by the Security Documents are valid and subsisting and create a Lien in the Collateral to secure the Obligations under the Credit Documents, as the same may be amended, supplemented, or otherwise modified.

 

(b)                                 Each Existing Guarantor hereby ratifies, confirms, and acknowledges that its obligations under the Guarantee are in full force and effect and that such Guarantor continues to unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee the full and punctual payment, when due, whether the stated maturity or earlier by acceleration or otherwise, of all of the Guaranteed Obligations (as defined in the Guarantee), as such Guaranteed Obligations may have been amended by this Amendment. Each such Guarantor hereby acknowledges that its execution and delivery of this Amendment does not indicate or establish an approval or consent requirement by such Guarantor under the Guarantee in connection with the execution and delivery of amendments, modifications or waivers to the Credit Agreement, the Notes or any of the other Credit Documents.

 

Section 8.                                           Representations and Warranties.  The Borrower and the Guarantors represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

 

(a)                                 the representations and warranties set forth in the Credit Agreement and in the other Credit Documents are true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent any such representation is qualified by materiality or “material adverse effect”, in which case such representation shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the date of this Amendment (except for any such representations and warranties that were made as of a specified date, in which case such representations and warranties were true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date (except to the extent any such representation is qualified by materiality or “material adverse effect”, in which case such representation shall be true and correct in all respects as of such earlier date));

 

(b)                                 (i) the execution, delivery, and performance of this Amendment are within the limited partnership or limited liability company power, as appropriate, and the authority of the Borrower and the Guarantors and have been duly authorized by appropriate proceedings and (ii) this Amendment constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower and the Guarantors, enforceable against the Borrower and the Guarantors in accordance with its terms,

 

6



 

except as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and general principles of equity; and

 

(c)                                  as of the effectiveness of this Amendment and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

Section 9.                                           Effectiveness.  Subject to the last paragraph of this Section, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Amendment (including the representations and warranties set forth in Section 6 and Section 8 hereof), this Amendment shall become effective (the date of effectiveness being, the “Amendment Effective Date”) solely upon the occurrence of, and the obligation of the Lenders to make any Loan requested to be made by them on the Amendment Effective Date, shall solely be subject to, the satisfaction of the following:

 

(a)                     Documentation. The Administrative Agent shall have received the following:

 

(1)                                 this Amendment, duly and validly executed by the Lenders and the Borrower;

 

(2)                                 account control agreements, duly and validly executed by the Credit Parties, the Administrative Agent, and Frost Bank, as depositary bank, with respect to each Deposit Account of a Credit Party at Frost Bank in existence on the Amendment Effective Date;

 

(3)                                 copies, certified as of the Amendment Effective Date, by an Authorized Officer or the secretary or an assistant secretary of each of the Credit Parties of (A) the resolutions of the applicable governing body of each such Credit Party or approving this Amendment and the other Credit Documents to which each such Credit Party is a party, and (B) the articles or certificate (as applicable) of incorporation (or organization or formation) and bylaws (or partnership or company agreement) of each such Credit Party;

 

(4)                                 certificates of an Authorized Officer or the secretary or assistant secretary of each of the Credit Parties certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of the Credit Parties authorized to sign this Amendment and the other Credit Documents to such the Credit Party is a party;

 

(5)                                 certificates of good standing and existence for each of the Credit Parties in the state, province or territory in which each such Credit Party is organized, which certificates shall be dated a date not earlier than 30 days prior to the date of this Amendment;

 

(6)                                 certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower (A) certifying that the condition set forth in Section 9(b) of this Amendment has been satisfied and (B) attaching an executed copy of the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements and the Preferred Equity Purchase Agreement, together with all executed copies of amendments thereto;

 

(7)                                 favorable opinions of (i) Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel to the Credit Parties and (ii) the local counsel of the Credit Parties listed on Part I of Exhibit D attached hereto, in each case addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender and covering such

 

7



 

customary matters concerning the Credit Parties and the Credit Documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request;

 

(8)                                 a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E certifying that the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, and immediately after giving effect to the consummation of the Haymaker Acquisition, the Preferred Equity Transaction and the other transactions to occur upon the Amendment Effective Date are, as of the Amendment Effective Date, solvent; and

 

(9)                                 counterparts of the Intercompany Note (together with an executed undated allonge) executed by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

(b)                                       Representations and Warranties.  The Acquisition Agreement Representations and the Specified Representations (each as defined in that certain Commitment Letter, dated as of May 28, 2018, among the Borrower, Frost Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, Wells Fargo Securities LLC and Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands) shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent any such representation is qualified by materiality or “material adverse effect”, in which case such representation shall be true and correct in all respects).

 

(c)                                              Security Documents.   The Security Documents listed on Part II of Exhibit D shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Credit Parties party thereto, and such Security Documents, including UCC or other applicable personal property and financing statements, reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded to create the Liens intended to be created by such Security Documents or the Pledge and Security Agreement shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent for filing, registration or recording.

 

(d)                                             Title Diligence. The Borrower shall have used commercially reasonable efforts to provide title information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request setting forth satisfactory title to the Oil and Gas Properties (including the Oil and Gas Properties of the Haymaker Acquired Companies) evaluated in the June 2018 Reserve Report (as defined below) constituting not less than sixty percent (60%) of the PV-9 of Proved Reserves by value; provided that to the extent such title delivery requirement has not been satisfied after the Borrower’s provision of commercially reasonable efforts, the delivery of such title information shall not constitute a condition precedent to effectiveness of this Amendment on the Amendment Effective Date but such title information as provided above to achieve compliance with the sixty percent (60%) coverage requirement shall be required to be provided within sixty (60) days after the Amendment Effective Date (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion, as set forth in Section 10(b) of this Amendment).

 

(e)                            Haymaker Acquisition.  The Haymaker Acquisition shall be consummated in all material respects substantially concurrently with the initial funding of the Loans under the Amended Credit Agreement on the Amendment Effective Date in accordance with the terms of the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements, in each case after giving effect to any amendments, waivers or modifications thereto or consents thereunder, other than any such amendments, waivers or modifications thereto or consents thereunder that are materially adverse to the

 

8



 

Lenders (in each case in their capacity as such), it being understood that (a) any change to the definition of “Company Material Adverse Effect” contained in any Haymaker Acquisition Agreement, (b) any (i) increase in the amount of the purchase price which is not funded by an increase in the Unadjusted Common Unit Consideration (as defined in the relevant Haymaker Acquisition Agreement) or by cash equity contributions or (ii) any decrease in the combined purchase price in an amount exceeding 10% of the combined initial purchase price under the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements, (c) any change in the third party beneficiary rights in any Haymaker Acquisition Agreement applicable to the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Lenders, (d) any change in the governing law of any Haymaker Acquisition Agreement or (e) any amendment to any Haymaker Acquisition Agreement that would exclude Oil and Gas Properties from the Haymaker Acquisition (or any exercise by the Borrower of any right to exclude Oil and Gas Properties from the Haymaker Acquisition) with an aggregate allocated value (as set forth in the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements) in excess of 10% of the combined initial purchase price under the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements shall, in each case, be deemed to be materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders unless approved by the Joint Lead Arrangers in writing.

 

(f)                                   Preferred Equity. The Preferred Equity Transaction shall have been consummated substantially concurrently with the initial funding of the Loans under the Amended Credit Agreement on the Amendment Effective Date in accordance with the terms of the Preferred Equity Purchase Agreement after giving effect to any amendments, waivers or modifications thereto or consents thereunder, other than any such amendments, waivers or modifications thereto or consents thereunder that are materially adverse to the Lenders (in each case in their capacity as such), it being understood that (i) any increase in the distribution rate (whether in cash or paid in kind), (ii) any change to any mandatory redemption provision or put rights (or the addition of other mandatory redemption provisions or put rights), (iii) any change to the terms of the Apollo Preferred Equity Units which results in the Apollo Preferred Equity Units constituting indebtedness under GAAP and (iv) any modification of any covenant included in the Apollo Preferred Equity Units that makes such covenant materially more restrictive as to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or any modification that adds a covenant that results in the Apollo Preferred Equity Units being materially more restrictive as to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), in each case, shall be deemed to be materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders unless approved by the Joint Lead Arrangers in writing.

 

(g)                                  Company Material Adverse Effect. No Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements) shall have occurred nor shall any event or events have occurred that, individually or in the aggregate, with or without the lapse of time, could reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.  Subject to Section 2.5 of the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements, the Walk-Right Amounts (as defined in the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements) are not, in the aggregate, more than the Walk-Right Threshold (as defined in the Haymaker Acquisition Agreements).

 

(h)                                 Haymaker Indebtedness. The existing indebtedness of the Haymaker Acquired Companies pursuant to (i) that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of January 29, 2016, among Haymaker Resources, Haymaker Properties, GP, LLC, Haymaker Properties, the lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and (ii) that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2014, among Haymaker Holding, Haymaker

 

9



 

Greenfield, the lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, shall in each case have been repaid in full prior to, or shall be repaid in full substantially simultaneously with the initial borrowing under the Credit Agreement at or after the Amendment Effective Date, pursuant to the payoff letters in connection therewith confirming that all indebtedness with respect thereto shall have been fully repaid (except to the extent being so repaid with the proceeds of the initial borrowings under the Credit Agreement at or after the Amendment Effective Date), all commitments thereunder shall have been terminated and cancelled and all liens in connection therewith shall have been terminated and released, in each case prior to or substantially concurrently with the initial funding of the Loans under the Amended Credit Agreement or the Amendment Effective Date.

 

(i)                                     Financial Statements.  The Administrative Agent shall have received:

 

(a)                                 with respect to the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (not including the Haymaker Acquired Companies), (i) audited consolidated Financial Statements for the three most recently completed fiscal years (provided, that such Financial Statements comprised of a balance sheet shall only be required for the two most recently completed fiscal years) ended at least 90 days prior to the Amendment Effective Date and (ii)  unaudited Financial Statements for each interim fiscal quarter ended since the last audited Financial Statements and at least 45 days prior to the Amendment Effective Date;

 

(b)                                 with respect to the Haymaker Acquired Companies, (i) audited consolidated Financial Statements for the two most recently completed fiscal years ended at least 90 days prior to the Amendment Effective Date and (ii) unaudited consolidated Financial Statements for each interim fiscal quarter ended since the last audited Financial Statements and at least 45 days prior to the Amendment Effective Date;

 

(c)                                  a pro forma consolidated balance sheet for the Borrower prepared as of December 31, 2017 that is prepared so as to give effect to the Haymaker Acquisition as if the Haymaker Acquisition had occurred on such date, which need not be prepared in compliance with Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933, or include adjustments for purchase accounting; and

 

(d)                                 customary projections of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent on a quarterly basis from the fiscal year ended 2018 through the fiscal year ended 2020.

 

(j)                                    PATRIOT Act. The Administrative Agent shall have received, at least 5 Business Days prior to the Amendment Effective Date (to the extent requested at least 10 Business Days prior thereto), all documentation and other information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the PATRIOT Act and the requirements of 31 C.F.R. §1010.230.

 

(k)                                 Reserve Report. The Administrative Agent shall have received (a) the reserve report prepared by the Borrower (or at the Borrower’s option, an Approved Petroleum Engineer) evaluating the PDP Reserves of the Borrower, the Restricted Subsidiaries and the

 

10



 

Haymaker Acquired Companies as of June 30, 2018 (the “June 2018 Reserve Report”) accompanied by a certificate from an Authorized Officer of the Borrower that the information contained therein is true and correct in all material respects and (b) a certificate from an Authorized Officer of the Borrower, dated as of the Amendment Effective Date, certifying, immediately after giving effect to the Haymaker Acquisition, the percentage of the aggregate PV-9 of the PDP Reserves attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Haymaker Acquired Companies included in the June 2018 Reserve Report that the Borrower will acquire as a result of the Haymaker Acquisition (and identifying a maximum percentage of such Oil and Gas Properties on a PV-9 basis that were included in the June 2018 Reserve Report, but which will not be acquired).

 

(l)                                     Available Commitment. Immediately after giving pro forma effect to the Haymaker Acquisition and such initial funding of the Loans under the Amended Credit Agreement on the Amendment Effective Date, the Available Commitment shall be greater than or equal to $50,000,000.

 

(m)                             Fees and Expenses.  All fees and expenses due to the Commitment Parties (as defined in the Commitment Letter), the Administrative Agent and the Lenders required to be paid pursuant to the Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter (as defined in the Commitment Letter) on the Amendment Effective Date (including the fees and expenses of counsel for the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced at least 2 Business Days prior to the anticipated Amendment Effective Date) shall have been, or substantially concurrently with the initial funding of the Loans under the Amended Credit Agreement on the Amendment Effective Date shall be, paid.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Amendment, the Credit Agreement or in any other Credit Document, to the extent that any security interest in the Collateral (other than any Collateral the security interest in which may be perfected by (x) the filing of a UCC financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code or (y) the delivery of certificated equity interests constituting Collateral), is not or cannot be perfected on the Amendment Effective Date after the Borrower’s use of commercially reasonable efforts to do so (without undue burden or cost), then the perfection of such security interest will not constitute a condition precedent to the effectiveness of this Amendment and the availability of the Loans under the Amended Credit Agreement on the Amendment Effective Date, but such security interest will be required to be perfected in accordance with Section 10 of this Amendment.

 

Section 10.                                    Post-Closing Requirement.

 

(a)                                 Within sixty (60) days after the Amendment Effective Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), the Restricted Subsidiaries shall have executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent such additional Security Documents that, together with existing Security Documents granting a Lien on the Borrower’s and Restricted Subsidiaries’ Oil and Gas Properties and after giving effect to the Haymaker Acquisition, will cause the Borrower to be in compliance with the Minimum Collateral Coverage.

 

11



 

(b)                                 Within sixty (60) days after the Amendment Effective Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), the Borrower shall have provided to Administrative Agent such additional title information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request setting forth satisfactory title to the Oil and Gas Properties (including Oil and Gas Properties of the Haymaker Acquired Companies) evaluated in the June 2018 Reserve Report (as defined below), that, together with the title information provided by Borrower under Section 9(d) of this Amendment,  constitute not less than sixty percent (60%) of the PV-9 of Proved Reserves by value.

 

(c)                      Within thirty (30) days after the Amendment Effective Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), the Credit Parties shall have delivered account control agreements, duly and validly executed by the Credit Parties, the Administrative Agent, and the applicable depositary bank or securities intermediary, and reflecting compliance with Section 9.17 of the Credit Agreement.

 

Section 11.                                    Amendment to Pledge and Security Agreement.  The Pledge and Security Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

 

(a)                     The definition of “Excluded Property” is hereby amended by (i) replacing the reference to “Section 10.7(e)” in clause (g) thereof with a reference to “Section 10.7(d)” and (ii) amending and restating clause (b) of the definition of “Excluded Property” as follows:

 

(b)                                 (i) any property to the extent the grant or maintenance of a Lien on such property (A) is prohibited by any Requirement of Law, (B) could reasonably be expected to result in material adverse tax consequences to the Borrower or any Restricted subsidiary of the Borrower or (C) requires a consent not obtained of any Governmental Authority pursuant to applicable law or (ii) any permit, contract, lease, license or agreement, if and to the extent that and for so long as, the grant of a security interest therein is prohibited thereby or would constitute or result in a breach, termination or default thereunder by the terms of such permit, contract, lease, license or agreement, or requires a consent (that has not been obtained) of a Person (other than a Grantor) to, the creation, attachment or perfection of the security interest granted herein, and any such restriction, prohibition and/or requirement of consent is effective and enforceable under applicable law and is not rendered ineffective by applicable law (including, without limitation, pursuant to Sections 9.406, 9.407, 9.408 or 9.409 of the UCC) (or any successor provision or provisions) or any other applicable law;

 

(b)                     The proviso at the end of Section 2.1 is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

 

provided, however, that notwithstanding any of the other provisions set forth herein or in any other Credit Document, this Agreement shall not constitute a grant of a security interest in any Excluded Property.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the definition of “Excluded Property”, the term “Collateral” shall include the following to the

 

12



 

extent the same otherwise constitutes Collateral (and therefore, the following shall not constitute Excluded Property): (i) As-Extracted Collateral and Fixtures, (ii) Hydrocarbon Interests, (iii) Hydrocarbons, (iv) all Equity Interests in (A) OpCo and (B) any Subsidiaries (other than, in the case of this clause (B), Excluded Equity Interests), (v) the right to any distributions (whether periodic or in liquidation or dissolution) with respect to any Equity Interests, (vi) rights under and in respect of Hedge Transactions, (vii) Payment Intangibles and any right to payment for Goods sold or leased or for services rendered, whether or not such right is evidenced by an Instrument or Chattel Paper and whether or not it has been earned by performance (including, without limitation, any account) and (viii) all rights of a Grantor under any contract or agreement between such grantor and any Affiliate thereof.

 

Section 12.                                    Effect on Credit Documents.  Except as amended or modified herein, the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents remain in full force and effect as originally executed and are hereby in all respects ratified and confirmed, and nothing herein shall act as a waiver of any of the Administrative Agent’s or the Lenders’ rights under the Credit Documents, as amended.  On and after the effectiveness of this Amendment, any reference to the Credit Agreement in any Credit Document shall be deemed to be a reference to the Credit Agreement as amended by this Amendment.  This Amendment is a Credit Document for the purposes of the provisions of the other Credit Documents.  Without limiting the foregoing, any breach of representations, warranties, and covenants under this Amendment may be a Default or Event of Default under the other Credit Documents.

 

Section 13.                                    Choice of Law.  This Amendment and any claim, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Texas.

 

Section 14.                                    Counterparts.  This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Amendment by facsimile or in electronic (i.e., “pdf” or “tif” format) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

 

THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE CREDIT DOCUMENTS, AS DEFINED IN THE CREDIT AGREEMENT, REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.  THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

 

13



 

[The remainder of this page has been left blank intentionally.]

 

14



 

EXECUTED as of the date first set forth above.

 

 

BORROWER:

 

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

 

 

By:

Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, its

 

 

general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Matthew S. Daly

 

 

Name: Matthew S. Daly

 

 

Title: Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXISTING GUARANTORS:

 

 

 

KIMBELL INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, LLC

 

KIMBELL INTERMEDIATE GP, LLC

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY HOLDINGS, LLC

 

RIVERCREST ROYALTIES, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Matthew S. Daly

 

Name: Matthew S. Daly

 

Title: Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

 

 

 

 

ROCHESTER MINERALS, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Kimbell Intermediate GP, LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Matthew S. Daly

 

 

Name: Matthew S. Daly

 

 

Title: Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

 

 

 

HOCHSTETTER, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

Kimbell Intermediate GP, LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Matthew S. Daly

 

 

Name: Matthew S. Daly

 

 

Title: Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT – KIMBELL]

 



 

 

ADDITIONAL GUARANTORS:

 

 

 

HAYMAKER GREENFIELD, LLC,

 

HAYMAKER HOLDING COMPANY, LLC

 

HAYMAKER PROPERTIES GP, LLC

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY OPERATING, LLC

 

KIMBELL MERGER SUB, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Matthew S. Daly

 

Name: Matthew S. Daly

 

Title: Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

 

 

 

HAYMAKER PROPERTIES, LP,

 

 

 

By:

Haymaker Properties GP, LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Matthew S. Daly

 

 

Name: Matthew S. Daly

 

 

Title: Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT – KIMBELL]

 



 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT /LENDER:

 

 

 

FROST BANK, a Texas State Bank,

 

as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Alex Zemkoski

 

 

Alex Zemkoski, Senior Vice President

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT – KIMBELL]

 



 

 

LENDERS:

 

 

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jay Buckman

 

Name:

Jay Buckman

 

Title:

Director

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT – KIMBELL]

 



 

 

CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLAND BRANCH, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Nupur Kumar

 

Name:

Nupur Kumar

 

Title:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Christopher Zybrick

 

Name:

Christopher Zybrick

 

Title:

Authorized Signatory

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT – KIMBELL]

 



 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Kody J. Nerios

 

Name: Kody J. Nerios

 

Title: Authorized Officer

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT – KIMBELL]

 



 

 

FIFTH THIRD BANK, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jonathan H. Lee

 

Name: Jonathan H. Lee

 

Title: Director

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT – KIMBELL]

 



 

 

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Katy Berkeymeyer

 

Name: Katy Berkeymeyer

 

Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT – KIMBELL]

 



 

 

BOKF, NA dba BANK OF TEXAS, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Blair Schrodel

 

Name: Blair Schrodel

 

Title: Vice President

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT – KIMBELL]

 



 

Annex A

 

Conformed Credit Agreement

 

[Attached.]

 



 

Annex A to Amendment No. 1

to Credit Agreement

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

 

dated as of January 11, 2017,

 

as amended through July 12, 2018

 

among

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP,
as the Borrower,

 

AND

 

The Several Lenders

from Time to Time Parties Hereto,

 

AND

 

FROST BANK,
as Administrative Agent

 

AND

 

FROST BANK, WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC

and CREDIT SUISSE LOAN FUNDING, LLC,

as Joint Lead Arrangers

 

AND

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

and CREDIT SUISSE LOAN FUNDING, LLC,

as Co-Syndication Agents

 

$500,000,000 Senior Secured Facility

 

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page No.

 

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

1

 

 

Section 1.1

Defined Terms

1

Section 1.2

Other Interpretive Provisions

38

Section 1.3

Accounting Terms

39

Section 1.4

References to Agreements, Laws, Etc.

40

Section 1.5

Times of Day

40

 

 

 

ARTICLE II AMOUNT AND TERMS OF CREDIT

40

 

 

Section 2.1

The Facility and Commitments

40

Section 2.2

Maximum Number of Advances

42

Section 2.3

Disbursement of Funds

42

Section 2.4

Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt

43

Section 2.5

Conversions and Continuations

44

Section 2.6

Pro Rata Borrowings

44

Section 2.7

Interest

45

Section 2.8

Interest Periods

46

Section 2.9

Increased Costs, Illegality, Etc.

46

Section 2.10

Compensation

49

Section 2.12

Notice of Certain Costs

49

Section 2.13

The Borrowing Base

49

Section 2.14

Scheduled Determinations of Borrowing Base

50

Section 2.15

Unscheduled Redeterminations of the Borrowing Base

50

Section 2.16

Procedure

51

Section 2.17

Reduction of Borrowing Base upon Sale of Borrowing Base Properties or Equity Interests in Restricted Subsidiaries, Hedge Terminations and Issuance of Permitted Additional Debt

52

Section 2.18

Defaulting Lenders

53

 

 

 

ARTICLE III LETTERS OF CREDIT

55

 

 

Section 3.1

Letters of Credit

55

Section 3.2

Letter of Credit Applications

57

Section 3.3

Letter of Credit Participations

58

Section 3.4

Agreement to Repay Letter of Credit Drawings

60

Section 3.5

Increased Costs

62

Section 3.6

New or Successor Issuing Bank

63

Section 3.7

Role of Issuing Bank

64

Section 3.8

Cash Collateral

65

Section 3.9

Applicability of ISP and UCP

65

 

i



 

Section 3.10

Conflict with Issuer Documents

65

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV FEES; COMMITMENTS

66

 

 

Section 4.1

Fees

66

Section 4.2

Voluntary Reduction of Commitment Amount

66

Section 4.3

Mandatory Termination of Commitments

67

Section 4.4

Optional Increase in Total Commitment

67

 

 

 

ARTICLE V PAYMENTS

69

 

 

Section 5.1

Voluntary Prepayments

69

Section 5.2

Mandatory Prepayments

70

Section 5.3

Method and Place of Payment

72

Section 5.4

Net Payments

72

Section 5.5

Computations of Interest and Fees

77

Section 5.6

Limit on Rate of Interest

77

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO EFFECTIVE DATE

78

 

 

Section 6.1

Effective Date

78

 

 

ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE FUNDING DATE AND ALL SUBSEQUENT CREDIT EVENTS

80

 

 

Section 7.1

Funding Date

80

Section 7.2

All Credit Events

82

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS

83

 

 

Section 8.1

Organizational Status

83

Section 8.2

Organizational Power and Authority; Enforceability

83

Section 8.3

No Violation

83

Section 8.4

Litigation

84

Section 8.5

Margin Regulations

84

Section 8.6

Governmental Approvals

84

Section 8.7

Investment Company Act

84

Section 8.8

True and Complete Disclosure

84

Section 8.9

Financial Condition; Financial Statements

85

Section 8.10

Tax Matters

85

Section 8.11

Compliance with ERISA

85

Section 8.12

Subsidiaries

86

Section 8.13

Intellectual Property

86

Section 8.14

Environmental Laws

86

Section 8.15

Properties

87

 

ii



 

Section 8.16

Solvency

87

Section 8.17

Insurance

87

Section 8.18

Hedge Transactions

87

Section 8.19

Patriot Act; OFAC

88

Section 8.20

No Material Adverse Effect

88

Section 8.21

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

88

Section 8.22

Security Interests

88

Section 8.23

Accounts

89

Section 8.24

Gas Imbalances; Prepayments

89

Section 8.25

Marketing of Production

89

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

89

 

 

Section 9.1

Information Covenants

89

Section 9.2

Books, Records and Inspections

92

Section 9.3

Maintenance of Insurance

93

Section 9.4

Payment of Taxes

94

Section 9.5

Maintenance of Existence

94

Section 9.6

Compliance with Statutes, Regulations, Etc.

94

Section 9.7

ERISA

94

Section 9.8

Maintenance of Properties

95

Section 9.9

Transactions with Affiliates

96

Section 9.10

End of Fiscal Years; Fiscal Quarters

97

Section 9.12

Use of Proceeds

99

Section 9.13

Further Assurances

99

Section 9.14

Reserve Reports

100

Section 9.15

Title Information

101

Section 9.16

Consolidated Cash Balance Information

101

Section 9.17

Control Agreements

101

Section 9.18

Unrestricted Subsidiaries

102

Section 9.19

Compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Sanctions

102

 

 

 

ARTICLE X NEGATIVE COVENANTS

102

 

 

Section 10.1

Liens

102

Section 10.2

Sale of Assets

103

Section 10.3

Debt to EBITDAX Ratio

104

Section 10.4

Current Ratio

104

Section 10.5

Consolidations and Mergers

104

Section 10.6

[Intentionally Omitted]

105

Section 10.7

Indebtedness

105

Section 10.8

Restricted Payments

106

Section 10.9

Preferred Equity Units

107

Section 10.10

Hedge Transactions

108

Section 10.11

Passive Status of Borrower/OpCo

109

Section 10.12

Amendment of Organizational Documents

110

 

iii



 

Section 10.13

Sanctions

110

Section 10.14

New Accounts

111

Section 10.15

Limitation on Investments

111

Section 10.16

Change in Business

113

Section 10.17

Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries

113

 

 

 

ARTICLE XI EVENTS OF DEFAULT

114

 

 

Section 11.1

Payments

114

Section 11.2

Representations, Etc.

114

Section 11.3

Covenants

114

Section 11.4

Default Under Other Agreements

115

Section 11.5

Bankruptcy, Etc.

115

Section 11.6

ERISA

115

Section 11.7

Guarantee

116

Section 11.8

Security Documents

116

Section 11.9

Judgments

116

Section 11.10

Change of Control

116

Section 11.11

Application of Proceeds

117

 

 

 

ARTICLE XII THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

118

 

 

Section 12.1

Appointment

118

Section 12.2

Exculpatory Provisions

119

Section 12.3

Reliance by the Administrative Agent

119

Section 12.4

Notice of Default

120

Section 12.5

Non-Reliance on the Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

120

Section 12.6

Indemnification

121

Section 12.7

The Administrative Agent in Its Individual Capacity

122

Section 12.8

Successor Agents

122

Section 12.9

Withholding Tax

123

Section 12.10

Security Documents and Guarantee

123

Section 12.11

Right to Realize on Collateral and Enforce Guarantee

124

Section 12.12

The Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

124

 

 

 

ARTICLE XIII MISCELLANEOUS

125

 

 

Section 13.1

Amendments, Waivers and Releases

125

Section 13.2

Notices

126

Section 13.3

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

127

Section 13.4

Survival of Representations and Warranties

127

Section 13.5

Payment of Expenses; Indemnification

127

 

iv



 

Section 13.6

Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments

129

Section 13.7

Replacements of Lenders under Certain Circumstances

134

Section 13.8

Adjustments; Set-off

134

Section 13.9

Counterparts

135

Section 13.10

Severability

135

Section 13.11

Integration

136

Section 13.12

GOVERNING LAW

136

Section 13.13

Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers

136

Section 13.14

Acknowledgments

137

Section 13.15

WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL

138

Section 13.16

Confidentiality

138

Section 13.17

Release of Collateral and Guarantee Obligations

139

Section 13.18

USA PATRIOT Act

140

Section 13.19

Payments Set Aside

140

Section 13.20

Reinstatement

140

Section 13.21

Disposition of Proceeds

140

Section 13.22

Collateral Matters; Hedge Transactions

141

Section 13.23

Agency of the Borrower for the Other Credit Parties

141

Section 13.24

Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions

141

 

v



 

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A

 

Form of Notice of Borrowing

Exhibit B

 

Form of Guarantee

Exhibit C

 

Form of Promissory Note

Exhibit D

 

Form of Compliance Certificate

Exhibit E

 

Form of Assignment and Acceptance

Exhibit F-1

 

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit F-2

 

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit F-3

 

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit F-4

 

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit G-1

 

Form of Total Commitment Increase Agreement

Exhibit G-2

 

Form of Additional Lender Agreement

Exhibit H

 

Form of Intercompany Note

 

SCHEDULES

 

Schedule 8.4

 

Litigation

Schedule 8.9

 

Financial Disclosures

Schedule 8.12

 

Subsidiaries

Schedule 8.18

 

Effective Date Hedge Transactions

Schedule 8.23

 

Effective Date Accounts

Schedule 10.15

 

Investments

Schedule 13.2

 

Notice Addresses and Commitments

 

vi



 

THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT is dated as of January 11, 2017, as amended through July 12, 2018, among KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Borrower”), FROST BANK and each of the banks, financial institutions and other lending institutions from time to time parties as lenders hereto (each a “Lender” and, collectively, the “Lenders”), and FROST BANK, as administrative agent for the Lenders (the “Administrative Agent”).

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide revolving credit and letter of credit facilities; and

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders are willing to make available to the Borrower such revolving credit and letter of credit facilities upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1                                   Defined Terms.

 

As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings specified below:

 

ABR” shall mean for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate, with said rate to be adjusted to reflect any change in said Prime Rate at the time of any such change.

 

ABR Loan” shall mean each Loan bearing interest based on the ABR.

 

Additional Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(a).

 

Additional Lender Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(b)(8).

 

Adjusted ABR Rate” shall mean, with respect to any ABR Advance and interest rate per annum equal to the ABR for any day, plus the Applicable Margin.

 

Adjusted LIBOR Rate” shall mean, with respect to any LIBOR Advance for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to the LIBOR for such Interest Period, plus the Applicable Margin.

 

Adjusted Total Commitment” shall mean, at any time, the Total Commitment less the aggregate amount of Commitments of all Defaulting Lenders.

 

Administrative Agent” shall mean Frost Bank, as the administrative agent for the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, or any successor administrative agent appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 12.8

 

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Administrative Agent’s Office” shall mean the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 13.2, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify in writing to the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

Administrative Questionnaire” shall mean, for each Lender, an administrative questionnaire in a form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Advance” shall mean a borrowing hereunder (i) made by the Lenders on the same Borrowing Date or (ii) converted or continued by Lenders on the same date of continuation or conversion of a previous Advance consisting in either case, of the aggregate amount of the several Loans of the same type and, in the case of LIBOR Loans, for the same Interest Period.  For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a “LIBOR Loan” for Loans that bear interest at the Adjusted LIBOR Rate or an “ABR Loan” for Loans that bear interest at the Adjusted ABR Rate) and Advances may also be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a “LIBOR Advance” for Advances that bear interest at the Adjusted LIBOR Rate or an “ABR Advance” for Advances that bear interest at the Adjusted ABR Rate).

 

Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such Person. A Person shall be deemed to control another Person if such Person possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such other Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

Agreement” shall mean this Credit Agreement, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified.

 

Amendment No. 1” shall mean that certain Amendment No.1 to Credit Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2018, by and among, the Borrower, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent.

 

Amendment No. 1 Effective Date” shall have the meaning assigned to the term “Amendment Effective Date” as defined in Amendment No. 1.

 

Anti-Corruption Laws” shall mean all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption, including without limitation the United Kingdom Bribery Act of 2010, as amended, and the FCPA.

 

Anti-Money Laundering Laws” shall mean any Requirements of Law relating to money laundering or terrorist financing, including, without limitation, the Bank Secrecy Act, 31 U.S.C. sections 5301 et seq.; the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-56 (a/k/a the USA Patriot Act); Laundering of Monetary Instruments, 18 U.S.C. section 1956; Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity, 18 U.S.C. section 1957; the

 

2



 

Financial Recordkeeping and Reporting of Currency and Foreign Transactions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 103.

 

Apollo Group” shall mean Apollo Group AP KRP Holdings, L.P., AA Direct, L.P., AIE III Investments, L.P., Apollo Kings Alley Credit SPV, L.P., Apollo SPN Investments I (Credit), LLC, Apollo Thunder Partners, L.P., ATCF Subsidiary (DC), LLC, Apollo Union Street SP, L.P., Zeus Strategic US Holdings, L.P. , Apollo Lincoln Fixed Income Fund, L.P. or Affiliates thereof.

 

Apollo Group Preferred Units” shall mean, collectively, (i) the 110,000 Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units of the Borrower purchased and acquired by the Apollo Group pursuant to the Preferred Equity Purchase Agreement and (ii) preferred units in the Borrower with terms identical to the Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units referenced in clause (i) of this definition issued in connection with the Blocker Mergers.

 

Applicable Margin” shall mean, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or LIBOR Loan, or with respect to the Unused Commitment Fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth in the grid below based upon the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage in effect on such day:

 

Borrowing Base Utilization Grid

 

Borrowing Base 
Utilization

 

LIBOR 
Margin

 

ABR
Margin

 

Unused
Commitment Fee

>90% < 100%

 

300 bps

 

200 bps

 

50 bps

>75% < 90%

 

275 bps

 

175 bps

 

50 bps

>50% < 75%

 

250 bps

 

150 bps

 

50 bps

>25% < 50%

 

225 bps

 

125 bps

 

50 bps

< 25%

 

200 bps

 

100 bps

 

50 bps

 

Each change in the Unused Commitment Fee Rate or Applicable Margin shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. Notwithstanding the rates per annum set forth opposite each tier of Borrowing Base Utilization as set forth above, Lenders have no obligation to make any Advances or issue any Letters of Credit if, after giving effect to such Advance or Letter of Credit, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Borrowing Base then in effect.

 

Approved Fund” shall mean any fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

Approved Petroleum Engineer” shall mean (a) Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., (b) W. D. Van Gonten & Co. Petroleum Engineering, (c) Ryder Scott Company, L.P., (d) DeGolyer and MacNaughton, and (e) at the Borrower’s option, any other independent petroleum engineers selected by the Borrower and approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

3



 

Assignment and Acceptance” shall mean an assignment and acceptance substantially in the form of Exhibit E or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

Authorized Officer” shall mean as to any Person, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Treasurer, the Assistant or Vice Treasurer, the Vice President-Finance and any manager, managing member or general partner, in each case, of such Person, and any other senior officer designated as such in writing to the Administrative Agent by such Person. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by an Authorized Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, limited liability company, partnership and/or other action on the part of the Borrower or any other Credit Party and such Authorized Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Person.

 

Available Commitment” shall mean, at any time, (a) the Loan Limit in effect at such time minus (b) the Total Outstandings at such time.

 

Bail-In Action” shall mean the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

 

Bail-In Legislation” shall mean, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

Bankruptcy Code” shall have the meaning provided in Section 11.5.

 

“Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

 

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

 

Benefited Lender” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.8.

 

Blocker Mergers” shall mean the merger of Merger Sub with certain holders of the Apollo Group Preferred Units.

 

Board” shall mean the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States (or any successor).

 

Borrower” shall have the meaning provided in the introductory paragraph hereto.

 

Borrowing Base” shall mean, as of any date, the value assigned by the Lenders from time to time to the Borrowing Base Properties, which as of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, is $200,000,000, and which shall be maintained, reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 hereof.

 

4



 

Borrowing Base Deficiency” shall mean, at any time, the amount by which the Total Outstandings exceed the Borrowing Base then in effect.

 

Borrowing Base Properties” shall mean the Oil and Gas Properties of the Credit Parties to which PDP Reserves are attributed as evaluated by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for purposes of establishing the Borrowing Base.

 

Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage” shall mean, as of any day, the fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the Total Outstandings on such day, and the denominator of which is the Borrowing Base in effect on such day.

 

Borrowing Date” shall mean the date elected by Borrower pursuant to Section 2.1 for the making of a Loan.

 

Business Day” shall mean any day excluding Saturday, Sunday and any other day on which banking institutions in Fort Worth, Texas are authorized by law or other governmental actions to close, and, if such day relates to (a) any interest rate settings as to a LIBOR Loan, (b) any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in respect of any such LIBOR Loan, or (c) any other dealings pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such LIBOR Loan, such day shall be a day on which dealings in deposits in Dollars are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

 

“Capital Lease” shall mean any lease of property, real or personal, which would be capitalized on a balance sheet of the lessee prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Cash Balance” shall mean, at any time, the aggregate amount of cash and Liquid Investments, in each case, held and owned by (whether directly or indirectly), credited to the account of, or otherwise reflected as an asset on the balance sheet of, the Credit Parties; provided that any Liquid Investments consisting of Equity Interests issued by an unaffiliated third party received by any Credit Party as consideration for any disposition of assets or property permitted hereunder shall not constitute a portion of the Cash Balance.

 

Cash Balance Threshold” shall mean $20,000,000; provided that, to the extent that the Borrowing Base exceeds $150,000,000 at any time, the Cash Balance Threshold shall be deemed to equal $30,000,000.

 

Cash Collateralize” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.8(c).

 

Cash Management Agreement” shall mean any agreement related to Cash Management Services by and between the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary and any Cash Management Bank.

 

Cash Management Bank” shall mean any Person that either (a) at the time it provides Cash Management Services, (b) on the Effective Date or (c) at any time after it has provided any Cash Management Services, is a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent.  For the avoidance of doubt, if any Cash Management Bank ceases

 

5



 

to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, such Person shall not be a Cash Management Bank in respect of any Cash Management Services provided after the date it ceases to be a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender.

 

Cash Management Obligations” shall mean the obligations of Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Lender (or Affiliate of any Lender) in connection with cash management services for collections, other Cash Management Services and for operating, payroll and trust accounts of such Person, including automatic clearing house services, controlled disbursement services, electronic funds transfer services, lockbox services, stop payment services and wire transfer services.

 

Cash Management Services” shall mean (a) commercial credit cards, merchant card services, purchase or debit cards, including non-card e-payables services, (b) treasury management services (including controlled disbursement, overdraft, automated clearing house fund transfer services, return items and interstate depository network services) and (c) any other demand deposit or operating account relationships or other cash management services.

 

Cash Receipts” shall mean all cash received by or on behalf of the Credit Parties, including without limitation: (a) amounts payable under or in connection with any Oil and Gas Properties; (b) proceeds from Loans; and (c) any other cash received by the Credit Parties from whatever source (including amounts received in respect of the liquidation of any Hedge Transaction and amounts received in respect of any disposition of assets), other than amounts described in the definition of “Excluded Accounts” which are deposited in Excluded Accounts.

 

Change in Law” shall mean (a) the adoption or implementation of any law, treaty, order, policy, rule or regulation after the Effective Date, (b) any change in any law, treaty, order, policy, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the Effective Date or (c) compliance by any Lender with any guideline, request, directive or order enacted or promulgated after the Effective Date by any central bank or other governmental or quasi-governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law); provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the Basel Committee on Banking Regulations and Supervisory Practices (or any successor or similar authority) and all guidelines, requests, directives, orders, rules and regulations adopted, implemented, enacted or promulgated in connection therewith shall be deemed to have gone into effect after the Effective Date regardless of the date adopted, implemented, enacted or promulgated and shall be included as a Change in Law but only to the extent a Lender is imposing applicable increased costs or costs in connection with capital adequacy or liquidity requirements similar to those described in clauses (a)(ii) and (c) of Section 2.9 generally on other borrowers of loans under United States reserve-based credit facilities.

 

Change of Control” shall mean (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof) other than a Permitted Holder (or any intermediate companies owned directly or indirectly by one or more Permitted Holders), of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the General Partner; (b) the General Partner shall cease to be the general partner of the Borrower; and (c) the

 

6



 

Borrower shall cease to possess, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of OpCo, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.

 

Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

 

Collateral” shall have the meaning provided for such term in each of the Security Documents and shall include any and all assets securing any or all of the Obligations; provided that with respect to any mortgages, “Collateral,” as defined herein, shall include the “Mortgaged Properties” as defined therein.

 

Collateral Coverage Minimum” shall mean that the Mortgaged Properties shall represent, (a) if no Permitted Additional Debt is outstanding, at least 60% of the PV-9 of the Credit Parties’ total PDP Reserves, in each case, included either in the Initial Reserve Report or in the most recent Reserve Report delivered to the Administrative Agent hereunder; provided, that the Credit Parties shall use their best efforts for Mortgaged Properties to represent at least 70% of the PV-9 of the Credit Parties’ total PDP Reserves and (b) at all times that any Permitted Additional Debt is outstanding, at least 80% of the PV-9 of the Credit Parties’ total PDP Reserves.

 

Commitment” shall mean, with respect to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 13.2 (as such Schedule 13.2 may be amended from time to time in connection with any modification to any Commitment or Total Commitment pursuant to this Agreement) under the caption “Commitment”, as the same may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time in connection with a reduction or termination of the Total Commitment pursuant to Section 4.2 or Section 4.3, (b) increased from time to time in connection with an increase of the Total Commitment pursuant to Section 4.4 or (c) modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment permitted by Section 13.2.

 

Commitment Percentage” shall mean, at any time, for each Lender, the percentage obtained by dividing (a) such Lender’s Commitment at such time by (b) the amount of the Total Commitment at such time; provided that at any time when the Total Commitment shall have been terminated, each Lender’s Commitment Percentage shall be the percentage obtained by dividing (i) such Lender’s Total Exposure at such time by (ii) the Total Outstandings at such time.  The Commitment Percentage of each Lender as of the Effective Date is set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 13.2 hereto.

 

Commodity Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in the UCC.

 

Commodity Exchange Act” shall mean the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, or any rule, regulation or order of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof).

 

“Compliance Certificate” shall mean a compliance certificate substantially in the form of attached Exhibit “D” signed by an Authorized Officer of Borrower.

 

7



 

Confidential Information” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.16.

 

Contractual Requirement” shall have the meaning provided in Section 8.3.

 

Co-Syndication Agents” shall mean Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and Credit Suisse Loan Funding, LLC.

 

Credit Documents” shall mean this Agreement, the Guarantee, the Security Documents, each Letter of Credit, any promissory notes issued by the Borrower under this Agreement, and any intercreditor agreement with respect to the Facility entered into on or after the Effective Date to which the Administrative Agent and the Borrower are parties.

 

Credit Event” shall mean and include the making (but not the conversion or continuation) of a Loan and the issuance of a Letter of Credit.

 

Credit Party” shall mean each of the Borrower and the Guarantors.

 

Current Assets” shall mean, as of any date, the current assets which would be reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP; provided that the Borrower’s Current Assets shall include an amount equal to the Available Commitment, and Current Assets shall not include the amount of any non-cash items as a result of the application of FASB ASC 815 and any subsequent amendments thereto or the fair value of any Hedge Transaction or any non-hedge derivative contract (whether deemed effective or non-effective).

 

Current Liabilities” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the current liabilities which would be reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, but excluding any liabilities as a result of the application of FASB ASC 815 and any subsequent amendments thereto or the fair value of any Hedge Transaction or any non-hedge derivative contract (whether deemed effective or non-effective) and excluding the current portion of long-term Indebtedness outstanding under this Agreement.

 

Debt to EBITDAX Ratio” shall mean, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of (i) the Total Debt of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at such date to (ii) EBITDAX for the four fiscal quarter period ended on such date, provided however that, for purposes of the calculation of EBITDAX as of any date after the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date and on or prior to March 31, 2019:

 

(w) EBITDAX for the four fiscal quarters ending September 30, 2018 shall be deemed to be the sum of (i) EBITDAX attributable to the Haymaker Acquired Entities for the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2018 multiplied by 92/82 (the product of such calculation, “Haymaker Q3 2018 EBITDAX”) multiplied by four, plus (ii) EBITDAX (excluding any such EBITDAX attributable to the Haymaker Acquired Entities) for the four fiscal quarters ending on such date,

 

8



 

(x) EBITDAX for the four fiscal quarters ending December 31, 2018 shall be deemed to be the sum of (i) (a) the sum of (x) Haymaker Q3 2018 EBITDAX plus (y) EBITDAX attributable to the Haymaker Acquired Entities for the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2018 (“Haymaker Q4 2018 EBITDAX”) multiplied by (b) two, plus (ii) EBITDAX (excluding any such EBITDAX attributable to the Haymaker Acquired Entities) for the four fiscal quarters ending on such date,

 

(y) EBITDAX for the four fiscal quarters ending March 31, 2019 shall be deemed to be the sum of (i) (a) the sum of (x) Haymaker Q3 2018 EBITDAX plus (y) Haymaker Q4 2018 EBITDAX plus (z) EBITDAX attributable to the Haymaker Acquired Entities for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2019, multiplied by (b) 4/3, plus (ii) EBITDAX (excluding any such EBITDAX attributable to the Haymaker Acquired Entities) for the four fiscal quarters ending on such date; and

 

(z) with respect to any calculation of the Debt to EBITDAX Ratio during the third quarter of 2018 on a Pro Forma Basis, EBITDAX shall be deemed to be the sum of (i) EBITDAX attributable to the Haymaker Acquired Entities, which shall be deemed $9,300,000, plus (ii) EBITDAX of the Borrower on a consolidated basis (excluding any such EBITDAX attributable to the Haymaker Acquired Entities) for the four fiscal quarters ending on June 30, 2018.

 

For purposes of calculating EBITDAX attributable to the Haymaker Acquired Entities for the purpose of this definition, each reference to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the definition of “EBITDAX” shall be deemed to be a reference to the Haymaker Acquired Entities.

 

Debtor Relief Laws” shall mean the United States Bankruptcy Code and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization or similar debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdiction from time to time in effect.

 

Default” shall mean any event, act or condition that with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

 

Default Rate” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.7(c).

 

Defaulting Lender” shall mean any Lender whose acts or failures to act, whether directly or indirectly, cause it to meet any part of the definition of “Lender Default”.

 

Deposit Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in the UCC.

 

Designated Jurisdiction” shall mean any country, region or territory to the extent that such country, region or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

 

Designated Person” shall mean a person or entity:

 

(i)            listed in the annex to, or otherwise the subject of the provisions of any executive order (including but not limited to the Executive Order);

 

9



 

(ii)           named as a “Specially Designated National and Blocked Person” (“SDN”) on the most current list published by OFAC at its official website or any replacement website or other replacement official publication of such list; or is otherwise the subject of any Sanctions Laws and Regulations; or

 

(iii)          in which an entity or person on the SDN List has 50% or greater ownership interest or that is otherwise controlled by an SDN.

 

Determination Date” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.15.

 

Disposition” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.2.

 

Dispose” or “Disposed of” shall have a correlative meaning to the defined term of “Disposition”.

 

Disqualified Capital Stock” shall mean any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness or redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock) at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the earlier of (a) the Maturity Date and (b) the date on which there are no Loans, Letter of Credit Exposure or other Obligations hereunder outstanding and all of the Commitments are terminated. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Equity Interest that would constitute Disqualified Capital Stock solely because the holders of the Equity Interest have the right to require the Borrower to repurchase or redeem such Equity Interest upon or following the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale will not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock if the terms of such Equity Interest provide that the Borrower may not repurchase or redeem any such Equity Interest pursuant to such provisions unless such repurchase or redemption complies with Section 10.8 hereof.

 

Distressed Person” shall have the meaning provided in the definition of “Lender-Related Distress Event”.

 

Dollars” and “$” shall mean dollars in lawful currency of the United States.

 

Drawing” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.4(b).

 

Drop-Down Acquisition” shall mean the acquisition by the Borrower or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of property or assets from another Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), so long as the property or assets being acquired is Oil and Gas Properties (or Equity Interests in Persons owning Oil and Gas Properties) which are used (or intended to be used), as applicable, primarily in its business as a master limited partnership.

 

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EBITDAX” shall mean, for any period, the Net Income of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for such period plus, (X) without duplication and to the extent deducted in the calculation of Net Income for such period, (1) income, franchise and similar taxes for such period, (2) interest expense for such period, (3) depletion, depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges for such period, (4) workover expense for such period, (5) oil and gas exploration expense, including intangible drilling costs and dry hole and abandonment expense, for such period, (6) non-cash losses and charges for such period, (7) extraordinary or non-recurring losses for such period, (8) costs associated with the Borrower’s initial public offering, the Transactions and public company compliance and (9) any reasonable expenses and charges related to any Investment, acquisition, disposition, offering of Equity Interests and any issuance or incurrence of Indebtedness not prohibited hereunder and minus to the extent included in the calculation of Net Income for such period (Y) non-cash gains and extraordinary or non-recurring gains for such period. EBITDAX for any period of measurement may be calculated by the Borrower on a Pro Forma Basis, giving effect to, without duplication, any acquisition of oil and gas properties as if such acquisition occurred on the first day of such period.

 

EEA Financial Institution” shall mean (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

 

EEA Member Country” shall mean any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

 

EEA Resolution Authority” shall mean any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

 

Effective Date” shall mean the date on which the conditions set forth in Section 6.1 are satisfied (or waived by the Administrative Agent).

 

Eligible Assignee” shall mean any of (i) a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender; (ii) a commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States, or any state thereof, and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000.00; (iii) a commercial bank organized under the laws of any other country which is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or a political subdivision of any such country, and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000.00, provided that such bank is acting through a branch or agency located in the United States; (iv) a Person that is primarily engaged in the business of commercial lending and that (A) is a subsidiary of a Lender, (B) a subsidiary of a Person of which a Lender is a subsidiary, or (C) a Person of which a Lender is a subsidiary; (v) any other entity (other than a natural person) which is an “accredited investor” (as defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act) which extends credit or buys loans as one of its businesses, including, but not limited to, insurance companies, mutual funds, investments funds and lease financing companies; and (vi) with respect to any Lender that is a fund that invests in loans, any other fund that invests

 

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in loans and is managed by the same investment advisor of such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor (and treating all such funds so managed as a single Eligible Assignee); provided, however, that no Affiliate of Borrower shall be an Eligible Assignee.

 

Environmental Claims” shall mean any and all actions, suits, orders, decrees, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance, restrictions on use, operations or transferability, violation or potential responsibility or investigation (other than internal reports prepared by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (a) in the ordinary course of such Person’s business or (b) as required in connection with a financing transaction or an acquisition or disposition of real estate) or proceedings arising under or based upon any Environmental Law or any permit issued, or any approval given, under any such Environmental Law (hereinafter, “Claims”), including, without limitation, (i) any and all Claims by governmental or regulatory authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law and (ii) any and all Claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief relating to the presence, release or threatened release of Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to health or safety (to the extent relating to human exposure to Hazardous Materials) or the environment including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface and subsurface strata and natural resources such as wetlands.

 

Environmental Law” shall mean any applicable Federal, state, foreign or local statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code and rule of common law now or hereafter in effect and in each case as amended, and any binding judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any binding judicial or administrative order, consent decree or judgment, relating to the protection of the environment, including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface and subsurface strata and natural resources such as wetlands, or human health or safety (to the extent relating to human exposure to Hazardous Materials), or Hazardous Materials.

 

Equity Interests” of any Person shall mean any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase or otherwise acquire, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity or ownership of such Person, including any preferred stock, any limited or general partnership interest and any limited liability company membership interest, and any securities or other rights or interests convertible into or exchangeable for any of the foregoing.

 

ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time. Section references to ERISA are to ERISA as in effect on the Effective Date and any subsequent provisions of ERISA amendatory thereof, supplemental thereto or substituted therefor.

 

ERISA Affiliate” shall mean each person (as defined in Section 3(9) of ERISA) that together with the Borrower would be deemed to be a “single employer” within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

 

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

 

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Event of Default” shall have the meaning provided in Article XI.

 

Excess Cash” shall mean, at any time, the amount of the Cash Balance in excess of the Cash Balance Threshold (other than (i) any cash set aside to pay royalty obligations, working interest obligations, production payments, severance taxes and similar obligations of any Credit Party then due and owing to third parties and for which any Credit Party has issued checks or has initiated wires or ACH transfers (or will issue checks or initiate wires or ACH transfers within three (3) Business Days) in order to pay such obligations, (ii) any cash set aside to pay in the ordinary course of business amounts (other than obligations described in clause (i) above) of any Credit Party then due and owing to unaffiliated third parties and for which such Credit Party has issued checks or has initiated wires or ACH transfers in order to pay such amounts), (iii) any cash or Permitted Investments of any Credit Party constituting purchase price deposits held in escrow by an unaffiliated third party pursuant to a binding and enforceable purchase and sale agreement with an unaffiliated third party containing customary provisions regarding the payment and refunding of such deposits, (iv) cash of any Credit Party to be used by any Credit Party within three (3) Business Days to pay the purchase price for any acquisition of any assets or property by any Credit Party pursuant to (A) a binding and enforceable purchase and sale agreement, (B) a signed letter of intent or (C) any unsigned “purchase agreement” or similar documentation which is then being negotiated and will be executed prior to or simultaneously with the closing of such acquisition, (v) any Excluded Equity Proceeds or Excluded Asset Disposition Proceeds held in the Excluded Proceeds Account, (vi) the amount of any Cash Collateral and (vi) the amount of cash set aside to pay any dividend or distribution that has been declared and is unpaid by the Borrower and permitted to be paid under Section 10.8.

 

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Excluded Accounts” shall mean (i) segregated Deposit Accounts consisting of (and the balance of which consists solely of funds set aside in connection with) payroll accounts and accounts dedicated to the payment of accrued employee benefits, medical, dental and employee benefits claims to employees of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, (ii) Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts containing cash or other property with an aggregate value of less than $2,000,000, (iii) Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts containing cash or other property with an aggregate value of greater than $2,000,000 and less than $5,000,000 for a continuous period of up to 60 days and (iv) Deposit Accounts which are used solely as an escrow account or as a fiduciary or trust account or other account that is contractually obligated to be segregated from the other assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case, for the benefit of unaffiliated third parties.

 

Excluded Asset Disposition Proceeds” shall mean cash proceeds and/or marketable securities received by any Credit Party pursuant to a Disposition permitted hereunder, less the amount of any unpaid Borrowing Base Deficiency that results from such Disposition pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

Excluded Equity Interests” shall mean (a) any Equity Interests with respect to which, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower evidenced in writing delivered to the Administrative Agent, the cost or other consequences of pledging such Equity

 

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Interests in favor of the Secured Parties under the Security Documents shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Secured Parties therefrom, (b) any Equity Interests to the extent the pledge thereof would be prohibited by any Requirement of Law, (c) any Equity Interests of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, (d) any Equity Interests of any Subsidiary that is not a wholly-owned Subsidiary at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary to the extent (A) that a pledge thereof to secure the Obligations is prohibited by any applicable Contractual Requirement (other than customary non-assignment provisions which are ineffective under the UCC or other applicable Requirements of Law), (B) any Contractual Requirement prohibits such a pledge without the consent of any other party; provided that this clause (B) shall not apply if (1) such other party is a Credit Party or a wholly-owned Subsidiary or (2) consent has been obtained to consummate such pledge (it being understood that the foregoing shall not be deemed to obligate the Borrower or any Subsidiary to obtain any such consent) and for so long as such Contractual Requirement or replacement or renewal thereof is in effect, or (C) a pledge thereof to secure the Obligations would give any other party (other than a Credit Party or a wholly-owned Subsidiary) to any Contractual Requirement governing such Equity Interests the right to terminate its obligations thereunder (other than customary non-assignment provisions that are ineffective under the UCC or other applicable Requirement of Law), (e) any Equity Interests of any Subsidiary to the extent that the pledge of such Equity Interests would result in material adverse tax consequences to the Borrower or any Subsidiary as reasonably determined by the Borrower in a writing delivered to the Administrative Agent, and (f) any “Margin Stock” as defined in Regulation U.; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Equity Interests in any Subsidiary that owns any Borrowing Base Properties be Excluded Equity Interests.

 

Excluded Equity Proceeds” shall mean cash proceeds from an equity contribution made to, and received by, the Borrower.

 

Excluded Proceeds Account” shall mean a segregated Deposit Account established and maintained with the Administrative Agent, which Deposit Account contains only Excluded Equity Proceeds and/or Excluded Asset Disposition Proceeds. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any use of funds held in the Excluded Proceeds Account: (a) in the case of any such funds that are used, directly or indirectly, to fund a Restricted Payment, shall be deemed to be a utilization of Excluded Equity Proceeds until no Excluded Equity Proceeds remain in such Excluded Proceeds Account, and thereafter shall be deemed to be a utilization of Excluded Asset Disposition Proceeds and (b) in the case of any such funds that are used, directly or indirectly, for any purpose other than to fund a Restricted Payment, shall be deemed to be a utilization of Excluded Asset Disposition Proceeds until no Excluded Asset Disposition Proceeds remain in such Excluded Proceeds Account, and thereafter shall be deemed to be a utilization of Excluded Equity Proceeds.

 

Excluded Subsidiary” shall mean (a) each Restricted Subsidiary that does not constitute a Material Subsidiary (but only for so long as such Subsidiary does not constitute a Material Subsidiary), (b) each Restricted Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary (other than OpCo and any of its Subsidiaries) on any date such Subsidiary would otherwise be required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the requirements of Section 9.11 (for so long as such Subsidiary remains a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary), (c) each Restricted Subsidiary that is prohibited by any applicable Contractual Requirement or Requirement of Law from guaranteeing or granting Liens to secure the Obligations at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (and for so long as such restriction or any replacement or renewal thereof is in effect) or that would require

 

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consent, approval, license or authorization of a Governmental Authority to guarantee or grant Liens to secure the Obligations at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (unless such consent, approval, license or authorization has been received), (d) any Unrestricted Subsidiary and (e) any other Restricted Subsidiary with respect to which in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the cost or other consequences of providing a Guarantee of the Obligations shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall OpCo or any Restricted Subsidiary owning Borrowing Base Properties be an Excluded Subsidiary.

 

Excluded Swap Obligation” shall mean, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder at the time the guarantee of such Guarantor, or the grant of such security interest by such Guarantor, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal.

 

Excluded Taxes” shall mean any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to, or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to, the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party hereunder or under any other Credit Document, (i) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income or branch profits (however denominated, and including (for the avoidance of doubt) any backup withholding in respect thereof under Section 3406 of the Code or any similar provision of state, local or foreign law), and franchise (or similar) Taxes imposed, in each case, by a jurisdiction (including any political subdivision thereof) as a result of such recipient being organized under the laws of, having its principal office in, or in the case of any Lender, having its applicable lending office in, such jurisdiction, or as a result of any other present or former connection with such jurisdiction (other than any such connection arising solely from this Agreement or any other Credit Documents or any transactions contemplated thereunder), (ii) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (a) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than to the extent such Lender is an assignee of such interest pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 13.7) or (b) such Lender designates a new lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 5.4, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (iii) any withholding Tax imposed on any payment by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party hereunder or under any other Credit Document that is attributable to the Administrative Agent’s, any Lender’s or any other recipient’s failure to comply with Section 5.4(d) or (iv) any Tax imposed under FATCA.

 

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Executive Order” shall mean Executive Order No. 13224 on Terrorist Financings: — Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism issued on September 23, 2001, as amended by Executive Order No. 13268 and as further amended after the date hereof.

 

Facility” shall mean this Agreement and the Commitments and the extensions of credit made hereunder.

 

Fair Market Value” shall mean, with respect to any asset or group of assets on any date of determination, the value of the consideration obtainable in a Disposition of such asset at such date of determination assuming a Disposition by a willing seller to a willing purchaser dealing at arm’s length and arranged in an orderly manner over a reasonable period of time having regard to the nature and characteristics of such asset, as determined by the Borrower in good faith.

 

FATCA” shall mean Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), or any Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder or official administrative interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, any intergovernmental agreements entered into in connection with the implementation of such Sections of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to such intergovernmental agreements.

 

FCPA” shall mean the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

 

Federal Funds Effective Rate” shall mean, for any day, the weighted average of the per annum rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or, if such rate is not so published for any date that is a Business Day, the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal Funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it; provided that, if the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Fee Letter” shall mean that certain letter agreement of even date herewith between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

Financial Officer” of any Person shall mean the Chief Financial Officer, principal accounting officer, Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer of such Person.

 

Financial Statements” shall mean balance sheets, income statements, statements of cash flows, owners’ equity and appropriate footnotes (for audited financial statements) and schedules, prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Flood Insurance Regulations” shall mean (i) the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (ii) the Flood Disaster Protection Act

 

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of 1973 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (iii) the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (amending 42 USC 4001 et seq.), as the same may be amended or recodified from time to time, and (iv) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Foreign Lender” shall mean a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

 

Form S-1” shall mean the Registration Statement on Form S-1 of the Borrower filed with the SEC on January 6, 2017, as may be amended on or prior to the Funding Date.

 

Fronting Fee” shall have the meaning provided in Section 4.1((b).

 

Funding Date” shall mean the date on which the conditions set forth in Sections 7.1 and 7.2 are satisfied (or waived by the Administrative Agent).

 

GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, as in effect from time to time.

 

General Partner” shall mean Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

Governmental Authority” shall mean any nation, sovereign or government, any state, province, territory or other political subdivision thereof, and any entity or authority exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, including a central bank or stock exchange.

 

Guarantee” shall mean the Guarantee made by any Guarantor in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto.

 

Guarantee Obligations” shall mean, as to any Person, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing or intended to guarantee any Indebtedness of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including any obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent, (a) to purchase any such Indebtedness or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (b) to advance or supply funds (i) for the purchase or payment of any such Indebtedness or (c) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of such Indebtedness against loss in respect thereof.  The amount of any Guarantee Obligation shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the Indebtedness in respect of which such Guarantee Obligation is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by such Person in good faith.

 

Guarantors” shall mean each Restricted Subsidiary of Borrower that becomes party to the Guarantee.

 

Haymaker Acquired Entities” shall mean Haymaker Greenfield, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Haymaker Holding Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability

 

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company, Haymaker Properties, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and Haymaker Properties GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, each being a Restricted Subsidiary effective as of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date.

 

Haymaker Oil and Gas Properties” shall mean the Oil and Gas Properties of the Haymaker Acquired Entities.

 

Hazardous Materials” shall mean (a) any petroleum or petroleum products, natural gas or natural gas liquids, radioactive materials, friable asbestos or asbestos containing materials, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, transformers or other equipment that contain dielectric fluid containing regulated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, and radon gas, (b) any chemicals, materials or substances defined as or included in the definition of “hazardous substances”, “hazardous waste”, “hazardous materials”, “extremely hazardous waste”, “restricted hazardous waste”, “toxic substances”, “toxic pollutants”, “contaminants”, or “pollutants”, or words of similar import, under any applicable Environmental Law and (c) any other chemical, material or substance which is prohibited, limited or regulated by any Environmental Law.

 

Hedge Bank” shall mean (a) any Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) that (x) at the time it enters into a Hedge Transaction is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or (y) at any time after it enters into a Hedge Transaction becomes a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or (b) with respect to any Hedge Transaction that is in effect on the Effective Date, any Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on the Effective Date.  For the avoidance of doubt, if any Hedge Bank ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, such Person shall not be a Hedge Bank in respect of any Hedge Transaction entered into after the date it ceases to be a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender.

 

Hedge Termination” shall mean with respect to any Hedge Transaction, any termination (other than a termination that occurs on the date scheduled for such termination and not as a result of any event of default or other event which permits a party to such Hedge Transaction to early terminate such Hedge Transaction, in each case however defined or described), cancellation, novation or other disposition of such Hedge Transaction or the entry into one or more offsetting Hedge Transactions in respect of such Hedge Transaction.

 

Hedge Termination Date” shall mean, with respect to any Hedge Transaction, the date of expiration of that particular Hedge Transaction.

 

Hedge Transactions” shall mean (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, future contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, total return swaps, credit spread transactions, repurchase transactions, reserve repurchase transactions, securities lending transactions, weather index transactions, spot contracts, fixed-price physical delivery contracts, whether or not exchange traded, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or

 

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subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, agreements or obligations to physically sell any commodity at any index-based price shall not be considered Hedge Transaction.

 

Hedging Obligations” shall mean, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person under Hedge Transactions.

 

Hydrocarbon Interests” shall mean all rights, titles, interests and estates now or hereafter acquired in and to oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon leases, mineral fee interests, overriding royalty and royalty interests, net profit interests and production payment interests, including any reserved or residual interests of whatever nature.

 

Hydrocarbons” shall mean oil, gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all products refined or separated therefrom.

 

Increasing Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(b)(7).

 

Indebtedness” of any Person shall mean, if and to the extent (other than with respect to clause (e) below) the same would constitute indebtedness or a liability in accordance with GAAP, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, (c) the deferred purchase price of assets or services that in accordance with GAAP would be required to be shown as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person (other than (i) any earn-out obligation until such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP and (ii) obligations resulting under firm transportation contracts or take or pay contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business), (d) the face amount of all letters of credit issued for the account of such Person and, without duplication, all drafts drawn thereunder, (e) all Indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) described in the other clauses of this definition of any other Person secured by any Lien on any property owned by such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness has been assumed by such Person (but if such Indebtedness has not been assumed, limited to the lesser of the amount of such Indebtedness and the Fair Market Value of the property securing such Indebtedness), (f) the undischarged balance of any production payment created by such Person or for the creation of which such Person directly or indirectly received payment, (g) Capital Lease obligations, and (h) without duplication, all Guarantee Obligations of such Person in respect of Indebtedness of another Person of the types described in the other clauses of this definition); provided that Indebtedness shall not include (i) trade and other ordinary-course payables and accrued expenses arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) deferred or prepaid revenues, (iii) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed obligations of the respective seller, (iv)

 

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in the case of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (A) all intercompany Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business and (B) intercompany liabilities in connection with the cash management, tax and accounting operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (v) production payments and reserve sales, (vi) in-kind obligations relating to net oil, natural gas liquids or natural gas balancing positions arising in the ordinary course of business and (vii) any obligation in respect of a farm-in agreement or similar arrangement whereby such Person agrees to pay all or a share of the drilling, completion or other expenses of an exploratory or development well (which agreement may be subject to a maximum payment obligation, after which expenses are shared in accordance with the working or participation interest therein or in accordance with the agreement of the parties) or perform the drilling, completion or other operation on such well in exchange for an ownership interest in an oil or gas property.

 

Indemnified Liabilities” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.5.

 

Indemnified Taxes” shall mean all Taxes imposed on or with respect to or measured by, any payment by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party hereunder or under any other Credit Document other than (a) Excluded Taxes and (b) Other Taxes.

 

Information” shall have the meaning provided in Section 8.8(a).

 

Initial Borrowing Base” shall mean the Borrowing Base in effect on the Effective Date, which shall be $100,000,000.

 

Initial Reserve Report” shall mean the reserve engineers’ report used to determine the Initial Borrowing Base, prepared as of December 31, 2016, prepared by an Approved Petroleum Engineer, with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Credit Parties expected to be owned by the Credit Parties upon consummation of the IPO.

 

Intercompany Note” means a promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit H.

 

Interest Expense” shall mean, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum of (a) gross interest expense of such Person for such period on a consolidated basis (including (i) the amortization of debt discounts, (ii) the amortization of all fees (including fees with respect to Hedge Transactions) payable in connection with the incurrence of Indebtedness to the extent included in interest expense and (iii) the portion of any payments or accruals with respect to capitalized lease obligations allocable to interest expense) and (b) capitalized interest of such Person. For purposes of the foregoing, gross interest expense shall be determined after giving effect to any net payments made or received and costs incurred by the Borrower with respect to any interest rate Hedge Transactions, and interest on a capitalized lease obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by the Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such capitalized lease obligation in accordance with GAAP.

 

Interest Period” shall mean, with respect to any Loan, the interest period applicable thereto, as determined pursuant to Section 2.8.

 

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Investment” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.15.

 

IPO” shall mean the initial public offering of common units of the Borrower, as described in the Form S-1.

 

ISP” shall mean, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

Issuer Documents” shall mean, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the applicable Issuing Bank and the Borrower or in favor of the applicable Issuing Bank and relating to such Letter of Credit.

 

Issuing Bank” shall mean (a) the Administrative Agent, any of its Affiliates or any replacement or successor appointed pursuant to Section 3.6, and (b) if requested by the Borrower and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, any other Person who is a Lender at the time of such request and who accepts such appointment (it being understood that, if any such Person ceases to be a Lender hereunder, such Person will remain an Issuing Bank with respect to any Letter of Credit issued by such Person that remained outstanding as of the date such Person ceased to be a Lender). References herein and in the other Credit Documents to an Issuing Bank shall be deemed to refer to the Issuing Bank in respect of the applicable Letter of Credit or to all Issuing Banks, as the context requires.

 

Joint Lead Arrangers” shall mean Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and Credit Suisse Loan Funding, LLC.

 

June 2018 Reserve Report” has the meaning assigned to such term in Amendment No. 1.

 

Kimbell Class B Units” shall mean the Class B Units in the Borrower.

 

Kimbell Class B/OpCo Unit for Kimbell Common Unit Exchange shall mean a transaction whereby a holder of both a Kimbell Class B Unit and a OpCo Common Unit exchanges such Equity Interests for (i) a Kimbell Common Unit and (ii) cash in respect of the dividend and liquidation preferences of the Kimbell Class B Units; provided that the aggregate amount of cash exchanged in connection with Kimbell Class B/OpCo Unit for Kimbell Common Unit Exchanges shall not exceed the aggregate amount of cash contributed to the Borrower by the holders of Kimbell Class B Units in respect of such Kimbell Class B Units.

 

Kimbell Common Units” shall mean the Common Units in the Borrower.

 

L/C Borrowing” shall mean an extension of credit resulting from a Drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Borrowing.

 

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L/C Maturity Date” shall mean the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.

 

L/C Obligations” shall mean, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate amount of all Reimbursement Obligations, including all L/C Borrowings. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

L/C Participant” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.3(a).

 

L/C Participation” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.3(a).

 

Lender” shall have the meaning provided in the introductory paragraph hereto.

 

Lender Default” shall mean (i) the refusal or failure of any Lender to make available its portion of any incurrence of Loans or participations in Letters of Credit, which refusal or failure is not cured within two (2) Business Days after the date of such refusal or failure; (ii) the failure of any Lender to pay over to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two (2) Business Days of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute; (iii) a Lender has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations or has made a public statement to that effect with respect to its funding obligations under the Facility; (iv) the failure by a Lender to confirm in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that it will comply with its obligations under the Facility, which failure is not cured after the date of such failure; (v) a Distressed Person has admitted in writing that it is insolvent or such Distressed Person becomes subject to a Lender-Related Distress Event or (vi) any Lender that has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, become the subject of a Bail-in Action.

 

Lender Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent delivered in connection with Section 4.4.

 

Lender-Related Distress Event” shall mean, with respect to any Lender, that such Lender or any Person that directly or indirectly controls such Lender (each, a “Distressed Person”), as the case may be, is or becomes subject to a voluntary or involuntary case with respect to such Distressed Person under any Debtor Relief Law, or a custodian, conservator, receiver or similar official is appointed for such Distressed Person or any substantial part of such Distressed Person’s assets, or such Distressed Person or any Person that directly or indirectly controls such Distressed Person is subject to a forced liquidation, or such Distressed Person makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or is otherwise adjudicated as, or determined by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Distressed Person or its assets to be, insolvent or bankrupt; provided that a Lender-Related Distress Event shall not be deemed to have occurred solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interests in any Lender or any Person that directly or indirectly controls such Lender by a Governmental Authority or an

 

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instrumentality thereof so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.

 

Letter of Credit” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.1(a).

 

Letter of Credit Application” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.2.

 

Letter of Credit Commitment” shall mean (i) 10% of the Borrowing Base then in effect or (ii) such greater amount agreed to by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks; provided that in no event shall the Letter of Credit Commitment exceed the Borrowing Base then in effect.

 

Letter of Credit Exposure” shall mean, with respect to any Lender, at any time, the sum of (a) the principal amount of any Unpaid Drawings in respect of which such Lender has made (or is required to have made) payments to the applicable Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 3.4(a) at such time and (b) such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the Letters of Credit Outstanding at such time (excluding the portion thereof consisting of Unpaid Drawings in respect of which the Lenders have made (or are required to have made) payments to the applicable Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 3.4(a)) minus the amount of cash or deposit account balances held by the Administrative Agent to Cash Collateralize outstanding Letters of Credit and Unpaid Drawings under Section 3.8.

 

Letters of Credit Outstanding” shall mean, at any time, the sum of, without duplication, (a) the aggregate Stated Amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit and (b) the aggregate principal amount of all Unpaid Drawings in respect of all Letters of Credit.

 

LIBOR Loan” shall mean any Loan bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the LIBOR Rate.

 

LIBOR Rate” shall mean, for any Interest Period with respect to any Borrowing of a LIBOR Loan, the interest rate per annum appearing on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or on any successor page or any successor service, or any substitute page or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to Dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for Dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBOR Rate” with respect to such Borrowing of such LIBOR Loan for such Interest Period shall be determined by the Administrative Agent by reference to such other comparable publicly available service for displaying the offered rate for Dollar deposits in the London interbank market as may be selected by the Administrative Agent and, in the absence of availability, then such rate shall be the rate at which Dollar deposits of an amount comparable to the Advance of such LIBOR Loan and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal office of the

 

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Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, if the LIBOR Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Lien” shall mean, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, notice of claim of lien, hypothecation, pledge, collateral assignment, security interest or similar encumbrance of any kind or character.

 

Liquid Investments” shall mean:

 

direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States maturing within 270 days from the date of any acquisition thereof;

 

(i) negotiable or nonnegotiable certificates of deposit, time deposits, or other similar banking arrangements maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof or which may be liquidated for the full amount thereof without penalty or premium (“bank debt securities”), issued by (A) any Lender (or any Affiliate of any Lender), or (B) any other bank or trust company so long as either (x) such certificate of deposit is not pledged to secure the Borrower’s or any Subsidiaries’ ordinary course of business bonding requirements, and (y) the amount thereof is less than or equal to $100,000, or any other bank or trust company, if at the time of deposit or purchase, such bank debt securities are rated A or A2 or better by either S&P or Moody’s, and (ii) commercial paper issued by (A) any Lender (or any Affiliate of any Lender) or (B) any other Person if at the time of purchase such commercial paper is rated at the highest credit rating given by either S&P or Moody’s, or upon the discontinuance of both of such services, such other nationally recognized rating service or services, as the case may be, as shall be selected by the Borrower with the consent of the Majority Lenders;

 

deposits in money market funds investing exclusively in investments described in clauses (a) and (b) above; and

 

repurchase agreements relating to investments described in clauses (a) and (b) above with a market value at least equal to the consideration paid in connection therewith, with any Person who regularly engages in the business of entering into repurchase agreements and has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profit of not less than $500,000,000, if at the time of entering into such agreement such Person is a Lender (or an Affiliate of any Lender) or the debt securities of such Person is rated at the highest credit rating given by either S&P or Moody’s.

 

Liquidity” shall mean the sum of (a) the Available Commitment, (b) all unrestricted cash held in deposit accounts of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and (c) Liquid Investments of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, and in the case of clauses (b) and (c), which are subject to a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent securing the Obligations, perfected by an account control agreement with the Administrative Agent or held in a deposit account or securities account maintained with the Administrative Agent and otherwise free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens).

 

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Loan” shall mean the loans made to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.1 of this Agreement.

 

Loan Limit” shall mean, at any time, the lesser of (i) the Total Commitment at such time and (ii) the Borrowing Base at such time (including as it may be reduced pursuant to Sections 2.14, 2.15 or 2.17).

 

Majority Lenders” shall mean, at any date, (a) if there are two or fewer Lenders, all Lenders, (b) if there are three Lenders, Required Lenders and (c) if there are more than three Lenders, (i) Non-Defaulting Lenders (including Administrative Agent as a Lender) having or holding more than 50% of the Adjusted Total Commitment at such date or (ii) if the Total Commitment has been terminated, Non-Defaulting Lenders (including Administrative Agent as a Lender) having or holding more than 50% of the Total Outstandings (excluding the Loans and Letter of Credit Exposure of Defaulting Lenders) in the aggregate at such date.

 

Management Services Agreement” shall mean the management services agreement, dated as of the Funding Date, among the Borrower, Kimbell Operating Company, LLC and the other parties thereto.

 

Material Adverse Effect” shall mean a circumstance or condition affecting the business, assets, operations, properties or financial condition of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that would, individually or in the aggregate, materially adversely affect (a) the ability of the Borrower and the other Credit Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their payment obligations under this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents or (b) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Agreement or under any of the other Credit Documents.

 

Material Indebtedness” shall mean Indebtedness (other than Loans and Letters of Credit) of any one or more of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $10,000,000.

 

Material Subsidiary” shall mean, as of the date of each Compliance Certificate delivered under Section 9.1(c), each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower whose Total Assets (when combined with the assets of such Restricted Subsidiary’s Restricted Subsidiaries, after eliminating intercompany obligations) as at the last day of the four consecutive fiscal quarter period then ended for which the financial statements required pursuant to Section 9.1 (a) or (b) have been delivered (or required to be delivered) were equal to or greater than 2% of the Consolidated Total Assets of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries at such date, determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Maturity Date” shall mean February 8, 2022.

 

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Maximum Rate” shall mean the maximum rate of interest that the Administrative Agent is permitted to charge to Borrower in compliance with all applicable laws.

 

Merger Sub” shall mean Kimbell Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

Moody’s” shall mean Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor by merger or consolidation to its business.

 

Mortgaged Property” shall mean each of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Credit Parties with respect to which a Mortgage has been granted.

 

Multiemployer Plan” shall mean a Plan that is a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

 

Net Income” shall mean, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that in calculating Net Income of the Borrower for any period, there shall be excluded the net income of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or any other Person in which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary has an interest (which interest does not cause the net income of such other Person to be consolidated with the net income of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP), except, to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions actually paid in cash during such period by such Unrestricted Subsidiary or such other Person to the Borrower or to a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Non-Consenting Lender” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.7(b).

 

Non-Defaulting Lender” shall mean and include each Lender other than a Defaulting Lender.

 

Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Lender or its Affiliates in an amount not to exceed the Commitment of such Lender, in substantially the form of attached Exhibit C evidencing indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from Advances owing to such Lender.

 

Notice of Borrowing” shall mean a request of the Borrower in accordance with the terms of Section 2.1(b) and substantially in the form of Exhibit A or such other form as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

Notice of Conversion or Continuation” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.5(a).

 

Obligations” shall mean all Advances to, and all other obligations of, any Credit Party arising under any Credit Document to pay principal and interest on any Loan and all Reimbursement Obligations in respect of any Letter of Credit and to pay all costs and expenses under the Credit Documents and all Cash Management Obligations and Hedging Obligations, in each case, entered into with the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, whether direct or indirect

 

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(including those acquired by assumption pursuant to this Agreement), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Credit Party or any Affiliate thereof in any proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency law naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of the Credit Parties under the Credit Documents (and any of their Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent they have obligations under the Credit Documents) include the obligation (including Guarantee Obligations) to pay principal, interest, charges, expenses, fees, attorney costs, indemnities and other amounts payable by any Credit Party under any Credit Document. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the obligations of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary under any Hedge Transaction and under any Cash Management Agreement that has been secured at the option of the Borrower (such option shall be deemed exercised as reflected in the documents related to any such Hedge Transaction or Cash Management Agreement among the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and the applicable Hedge Bank or Cash Management Bank) shall be secured and guaranteed pursuant to the Security Documents and the Guarantee only to the extent that, and for so long as, the other Obligations are so secured and guaranteed; (b) any release of Collateral or Guarantors effected in the manner permitted by this Agreement and the other Credit Documents shall not require the consent of the holders of Hedge Obligations under Hedge Transactions or of the holders of Cash Management Obligations under Cash Management Agreements; and (c) “Obligations” of a Guarantor shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor.

 

OFAC” shall have the meaning provided in Section 8.19(b).

 

Oil and Gas Properties” shall mean all of the following in which Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owns an interest: (i) all oil, gas and/or mineral leases, oil, gas or mineral properties, mineral servitudes and/or mineral rights of any kind (including, without limitation, mineral fee interests, lease interests, farmout interests, overriding royalty and royalty interests, net profits interests, oil payment interests, production payment interests and other types of mineral interests), and all oil and gas gathering, treating, storage, processing and handling assets, (ii) all oil and gas gathering, treating, storage, processing and handling plants and assets,  (iii) all oil or gas pipelines, and (iv) all platforms, wells, wellhead equipment, pumping units, flowlines, tanks, buildings, injection facilities, saltwater disposal facilities, compression facilities, gathering systems, and other equipment.

 

OpCo” shall mean Kimbell Royalty Operating, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

OpCo Common Units” shall mean the common units in OpCo.

 

OpCo Preferred Units” shall mean, collectively, the convertible preferred units in OpCo in the same number of issued and outstanding units as the Apollo Group Preferred Units and containing terms substantially similar to the Apollo Group Preferred Units, including, with an aggregate liquidation preference equal to the liquidation preference of the Apollo Group Preferred Units.

 

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Other Taxes” shall mean any and all present or future stamp, registration, documentary, intangible, recording, filing or any other excise, property or similar Taxes (including related reasonable out-of-pocket expenses with regard thereto) arising from any payment made hereunder or made under any other Credit Document or from the execution or delivery of, registration or enforcement of, consummation or administration of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Credit Document; provided that such term shall not include any of the foregoing Taxes (i) that result from an assignment, grant of a participation pursuant to Section 13.6(c) or transfer or assignment to or designation of a new lending office or other office for receiving payments under any Credit Document (“Assignment Taxes”) to the extent such Assignment Taxes are imposed as a result of a connection between the assignor/participating Lender and/or the assignee/Participant and the taxing jurisdiction (other than a connection arising solely from any Credit Documents or any transactions contemplated thereunder), except to the extent that any such action described in this proviso is requested or required by the Borrower, or (ii) Excluded Taxes.

 

Overnight Rate” shall mean, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate and (b) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent or the applicable Issuing Bank, as the case may be, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

Participant” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(c).

 

Participant Register” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(c).

 

Patriot Act” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.18.

 

PBGC” shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Section 4002 of ERISA, or any successor thereto.

 

PDP Reserves” shall mean oil and gas reserves that, in accordance with Petroleum Industry Standards, are classified as “Proved Developed Producing Reserves”.

 

Pension Act” shall mean the Pension Protection Act of 2006, as it presently exists or as it may be amended from time to time.

 

Permitted Acquisition” shall mean the acquisition, by merger or otherwise, by the Borrower of assets (including any assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division) or Equity Interests, so long as (a) such acquisition and all transactions related thereto shall be consummated in all material respects in accordance with Requirements of Law; (b) if such acquisition involves the acquisition of Equity Interests of a Person that upon such acquisition would become a Restricted Subsidiary, such acquisition shall result in the issuer of such Equity Interests becoming, to the extent required by Section 9.11, a Guarantor; (c) such acquisition shall result in the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, being granted a security interest in any Equity Interests or any assets so acquired to the extent required by Section 9.11; (d) after giving effect to such acquisition, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; (e) after giving effect to such acquisition, the Borrower shall be in compliance with Section 9.16; (f) the Borrower shall be in Pro Forma Compliance after giving effect to such

 

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acquisition and (g) no existing Indebtedness for borrowed money of a Person acquired in connection with such acquisition shall be assumed as a direct result of such acquisition.

 

Permitted Additional Debt” shall mean unsecured senior, unsecured senior subordinated or unsecured subordinated Indebtedness issued by the Borrower or a Guarantor, (a) the terms of which do not provide for any scheduled repayment, mandatory redemption or sinking fund obligation prior to the 91st day after the Maturity Date (other than customary offers to purchase upon a change of control, asset sale or casualty or condemnation event and customary acceleration rights after an event of default), (b) the covenants (other than financial covenants), events of default, guarantees and other terms of which (other than interest rate, fees, funding discounts and redemption or prepayment premiums determined by the Borrower to be “market” rates, fees, discounts and premiums at the time of issuance or incurrence of any such Indebtedness), taken as a whole, are determined by the Borrower to be “market” terms on the date of issuance or incurrence and in any event are not, in the aggregate, materially more restrictive on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries than the terms of this Agreement as in effect at the time of such issuance or incurrence, (c) the financial covenants of which are not, individually or in the aggregate, more restrictive than the financial covenants contained in this Agreement as in effect at the time of such issuance or incurrence, (d) the terms of which do not contain maintenance financial covenants or require the achievement of any financial performance standards other than as a condition to taking specified actions or as permitted by clause (c) above, (e) if such Indebtedness is senior subordinated or subordinated Indebtedness, the terms of such Indebtedness provide for customary subordination of such Indebtedness to the Obligations and (f) no Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower (other than a Guarantor or a corporate finance subsidiary who has no operations or assets other than those incidental to the issuance of the Indebtedness) is an obligor under such Indebtedness; provided that a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower is delivered to the Administrative Agent at least three (3) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Additional Indebtedness, together with  drafts of the indenture, credit agreement or similar document and any security agreements and guaranty agreements related thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that the terms and conditions contained in such documentation satisfy the criteria set forth above.

 

Permitted Holders” shall mean each of (a) Kimbell GP Holdings, LLC, (b) Rochelle Royalties, LLC, (c) BGT Investments LLC, (d) Double Eagle Interests, LLC, (e) Robert D. Ravnaas, (f) Brett G. Taylor, (g) Mitch S. Wynne and (h) Ben J. Fortson.

 

Permitted Liens” shall mean:

 

(a)                                 royalties, overriding royalties, reversionary interests, production payments and similar burdens;

 

(b)                                 sales contracts or other arrangements for the sale of production of oil, gas or associated liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons which would not (when considered cumulatively with the matters discussed in clause (a) above) deprive the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, of any material right with respect to their assets or properties (except for rights customarily granted with respect to such contracts and arrangements);

 

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(c)                                  statutory Liens for taxes or other assessments that are not yet delinquent (or that, if delinquent, are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, levy and execution thereon having been stayed and continue to be stayed and for which the Borrower has set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP);

 

(d)                                 easements, rights-of-way, servitudes, permits, surface leases and other rights with respect to surface operations, pipelines, grazing, logging, canals, ditches, reservoirs or the like, conditions, covenants and other restrictions, and easements of streets, alleys, highways, pipelines, telephone lines, power lines, railways and other easements and rights of way on, over or with respect to the Borrower’s or its Restricted Subsidiaries’ assets or properties and that do not individually or in the aggregate cause a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(e)                                  materialman’s, mechanic’s, repairman’s, employee’s, vendor’s, laborer’s, warehouseman’s, carrier’s, pipeline’s, contractor’s, sub-contractor’s, operator’s, non-operator’s (arising under operating or joint operating agreements), and other like Liens (including any financing statements filed in respect thereof) incidental to obligations incurred by the Borrower in connection with the construction, maintenance, development, transportation, processing, storage or operation of the Borrower’s or a Restricted Subsidiary’s assets or properties to the extent not delinquent (or which, if delinquent, are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower has set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP);

 

(f)                                   all contracts, agreements and instruments, and all defects and irregularities and other matters affecting the Borrower’s or its Restricted Subsidiaries’ assets and properties which were in existence at the time Borrower’s or its Restricted Subsidiaries’ assets and properties were originally acquired by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiaries and all routine operational agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, which contracts, agreements, instruments, defects, irregularities and other matters and routine operational agreements are not such as to, individually or in the aggregate, interfere materially with the operation, value or use of the Borrower’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ assets and properties, considered in the aggregate;

 

(g)                               liens in connection with workmen’s compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations;

 

(h)                              legal or equitable encumbrances deemed to exist by reason of the existence of any litigation or other legal proceeding or arising out of a judgment or award with respect to which an appeal is being prosecuted in good faith and levy and execution thereon have been stayed and continue to be stayed;

 

(i)                                     rights reserved to or vested in any municipality, governmental, statutory or other public authority to control or regulate the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s assets and properties in any manner, and all applicable laws, rules and orders from any Governmental Authority;

 

(j)                                    landlord’s liens or Liens to secure performance of tenders, surety bonds, appeal bonds, government contracts, performance and return of money bonds, bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, regulatory obligations and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(k)                                 Liens incurred pursuant to the Security Documents;

 

(l)                                     contractual Liens which arise in the ordinary course of business under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, oil and gas partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farm-in and farm-out agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of Oil and Gas Properties, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, saltwater or other disposal agreements, seismic or other geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are customary in the oil and gas business;

 

(m)                             judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default;

 

(n)                                 Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 10.7(d), but only on the Property under lease or the Property purchased with such Indebtedness, as applicable;

 

(o)                                 other Liens securing obligations that in the aggregate do not exceed $5,000,000 in principal amount at any one time.

 

(p)                                 banker’s liens and rights of setoff or similar rights and remedies under statutory or common law or customary account documentation in the ordinary course of business in favor of banks and other financial institutions over any bank accounts of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(q)                                 Liens on Equity Interests of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;

 

(r)                                    Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

 

(s)                                   any inconsequential, insignificant or immaterial Liens against any of the Oil and Gas Properties that are of a type that would be customarily accepted in the oil and gas industry; and

 

(t)                                    Liens on Property, other than Oil and Gas Properties, not constituting Collateral securing Indebtedness or other obligations of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate amount not to exceed $3,000,000 at any time.

 

Person” shall mean any individual, partnership, joint venture, firm, corporation, limited liability company, association, trust or other enterprise or any Governmental Authority.

 

Petroleum Industry Standards” shall mean the definitions for Oil and Gas Reserves promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (or any generally recognized successor) as in effect at the time in question.

 

Plan” shall mean any multiemployer or single-employer plan, as defined in Section 4001 of ERISA and subject to Title IV of ERISA, that is or was within any of the preceding six plan years maintained or contributed to by (or to which there is or was an obligation to contribute or to make payments to) the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate.

 

Preferred Equity” shall mean Equity Interests of the Borrower that is preferred stock or preferred units, including without limitation the Apollo Group Preferred Units.

 

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Preferred Equity Purchase Agreement” shall mean that certain Series A Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement, as dated May 28, 2018 among the Borrower and the Apollo Group, pursuant to which the Apollo Group purchased the Apollo Group Series A Units from the Borrower, as such agreement may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Prime Rate,” shall mean the maximum “Latest” “U.S.” prime rate of interest per annum published from time to time in the Money Rates section of The Wall Street Journal (U.S. Edition) or in any successor publication to The Wall Street Journal.   If more than one U.S. prime rate is published at any time by The Wall Street Journal, the highest of such prime rates shall constitute the Prime Rate hereunder, and (ii) if at any time The Wall Street Journal ceases to publish a U.S. prime rate, the Administrative Agent shall have the right to select a substitute rate that the Administrative Agent determines, in the exercise of its reasonable commercial discretion, to be comparable to such prime rate, and the substituted rate as so selected, upon the sending of written notice thereof to Borrower, shall constitute the Prime Rate hereunder.

 

Pro Forma Basis” shall mean, as to any Person, for any events as described below that occur subsequent to the commencement of a period for which the financial effect of such events is being calculated, and giving effect to the events for which such calculation is being made, such calculation as will give pro forma effect to such events as if such events occurred on the first day of the four consecutive fiscal quarter period ended on or before the occurrence of such event (the “Reference Period”): (i) in making any determination of EBITDAX, effect shall be given to any Disposition, any acquisition, Investment, capital expenditure, construction, repair, replacement, improvement, development, disposition, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, any dividend, distribution or other similar payment, and any restructurings of the business of the Borrower that the Borrower has determined to make and/or made and are expected to have a continuing impact and are factually supportable, which would include cost savings resulting from head count reduction, closure of facilities and similar operational and other cost savings, which adjustments the Borrower determines are reasonable as set forth in a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower (the foregoing, together with any transactions related thereto or in connection therewith, the “relevant transactions”), in each case that occurred during the Reference Period (or, in the case of determinations made pursuant to the definition of the term “Pro Forma Compliance” or pursuant to Sections 10.2, 10.7 and 10.8 occurring during the Reference Period or thereafter and through and including the date upon which the respective Permitted Acquisition or relevant transaction is consummated), and (ii) in making any determination on a Pro Forma Basis, (y) all Indebtedness (including Indebtedness issued, incurred or assumed as a result of, or to finance, any relevant transactions and for which the financial effect is being calculated, whether incurred under this Agreement or otherwise, but excluding normal fluctuations in revolving Indebtedness incurred for working capital purposes) issued, incurred, assumed or permanently repaid during the Reference Period (or, in the case of determinations made pursuant to the definition of the term “Pro Forma Compliance” or pursuant to Sections 10.2, 10.7 and 10.8 occurring during the Reference Period or thereafter and through and including the date upon which the respective Permitted Acquisition or relevant transaction is consummated) shall be deemed to have been issued, incurred, assumed or permanently repaid at the beginning of such period and (z) Interest Expense of such Person attributable to interest on any Indebtedness, for which pro forma effect is being given as provided in preceding clause (y), bearing floating interest rates shall be computed on a pro forma basis as if the rates that would have been in effect during the period for which pro

 

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forma effect is being given had been actually in effect during such periods.  Calculations made pursuant to the definition of the term “Pro Forma Basis” shall be determined in good faith by a Financial Officer of the Borrower and approved by the Administrative Agent and may include, for any fiscal period ending on or prior to the third anniversary of any relevant pro forma event (but not for any fiscal period ending after such third anniversary), adjustments to reflect operating expense reductions and other operating improvements, synergies or cost savings reasonably expected to result from such relevant pro forma event (including, to the extent applicable, the Transactions).

 

Pro Forma Compliance” shall mean, at any date of determination, that the Borrower shall be in compliance, on a Pro Forma Basis after giving effect on a Pro Forma Basis to the relevant transactions (including the assumption, issuance, incurrence and permanent repayment of Indebtedness), with the Debt to EBITDAX Ratio recomputed as at the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which the financial statements and certificates required pursuant to Section 9.1(a) or Section 9.1(b) have been or were required to have been delivered; provided that, calculation of “Pro Forma Compliance” shall employ the same annualized EBITDAX calculations as used in the definition of Debt to EBITDAX Ratio for the fiscal quarters therein in which annualized EBITDAX numbers are used and provided further, that “Pro Forma Compliance” shall include the Debt to EBITDAX Ratio tested without regard to whether or not the Debt to EBITDAX Ratio was or was required to be tested on the applicable quarter-end date pursuant to Section 10.3.  Notwithstanding the above, if any changes or modifications are made to the Form S-1 between the Effective Date and the Funding Date that would affect EBITDAX as of the Funding Date, within three (3) Business Days following the request of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent a certificate reflecting the EBITDAX calculation after giving effect to such changes or modifications to the Form S-1.

 

Property” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

Proved Reserves” shall mean, collectively, oil and gas reserves that, in accordance with Petroleum Industry Standards, are classified as “Proved Developed Producing Reserves”, “Proved Developed Non-Producing Reserves”, and “Proved Undeveloped Reserves”.

 

PV-9” shall mean, with respect to any PDP Reserves expected to be produced from any Borrowing Base Properties, the net present value, discounted at 9% per annum, of the future net revenues expected to accrue to the Borrower’s and the Credit Parties’ collective interests in such reserves during the remaining expected economic lives of such reserves, calculated in accordance with the most recent price deck and other pricing parameters provided to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Sections 2.14 and 2.15.

 

Qualified ECP Counterparty” shall mean, in respect of any Swap Obligation, each Credit Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant guarantee or grant of the relevant security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or such other person as constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible

 

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contract participant” at such time by entering into a keepwell under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

Redetermination Date” shall mean, the date that the redetermined Borrowing Base becomes effective pursuant to Section 2.14.

 

Register” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(b)(iv).

 

Regulation D” shall mean Regulation D of the Board as from time to time in effect and any successor thereto and other regulation or official interpretation of the Board relating to reserve requirements applicable to member banks of the Federal Reserve System.

 

Regulation T” shall mean Regulation T of the Board as from time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof establishing margin requirements.

 

Regulation U” shall mean Regulation U of the Board as from time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof establishing margin requirements.

 

Regulation X” shall mean Regulation X of the Board as from time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof establishing margin requirements.

 

Reimbursement Date” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.4(a).

 

Reimbursement Obligations” shall mean, at any time, the obligations of the Borrower with respect to all Letters of Credit then outstanding to reimburse amounts paid by the Issuing Bank with respect to any drawing or drawings under a Letter of Credit.

 

Related Parties” shall mean, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s partners, Affiliates and the partners, managers, directors, officers, employees, agents and members of such Person or such Person’s Affiliates and any Person that possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.

 

Reportable Event” shall mean an event described in Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations thereunder, other than any event as to which the 30-day notice period has been waived.

 

Required Cash Collateral Amount” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.8(c).

 

Required Lenders” shall mean, at any date, (a) Non-Defaulting Lenders having or holding at least 66-2/3% of the Adjusted Total Commitment at such date or (b) if the Total Commitment has been terminated, Non-Defaulting Lenders having or holding at least 66-2/3% of the Total Outstandings (excluding the Loans and Letter of Credit Exposure of Defaulting Lenders) in the aggregate at such date; provided that, at any time there are only two Lenders under this Agreement, “Required Lenders” means all Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders).

 

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Requirement of Law” shall mean, as to any Person, any law, treaty, rule, regulation, statute, order, ordinance, decree, judgment, consent decree, writ, injunction, settlement agreement or governmental requirement enacted, promulgated or imposed or entered into or agreed by any Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or assets or to which such Person or any of its property or assets is subject.

 

Reserve Report” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.14 hereof.

 

Reserve Report Certificate” shall mean a certificate of an Authorized Officer in certifying as to the matters set forth in Section 9.14(c) in such form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

Restricted Payments” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.8.

 

Restricted Subsidiary” shall mean any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

S&P” shall mean Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services or any successor by merger or consolidation to its business.

 

Sanction(s)” shall mean any international economic sanction administered or enforced by the United States government (including without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the Norwegian State, the European Union, the Member States of the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or any other relevant sanctions authority.

 

SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto.

 

Secured Parties” shall mean, collectively, the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, each Lender, each Hedge Bank that is party to any Hedge Transaction and each Cash Management Bank that is a party to any Cash Management Agreement.

 

Securities Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in the UCC.

 

Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Security Documents” shall mean, collectively, all deeds of trust, mortgages, security agreements, collateral assignments of production, deposit account control agreements and other instruments granting Liens on any assets of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that are executed by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 9.11 or 9.13 to secure the Obligations of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under the Credit Documents.

 

Sole Arranger” shall mean, prior to the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, Frost Bank.

 

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Solvent” shall mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (i) the fair value of the assets of such Person, at a fair valuation, exceeds the debts and liabilities, direct, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, of such Person; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the property of such Person is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts and other liabilities, direct, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) such Person does not intend to, and such Person does not believe that it will incur debts beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be received by such Person and the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of their debt; (iv) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, direct, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (v) such Person does not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged as such businesses are now conducted and are proposed to be conducted.

 

Stated Amount” of any Letter of Credit shall mean the maximum amount from time to time available to be drawn thereunder, determined without regard to whether any conditions to drawing could then be met.

 

Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean and include (a) any corporation more than 50% of whose Equity Interests of any class or classes having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time Equity Interests of any class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time owned by such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, (b) any limited liability company, partnership, association, joint venture or other entity of which such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries has more than a 50% equity interest at the time and (c) any partnership, the general partner of which meets the description set forth in either clause (a) or (b) above. Unless otherwise expressly provided, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary of the Borrower. OpCo will at all times constitute a “Subsidiary” of the Borrower.

 

Subsidiary Guarantor” shall mean each Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor.

 

Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

Swap Termination Value” shall mean, in respect of any one or more Hedge Transactions after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Hedge Transactions, (a) for any date on or after the date such Hedge Transactions have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Hedge Transactions, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Hedge Transactions (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

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Taxes” shall mean any and all present or future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, assessments, deductions, withholdings or other similar charges imposed by any Governmental Authority whether computed on a separate, consolidated, unitary, combined or other basis and any interest, fines, penalties or additions to tax with respect to the foregoing.

 

Total Assets” shall mean, as of any date of determination with respect to any Person, the amount that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption “total assets” (or any like caption) on a balance sheet of such Person at such date.

 

Total Commitment” shall mean the sum of the Commitments of all of the Lenders.  The Total Commitment as of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date is $200,000,000.

 

Total Commitment Increase Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(b)(7).

 

Total Debt” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the sum of (without duplication) all Indebtedness (other than letters of credit or bank guarantees, to the extent undrawn) consisting of Capital Lease obligations and Indebtedness for borrowed money of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date determined on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP (provided that the amount of any Capital Lease obligations or any such Indebtedness issued at a discount to its face value shall be determined in accordance with GAAP).

 

Total Exposure” shall mean, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of the Loans of such Lender then outstanding and (b) such Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure at such time.

 

Total Outstandings” shall mean, at any time, the total principal balance outstanding on the Loans at any time plus the aggregate Letter of Credit Exposure at such time.

 

Transaction Expenses” shall mean any fees or expenses incurred or paid by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any of their Affiliates in connection with the Transactions, this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

 

Transactions” shall mean, collectively, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Credit Documents and the Form S-1 and the payment of Transaction Expenses.

 

Transferee” shall have the meaning provided in Section 13.6(e).

 

Type” shall mean, as to any Loan, its nature as an ABR Loan or a LIBOR Loan.

 

UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of Texas or of any other state the laws of which are required to be applied in connection with the creation or perfection of any security interests in any Collateral.

 

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Unfunded Current Liability” of any Plan shall mean the amount, if any, by which the Accumulated Benefit Obligation (as defined under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87 (“SFAS 87”)) under the Plan as of the close of its most recent plan year, determined in accordance with SFAS 87 as in effect on the date hereof, exceeds the Fair Market Value of the assets allocable thereto.

 

United States” or “U.S.” shall mean the United States of America.

 

Unpaid Drawing” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.4(a).

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” shall mean any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated as such on Schedule 8.12 from time to time or which the Borrower has designated in writing to the Administrative Agent to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 10.17, until such time as the Borrower redesignates such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with this Agreement.

 

Unscheduled Redetermination” shall mean a redetermination of the Borrowing Base made at any time other than on the date set for the regular semi-annual redetermination of the Borrowing Base which is made (A) at the request of the Borrower (but only once between successive Redetermination Dates) or (B) at the request of the Required Lenders (only once between successive Redetermination Dates).

 

Unused Commitment Fee” shall have the meaning provided in Section 4.1(a).

 

Unused Commitment Fee Rate” shall mean, for any day, with respect to the Available Commitment on such day, the applicable rate per annum set forth next to the row heading “Commitment Fee Rate” in the definition of “Applicable Margin” and based upon the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage in effect on such day.

 

U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” shall mean, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

Section 1.2                                    Other Interpretive Provisions.  With reference to this Agreement and each other Credit Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Credit Document:

 

(a)                                 The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

 

(b)                                 The words “herein”, “hereto”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Credit Document shall refer to such Credit Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.

 

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(c)                                  Article, Section, Exhibit and Schedule references are to the Credit Document in which such reference appears.

 

(d)                                 The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation.

 

(e)                                  The term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form.

 

(f)                                   In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”; the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding”; and the word “through” means “to and including”.

 

(g)                                  Section headings herein and in the other Credit Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Credit Document.

 

(h)                                 Any reference to any Person shall be constructed to include such Person’s successors or assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignment set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all of the functions thereof.

 

(i)                                     Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.

 

(j)                                    The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning as the word “shall”.

 

(k)                                 The words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

Section 1.3                                              Accounting Terms.  All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP, applied in a manner consistent with the Credit Parties’ past practices, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein; provided, however, that if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the Effective Date in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Majority Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein

 

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shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made (i) without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 825-10-25 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein, and (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Credit Document, for purposes of calculations made pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other Credit Document, GAAP will be deemed to treat leases that would have been classified as operating leases in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect on December 31, 2015 in a manner consistent with the treatment of such leases under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect on December 31, 2015, notwithstanding any modifications or interpretive changes thereto that may occur thereafter.

 

Section 1.4                                    References to Agreements, Laws, Etc. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to organizational documents, agreements (including the Credit Documents) and other Contractual Requirements shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, amendment and restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, amendment and restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are permitted by any Credit Document and (b) references to any Requirement of Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Requirement of Law.

 

Section 1.5                                    Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Fort Worth, Texas (daylight saving or standard, as applicable).

 

ARTICLE II

AMOUNT AND TERMS OF CREDIT

 

Section 2.1                                    The Facility and Commitments.

 

(a)                                 Subject to, and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally, but not jointly, agrees to make Loans to the Borrower, which Loans (i) shall be made to the Borrower from time to time on and after the Funding Date and prior to the Maturity Date, (ii) may, at the option of the Borrower, be incurred and maintained as, and/or converted into, ABR Loans or LIBOR Loans, (iii) may be repaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof at any time prior to the Maturity Date, (iv) shall not, for any Lender at any time, after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof, result in such Lender’s Total Exposure at such time exceeding such Lender’s Commitment Percentage at such time of the Loan Limit and (v) shall not, after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof, result in the Total Outstandings at such time exceeding the Loan Limit.  The Obligations of the Borrower hereunder shall be

 

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evidenced by this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no Loan shall be required to be made hereunder if any Default or Event of Default (as hereinafter defined) has occurred and is continuing.  The aggregate principal amount of each Advance of Loans shall be at least $500,000 or any whole multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof (except for any such Advance in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the Loan Limit and except for Loans to reimburse the Issuing Bank with respect to any Unpaid Drawing which shall be made in the amounts required by Sections 3.3 or 3.4, as applicable), and in each case shall consist of Loans of the same Type made on the same day by each Lender ratably according to its Commitment Percentage.

 

(b)                                 Whenever the Borrower desires an Advance of a Loan (other than Loans used to reimburse Unpaid Drawings), it shall give the Administrative Agent telegraphic, telex, facsimile or telephone notice of such requested Advance in the form of a Notice of Borrowing, which in the case of telephonic notice, shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Each Notice of Borrowing shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto and shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than noon (Fort Worth, Texas time) (i) on the Borrowing Date in the case of an ABR Loan or (ii) three (3) Business Days prior to any proposed Borrowing Date in the case of LIBOR Loans.  Each Notice of Borrowing shall specify (i) the Borrowing Date (which shall be a Business Day), (ii) the principal amount to be borrowed, (iii) the portion of such Advance constituting ABR Loans and/or LIBOR Loans, (iv) if any portion of the proposed Advance is to constitute LIBOR Loans, the Interest Period applicable thereto (if no Interest Period is selected, the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month) and (v) the Cash Balance (without regard to the requested Advance) as of the close of business on the date of the Notice of Borrowing and the reasonably estimated pro forma Cash Balance on the close of business on the Borrowing Date (giving effect to the requested Advance).  Each Notice of Borrowing shall constitute a representation by the Borrower that (a) the amount of the requested Advances shall not cause the Total Outstandings to exceed the Available Commitment (after giving effect to the making of such Loans) and (b) as of the end of the third Business Day on which such requested Advances will be funded, after giving pro forma effect to the requested Advances, the Credit Parties shall not have any Excess Cash.  Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall incur any liability to the Borrower in acting upon any Notice of Borrowing referred to above which the Administrative Agent or such Lender believes in good faith to have been given by a duly authorized officer or other person authorized to borrow on behalf of the Borrower. Upon funding of Advances by the Lenders under Section 2.3 below and such funds being made available to the Borrower in accordance with this Agreement pursuant to any such Notice of Borrowing, the amount so funded and made available to the Borrower shall constitute a part of the Obligations hereunder.  Loans made to reimburse Unpaid Drawings shall be made upon the notice specified in Section 3.4(a).

 

(c)                                  Without in any way limiting the obligation of the Borrower to confirm in writing any notice it may give hereunder by telephone, the Administrative Agent may act prior to receipt of written confirmation without liability upon the basis of such telephonic

 

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notice believed by the Administrative Agent in good faith to be from an Authorized Officer of the Borrower.

 

Section 2.2                                    Maximum Number of Advances.  More than one Advance may be incurred on any date; provided that at no time shall there be outstanding more than) five (5) Advances of LIBOR Loans under this Agreement.

 

Section 2.3                                    Disbursement of Funds.

 

(a)                                 No later than 2:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) on the date specified in each Notice of Borrowing, each Lender will make available its Commitment Percentage of each Advance requested to be made on such date in the manner provided below; provided that on the Funding Date, such funds shall be made available by 10:00 a.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) or such earlier time as may be agreed among the Lenders, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent for the purpose of consummating the Transactions.  The Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent to disburse the proceeds of each Advance in immediately available funds by crediting or wiring such proceeds to the deposit account of the Borrower identified in the most recent Notice of Borrowing delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or as may be otherwise agreed upon by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent from time to time.

 

(b)                                 Each Lender shall make available all amounts it is to fund to the Borrower under any Advance in immediately available funds in Dollars to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office, and the Administrative Agent will (except in the case of Advances to repay Unpaid Drawings) make available to the Borrower the aggregate of such amounts. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by any Lender prior to the date of any such Advance (or, with respect to an ABR Loan, the date of such Borrowing prior to 1:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time)) that such Lender does not intend to make available to the Administrative Agent its portion of the Advance or Advances to be made on such date, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such amount available to the Administrative Agent on such Borrowing Date, and the Administrative Agent, in reliance upon such assumption, may (in its sole discretion and without any obligation to do so) make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. If such corresponding amount is not in fact made available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender and the Administrative Agent has made available such amount to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover such corresponding amount from such Lender. If such Lender does not pay such corresponding amount forthwith upon the Administrative Agent’s demand therefor the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Borrower shall immediately pay such corresponding amount to the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall also be entitled to recover from such Lender or the Borrower, as the case may be, interest on such corresponding amount in respect of each day from the date such corresponding amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower to the date such corresponding amount is recovered by the Administrative Agent, at a rate per annum equal to (i) if paid by such Lender, the Overnight Rate plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent or (ii) if paid by the Borrower, the then-

 

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applicable rate of interest or fees, calculated in accordance with Section 2.7, for the respective Loans.

 

(c)                                  Nothing in this Section 2.3 shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fulfill its commitments hereunder or to prejudice any rights that the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder (it being understood, however, that no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to fulfill its commitments hereunder).

 

Section 2.4                                    Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the applicable Lenders on the Maturity Date, the then outstanding principal amount of all Loans.

 

(b)                                 Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to the appropriate lending office of such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such lending office from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such lending office from time to time under this Agreement.

 

(c)                                  The Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Borrower, shall maintain the Register pursuant to Section 13.6(b), and a subaccount for each Lender, in which Register and subaccounts (taken together) shall be recorded (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Type of each Loan made and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Lender’s share thereof.

 

(d)                                 The entries made in the Register and accounts and subaccounts maintained pursuant to clauses (b) and (c) of this Section 2.4 shall, absent manifest error and to the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations of the Borrower therein recorded; provided, however, that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such account, such Register or such subaccount, as applicable, or any error therein, shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay (with applicable interest) the Loans made to the Borrower by such Lender in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(e)                                  Upon the request of any Lender to Borrower made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence the obligation of the Borrower to repay to such Lender its Advances to Borrower in addition to such records maintained by the Administrative Agent.  Each Lender may attach schedules to a Note and endorse thereon the date, Type, amount, currency and maturity of its Advances and payments with respect

 

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thereto, but such action or the failure to do so shall not control over the records thereof maintained by the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 2.5                                    Conversions and Continuations.

 

(a)                                 Subject to the penultimate sentence of this clause (a), (i) the Borrower shall have the option on any Business Day to convert all or a portion of the outstanding principal amount of Loans of one Type into an Advance or Advances of another Type and (ii) the Borrower shall have the option on any Business Day to continue the outstanding principal amount of any LIBOR Loans as LIBOR Loans for an additional Interest Period; provided that (A) ABR Loans may not be converted into LIBOR Loans if an Event of Default is in existence on the date of the conversion and the Administrative Agent has or the Majority Lenders have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such conversion, (B) LIBOR Loans may not be continued as LIBOR Loans for an additional Interest Period if an Event of Default is in existence on the date of the proposed continuation and the Administrative Agent has or the Majority Lenders have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such continuation, and (C) Borrowings resulting from conversions pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be limited in number as provided in Section 2.2. Each such conversion or continuation shall be effected by the Borrower by giving the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office prior to 1:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) at least (i) three (3) Business Days’, in the case of a continuation of or conversion to LIBOR Loans or (ii) the date of conversion, in the case of a conversion into ABR Loans, prior written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) (each, a “Notice of Conversion or Continuation”) specifying the Loans to be so converted or continued, the Type of Loans to be converted into or continued and, if such Loans are to be converted into or continued as LIBOR Loans, the Interest Period to be initially applicable thereto (if no Interest Period is selected, the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month). The Administrative Agent shall give each applicable Lender notice as promptly as practicable of any such proposed conversion or continuation affecting any of its Loans.

 

(b)                                 If any Event of Default is in existence at the time of any proposed continuation of any LIBOR Loans and the Administrative Agent has or the Majority Lenders have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such continuation, such LIBOR Loans shall be automatically converted on the last day of the current Interest Period into ABR Loans. If upon the expiration of any Interest Period in respect of LIBOR Loans, the Borrower has failed to elect a new Interest Period to be applicable thereto as provided in clause (a) above, the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected to convert such Borrowing of LIBOR Loans into a Borrowing of LIBOR Loans with an Interest Period of one month unless a Default or Event of Default is then in existence in which case the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected to convert such Borrowing of LIBOR Loans into a Borrowing of ABR Loans, in each case, effective as of the expiration date of such current Interest Period.

 

Section 2.6                                    Pro Rata Borrowings. Each Borrowing under this Agreement shall be made by the Lenders pro rata on the basis of their applicable Commitment Percentages. It is

 

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understood that (a) no Lender shall be responsible for any default by any other Lender in its obligation to make Loans hereunder and that each Lender severally but not jointly shall be obligated to make the Loans provided to be made by it hereunder, regardless of the failure of any other Lender to fulfill its commitments hereunder and (b) failure by a Lender to perform any of its obligations under any of the Credit Documents shall not release any Person from performance of its obligation under any Credit Document.

 

Section 2.7                                    Interest.

 

(a)                                 The unpaid principal amount of each ABR Loan shall bear interest from the date of the Advance thereof until maturity thereof (whether by acceleration or otherwise) or conversion thereof to a LIBOR Loan, at a rate per annum that shall at all times be the Adjusted ABR Rate in effect from time to time.

 

(b)                                 The unpaid principal amount of each LIBOR Loan shall bear interest from the date of the Advance thereof until maturity thereof (whether by acceleration or otherwise) or conversion thereof to an ABR Loan, at a rate per annum that shall at all times be the Adjusted LIBOR Rate in effect from time to time.

 

(c)                                  If (x) all or a portion of (i) the principal amount of any Loan or (ii) any interest payable thereon shall not be paid when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) and (y) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, such overdue amount shall bear interest at a rate per annum that is (the “Default Rate”) (A) in the case of overdue principal, the rate that would otherwise be applicable thereto plus 2% or (B) in the case of any overdue interest, to the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, the rate described in Section 2.7(a) plus 2%, in each case from the date of such non-payment to the date on which such amount is paid in full (after as well as before judgment).

 

(d)                                 Interest on each Loan shall accrue from and including the date of any Advance to but excluding the date of any repayment thereof and shall be payable in Dollars; provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same date on which it is made shall bear interest for one day. Except as provided below, interest shall be payable (i) in respect of each ABR Loan, quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December (ii) in respect of each LIBOR Loan, on the last day of each Interest Period applicable thereto and, in the case of an Interest Period in excess of three months, on each date occurring at three-month intervals after the first day of such Interest Period, (iii) in respect of each Loan, (A) on any prepayment (on the amount prepaid), (B) at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) and (C) after such maturity, on demand.

 

(e)                                  All computations of interest hereunder shall be made in accordance with Section 5.5.

 

(f)                                   The Administrative Agent, upon determining the interest rate for any Advance of LIBOR Loans, shall promptly notify the Borrower and the relevant Lenders

 

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thereof. Each such determination shall, absent clearly demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding on all parties hereto.

 

Section 2.8                                    Interest Periods.  At the time the Borrower gives a Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion or Continuation in respect of the making of, or conversion into or continuation as, an Advance of LIBOR Loans in accordance with Section 2.1(b) or 2.5(a), the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) of the Interest Period applicable to such Borrowing, which Interest Period shall, at the option of the Borrower be (i) a one, two, three or six-month period, as requested by the Borrower.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained above:

 

(a)                                 the initial Interest Period for any Borrowing of LIBOR Loans shall commence on the date of such Borrowing (including the date of any conversion from a Borrowing of ABR Loans) and each Interest Period occurring thereafter in respect of such Borrowing shall commence on the day on which the next preceding Interest Period expires;

 

(b)                                 if any Interest Period relating to a Borrowing of LIBOR Loans begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month or begins on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period, such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;

 

(c)                                  if any Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall expire on the next succeeding Business Day; provided that, if any Interest Period in respect of a LIBOR Loan would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day, but is a day of the month after which no further Business Day occurs in such month, such Interest Period shall expire on the next preceding Business Day; and

 

(d)                                 the Borrower shall not be entitled to elect any Interest Period in respect of any LIBOR Loan if such Interest Period would extend beyond the Maturity Date.

 

Section 2.9                                    Increased Costs, Illegality, Etc.

 

(a)                                 In the event that (x) in the case of clause (i) below, the Administrative Agent or (y) in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) below, any Lender, shall have reasonably determined (which determination shall, absent clearly demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto):

 

(i)                                     on any date for determining the LIBOR Rate for any Interest Period that (A) deposits in the principal amounts of the Loans comprising such LIBOR Advances are not generally available in the relevant market or (B) by reason of any changes arising on or after the Effective Date affecting the interbank LIBOR market, adequate and fair means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable interest rate on the basis provided for in the definition of LIBOR Rate; or

 

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(ii)                                  that, due to a Change in Law occurring at any time after the Effective Date, which Change in Law shall (A) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender, (B) subject any Lender to any Tax with respect to any Credit Document or any LIBOR Loan made by it (other than (1) Taxes indemnifiable under Section 5.4, or (2) Excluded Taxes), or (C) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or LIBOR Loans made by such Lender, which results in the cost to such Lender of making, converting into, continuing or maintaining LIBOR Loans or participating in Letters of Credit (in each case hereunder) increasing by an amount which such Lender reasonably deems material or the amounts received or receivable by such Lender hereunder with respect to the foregoing shall be reduced; or

 

(iii)                               at any time, that the making or continuance of any LIBOR Loan has become unlawful as a result of compliance by such Lender in good faith with any Requirement of Law (or would conflict with any such Requirement of Law not having the force of law even though the failure to comply therewith would not be unlawful);

 

then, and in any such event, such Lender (or the Administrative Agent, in the case of clause (i) above) shall within a reasonable time thereafter give notice (if by telephone, confirmed in writing) to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent of such determination (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the other Lenders). Thereafter (x) in the case of clause (i) above, LIBOR Loans shall no longer be available until such time as the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice by the Administrative Agent no longer exist (which notice the Administrative Agent agrees to give at such time when such circumstances no longer exist), and any Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion or Continuation given by the Borrower with respect to LIBOR Loans that have not yet been incurred shall be deemed rescinded by the Borrower, (y) in the case of clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender, promptly (but no later than thirty (30) days) after receipt of written demand therefor such additional amounts as shall be required to compensate such Lender for such increased costs or reductions in amounts receivable hereunder (it being agreed that a written notice as to the additional amounts owed to such Lender, showing in reasonable detail the basis for the calculation thereof, submitted to the Borrower by such Lender shall, absent clearly demonstrable error, be final and conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto) and (z) in the case of clause (iii) above, the Borrower shall take one of the actions specified in Section 2.9(b) as promptly as possible and, in any event, within the time period required by applicable Requirements of Law.

 

(b)                                 At any time that any LIBOR Loan is affected by the circumstances described in Section 2.9(a)(ii) or (iii), the Borrower may (and in the case of a LIBOR Loan affected pursuant to Section 2.9(a)(iii) shall) either (i) if the affected LIBOR Loan is then being made pursuant to an Advance, cancel such Advance by giving the Administrative

 

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Agent telephonic notice (confirmed promptly in writing) thereof on the same date that the Borrower was notified by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.9(a)(ii) or (iii) or (ii) if the affected LIBOR Loan is then outstanding, upon at least three (3) Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent, require the affected Lender to convert each such LIBOR Loan into an ABR Loan; provided that if more than one Lender is affected at any time, then all affected Lenders must be treated in the same manner pursuant to this Section 2.9(b).

 

(c)                                  If, after the Effective Date, any Change in Law relating to capital adequacy or liquidity requirements of any Lender or compliance by any Lender or its parent with any Change in Law relating to capital adequacy or liquidity requirements occurring after the Effective Date has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or its parent’s capital or assets as a consequence of such Lender’s commitments or obligations hereunder to a level below that which such Lender or its parent could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or its parent’s policies with respect to capital adequacy or liquidity requirements), then from time to time, promptly (but in any event no later than fifteen (15) days) after written demand by such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or its parent for such reduction, it being understood and agreed, however, that a Lender shall not be entitled to such compensation as a result of such Lender’s compliance with, or pursuant to any request or directive to comply with, any applicable Requirement of Law as in effect on the Effective Date. Each Lender, upon determining in good faith that any additional amounts will be payable pursuant to this Section 2.9(c), will give prompt written notice thereof to the Borrower, which notice shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis of the calculation of such additional amounts, although the failure to give any such notice shall not, subject to Section 2.12, release or diminish the Borrower’s obligations to pay additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.9(c) upon receipt of such notice.

 

(d)                                 In addition, if at any time the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that (i) the circumstances set forth in Section 2.9 (a)(i) have arisen and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary or (ii) the circumstances set forth in this Section 2.9 (a)(i) have not arisen but the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBOR Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBOR Rate shall no longer be used for determining interest rates for loans, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall endeavor to establish an alternate rate of interest to the LIBOR Rate that gives due consideration to the then prevailing market convention for determining a rate of interest for syndicated loans in the United States at such time, and shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement to reflect such alternate rate of interest and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable (but for the avoidance of doubt, such related changes shall not include a reduction of the Applicable Margin). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 13.1, such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement so long as the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five (5) Business Days of the date notice of such alternate rate of interest is provided to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that such Required Lenders object to such amendment. Until an alternate rate of interest shall be

 

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determined in accordance with this paragraph, (x) any request to convert any Loan to, or continue any Loan as, a LIBOR Loan shall be ineffective, and (y) if any Notice of Borrowing requests a LIBOR Loan, such Loan shall be made as an ABR Loan; provided that, if such alternate rate of interest shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Section 2.10                             Compensation. If (a) any payment of principal of any LIBOR Loan is made by the Borrower to or for the account of a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such LIBOR Loan as a result of a payment or conversion pursuant to Section 2.4, 2.5, 2.9, 5.1, 5.2 or 13.5, as a result of acceleration of the maturity of the Loans pursuant to Article XI or for any other reason, (b) any Borrowing of LIBOR Loans is not made on the date specified in a Notice of Borrowing, (c) any ABR Loan is not converted into a LIBOR Loan on the date specified in a Notice of Conversion or Continuation, (d) any LIBOR Loan is not continued as a LIBOR Loan on the date specified in a Notice of Conversion or Continuation or (e) any prepayment of principal of any LIBOR Loan is not made as a result of a withdrawn notice of prepayment pursuant to Section 5.1 or 5.2, the Borrower shall after the Borrower’s receipt of a written request by such Lender (which request shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount) pay to the Administrative Agent (within fifteen days after such request) for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that such Lender may reasonably incur as a result of such payment, failure to convert, failure to continue or failure to prepay, including any loss, cost or expense (excluding loss of anticipated profits) actually incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender to fund or maintain such LIBOR Loan.

 

Section 2.11                             Change of Lending Office. Each Lender agrees that, upon the occurrence of any event giving rise to the operation of Section 2.9(a)(ii), 2.9(a)(iii), 2.9(c), 3.5 or 5.4 with respect to such Lender, it will, if requested by the Borrower use reasonable efforts (subject to overall policy considerations of such Lender) to designate another lending office for any Loans affected by such event; provided that such designation does not cause such Lender or its lending office to suffer any economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, with the object of avoiding the consequence of the event giving rise to the operation of any such Section. Nothing in this Section 2.11 shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the Borrower or the right of any Lender provided in Section 2.9, 3.5 or 5.4.

 

Section 2.12                             Notice of Certain Costs. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent any notice required by Section 2.9, 2.10, 3.5 or 5.4 is given by any Lender more than 180 days after such Lender has knowledge (or should have had knowledge) of the occurrence of the event giving rise to the additional cost, reduction in amounts, loss, tax or other additional amounts described in such Sections, such Lender shall not be entitled to compensation under Section 2.9, 2.10, 3.5 or 5.4, as the case may be, for any such amounts incurred or accruing prior to the 181st day prior to the giving of such notice to the Borrower; provided that if the circumstance giving rise to such claim is retroactive, then such 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

Section 2.13                             The Borrowing Base.  At the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, the Borrowing Base shall be $200,000,000 (subject to adjustment on the Amendment No. 1 Effective

 

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Date pursuant to Section 2.17(d)).  The Borrowing Base may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 hereof.

 

Section 2.14                             Scheduled Determinations of Borrowing Base. Subsequent determinations of the Borrowing Base shall be made by Lenders semi-annually effective on or about November 1 and May 1 of each year, beginning November 1, 2018, or such earlier date requested by the Required Lenders or Borrower (each a “Redetermination Date”) or as Unscheduled Redeterminations, each based on an engineering report (each a “Reserve Report”) delivered to the Administrative Agent in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and prepared with respect to the reserve report for the November 1 redetermination, by an Approved Petroleum Engineer, and prepared with respect to the May 1 redetermination, by the Borrower (or by such Approved Petroleum Engineer), said Reserve Reports (i) to utilize economic, price deck and other pricing parameters used by the Administrative Agent in good faith in accordance with its usual and customary oil and gas lending criteria as it exists at the particular time, together with such other information, reports and data concerning the value of the Borrowing Base Properties as the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall deem reasonably necessary to determine the value of such Borrowing Base Properties.  Borrower shall deliver the Reserve Report to the Administrative Agent (i) on or about (but not after) October 1 of each year, beginning October 1, 2018, for the November 1 Redetermination Date, (ii) on or about (but not after) April 1 of each year, beginning April 1, 2019 for the May 1 Redetermination Date and (iii) within forty-five (45) days after either (a) receipt of notice that Required Lenders require an Unscheduled Redetermination, or (b) Borrower gives notice to the Administrative Agent that the Borrower wishes to have an Unscheduled Redetermination performed. The Reserve Report prepared for the November 1 Redetermination Date shall be dated effective as of August 1 of such year and the Reserve Report prepared for the May 1 Redetermination Date shall be dated effective as of February 1 of each year. Upon receipt of each such Reserve Report, the Lenders shall make a Redetermination of the Borrowing Base in accordance with standard practices at the time for reserve based loans.  It is expressly understood that the Lenders have no obligation to designate the Borrowing Base at any particular amount, except in the exercise of their discretion, whether in relation to the Commitment or otherwise.

 

Section 2.15                             Unscheduled Redeterminations of the Borrowing Base.  Within thirty (30) days after either (i) receipt of notice from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders require an Unscheduled Redetermination, or (ii) the Borrower gives notice to the Administrative Agent of its desire to have an Unscheduled Redetermination performed, in each case the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent a Reserve Report prepared by petroleum engineers employed by the Borrower (or by an Approved Petroleum Engineer) in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, said engineering report to utilize economic, price deck and other pricing parameters used by the Administrative Agent or any Lender as established from time to time, together with such other information, reports and data concerning the value of the Borrowing Base Properties.  The Administrative Agent shall by written notice to the Borrower within a reasonable time after the provision of all such information, reports and data (the date of such notice being herein called the “Determination Date”) notify the Borrower of the designation of the new Borrowing Base for the period beginning on such Determination Date and continuing until, but not including, the next Redetermination Date or Determination Date.  If the Borrower does not furnish all such information, reports and data by any date specified in this Section 2.15, unless such failure is of no fault of the Borrower, the Lenders nonetheless shall

 

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designate the Borrowing Base at any amount which the Lenders in their sole discretion determine and redesignate the Borrowing Base from time to time thereafter until the Administrative Agent receives all such information, reports and data, whereupon the Lenders shall designate a new Borrowing Base, as described above. In addition to, and not including and/or limited by the Unscheduled Redeterminations allowed above, (a) if any changes or modifications are made to the Form S-1 after the Initial Borrowing Base is established that negatively affect the value of the Oil and Gas Properties to be owned by the Credit Parties upon consummation of the IPO, then upon request of the Required Lenders, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced by the Borrowing Base value attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties included in the Initial Reserve Report that will no longer be Borrowing Base Properties of the Credit Parties on the Funding Date and (b) the Borrower may, by notifying the Administrative Agent thereof, at any time between Scheduled Redeterminations, request additional Redeterminations of the Borrowing Base in the event the Borrower or any other Credit Party acquires in one or more transactions Oil and Gas Properties with PDP Reserves that are to be Borrowing Base Properties having, in the aggregate, a PV-9 (calculated at the time of such acquisitions) in excess of 20% of the Borrowing Base in effect immediately prior to such acquisitions.

 

Section 2.16                             Procedure.                                  The procedure for determining the Initial Borrowing Base and at each redetermination shall be that the Administrative Agent shall determine the Borrowing Base and submit the same to the Lenders. Increases in the Borrowing Base will require approval of all the Lenders, but other reaffirmations or changes in the Borrowing Base will be subject to the approval of Required Lenders. The  Lenders (in the case of a proposed increase to the Borrowing Base) or Required Lenders (in the case of a proposed reaffirmation or reduction to the Borrowing Base) shall approve or reject the Administrative Agent’s initial determination of the proposed Borrowing Base by written notice to the Administrative Agent on or about fifteen (15) days after the Administrative Agent’s notification of its initial determination; provided, however that, the failure by any Lender to confirm or reject in writing the Administrative Agent’s determination of the proposed Borrowing Base within such period shall be deemed an approval of the such proposed Borrowing Base by such Lender.  If Lenders (in the case of a proposed increase to the Borrowing Base) or Required Lenders (in the case of a proposed reaffirmation or reduction to the Borrowing Base) fail to approve any such proposed Borrowing Base determined by the Administrative Agent hereunder in such period, then the Administrative Agent shall poll the Lenders to ascertain the highest proposed Borrowing Base then acceptable to Lenders (in the case of a proposed increase to the Borrowing Base) or Required Lenders (in the case of a proposed reaffirmation or reduction to the Borrowing Base) for purposes of this Section 2.16, such amounts shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified in this Section 2.16.  Until such approval or deemed approval, the Borrowing Base in effect before the proposed Borrowing Base shall remain in effect.  Upon agreement by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (in the case of a proposed increase to the Borrowing Base) or Required Lenders (in the case of a proposed reaffirmation or reduction to the Borrowing Base) of the new Borrowing Base, the Administrative Agent shall, by written notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, designate the new Borrowing Base available to the Borrower.  Such designation shall be effective as of the Business Day specified in such written notice (or, if no effective date is specified in such written notice, the next Business Day following delivery of such written notice) and such new Borrowing Base shall remain in effect until the next determination or redetermination of the Borrowing Base in accordance with this Agreement.

 

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Section 2.17                                   Reduction of Borrowing Base upon Sale of Borrowing Base Properties or Equity Interests in Restricted Subsidiaries, Hedge Terminations and Issuance of Permitted Additional Debt.

 

(a)                                 Sale of Borrowing Base Properties.  If (i) the Borrower or a Credit Party Disposes of Borrowing Base Properties included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report or Disposes of any Equity Interests in any Restricted Subsidiary owning any Borrowing Base Properties included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report and (ii) the aggregate value attributed in the most recent Reserve Report to all such Borrowing Base Properties Disposed of, when combined with the aggregate Borrowing Base value (as determined by the Administrative Agent) of all Hedge Terminations, in each case since the latest of (A) the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, (B) the most recent scheduled Redetermination Date or Determination Date and (C) the last adjustment of the Borrower Base made pursuant to this Section 2.17(a), exceeds ten percent (10%) of the then-effective Borrowing Base, individually or in the aggregate, then the Required Lenders shall have the right to adjust the Borrowing Base in an amount equal to the Borrowing Base value, if any, attributable to such Disposed of Borrowing Base Properties in the calculation of the then-effective Borrowing Base and, if the Required Lenders in fact make any such adjustment, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower in writing of the Borrowing Base value, if any, attributable to such Disposed of Borrowing Base Properties in the calculation of the then-effective Borrowing Base and upon receipt of such notice, the Borrowing Base shall be simultaneously reduced by such amount; and

 

(b)                                 Hedge Terminations.  If the Borrower or a Credit Party effects any Hedge Termination and the Borrowing Base value (as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent) of all such Hedge Terminations, when combined with the aggregate value attributed in the most recent Reserve Report to all Borrowing Base Properties Disposed of (and Dispositions of Equity Interests in any Restricted Subsidiary owning any Borrowing Base Properties), in each case since the latest of (A) the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, (B) the most recent scheduled Redetermination Date or Determination Date and (C) the last adjustment of the Borrower Base made pursuant to Section 2.17(a) above, exceeds ten percent (10%) of the then-effective Borrowing Base, individually or in the aggregate, the Borrowing Base will then be reduced by the Borrowing Base value (as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent and confirmed in writing by the Required Lenders) of such Hedge Termination.

 

(c)                                  Reduction of Borrowing Base Upon Issuance of Permitted Additional Debt.  Upon the issuance or incurrence of any Permitted Additional Debt (other than any Permitted Additional Debt to the extent the proceeds thereof are used to refinance any other Permitted Additional Debt) in accordance with Section 10.7(g), the Borrowing Base then in effect shall be reduced by an amount equal to the product of 0.25 multiplied by the stated principal amount of such Permitted Additional Debt (without regard to any original issue discount), and the Borrowing Base as so reduced shall become the new Borrowing Base immediately upon the date of such issuance or incurrence, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders on such date until the next redetermination or modification thereof hereunder.

 

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(d)                                 Reduction of Borrowing Base Related to Acquisition of Haymaker Acquired Entities.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries have not acquired at least 95% of the PV-9 of the Haymaker Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the June 2018 Reserve Report, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Borrowing Base value attributable to such Oil and Gas Properties not acquired by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, as determined by the Joint Lead Arrangers in their sole discretion and consistent with their normal oil and gas lending criteria as it exists on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date.

 

Section 2.18                             Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

 

(a)                                 Commitment Fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 4.1(a);

 

(b)                                 The Commitment and Total Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether all Lenders or the Majority Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment or waiver pursuant to Section 13.1); provided that (i) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders pursuant to Section 13.1 (other than Section 13.1(a)(J)) or requiring the consent of each affected Lender pursuant to Section 13.1(a)(A) shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender (which for the avoidance of doubt would include any change to the Maturity Date applicable to such Defaulting Lender, decreasing or forgiving any principal or interest due to such Defaulting Lender, any decrease of any interest rate applicable to Loans made by such Defaulting Lender (other than the waiving of post-default interest rates) and any increase in such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) and (ii) any redetermination, whether an increase, decrease or affirmation, of the Borrowing Base shall occur without the participation of a Defaulting Lender, but the Commitment (i.e., the Commitment Percentage of the Borrowing Base) of a Defaulting Lender may not be increased without the consent of such Defaulting Lender;

 

(c)                                  If any Letter of Credit Exposure exists at the time a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then all or any part of such Letter of Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender will, subject to the limitation in the first proviso below, automatically be reallocated (effective on the day such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender) among the Non-Defaulting Lenders pro rata in accordance with their respective Commitment Percentages; provided that (i) each Non-Defaulting Lender’s Total Exposure may not in any event exceed the Commitment of such Non-Defaulting Lender as in effect at the time of such reallocation and (ii) neither such reallocation nor any payment by a Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant thereto will constitute a waiver or release of any claim the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or any other Lender may have against such Defaulting Lender or cause such Defaulting Lender to be a Non-Defaulting Lender, to the extent that all or any portion (the “unreallocated portion”) of the Defaulting Lender’s Letter

 

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of Credit Exposure cannot, or can only partially, be so reallocated to Non-Defaulting Lenders, whether by reason of the first proviso in Section 2.18(c)(i) or otherwise, the Borrower shall within two Business Days following notice by the Administrative Agent, Cash Collateralize for the benefit of the applicable Issuing Bank only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above), in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 3.8 for so long as such Letter of Credit Exposure is outstanding, if the Borrower Cash Collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure pursuant to this Section 2.18(c), the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 4.1(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure is Cash Collateralized, if the Letter of Credit Exposure of the Non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to this Section 2.18(c), then the Letter of Credit Fees payable for the account of the Lenders pursuant to Section 4.1(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such Non-Defaulting Lenders’ Commitment Percentages and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any Letter of Credit Fees to the Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 4.1(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure during the period that such Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure is reallocated, or if any Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure is neither Cash Collateralized nor reallocated pursuant to this Section 2.18(c), then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of any Issuing Bank or any Lender hereunder, all Letter of Credit Fees payable under Section 4.1(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Exposure shall be payable to such Issuing Bank until such Letter of Credit Exposure is Cash Collateralized and/or reallocated;

 

(d)                                 So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Bank will be required to issue any new Letter of Credit or amend any outstanding Letter of Credit to increase the Face Amount thereof, alter the drawing terms thereunder or extend the expiration date thereof, unless each Issuing Bank is reasonably satisfied that any exposure that would result from the exposure to such Defaulting Lender is eliminated or fully covered by the Commitments of the Non-Defaulting Lenders or by Cash Collateralization or a combination thereof in accordance with clause (c) above or otherwise in a manner reasonably satisfactory to such Issuing Bank, and participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among Non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.18(c)(i) (and Defaulting Lenders shall not participate therein);

 

(e)                                  If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank agree in writing in their discretion that a Lender that is a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon, as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein, such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender and will be a Non-Defaulting Lender and any applicable Cash Collateral shall be promptly returned to the Borrower and any Letter of Credit Exposure of such Lender reallocated pursuant to Section 2.18(c) shall be reallocated back to such Lender; provided that, except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting

 

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Lender to Non-Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from such Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender; and

 

(f)                                   Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article XI or otherwise), shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to each Issuing Bank hereunder; third, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fourth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a non-interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; fifth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders and each Issuing Bank as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, such Issuing Bank against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; sixth, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and seventh, to that Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or Unpaid Drawings, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the relevant Loans of, and Unpaid Drawings owed to, the relevant non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied in the manner set forth in this Section 2.18(f). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 3.8 shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

ARTICLE III

LETTERS OF CREDIT

 

Section 3.1                                    Letters of Credit.

 

(a)                                 Subject to and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, at any time and from time to time on and after the Effective Date and prior to the L/C Maturity Date, each Issuing Bank agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 3.1, to issue upon the request of the Borrower and for the direct or indirect benefit of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, a Letter of Credit or Letters of Credit in such form and with such Issuer Documents as may be approved by the applicable Issuing Bank in its reasonable discretion.

 

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(b)                                 Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no Letter of Credit shall be issued the Stated Amount of which, when added to the Letters of Credit outstanding at such time, would exceed the Letter of Credit Commitment then in effect, (ii) no Letter of Credit shall be issued the Stated Amount of which would cause the Total Outstandings at such time to exceed the Borrowing Base then in effect, (iii) each Letter of Credit shall have an expiration date occurring no later than eighteen (18) months after the date of issuance or such longer period of time as may be agreed by the applicable Issuing Bank, unless otherwise agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank or as provided under Section 3.2(b); provided that any Letter of Credit may provide for automatic renewal thereof for additional periods of up to eighteen (18) months or such longer period of time as may be agreed upon by the applicable Issuing Bank, subject to the provisions of Section 3.2(b); provided, further, that in no event shall such expiration date occur later than the L/C Maturity Date unless arrangements which are reasonably satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Bank to Cash Collateralize (or backstop) such Letter of Credit have been made, (iv) no Letter of Credit shall be issued if (A) it would be illegal under any applicable Requirement of Law for the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit to have a Letter of Credit issued in its favor, (B) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the Issuing Bank from issuing the Letter of Credit, or any Requirement of Law applicable to the Issuing Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Issuing Bank shall prohibit, or request that the Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon Issuing Bank with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the Issuing Bank is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Effective Date, or shall impose upon Issuing Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Effective Date and which, in each case, the Issuing Bank in good faith deems material to it or (C) the issuance of the Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally as certified to the Borrower in writing by such Issuing Bank and (v) no Letter of Credit shall be issued by an Issuing Bank after it has received a written notice from any Credit Party or the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders stating that a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing until such time as such Issuing Bank shall have received a written notice (A) of rescission of such notice from the party or parties originally delivering such notice, (B) of the waiver of such Default or Event of Default in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.1 or (C) that such Default or Event of Default is no longer continuing.

 

(c)                                  Upon at least one Business Day’s prior written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the applicable Lenders), the Borrower shall have the right, on any day, permanently to terminate or reduce the Letter of Credit Commitment in whole or in part; provided that, after giving effect to such termination or reduction, the outstanding Reimbursement Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Commitment.

 

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Section 3.2                                    Letter of Credit Applications.

 

(a)                                 Whenever the Borrower desires that a Letter of Credit be issued, amended or renewed for its account, the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the applicable Issuing Bank) to the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent a Letter of Credit Application, amendment request or any such document as may be approved by the applicable Issuing Bank. Upon receipt of any Letter of Credit Application or amendment request, the applicable Issuing Bank will use its best efforts to process such Letter of Credit Application on (i) the Business Day on which such Letter of Credit Application is received, provided that such Letter of Credit Application is received no later than 12:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) on such Business Day, or (ii) otherwise, the first Business Day next succeeding receipt of such Letter of Credit Application. No Issuing Bank shall issue any Letters of Credit unless such Issuing Bank shall have received notice from the Administrative Agent that the conditions to such issuance have been met, which notice shall be deemed given (A) if the Letter of Credit Issuer has not received notice from the Administrative Agent that the conditions to such issuance have been met within one Business Day after the date of receipt of the Letter of Credit Application or (B) if the aggregate amount of Letters of Credit Outstanding issued by such Issuing Bank then outstanding does not exceed the amount theretofore agreed to by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Issuing Bank, and the Administrative Agent has not otherwise notified such Issuing Bank that it may no longer rely on subclauses (A) or (B).

 

(b)                                 If the Borrower so requests in any Letter of Credit Application, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the Issuing Bank to prevent any such extension at least once in each 18-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such 18-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued.  Unless otherwise directed by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the Issuing Bank for any such extension.  Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the Issuing Bank to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the L/C Maturity Date unless arrangements which are reasonably satisfactory to the Issuing Bank to Cash Collateralize (or satisfactory to the Issuing Bank in its sole discretion to otherwise backstop) such Letter of Credit have been made (but no Lenders shall be obligated to fund participations in respect of any Letter of Credit after the Maturity Date); provided, however, that the Issuing Bank shall not permit any such extension if (i) the Issuing Bank has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (b) of Section 3.1 or otherwise), or (ii) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is five (5) Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (A) from the Administrative Agent

 

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that the Majority Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (B) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 7 are not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the Issuing Bank not to permit such extension.

 

(c)                                  Each Issuing Bank (other than the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates) shall, at least once each week, provide the Administrative Agent with a list of all Letters of Credit issued by it that are outstanding at such time; provided that, upon written request from the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank shall thereafter notify the Administrative Agent in writing on each Business Day of all Letters of Credit issued on the prior Business Day by such Issuing Bank.

 

(d)                                 The making of each Letter of Credit Application shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrower that the Letter of Credit may be issued in accordance with, and will not violate the requirements of, Section 3.1(b).

 

Section 3.3                                    Letter of Credit Participations.

 

(a)                                 Immediately upon the issuance by an Issuing Bank of any Letter of Credit, such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have sold and transferred to each Lender (each such Lender, in its capacity under this Section 3.3, an “L/C Participant”), and each such L/C Participant shall be deemed irrevocably and unconditionally to have purchased and received from such Issuing Bank, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation (each an “L/C Participation”), to the extent of such L/C Participant’s Commitment Percentage, in each Letter of Credit, each substitute therefor, each drawing made thereunder and the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement with respect thereto, and any security therefor or guaranty pertaining thereto.

 

(b)                                 In determining whether to pay under any Letter of Credit, the relevant Issuing Bank shall have no obligation relative to the L/C Participants other than to confirm that

 

(i)                                     any documents required to be delivered under such Letter of Credit have been delivered,

 

(ii)                                  such Issuing Bank has examined the documents with reasonable care and

 

(iii)                               the documents appear to comply on their face with the requirements of such Letter of Credit. Any action taken or omitted to be taken by the relevant Issuing Bank under or in connection with any Letter of Credit issued by it, if taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, shall not create for such Issuing Bank any resulting liability.

 

(c)                                  In the event that an Issuing Bank makes any payment under any Letter of Credit issued by it and the Borrower shall not have repaid such amount in full to such

 

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Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 3.4(a), or if any reimbursement payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower, such Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each L/C Participant of such failure, and each such L/C Participant shall promptly and unconditionally pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuing Bank the amount of such L/C Participant’s Commitment Percentage of such unreimbursed payment in Dollars and in immediately available funds; provided, however, that no L/C Participant shall be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuing Bank its Commitment Percentage of such unreimbursed amount arising from any wrongful payment made by such Issuing Bank under any such Letter of Credit as a result of acts or omissions constituting willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of such Issuing Bank. Each L/C Participant shall make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant Issuing Bank such L/C Participant’s Commitment Percentage of the amount of such payment no later than 1:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) on the first Business Day after the date notified by such Issuing Bank in immediately available funds. If and to the extent such L/C Participant shall not have so made its Commitment Percentage of the amount of such payment available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant Issuing Bank, such L/C Participant agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuing Bank, forthwith on demand, such amount, together with interest thereon for each day from such date until the date such amount is paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuing Bank at a rate per annum equal to the Overnight Rate from time to time then in effect, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by such Issuing Bank in connection with the foregoing. The failure of any L/C Participant to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Issuing Bank its Commitment Percentage of any payment under any Letter of Credit shall not relieve any other L/C Participant of its obligation hereunder to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuing Bank its Commitment Percentage of any payment under such Letter of Credit on the date required, as specified above, but no L/C Participant shall be responsible for the failure of any other L/C Participant to make available to the Administrative Agent such other L/C Participant’s Commitment Percentage of any such payment.

 

(d)                                 Whenever an Issuing Bank receives a payment in respect of an unpaid Reimbursement Obligation as to which the Administrative Agent has received for the account of such Issuing Bank any payments from the L/C Participants pursuant to clause (c) above, such Issuing Bank shall pay to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to each L/C Participant that has paid its Commitment Percentage of such Reimbursement Obligation, in Dollars and in immediately available funds, an amount equal to such L/C Participant’s share (based upon the proportionate aggregate amount originally funded by such L/C Participant to the aggregate amount funded by all L/C Participants) of the principal amount so paid in respect of such Reimbursement Obligation and interest thereon accruing after the purchase of the respective L/C Participations at the Overnight Rate.

 

(e)                                  The obligations of the L/C Participants to make payments to the Administrative Agent for the account of an Issuing Bank with respect to Letters of Credit shall be irrevocable and not subject to counterclaim, set-off or other defense or any other

 

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qualification or exception whatsoever and shall be made in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement under all circumstances, including under any of the following circumstances:

 

(i)                                     any lack of validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents;

 

(ii)                                  the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower may have at any time against a beneficiary named in a Letter of Credit, any transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such transferee may be acting), the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Lender or other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, the transactions contemplated herein or any unrelated transactions (including any underlying transaction between the Borrower and the beneficiary named in any such Letter of Credit);

 

(iii)                               any draft, certificate or any other document presented under any Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect;

 

(iv)                              the surrender or impairment of any security for the performance or observance of any of the terms of any of the Credit Documents; or

 

(v)                                 the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;

 

provided, however, that no L/C Participant shall be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Issuing Bank its Commitment Percentage of any unreimbursed amount arising from any wrongful payment made by such Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit as a result of acts or omissions constituting willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of such Issuing Bank.

 

Section 3.4                                    Agreement to Repay Letter of Credit Drawings.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower hereby agrees to reimburse the relevant Issuing Bank by making payment in Dollars to such Issuing Bank or to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuing Bank (whether with its own funds or with proceeds of the Loans) in immediately available funds, for any payment or disbursement made by such Issuing Bank under any Letter of Credit issued by it (each such amount so paid until reimbursed, an “Unpaid Drawing”) (i) within one Business Day of the date of such payment or disbursement if such Issuing Bank provides notice to the Borrower of such payment or disbursement prior to 11:00 a.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) on such next succeeding Business Day (from the date of such payment or disbursement) or (ii) if such notice is received after such time, on the next Business Day following the date of receipt of such notice (such required date for reimbursement under clause (i) or (ii), as applicable, the “Reimbursement Date”), with interest on the amount so paid or disbursed by such Issuing Bank, from and including the date of such payment or disbursement to but excluding the

 

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Reimbursement Date, at the per annum rate for each day equal to the rate described in Section 2.7(a); provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, with respect to any Letter of Credit, (A) unless the Borrower shall have notified the Administrative Agent and such Issuing Bank prior to 11:00 a.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) on the Reimbursement Date that the Borrower intends to reimburse such Issuing Bank for the amount of such drawing with funds other than the proceeds of Loans, the Borrower shall be deemed to have given a Notice of Borrowing requesting that the Lenders make Loans (which shall be ABR Loans) on the Reimbursement Date in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing, and (B) the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each L/C Participant of such drawing and the amount of its Loan to be made in respect thereof, and each L/C Participant shall be irrevocably obligated to make a Loan to the Borrower in the manner deemed to have been requested in the amount of its Commitment Percentage of the applicable Unpaid Drawing by 12:00 noon (Fort Worth, Texas time) on such Reimbursement Date by making the amount of such Loan available to the Administrative Agent. Such Loans made in respect of such Unpaid Drawing on such Reimbursement Date shall be made without regard to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article VII. The Administrative Agent shall use the proceeds of such Loans solely for purpose of reimbursing the relevant Issuing Bank for the related Unpaid Drawing. In the event that the Borrower fails to Cash Collateralize any Letter of Credit that is outstanding on the L/C Maturity Date, the full amount of the Letters of Credit Outstanding in respect of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be an Unpaid Drawing subject to the provisions of this Section 3.4 except that such Issuing Bank shall hold the proceeds received from the Lenders as contemplated above as cash collateral for such Letter of Credit to reimburse any Drawing under such Letter of Credit and shall use such proceeds first, to reimburse itself for any Drawings made in respect of such Letter of Credit following the L/C Maturity Date, second, to the extent such Letter of Credit expires or is returned undrawn while any such cash collateral remains, to the repayment of obligations in respect of any Loans that have not paid at such time and third, to the Borrower or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in this Section 3.4(a) shall affect the Borrower’s obligation to repay all outstanding Loans when due in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(b)                                 The obligations of the Borrower under this Section 3.4 to reimburse the relevant Issuing Bank with respect to Unpaid Drawings (including, in each case, interest thereon) shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable under any and all circumstances and irrespective of any set-off, counterclaim or defense to payment that the Borrower or any other Person may have or have had against such Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including in its capacity as an L/C Participant), including any defense based upon (i) the failure of any drawing under a Letter of Credit (each a “Drawing”) to conform to the terms of the Letter of Credit, (ii) any non-application or misapplication by the beneficiary of the proceeds of such Drawing, (iii) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (iv) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect or (v) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section 3.4(b), constitute a legal or

 

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equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the relevant Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The Borrower agrees that any action taken or omitted to be taken by an Issuing Bank under or in connection with any Letter of Credit or the related drafts or documents, if done in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), shall be binding on the Borrower and shall not result in any liability of such Issuing Bank to the Borrower; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse such Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care, when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. In furtherance of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank that issued such Letter of Credit may in its sole discretion either accept or make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit (unless the Borrower shall consent to payment thereon notwithstanding such lack of strict compliance).

 

Section 3.5                                    Increased Costs. If, after the Effective Date, the adoption of any Change in Law shall either (a) impose, modify or make applicable any reserve, deposit, capital adequacy or similar requirement against Letters of Credit issued by any Issuing Bank, or any L/C Participant’s L/C Participation therein, or (b) impose on any Issuing Bank or any L/C Participant any other conditions, costs or expenses affecting its obligations under this Agreement in respect of Letters of Credit or L/C Participations therein or any Letter of Credit or such L/C Participant’s L/C Participation therein, and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to such Issuing Bank or such L/C Participant of issuing, maintaining or participating in any Letter of Credit, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Issuing Bank or such L/C Participant hereunder (other than (i) Taxes indemnifiable under Section 5.4, or (ii) Excluded Taxes) in respect of Letters of Credit or L/C Participations therein, then, promptly (and in any event no later than 15 days) after receipt of written demand to the Borrower by such Issuing Bank or such L/C Participant, as the case may be (a copy of which notice shall be sent by such Issuing Bank or such L/C Participant to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Issuing Bank or such L/C Participant such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Issuing Bank or such L/C Participant for such increased cost or reduction, it being understood and agreed, however, that no Issuing Bank or L/C Participant shall be entitled to such compensation as a result of such Person’s compliance with, or pursuant to any request or directive to comply with, any such Requirement of Law as in effect on the Effective Date. A certificate submitted to the Borrower by the relevant Issuing Bank or an L/C Participant, as the case may be (a copy of which certificate shall be sent by such Issuing Bank or such L/C Participant to the Administrative Agent), setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for the determination of such additional amount or amounts

 

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necessary to compensate such Issuing Bank or such L/C Participant as aforesaid shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower absent clearly demonstrable error.

 

Section 3.6                                    New or Successor Issuing Bank.

 

(a)                                 Any Issuing Bank may resign as an Issuing Bank upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower; provided that no Issuing Bank may resign without the prior consent of the Borrower so long as such Issuing Bank (or one of its Affiliates) is also a Lender hereunder. The Borrower may replace any Issuing Bank for any reason upon written notice to such Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent and may add Issuing Banks at any time upon notice by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent. If an Issuing Bank shall resign or be replaced, or if the Borrower shall decide to add a new Issuing Bank under this Agreement, then the Borrower may appoint from among the Lenders a successor issuer of Letters of Credit or a new Issuing Bank, as the case may be, or, with the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) and such new Issuing Bank, another successor or new issuer of Letters of Credit, whereupon such successor issuer shall succeed to the rights, powers and duties of the replaced or resigning Issuing Bank under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, or such new issuer of Letters of Credit shall be granted the rights, powers and duties of an Issuing Bank hereunder, and the term “Issuing Bank” shall mean such successor or such new issuer of Letters of Credit effective upon such appointment. The acceptance of any appointment as an Issuing Bank hereunder, whether as a successor issuer or new issuer of Letters of Credit in accordance with this Agreement, shall be evidenced by an agreement entered into by such new or successor issuer of Letters of Credit, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and, from and after the effective date of such agreement, such new or successor issuer of Letters of Credit shall become an “Issuing Bank” hereunder. After the resignation or replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the resigning or replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such resignation or replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit. In connection with any resignation or replacement pursuant to this clause (a) (but, in case of any such resignation, only to the extent that a successor issuer of Letters of Credit shall have been appointed), either

 

(i)                                     the Borrower, the resigning or replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank shall arrange to have any outstanding Letters of Credit issued by the resigning or replaced Issuing Bank replaced with Letters of Credit issued by the successor Issuing Bank or

 

(ii)                                  the Borrower shall cause the successor Issuing Bank, if such successor issuer is reasonably satisfactory to the replaced or resigning Issuing Bank, to issue “back-stop” Letters of Credit naming the resigning or replaced Issuing Bank as beneficiary for each outstanding Letter of Credit issued by the resigning or replaced Issuing Bank, which new Letters of Credit shall have a Stated Amount equal to the Letters of Credit being back-stopped and the sole requirement

 

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for drawing on such new Letters of Credit shall be a drawing on the corresponding back-stopped Letters of Credit. After any resigning or replaced Issuing Bank’s resignation or replacement as Issuing Bank, the provisions of this Agreement relating to an Issuing Bank shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it (A) while it was an Issuing Bank under this Agreement or (B) at any time with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank.

 

(b)                                 To the extent that there are, at the time of any resignation or replacement as set forth in clause (a) above, any outstanding Letters of Credit, nothing herein shall be deemed to impact or impair any rights and obligations of any of the parties hereto with respect to such outstanding Letters of Credit (including any obligations related to the payment of fees or the reimbursement or funding of amounts drawn), except that the Borrower, the resigning or replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank shall have the obligations regarding outstanding Letters of Credit described in clause (a) above.

 

Section 3.7                                    Role of Issuing Bank. Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, no Issuing Bank shall have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the Issuing Banks, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective affiliates nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of any Issuing Bank shall be liable to any Lender for (a) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Majority Lenders, (b) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct or (c) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the Issuing Banks, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective affiliates nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of any Issuing Bank shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in Section 3.3(e); provided that anything in such Section to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against an Issuing Bank, and such Issuing Bank may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by such Issuing Bank’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or such Issuing Bank’s unlawful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, any Issuing Bank may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and no Issuing Bank shall be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.

 

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Section 3.8                                    Cash Collateral.

 

(a)                                 Upon the request of the Majority Lenders if, as of the L/C Maturity Date, there are any Letters of Credit outstanding, the Borrower shall immediately Cash Collateralize the then Letters of Credit outstanding.

 

(b)                                 If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the Majority Lenders may require that the L/C Obligations be Cash Collateralized; provided that, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default referred to in Section 11.5 with respect to the Borrower, the Borrower shall immediately Cash Collateralize the Letters of Credit then outstanding and no notice or request by or consent from the Majority Lenders shall be required.

 

(c)                                  For purposes of this Agreement, “Cash Collateralize” shall mean (i) to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Banks and the Lenders, as collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances in an amount equal to the amount of the Letters of Credit outstanding required to be Cash Collateralized (the “Required Cash Collateral Amount”) or (ii) if the relevant Issuing Bank benefiting from such collateral shall agree in its reasonable discretion, to provide other forms of credit support (including any backstop letter of credit) in a face amount equal to 103% of the Required Cash Collateral Amount from an issuer reasonably satisfactory to such Issuing Bank, in each case under clause (i) and (ii) above pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the relevant Issuing Bank (which documents are hereby consented to by the Lenders). The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Banks and the L/C Participants, a security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Such cash Collateral shall be maintained in blocked, interest bearing deposit accounts established by and in the name of the Borrower, but under the “control” (as defined in Section 9-104 of the UCC) of the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 3.9                                    Applicability of ISP and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed to by the relevant Issuing Bank and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued, (a) the rules of the ISP or the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit and (b) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance, shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit.

 

Section 3.10                             Conflict with Issuer Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.

 

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ARTICLE IV

FEES; COMMITMENTS

 

Section 4.1                                    Fees.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent in Dollars, for the account of each Lender (in each case pro rata according to the respective Commitment Percentages of the Lenders), a commitment fee (the “Unused Commitment Fee”) for each day from the Effective Date until but excluding the Maturity Date. Each Unused Commitment Fee shall be payable by the Borrower (i) quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December (for the three-month period (or portion thereof) ended on such day for which no payment has been received) and (ii) on the Maturity Date (for the period ended on such date for which no payment has been received pursuant to clause (i) above), and shall be computed for each day during such period at a rate per annum equal to the Unused Commitment Fee Rate in effect on such day on the Available Commitment in effect on such day.

 

(b)                                 The Borrower agrees to pay to each Issuing Bank a fee in respect of each Letter of Credit issued by it (the “Fronting Fee”), for the period from the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit to the termination or expiration date of such Letter of Credit, computed at the rate for each day equal to 0.125% per annum (or such other amount as may be agreed in a separate writing between the Borrower and the relevant Issuing Bank) on the average daily Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit (or at such other rate per annum as agreed in writing between the Borrower and the relevant Issuing Bank). Such Fronting Fees shall be due and payable by the Borrower (i) quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and (ii) on the Termination Date (for the period for which no payment has been received pursuant to clause (i) above).

 

(c)                                  The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its account and on behalf of the Lenders, as applicable, the administrative agent fees in the amounts and on the dates as set forth in writing in a fee letter between the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

Section 4.2                                    Voluntary Reduction of Commitment Amount.

 

(a)                                 Upon at least two Business Days’ prior written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the Lenders), the Borrower shall have the right, without premium or penalty, on any day, permanently to terminate or reduce the Total Commitment, as determined by the Borrower, in whole or in part; provided that (i) any such termination or reduction shall apply proportionately and permanently to reduce the Commitment of each Lender, (ii) any partial reduction pursuant to this Section 4.2 shall be in the amount of at least $500,000 (and increments of $100,000 above that minimum) and (iii) after giving effect to such termination or reduction and to any prepayments of Loans or cancellation or Cash Collateralization of Letters of Credit made on the date thereof in accordance with this

 

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Agreement, the aggregate amount of the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Loan Limit.

 

(b)                                 The Borrower may terminate the unused amount of the Commitment of a Defaulting Lender upon not less than two (2) Business Days’ prior notice to the Administrative Agent (which will promptly notify the Lenders thereof), and in such event the provisions of Section 2.18(f) will apply to all amounts thereafter paid by the Borrower for the account of such Defaulting Lender under this Agreement (whether on account of principal, interest, fees, indemnity or other amounts), provided that such termination will not be deemed to be a waiver or release of any claim the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have against such Defaulting Lender.

 

Section 4.3                                    Mandatory Termination of Commitments. The Total Commitment shall terminate at 5:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) on the Maturity Date. If at any time the Total Commitment or the Borrowing Base is terminated or reduced to zero, then each Lender’s Commitment shall terminate on the effective date of such termination or reduction.

 

Section 4.4                                    Optional Increase in Total Commitment.

 

(a)                                 Subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.4(b), the Borrower may increase the Total Commitment then in effect without the prior consent of the Administrative Agent, any other Lender or any Issuing Bank (but with the consent of the Administrative Agent with respect to any Additional Lender an Affiliate of a Lender) by (i) increasing the Commitment of a Lender or (B) causing a Person that at such time is not a Lender to become a Lender (an “Additional Lender”).

 

(b)                                 Any increase in the Total Commitment shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

 

(1)                                 (X) after giving effect to such increase, the Total Commitment shall not exceed $500,000,000 and (Y) such increase shall not, unless it is the remaining amount permitted under clause (X) hereof, be less than $5,000,000 (and increments of $1,000,000 above the minimum) unless the Administrative Agent otherwise consents; provided, however, that notwithstanding any such increase in the Total Commitment, any borrowings hereunder are still subject to the Loan Limit in effect at such time;

 

(2)                                 no Default shall have occurred and be continuing immediately before or immediately after giving effect to such increase without the written consent of each Lender that is providing such increase;

 

(3)                                 no Lender’s Commitment may be increased without the written consent of such Lender;

 

(4)                                 the Borrower shall represent and warrant that as of the date thereof, immediately after giving effect to the applicable Total Commitment

 

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Increase Agreement or Additional Lender Agreement, all of the representations and warranties contained in each Credit Document to which it is a party are true and correct in all materials respects, except to the extent any such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall continue to be true and correct as of such specified earlier date;

 

(5)                                 an opinion of counsel to the Borrower, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, as to such customary matters regarding the Total Commitment Increase Agreement or Additional Lender Agreement, as the Administrative Agent may reasonable request;

 

(6)                                 (i) the commitments under such increase shall be deemed for all purposes part of the Total Commitment, (ii) each Additional Lender shall become a Lender with respect to the Total Commitment, this Agreement and all matters relating thereto and (iii) the commitments under the Total Commitment Increase Agreement and the Additional Lender Agreement shall have the same terms as the Commitments (including terms relating to pricing and tenor);

 

(7)                                 if the Borrower elects to increase the Total Commitment by increasing the Commitment of a Lender (such Lender, an “Increasing Lender”), the Borrower and such Increasing Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit G-1 (a “Total Commitment Increase Agreement”) and the Borrower shall deliver a new or replacement Note to such Increasing Lender to the extent required by Section 2.4(e); and

 

(8)                                 if the Borrower elects to increase the Total Commitment by causing an Additional Lender to become a party to this Agreement as a Lender, then the Borrower and such Additional Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit G-2 (an “Additional Lender Agreement”),  together with an Administrative Questionnaire and, to the extent such Additional Lender requests a Note, the Borrower shall deliver a Note payable to such Additional Lender in accordance with Section 2.4(e).

 

(c)                                  Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to Section 4.4(d), from and after the effective date specified in the Total Commitment Increase Agreement or the Additional Lender Agreement (or if any LIBOR Loans are outstanding, then the last day of the Interest Period in respect of such LIBOR Loans, unless the Borrower has paid compensation required by Section 2.10:  (1) the amount of the Total Commitment shall be increased as set forth therein (and Schedule 13.2 shall automatically be amended and restated by Schedule 2.06 of the Total Commitment Increase Agreement or the Additional Lender Agreement, as applicable), and (2) in the case of an Additional Lender Agreement, any Additional Lender party thereto that is not already a Lender shall become a party to this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and have the rights and obligations of a

 

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Lender under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.  In addition, the Increasing Lender or the Additional Lender, as applicable, shall purchase a pro rata portion of the outstanding Loans (and participation interest in Letters of Credit) of each of the other Lenders (and such Lenders hereby agree to sell and to take all such further action to effectuate such sale) such that each Increasing Lender (including any Additional Lender, if applicable) shall hold its Commitment Percentage of the outstanding Loans (and participation interests) after giving effect to the increase in the Total Commitment.

 

(d)                                 Upon its receipt of (1) a duly completed Total Commitment Increase Agreement or an Additional Lender Agreement, executed by the Borrower and the Increasing Lender or the Additional Lender party thereto, as applicable, (2) the Administrative Questionnaire referred to in Section 4.4(b)(8), if applicable, (3) an opinion of counsel to the Borrower, in form and substance reasonable acceptable to the Administrative Agent, as to such customary matters regarding the Total Commitment Increase Agreement or Additional Lender Agreement as the Administrative Agent may reasonable request and (4) the written consent of the Administrative Agent to such increase to the extent required by Section 4.4(a), the Administrative Agent shall accept such Total Commitment Increase Agreement or Additional Lender Agreement and, on the date that the conditions in this clause (d) and in Section 4.4(b) have been satisfied, record the information contained therein in the Register required to be maintained by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 13.6(b).  No increase in the Total Commitment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this Section 4.4(d).  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank of the effectiveness of any increase in the Total Commitment and in connection therewith promptly provide such amended and restated Schedule 13.2 to the Borrower, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank.

 

ARTICLE V
PAYMENTS

 

Section 5.1                                    Voluntary Prepayments. The Borrower shall have the right to prepay Loans, without premium or penalty, in whole or in part from time to time on the following terms and conditions:

 

(a)                                 the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) of its intent to make such prepayment, the amount of such prepayment and (in the case of LIBOR Loans) the specific Advance(s) being prepaid, which notice shall be given by the Borrower no later than 12:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) (or such later time as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) (i) in the case of LIBOR Loans, three Business Days prior to and (ii) in the case of ABR Loans on the date of such prepayment and shall promptly be transmitted by the Administrative Agent to each of the Lenders;

 

(b)                                 each partial prepayment of (i) LIBOR Loans shall be in a minimum amount of $100,000 and in multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof, and (ii) any ABR Loans shall be in a minimum amount of $500,000 and in multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof; and

 

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(c)                                  any prepayment of LIBOR Loans pursuant to this Section 5.1 on any day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto shall be subject to compliance by the Borrower with the applicable provisions of Section 2.10.

 

Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type of Loans to be prepaid; provided that any such notice may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or any incurrence or issuance of debt or equity or the occurrence of any other transaction, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. At the Borrower’s election in connection with any prepayment pursuant to this Section 5.1, such prepayment shall not be applied to any Loans of a Defaulting Lender.

 

Section 5.2                                    Mandatory Prepayments.

 

(a)                                 Repayment following Optional Reduction of Commitments. If, after giving effect to any reduction of the Total Commitment pursuant to Section 5.1(a), there is a Borrowing Base Deficiency, then the Borrower shall on the same Business Day, prepay the remaining Loans on the date of such termination or reduction in an aggregate principal amount equal to such Borrowing Base Deficiency and (ii) if any Borrowing Base Deficiency remains after prepaying all of the Loans as a result of any Letter of Credit Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Issuing Banks and the L/C Participants an amount in cash or otherwise Cash Collateralize an amount equal to such Borrowing Base Deficiency as provided in Section 3.8.

 

(b)                                 Repayment of Loans Following Redetermination or Adjustment of Borrowing Base.  Upon any redetermination of the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.14 or 2.15, if there is a Borrowing Base Deficiency, then the Borrower shall, within ten (10) Business Days after its receipt of notice of such Borrowing Base Deficiency, inform the Administrative Agent of the Borrower’s election to: (A) within 30 days following such election prepay the Loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to such Borrowing Base Deficiency, (B) prepay the Loans in six equal monthly installments, commencing on the 30th day following such election with each payment being equal to l/6th of the aggregate principal amount of such Borrowing Base Deficiency, (C) within 30 days following such election, provide additional Collateral in the form of additional Oil and Gas Properties not evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report or other Collateral reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent having a value (as proposed by the Administrative Agent and approved by the Required Lenders in good faith in accordance with their respective usual and customary oil and gas lending criteria as they exist at the particular time) sufficient, after giving effect to any other actions taken pursuant to this Section 5.2(b)(i) to eliminate any such Borrowing Base Deficiency or (D) undertake a combination of clauses (A), (B) and (C); provided that if, because of Letter of Credit Exposure, a Borrowing Base Deficiency remains after prepaying all of the Loans, the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize such remaining Borrowing Base Deficiency as provided in Section 3.8; provided further, that all payments required to be made pursuant to this Section 5.2(b)(i) must be made on or prior to the Maturity Date.

 

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(c)                                  Disposition of Oil and Gas Properties or Equity Interests in Restricted Subsidiaries and Hedge Terminations or Issuance of Permitted Additional Debt.  Upon any reductions to the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.17 in connection with a Disposition of Oil and Gas Properties or a Hedge Termination or issuance of Permitted Additional Debt, if a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay Loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to such Borrowing Base Deficiency or (B) if any Borrowing Base Deficiency remains after prepaying all of the Loans as a result of any Letter of Credit Exposure, Cash Collateralize an amount equal to such Borrowing Base Deficiency as provided in Section 3.8.  The Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment or deposit such Cash Collateral not later than two (2) Business Days after it receives written notice from the Administrative Agent of the adjustment of the Borrowing Base and the resulting Borrowing Base Deficiency.

 

(d)                                 Application to Loans. With respect to each prepayment of Loans elected under Section 5.1 or required by Section 5.2, the Borrower may designate (i) the Types of Loans that are to be prepaid and the specific Advance(s) being repaid and (ii) the Loans to be prepaid; provided that (A) each prepayment of any Loans made pursuant to an Advance shall be applied pro rata among such Loans and (B) notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding clause (A), no prepayment of Loans shall be applied to the Loans of any Defaulting Lender unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the Borrower. In the absence of a designation by the Borrower as described in the preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent shall, subject to the above, make such designation in its reasonable discretion with a view, but no obligation, to minimize breakage costs owing under Section 2.12.

 

(e)                                  LIBOR Interest Periods. In lieu of making any payment pursuant to this Section 5.2 in respect of any LIBOR Loan, other than on the last day of the Interest Period therefor so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Borrower at its option may deposit, on behalf of the Borrower, with the Administrative Agent an amount equal to the amount of the LIBOR Loan to be prepaid and such LIBOR Loan shall be repaid on the last day of the Interest Period therefor in the required amount. Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent in a corporate time deposit account established on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, earning interest at the then customary rate for accounts of such type. The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Such deposit shall constitute cash collateral for the LIBOR Loans to be so prepaid; provided that the Borrower may at any time direct that such deposit be applied to make the applicable payment required pursuant to this Section 5.2.

 

(f)                                   Application of Proceeds. The application of proceeds pursuant to this Section 5.2 shall not reduce the Commitment under the Facility and amounts prepaid may be reborrowed subject to the Available Commitment.

 

(g)                                  Excess Cash. If, on the last Business Day of any week (or, if a Default, Event of Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency has occurred and is continuing, on any Business Day), (A) there are any outstanding Loans and (B) the Borrower has any Excess

 

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Cash as of the date of such determination, then the Borrower shall, within three (3) Business Days, (1) prepay the Loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount of such Excess Cash or (2) otherwise reduce the amount of Excess Cash to zero in a manner permitted by this Agreement.

 

Section 5.3                                    Method and Place of Payment.

 

(a)                                 Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, all payments under this Agreement shall be made by the Borrower without set-off, counterclaim or deduction of any kind, to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders entitled thereto or the Issuing Banks entitled thereto, as the case may be, not later than 2:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) (or such later time as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion), in each case, on the date when due and shall be made in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office or at such other office as the Administrative Agent shall specify for such purpose by notice to the Borrower, it being understood that written or facsimile notice by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent to make a payment from the funds in the Borrower’s account at the Administrative Agent’s Office shall constitute the making of such payment to the extent of such funds held in such account. All repayments or prepayments of any Loans (whether of principal, interest or otherwise) hereunder and all other payments under each Credit Document shall be made in Dollars. The Administrative Agent will thereafter cause to be distributed on the same day (if payment was actually received by the Administrative Agent prior to 1:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) or, otherwise, on the next Business Day in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent) like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest or fees ratably to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks, as applicable, entitled thereto.

 

(b)                                 For purposes of computing interest or fees, any payments under this Agreement that are made later than 2:00 p.m. (Fort Worth, Texas time) (or such later time as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) shall be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent. Whenever any payment to be made hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the due date thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day and, with respect to payments of principal, interest shall be payable during such extension at the applicable rate in effect immediately prior to such extension.

 

Section 5.4                                    Net Payments. For purposes of this Section 5.4, the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

 

(a)                                 Any and all payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Guarantor under this Agreement or any other Credit Document shall be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on account of, any Taxes; provided that if the Borrower, any Guarantor, the Administrative Agent or any other applicable withholding agent shall be required by applicable Requirements of Law to deduct or withhold any Taxes from such payments, then (i) the applicable withholding agent shall make such deductions or withholdings as are reasonably determined by the applicable

 

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withholding agent to be required by any applicable Requirement of Law, (ii) the applicable withholding agent shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority within the time allowed and in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law, and (iii) to the extent withholding or deduction is required to be made on account of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower or such Guarantor shall be increased as necessary so that after all required deductions and withholdings have been made (including deductions or withholdings of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 5.4) the Administrative Agent or the applicable Issuing Bank or Lender, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions or withholdings been made. Whenever any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes are payable by the Borrower or such Guarantor, as promptly as possible thereafter, the Borrower or Guarantor shall send to the Administrative Agent for its own account or for the account of such Issuing Bank or Lender, as the case may be, a certified copy of an official receipt (or other evidence acceptable to such Issuing Bank or Lender, acting reasonably) received by the Borrower or such Guarantor showing payment thereof. Without duplication, after any payment of Taxes by any Credit Party or the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 5.4, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may be, a copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.

 

(b)                                 The Borrower shall timely pay and shall indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Agent and each Lender with regard to any Other Taxes (whether or not such Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority).

 

(c)                                  The Borrower shall indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Agent and each Lender within thirty (30) Business Days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed on the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 5.4), and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the basis and calculation of the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the Administrative Agent (as applicable) on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d)                                 (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Credit Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.

 

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In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 5.4(d) (ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

 

(ii)                                  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

 

(A)                               any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

 

(B)                               any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(1)                                 in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

 

(2)                                 executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;

 

(3)                                 in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-1 to the

 

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effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable; or

 

(4)                                 to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-2 or Exhibit F-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

 

(C)                               any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

 

(D)                               if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such

 

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payment.  Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

(e)                                  If any Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, determines, in its sole discretion, that it had received a refund of an Indemnified Tax or Other Tax for which a payment has been made by the Borrower or any Guarantor pursuant to this Agreement or any other Credit Document, which refund in the good faith judgment of such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, is attributable to such payment made by the Borrower or any Guarantor, then the Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, shall reimburse the Borrower or such Guarantor for such amount (net of all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, and without interest other than any interest received thereon from the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund) as the Lender or Administrative Agent, as the case may be, determines in its sole discretion to be the proportion of the refund as will leave it, after such reimbursement, in no better or worse position (taking into account expenses or any taxes imposed on the refund) than it would have been in if the payment had not been required; provided that the Borrower or such Guarantor, upon the request of the Lender or the Administrative Agent, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower or such Guarantor (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Lender or the Administrative Agent in the event the Lender or the Administrative Agent is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. In such event, such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, shall, at the Borrower’s request, provide the Borrower with a copy of any notice of assessment or other evidence of the requirement to repay such refund received from the relevant Governmental Authority (provided that such Lender or the Administrative Agent may delete any information therein that it deems confidential). A Lender or the Administrative Agent shall claim any refund that it determines is available to it, unless it concludes in its sole discretion that it would be adversely affected by making such a claim. No Lender nor the Administrative Agent shall be obliged to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to any Credit Party in connection with this clause (f) or any other provision of this Section 5.4.

 

(f)                                   If the Borrower determines that a reasonable basis exists for contesting an Indemnified Tax or Other Tax for which a Credit Party has paid additional amounts or indemnification payments, each Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, shall use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower as the Borrower may reasonably request in challenging such Tax. The Borrower shall indemnify and hold each Lender and the Administrative Agent harmless against any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such Person in connection with any request made by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 5.4(f). Nothing in this Section 5.4(f) shall obligate any Lender or the

 

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Administrative Agent to take any action that such Person, in its sole judgment, determines may result in a material detriment to such Person.

 

(g)                                  For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of this Section 5.4, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank.

 

(h)                                 The agreements in this Section 5.4 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

 

Section 5.5                                    Computations of Interest and Fees.

 

(a)                                 Interest on LIBOR Loans shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual days elapsed. Interest on ABR Loans and interest on overdue interest shall be calculated on the basis of a 365- (or 366-, as the case may be) day year for the actual days elapsed.

 

(b)                                 Fees and the average daily Stated Amount of Letters of Credit shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual days elapsed.

 

Section 5.6                                    Limit on Rate of Interest.

 

(a)                                 No Payment Shall Exceed Lawful Rate. Notwithstanding any other term of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be obligated to pay any interest or other amounts under or in connection with this Agreement or otherwise in respect to any of the Obligations in excess of the amount or rate permitted under or consistent with any applicable law, rule or regulation.

 

(b)                                 Payment at Maximum Rate. If the Borrower is not obliged to make a payment that it would otherwise be required to make, as a result of Section 5.6(a), the Borrower shall make such payment to the maximum extent permitted by or consistent with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

 

(c)                                  Adjustment if Any Payment Exceeds Lawful Rate. If any provision of this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents would obligate the Borrower or any other Credit Party to make any payment of interest or other amount payable to any Lender in an amount or calculated at a rate that would be prohibited by any applicable Requirement of Law, then notwithstanding such provision, such amount or rate shall be deemed to have been adjusted with retroactive effect to the Maximum Rate as would not be so prohibited by applicable Requirements of Law, such adjustment to be effected, to the extent necessary, by reducing the amount or rate of interest required to be paid by the Borrower to the affected Lender under Section 2.7.

 

(d)                                 Rebate of Excess Interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and after giving effect to all adjustments contemplated thereby, if any Lender shall have received from the Borrower an amount in excess of the maximum permitted by any applicable Requirement of Law, then the Borrower shall be entitled, by notice in writing to the Administrative

 

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Agent, to obtain reimbursement from that Lender in an amount equal to such excess, and pending such reimbursement, such amount shall be deemed to be an amount payable by that Lender to the Borrower.

 

ARTICLE VI

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Section 6.1                                    Effective Date. This Agreement shall be effective upon the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent, except as otherwise agreed or waived pursuant to Section 13.1.

 

(a)                                 Executed Credit Agreement.  The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Secretary’s Certificate of the Borrower.  The Administrative Agent shall have received, in the case of the Borrower, each of the items referred to in subclauses (i), (ii) and (iii) below:

 

(i)                                     a certificate as to the good standing of the Borrower as of a recent date from the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

 

(ii)                                  a certificate of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary or similar officer of the Borrower dated the Effective Date and certifying:

 

(A)                               that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the limited partnership agreement of the Borrower as in effect on the Effective Date and at all times since a date prior to the date of the resolutions described in clause (B) below,

 

(B)                               that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions duly adopted by the general partner of the Borrower authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Documents to which the Borrower is a party and the Loans hereunder, and that such resolutions have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect on the Effective Date, that the certificate of limited partnership of the Borrower has not been amended since the date of the last amendment thereto disclosed pursuant to subclause (i) above,

 

(C)                               as to the incumbency and specimen signature of each officer executing any Credit Document or any other document delivered in connection herewith on behalf of the Borrower, and

 

(D)                                             as to the absence of any pending proceeding for the dissolution or liquidation of the Borrower; and

 

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(iii)                               a certificate of a director or an officer as to the incumbency and specimen signature of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary or similar officer executing the certificate pursuant to subclause (ii) above.

 

(c)                                  Secretary’s Certificate of the General Partner. The Administrative Agent shall have received, in the case of the General Partner, each of the items referred to in subclauses (i), (ii) and (iii) below:

 

(i)                                     a certificate as to the good standing of the General Partner as of a recent date from the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

 

(ii)                                  a certificate of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary or similar officer of the General Partner dated the Effective Date and certifying:

 

(A)                               that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the company agreement of the General Partner as in effect on the Effective Date and at all times since a date prior to the date of the resolutions described in clause (B) below,

 

(B)                               that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions duly adopted by the general partner of the Borrower authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Documents to which the General Partner is a party and the Loans hereunder, and that such resolutions have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect on the Effective Date, that the certificate of formation of the General Partner has not been amended since the date of the last amendment thereto disclosed pursuant to subclause (i) above,

 

(C)                               as to the incumbency and specimen signature of each officer executing any Credit Document or any other document delivered in connection herewith on behalf of the General Partner, and

 

(D)                               as to the absence of any pending proceeding for the dissolution or liquidation of the General Partner, and

 

(iii)                               a certificate of a director or an officer as to the incumbency and specimen signature of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary or similar officer executing the certificate pursuant to subclause (ii) above.

 

(d)                                               The Notes.  The Administrative Agent shall have received duly executed Notes payable to each Lender in a principal amount equal to such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the Commitment.

 

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The Administrative Agent (or at the Administrative Agent’s direction, its counsel) shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.

 

ARTICLE VII

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE FUNDING DATE
AND ALL SUBSEQUENT CREDIT EVENTS

 

Section 7.1                                    Funding Date.  The obligation of each Lender to advance the initial Loan hereunder and of each Issuing Bank to issue its initial Letter of Credit hereunder, is subject to satisfaction (or waiver in accordance with Section 13.1) of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)                                 Legal Opinions.  The Administrative Agent shall have received, on behalf of itself and the Secured Parties on the Funding Date, a customary written opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel to the Credit Parties, (i) dated the Funding Date, (ii) addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and each Issuing Bank and (iii) in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. The Borrower, the other Credit Parties and the Administrative Agent hereby instruct such counsel to deliver such legal opinion.

 

(b)                                 Secretary’s Certificates of the Credit Parties.  The Administrative Agent shall have received, in the case of each Credit Party, each of the items referred to in subclauses (i), (ii) and (iii) below:

 

(i)                                     a certificate as to the good standing (to the extent such concept or a similar concept exists under the laws of such jurisdiction) of each such Credit Party as of a recent date from such Secretary of State (or other similar official) of the jurisdiction of its organization;

 

(ii)                                                a certificate of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary or similar officer of each Credit Party dated the Funding Date and certifying:

 

(A)                               that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the bylaws (or partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement or other equivalent governing documents) of such Credit Party as in effect on the Funding Date and at all times since a date prior to the date of the resolutions described in clause (B) below,

 

(B)                               that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions duly adopted by the board of directors (or managing general partner, managing member or equivalent) of such Credit Party authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Documents to which such Person is a party and, in the case of the Borrower, the Loans hereunder, and that such resolutions have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect on the Funding Date, that the certificate or articles of incorporation, certificate of limited partnership, articles of incorporation or certificate of formation of such Credit Party has not been amended since

 

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the date of the last amendment thereto disclosed pursuant to subclause (i) above,

 

(C)                               as to the incumbency and specimen signature of each officer executing any Credit Document or any other document delivered in connection herewith on behalf of such Credit Party, and

 

(D)                               as to the absence of any pending proceeding for the dissolution or liquidation of such Credit Party; and

 

(iii)                               a certificate of a director or an officer as to the incumbency and specimen signature of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary or similar officer executing the certificate pursuant to subclause (ii) above.

 

(c)                                  Guarantee.  The Guarantee shall be in full force and effect.

 

(d)                                 Security Documents.  All of the Security Documents, including UCC or other applicable personal property and financing statements, reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded to create the Liens sufficient to comply with the Collateral Coverage Minimum intended to be created by such Security Document and perfect such Liens to the extent required by such Security Documents and as necessary to comply with the Collateral Coverage Minimum shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent for filing, registration or recording and none of the Collateral shall be subject to any other pledges, security interests or mortgages, except for Permitted Liens.

 

(e)                                  Local Counsel Opinions.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable opinion of local counsel in those jurisdictions selected by Administrative Agent where a Security Document will be filed in such form and covering such matters as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

 

(f)                                   Fees and Expenses.  The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees payable thereto or to any Lender on or prior to the Funding Date, including all fees then due pursuant to the Fee Letter,  and, to the extent invoiced, all other amounts due and payable pursuant to the Credit Documents on or prior to the Funding Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of outside counsel and recording fee for the filing of the Security Documents in the appropriate recording offices) required to be reimbursed or paid by the Credit Parties hereunder or under any Credit Document.

 

(g)                                  KYC.  The Administrative Agent shall have received prior to the Effective Date all documentation and other information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation, the Patriot Act that has been requested not less than five Business Days prior to the Funding Date.

 

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(h)                                 Notice of Borrowing. The Administrative Agent shall have received, in the case of an Advance, a Notice of Borrowing as required by Section 2.1(b) or, in the case of the issuance of a Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent shall have received a Letter of Credit Application as required by Section 3.2(a).

 

(i)                                     IPO.  Prior to or concurrently with the Funding Date, (i) the Borrower shall consummate the IPO on substantially the terms set forth in the Form S-1, (ii) all of the assets described in the Form S-1 to be contributed to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the IPO shall have been contributed, directly or indirectly, to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary and (iii) Administrative Agent and its counsel shall be satisfied that items (i) and (ii) have occurred.  If the IPO is not consummated within sixty (60) days after the Effective Date, this Agreement shall become null and void and the Commitments will terminate.

 

The Administrative Agent (or at the Administrative Agent’s direction, its counsel) shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Funding Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.

 

Section 7.2                                    All Credit Events. The agreement of each Lender to make any Loan constituting a Credit Event requested to be made by it on any date from and after the Funding Date (other than on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date) (excluding Loans required to be made by the Lenders in respect of Unpaid Drawings pursuant to Sections 3.3 and 3.4), and the obligation of any Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit on any date on or after the Funding Date (other than on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date), is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)                                 At the time of each such Credit Event and also after giving effect thereto, (a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (b) all representations and warranties made by any Credit Party contained herein or in the other Credit Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made on and as of the date of such Credit Event (except where such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date).

 

(b)                                 Prior to the making of each Loan (other than any Loan made pursuant to Section 3.4(a)), the Administrative Agent shall have received a Notice of Borrowing (whether in writing or by telephone) meeting the requirements of Section 2.1(b).

 

(c)                                  Prior to the issuance of each Letter of Credit, the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank shall have received a Letter of Credit Application meeting the requirements of Section 3.2(a).

 

(d)                                 A representation and warranty made by the Borrower (which may be included in the Notice of Borrowing) that as of the end of the third Business Day on which such Borrowing will be funded, the Credit Parties shall not have any Excess Cash.

 

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The acceptance of the benefits of each Credit Event after the Effective Date (other than on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date) shall constitute a representation and warranty by each Credit Party to each of the Lenders that all the applicable conditions specified in this Article VII above have been satisfied as of that time.

 

The agreement of each Lender to make a Loan requested to be made by it on the Amendment No.1 Effective Date shall be subject solely to the satisfaction of the condition contained in Section 7.2(b) hereof.

 

ARTICLE VIII

REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS

 

In order to induce the Lenders to enter into this Agreement, to make the Loans and issue or participate in Letters of Credit as provided for herein, the Borrower makes, on the date of each Credit Event, the following representations and warranties to, and agreements with, the Lenders, all of which shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of the Loans and the issuance of the Letters of Credit:

 

Section 8.1                                    Organizational Status. The Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries is duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of such Person’s organization and has the organizational power and authority to own its property and assets and to transact its business as now conducted and has duly qualified and is authorized to do business and is in good standing (if applicable) in all jurisdictions where it is required to be so qualified, except where the failure to be so qualified would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 8.2                                    Organizational Power and Authority; Enforceability. The Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries has the power and authority to execute, deliver and carry out the terms and provisions of the Credit Documents to which it is a party and has taken all necessary partnership or other organizational action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of the Credit Documents to which it is a party. Each Credit Party has duly executed and delivered each Credit Document to which it is a party and each such Credit Document constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Credit Party enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or law).

 

Section 8.3                                    No Violation. None of the execution, delivery or performance by any Credit Party of the Credit Documents to which it is a party or the compliance with the terms and provisions thereof will (a) contravene any Requirement of Law except to the extent such contravention would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (b) result in any breach of any of the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of (or the obligation to create or impose) any Lien upon any of the property or assets of such Credit Party (other than Liens created under the Credit Documents and Liens permitted hereunder) pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan agreement, lease agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, agreement or other instrument to which such Credit Party

 

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is a party or by which it or any of its property or assets is bound (any such term, covenant, condition or provision, a “Contractual Requirement”) except to the extent such breach, default or Lien that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (c) violate any provision of the partnership agreement, certificate of formation or other organizational documents of such Credit Party.

 

Section 8.4                                    Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 8.4, there are no actions, suits or proceedings (including Environmental Claims) pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened in writing with respect to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 8.5                                    Margin Regulations. Neither the making of any Loan hereunder nor the use of the proceeds thereof will violate the provisions of Regulation T, Regulation U or Regulation X of the Board.

 

Section 8.6                                    Governmental Approvals. The execution, delivery and performance of each Credit Document by the Credit Parties do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or other action by, any Governmental Authority, except for (a) such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) filings and recordings in respect of the Liens created pursuant to the Security Documents and (c) such consents, approvals, registrations, filings or actions the failure of which to obtain or make would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 8.7                                    Investment Company Act. No Credit Party is required to be registered as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Section 8.8                                    True and Complete Disclosure.

 

(a)                                 All written information (other than projections, estimates and information of a general economic nature or general industry nature) (the “Information”) concerning the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, the Transactions and any other transactions contemplated hereby prepared by or on behalf of the foregoing or their representatives and made available to any Lenders or the Administrative Agent in connection with the Transactions or the other transactions contemplated hereby, when taken as a whole, was true and correct in all material respects, as of the date such Information was furnished to the Lenders and as of the Funding Date (with respect to Information provided prior to the Funding Date) and did not, taken as a whole, contain any untrue statement of a material fact as of any such date or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained therein, taken as a whole, not materially misleading in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made.

 

(b)                                 The projections, estimates and information of a general economic nature or general industry nature prepared by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its representatives that have been made available to any Lenders or the Administrative Agent in connection with the Transactions or the other transactions contemplated hereby have

 

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been prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed by the Borrower to be reasonable as of the date thereof (it being understood that actual results may vary materially from any such projections), as of the date such projections and estimates were furnished to the Lenders (with respect to any projections, estimates or information of a general economic nature or general industry nature provided prior to the Funding Date) and as of the Funding Date.

 

Section 8.9                                    Financial Condition; Financial Statements. As of the Funding Date, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries do not have any material Indebtedness, any material guarantee obligations, contingent liabilities, off balance sheet liabilities, partnership liabilities for taxes or unusual forward or long-term commitments that, in each case, have not been disclosed on Schedule 8.9 or in the Form S-1, except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 8.10                             Tax Matters. Except where the failure of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) each of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries has filed all federal income Tax returns and all other Tax returns, domestic and foreign, required to be filed by it (including in its capacity as withholding agent) and has paid all Taxes payable by it that have become due, other than those (i) not yet delinquent or (ii) being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which adequate reserves have been provided to the extent required by and in accordance with GAAP and (b) the Borrower and each of the Restricted Subsidiaries have provided adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP for all Taxes of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries not yet due and payable.

 

Section 8.11                             Compliance with ERISA. Each Plan is in compliance with ERISA, the Code and any applicable Requirement of Law; no Reportable Event has occurred (or is reasonably likely to occur) with respect to any Plan; no Plan is “insolvent” (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) or in “reorganization” (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) (or is reasonably likely to be insolvent or in reorganization) or is in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA), and no written notice of any such insolvency, reorganization, or endangered or critical status has been given to the Borrower or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any ERISA Affiliate; each Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA has satisfied the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Plan, and there has been no determination that any such Plan is, or is expected to be, in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 303(i)(4) of ERISA); none of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has incurred (or is reasonably likely to incur) any liability to or on account of a Plan pursuant to Section 409, 502(i), 502(l), 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4069, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA or Section 4971 or 4975 of the Code nor has the Borrower or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any ERISA Affiliate, been notified in writing that it will incur any liability under any of the foregoing Sections with respect to any Plan; no proceedings have been instituted (or are reasonably likely to be instituted) to terminate or to reorganize any Plan or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, and no written notice of any such proceedings has been given to the Borrower or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any ERISA Affiliate; and no lien imposed under the Code or ERISA on the assets of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate exists (or is reasonably likely to exist) nor has the Borrower or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any ERISA Affiliate been notified in writing that such a lien will be imposed on

 

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the assets of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate on account of any Plan, except to the extent that a breach of any of the representations or warranties in this Section 8.11 would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in an amount of liability that would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) has an Unfunded Current Liability that would, individually or when taken together with any other liabilities referenced in this Section 8.11, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. With respect to Plans that are Multiemployer Plans, the representations and warranties in this Section 8.11 other than any made with respect to (i) liability under Section 4201 or 4204 of ERISA or (ii) liability for “termination” or “reorganization” (within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA) of such Plans under ERISA, are made to the best knowledge of the Borrower.

 

Section 8.12                             Subsidiaries. As of the Funding Date, the Subsidiaries of the Borrower are listed on Schedule 8.12 (which Schedule shall be provided by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and made part of this Agreement on the Funding Date) and such Schedule 8.12 shall indicate whether such Subsidiary is a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

Section 8.13                             Intellectual Property. The Borrower owns or has obtained valid rights to use all intellectual property, free from any burdensome restrictions, that is necessary for the operation of its business as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted, except where the failure to obtain any such rights would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The operation of the business of the Borrower, as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted, does not infringe, misappropriate, violate or otherwise conflict with the proprietary rights of any third party, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 8.14                             Environmental Laws.  Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:

 

(a)                                 (i) the Borrower and each of the Restricted Subsidiaries are in compliance with all Environmental Laws; (ii) neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary has received written notice of any Environmental Claim or any other liability under any Environmental Law; (iii) neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary is conducting any investigation, removal, remedial or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law at any location; and (iv) no underground storage tank or related piping, or any impoundment or disposal area containing Hazardous Materials has been used by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, is located at, on or under any Oil and Gas Properties currently owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

(b)                                 Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries has treated, stored, transported, released or disposed or arranged for disposal or transport for disposal of Hazardous Materials at, on, under or from any currently or formerly owned or leased Oil and Gas Properties or facility in a manner that would reasonably be expected to give rise to liability of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary under Environmental Law.

 

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Section 8.15                             Properties.

 

(a)                                 Each Credit Party has good and defensible title to the Borrowing Base Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report (other than those (i) disposed of in compliance with Section 10.2 since delivery of such Reserve Report, (ii) leases that have expired in accordance with their terms and (iii) with title defects disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent), and valid title to all its material personal properties, in each case, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens, except in each case where the failure to have such title would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. After giving full effect to the Liens permitted by Article X, the Borrower owns the working interests and net revenue interests attributable to its Oil and Gas Properties as reflected in the most recently delivered Reserve Report, and the ownership of such properties shall not in any material respect obligate the Borrower to bear the costs and expenses relating to the maintenance, development and operations of each such property in an amount in excess of the working interest of each property set forth in the most recently delivered Reserve Report that is not offset by a corresponding proportionate increase in the Borrower’s net revenue interest in such property.

 

(b)                                 All material leases and agreements necessary for the conduct of the business of the Borrower are valid and subsisting and are in full force and effect, except to the extent that any such failure to satisfy the foregoing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)                                  The rights and properties presently owned, leased or licensed by the Credit Parties, including all easements and rights of way, include all rights and properties necessary to permit the Credit Parties to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted, except to the extent any failure to have any such rights or properties would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)                                 All of the properties of the Borrower that are reasonably necessary for the operation of its business are in good working condition and are maintained in accordance with prudent business standards, except to the extent any failure to satisfy the foregoing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 8.16                             Solvency. The Borrower is Solvent, and the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are Solvent.

 

Section 8.17                             Insurance.  The properties of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are insured in the manner contemplated by Section 9.3.

 

Section 8.18                             Hedge Transactions. Schedule 8.18 sets forth, as of the Effective Date, a true and complete list of all material commodity Hedge Transactions of each Credit Party, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark to market value thereof (as of the last Business Day of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding the Effective Date and for which a mark to market value is

 

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reasonably available), all credit support agreements relating thereto (including any margin required or supplied) and the counterparty to each such agreement.

 

Section 8.19                             Patriot Act; OFAC.

 

(a)                                 On the Funding Date, each Credit Party is in compliance in all material respects with the Patriot Act, and the Borrower has provided to the Administrative Agent all information related to the Credit Parties (including but not limited to names, addresses and tax identification numbers (if applicable)) reasonably requested in writing by the Administrative Agent and mutually agreed to be required by the Patriot Act to be obtained by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

(b)                                 None of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of Borrower, any partner, manager, director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Borrower will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the Loans or the Letters of Credit or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Person, for the purpose of financing the activities of any Person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(c)                                  As of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct in all respects.

 

Section 8.20                             No Material Adverse Effect.  Since the Funding Date, there has been no event or circumstance that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 8.21                             Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  Neither the Borrower nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any of its partners, directors, officers, agents or employees has (i) used any partnership funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity, (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any government official or employee from corporate funds, (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

 

Section 8.22                             Security Interests.  The Obligations are secured by Liens in the Collateral granted in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, and such Liens are or will be perfected (in each case, to the extent contemplated by this Agreement and the Security Documents) (i) by the filing of a UCC financing statement in the states in which each applicable Credit Party is located, (ii) by filing mortgages affecting the Borrowing Base Properties, as-extracted collateral and/or fixtures (as applicable) in the real property or other appropriate records of the parish or county in which the applicable real property or fixtures are located, or (iii) by possession or control.

 

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Section 8.23                             AccountsSchedule 8.23 lists all Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts and Commodity Accounts maintained by or for the benefit of any Credit Party.

 

Section 8.24                             Gas Imbalances; Prepayments. On the Funding Date, on a net basis, there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments exceeding one-half Bcfe of hydrocarbon volumes (stated on a gas equivalent basis) in the aggregate, with respect to the Borrower’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries Oil and Gas Properties that would require the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to deliver Hydrocarbons either generally or produced from their Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor.

 

Section 8.25                             Marketing of Production. On the Funding Date, no material agreements exist (which are not cancelable on 60 days’ notice or less without penalty or detriment) for the sale of production of the Borrower’s or its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Hydrocarbons at a fixed non-index price (including calls on, or other rights to purchase, production, whether or not the same are currently being exercised) that (i) represent in respect of such agreements 2.5% or more of the Borrower’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ average monthly production of Hydrocarbon volumes and (ii) have a maturity or expiry date of longer than six months from the Funding Date.

 

ARTICLE IX

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

A deviation from the provisions of this Article IX shall not constitute an Event of Default under this Agreement if such deviation is consented to in writing by the Administrative Agent and Majority Lenders prior to the date of deviation.  The Borrower hereby covenants and agrees that on the Funding Date and thereafter, until the Total Commitment and each Letter of Credit have terminated (unless such Letters of Credit have been collateralized or other arrangements in respect thereof have been made on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to each applicable Issuing Bank following the termination of the Total Commitment)  and the Loans and Unpaid Drawings, together with interest, fees and all other Obligations incurred hereunder (other than Hedging Obligations, Cash Management Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations not then due and payable), are paid in full,  Borrower will comply with the covenants contained in this Article IX:

 

Section 9.1                                    Information Covenants. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly make such information available to the Lenders in accordance with its customary practice):

 

(a)                                 Annual Financial Statements.  Beginning with financial statements for fiscal year 2016, on or before the date that is 120 days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree) after the end of each such fiscal year, the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower, in each case as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of operations, partners’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth comparative consolidated figures for the preceding fiscal years prepared in accordance with GAAP, and certified by independent certified public accountants reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent whose opinion shall not be materially qualified with a “going concern” or like qualification or exception with respect to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than with respect to, or

 

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resulting from, (x) the occurrence of the Maturity Date within one year from the date such opinion is delivered or (y) any potential inability to satisfy the financial covenants set out in Sections 10.3 or 10.4 hereof on a future date or in a future period), together with a certificate of such accounting firm unless such accounting firm is restricted from providing such a certificate by its policies or unless the delivery of such certificate increases the costs payable by the Borrower to such accounting firm, stating that in the course of either (i) its regular audit of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, which audit was conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards or (ii) performing certain other procedures permitted by professional standards, such accounting firm has obtained no knowledge of any Event of Default relating to the financial covenants set forth in Sections 10.3 and 10.4 that has occurred and is continuing or, if in the opinion of such accounting firm such an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, a statement as to the nature thereof.

 

(b)                                 Quarterly Financial Statements. On or before the date that is 60 days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree) after the end of each of the first three quarterly accounting periods of each fiscal year, beginning with the quarterly period ending March 31, 2017, the consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower, in each case as at the end of such quarterly period and the related statements of operations, partners’ equity and cash flows for such quarterly accounting period and for the elapsed portion of the fiscal year ended with the last day of such quarterly period, and setting forth comparative figures for the related periods in the prior fiscal year or, in the case of such balance sheet, for the last day of the prior fiscal year, all of which shall be certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject to changes resulting from audit and normal yearend audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes .

 

(c)                                  Compliance Certificates. At the time of the delivery of the financial statements provided for in Section 9.1(a) and Section 9.1(b), a Compliance Certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower which certificate shall also set forth the calculations required to establish whether the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries were in compliance with each of the financial covenants set forth in Section 10.3 and 10.4 as at the end of such fiscal year or period, as the case may be and listing each Material Subsidiary as of such date of delivery.

 

(d)                                 Notice of Default; Litigation. Promptly after an Authorized Officer of the Borrower obtains actual knowledge thereof, notice of (i) the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, which notice shall specify the nature thereof, the period of existence thereof and what action the Borrower proposes to take with respect thereto and (ii) any litigation or governmental proceeding pending against the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to be determined adversely and, if so determined, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)                                  Environmental Matters. Promptly after obtaining actual knowledge of any one or more of the following environmental matters, unless such environmental matters

 

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would not, individually, or when aggregated with all other such matters, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, notice of:

 

(i)                                     any pending or threatened Environmental Claim against any Credit Party or any Oil and Gas Properties;

 

(ii)                                  any condition or occurrence on any Oil and Gas Properties that (A) would reasonably be expected to result in noncompliance by any Credit Party with any applicable Environmental Law or (B) would reasonably be anticipated to form the basis of an Environmental Claim against any Credit Party or any Oil and Gas Properties;

 

(iii)                               any condition or occurrence on any Oil and Gas Properties that would reasonably be anticipated to cause such Oil and Gas Properties to be subject to any restrictions on the ownership, occupancy, use or transferability of such Oil and Gas Properties under any Environmental Law; and

 

(iv)                              the conduct of any investigation, or any removal, remedial or other corrective action in response to the actual or alleged presence, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material on, at, under or from any Oil and Gas Properties.

 

All such notices shall describe in reasonable detail the nature of the claim, investigation, condition, occurrence or removal or remedial action and the response thereto.

 

(f)                                   Certificate of Authorized Officer — Hedge Transactions.  Concurrently with any delivery of each Reserve Report, setting forth as of the date of the Reserve Report, a true and complete list of all material commodity Hedge Transactions of the Borrower and each Credit Party, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark-to-market value thereof (as of the last Business Day of the most recent date such mark-to-market value is reasonably available), any new credit support agreements relating thereto not listed on Schedule 8.18 or on any previously delivered certificate delivered pursuant to this clause (f), any margin required or supplied under any credit support document and the counterparty to each such agreement.

 

(g)                                              Form S-1.  Promptly after any change or modification is made to the Form S-1, a true and correct copy of the revised Form S-1 that incorporated such change or modification.

 

(h)                                 Production Reports.  On or before the date that is 60 days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree) after the end of each of the first three quarterly accounting periods of each fiscal year, beginning with the quarterly period ending March 31, 2017, a production report of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent prepared by the Borrower covering each of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (on a net basis to the interest of the Borrower) and detailing the production, revenue, and price information and associated operating expenses for each such quarterly period;

 

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(i)                                     Other Information.  (i) Promptly upon filing thereof, copies of any filings (including on Form 10-K, 10-Q or 8-K) or registration statements with, and reports to, the SEC or any analogous Governmental Authority in any relevant jurisdiction by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries (other than amendments to any registration statement (to the extent such registration statement, in the form it becomes effective, is delivered to the Administrative Agent), exhibits to any registration statement and, if applicable, any registration statements on Form S-8), (ii) copies of all financial statements, proxy statements, notices and reports that the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall send to the holders of any publicly issued debt of the Borrower and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case in their capacity as such holders, lenders or agents, (iii) upon the request of the Administrative Agent, information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” requirements under the PATRIOT Act or other applicable Anti-Money Laundering Laws, (iv) promptly after an Authorized Officer of the Borrower obtains actual knowledge thereof, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent written notice of any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in parts (c) or (d) of such certification and (v) such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and the financial condition of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of any Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent) may reasonably request in writing from time to time.

 

(j)                                    Annual Budget.  At the time of the delivery of the financial statements provided for in Section 9.1(a), the annual budget of the Borrower for the next fiscal year after the fiscal year covered by such financial statements, set forth on a monthly basis for such fiscal year covered by the annual budget.

 

It is understood that documents required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 9.1(a), 9.1(b), 9.1(c), 9.1(f), 9.1(g) and 9.1(j) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 13.2 or (ii) on which such documents are transmitted by electronic mail to the Administrative Agent; provided that the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in respect of any information required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent and/or the Lenders pursuant to this Section 9.1, to the extent such information has been published on EDGAR at or prior to the time the information is required to be delivered under this Agreement, Borrower may send to the Administrative Agent a notice that such information is available on EDGAR and delivery of such notice shall satisfy the Borrower’s requirements under this Section 9.1 to deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender such information.

 

Section 9.2                                    Books, Records and Inspections.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower will permit officers and designated representatives of the Administrative Agent or officers and designated representatives of the Majority Lenders

 

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(as accompanied by the Administrative Agent) to visit and inspect any of the properties or assets of the Borrower in whomsoever’s possession to the extent that it is within such party’s control to permit such inspection (and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such inspection to be permitted to the extent that it is not within such party’s control to permit such inspection), and to examine the financial records of the Borrower and discuss the affairs, finances, accounts and condition of the Borrower with its officers and independent accountants therefor, in each case of the foregoing upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower, all at such reasonable times and intervals during normal business hours and to such reasonable extent as the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders may desire (and subject, in the case of any such meetings or advice from such independent accountants, to such accountants’ customary policies and procedures); provided that, excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuation of an Event of Default (i) only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders may exercise rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section 9.2, and (ii) only one such visit per fiscal year shall be at the Borrower’s expense; provided, further, that when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent (or any of its representatives or independent contractors) or any representative of the Majority Lenders may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice. The Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders shall give the Borrower the opportunity to participate in any discussions with the Borrower’s independent public accountants. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9.2, the Borrower will not be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making copies or abstracts of, or discussion of, any document, information or other matter (i) that constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) is prohibited by any Requirement of Law or any binding agreement or (iii) that is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product.

 

(b)                                 The Borrower will maintain financial records in accordance with GAAP in all material respects.

 

Section 9.3                                    Maintenance of Insurance. The Borrower will at all times maintain in full force and effect, pursuant to self-insurance arrangements or with insurance companies that the Borrower believes (in the good faith judgment of the management of the Borrower) are financially sound and reputable at the time the relevant coverage is placed or renewed, insurance in at least such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance which the Borrower believes (in the good faith judgment of management of the Borrower) is reasonable and prudent in light of the size and nature of its business) and against at least such risks (and with such risk retentions) as the Borrower believes (in the good faith judgment of management of the Borrower) is reasonable and prudent in light of the size and nature of its business; and will furnish to the Administrative Agent, upon written request from the Administrative Agent, information presented in reasonable detail as to the insurance so carried. The Secured Parties shall be the additional insureds on any such liability insurance as their interests may appear and, if property insurance is obtained, the Administrative Agent shall be the loss payee under any such property insurance; provided that, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is then continuing, the Secured Parties will provide any proceeds of such property insurance to the Borrower to the extent that the Borrower undertakes to apply such

 

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proceeds to the reconstruction, replacement or repair of the property insured thereby. The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent within 45 Business Days following the Effective Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree), copies of insurance certificates evidencing the insurance required to be maintained by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to this Section 9.3.

 

Section 9.4                                    Payment of Taxes. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, pay its obligations in respect of all Tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges, before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (i) the amount or validity thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and the Borrower or such applicable Restricted Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP or (ii) the failure to make payment could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 9.5                                    Maintenance of Existence. The Borrower will do or cause to be done, all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, partnership rights and authority.

 

Section 9.6                                    Compliance with Statutes, Regulations, Etc.  The Borrower will, and will cause its Restricted Subsidiaries to, comply with all Requirements of Law applicable them or their property, including all governmental approvals or authorizations required to conduct their business, and to maintain all such governmental approvals or authorizations in full force and effect, in each case except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 9.7                                    ERISA.

 

(a)                                 Promptly after the Borrower knows or has reason to know of the occurrence of any of the following events that, individually or in the aggregate (including in the aggregate such events previously disclosed or exempt from disclosure hereunder, to the extent the liability therefor remains outstanding), would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of an Authorized Officer setting forth details as to such occurrence and the action, if any, that the Borrower or such ERISA Affiliate is required or proposes to take, together with any notices (required, proposed or otherwise) given to or filed with or by the Borrower, such ERISA Affiliate, the PBGC, a Plan participant (other than notices relating to an individual participant’s benefits) or the Plan administrator with respect thereto: that a Reportable Event has occurred; that an accumulated funding deficiency has been incurred or an application is to be made to the Secretary of the Treasury for a waiver or modification of the minimum funding standard (including any required installment payments) or an extension of any amortization period under Section 412 of the Code with respect to a Plan; that a Plan having an Unfunded Current Liability has been or is to be terminated, reorganized, partitioned or declared insolvent under Title IV of ERISA (including the giving of written notice thereof); that a Plan has an Unfunded Current Liability that has or will result in a lien under ERISA or the Code; that proceedings will be or have been instituted to terminate a Plan having an Unfunded Current Liability (including the giving

 

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of written notice thereof); that a proceeding has been instituted against the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Section 515 of ERISA to collect a delinquent contribution to a Plan; that the PBGC has notified the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of its intention to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; that the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has failed to make a required installment or other payment pursuant to Section 412 of the Code with respect to a Plan; or that the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or will incur (or has been notified in writing that it will incur) any liability (including any contingent or secondary liability) to or on account of a Plan pursuant to Section 409, 502(i), 502(l), 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4069, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA or Section 4971 or 4975 of the Code.

 

(b)                                 Promptly following any request therefor, on and after the effectiveness of the Pension Act, the Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent copies of (i) any documents described in Section 101(k) of ERISA that the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan and (ii) any notices described in Section 101(l) of ERISA that the Borrower and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan; provided that if the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiaries shall promptly make a request for such documents or notices from such administrator or sponsor and shall provide copies of such documents and notices promptly after receipt thereof; and provided further that if the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiaries shall not be required to make a request for such documents or notices more than once during any one twelve month period.

 

Section 9.8                                    Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower will, and will cause its Restricted Subsidiaries to, except in each case where the failure to so comply would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect:

 

(a)                                 operate its Oil and Gas Properties and other material properties or cause such Oil and Gas Properties and other material properties to be operated in a careful and efficient manner in accordance with the practices of the industry and in compliance with all applicable Contractual Requirements and all applicable Requirements of Law, including applicable proration requirements and Environmental Laws, and all applicable Requirements of Law of every other Governmental Authority from time to time constituted to regulate the development and operation of its Oil and Gas Properties and the production and sale of Hydrocarbons and other minerals therefrom;

 

(b)                                 keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and preserve, maintain and keep in good repair, working order and efficiency (ordinary wear and tear excepted) all of its material Oil and Gas Properties and other material properties, including all equipment, machinery and facilities; and

 

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(c)                                  to the extent a Credit Party is not the operator of any property described in clauses (a) and (b), the Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the operator to comply with this Section 9.8.

 

Section 9.9                                    Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will, and will cause its Restricted Subsidiaries to, conduct any transaction or series of related transactions involving aggregate payments or consideration in excess of $2,000,000 with any of its Affiliates on terms that are substantially as favorable to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary as it would obtain at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate, as determined by the partners, board of directors or managers of the Borrower in good faith; provided that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to:

 

(a)                                 the consummation of the Transactions, including the payment of Transaction Expenses;

 

(b)                                 equity issuances, repurchases, retirements, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements of Equity Interests by the Borrower permitted under Article X;

 

(c)                                  loans, advances and other transactions between or among the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any joint venture (regardless of the form of legal entity) in which the Borrower or any Subsidiary has invested (and which Subsidiary or joint venture would not be an Affiliate of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, but for the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s ownership of Equity Interests in such joint venture or such Subsidiary) to the extent permitted under Section 10.15;

 

(d)                                 employment and severance arrangements and health, disability and similar insurance or benefit plans between the Borrower and the Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees or consultants (including management and employee benefit plans or agreements, subscription agreements or similar agreements pertaining to the repurchase of Equity Interests pursuant to put/call rights or similar rights with current or former employees, officers, directors or consultants and equity option or incentive plans and other compensation arrangements) in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise approved by the general partner,  board of directors or managers of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof);

 

(e)                                  Restricted Payments, Investments, Dispositions, redemptions, repurchases and other actions permitted under Article X;

 

(f)                                   any issuance of Equity Interests or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities, Equity Interests or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment arrangements, equity options and equity ownership plans approved by the general partner, board of directors or board of managers of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof);

 

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(g)                                  transactions with joint ventures for the purchase or sale of goods, equipment and services entered into in the ordinary course of business and in a manner consistent with prudent business practices followed by companies in the oil and gas industry;

 

(h)                                 any transaction in respect of which the Borrower delivers to the Administrative Agent a letter addressed to the general partner, board of directors or managers of the Borrower from an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm, in each case of nationally-recognized standing that is in the good faith determination of the Borrower qualified to render such letter, which letter states that such transaction is (i) fair, from a financial point of view, to the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) on terms, taken as a whole, that are no less favorable to the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary than would be obtained in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate;

 

(i)                                     customary agreements and arrangements with oil and gas royalty trusts and master limited partnership agreements that comply with the affiliate transaction provisions of such royalty trust or master limited partnership agreement;

 

(j)                                    transactions pursuant to agreements to be entered into by various Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries in connection with any Drop-Down Acquisition and the transactions related thereto,

 

(k)                                 transactions between or among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(l)                                     transactions pursuant to the Management Services Agreement and any amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto that are not, taken as a whole, materially less favorable to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries than such agreement as in effect on the Funding Date; or

 

(m)                             any transaction with an Affiliate if such transaction has been approved by the conflicts committee of the General Partner and, prior to the consummation of such transaction, the Administrative Agent is advised in writing of such transaction and the conflicts committee of the General Partner’s approval of such transaction.

 

Section 9.10                             End of Fiscal Years; Fiscal Quarters. The Borrower will, for financial reporting purposes, cause each of its fiscal years and fiscal quarters to end on dates consistent with past practice; provided, however, that the Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent change the financial reporting convention specified above to any other financial reporting convention reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in which case the Borrower and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized by the Lenders to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary in order to reflect such change in financial reporting.

 

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Section 9.11                             Additional Guarantors, Grantors and Collateral.

 

(a)                                 Subject to any applicable limitations set forth in the Guarantee or the Security Documents, the Borrower will cause (i) any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Excluded Subsidiary) formed or otherwise purchased, designated or acquired after the Effective Date (including pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition) and (ii) any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that ceases to be an Excluded Subsidiary, in each case within thirty (30) days from the date of such formation, acquisition, designation or cessation, as applicable (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion) to execute a supplement to each of the Guarantee and the Pledge Agreement, substantially in the form required by the respective agreement, in order to become a Guarantor under the Guarantee and a pledgor under the Pledge Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Subject to any applicable limitations set forth in the Security Documents, the Borrower will pledge, and, if applicable, will cause each other Subsidiary Guarantor (or Person required to become a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to Section 9.11(a)) to pledge, to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, (i) all of the Equity Interests of each Restricted Subsidiary that is not an Excluded Subsidiary directly owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor (or Person required to become a Guarantor pursuant to Section 9.11(a)), in each case, formed or otherwise purchased or acquired after the Effective Date, pursuant to a supplement to the Pledge Agreement in substantially the form required by the Pledge Agreement and (ii) except with respect to intercompany Indebtedness, all evidences of Indebtedness for borrowed money in a principal amount in excess of $1,000,000 (individually) that is owing to the Borrower or any Guarantor (or Person required to become a Guarantor pursuant to Section 9.11(a)) to the extent such Indebtedness is evidenced by a promissory note, pursuant to a security agreement in the form reasonably prescribed by the Administrative Agent.

 

(c)                                  The Borrower agrees that all Indebtedness of (i) the Borrower that is owing to any Credit Party (or a Person required to become a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to Section 9.11(a)) and (ii) any Credit Party (or a Person required to become a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to Section 9.11(a)) owing to the Borrower shall be evidenced by the Intercompany Note, which Intercompany Note shall be required to be pledged to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, pursuant to a security agreement in the form prescribed by the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)                                 In connection with each redetermination (but not any adjustment) of the Borrowing Base, the Borrower shall review the applicable Reserve Report, if any, and the list of current Mortgaged Properties, to ascertain whether the PV-9 of the Mortgaged Properties (calculated at the time of redetermination) meets the Collateral Coverage Minimum after giving effect to exploration and production activities, acquisitions, Dispositions and production. In the event that the PV-9 of the Mortgaged Properties (calculated at the time of redetermination) does not meet the Collateral Coverage Minimum after giving effect to exploration and production activities, acquisitions, Dispositions and production, then the Borrower shall, and shall cause its Credit Parties to, grant, within 60 days of delivery of the certificate required under Section 9.14(b) (or such longer period as

 

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the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), to the Administrative Agent as security for the Obligations a first-priority Lien (subject to Liens permitted by Article X) on additional Oil and Gas Properties not already subject to a Lien of the Security Documents such that, after giving effect thereto, the PV-9 of the Mortgaged Properties (calculated at the time of redetermination) meets the Collateral Coverage Minimum. All such Liens will be created and perfected by and in accordance with the provisions of the Security Documents, including, if applicable, any additional deeds of trust, mortgages and security agreements.

 

Section 9.12                             Use of Proceeds.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries will use the proceeds of Loans for the acquisition and development of Oil and Gas Properties, the acquisition of Equity Interests in Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent permitted by Section 10.15 and for working capital and other general partnership purposes of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (including Permitted Acquisitions).

 

(b)                                 The Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries will use Letters of Credit for general partnership purposes and to support deposits required under purchase agreements pursuant to which the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries may acquire Oil and Gas Properties and other assets.

 

Section 9.13                             Further Assurances.

 

(a)                                 Subject to the applicable limitations set forth in the Security Documents, the Borrower will, and will cause each other Credit Party to, execute any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements and instruments, and take all such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements, fixture, filings, assignments of as-extracted collateral, mortgages, deeds of trust and other documents) that the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders may reasonably request, in order to grant, preserve, protect and perfect the validity and priority of the security interests created or intended to be created by the applicable Security Documents, all at the expense of the Borrower.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower reasonably determine in writing that the cost of creating or perfecting any Lien on any property is excessive in relation to the benefits afforded to the Lenders thereby, then such property may be excluded from the Collateral for all purposes of the Credit Documents. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Security Documents, or any other Credit Document, (i) the Administrative Agent may grant extensions of time for or waivers of the requirements of the creation or perfection of security interests in or the obtaining of title opinions or other title information, legal opinions, appraisals, flood insurance and surveys with respect to particular assets (including extensions beyond the Funding Date for the perfection of security interests in the assets of the Credit Parties on such date) where it reasonably determines, in consultation with the Borrower, that perfection or obtaining of such items is not required by law or

 

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cannot be accomplished without undue effort or expense by the time or times at which it would otherwise be required by this Agreement or the other Credit Documents, (ii) Liens required to be granted from time to time pursuant to this Agreement and the Security Documents shall be subject to exceptions and limitations set forth in the Security Documents and, to the extent appropriate in any applicable jurisdiction, as otherwise agreed between the Administrative Agent and the Borrower and (iii) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may make such modifications to the Security Documents, and execute and/or consent to such easements, covenants, rights of way or similar instruments (and Administrative Agent may agree to subordinate the lien of any mortgage to any such easement, covenant, right of way or similar instrument or record or may agree to recognize any tenant pursuant to an agreement in a form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent), as are reasonable or necessary and otherwise permitted by this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.

 

Section 9.14                             Reserve Reports.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the Reserve Reports required by Sections 2.14, 2.15 and 2.16 hereof at the times specified therein.

 

(b)                                 With the delivery of each Reserve Report, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent a Reserve Report Certificate from an Authorized Officer of the Borrower certifying that in all material respects:

 

(i)                                     in the case of Reserve Reports prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower (or an engineer having similar qualifications and responsibilities employed by the Borrower), such Reserve Report has been prepared, except as otherwise specified therein, in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding Reserve Report;

 

(ii)                                  the information contained in the Reserve Report and any other information delivered in connection therewith is true and correct in all material respects;

 

(iii)                               except as set forth in an exhibit to such certificate, the representations and warranties in Section 8.15(a) are true and correct as of the date of such Reserve Report Certificate;

 

(iv)                              none of the Borrowing Base Properties have been Disposed of since the date of the last Borrowing Base determination except those Borrowing Base Properties listed on such certificate as having been Disposed of; and

 

(v)                                 the certificate shall also attach, as schedules thereto, a list of all Borrowing Base Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that are Collateral and demonstrating that the PV-9 of the Collateral (calculated at the time of delivery of such Reserve Report) meets the Collateral Coverage Minimum.

 

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Section 9.15                             Title Information. Within 60 days of the date of delivery to the Administrative Agent of each Reserve Report required by Sections 2.14 and 2.15. the Borrower will deliver title information in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent so that the Administrative Agent shall have received, together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, reasonably satisfactory title information on at least 60% of the PV-9 of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report.

 

Section 9.16                             Consolidated Cash Balance Information. If any Loans are outstanding, then (a) upon the request of the Administrative Agent (within two (2) Business Days of such request) or (b) on the last Business Day of any week (or, if a Default, Event of Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency has occurred and is continuing, on any Business Day) on which the Borrower has any Excess Cash on such Business Day, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent, within two (2) Business Days of any such day, summary and balance statements, in a form provided to the Borrower by the applicable financial institution or in a form otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, for each Deposit Account, Securities Account or other account in which any Cash Balance is held or to which any Cash Balance is credited, together with a written statement setting forth a reasonably detailed calculation of amounts excluded from the definition of Excess Cash pursuant to the parenthetical set forth in the definition thereof.

 

Section 9.17                             Control Agreements.  For each Deposit Account or Securities Account that the Borrower or any Credit Party maintains as of the Effective Date (other than Excluded Accounts) the Borrower and other Credit Party will, by no later than 30 days after the Effective Date (or such longer period agreed to by the Administrative Agent), either (a) cause such account to be subject to a deposit account control agreement or securities account control agreement, as applicable, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent naming the Administrative Agent as the secured party thereunder for the benefit of the Lenders, or (b) close such account and transfer any funds therein to an account that otherwise meets the requirements of this Section 9.17.  From and after the Effective Date, neither the Borrower nor any other Credit Party shall deposit any funds or securities or other assets into any Deposit Account or Securities Account (other than Excluded Accounts) unless such Deposit Account or Securities Account is subject to a deposit account control agreement or securities account control agreement, as applicable, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and naming the Administrative Agent as the secured party thereunder for the benefit of the Lenders; provided that, the Borrower shall have thirty (30) days (or such longer period as Administrative Agent may determine in its sole discretion) following the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date to execute any such account control agreement establishing a perfected Lien on such accounts.  Each deposit control agreement will provide that the depositary bank will comply with instructions originated by the Administrative Agent directing dispositions of funds in the Deposit Account without further consent by the applicable Credit Party.  Each securities account control agreement will provide that the securities intermediary will comply with entitlement orders originated by the Administrative Agent without further consent by the applicable Credit Party.  The Administrative Agent agrees that it will not issue any such instructions or entitlement orders or otherwise exercise any control right granted under any such deposit account control agreement or securities account control agreement unless (a) an Event of Default has occurred or (b) the Notes and the Loans then outstanding have become due and payable in whole (and not merely in part), whether at the due date thereof, by acceleration or otherwise.

 

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Section 9.18                             Unrestricted Subsidiaries. The Borrower will:

 

(a)                                 cause the management, business and affairs of its Subsidiaries to be conducted in such a manner (including, without limitation, by keeping separate books of account, furnishing separate financial statements of Unrestricted Subsidiaries to creditors and potential creditors thereof and by not permitting properties of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries to be commingled) so that each Unrestricted Subsidiary that is a corporation or limited liability company will be treated as an entity separate and distinct from the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(b)                                 not, and will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, incur, assume, guarantee or be or become liable for any Indebtedness of any of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries, other than (i) non-recourse pledges of Equity Interests in Unrestricted Subsidiaries granted to secure Indebtedness of Unrestricted Subsidiaries and (ii) Investments permitted under this Agreement; and

 

(c)                                  not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to hold any Equity Interest in, or any Indebtedness of, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Section 9.19                             Compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Sanctions.  Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries will comply in all respects with applicable Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Sanctions.

 

ARTICLE X

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

A deviation from the provisions of this Article X shall not constitute an Event of Default under this Agreement if such deviation is consented to in writing by the Administrative Agent and Majority Lenders prior to the date of deviation. The Borrower hereby covenants and agrees that on the Funding Date and thereafter, until the Total Commitment and each Letter of Credit have terminated (unless such Letters of Credit have been collateralized or other arrangements in respect thereof have been made on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to each applicable Issuing Bank following the termination of the Total Commitment) and the Loans and Unpaid Drawings, together with interest, fees and all other Obligations incurred hereunder (other than Hedging Obligations, Cash Management Obligations or contingent indemnification obligations not then due and payable), are paid in full,  Borrower will comply with the covenants contained in this Article X.

 

Section 10.1                             Liens.  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien, security interest or other encumbrance on any of its Properties, except Permitted Liens.

 

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Section 10.2                             Sale of Assets.  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, sell lease, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of (each of the foregoing, a “Disposition”), any of its Property, except that:

 

(a)                                 the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may Dispose of inventory and other goods held for sale, including Hydrocarbons, obsolete, worn out, used or surplus equipment, vehicles and other assets in the ordinary course of business (including equipment that is no longer necessary for the business of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries or is replaced by equipment of at least comparable value and use);

 

(b)                                 the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may Dispose of any Oil and Gas Properties (and including, but without limitation, Dispositions in respect of production payments, net profits interests, operating agreements, farm-outs, joint exploration and development agreements and other agreements customary in the oil and gas industry for the purpose of developing such Oil and Gas Properties or Equity Interests in Restricted Subsidiaries owning Borrowing Base Properties); provided that such Disposition is for Fair Market Value; provided, further, that in connection with any Disposition of Borrowing Base Properties or Equity Interests in Restricted Subsidiaries owning Borrowing Base Properties, in each case included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report, no later than five Business Days prior to the date of consummation of any such Disposition (or such shorter period as may be consented to by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) the Borrower shall provide notice to the Administrative Agent of such Disposition and the Borrowing Base Properties so Disposed, the Borrowing Base shall be adjusted, if applicable, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.17(a); provided, further, that to the extent that the Borrower is notified by the Administrative Agent that a Borrowing Base Deficiency could result from an adjustment to the Borrowing Base resulting from such Disposition, after the consummation of such Disposition(s), the Borrower shall have received net cash proceeds, or shall have cash on hand, sufficient to eliminate any such potential Borrowing Base Deficiency;

 

(c)                                  the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may Dispose of property or assets to the Borrower or to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(d)                                 the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may make Dispositions of Hydrocarbon Interests and related assets to which no Proved Reserves are attributable and farm-outs of undeveloped acreage to which no Proved Reserves are attributable and assignments in connection with such farm-outs;

 

(e)                                  the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may effect any transaction permitted by Section 10.1, Section 10.5 (excluding Section 10.5(iv)), Section 10.8 and Section 10.15;

 

(f)                                   the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may Dispose of Liquid Investments or cash in the ordinary course;

 

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(g)                                  the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may (i) enter into licenses of intellectual property in the ordinary course of business and (ii) Dispose of or abandon intellectual property that is no longer used or useful in the operation of the business;

 

(h)                                 the expiration or lapse of leases, exploration tenement licenses and subleases or sublicenses in the ordinary course of business shall be permitted;

 

(i)                                     the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may make other Dispositions not consisting of Borrowing Base Properties that have a Fair Market Value not to exceed an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 in any fiscal year.

 

Upon the Borrower’s request, the Administrative Agent will promptly release its Liens and security interests on all property that the Borrower is selling, leasing, transferring or otherwise disposing of in compliance with this Section 10.2.

 

Section 10.3                             Debt to EBITDAX Ratio.  Commencing with the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2017, the Borrower will not allow the Debt to EBITDAX Ratio to exceed 4.0 to 1.0 as of the end of each fiscal quarter.

 

Section 10.4                             Current Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the ratio of Current Assets of the Borrower and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries to the Current Liabilities of the Borrower and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries to be less than 1.0 to 1.0, calculated at the end of each fiscal quarter, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2017.

 

Section 10.5                             Consolidations and Mergers.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, consolidate or merge with or into any other Person, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), or dispose of all or substantially all its business, assets or other properties, except that:

 

(i)                                     the Borrower may merge or consolidate with another Person if the Borrower is the surviving entity in such merger;

 

(ii)                                  any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate or merge into or with, or be liquidated into, Borrower (if the Borrower is the surviving entity in such consolidation merger) or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if such consolidation or merger involves a Guarantor, a Guarantor shall be the surviving Person;

 

(iii)                               any Restricted Subsidiary may dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation, dissolution, winding up or otherwise) to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(iv)                              dispositions permitted by Section 10.2 (excluding Section 10.2(e));

 

(v)                                 any Restricted Subsidiary may merge with or into the Person such Restricted Subsidiary was formed to acquire in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, provided that (i) a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving entity or (ii) the continuing or surviving

 

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entity shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with Section 9.11 in connection therewith); and

 

(vi)                              any Person may merge into the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with a Permitted Acquisition; provided that (i) in the case of a merger involving the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, the continuing or surviving Person shall be the Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor and (ii) the continuing or surviving Person shall be the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary; and

 

(iii)                               the Borrower may effectuate the “Formation Transactions” as set forth in the Form S-1;

 

provided that, in each case, after giving effect thereto, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

Section 10.6                             [Intentionally Omitted].

 

Section 10.7                             Indebtedness.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, incur, create, assume or in any manner become or be liable with respect to any Indebtedness, except that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to:

 

(a)                                 the Obligations arising under this Agreement or the other Credit Documents;

 

(b)                                 Indebtedness of (i) the Borrower or any Guarantor owing to the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that any such Indebtedness owing by a Credit Party to a Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor shall be subject to subordination terms contained in the Intercompany Note, (ii) any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor owing to any other Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor and (iii) to the extent permitted by Section 10.15, any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor owing to the Borrower or any Guarantor; provided that all such Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (b) shall be represented by the Intercompany Note and pledged to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties as Collateral pursuant to the terms of a security agreement in the form reasonably prescribed by the Administrative Agent;

 

(c)                                  Indebtedness which, in the aggregate, together with all other Indebtedness permitted by this Section 10.7(c), does not exceed $5,000,000 in principal amount outstanding;

 

(d)                                 Indebtedness in respect of Capital Leases or purchase money financings in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time not to exceed $5,000,000;

 

(e)                                  Indebtedness consisting of the financing of insurance premiums in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(f)                                   Indebtedness existing on the Funding Date that is described in the Form S-1; and

 

(g)                                  Indebtedness in respect of Permitted Additional Debt; provided that immediately after giving effect to the incurrence or issuance thereof, (i) the Borrower shall be in Pro Forma Compliance with the covenants in Section 10.3 and Section 10.4, (ii) the Borrowing Base shall be adjusted as set forth in Section 2.18(c) and (iii) if the Credit Parties would not be in compliance with the Collateral Coverage Minimum after giving effect to the incurrence of such Permitted Additional Debt, the one or more Credit Parties shall have executed and delivered Security Documents, such that after giving effect thereto, the Borrower shall be in compliance with the Collateral Coverage Minimum as of the time of incurrence of such Permitted Additional Debt, and thereafter, at all times during the period that any Permitted Additional Debt is outstanding.

 

Section 10.8                             Restricted Payments.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, declare or pay any dividend or distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) or purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire for value any of its Equity Interests now or hereafter outstanding, return any capital to the holders of its Equity Interests or make any distribution of its assets to the holders of its Equity Interests (each a “Restricted Payment”), except that:

 

(a)                                 each of the Borrower and OpCo may make Restricted Payments (excluding redemptions of Preferred Equity and the OpCo Preferred Units, as applicable) to its respective Equity Holders, if and to the extent that (i) such Restricted Payment is paid within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof, (ii) as of the date of such declaration of such Restricted Payment, no Event of Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency existed, (iii) as of the date of such declaration, if such dividend or distribution had been made as of such date of declaration, immediately after giving effect thereto, no Event of Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency would have existed, (iv) immediately after such Restricted Payment is made, the Borrower shall have Liquidity in an amount that is not less than ten percent (10%) of the Loan Limit, (v) Borrower is in Pro Forma Compliance with Section 10.3 immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment and (vi) solely with respect to Restricted Payments by OpCo to the holders of OpCo Common Units, such Restricted Payment is made ratably to all holders of OpCo Common Units;

 

(b)                                 each of the Borrower and OpCo may make Restricted Payments consisting of redemptions of the Apollo Group Preferred Units and the OpCo Preferred Units, as applicable:

 

(i)                                     provided that, immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, (A) no Event of Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency exists, (B) immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, the Borrower shall have Liquidity in an amount that is not less than ten percent (10%) of the Loan Limit and (C) immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment,  the Debt to EBITDAX Ratio of the Borrower, determined on a basis described

 

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in the definition of “Pro Forma Compliance” shall not exceed 3.25 to 1.0, or

 

(ii)                                  with an amount equal to the net cash proceeds derived from (A) the issuance of Equity Interests consisting of the Borrower’s common stock or (B) the issuance of Equity Interests consisting of Preferred Equity on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Majority Lenders and in any event on terms and conditions no less favorable to the Borrower than the Apollo Group Preferred Units, and, when taken as a whole, such Restricted Payment is made within sixty (60) days after the issuance of the Equity Interests that is made under sub-clause (A) or sub-clause (B) above.

 

(c)                                  the Borrower and Opco may declare and pay dividends or distributions with respect to its Equity Interests (including dividends or distributions with respect to the Apollo Group Preferred Units and the OpCo Preferred Units, as applicable) payable solely in additional Equity Interests (including additional Apollo Group Preferred Units and the OpCo Preferred Units, as applicable, as payment in kind but excluding other Disqualified Capital Stock);

 

(d)                                 the Borrower and OpCo may consummate any Kimbell Class B/OpCo Unit for Kimbell Common Unit Exchange;

 

(e)                                  the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with equity option plans or other benefit plans for management, employees, directors and consultants of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

 

(f)                                   OpCo may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower with respect to its Equity Interests; and

 

(g)                                  Restricted Subsidiaries of the Borrower may declare and pay dividends or distributions ratably with respect to their Equity Interests to its direct parent that is the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

Section 10.9                             Preferred Equity Units. The Borrower shall not issue any Preferred Equity except for (a) the Apollo Group Preferred Units (including Apollo Group Preferred Units issued as payment in kind), (b) Preferred Equity issued to redeem the Apollo Group Preferred Units to the extent permitted by Section 10.8(b) and (c) the dividend and the liquidation preferences with respect to the general partner interests in the Borrower and the Kimbell Class B Units as described in the Tax Change Memorandum (as defined in Amendment No.1).  The Borrower shall not permit (i) any Restricted Subsidiary to issue any preferred Equity Interests other than the OpCo Preferred Units or (ii) OpCo to issue or permit to be held by any Person (other than the Borrower) any Equity Interests having voting rights more favorable to the holders thereof than the voting rights applicable to the OpCo Common Units on and as of the date the Tax Change Transactions are consummated.

 

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Section 10.10                      Hedge Transactions.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any Hedge Transactions other than:

 

(i)                                     Hedge Transactions with respect to interest rates that are entered into in the ordinary course of business and not for purposes of speculation that (A) result in any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is subject to a floating interest rate to be effectively subject to a fixed interest rate or that otherwise mitigate or minimize the Borrower’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s exposure to fluctuations in the applicable floating interest rate, (B) at the time each such Hedge Transaction is entered into, do not cause the aggregate notional amount of all outstanding Hedge Transactions with respect to interest rates to exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the then outstanding principal balance of such floating rate Indebtedness, (C) do not have a scheduled term that extends beyond the scheduled maturity date of the floating rate Indebtedness related to such Hedge Transaction and (D) do not require the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to post money, assets or any other property as security against the event of its non-performance, other than to the extent permitted under Section 10.1; and

 

(ii)                                  Hedge Transactions with respect to hydrocarbon prices that are entered into in the ordinary course of business for hedging risk and not for purposes of speculation and that do not (determined separately for each new Hedge Transaction as of the date such Hedge Transaction is entered into) (a)  have Hedge Termination Dates longer than thirty six (36) months from the effective date of the Hedge Transaction, and in no event will any such Hedge Termination Date exceed one (1) year beyond the Maturity Date and (b)  cause the aggregate notional volumes of Hydrocarbons under all such Hedge Transactions then in effect, calculated separately for each of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids for each month to which such new Hedge Transaction applies, to exceed (i) 80% of Borrower’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ anticipated production of Proved Reserves that, in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Standards, are classified as “Proved Developed Producing Reserves” during any of the 36 months following such date, as determined based on the most recent Reserve Report delivered pursuant to Sections 2.14 and 2.15 hereof, or (ii) zero thereafter, provided, however, In calculating such 80% limit, all purchased put options or price floors shall be excluded, so long as such put options or floors do not require payments by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries other than those due at the time of purchase. The limits in the foregoing sentence shall be calculated separately for Hedge Transactions that hedge basis risk with respect to anticipated production and those that hedge price risk with respect to anticipated production.  To the extent, if any, that Borrower uses crude oil hedges to hedge natural gas liquids, such crude oil hedges shall be treated as hedges of natural gas liquids rather than hedges of crude oil.  Any Hedge Transaction permitted under this Section 10.10(b) shall be with a counterparty that is either (i) the Administrative Agent or any Lender or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or (ii) a third party approved in writing by the Administrative Agent with a credit rating of BBB+ or better by

 

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S&P, and any successor thereto, or a rating of Baa1 or better by Moody’s and any successor thereto.

 

(b)                                 The Borrower shall not effect any Hedge Termination unless (i) the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent 5 days’ prior written notice of any such Hedge Termination (other than a “Termination Event” or “Event of Default” under a Hedge Transaction as to which the Borrower cannot give advance notice, in which case the Borrower shall give prompt written notice of such Hedge Termination), and (ii) if such Hedge Termination causes a Borrowing Base Deficiency, the Borrower shall make any mandatory prepayments required by Section 2.17.

 

(c)                                  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any Hedge Transaction which contains any requirement, agreement or covenant for the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to post collateral or margin to secure their obligations under such Hedge Transaction or to cover market exposures; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit or be deemed to prohibit the Obligations from being secured by the Security Documents.

 

Section 10.11                      Passive Status of Borrower/OpCoNotwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Credit Document:

 

(a)                                 OpCo shall not engage in any operating or business activities or other transactions other than its direct or indirect ownership of Equity Interest in its Restricted Subsidiaries and shall not directly hold Equity Interests of any Person other than such Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the following shall be permitted activities of OpCo: (i) the maintenance of its legal existence (including the ability to incur fees, costs and expenses relating to such maintenance), (ii) the performance of its obligations with respect to the Credit Documents, (iii) payment of Taxes, (iv) conduct of financial audits as provided hereunder, (v) providing indemnification to officers, managers and directors, (vi) making Restricted Payments to holders of its Equity Interests to the extent permitted by Section 10.8, (vii) activities related to Hedge Transactions with Hedge Banks permitted hereunder and Cash Management Agreements, and (viii) transactions pursuant to the Management Services Agreement.

 

(b)                                 The Borrower shall not engage in any operating or business activities or other transactions other than its ownership of Equity Interest in OpCo and Merger Sub and shall not directly hold Equity Interests of any Person other than OpCo and Merger Sub; provided that the following shall be permitted activities of the Borrower: (i) the maintenance of its legal existence (including the ability to incur fees, costs and expenses relating to such maintenance), (ii) the performance of its obligations with respect to the Credit Documents, (iii) payment of Taxes, (iv) conduct of financial audits as provided hereunder, (v) providing indemnification to officers, managers and directors, (vi) conduct business related to the listing of its Equity Interests on a national exchange, (vii) making Restricted Payments to holders of its Equity Interests to the extent permitted by Section 10.8, (viii) activities related to Hedge Transactions permitted hereunder and Cash Management Services and (ix) transactions pursuant to the Management Services Agreement.

 

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Section 10.12                      Amendment of Organizational Documents.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower will not amend or modify its organizational documents in a manner that would have a Material Adverse Effect without obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent; provided that for purposes of clarity, it is understood and agreed that (a) the foregoing shall not prohibit changes to the organizational form of the Borrower to the extent not otherwise prohibited hereunder, (b) the amendment to the Borrower’s limited partnership agreement is permitted in connection with the issuance of the Apollo Group Preferred Units as provided for in the Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement and (c) amendments to the Borrower’s limited partnership agreement as provided in connection with the Tax Change Transactions (as defined in Amendment No.1).

 

(b)                                 The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, at any time on or after the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, to amend modify or supplement (or enter into any agreement that has the effect of amending, modifying or supplementing, other than, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with entry into the Preferred Equity Transaction, as such term is defined in Amendment No. 1) the terms of any Preferred Equity or the terms of any preferred Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the same could reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the Lenders (it being understood that (i) any increase in the distribution rate (whether in cash or paid in kind), (ii) any change to any mandatory redemption provision or put rights (or the addition of other mandatory redemption provisions or put rights), (iii) any change to the terms of thereof which results in any such Preferred Equity or preferred Equity Interests constituting indebtedness under GAAP and (iv) any modification of any covenant included in any such Preferred Equity or preferred Equity Interests that makes such covenant materially more restrictive as to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or any modification that adds a covenant that results in any such Preferred Equity or preferred Equity Interests being materially more restrictive as to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), in each case, shall be deemed to be materially adverse to the Lenders).

 

(c)                                  The Borrower will not permit OpCo to amend, modify or supplement (or enter into any agreement that has the effect of amending, modifying or supplementing) its organizational documents (including its certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws) in a manner that could reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the Lenders (it being understood that (i) changes to the organizational form of OpCo from a limited liability company or changes to the management of OpCo by the Borrower and (ii) changes to permit distributions in respect of the OpCo Common Units to be paid to the Borrower on a less than ratable basis, in each case, shall be deemed to be materially adverse to the Lenders; provided, however, that the amendments to OpCo’s organizations documents in connection with the Tax Change Transactions (as defined in Amendment No.1) shall be deemed not to be materially adverse to the Lenders.

 

Section 10.13                      Sanctions. The Borrower will not directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any Credit Event, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity, to fund any activities of or business with any individual or entity, or in any Designated Jurisdiction that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Lender,

 

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Administrative Agent, or Issuing Bank, of Sanctions or any Anti-Corruption Laws or Anti-Money Laundering Laws.

 

Section 10.14                      New Accounts. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Credit Party to deposit, credit or otherwise transfer any Cash Receipts, securities, financial assets or any other property into, any Deposit Account or Securities Account other than (x) Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts maintained with the Administrative Agent, (y) Excluded Accounts and (z) such Deposit Account or Securities Account in respect of which the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, shall have a perfected Lien prior to the transfer or other deposit of any Cash Receipts, securities, financial assets or any other property of any Credit Party therein; provided that, Borrower shall have thirty (30) days (or such longer period as Administrative Agent may determine in its sole discretion) following the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date to execute any such account control agreement establishing a perfected Lien on such accounts.

 

Section 10.15                      Limitation on Investments. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make or permit to exist any loans, advances, or capital contributions to any other Person, or purchase any Equity Interests or evidences of indebtedness of any Person (such loans, advances, capital contributions to, purchases of Equity Interests (including the making of any acquisition of Equity Interests), or purchase of any evidences of indebtedness of any Person, collectively, “Investments”), except:

 

(a)                                 Investments constituting Liquid Investments at the time initially made;

 

(b)                                 the creation or acquisition of any Restricted Subsidiaries (or of any Person who by virtue of such Investment becomes a Restricted Subsidiary) in compliance with Section 9.11;

 

(c)                                  Investments in the direct ownership of Oil and Gas Properties and Investments made in the ordinary course of business as a means of actively exploiting, exploring for, acquiring, developing, processing, gathering, marketing or transporting Hydrocarbons through agreements, transactions, interests or arrangements which provide for the sharing of risks or costs, jointly with third parties, including entering into operating agreements, working interests, royalty interests, mineral leases, processing agreements, farmouts, farm-in agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil and natural gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements and area of mutual interest agreements, production sharing agreements or other similar or customary agreement, transactions, properties, interest and investments and expenditures in connection therewith; provided that (i) no such Investment includes an Investment in any Equity Interest in a Person, (ii) any Indebtedness incurred or Lien granted or permitted to exist pursuant to such Investments is otherwise permitted under Section 10.1 and Section 10.7, respectively, and (iii) such Investments are taken into account in computing the net revenue interests and working interests of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries set forth in the most recent Reserve Report;

 

(d)                                 Accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

(e)                                  Permitted Acquisitions;

 

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(f)                                   Investments by the Borrower in any Guarantor or by any Guarantor in the Borrower or in any other Guarantor;

 

(g)                                  Investments consisting of Hedge Transactions permitted under Section 10.10;

 

(h)                                 Investments (including, without limitation, capital contributions) in general or limited partnerships or other types of entities (each a “venture”) entered into by the Borrower or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries with others in the ordinary course of business; provided that (i) no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of, or would exist after making any such Investment, (ii) any such venture is engaged exclusively in oil and gas exploration, development, production, processing and related activities, including transportation, (iii) the interest in such venture is acquired in the ordinary course of business and on fair and reasonable terms and (iv) such venture interests acquired and capital contributions made (valued as of the date such interest was acquired or the contribution made) do not exceed, in the aggregate at any time outstanding an amount equal to $10,000,000;

 

(i)                                     Investments in stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts arising from Investments permitted under this Section 10.15 owing to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding of the obligor;

 

(j)                                    Investments in Persons primarily engaged in the oil and gas business made with cash otherwise permitted to be used for Restricted Payments in accordance with Section 10.8;

 

(k)                                 loans and advances to officers, directors, employees and consultants of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as permitted by applicable law provided that the aggregate principal amount thereof outstanding at any time shall not exceed $1,000,000;

 

(l)                                     (i) Investments existing on, or made pursuant to legally binding written commitments in existence on, the Effective Date as set forth on Schedule 10.15, (ii) Investments existing on the Effective Date of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in any other Subsidiary and (iii) any extensions, renewals or reinvestments thereof, so long as the amount of any Investment made pursuant to this clause (l) is not increased at any time above the amount of such Investment set forth on Schedule 10.15;

 

(m)                             Investments held by a Person acquired (including by way of merger or consolidation) after the Effective Date otherwise in accordance with this Section 10.15 to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

 

(n)                                 Investments consisting of Dispositions, consolidations and mergers, Indebtedness and Restricted Payments permitted under Sections 10.2 (other than Section 10.2(e)), 10.5, 10.7 and 10.8; and

 

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(o)                                 Investments made to repurchase or retire Equity Interests of the Borrower owned by any employee or any stock ownership plan or key employee stock ownership plan of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof);

 

(p)                                 Investments constituting non-cash proceeds of Dispositions of assets to the extent such Disposition is permitted by Section 10.2;

 

(q)                                 Investments to the extent that payment for such Investments is made with Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock) of the Borrower;

 

(r)                                    Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries not to exceed $10,000,000 (measured as of the time made) in the aggregate at any time; and

 

(s)                                   Investments made by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in any fiscal year and not otherwise permitted under this Section 10.15 in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,000,000 (measured as of the time made) in such fiscal year.

 

Section 10.16                      Change in Business. The Borrower will not fundamentally and substantively alter the character of its business, taken as a whole, from the business conducted by it on the Effective Date, and other business activities incidental, reasonably related or ancillary to any of the foregoing.

 

Section 10.17                      Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

 

(a)                                 Unless designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary on Schedule 8.12 as of the date hereof or thereafter, in compliance with Section 10.17(b) or (d), any Person that becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be classified as a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

(b)                                 The Borrower may designate by written notification thereof to the Administrative Agent, any Restricted Subsidiary (other than OpCo), including a newly or to be formed or newly or to be acquired Subsidiary, as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if (i) prior, and immediately after giving effect, to such designation, neither a Default nor a Borrowing Base Deficiency would exist, (ii) such designation is deemed to be an Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value as of the date of such designation of the Borrower’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ direct ownership interests in such Subsidiary and such Investment would be permitted to be made at the time of such designation under Section 10.15 and (iii) the Borrower shall be in Pro Forma Compliance after giving effect to such designation. Except as provided in this Section 10.17(b), no Restricted Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

(c)                                  The Borrower may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if immediately after giving effect to such designation, (i) the representations and warranties of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries contained in each of the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of such date as if made on and as of the date of such redesignation (or, if stated to have been made expressly

 

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as of an earlier date, were true and correct in all material respects as of such date), (ii) no Default exists, (iii) the Borrower complies with the requirements of Section 9.11 and Section 9.18, (iv) the Borrower and/or one or more Restricted Subsidiaries owns all of the Equity Interests in such Subsidiary and (v) the Borrower shall be in Pro Forma Compliance after giving effect to such designation. Any such designation shall be treated as a cash dividend to the Borrower in an amount equal to the lesser of the fair market value of the Borrower’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ direct ownership interests in such Subsidiary or the amount of the Borrower’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ aggregate investment previously made for purposes of the limitation on Investments under Section 10.15. Upon the designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, all Investments previously made in such Unrestricted Subsidiary shall no longer be counted in determining any limitation on Investments under Section 10.15.

 

(d)                                 Each Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall automatically be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

(e)                                  Upon designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in compliance with Section 10.17(b), (i) such Subsidiary shall be automatically released from all obligations, if any, under the Loan Documents, including the Guarantee and all other applicable Security Documents and (ii) all Liens granted pursuant to the Guarantee and all other applicable Security Documents on the property of, and the Equity Interests in, such Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be automatically released.

 

ARTICLE XI

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

Upon the occurrence of any of the following specified events (each an “Event of Default”):

 

Section 11.1                             Payments. The Borrower shall (a) default in the payment when due of any principal of the Loans or (b) default, and such default shall continue for three (3) Business Days, in the payment when due of any interest on the Loans or any Unpaid Drawings, fees or of any other amounts owing hereunder or under any other Credit Document (other than any amount referred to in clause (a) above).

 

Section 11.2                             Representations, Etc. Any representation, warranty or statement made or deemed made by any Credit Party herein or in any other Credit Document or any certificate delivered or required to be delivered pursuant hereto or thereto shall prove to be untrue in any material respect on the date as of which made or deemed made.

 

Section 11.3                             Covenants. Any Credit Party shall:

 

(a)                                 default in the due performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 9.1(d)(i) and 9.5 (solely with respect to the Borrower), Section 9.17 or Article X; or

 

(b)                                 default in the due performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or agreement (other than those referred to in Section 11.1 or 11.2 or clause (a) of this

 

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Section 11.3) contained in this Agreement or any Security Document and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of at least thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice thereof by the Borrower from the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 11.4                             Default Under Other Agreements.  (i) The Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall default in any payment with respect to any Material Indebtedness (other than the Indebtedness described in Section 11.1) beyond the period of grace, if any, provided in the instrument of agreement under which such Indebtedness was created, (ii) the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall default in the observance or performance of any agreement or condition relating (other than a payment default) to any such Material Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event (other than a payment default) shall occur or condition exist (other than secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of a Disposition (including as a result of a casualty event) of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness permitted under this Agreement), the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Material Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, any such Indebtedness to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, unless, in the case of each of the foregoing or (iii) a default or other event or condition (other than termination events or equivalent events pursuant to the terms of such Hedge Transactions) shall occur and be continuing under any Hedging Transaction between any Credit Party and any Person which results in a net payment being due by such Credit Party in excess of $10,000,000 and such payment is not paid when due (after giving effect to all grace periods), unless in the case of each of (i)-(iii) of the foregoing, such holder or holders shall have (or through its or their trustee or agent on its or their behalf) waived such default in a writing to the Borrower.

 

Section 11.5                             Bankruptcy, Etc. The Borrower or any Guarantor shall commence a voluntary case, proceeding or action concerning itself under Title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) or any other applicable Debtor Relief Law; or an involuntary case, proceeding or action is commenced against the Borrower or any Guarantor and the petition is not dismissed or stayed within 60 days after commencement of the case, proceeding or action, or the Borrower or the applicable Guarantor consents to the institution of such case, proceeding or action prior to such 60-day period, or any order of relief or other order approving any such case, proceeding or action is entered; or a custodian (as defined in the Bankruptcy Code), receiver, receiver manager, trustee, conservator, liquidator, examiner, rehabilitator, administrator or similar Person is appointed for, or takes charge of, the Borrower or all or any substantial portion of the property or business thereof; or the Borrower suffers any appointment of any custodian, receiver, receiver manager, trustee, conservator, liquidator, examiner, rehabilitator, administrator or the like for it or any substantial part of its property or business to continue undischarged or unstayed for a period of 60 days; or the Borrower makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors.

 

Section 11.6                             ERISA.

 

(a)                                 (i) Any Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum funding standard required for any plan year or part thereof or a waiver of such standard or extension of any amortization

 

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period is sought or granted under Section 412 of the Code; (ii) any Plan is or shall have been terminated or is the subject of termination proceedings under ERISA (including the giving of written notice thereof); (iii) an event shall have occurred or a condition shall exist in either case entitling the PBGC to terminate any Plan or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan (including the giving of written notice thereof); (iv) any Plan shall have an accumulated funding deficiency (whether or not waived); and (v) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or is likely to incur a liability to or on account of a Plan under Section 409, 502(i), 502(l), 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4069, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA or Section 4971 or 4975 of the Code (including the giving of written notice thereof); and

 

(b)                                 there would result from any event or events set forth in clause (i) of this Section 11.6 the imposition of a lien, the granting of a security interest, or a liability, or the reasonable likelihood of incurring a lien, security interest or liability; and

 

(c)                                  such lien, security interest or liability will or would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 11.7                             Guarantee. The Guarantee or any material provision thereof shall cease to be in full force or effect (other than pursuant to the terms hereof and thereof) or any Guarantor or any other Credit Party shall assert in writing that any such Guarantor’s obligations under the Guarantee are not to be in effect or are not to be legal, valid and binding obligations (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof).

 

Section 11.8                             Security Documents. The mortgages, deeds of trust, security agreements or assignments of production or any other Security Document pursuant to which assets of the Borrower and the Credit Parties are pledged as Collateral or any material provision thereof shall cease to be in full force or effect (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof) or any grantor thereunder or any other Credit Party shall assert in writing that any grantor’s obligations under the mortgages, deeds of trust, security agreements or assignments of production or any other Security Document are not in effect or not legal, valid and binding obligations (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof).

 

Section 11.9                             Judgments. One or more monetary judgments or decrees shall be entered against the Borrower or a Guarantor involving a liability of an amount exceeding $15,000,000 in the aggregate for all such judgments and decrees for the Borrower and the Guarantors (to the extent not paid or covered by insurance provided by a carrier not disputing coverage), which judgments are not discharged or effectively waived or stayed for a period of 60 consecutive days.

 

Section 11.10                      Change of Control.  A Change of Control shall have occurred.

 

Then, and in any such event, and at any time thereafter, if any Event of Default shall then be continuing, the Administrative Agent may and, upon the written request of the Majority Lenders, shall, by written notice to the Borrower, take any or all of the following actions, without prejudice to the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to enforce its claims against the Borrower or any other Credit Party, except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Agreement (provided that, if an Event of Default specified in Section 11.5 shall occur, the result that would

 

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occur upon the giving of written notice by the Administrative Agent as specified in clauses (a), (b) and (c) below shall occur automatically without the giving of any such notice): (a) declare the Total Commitment terminated, whereupon the Commitment of each Lender shall forthwith terminate immediately and any fees theretofore accrued shall forthwith become due and payable without any other notice of any kind; (b) declare the principal of and any accrued interest and fees in respect of any or all Loans and any or all Obligations owing hereunder to be, whereupon the same shall become, forthwith due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and/or (c) demand cash collateral in respect of any outstanding Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 3.8(b) in an amount equal to the aggregate Stated Amount of all Letters of Credit issued and then outstanding. In addition, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders will have all other rights and remedies available at law and equity.

 

Section 11.11                      Application of Proceeds. Any amount received by the Administrative Agent from any Credit Party (or from proceeds of any Collateral) following any acceleration of the Obligations under this Agreement or any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower under Section 11.5 shall be applied:

 

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel payable under Section 13.5 and amounts payable under Article II) payable to the Administrative Agent in such Person’s capacity as such;

 

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (including fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel payable under Section 13.5) arising under the Credit Documents and amounts payable under Article II, ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans and Unpaid Drawings, ratably among the Lenders and the Issuing Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

Fourth, (i) to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, the Unpaid Drawings and Obligations then owing under Hedge Transactions and Cash Management Agreements and (ii) to Cash Collateralize that portion of Letters of Credit outstanding comprising the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit to the extent not otherwise Cash Collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.8, ratably among the Lenders, the Issuing Banks, the Hedge Banks and the Cash Management Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; provided that (x) any such amounts applied pursuant to the foregoing clause (ii) shall be paid to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the applicable Issuing Bank to Cash Collateralize such Letters of Credit Outstanding, (y) subject to Section 3.8, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters

 

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of Credit pursuant to this clause Fourth shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur and (z) upon the expiration of any Letter of Credit, the pro rata share of Cash Collateral attributable to such expired Letter of Credit shall be distributed in accordance with this clause Fourth;

 

Fifth, to the payment of all other Obligations of the Credit Parties owing under or in respect of the Credit Documents that are due and payable to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date, ratably based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date; and

 

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Requirements of Law.

 

Subject to Section 3.8, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, amounts received from the Borrower or any Credit Party that is not an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act shall not be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligations (it being understood, that in the event that any amount is applied to Obligations other than Excluded Swap Obligations as a result of this clause, the Administrative Agent shall make such adjustments as it determines are appropriate to distributions pursuant to clause second above from amounts received from “eligible contract participants” under the Commodity Exchange Act to ensure, as nearly as possible, that the proportional aggregate recoveries with respect to Obligations described in clause second above by the holders of any Excluded Swap Obligations are the same as the proportional aggregate recoveries with respect to other Obligations pursuant to clause second above).

 

ARTICLE XII
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

Section 12.1                             Appointment.

 

(a)                                 Each Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Administrative Agent as the agent of such Lender under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent, in such capacity, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article XII (other than Section 12.1(b) with respect to the Joint Lead Arrangers and Section 12.9 with respect to the Borrower) are solely for the benefit of the Administrative

 

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Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have rights as third party beneficiary of any such provision. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Credit Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)                                 Neither the Joint Lead Arrangers nor the Co-Syndication Agents, in their capacities as such, shall have any obligations, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement but shall be entitled to all benefits of this Article XII.

 

Section 12.2                             Exculpatory Provisions. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates shall be (a) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by any of them under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Credit Document (except for its or such Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined in the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein) or (b) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders or any participant for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any of the Borrower, any other Credit Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Credit Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Credit Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Credit Document, or, except with respect to any physical certificate or instrument representing pledged debt securities or pledged stock (in each case, as defined in the Security Agreement) in the possession of the Administrative Agent, the perfection or priority of any Lien or security interest created or purported to be created under the Security Documents or for any failure of the Borrower or any other Credit Party to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Administrative Agent shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Credit Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Credit Party or any Affiliate thereof.

 

Section 12.3                             Reliance by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or instruction believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the Lender specified in the Register with respect to any amount owing hereunder as the owner thereof for all purposes unless a written notice of assignment, negotiation or transfer thereof shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Credit Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Majority Lenders as it deems appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of

 

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taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents in accordance with a request of the Majority Lenders, and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders and all future holders of the Loans; provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or in the opinion of its counsel, may expose it to liability or that is contrary to any Credit Document or applicable Requirements of Law. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Article VI and Article VII on the Effective Date, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Effective Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

Section 12.4                             Notice of Default. The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder unless the Administrative Agent has received notice from a Lender or the Borrower referring to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default”. In the event that the Administrative Agent receives such a notice, it shall give notice thereof to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Majority Lenders; provided that unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders except to the extent that this Agreement requires that such action be taken only with the approval of the Majority Lenders or each individual lender, as applicable.

 

Section 12.5                             Non-Reliance on the Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender expressly acknowledges that neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates has made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by the Administrative Agent hereinafter taken, including any review of the affairs of the Borrower or any other Credit Party, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent to any Lender or any Issuing Bank. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank represents to the Administrative Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and each other Credit Party and made its own decision to make its Advances hereunder and enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and any other Credit Party. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, assets, operations, properties, financial

 

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condition, prospects or creditworthiness of the Borrower or any other Credit Party that may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates.

 

Section 12.6                             Indemnification. The Lenders severally agree to indemnify the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such (to the extent not reimbursed by the Credit Parties and without limiting the obligation of the Credit Parties to do so), ratably according to their respective portions of the Commitments or Loans, as applicable, outstanding in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought (or, if indemnification is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with their respective portions of the Total Outstandings in effect immediately prior to such date), from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time occur (including at any time following the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Credit Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that no Lender shall be liable to the Administrative Agent for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting from such Administrative Agent’s gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct as determined by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; provided, further, that no action taken in accordance with the directions of the Majority Lenders shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section 12.6. In the case of any investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time occur (including at any time following the payment of the Loans), this Section 12.6 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Lender or any other Person. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse the Administrative Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by such Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice rendered in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Credit Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that such Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of the Borrower; provided that such reimbursement by the Lenders shall not affect the Borrower’s continuing reimbursement obligations with respect thereto. If any indemnity furnished to the Administrative Agent for any purpose shall, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, be insufficient or become impaired, the Administrative Agent may call for additional indemnity and cease, or not commence, to do the acts indemnified against until such additional indemnity is furnished; provided, in no event shall this sentence require any Lender to indemnify the Administrative Agent against any liability, obligation, loss, damage, penalty, action, judgment, suit, cost, expense or disbursement in excess of such Lender’s pro rata portion thereof; and provided further, this sentence shall not be deemed to require any Lender to indemnify the Administrative Agent against any liability, obligation, loss, damage, penalty, action, judgment, suit, cost, expense or disbursement resulting from the Administrative Agent’s gross negligence,

 

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bad faith or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section 12.6 shall survive the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

 

Section 12.7                             The Administrative Agent in Its Individual Capacity. The Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower and any other Credit Party as though the Administrative Agent were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Credit Documents. With respect to the Loans made by it, the Administrative Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents as any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” shall include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity.

 

Section 12.8                             Successor Agents. The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower. If the Administrative Agent becomes a Defaulting Lender, then such Administrative Agent may be removed as the Administrative Agent, at the reasonable request of the Borrower and the Majority Lenders. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation or removal, as the case may be, the Majority Lenders shall have the right, subject to the consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) so long as no Default under Section 11.1 or 11.5 is continuing, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If, in the case of a resignation of a retiring Administrative Agent, no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective at the end of such 30-day period. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as the Administrative Agent hereunder, and upon the execution and filing or recording of such financing statements, or amendments thereto, and such other instruments or notices, as may be necessary or desirable, or as the Majority Lenders may request, in order to continue the perfection of the Liens granted or purported to be granted by the Security Documents, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Credit Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section 12.8). The fees payable by the Borrower (following the effectiveness of such appointment) to the Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Credit Documents, the provisions of this Article XII (including Section 12.6) and Section 13.5 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, and its Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as the Administrative Agent.

 

Any resignation of any Person as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 12.8 shall also constitute its resignation as Issuing Bank. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuing Bank, (b) the retiring Issuing

 

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Bank shall be discharged from all of its respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Credit Documents, and (c) the successor Issuing Bank shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring Issuing Bank to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring Issuing Bank with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

Section 12.9                             Withholding Tax. To the extent required by any applicable Requirement of Law, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender an amount equivalent to any applicable withholding tax. If the Internal Revenue Service or any authority of the United States or other jurisdiction asserts a claim that the Administrative Agent did not properly withhold tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender for any reason (including because the appropriate form was not delivered, was not properly executed, or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstances that rendered the exemption from, or reduction of, withholding tax ineffective), such Lender shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (to the extent that the Administrative Agent has not already been reimbursed by any applicable Credit Party and without limiting the obligation of any applicable Credit Party to do so) fully for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by the Administrative Agent as Tax or otherwise, including penalties, additions to Tax and interest, together with all expenses incurred, including legal expenses, allocated staff costs and any out of pocket expenses. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Credit Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this Section 12.9. For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of this Section 12.9, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank.

 

Section 12.10                      Security Documents and Guarantee. Each Secured Party hereby further authorizes the Administrative Agent, on behalf of and for the benefit of Secured Parties, to be the agent for and representative of the Secured Parties with respect to the Collateral and the Security Documents. Subject to Section 13.1, without further written consent or authorization from any Secured Party or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, may (a) execute any documents or instruments necessary in connection with a Disposition of assets permitted by this Agreement, (b) release any Lien encumbering any item of Collateral that is the subject of such Disposition of assets or with respect to which Majority Lenders (or such other Lenders as may be required to give such consent under Section 13.1) have otherwise consented or (c) release any applicable Guarantor from the Guarantee in connection with such Disposition or with respect to which Majority Lenders (or such other Lenders as may be required to give such consent under Section 13.1) have otherwise consented. The Lenders and the Issuing Banks (including in their capacities as potential Cash Management Banks and potential Hedge Banks) irrevocably agree that (x) the Administrative Agent may, without any further consent of any Lender, enter into or amend any intercreditor agreement with the representatives of the holders of Indebtedness that is permitted to be secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is permitted under this Agreement, (y) the Administrative Agent may rely exclusively on a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower as to whether any such other Liens are permitted and (z) any such intercreditor agreement referred to in clause (x) above, entered into by the Administrative Agent, shall be binding on the Secured Parties. Furthermore, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (including in their capacities as potential Cash Management Bank and potential Hedge Banks) hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any

 

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Credit Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is a Permitted Lien; provided that prior to any such request, the Borrower shall have in each case delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower certifying that such subordination is permitted under this Agreement.

 

Section 12.11                      Right to Realize on Collateral and Enforce Guarantee. Anything contained in any of the Credit Documents to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Secured Party hereby agree that (a) no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce the Guarantee, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies hereunder may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms hereof and all powers, rights and remedies under the Security Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent, and (b) in the event of a foreclosure by the Administrative Agent on any of the Collateral pursuant to a public or private sale or other disposition, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be the purchaser or licensor of any or all of such Collateral at any such sale or other disposition and the Administrative Agent, as agent for and representative of the Secured Parties (but not any Lender or Lenders in its or their respective individual capacities unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing) shall be entitled, for the purpose of bidding and making settlement or payment of the purchase price for all or any portion of the Collateral sold at any such public sale, to use and apply any of the Obligations as a credit on account of the purchase price for any collateral payable by the Administrative Agent at such sale or other disposition.

 

Section 12.12                      The Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding, constituting an Event of Default under Section 11.5, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

 

(a)                                 to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Indebtedness that is owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel, to the extent due under Section 13.5) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

(b)                                 to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, to the extent due under Section 13.5.

 

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Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Indebtedness or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

 

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 13.1                             Amendments, Waivers and Releases.

 

(a)                                 Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither this Agreement nor any other Credit Document, nor any terms hereof or thereof, may be amended, supplemented or modified except in accordance with the provisions of this Section 13.1. The Majority Lenders may, or, with the written consent of the Majority Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall, from time to time, (i) enter into with the relevant Credit Party or Credit Parties written amendments, supplements or modifications hereto and to the other Credit Documents for the purpose of adding any provisions to this Agreement or the other Credit Documents or changing in any manner the rights of the Lenders or of the Credit Parties hereunder or thereunder or (ii) waive in writing, on such terms and conditions as the Majority Lenders or the Administrative Agent may specify in such instrument, any of the requirements of this Agreement or the other Credit Documents or any Default or Event of Default and its consequences; provided, however, that each such waiver and each such amendment, supplement or modification shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, further, that no such waiver and no such amendment, supplement or modification shall (A) forgive or reduce any portion of any Loan or reduce the stated rate (it being understood that only the consent of the Majority Lenders shall be necessary to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate or amend Section 2.7(e)), or forgive any portion, or extend the date for the payment, of any interest or fee payable hereunder (other than as a result of waiving the applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates and any change due to a change in the Borrowing Base or Available Commitment), or extend the final expiration date of any Lender’s Commitment (provided that it is being understood that waivers or modifications of conditions precedent, covenants, Defaults or Events of Default shall not constitute an increase of the Commitment of any Lender) or extend the final expiration date of any Letter of Credit beyond the L/C Maturity Date, or increase the amount of the Commitment of any Lender, or make any Loan, interest, fee or other amount payable in any currency other than Dollars, in each case without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, or (B) amend, modify or waive any provision of this Section 13.1 in a manner that would reduce the voting rights of any Lender, or reduce the percentages specified in the definitions of the terms “Majority Lenders” or “Required Lenders,” consent to the assignment or transfer by the Borrower of its rights and obligations under any Credit Document to which it is a party, in each case without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, or (C) amend the provisions of Section 11.11 or any analogous provision of any Security Document, in a manner that would by its terms alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the prior written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, or (D) amend,

 

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modify or waive any provision of Article XII without the written consent of the then-current Administrative Agent, or any other former Administrative Agent to whom Article XII then applies in a manner that directly and adversely affects such Person, or (E) amend, modify or waive any provision of Article III with respect to any Letter of Credit without the written consent of each Issuing Bank to whom Article III then applies in a manner that directly and adversely affects such Person, or (F) release all or substantially all of the Guarantors under the Guarantee (except as expressly permitted by the Guarantee or this Agreement) without the prior written consent of each Lender, or (G) release all or substantially all of the Collateral under the Security Documents (except as expressly permitted by the Security Documents or this Agreement) without the prior written consent of each Lender, or (H) increase the Borrowing Base without the written consent of the Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders), decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base without the written consent of the Required Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders) or otherwise modify Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17 if such modification would have the effect of increasing the Borrowing Base without the written consent of the Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders); provided that a scheduled redetermination of the Borrowing Base under Section 2.14 may be postponed by the Required Lenders, or (J) affect the rights or duties of, or any fees or other amounts payable to, the Administrative Agent without the prior written consent of such Agent. Any such waiver and any such amendment, supplement or modification shall apply equally to each of the affected Lenders and shall be binding upon the Borrower, such Lenders, the Administrative Agent and all future holders of the affected Loans. In the case of any waiver, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder and under the other Credit Documents, and any Default or Event of Default waived shall be deemed to be cured and not continuing; it being understood that no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. In connection with the foregoing provisions, the Administrative Agent may, but shall have no obligations to, with the concurrence of any Lender, execute amendments, modifications, waivers or consents on behalf of such Lender whose consent is required hereunder.

 

(b)                                 Without the consent of any Lender or Issuing Bank, the Credit Parties and the Administrative Agent may (in their respective sole discretion, or shall, to the extent required by any Credit Document) enter into any amendment, modification or waiver of any Credit Document, or enter into any new agreement or instrument, to effect the granting, perfection, protection, expansion or enhancement of any security interest in any Collateral or additional property to become Collateral for the benefit of the Secured Parties, or as required by local law to give effect to, or protect any security interest for the benefit of the Secured Parties, in any property or so that the security interests therein comply with applicable law or this Agreement or in each case to otherwise enhance the rights or benefits of any Lender under any Credit Document.

 

Section 13.2                             Notices. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices and other communications provided for hereunder or under any other Credit Document shall be in writing (including by facsimile transmission). All such written notices shall be mailed, faxed or delivered to the applicable address, facsimile number or electronic mail address, and all notices and other

 

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communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

 

(a)                                 if to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 13.2 or to such other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the other parties; and

 

(b)                                 if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire or to such other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks.

 

All such notices and other communications shall be deemed to be given or made upon the earlier to occur of (i) actual receipt by the relevant party hereto and (ii) (A) if delivered by hand or by courier, when signed for by or on behalf of the relevant party hereto; (B) if delivered by mail, three Business Days after deposit in the mails, postage prepaid; (C) if delivered by facsimile, when sent and receipt has been confirmed by telephone; and (D) if delivered by electronic mail, when delivered; provided that notices and other communications to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.1, 2.3, 2.5, 2.8, 4.2 and 5.1 shall not be effective until received.

 

Section 13.3                             No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under the other Credit Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Requirements of Law.

 

Section 13.4                             Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder, in the other Credit Documents and in any document, certificate or statement delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of the Loans hereunder.

 

Section 13.5                             Payment of Expenses; Indemnification. The Borrower agrees (a) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent for all its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and execution and delivery of, and any amendment, waiver, supplement or modification to, this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and any other documents prepared in connection herewith or therewith, and the consummation and administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of Murphy Mahon Keffler Farrier, LLP, in its capacity as counsel to the Administrative Agent, and one counsel in each appropriate local jurisdiction (excluding any allocated costs of in-house counsel), (b) to pay or reimburse each Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent for all its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket

 

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costs and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement or preservation of any rights under this Agreement, the other Credit Documents and any such other documents, including the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of one counsel to the Administrative Agent, (c) to pay, indemnify and hold harmless each Lender and the Administrative Agent from any and all recording and filing fees and (d) to pay, indemnify and hold harmless each Lender, Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent and their respective Related Parties from and against any and all other liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever, whether or not such proceedings are brought by the Borrower, any of its Related Parties or any other third Person, including reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and other charges of one primary counsel for all such Persons, taken as a whole, and, if necessary, by a single firm of local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction for all such Persons, taken as a whole (unless there is an actual or perceived conflict of interest in which case each such Person may, with the consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), retain its own counsel), with respect to (i) the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this Agreement, the other Credit Documents and any such other documents and (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by any Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), including, without limitation, any of the foregoing relating to the violation of, noncompliance with or liability under any Environmental Law (other than by such indemnified person or any of its Related Parties (other than any trustee or advisor)) or to any actual or alleged presence, release or threatened release of Hazardous Materials involving or attributable to the Borrower, any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any of the Oil and Gas Properties (all the foregoing in this clause (d), collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”); provided that the Borrower shall have no obligation hereunder to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any of their respective Related Parties with respect to Indemnified Liabilities to the extent that such Indemnified Liabilities have resulted from (i) the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the party to be indemnified or any of its Related Parties as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, (ii) any material breach of any Credit Document by the party to be indemnified or (iii) disputes, claims, demands, actions, judgments or suits not arising from any act or omission by the Borrower or its Affiliates, brought by an indemnified Person against any other indemnified Person (other than disputes, claims, demands, actions, judgments or suits involving claims against the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such). No Person entitled to indemnification under clause (d) of this Section 13.5 shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials obtained through internet, electronic, telecommunications or other information transmission systems (including IntraLinks or SyndTrak Online) in connection with this Agreement, except to the extent that such damages have resulted from the willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence of the party to be indemnified or any of its Related Parties (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable decision), nor (except solely as a result of the indemnification obligations of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries set forth above) shall any such Person, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages (including, without limitation, any loss of profits, business or anticipated savings) relating to this Agreement or any other Credit Document or arising out of its activities in connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the Effective Date). All amounts payable under this Section 13.5 shall be paid within ten (10) Business

 

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Days of receipt by the Borrower of an invoice relating thereto setting forth such expense in reasonable detail, accompanied, if requested by the Borrower, by reasonable supporting documentation. The agreements in this Section 13.5 shall survive repayment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder. This Section 13.5 shall not apply with respect to any Taxes other than Taxes that represent liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever resulting from a non-Tax claim, which shall be governed exclusively by Section 5.4 and, to the extent set forth therein, Sections 2.10 and 3.5.

 

Section 13.6                             Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments.

 

(a)                                 The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of each Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section 13.6. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of each Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit) (the “Participants”) (to the extent provided in clause (c) of this Section 13.6) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Lenders and each other Person entitled to indemnification under Section 13.5) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)                                 (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in clause (b)(ii) below, any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees (other than the Borrower, its Subsidiaries, any natural person or any Defaulting Lender) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans (including participations in L/C Obligations) at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent of:

 

(A)                               the Borrower; provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment if an Event of Default under Section 11.1 or Section 11.5 has occurred and is continuing or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and

 

(B)                               the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank (in each case, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

 

(ii)                                  Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

 

(A)                               except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining

 

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amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 and increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, unless each of the Borrower, each Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent otherwise consents (which consents shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under Section 11.1 or Section 11.5 has occurred and is continuing; provided, further, that contemporaneous assignments to a single assignee made by Affiliates of Lenders and related Approved Funds shall be aggregated for purposes of meeting the minimum assignment amount requirements stated above;

 

(B)                               each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement;

 

(C)                               the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Acceptance, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment; and

 

(D)                               the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire and applicable Tax forms (including those described in Section 5.4), as applicable.

 

(iii)                               Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to clause (b)(iv) of this Section 13.6, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.10, 2.12, 3.5, 5.4 and 13.5). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 13.6 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with clause (c) of this Section 13.6.

 

(iv)                              The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the

 

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names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest amounts) of the Loans and L/C Obligations and any payment made by each Issuing Bank under any applicable Letter of Credit owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). Further, the Register shall contain the name and address of the Administrative Agent and the lending office through which each such Person acts under this Agreement. The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, each Issuing Bank, and, solely with respect to itself, each other Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(v)                                 Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in clause (b) of this Section 13.6 (unless waived) and any written consent to such assignment required by clause (b) of this Section 13.6, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Acceptance and record the information contained therein in the Register.

 

(c)                                  (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities other than any Defaulting Lender, the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Credit Document; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in clause (i) or (ii) of the second proviso of the second sentence of Section 13.1(a) that affects such Participant, provided that the Participant shall have no right to consent to any modification to the percentages specified in the definition of the term “Majority Lenders.” Subject to clause (c)(ii) of this Section 13.6, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.10, 2.12, 3.5 and 5.4 to the same extent as if it were a Lender (subject to the limitations and requirements of those Sections and Section 13.7) as though it were a Lender and had acquired its

 

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interest by assignment pursuant to clause (b) of this Section 13.6). To the extent permitted by Requirements of Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 13.8(b) as though it were a Lender; provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 13.8(a) as though it were a Lender.

 

(ii)                                  A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.10, 2.12, 3.5 or 5.4 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld); provided that the Participant shall be subject to the provisions in Section 2.11 as if it were an assignee under clauses (a) and (b) of this Section 13.6. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a nonfiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each participant and the principal amounts (and related interest amounts) of each participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement (the “Participant Register”). The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and each party hereto shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. No Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register to any Person (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Credit Document) except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.

 

(d)                                 Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, any Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent, at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or any central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender, and this Section 13.6 shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto. In order to facilitate such pledge or assignment or for any other reason, the Borrower hereby agrees that, upon request of any Lender at any time and from time to time after the Borrower has made its initial borrowing hereunder, the Borrower shall provide to such Lender, at the Borrower’s own expense, a promissory note, substantially in the form of Exhibit C, evidencing the Loans owing to such Lender.

 

(e)                                  Subject to Section 13.16, the Borrower authorizes each Lender to disclose to any Participant, secured creditor of such Lender or assignee (each, a “Transferee”) and any prospective Transferee any and all financial information in such Lender’s possession concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates that has been delivered to such Lender by or on

 

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behalf of the Borrower and its Affiliates pursuant to this Agreement or that has been delivered to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrower and its Affiliates in connection with such Lender’s credit evaluation of the Borrower and its Affiliates prior to becoming a party to this Agreement.

 

(f)                                   The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Acceptance shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the Texas Uniform Electronics Transactions Act or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

(g)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender may, at any time, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement in respect of its Loans to an Affiliated Lender; provided that, by its acquisition of Loans, an Affiliated Lender shall be deemed to have acknowledged and agreed that:

 

(i)                                     it shall not have any right to (A) attend (including by telephone) any meeting or discussions (or portion thereof) among the Administrative Agent or any Lender to which representatives of the Borrower are not then present, (B) receive any information or material prepared by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any communication by or among Administrative Agent and one or more Lenders, except to the extent such information or materials have been made available to the Borrower or its representatives (and in any case, other than the right to receive notices of prepayments and other administrative notices in respect of its Loans required to be delivered to Lenders pursuant to Article II), or (C) make or bring (or participate in, other than as a passive participant in or recipient of its pro rata benefits of) any claim, in its capacity as a Lender, against the Administrative Agent or any other Lender with respect to any duties or obligations or alleged duties or obligations of such Agent or any other such Lender under the Credit Documents;

 

(ii)                                  except with respect to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action described in clause (i) of the second proviso of the second sentence of Section 13.1(a) or that alters an Affiliated Lender’s pro rata share of any payments given to all Lenders, the Loans held by an Affiliated Lender shall be disregarded in both the numerator and denominator in the calculation of any Lender vote (and shall be deemed to have been voted in the same percentage as all other applicable Lenders that are not Affiliated Lenders voted if necessary to give legal effect to this paragraph) under any Credit Document; and

 

(iii)                               the aggregate principal amount of Loans held at any one time by Affiliated Lenders may not exceed 30% of the aggregate principal amount of all Loans outstanding at such time under this Agreement.

 

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Section 13.7                             Replacements of Lenders under Certain Circumstances.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower shall be permitted to replace any Lender that becomes a Defaulting Lender, with a replacement bank, lending institution or other financial institution; provided that (A) such replacement does not conflict with any Requirement of Law, (B) no Event of Default under Section 11.1 or 11.5 shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such replacement, (C) the replacement bank or institution shall purchase, at par, all Loans and the Borrower shall pay all other amounts (other than any disputed amounts), pursuant to Section 2.9, 3.5 or 5.4, as the case may be) owing to such replaced Lender prior to the date of replacement, (D) the replacement bank or institution, if not already a Lender, and the terms and conditions of such replacement, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (E) the replaced Lender shall be obligated to make such replacement in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.6(b) (provided that the Borrower shall be obligated to pay the registration and processing fee referred to therein) and (F) any such replacement shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any rights that the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any other Lender shall have against the replaced Lender.

 

(b)                                 If any Lender (such Lender, a “Non-Consenting Lender”) (x) has failed to consent to a proposed amendment, determination, waiver, discharge or termination that pursuant to the terms of Section 13.1 requires the consent of all of the Lenders affected and with respect to which the Majority Lenders shall have granted their consent or (y) did not consent to increase the Borrowing Base then in effect when the Required Lenders provided their consent to such increase pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.16,, then, in each case, provided no Event of Default then exists, the Borrower shall have the right (unless such Non-Consenting Lender grants such consent) to replace such Non-Consenting Lender by requiring such Non-Consenting Lender to assign its Loans and its Commitments hereunder to one or more assignees reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent; provided that: (i) all Obligations of the Borrower owing to such Non-Consenting Lender being replaced (other than principal and interest) shall be paid in full to such Non-Consenting Lender concurrently with such assignment, and (ii) the replacement Lender shall purchase the foregoing by paying to such Non-Consenting Lender a price equal to the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon. In connection with any such assignment, the Borrower, Administrative Agent, such Non-Consenting Lender and the replacement Lender shall otherwise comply with Section 13.6.

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each party hereto agrees that any assignment pursuant to the terms of this Section 13.7 may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Acceptance executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee and that the Lender making such assignment need not be a party thereto.

 

Section 13.8                             Adjustments; Set-off.

 

(a)                                 If any Lender (a “Benefited Lender”) shall at any time receive any payment in respect of any principal of or interest on all or part of the Loans made by it, or the participations in Letter of Credit Obligations held by it, or receive any collateral in respect

 

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thereof (whether voluntarily or involuntarily, by set-off, pursuant to events or proceedings of the nature referred to in Section 11.5, or otherwise), in a greater proportion than any such payment to or collateral received by any other Lender entitled thereto, if any, in respect of such other Lender’s Loans, or interest thereon, such Benefited Lender shall (i) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (ii) purchase for cash at face value from the other Lenders a participating interest in such portion of each such other Lender’s Loans, or shall provide such other Lenders with the benefits of any such collateral, or the proceeds thereof, as shall be necessary to cause such Benefited Lender to share the excess payment or benefits of such collateral or proceeds ratably in accordance with the aggregate principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them; provided, however, that (A) if all or any portion of such excess payment or benefits is thereafter recovered from such Benefited Lender, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price and benefits returned, to the extent of such recovery, but without interest and (B) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (1) any payment made by the Borrower or any other Credit Party pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents or (2) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans, Commitments or participations in Drawings to any assignee or participant. Each Credit Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under Requirements of Law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Credit Party rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Credit Party in the amount of such participation.

 

(b)                                 After the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, in addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders provided by Requirements of Law, each Lender shall have the right, without prior notice to the Borrower, any such notice being expressly waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, upon any amount becoming due and payable by the Borrower hereunder or under any Credit Document (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) to set-off and appropriate and apply against such amount any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final), in any currency, and any other credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or owing by such Lender or any branch or agency thereof to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the Borrower (and the Credit Parties, if applicable) and the Administrative Agent after any such set-off and application made by such Lender; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application.

 

Section 13.9                             Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts (including by facsimile or other electronic transmission, i.e. a “pdf” or a “tif”), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. A set of the copies of this Agreement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 13.10                      Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such

 

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prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

Section 13.11                      Integration. This Agreement and the other Credit Documents represent the agreement of the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Administrative Agent nor any Lender relative to subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Credit Documents.

 

Section 13.12                      GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.

 

Section 13.13                      Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:

 

(a)                                 submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Credit Documents to which it is a party, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Texas and the courts of the United States for the Northern District of Texas, in each case located in Tarrant County, and appellate courts from any thereof;

 

(b)                                 consents that any such action or proceeding shall be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

 

(c)                                  agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Person at its address set forth on Schedule 13.2 at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant to Section 13.2;

 

(d)                                 agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by Requirements of Law or shall limit the right to sue in any other jurisdiction;

 

(e)                                  waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section 13.13 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages; and

 

136



 

(f)                                   agrees that a final judgment in any action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.

 

Section 13.14                      Acknowledgments. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that:

 

(a)                                 it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents;

 

(b)                                 (i) the Facility provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Credit Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Borrower and the other Credit Parties, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders on the other hand, and the Borrower and the other Credit Parties are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Credit Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof); (ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary for any of the Borrower, any other Credit Parties or any of their respective Affiliates, equity holders, creditors or employees or any other Person; none of the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers nor any Lender has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Borrower or any other Credit Party with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Credit Document (irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers or any Lender has advised or is currently advising any of the Borrower, the other Credit Parties or their respective Affiliates on other matters) and none of the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers or any Lender has any obligation to any of the Borrower, the other Credit Parties or their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Credit Documents; (iii) the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, and each Lender and its Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its respective Affiliates, and none of the Administrative Agent or any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (iv) none of the Administrative Agent or any Lender has provided and none will provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Credit Document) and the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate. The Borrower hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty; and

 

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(c)                                  no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Credit Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among the Borrower, on the one hand, and any Lender, on the other hand.

 

Section 13.15                      WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL. THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, EACH ISSUING BANK AND EACH LENDER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

 

Section 13.16                      Confidentiality. The Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank and each other Lender shall hold all information not marked as “public information” and furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates in connection with such Lender’s evaluation of whether to become a Lender hereunder or obtained by such Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank pursuant to the requirements of this Agreement (“Confidential Information”), confidential in accordance with its customary procedure for handling confidential information of this nature and in any event may make disclosure (i) as required or requested by any Governmental Authority, self-regulatory agency or representative thereof or pursuant to legal process or applicable Requirements of Law, (ii) to such Lender’s or the Administrative Agent’s, any Issuing Bank’s attorneys, professional advisors, independent auditors, trustees, agents or Affiliates (and any Affiliate’s attorneys, professional advisors, independent auditors, trustees or agents), in each case who need to know such information in connection with the administration of the Credit Documents and are informed of the confidential nature of such information, (iii) to an investor or prospective investor in a securitization that agrees its access to information regarding the Credit Parties, the Loans and the Credit Documents is solely for purposes of evaluating an investment in a securitization and who agrees to treat such information as confidential, (iv) to a trustee, collateral manager, servicer, backup servicer, noteholder or secured party in connection with the administration, servicing and reporting on the assets serving as collateral for a securitization and who agrees to treat such information as confidential, (v) to a nationally recognized ratings agency that requires access to information regarding the Credit Parties, the Loans and Credit Documents in connection with ratings issued with respect to a securitization, and (vi) to the extent such Confidential Information becomes public other than by reason of disclosure by such Person in breach of this Agreement; provided that unless specifically prohibited by applicable Requirements of Law, each Lender, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank shall endeavor to notify the Borrower (without any liability for a failure to so notify the Borrower) of any request made to such Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank, as applicable, by any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory agency or representative thereof (other than any such request in connection with an examination of the financial condition of such Lender by such governmental agency) for disclosure of any such non-public information prior to disclosure of such information; provided further that in no event shall any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank be obligated or required to return any materials furnished by the Borrower or any Subsidiary. In addition, each Lender and the Administrative Agent may provide Confidential Information to prospective Transferees or to any pledgee referred to in Section 13.6 or to prospective direct or indirect contractual counterparties in Hedge Transactions to be entered into in connection with Loans made hereunder as long as such Person is advised of and agrees to be bound by the provisions of this

 

138



 

Section 13.16 or confidentiality provisions at least as restrictive as those set forth in this Section 13.16.

 

Section 13.17                      Release of Collateral and Guarantee Obligations.

 

(a)                                 The Lenders hereby irrevocably agree that the Liens granted to the Administrative Agent by the Credit Parties on any Collateral shall be automatically released (i) in full, as set forth in clause (b) below, (ii) upon the Disposition of such Collateral (including as part of or in connection with any other Disposition permitted hereunder) to any Person other than another Credit Party, to the extent such Disposition is made in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on a certificate to that effect provided to it by any Credit Party upon its reasonable request without further inquiry), (iii) to the extent such Collateral is comprised of property leased to a Credit Party, upon termination or expiration of such lease, (iv) if the release of such Lien is approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Majority Lenders (or such other percentage of the Lenders whose consent may be required in accordance with Section 13.1), (v) to the extent the property constituting such Collateral is owned by any Guarantor, upon the release of such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guarantee, (vi) upon the designation of any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and (vii) as required by the Administrative Agent to effect any Disposition of Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Documents. Any such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect or impair the Obligations or any Liens (other than those being released) upon (or obligations (other than those being released) of the Credit Parties in respect of) all interests retained by the Credit Parties, including the proceeds of any Disposition, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral except to the extent otherwise released in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Documents. The Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver any instruments, documents and agreements necessary or desirable to evidence and confirm the release of any Collateral pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, all without the further consent or joinder of any Lender. In connection with any release hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall promptly (and the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to) take such action and execute any such documents as may be reasonably requested by the Borrower and at the Borrower’s expense in connection with the release of any Liens created by any Credit Document.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or any other Credit Document, when all Obligations have been paid in full in cash or equivalents thereof, the Commitments have terminated or, upon request of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall (without notice to, or vote or consent of, any Secured Party) take such actions as shall be required to release its security interest in all Collateral, and to release all obligations under any Credit Document. Any such release of Obligations shall be deemed subject to the provision that such Obligations shall be reinstated if after such release any portion of any payment in respect of the Obligations guaranteed thereby shall be rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the Borrower or any Guarantor, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar

 

139



 

officer for, the Borrower or any Guarantor or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.

 

Section 13.18                      USA PATRIOT Act. The Administrative Agent and each Lender hereby notify the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107¬56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Patriot Act”) it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Credit Party, which information includes the name and address of each Credit Party and other information that will allow the Administrative Agent and such Lender to identify each Credit Party in accordance with the Patriot Act.

 

Section 13.19                      Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding or otherwise, then (i) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (ii) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.

 

Section 13.20                      Reinstatement. This Agreement shall continue to be effective, or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any of the Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the Borrower, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, the Borrower or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though such payments had not been made.

 

Section 13.21                      Disposition of Proceeds. The Security Documents contain an assignment by the Borrower and/or the Guarantors unto and in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders of all of the Borrower’s or each Guarantor’s interest in and to their as-extracted collateral in the form of production and all proceeds attributable thereto which may be produced from or allocated to the Mortgaged Property. The Security Documents further provide in general for the application of such proceeds to the satisfaction of the Obligations described therein and secured thereby. Notwithstanding the assignment contained in such Security Documents, until the occurrence of an Event of Default, (i) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree that they will neither notify the purchaser or purchasers of such production nor take any other action to cause such proceeds to be remitted to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, but the Lenders will instead permit such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to take such actions as may be necessary to cause such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and/or such Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

140



 

Section 13.22                      Collateral Matters; Hedge Transactions. The benefit of the Security Documents and of the provisions of this Agreement relating to any Collateral securing the Obligations shall also extend to and be available on a pro rata basis pursuant to terms agreed upon in the Credit Documents to any Person (i) under any Hedge Transaction in each case, after giving effect to all netting arrangements relating to such Hedge Transactions or (ii) under any Cash Management Agreement. No Person shall have any voting rights under any Credit Document solely as a result of the existence of obligations owed to it under any such Hedge Transaction or Cash Management Agreement.

 

Section 13.23                      Agency of the Borrower for the Other Credit Parties. Each of the other Credit Parties hereby appoints the Borrower as its agent for all purposes relevant to this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, including the giving and receipt of notices and the execution and delivery of all documents, instruments and certificates contemplated herein and therein and all modifications hereto and thereto.

 

Section 13.24                      Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

(a)                                 the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

 

(b)                                 the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

 

(i)                                     a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

 

(ii)                                  a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

 

(iii)                               the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

141



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused a counterpart of this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 

 

BORROWER:

 

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP,

 

a Delaware limited partnership

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Matthew S. Daly,

 

 

 

Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

 

[Signature Page]

 



 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:

 

 

 

FROST BANK,

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Alex Zemkoski, Senior Vice President-Energy Finance

 

[Signature Page]

 



 

 

LENDERS:

 

[Signature Page]

 



 

Exhibit A
to Amendment

 

Exhibit D

 

Form of Compliance Certificate

 

[Attached]

 



 

Exhibit B
to Amendment

 

Schedule 13.2

 

Schedule 13.2

 

(a)

Lenders’ Commitment

 

Lender

 

Commitment

 

Commitment Percentage

 

Frost Bank

 

$

50,000,000

 

25.0

%

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

 

$

45,000,000

 

22.5

%

Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch

 

$

25,000,000

 

12.5

%

JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.

 

$

20,000,000

 

10.0

%

Fifth Third Bank

 

$

20,000,000

 

10.0

%

Royal Bank of Canada

 

$

20,000,000

 

10.0

%

BOKF, NA dba Bank of Texas

 

$

20,000,000

 

10.0

%

Total:

 

$

200,000,000.00

 

100

%

 



 

(b)

Administrative Agent’s and Lenders’ Addresses

 

Lender

 

Lending Office

 

Address for Notice

Frost Bank and Administrative Agent

 

Frost Bank

640 Taylor Street

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Attention: Alex Zemkoski

Fax No. (817) 420-5090

Email: [email protected]

 

with a copy to:

Frost Bank

100 West Houston Street, RB-2

San Antonio, Texas 78205

Fax No. (210) 220-4258

 

Frost Bank

640 Taylor Street

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Attention: Alex Zemkoski

Fax No. (817) 420-5090

Email: [email protected]

 

with a copy to:

Frost Bank

100 West Houston Street, RB-2

San Antonio, Texas 78205

Fax No. (210) 220-4258

 

 

 

 

 

Wells Fargo

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

1700 Lincoln Street, 4th Floor

Denver, Colorado 80203

Attention: Debra Vigil — Loan Servicing Specialist

Fax No.: (866) 269-8331

E-Mail: DENLNSVMemberNotices@ wellsfargo.com

 

with a copy to:

 

1.              Carroll Cartwright

Wells Fargo Bank

Oil & Gas Division — Houston

1000 Louisiana Street, 8th Floor

Houston, Texas 77002

MAC T0002-090

Direct No.: (713) 202-8234

Office No.: (713) 319-1361

Fax No.: (713) 739-1087

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

2.              Jay Buckman

Wells Fargo Energy Group

1000 Louisiana Street, 9th Floor

Houston, Texas 77002

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

1700 Lincoln Street, 4th Floor

Denver, Colorado 80203

Attention: Debra Vigil — Loan Servicing Specialist

Fax No.: (866) 269-8331

E-Mail: DENLNSVMemberNotices@ wellsfargo.com

 

with a copy to:

 

1.              Carroll Cartwright

Wells Fargo Bank

Oil & Gas Division — Houston

1000 Louisiana Street, 8th Floor

Houston, Texas 77002

MAC T0002-090

Direct No.: (713) 202-8234

Office No.: (713) 319-1361

Fax No.: (713) 739-1087

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

2.              Jay Buckman

Wells Fargo Energy Group

1000 Louisiana Street, 9th Floor

Houston, Texas 77002

 



 

 

 

MAC T0002-090

Phone No.: (713) 319-1849

Mobile No.: (832) 723-8034

Fax No.: (713) 319-1925

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

MAC T0002-090

Phone No.: (713) 319-1849

Mobile No.: (832) 723-8034

Fax No.: (713) 319-1925

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

Credit Suisse

 

Credit Suisse AG,

Cayman Islands Branch

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

Attention: Nupur Kumar

Fax No.: (212) 538-4244

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

with a copy to:

 

Credit Suisse AG,

Cayman Islands Branch

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

Attention: Christopher Zybrick

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

Credit Suisse AG,

Cayman Islands Branch

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

Attention: Nupur Kumar

Fax No.: (212) 538-4244

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

with a copy to:

 

1.              Credit Suisse AG,

Cayman Islands Branch

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

Attention: Christopher Zybrick

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

2.              Credit Suisse AG,

Cayman Islands Branch

7033 Louis Stephens Drive

P.O. Box 110047

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709

Attention: Katarzyna Sampien

Corporate Bank Participants

Fax No.: (919) 994-6174

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

JP Morgan Chase Bank

 

JP Morgan Chase Bank

Michele Jones

2200 Ross Ave, 3rd Floor

Dallas, Texas 75201

Phone No.: (214) 965.3274

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

JP Morgan Chase Bank

Michele Jones

2200 Ross Ave, 3rd Floor

Dallas, Texas 75201

Phone No.: (214) 965.3274

E-Mail: [email protected]

 



 

Fifth Third Bank

 

Fifth Third Bank

Jonathan Lee

1225 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2850

Denver, Colorado 80202

Phone No.: (303) 218-2419

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

with a copy to:

 

Fifth Third Bank

Heather Kiely

1225 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2850

Denver, Colorado 80202

Phone No.: (303) 524-3516

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

Credit:

 

Fifth Third Bank

Jonathan Lee

1225 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2850

Denver, Colorado 80202

Phone No.: (303) 218-2419

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

with a copy to:

 

Fifth Third Bank

Heather Kiely

1225 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2850

Denver, Colorado 80202

Phone No.: (303) 524-3516

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

Operations/Funding:

 

with a copy to:

 

Fifth Third Bank

DeShone Hope

Commercial Participation Analyst

5050 Kingsley Drive

Cincinnati, OH 45227

Phone No.: (513) 358-1781

Fax No.: N/A

E-Mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

 

with a copy to:

 

Fifth Third Bank

Rita Reinfelder

Commercial Participation Analyst

5050 Kingsley Drive

Cincinnati, OH 45227

Phone No.: (513) 358-1173

Fax No.: N/A

E-Mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

 



 

Royal Bank of Canada

 

Royal Bank of Canada

3900 Williams Tower

2800 Post Oak Blvd.

Houston, Texas 77056

Attention: Don J. McKinnerney

Phone No.: (713) 403-5607

Fax No.: (713) 403-5624

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

 

Credit:

 

Royal Bank of Canada

3900 Williams Tower

2800 Post Oak Blvd.

Houston, Texas 77056

Attention: Don J. McKinnerney

Phone No.: (713) 403-5607

Fax No.: (713) 403-5624

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

Operations:

 

Royal Bank of Canada — WFC Branch

Attention: US Specialized Service Officer

Three World Financial Center

200 Vesey Street

New York, New York 10281-8098

Phone No.: (416) 955-6599

Fax No.: (212) 428-2372

Telex: ROYBAN 62519

 

with a copy to:

 

Royal Bank of Canada

Attention: Don J. McKinnerney

3900 Williams Tower

2800 Post Oak Blvd.

Houston, Texas 77056

Phone No.: (713) 403-5607

Fax No.: (713) 403-5624

 

 

 

 

 

BOKF, NA dba Bank of Texas

 

BOKF, NA dba Bank of Texas

5956 Sherry Lane, Suite 1603

Dallas, Texas 75225

Attention: Blair Schrodel

Fax No.: (214) 987-8866

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

BOKF, NA dba Bank of Texas

5956 Sherry Lane, Suite 1603

Dallas, Texas 75225

Attention: Blair Schrodel

Fax No.: (214) 987-8866

E-Mail: [email protected]

 



 

(c)

Borrower’s Address

 

Borrower

 

Address for Notice

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

 

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP
777 Taylor Street, Suite 810
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Attention: Matthew S. Daly
Email: [email protected]

 



 

Exhibit D
to Amendment

 

Security Documents

 

Part I

 

Local Counsel Opinions

 

Opinion of Hargrove, Smelley & Strickland with respect to the Properties LA Mortgage.

 

Opinion of McAfee & Taft with respect to the Properties OK Mortgage and the Holding OK Mortgage.

 

Opinion of Jackson Kelly PLLC with respect to the Properties PA Mortgage.

 

Opinion of Crowley Fleck PLLP with respect to the Properties ND Mortgage and the Holding ND Mortgage.

 

Part II

 

Mortgages

 

1.              Multiple Indebtedness Mortgage, Act of Mortgage, Assignment of Production and Security Agreement, dated the date hereof, by Haymaker Properties to the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Louisiana (the “Properties LA Mortgage”).

 

2.              Mortgage—Collateral Real Estate Mortgage, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Holding to the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in North Dakota (the “Holding ND Mortgage”).

 

3.              Mortgage—Collateral Real Estate Mortgage, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Properties to the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in North Dakota (the “Properties ND Mortgage”).

 

4.              Mortgage, Deed of Trust, Mortgage—Collateral Real Estate Mortgage, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Holding to Dan J. Guarino, as trustee, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in New Mexico.

 

5.              Mortgage, Deed of Trust, Mortgage—Collateral Real Estate Mortgage, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Properties to Dan J. Guarino, as trustee, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in New Mexico.

 

6.              Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Fixture Filing, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Properties to Dan J. Guarino, as trustee, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Ohio.

 



 

7.              Mortgage, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Holding to the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Oklahoma (the “Holding OK Mortgage”).

 

8.              Mortgage, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Properties to the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Oklahoma (the “Properties OK Mortgage”).

 

9.              Open-Ended Mortgage, Deed of Trust, Mortgage—Collateral Real Estate Mortgage, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Properties to the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Pennsylvania (the “Properties PA Mortgage”).

 

10.       Mortgage—Collateral Real Estate Mortgage, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Holding to the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in South Dakota

 

11.       Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Fixture Filing, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Greenfield to Dan J. Guarino, as trustee, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Texas.

 

12.       Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Fixture Filing, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Holding to Dan J. Guarino, as trustee, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Texas.

 

13.       Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Fixture Filing, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Properties to Dan J. Guarino, as trustee, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Texas.

 

14.       Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Assignment of Production, Security Agreement, Fixture Filing and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Holding to Dan J. Guarino, as trustee, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Utah.

 

15.       A Credit Line, Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Leasehold Assignment, Security Agreement, Financing Statement, Fixture Filing and As-Extracted Collateral Filing (Oil and Gas), dated the date hereof, by and among Haymaker Properties, Dan J. Guarino, as grantee, and the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in West Virginia.

 

16.       Mortgage, Security Agreement, Assignment of Production, and Financing Statement, dated the date hereof, from Haymaker Holding to Dan J. Guarino, as trustee, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, as mortgagee, to be filed in Wyoming.

 



 

Exhibit E
to Amendment

 

Form of Solvency Certificate

 

[Attached.]

 


Exhibit 10.2

 

Execution Version

 

BOARD REPRESENTATION AND OBSERVATION AGREEMENT

 

July 12, 2018

 

This Board Representation and Observation Agreement (this “Agreement”) dated as of July 12, 2018, by and among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “General Partner”), Kimbell GP Holdings, LLC a Delaware limited liability company (“Kimbell Holdings” and, together with the Partnership and the General Partner, the “Kimbell Entities”), and AA Direct, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AP KRP Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AIE III Investments, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Apollo Kings Alley Credit SPV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Apollo SPN Investments I (Credit), LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Apollo Thunder Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, ATCF SPV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Apollo Union Street SPV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Zeus Investments, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership and Apollo Lincoln Private Credit Fund, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (such entities listed after the Kimbell Entities, each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”). The Kimbell Entities and the Purchasers are herein referred to as the “Parties” or, individually, as a “Party.” Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, dated as of the date hereof (as amended, supplemented and restated from time to time, the “Partnership Agreement”).

 

RECITALS:

 

A.            Pursuant to, and subject to the terms and conditions of, the Series A Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 28, 2018, by and among the Partnership and the Purchasers (the “Purchase Agreement”), the Partnership has agreed to issue and sell Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “Preferred Units”) to the Purchasers;

 

B.            As part of the inducement for the Purchasers and Partnership to enter into the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the Purchasers are required to deliver a copy of this Agreement, duly executed by the Purchasers, contemporaneously with the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement (the “Closing”), and the Partnership is required to deliver a copy of this Agreement, duly executed by the Kimbell Entities, contemporaneously with the Closing; and

 

C.            Each Kimbell Entity has determined it to be in its own best interest, and the best interests of the Partnership, to enter into this Agreement to provide for the appointment by the holder(s) of Preferred Units of observers and directors to the Board of Directors of the General Partner (the “Board”), subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

AGREEMENT:

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements contained herein, the Parties hereto agree as follows.

 



 

1.                                      Board Observation Rights.

 

(a)           Beginning on the third anniversary of the date on which the Closing occurs (the “Closing Date”), and for so long as any Preferred Units remain Outstanding (the “Observation Period”), the Kimbell Entities hereby grant the holder(s) of the Outstanding Preferred Units the option and right to appoint (the “Observer Appointment Right”) a representative to attend all meetings of the Board (both regular and special) and any committee thereof (other than the Conflicts Committee), and, except as set forth herein, receive all deliverables provided to the Board and any committee thereof (such representative, the “Board Observer”).  The Board Observer shall not constitute a member of the Board and shall not be entitled to vote on, or consent to, any matters presented to the Board.

 

(b)           To exercise the Observer Appointment Right, the Preferred Unitholder Representative (defined below) shall deliver written notice to the General Partner affirmatively appointing a representative to be the Board Observer.  Upon delivery by the Preferred Unitholder Representative, and until the earliest of (i) the resignation or death of such individual serving as the Board Observer, (ii) the removal of such individual serving as the Board Observer by the Preferred Unitholders, as evidenced by a written notice delivered by the Preferred Unitholder Representative to the General Partner or (iii) the end of the Observation Period, such representative shall be the Board Observer.  The Purchasers agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to appoint and maintain Mr. Daniel Vogel as the Board Observer so long as he is employed by any of the Purchasers or their respective Affiliates in a capacity substantially similar to his position as of the date of this Agreement; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply at any time that Mr. Daniel Vogel is a Preferred Director and (ii) the Preferred Unitholder Representative may, from time to time, appoint a temporary representative to attend any Board or Committee meeting in place of Mr. Vogel as a Board Observer if he is not reasonably able to attend any such meeting.  Subject to the preceding sentence, the holder(s) of Outstanding Preferred Units may remove or change the individual serving as the Board Observer for any reason, with or without cause.  If for any reason, the individual serving as the Board Representative is removed or otherwise ceases to serve as the Board Representative, the holder(s) of the Outstanding Preferred Units may, by written notice from the Preferred Unitholder Representative in accordance with this Section 1(b), appoint a new Board Observer during the Observation Period.

 

(c)           The General Partner shall (i) provide the Board Observer written notice of each meeting of the Board (both regular and special) and each meeting of any committee thereof (other than the Conflicts Committee), at the same time and in the same manner as notice is given to the members of the Board or members of the applicable committee, (ii) provide the Board Observer with copies of all written materials and other information (including, without limitation, copies of minutes of meetings or written consents of the full Board) given to the members of the Board or members of the applicable committee thereof (other than the Conflicts Committee) in connection with such meetings, or in connection with actions taken by written consent, in each case, at the same time such materials and information are furnished to such members of the Board or committee thereof, as applicable, whether or not the Board Observer is attending such meeting, and (iii) provide the Board Observer with all rights to attend (whether in person or by telephone or other means of electronic communication as provided to each other member of the Board or committee thereof (other than the Conflicts Committee), as applicable) such meetings of the Board and any committee thereof. Notwithstanding any rights to be granted or provided to the Board Observer hereunder, the Kimbell Entities reserve the right to exclude the Board Observer from access to any material or meeting or portion thereof if the Board reasonably determines, in good

 

2



 

faith after consultation with outside counsel, that such access would (i) prevent the members of the Board from engaging in attorney-client privileged communication or (ii) result in a conflict of interest with the Partnership (other than a conflict of interest with respect to the Purchasers’ or any other holder of Preferred Unit’s ownership interest in the Partnership or rights under the Partnership Agreement or this Agreement); provided, that such exclusion shall be limited to the portion of the material or meeting that is the basis for such exclusion and shall not extend to any portion of the material or meeting that does not involve or pertain to such exclusion.

 

(d)           The Board Observer shall agree to maintain the confidentiality of all non-public information and proceedings of the Board and any committee of the Board and to enter into, comply with, and be bound by, in all respects, the terms and conditions of a confidentiality agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex A (the “Confidentiality Agreement”). The Purchasers shall be responsible for any breach by the Board Observer of the Confidentiality Agreement and for the breach by any Permitted Recipient (as defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) of their confidentiality obligations.

 

2.                                      Board Appointment Rights.

 

(a)           At any point in time at which an Event of Default (as defined below) is occurring and for so long as it continues, or otherwise beginning on the fourth anniversary of the Closing Date for so long as any of the Preferred Units remain Outstanding (the “Initial Designation Period”), the Kimbell Entities hereby grant the holder(s) of the Outstanding Preferred Units the option and right to appoint (the “Initial Director Appointment Right”) one director to the Board (such person, the “Initial Director”), subject to Section 2(d).  Beginning on the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date and for so long as any of the Preferred Units remain Outstanding (together with the Initial Designation Period, the “Designation Periods”) the Kimbell Entities hereby grant the holder(s) of all Outstanding Preferred Units, the option and right to appoint (the “Additional Director Appointment Right” and together with the Initial Director Appointment Right, the “Director Appointment Rights” and each individually, a “Director Appointment Right”) two additional directors to the Board (i.e., three directors to the Board in total) (such persons, the “Additional Directors” and together with the Initial Director, the “Preferred Directors” and each individually, a “Preferred Director”), subject to Section 2(d).

 

(b)           For purposes of this Agreement, an “Event of Default” shall occur at any time, and from time to time, when the Partnership (i) fails to pay in full, in cash and when due, any Series A Quarterly Distribution that is required to be paid after the Initial Accrual Period, or (ii) materially breaches any of its covenants in the Partnership Agreement, subject to the cure period set forth therein, and the Distribution Rate is increased to 20% pursuant to Section 5.12(b)(i)(B) or Section 5.12(b)(ix)(D) of the Partnership Agreement, and shall continue until any accrued and unpaid distributions are paid in full and such breach is no longer ongoing.

 

(c)           To exercise a Director Appointment Right, the Preferred Unitholder Representative shall deliver written notice (a “Designation Notice”) to the General Partner affirmatively appointing one or more, as applicable in accordance with such Director Appointment Right, Preferred Directors.  Subject to Section 2(d), upon delivery by the Preferred Unitholder Representative of a Designation Notice, and until the earliest of (i) the resignation or death of any such individual serving as a Preferred Director, (ii) the removal of any such individual serving as

 

3



 

the Preferred Directors by the Preferred Unitholders, as evidenced by a written notice delivered by the Preferred Unitholder Representative to the General Partner or (iii) the end of the applicable Designation Period, such representative shall be a Preferred Director.  The Purchasers agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to appoint and maintain Mr. Daniel Vogel as the Initial Director so long as he is employed by any of the Purchasers or their respective Affiliates in a capacity substantially similar to his position as of the date of this Agreement; provided that the Preferred Unitholder Representative may, from time to time, appoint a temporary representative to attend any Board or Committee meeting in place of Mr. Vogel as the Initial Director if he is not reasonably able to attend any such meeting.  Subject to the preceding sentence, the holder(s) of Outstanding Preferred Units may remove or change any individual serving as a Preferred Director for any reason, with or without cause.  If for any reason, an individual serving as a Preferred Director is removed or otherwise ceases to serve as a Preferred Director, the holder(s) of the Outstanding Preferred Units may, by written notice from the Preferred Unitholder Representative in accordance with this Section 2(c), appoint a new Preferred Director, or Preferred Directors, as applicable, during the relevant Designation Period.

 

(d)           If, upon the General Partner’s receipt of a Designation Notice, the General Partner determines in its reasonable judgment that any such individual nominated to be a Preferred Director (i) is prohibited from serving as a director on the Board pursuant to any rule or regulation of the Commission or any national securities exchange on which the Partnership’s Common Units are then listed or admitted to trading or (ii) is an employee or director of any Competitor (as defined below), the General Partner may reject the appointment of such individual as a Preferred Director and shall promptly deliver to the Preferred Unitholder Representative a written statement describing the circumstances pursuant to which such individual is prohibited from serving as a director on the Board (a “Qualification Statement”).  If a Qualification Statement in respect of an individual nominated to be a Preferred Director is not delivered to the Preferred Unitholder Representative by the General Partner within five Business Days after the date the applicable Designation Notice is delivered to the General Partner, then the Kimbell Entities shall take all actions necessary or advisable to cause such nominated individual to be added to the Board as a Preferred Director.  For the avoidance of doubt, upon exercising the Initial Director Appointment Right, the size of the Board will be increased by one person and upon exercising the Additional Director Appointment Right for both additional Preferred Directors, the size of the Board will be increased by two additional persons, and in total, there will be three Preferred Directors.  For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Competitor” shall mean any person or entity that owns and acquires mineral and royalty interests as its primary business or otherwise engages in a similar business as the Partnership, but does not include (i) private equity funds or similar investment funds such as Apollo Capital Management, L.P. and its Affiliates, or (ii) any person or entity who engages in the upstream oil and gas exploration and production business as its primary business.

 

(e)           While serving on the Board, each Preferred Director shall be entitled to the same number of votes on any matter as each other member of the Board and shall be entitled to vote on all matters, including any matter on which independent members of the Board are entitled to vote (unless prohibited by the rules and regulations of the Commission or any national securities exchange on which the Partnership’s Common Units are listed or admitted to trading and except for matters submitted to the Conflicts Committee). Notwithstanding any rights to be granted or provided to a Preferred Director hereunder or in the Partnership Agreement or the First Amended

 

4



 

and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the General Partner, dated February 8, 2017, as amended from time to time (the “GP LLC Agreement”), the General Partner may exclude any Preferred Director from access to any Board or committee meeting, materials or information (including materials with respect to any written consent), or any portion thereof, if the Conflicts Committee (as defined in the GP LLC Agreement) determines, in good faith, that including such Preferred Director in such meeting or distribution of materials and other information would reasonably be expected to result in a conflict of interest with the Partnership (other than a conflict of interest with respect to any Purchaser’s or any other holder of Preferred Unit’s ownership interest in the Partnership or rights under the Partnership Agreement or this Agreement); provided, that such exclusion shall be limited to the portion of the Board or committee meeting, material or information that is the basis for such exclusion and shall not extend to any portion of the Board or committee meeting, material or information that does not involve or pertain to such exclusion. Subject to the preceding sentence, for the avoidance of doubt, the Preferred Directors will receive the same information provided to other members of the Board, at the same time as such information is provided to other similarly situated members of the Board and including monthly information packages, as well as being provided with reasonable access to management and shall be entitled to all other rights and benefits provided to the other similarly situated members of the Board pursuant to the GP LLC Agreement and the General Partner’s policies applicable to other directors on the Board.

 

3.             Preferred Unitholder Representative. The holders of the Outstanding Preferred Units, acting with the affirmative vote of the holders of Outstanding Preferred Units holding the Series A Required Voting Percentage, shall appoint a Person to serve as a representative for purposes of delivering and receiving notices under this Agreement (such Person, the “Preferred Unitholder Representative”). The initial Preferred Unitholder Representative, effective as of the date of this Agreement, shall be AP KRP Holdings, L.P.  Upon written notice to the Partnership, the holders of the Outstanding Preferred Units may change the Preferred Unitholder Representative.

 

4.             Limitation of Liability; Indemnification; Business Opportunities.

 

(a)           The Board Observer shall have (i) no fiduciary duty to any Kimbell Entity or any owner thereof (including any limited partner, general partner or member) (collectively, the “Kimbell Owners”) and (ii) no obligations to any Kimbell Entity or Kimbell Owner under this Agreement.

 

(b)           At all times while the Preferred Directors are serving as members of the Board, and following any such Preferred Director’s death, resignation, removal or other cessation as a director in such former Preferred Director’s capacity as a former director, the Preferred Directors shall be entitled to (i) the same modifications, restrictions and waivers of traditional fiduciary duties, (ii) the same safe harbors for resolving conflicts of interest transactions and (iii) all rights to indemnification and exculpation, in each case, as are made available to any other member of the Board as at the date hereof, together with any and all incremental rights added to any of (i), (ii) or (iii) above as are subsequently made available to any other members of the Board in their capacity as Board members.

 

(c)           At all times while the Board Observer and/or Preferred Directors are appointed, the Board Observer and/or Preferred Directors, as applicable, and the Purchasers and their respective

 

5



 

Affiliates may engage in, possess an interest in, or trade in the securities of, other business ventures of any nature or description, independently or with others, similar or dissimilar to the business of the Kimbell Entities, and the Kimbell Entities, the Board and their respective Affiliates shall have no rights by virtue of this Agreement in and to such independent ventures or the income or profits derived therefrom, and the pursuit of any such venture, even if competitive with the business of the Kimbell Entities, shall not be deemed wrongful or improper. None of any of the Board Observer or Preferred Directors or the Purchasers or their respective Affiliates shall be obligated to present any investment opportunity to the Kimbell Entities even if such opportunity is of a character that the Kimbell Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries might reasonably be deemed to have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so, and the Board Observer or Preferred Directors or the Purchasers or their respective Affiliates shall have the right to take for such person’s own account (individually or as a partner or fiduciary) or to recommend to others any such investment opportunity.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board Observer and Preferred Directors shall be subject to, and comply with, the requirement to maintain confidential information.

 

(d)           The Kimbell Entities shall use their best efforts to make any updates to director and officer insurance available to cover members of the Board that may be necessary to ensure the Preferred Directors are covered by such insurance.

 

(e)           For the avoidance of doubt, each Designated Director shall constitute an “Indemnitee” under each of the Partnership Agreement and the GP LLC Agreement.

 

5.                                      Miscellaneous.

 

(a)           Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the Parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the Parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings other than those set forth or referred to herein with respect to the rights and obligations of the Parties herein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

(b)           Notices.  All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals or other communications (collectively, the “Notices”) required or permitted to be given hereunder or which are given with respect to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be personally served, delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or transmitted by hand delivery, facsimile or electronic mail, addressed as set forth below, or to such other address as such Party shall have specified most recently by written Notice.  Notice shall be deemed given one Business Day after mailed, if mailed with return receipt requested, one Business Day after sent if sent by a reputable courier service with overnight delivery, upon receipt if otherwise mailed, upon receipt of confirmation if sent with facsimile, or upon sending if sent via electronic mail; provided that if such electronic mail is sent on a non-Business Day or after 5:00 pm New York time on a Business Day, or if such receipt of confirmation (if sent with facsimile) is received on a non-Business Day or after 5:00 pm New York time on a Business Day, then delivery shall be deemed to have occurred on the next Business Day.

 

6



 

If to the Purchasers, to:

 

c/o Apollo Capital Management, L.P.
9 West 57th Street, 37th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Daniel Vogel
Email:   [email protected]

If to the Partnership, to:

 

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP
777 Taylor St., Suite 810
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Attention: Davis Ravnaas
Email:   [email protected]

 

If to the Partnership, to:

 

Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC
777 Taylor St., Suite 810
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Attention: Davis Ravnaas
Email:   [email protected]

 

and

 

If to Kimbell Holdings, to:

 

Kimbell GP Holdings, LLC
777 Taylor St., Suite 810
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Attention: Davis Ravnaas
Email:   [email protected]

 

(c)           Interpretation. Section references in this Agreement are references to the corresponding Section to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. All references to instruments, documents, contracts and agreements are references to such instruments, documents, contracts and agreements as the same may be amended, supplemented and otherwise modified from time to time, unless otherwise specified. The word “including” shall mean “including but not limited to” and shall not be construed to limit any general statement that it follows to the specific or similar items or matters immediately following it. The word “or” shall not be exclusive. Whenever any determination, consent or approval is to be made or given by a Party, such action shall be in such Party’s sole discretion, unless otherwise specified in this Agreement. If any provision in this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid, not binding or unenforceable, (i) such provision shall be fully severable and this Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, not binding or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of this Agreement, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect and (ii) the Parties

 

7



 

hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the Parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible. When calculating the period of time before which, within which or following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Agreement, the date that is the reference date in calculating such period shall be excluded, and if the last day of such period is a non-Business Day, the period in question shall end on the next succeeding Business Day. Any words imparting the singular number only shall include the plural and vice versa. The words such as “herein,” “hereinafter,” “hereof” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not merely to a subdivision in which such words appear unless the context otherwise requires. The division of this Agreement into Sections and other subdivisions and the insertion of headings are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect or be utilized in construing or interpreting this Agreement.

 

(d)           Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction.  This Agreement, and all claims or causes of action (whether in contract or tort) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement), will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. Any action against any party relating to the foregoing shall be brought in any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction located within the State of Delaware, and the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of any federal or state court located within the State of Delaware over any such action. The parties hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which they may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such dispute brought in such court or any defense of inconvenient forum for the maintenance of such dispute. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a judgment in any such dispute may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Each of the Parties hereto agrees that a judgment in any such dispute may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.

 

(e)           Waiver of Jury Trial.  THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY WAIVES, AND AGREES TO CAUSE ITS AFFILIATES TO WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION (i) ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR (ii) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

8



 

(f)            No Waiver; Modifications in Writing.

 

(i)            Delay. No failure or delay on the part of any Party in exercising any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or remedy preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy. The remedies provided for herein are cumulative and are not exclusive of any remedies that may be available to a Party at law or in equity or otherwise.

 

(ii)           Specific Waiver.  Except as otherwise provided herein, no amendment, waiver, consent, modification or termination of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless signed by each of the Parties hereto affected by such amendment, waiver, consent, modification or termination. Any amendment, supplement or modification of or to any provision of this Agreement, any waiver of any provision of this Agreement and any consent to any departure by a Party from the terms of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which made or given. Except where notice is specifically required by this Agreement, no notice to or demand on a Party in any case shall entitle such Party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances. Any investigation by or on behalf of any Party shall not be deemed to constitute a waiver by the Party taking such action of compliance with any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein.

 

(g)           Execution in Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different Parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which counterparts, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original and all of which counterparts, taken together, shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

(h)           Binding Effect; Assignment.  The Board Observer Right and the Director Appointment Right may be assigned by a Purchaser in whole or in part to (i) its Affiliates and (ii) any subsequent holder of Preferred Units, provided that such transfer was not in violation of the Partnership Agreement or the Series A Purchase Agreement.  Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, neither this Agreement, nor the rights and obligations of the Parties under this Agreement may be transferred or assigned, directly or indirectly whether by contract, merger, operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other Parties. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns to the extent assigned in accordance with the terms of this Section 5(h).  Any attempt to assign this Agreement or to assign or delegate any rights and obligations under this Agreement other than in accordance with the terms of this Section 5(h) shall be null and void and of no effect.

 

(i)            Third Party Beneficiary. The Kimbell Entities acknowledge and agree that the holders of the Outstanding Preferred Units are third-party beneficiaries to this Agreement and the rights and benefits created hereby, and have the right to enforce the obligations created herein.

 

(j)            Independent Counsel.  Each of the Parties acknowledges that it has been represented by independent counsel of its choice throughout all negotiations that have preceded the execution of this Agreement and that it has executed the same with consent and upon the advice of said independent counsel. Each Party and its counsel cooperated in the drafting and preparation of this Agreement and the documents referred to herein, and any and all drafts relating thereto will be deemed the work product of the Parties and may not be construed against any Party by reason of its preparation. Accordingly, any rule of law or any legal decision that would require

 

9



 

interpretation of any ambiguities in this Agreement against the Party that drafted it is of no application and is hereby expressly waived.

 

(k)           Specific Enforcement.  Each of the Parties acknowledges and agrees that monetary damages would not adequately compensate an injured Party for the breach of this Agreement by any Party, that this Agreement shall be specifically enforceable and that any breach or threatened breach of this Agreement shall be the proper subject of a temporary or permanent injunction or restraining order without a requirement of posting bond. Further, each Party hereto waives any claim or defense that there is an adequate remedy at law for such breach or threatened breach.

 

(l)            Remedies.  The remedies provided in this Agreement are cumulative and are not exclusive of any remedies that may be available to a Party at law or in equity, including the remedy of specific performance pursuant to Section 5(k).

 

(m)          Further Assurances.  Each of the Parties hereto shall, from time to time and without further consideration, execute such further instruments and take such other actions as any other Party hereto shall reasonably request in order to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement to effectuate the purposes of this Agreement.

 

[Signature pages follow]

 

10



 

 

 

KIMBELL ENTITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

KIMBELL GP HOLDINGS, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert D. Ravnaas

 

 

Name: Robert D. Ravnaas

 

 

Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY GP, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ R. Davis Ravnaas

 

 

Name: R. Davis Ravnaas

 

 

Title: President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ R. Davis Ravnaas

 

 

Name: R. Davis Ravnaas

 

 

Title: President and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature page to Board Representation and Observation Agreement]

 



 

 

 

PURCHASERS:

 

 

 

 

 

APOLLO SPN INVESTMENTS I (CREDIT), LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APOLLO UNION STREET SPV, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Union Street SPV Advisors, LLC,

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AA DIRECT, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

AA Direct GP, LLC, its general partner

 

 

By:

Apollo Hybrid Value Advisors, L.P.,

 

 

 

its sole member

 

 

By:

Apollo Hybrid Value Capital Management, LLC,
i
ts general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature page to Board Representation and Observation Agreement]

 



 

 

 

APOLLO THUNDER PARTNERS, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Thunder Management, LLC,

 

 

 

its investment manager

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title:Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APOLLO KINGS ALLEY CREDIT SPV, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Kings Alley Credit Advisors (DC), L.P.,

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

By:

Apollo Kings Alley Credit Advisors (DC-GP),

 

 

 

LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATCF SPV, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Tower Credit Advisors (DC), L.P.,

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

By:

Apollo Tower Credit Advisors (DC-GP), LLC,

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

By:

APH Holdings (DC), L.P.,

 

 

 

its sole member

 

 

By:

Apollo Principal Holdings IV GP, Ltd.,

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature page to Board Representation and Observation Agreement]

 



 

 

 

AIE III INVESTMENTS, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Europe Advisors III, L.P.,

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

By:

Apollo Europe Capital Management III, LLC,

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ZEUS INVESTMENTS, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Zeus Strategic Advisors, L.P.,

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

By:

Apollo Zeus Strategic Advisors, LLC,

 

 

 

its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APOLLO LINCOLN PRIVATE CREDIT FUND, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Lincoln Private Credit Advisors (APO DC), L.P., its general partner

 

 

By:

Apollo Lincoln Private Credit Advisors (APO DC-GP), LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature page to Board Representation and Observation Agreement]

 



 

 

 

AP KRP HOLDINGS, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Apollo Hybrid Value Advisors (APO DC), L.P., its general partner

 

 

By:

Apollo Hybrid Value Advisors (APO DC-GP), LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Name: Joseph D. Glatt

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature page to Board Representation and Observation Agreement]

 



 

Annex A

 

FORM OF CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT

 

                                    , 20    

 

Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC

Kimbell Energy Partners LP

777 Taylor Street, Suite 810

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

 

Attn:                           

 

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Pursuant to Section 2(c) of that certain Board Representation and Observation Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2018 (the “Board Representation and Observation Agreement”), by and among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “General Partner”), Kimbell GP Holdings, LLC a Delaware limited liability company (“Kimbell Holdings” and, together with the Partnership and the General Partner, the “Kimbell Entities”), and AA Direct, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AP KRP Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AIE III Investments, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Apollo Kings Alley Credit SPV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Apollo SPN Investments I (Credit), LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Apollo Thunder Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, ATCF SPV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Apollo Union Street SPV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Zeus Investments, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership and Apollo Lincoln Private Credit Fund, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (such entities listed after the Kimbell Entities, each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”), the Purchasers have exercised their right to appoint the undersigned as an observer (the “Board Observer”) to the board of directors of the General Partner (the “Board”), although the individual serving as the Board Observer may be changed from time to time pursuant to the terms of the Board Representation and Observation Agreement and upon such other new individual’s signing a confidentiality agreement in substantially the form hereof. The Board Observer acknowledges that at the meetings of the Board and its committees and at other times, the Board Observer may be provided with and otherwise have access to non-public information concerning the Kimbell Entities and their Affiliates. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein, shall have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Board Representation and Observation Agreement. In consideration for and as a condition to the Kimbell Entities furnishing access to such information, the Board Observer hereby agrees to the terms and conditions set forth in this letter agreement (the “Agreement”):

 

1.             As used in this Agreement, subject to Paragraph 3 below, “Confidential Information” means any and all non-public financial or other non-public information concerning the Kimbell Entities and their Affiliates that may hereafter be disclosed to the Board Observer by the Kimbell Entities, their Affiliates or by any of their directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants, advisors or other representatives (including financial advisors, accountants or legal counsel) (the “Representatives”) of the Kimbell Entities, including all notices, minutes, consents,

 

Annex A - 1



 

materials, ideas or other information (to the extent constituting information concerning the Kimbell Entities and their Affiliates that is non-public financial or other non-public information) provided to the Board Observer.

 

2.             Except to the extent permitted by this Paragraph 2 or by Paragraph 3 or Paragraph 4 below, the Board Observer shall keep such Confidential Information strictly confidential; provided, that the Board Observer may share Confidential Information with the Purchasers or the Purchasers’ respective Affiliates and such Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees, advisory committee members, investment committee members, limited partners, investors and legal counsel (the “Permitted Recipients”) (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made shall be subject to the terms of that Confidentiality Agreement between the Partnership and Apollo Capital Management, L.P., dated March 29, 2018, to the extent such terms are applicable to such disclosure). The Board Observer may not record the proceedings of any meeting of the Board by means of an electronic recording device.

 

3.             The term “Confidential Information” does not include information that (i) is or becomes generally available to the public other than (a) as a result of a disclosure by the Board Observer in violation of this Agreement or (b) in violation of a confidentiality obligation to the Kimbell Entities by a Permitted Recipient, (ii) is or becomes available to the Board Observer or any of the Purchasers on a non-confidential basis from a source not known to have an obligation of confidentiality to the Kimbell Entities, (iii) was already known to the Board Observer or the Permitted Recipient at the time of disclosure, or (iv) is independently developed by the Board Observer or the Permitted Recipient without reference to any Confidential Information disclosed to the Board Observer.

 

4.             In the event that the Board Observer is required or compelled by statute, rule, regulation, arbitral or judicial process or otherwise requested by any governmental authority to disclose the Confidential Information, the Board Observer shall use commercially reasonable efforts, to the extent permitted and practicable, to provide the Kimbell Entities with prompt prior written notice of such requirement so that the Kimbell Entities may seek, at such entities sole expense and cost, an appropriate protective order. If in the absence of a protective order, the Board Observer is nonetheless legally required or compelled to disclose Confidential Information, the Board Observer may disclose only the portion of the Confidential Information or other information that it is so legally required or compelled or requested to disclose.

 

5.             All Confidential Information disclosed by the Kimbell Entities or their Representatives to the Board Observer is and will remain the property of the Kimbell Entities, so long as such information remains Confidential Information.

 

6.             It is understood and acknowledged that neither the Kimbell Entities nor any Representative makes any representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the Confidential Information or any component thereof.

 

7.             It is further understood and agreed that money damages would not be a sufficient remedy for any breach of this Agreement by the Board Observer and that the Kimbell Entities shall

 

Annex A - 2



 

be entitled to seek specific performance or any other appropriate form of equitable relief as a remedy for any such breach in addition to the remedies available to the Kimbell Entities at law.

 

8.             This Agreement is personal to the Board Observer, is not assignable by the Board Observer and may be modified or waived only in writing. This Agreement is binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and inures to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

 

9.             If any provision of this Agreement is not enforceable in whole or in part, the remaining provisions of this Agreement will not be affected thereby. No failure or delay in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder operates as a waiver thereof, nor does any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege hereunder.

 

10.          THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY CHOICE OR CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISION (WHETHER OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION) THAT WOULD CAUSE THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANY JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE STATE OF DELAWARE. Each of the Parties agrees (i) that this Agreement involves at least $100,000.00, and (ii) that this Agreement has been entered into by the Parties in express reliance upon 6 Del. C. §2708. Each of the Parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees (1) that it is and shall continue to be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware and of the federal courts sitting in the State of Delaware, and (2)(A) to the extent that such Party is not otherwise subject to service of process in the State of Delaware, to appoint and maintain an agent in the State of Delaware as such Party’s agent for acceptance of legal processes and notify the other Parties of the name and address of such agent, and (B) to the fullest extent permitted by law, that service of process may also be made on such Party by prepaid certified mail with a proof of mailing receipt validated by the U.S. Postal Service constituting evidence of valid service, and that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, service made pursuant to (2)(A) or (B) above shall have the same legal force and effect as if served upon such Party personally within the State of Delaware.

 

11.          This Agreement and all obligations herein will automatically expire two (2) years after the date the Board Observer ceases to act as Board Observer.

 

12.          This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original copy of this Agreement, and all of which, when taken together, will constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Agreement and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic transmission constitutes effective execution and delivery of this Agreement as to the parties and may be used in lieu of the original Agreement. Signatures of the parties transmitted by facsimile or electronic transmission will be deemed to be their original signatures for any purpose whatsoever.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

Annex A - 3



 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

[ ]

 

Agreed to and Accepted, effective as of the

day of                , 20     :

 

 

 

[NAME OF OBSERVER/ALTERNATE]

 

 

Annex A - 4


Exhibit 10.3

 

Execution Version

 

VOTING AGREEMENT

 

between

 

HAYMAKER MINERALS & ROYALTIES, LLC

 

and

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

Dated as of July 12, 2018

 



 

VOTING AGREEMENT

 

THIS VOTING AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of July 12, 2018 (the “Effective Date”), is among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Buyer”) and Haymaker Minerals & Royalties, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Seller Holder”). The above-named entities are sometimes referred to in this Agreement each as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”.

 

RECITALS:

 

WHEREAS, as a condition to consummating the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement (as defined below), Buyer and Seller Holder have agreed to enter into this Agreement to establish certain provisions with respect to the Covered Units (as defined below), including the Common Units (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) of Buyer acquired pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

 

WHEREAS, as of the date hereof and pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, Seller Holder is the beneficial owner of, and is entitled to dispose of and vote, the number of Common Units set forth opposite Seller Holder’s name set forth on Schedule 1 (such Common Units with respect to Seller Holder, together with any additional Common Units in which Seller Holder acquires beneficial ownership after the date hereof, the “Covered Units”).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by each party hereto, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1                                   Definitions. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in the Purchase Agreement. The following terms, when used in this Agreement, shall have the following meanings assigned to them:

 

Affiliate” means with respect to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such specified Person through one or more intermediaries or otherwise. For the purposes of this definition, “control” means, where used with respect to any Person, the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have correlative meanings.

 

beneficially own” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such “person” will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only after the passage of time.

 

2



 

beneficial ownership” has a correlative meaning to beneficially own.

 

Confidentiality Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Purchase Agreement.

 

Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, company, voluntary association, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, government or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof or any other form of entity.

 

Purchase Agreement” means that certain Securities Purchase Agreement between Buyer, Seller Holder, and (solely for the purpose of Section 6.20) Haymaker Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, dated as of May 28, 2018.

 

SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (or any successor agency).

 

Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

ARTICLE II
LOCK-UP; VOTING

 

Section 2.1                                   Lock-Up of Common Units. During the period prior to the date that is one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date (excluding the Effective Date for purposes of calculating such date) (such date, the “Termination Date” and such period, the “Lock-Up Period”), the Seller Holder will not lend, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Common Units, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash, or otherwise. In the interest of clarity, nothing in this Section 2.1 shall restrict the Seller Holder from utilizing customary hedging strategies that may involve the pledge of Common Units as collateral until such time as the Common Units are ultimately disposed of on or after expiration of the Lock-Up Period. Further, nothing in this Section 2.1 shall prohibit or limit the ability of the Seller Holder to effect any transfer of Common Units (a) as a bona fide gift or gifts or any other similar transfer or distribution that does not involve a sale or other disposition for value, (b) to any such Person’s limited partners, members or stockholders as part of a distribution, (c) to any corporation, partnership or other entity that is an Affiliate of such Person, in each case of the forgoing clauses (a) through (c), so long as (i) such transfer does not occur prior to the consummation of the Election and (ii) the transferee agrees in writing to be bound by all the terms of this Section 2.1, (d) pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of Common Units or (e) pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency.

 

Section 2.2                                   Voting of Covered Units.  Provided that Buyer has complied with its covenants in Section 6.17(a) of the Purchase Agreement, during the period prior to the

 

3



 

Termination Date, the Seller Holder irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that at any meeting of unitholders of Buyer (whether annual or special and whether or not such meeting is adjourned or postponed), however called, including any adjournment or postponement thereof, or in connection with any written authorization or consent of unitholders of Buyer, Seller Holder shall, and shall cause any holder of record of any Common Units beneficially owned by Seller Holder, to:

 

(a)                                 when a meeting is held, appear at such meeting or otherwise cause such Covered Units to be counted as present thereat for the purpose of establishing a quorum, and, when a record date is set for an action by written consent, respond to each request by Buyer for written consent, if any; and

 

(b)                                 vote (or consent), or cause to be voted at such meeting (or validly execute and return and cause such consent to be granted within the time period requested by Buyer with respect to), all such Covered Units beneficially owned by Seller Holder; as of the record date for the unitholder meeting or action by written consent in favor of:

 

(i)                                     the Election; and

 

(ii)                                  the proposal by Buyer to reflect any revisions as may be necessary or appropriate to reflect the Election and to amend the LTIP to proportionately increase the number of Common Units eligible for issuance under the LTIP after taking into account the Additional Common Units; provided, however, that Seller Holder shall not be required to, and shall not be required to cause any holder of record of any Common Units beneficially owned by Seller Holder, to vote in favor of (or consent to) such action if the aggregate Additional Common Units exceed 20,000,000 Common Units or the aggregate number of Common Units eligible for issuance under the LTIP exceeds twelve and a half percent (12.5%) of the sum of (A) the aggregate Common Units of Buyer outstanding at such time (which shall include the number of Common Units issued under the Purchase Agreement and the HR Purchase Agreement and issuable upon conversion of any Series A Preferred Units of Buyer that are issued on the Closing Date pursuant to the Preferred Equity Purchase Agreement assuming such Series A Preferred Units converted on the Closing Date (which amount for this purpose shall not exceed 5,945,946 Common Units), but without regard to any Common Units that were issued under the LTIP) and (B) the aggregate number of Common Units eligible for issuance under the LTIP.

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Seller Holder is entering into this Agreement solely in its capacity as beneficial owner of the Covered Units, and nothing herein is intended to or shall limit, affect or restrict any manager, general partner, director or officer of Seller Holder (including any appointee or representative of the Seller Holder) to the extent acting solely either in his or her capacity as a manager, general partner, director or officer of any member of Seller Holder (including voting on matters put to any board of directors, board of managers, general partner or any committee thereof, influencing officers, employees, agents, management or the other directors of Seller Holder and taking any action or making any statement at any meeting of such board of directors, board of managers, general partner or any committee thereof) or in the exercise of his or her fiduciary duties as a manager, general partner, director or officer of the Seller Holder.

 

4



 

(d)                                 Seller Holder covenants and agrees that it: (i) has not entered into, and will not enter into at any time prior to the Termination Date, any voting agreement or voting trust with respect to any Covered Units that is inconsistent with its obligations under this Agreement, (ii) has not granted, and will not grant at any time prior to the Termination Date, a proxy, consent or power of attorney with respect to the Covered Units that is inconsistent with its obligations under this Agreement and (iii) has not entered into, and will not enter into, any agreement or undertaking that is otherwise inconsistent with, or would interfere with, or prohibit or prevent it from satisfying, its obligations under this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

Section 3.1                                   Representations and Warranties of Seller Holder.  Seller Holder hereby represents and warrants to Buyer that as of the Effective Date:

 

(a)                                 It is duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of its formation;

 

(b)                                 This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (ii) general principles of equity;

 

(c)                                  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all requisite action and do not and will not conflict with or result in the violation of: (i) any provisions of its organizational documents, (ii) any Law to which it is subject or (iii) any material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it, its property or its assets are bound or affected; and

 

(d)                                 With respect to the matters covered by this Voting Agreement:

 

(i)                                     It has experience in analyzing and investing in companies similar to Buyer and is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its decisions with respect to such matters and has the capacity to protect its own interests;

 

(ii)                                  To the extent necessary, it has retained and relied upon appropriate professional advice regarding the investment, tax and legal merits and consequences of such matters; and

 

(iii)                               It has had an opportunity to discuss the Acquired Companies’ business, management and financial affairs with the members of the Acquired Companies’ management and has had an opportunity to ask questions of the officers and other representatives of the Acquired Companies, which questions were answered to its satisfaction.

 

Section 3.2                                   Representations and Warranties of Buyer. Buyer represents and warrants to Seller Holder that as of the Effective Date:

 

5



 

(a)                                 It is duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of its formation;

 

(b)                                 This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (ii) general principles of equity; and

 

(c)                                  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all requisite action and do not and will not conflict with or result in the violation of: (i) any provisions of its organizational documents, (ii) any Law to which it is subject or (iii) any material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it, its property or its assets are bound or affected.

 

ARTICLE IV
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 4.1                                   Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications (“Notices”) required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing addressed as indicated below, and any communication or delivery hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly delivered upon the earliest of: (a) actual receipt by the Party to be notified; (b) if sent by U.S. certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, then the date shown as received on the return notice; (c) if by email, then upon the earlier of (i) a reply by the intended recipient whether by email or otherwise; provided that such intended recipient shall have an affirmative duty to reply promptly upon receipt if received during business hours; and provided further, that an automated response from the email account or server of the intended recipient shall not constitute an affirmative reply or (ii) the first (1st) Business Day after transmission (and sender shall bear the burden of proof of delivery); or (d) if by Federal Express overnight delivery (or other reputable overnight delivery service), the date shown on the notice of delivery. Addresses for all such Notices and communication shall be as follows:

 

If to Buyer, to:

 

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

777 Taylor Street, Suite 810

Fort Worth, TX 76102

Email: [email protected]

Attention: R. Davis Ravnaas

 

With a copy to:

 

Baker Botts L.L.P.

910 Louisiana Street

Houston, TX 77002

Email: [email protected] and

[email protected]

Attention: Jason A. Rocha and Josh Davidson

 

6



 

If to Seller Holder, to:

 

c/o Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors

811 Main Street, 14th Floor

Houston, TX 77002

Email: [email protected]

Attention: Kevin Brophy

 

With a copy to:

 

DLA Piper LLP (US)

1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 2800

Houston, TX 77002

Email: [email protected]

Attention: Jack Langlois

 

or to such other address or addresses as the Parties may from time to time designate in writing.

 

Section 4.2                                   Assignment.  No Party shall assign this Agreement or any part hereof without the prior written consent of the other Parties. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

 

Section 4.3                                   Rights of Third Parties. Nothing expressed or implied in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any Person, other than the Parties, any right or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

Section 4.4                                   Further Assurances. The Parties agree to execute and deliver such other documents, certificates, agreements and other writings and to take such other actions as may be necessary in order to consummate or implement expeditiously the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Section 4.5                                   Disclosure. Seller Holder authorizes Buyer to publish and disclose in any announcement or disclosure required by the SEC and in the Information Statement Seller Holder’s identity and ownership of the Covered Units and the nature of Seller Holder’s obligations under this Agreement.

 

Section 4.6                                   Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Any facsimile electronic transmittal (PDF) copies hereof or signature hereon shall, for all purposes, be deemed originals.

 

Section 4.7                                   Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the other Transaction Documents and the Confidentiality Agreement, constitute the entire agreement among the Parties and supersede any other agreements, whether written or oral, that may have been made or entered into by or among any of the Parties or any of their respective Affiliates relating to the transactions contemplated hereby. In the event any provision of any Transaction Document shall in any way conflict with the provisions of this Agreement (except where a provision therein

 

7



 

expressly provides that it is intended to take precedence over this Agreement), this Agreement shall control.

 

Section 4.8                                   Amendments. This Agreement may be amended in whole or in part, and terms and conditions may be waived, only by a duly authorized agreement in writing which makes reference to this Agreement executed by each Party.

 

Section 4.9                                   Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. The Parties further agree that if any provision contained herein is, to any extent, held invalid or unenforceable in any respect under the Laws governing this Agreement, they shall take any actions necessary to render the remaining provisions of this Agreement valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by Law and, to the extent necessary, shall amend or otherwise modify this Agreement to replace any provision contained herein that is held invalid or unenforceable with a valid and enforceable provision giving effect to the intent of the Parties to the greatest extent legally permissible.

 

Section 4.10                            Specific Performance. The Parties acknowledge and agree (a) that each Party would be irreparably harmed by a breach by the other Party of any of such other Party’s obligations under this Agreement and that the Parties would not have any adequate remedy at law if any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached and (b) that the non-breaching Parties shall be entitled to injunctive relief, specific performance, and other equitable remedies against the breaching Party to enforce the performance by the breaching Party of its obligations under this Agreement (this being in addition to any other remedy to which the non-breaching Party may be entitled at law or in equity), and the Parties hereby consent and agree to such injunctive relief, specific performance, and other equitable remedies. Accordingly, each Party waives (i) any defenses in any action for specific performance pursuant to this Agreement that a remedy at law would be adequate and (ii) any requirement under any Law to post a bond or other security as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief.

 

Section 4.11                            Governing Law; Jurisdiction.

 

(a)                                 Law. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the Laws that might be applicable under conflicts of laws principles that would require the application of the Laws of another jurisdiction.

 

(b)                                 Forum. The Parties agree that the appropriate, exclusive and convenient forum for any disputes between any of the Parties arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be in any state or federal court in Harris County, Texas, and each of the Parties irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of such courts in respect of any legal proceeding arising out of or related to this Agreement. The Parties further agree that the Parties shall not bring suit with respect to any disputes arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in any court or jurisdiction other than the above-specified courts. The Parties further agree, to the extent permitted by Law, that a final and non-appealable judgment against a Party in any action or proceeding contemplated above shall be conclusive and may be enforced in any other jurisdiction within or outside the United States by suit on the

 

8



 

judgment, a certified or exemplified copy of which shall be conclusive evidence of the fact and amount of such judgment.

 

(c)                                  Jurisdiction. To the extent that any Party hereto has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) with respect to itself or its property, each such Party hereby irrevocably (i) waives such immunity in respect of its obligations with respect to this Agreement and (ii) submits to the personal jurisdiction of any court described in Section 4.11(b).

 

(d)                                 JURY WAIVER.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, LEGAL PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

 

Section 4.12                            No Recourse. This Agreement may only be enforced against, and any claims or causes of action that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement, may only be made against the entities that are expressly identified as the Parties in their capacities as such and, except to the extent otherwise provided herein, no Non-Recourse Party shall have any liability for any obligations or liabilities of the Parties to this Agreement or for any claim (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) based on, in respect of or by reason of, the transactions contemplated hereby or in respect of any representations made or alleged to be made in connection herewith. Without limiting the rights of any Party against the other Parties, in no event shall any Party or any of its Affiliates seek to enforce this Agreement against, make any claims for breach of this Agreement against, or seek to recover monetary damages from, any Non-Recourse Party.

 

Section 4.13                            Construction; Interpretation. The Sections and other headings and subheadings contained in this Agreement are solely for the purpose of reference, are not part of the agreement of the Parties hereto, and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or any exhibit hereto. Whenever required by the context, any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa. Unless otherwise specified, all references to days or months shall be deemed to refer to a section or subsection of this Agreement. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import referring to this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The word “including” shall mean “including, without limitation.” Reference to any agreement, document or instrument means such agreement, document or instrument as amended or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, and if applicable hereof. The use of the words “or,” “either” and “any” shall not be exclusive. The Parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement; accordingly, the language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the Parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any Person. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the Parties, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of

 

9



 

the provisions of this Agreement. Wherever a conflict exists between this Agreement and any other agreement, this Agreement shall control but solely to the extent of such conflict.

 

Section 4.14                            Recapitalization, Exchanges, etc. Affecting the Common Units. The provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to any and all equity interests of the Buyer or any successor (including corporate successors) or assign of the Buyer (whether by merger, consolidation, reorganization, sale of assets or otherwise), which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of, such equity interests, and shall be appropriately adjusted for combinations, unit or other splits, recapitalizations, pro rata distributions and the like occurring after the date of this Agreement.

 

Section 4.15                            Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 

Section 4.16                            No Partnership. No partnership, joint venture or joint undertaking is intended to be, or is, formed between the parties hereto or any of them by reason of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein.

 

Section 4.17                            Termination. The Buyer may, in its sole discretion, terminate this Agreement; provided that said termination shall not affect the liability of any Party for actions prior to such termination.

 

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of the Parties as of the date first above written.

 

 

BUYER:

 

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

 

 

By: Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC

 

Its: General Partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Name:

R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Title:

President and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to Voting Agreement]

 



 

 

SELLER HOLDER:

 

 

 

HAYMAKER MINERALS & ROYALTIES, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Name:

Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel

 

[Signature Page to Voting Agreement]

 



 

Schedule 1

 

Covered Units

 

Haymaker Minerals & Royalties, LLC

 

4,000,000

 

 


Exhibit 10.4

 

Execution Version

 

VOTING AGREEMENT

 

among

 

EIGF AGGREGATOR III LLC

 

TE DRILLING AGGREGATOR LLC

 

HAYMAKER MANAGEMENT, LLC

 

and

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

Dated as of July 12, 2018

 



 

VOTING AGREEMENT

 

THIS VOTING AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of July 12, 2018 (the “Effective Date”), is among Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Buyer”), EIGF Aggregator III LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“EIGF”), TE Drilling Aggregator LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“TE Drilling”), and Haymaker Management, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (together with EIGF and TE Drilling, the “Seller Holders”). The above-named entities are sometimes referred to in this Agreement each as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”.

 

RECITALS:

 

WHEREAS, as a condition to consummating the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement (as defined below), Buyer and Seller Holders have agreed to enter into this Agreement to establish certain provisions with respect to the Covered Units (as defined below), including the Common Units (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) of Buyer acquired pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

 

WHEREAS, as of the date hereof and pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, each Seller Holder is the beneficial owner of, and is entitled to dispose of and vote, the number of Common Units set forth opposite such Seller Holder’s name set forth on Schedule 1 (such Common Units with respect to each such Seller Holder, together with any additional Common Units in which such Seller Holder acquires beneficial ownership after the date hereof, the “Covered Units”).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by each party hereto, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1                                   Definitions. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in the Purchase Agreement. The following terms, when used in this Agreement, shall have the following meanings assigned to them:

 

Affiliate” means with respect to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such specified Person through one or more intermediaries or otherwise. For the purposes of this definition, “control” means, where used with respect to any Person, the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have correlative meanings.

 

beneficially own” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such “person” will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by

 

2



 

conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only after the passage of time.

 

beneficial ownership” has a correlative meaning to beneficially own.

 

Confidentiality Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Purchase Agreement.

 

Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, company, voluntary association, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, government or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof or any other form of entity.

 

Purchase Agreement” means that certain Securities Purchase Agreement between Buyer, Haymaker Resources, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and (solely for the purpose of Section 6.20) Haymaker Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, dated as of May 28, 2018.

 

SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (or any successor agency).

 

Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

ARTICLE II
LOCK-UP; VOTING

 

Section 2.1                                   Lock-Up of Common Units. During the period prior to the date that is one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date (excluding the Effective Date for purposes of calculating such date) (such date, the “Termination Date” and such period, the “Lock-Up Period”), the Seller Holders will not lend, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Common Units, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash, or otherwise. In the interest of clarity, nothing in this Section 2.1 shall restrict the Seller Holders from utilizing customary hedging strategies that may involve the pledge of Common Units as collateral until such time as the Common Units are ultimately disposed of on or after expiration of the Lock-Up Period. Further, nothing in this Section 2.1 shall prohibit or limit the ability of any Seller Holder to effect any transfer of Common Units (a) as a bona fide gift or gifts or any other similar transfer or distribution that does not involve a sale or other disposition for value, (b) to any such Person’s limited partners, members or stockholders as part of a distribution, (c) to any corporation, partnership or other entity that is an Affiliate of such Person, in each case of the forgoing clauses (a) through (c), so long as (i) such transfer does not occur prior to the consummation of the Election and (ii) the transferee agrees in writing to be bound by all the terms of this Section 2.1, (d) pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer,

 

3



 

merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of Common Units or (e) pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency.

 

Section 2.2                                   Voting of Covered Units.  Provided that Buyer has complied with its covenants in Section 6.17(a) of the Purchase Agreement, during the period prior to the Termination Date, the Seller Holders irrevocably and unconditionally agree that at any meeting of unitholders of Buyer (whether annual or special and whether or not such meeting is adjourned or postponed), however called, including any adjournment or postponement thereof, or in connection with any written authorization or consent of unitholders of Buyer, each Seller Holder shall, and shall cause any holder of record of any Common Units beneficially owned by such Seller Holder, to:

 

(a)                                 when a meeting is held, appear at such meeting or otherwise cause such Covered Units to be counted as present thereat for the purpose of establishing a quorum, and, when a record date is set for an action by written consent, respond to each request by Buyer for written consent, if any; and

 

(b)                                 vote (or consent), or cause to be voted at such meeting (or validly execute and return and cause such consent to be granted within the time period requested by Buyer with respect to), all such Covered Units beneficially owned by such Seller Holder; as of the record date for the unitholder meeting or action by written consent in favor of:

 

(i)                                     the Election; and

 

(ii)                                  the proposal by Buyer to reflect any revisions as may be necessary or appropriate to reflect the Election and to amend the LTIP to proportionately increase the number of Common Units eligible for issuance under the LTIP after taking into account the Additional Common Units; provided, however, that Seller Holders shall not be required to, and shall not be required to cause any holder of record of any Common Units beneficially owned by Seller Holders, to vote in favor of (or consent to) such action if the aggregate Additional Common Units exceed 20,000,000 Common Units or the aggregate number of Common Units eligible for issuance under the LTIP exceeds twelve and a half percent (12.5%) of the sum of (A) the aggregate Common Units of Buyer outstanding at such time (which shall include the number of Common Units issued under the Purchase Agreement and the HM Purchase Agreement and issuable upon conversion of any Series A Preferred Units of Buyer that are issued on the Closing Date pursuant to the Preferred Equity Purchase Agreement assuming such Series A Preferred Units converted on the Closing Date (which amount for this purpose shall not exceed 5,945,946 Common Units), but without regard to any Common Units that were issued under the LTIP) and (B) the aggregate number of Common Units eligible for issuance under the LTIP.

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Seller Holders are entering into this Agreement solely in their capacity as beneficial owners of the Covered Units, and nothing herein is intended to or shall limit, affect or restrict any manager, general partner, director or officer of Seller Holders (including any appointee or representative of the Seller Holders) to the extent acting solely either in his or her capacity as a manager, general partner, director or officer of any member of Seller Holders (including voting on matters put to any board of directors, board of managers, general partner or any committee thereof, influencing

 

4



 

officers, employees, agents, management or the other directors of Seller Holders and taking any action or making any statement at any meeting of such board of directors, board of managers, general partner or any committee thereof) or in the exercise of his or her fiduciary duties as a manager, general partner, director or officer of the Seller Holders.

 

(d)                                 Each Seller Holder covenants and agrees that it: (i) has not entered into, and will not enter into at any time prior to the Termination Date, any voting agreement or voting trust with respect to any Covered Units that is inconsistent with its obligations under this Agreement, (ii) has not granted, and will not grant at any time prior to the Termination Date, a proxy, consent or power of attorney with respect to the Covered Units that is inconsistent with its obligations under this Agreement and (iii) has not entered into, and will not enter into, any agreement or undertaking that is otherwise inconsistent with, or would interfere with, or prohibit or prevent it from satisfying, its obligations under this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

Section 3.1                                   Representations and Warranties of Seller Holders.  Each Seller Holder, severally and not jointly, hereby represents and warrants to Buyer that as of the Effective Date:

 

(a)                                 It is duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of its formation;

 

(b)                                 This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (ii) general principles of equity;

 

(c)                                  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all requisite action and do not and will not conflict with or result in the violation of: (i) any provisions of its organizational documents, (ii) any Law to which it is subject or (iii) any material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it, its property or its assets are bound or affected; and

 

(d)                                 With respect to the matters covered by this Voting Agreement:

 

(i)                                     It has experience in analyzing and investing in companies similar to Buyer and is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its decisions with respect to such matters and has the capacity to protect its own interests;

 

(ii)                                  To the extent necessary, it has retained and relied upon appropriate professional advice regarding the investment, tax and legal merits and consequences of such matters; and

 

(iii)                               It has had an opportunity to discuss the Acquired Companies’ business, management and financial affairs with the members of the Acquired Companies’ management and has had an opportunity to ask questions of the officers and other representatives of the Acquired Companies, which questions were answered to its satisfaction.

 

5



 

Section 3.2                                   Representations and Warranties of Buyer. Buyer represents and warrants to each Seller Holder that as of the Effective Date:

 

(a)                                 It is duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of its formation;

 

(b)                                 This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (ii) general principles of equity; and

 

(c)                                  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all requisite action and do not and will not conflict with or result in the violation of: (i) any provisions of its organizational documents, (ii) any Law to which it is subject or (iii) any material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it, its property or its assets are bound or affected.

 

ARTICLE IV
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 4.1                                   Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications (“Notices”) required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing addressed as indicated below, and any communication or delivery hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly delivered upon the earliest of: (a) actual receipt by the Party to be notified; (b) if sent by U.S. certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, then the date shown as received on the return notice; (c) if by email, then upon the earlier of (i) a reply by the intended recipient whether by email or otherwise; provided that such intended recipient shall have an affirmative duty to reply promptly upon receipt if received during business hours; and provided further, that an automated response from the email account or server of the intended recipient shall not constitute an affirmative reply or (ii) the first (1st) Business Day after transmission (and sender shall bear the burden of proof of delivery); or (d) if by Federal Express overnight delivery (or other reputable overnight delivery service), the date shown on the notice of delivery. Addresses for all such Notices and communication shall be as follows:

 

If to Buyer, to:

 

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

777 Taylor Street, Suite 810

Fort Worth, TX 76102

Email: [email protected]

Attention: R. Davis Ravnaas

 

With a copy to:

 

Baker Botts L.L.P.

910 Louisiana Street

Houston, TX 77002

 

6



 

Email: [email protected] and

[email protected]

Attention: Jason A. Rocha and Josh Davidson

 

If to Seller Holders, to:

 

c/o Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.

600 Travis Street, Suite 7200

Houston, TX 77002

Email: [email protected]

Attention: Dashiell Lane

 

With a copy to:

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

609 Main Street, Suite 4500

Houston, TX 77002

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Attention: John D. Pitts, P.C. and David M. Castro, Jr., P.C.

 

or to such other address or addresses as the Parties may from time to time designate in writing.

 

Section 4.2                                   Assignment.  No Party shall assign this Agreement or any part hereof without the prior written consent of the other Parties. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

 

Section 4.3                                   Rights of Third Parties. Nothing expressed or implied in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any Person, other than the Parties, any right or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

Section 4.4                                   Further Assurances. The Parties agree to execute and deliver such other documents, certificates, agreements and other writings and to take such other actions as may be necessary in order to consummate or implement expeditiously the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Section 4.5                                   Disclosure. Each Seller Holder authorizes Buyer to publish and disclose in any announcement or disclosure required by the SEC and in the Information Statement such Seller Holder’s identity and ownership of the Covered Units and the nature of such Seller Holder’s obligations under this Agreement.

 

Section 4.6                                   Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Any facsimile electronic transmittal (PDF) copies hereof or signature hereon shall, for all purposes, be deemed originals.

 

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Section 4.7                                   Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the other Transaction Documents and the Confidentiality Agreement, constitute the entire agreement among the Parties and supersede any other agreements, whether written or oral, that may have been made or entered into by or among any of the Parties or any of their respective Affiliates relating to the transactions contemplated hereby. In the event any provision of any Transaction Document shall in any way conflict with the provisions of this Agreement (except where a provision therein expressly provides that it is intended to take precedence over this Agreement), this Agreement shall control.

 

Section 4.8                                   Amendments. This Agreement may be amended in whole or in part, and terms and conditions may be waived, only by a duly authorized agreement in writing which makes reference to this Agreement executed by each Party.

 

Section 4.9                                   Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. The Parties further agree that if any provision contained herein is, to any extent, held invalid or unenforceable in any respect under the Laws governing this Agreement, they shall take any actions necessary to render the remaining provisions of this Agreement valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by Law and, to the extent necessary, shall amend or otherwise modify this Agreement to replace any provision contained herein that is held invalid or unenforceable with a valid and enforceable provision giving effect to the intent of the Parties to the greatest extent legally permissible.

 

Section 4.10                            Specific Performance. The Parties acknowledge and agree (a) that each Party would be irreparably harmed by a breach by the other Party of any of such other Party’s obligations under this Agreement and that the Parties would not have any adequate remedy at law if any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached and (b) that the non-breaching Parties shall be entitled to injunctive relief, specific performance, and other equitable remedies against the breaching Party to enforce the performance by the breaching Party of its obligations under this Agreement (this being in addition to any other remedy to which the non-breaching Party may be entitled at law or in equity), and the Parties hereby consent and agree to such injunctive relief, specific performance, and other equitable remedies. Accordingly, each Party waives (i) any defenses in any action for specific performance pursuant to this Agreement that a remedy at law would be adequate and (ii) any requirement under any Law to post a bond or other security as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief.

 

Section 4.11                            Governing Law; Jurisdiction.

 

(a)                                 Law. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the Laws that might be applicable under conflicts of laws principles that would require the application of the Laws of another jurisdiction.

 

(b)                                 Forum. The Parties agree that the appropriate, exclusive and convenient forum for any disputes between any of the Parties arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be in any state or federal court in Harris County, Texas, and each of the Parties irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of such courts in respect of any

 

8



 

legal proceeding arising out of or related to this Agreement. The Parties further agree that the Parties shall not bring suit with respect to any disputes arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in any court or jurisdiction other than the above-specified courts. The Parties further agree, to the extent permitted by Law, that a final and non-appealable judgment against a Party in any action or proceeding contemplated above shall be conclusive and may be enforced in any other jurisdiction within or outside the United States by suit on the judgment, a certified or exemplified copy of which shall be conclusive evidence of the fact and amount of such judgment.

 

(c)                                  Jurisdiction. To the extent that any Party hereto has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) with respect to itself or its property, each such Party hereby irrevocably (i) waives such immunity in respect of its obligations with respect to this Agreement and (ii) submits to the personal jurisdiction of any court described in Section 4.11(b).

 

(d)                                 JURY WAIVER.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, LEGAL PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

 

Section 4.12                            No Recourse. This Agreement may only be enforced against, and any claims or causes of action that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement, may only be made against the entities that are expressly identified as the Parties in their capacities as such and, except to the extent otherwise provided herein, no Non-Recourse Party shall have any liability for any obligations or liabilities of the Parties to this Agreement or for any claim (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) based on, in respect of or by reason of, the transactions contemplated hereby or in respect of any representations made or alleged to be made in connection herewith. Without limiting the rights of any Party against the other Parties, in no event shall any Party or any of its Affiliates seek to enforce this Agreement against, make any claims for breach of this Agreement against, or seek to recover monetary damages from, any Non-Recourse Party.

 

Section 4.13                            Construction; Interpretation. The Sections and other headings and subheadings contained in this Agreement are solely for the purpose of reference, are not part of the agreement of the Parties hereto, and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or any exhibit hereto. Whenever required by the context, any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa. Unless otherwise specified, all references to days or months shall be deemed to refer to a section or subsection of this Agreement. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import referring to this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The word “including” shall mean “including, without limitation.” Reference to any agreement, document or instrument means such agreement, document or instrument as amended or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, and if applicable hereof. The use of the words “or,” “either” and “any” shall not be exclusive. The Parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this

 

9



 

Agreement; accordingly, the language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the Parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any Person. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the Parties, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. Wherever a conflict exists between this Agreement and any other agreement, this Agreement shall control but solely to the extent of such conflict.

 

Section 4.14                            Recapitalization, Exchanges, etc. Affecting the Common Units. The provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to any and all equity interests of the Buyer or any successor (including corporate successors) or assign of the Buyer (whether by merger, consolidation, reorganization, sale of assets or otherwise), which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of, such equity interests, and shall be appropriately adjusted for combinations, unit or other splits, recapitalizations, pro rata distributions and the like occurring after the date of this Agreement.

 

Section 4.15                            Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 

Section 4.16                            No Partnership. No partnership, joint venture or joint undertaking is intended to be, or is, formed between the parties hereto or any of them by reason of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein.

 

Section 4.17                            Termination. The Buyer may, in its sole discretion, terminate this Agreement; provided that said termination shall not affect the liability of any Party for actions prior to such termination.

 

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of the Parties as of the date first above written.

 

 

BUYER:

 

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

 

 

By: Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC

 

Its: General Partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Name:

R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Title:

President and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to Voting Agreement]

 



 

 

SELLER HOLDERS:

 

 

 

EIGF AGGREGATOR III LLC

 

 

 

By: EIGF Aggregator LLC

 

Its: Managing Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David Rockecharlie

 

Name:

David Rockecharlie

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TE DRILLING AGGREGATOR LLC

 

 

 

By: KKR Energy Income and Growth Fund I-TE L.P.

 

Its: Sole Member

 

 

 

By: KKR Associates EIGF TE L.P.

 

Its: General Partner

 

 

 

KKR EIGF LLC

 

Its: General Partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David Rockecharlie

 

Name:

David Rockecharlie

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAYMAKER MANAGEMENT, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Name:

Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel

 

[Signature Page to Voting Agreement]

 



 

Schedule 1

 

Covered Units

 

EIGF Aggregator III LLC

 

4,599,554

 

TE Drilling Aggregator LLC

 

314,005

 

Haymaker Management, LLC

 

1,086,441

 

 


Exhibit 10.5

 

Execution Version

 

TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

by and between

 

HAYMAKER SERVICES, LLC

 

AND

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

JULY 12, 2018

 



 

TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

This Transition Services Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of July 12, 2018 (the “Effective Date”), is by and between Haymaker Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Service Provider”), and Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Buyer”). The above-named entities are sometimes referred to in this Agreement each as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”.

 

WHEREAS, in order to ensure an orderly transition of the businesses of the Acquired Operating Companies (as defined below) to Buyer and as a condition to consummating the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreements (as defined below), Buyer and Service Provider have agreed to enter into this Agreement, pursuant to which Service Provider shall provide, or cause its Affiliates (as defined below) to provide, Buyer and the Acquired Companies with certain administrative and accounting services, in each case on a transitional basis and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises set forth above and the respective covenants, agreements and conditions contained in this Agreement, as well as other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in the Purchase Agreements. The following terms, when used in this Agreement, shall have the following meanings assigned to them:

 

Accounting Referee” is defined in Section 3.5.

 

Acquired Operating Companies” means Haymaker Properties, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, Haymaker Holding Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Haymaker Greenfield, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

Affiliate” means with respect to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such specified Person through one or more intermediaries or otherwise. For the purposes of this definition, “control” means, where used with respect to any Person, the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have correlative meanings.

 

Agreement” is defined in the Preamble.

 

Buyer” is defined in the Preamble.

 

Confidential Information” means information regarded by the disclosing Party as proprietary or confidential, including, information relating to its business affairs, financial

 

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information and prospects; future projects or purchases; proprietary products, materials or methodologies; data; customer lists; system or network configurations; passwords and access rights; and any other information marked as confidential or, in the case of information verbally disclosed, verbally designated as confidential; provided, that “Confidential Information” shall not include information that (i) becomes generally known to and available for use by the public other than as a result of the receiving Party’s (or any of its Affiliates’ or any of their respective officers’, directors’ or employees’) acts or omissions, (ii) is already demonstrably known to the receiving Party and is not subject to a legal, contractual or fiduciary obligation of confidentiality, including the obligation set forth in Section 6.10 of the Purchase Agreements, (iii) is acquired independently on a non-confidential basis from a third party other than the disclosing Party (or any of its Affiliates’ or any of their respective officers’, directors’ or employees’), (iv) has been independently developed by the receiving Party (or any of its Affiliates’ or any of their respective officers’, directors’ or employees’) without violation of this Agreement or the use of Confidential Information, or (v) is required to be disclosed pursuant to applicable Law or a court order or decree (in which case, to the extent permitted by Law, the receiving Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to give prior written notice to the disclosing Party of such disclosure such that the disclosing Party may seek an appropriate protective order and/or waive in writing compliance with the confidentiality provisions of this Agreement).

 

Effective Date” is defined in the Preamble.

 

End Date” is defined in Section 5.1.

 

Fees” is defined in Section 3.3.

 

Force Majeure Events” is defined in Section 7.11.

 

Governmental Authority” means any (a) multinational, federal, national, provincial, territorial, state, regional, municipal, local or other government, governmental or public department, central bank, court, tribunal, arbitral body, commission, administrative agency, board, bureau or agency, domestic or foreign, (b) subdivision, agent, commission, board or authority of any of the foregoing, or (c) quasi-governmental or private body exercising any regulatory, expropriation or taxing authority under, or for the account of, any of the foregoing, in each case, that has jurisdiction or authority with respect to the applicable Party.

 

Invoice” is defined in Section 3.3.

 

Law” means all statutes, regulations, statutory rules, orders, judgments, decrees and terms and conditions of any grant of approval, permission, authority, permit or license of any court, Governmental Authority, statutory body or self-regulatory authority (including a national stock exchange).

 

Losses” means all costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’, experts and consultants’ fees and expenses, court costs, and other costs of suit and reasonable costs of investigation, sampling and defense), demands, damages, suits, judgments, orders, fines, penalties, liabilities, causes of action, claims and other losses, including in connection with seeking indemnification, whether joint or several.

 

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Notice” is defined in Section 7.3.

 

Party” and “Parties” are defined in the Preamble.

 

Person” means any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, association, trust, estate, group, body corporate, corporation, unincorporated association or organization, Governmental Authority, syndicate or other entity.

 

Purchase Agreements” means, collectively (i) that certain Securities Purchase Agreement between Buyer and Haymaker Minerals & Royalties, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, dated as of May 28, 2018, and (ii) that certain Securities Purchase Agreement between Buyer and Haymaker Resources, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, dated as of May 28, 2018.

 

Service Coordinator” is defined in Section 2.4.

 

Service Provider” is defined in the Preamble.

 

Service Provider Indemnified Parties” is defined in Section 4.1(a).

 

Serviced Properties” means those properties owned by the Acquired Operating Companies as of the Effective Date.

 

Services” is defined in Section 2.1.

 

Services Fee” and “Services Fees” are defined in Section 3.1(a).

 

Services Term” is defined in Section 2.6.

 

Signing Fee” is defined in Section 3.1(b).

 

Standard of Care” is defined in Section 2.3(a).

 

Third Party” means any Person or Persons, other than any Party and its Affiliates.

 

Third Party Expenses” is defined in Section 3.2.

 

ARTICLE II
SERVICES

 

2.1.                            Services. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in exchange for the Services Fees, Buyer hereby engages Service Provider, acting directly or through its Affiliates and their respective employees, agents, consultants, contractors or Third Parties, to provide or cause to be provided, solely with respect to the Serviced Properties, the services set forth on Schedule A (the “Full Term Services”) and Schedule B (the “Short Term Services” and, together with the Full Term Services, the “Services”) in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and Service Provider hereby accepts such engagement and agrees to perform or cause to be performed the Services consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. For avoidance of doubt,

 

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nothing herein shall require Service Provider to perform any services or operations of any kind other than as set forth herein.

 

2.2.                            Scope of Services.

 

(a)                                 Except as expressly provided in Schedule A or Schedule B, (i) Service Provider shall have no authority with respect to the Serviced Properties and (ii) Service Provider shall be required to provide the Services only with respect to the Serviced Properties. Except as expressly provided in Schedule A or Schedule B and subject to Section 2.3, in providing, or causing to be provided, the Services, in no event shall Service Provider be obligated to do any of the following: (A) maintain the employment of any specific employee or hire additional employees; (B) purchase, lease or license any additional equipment (including computer equipment, furniture, furnishings, fixtures, machinery, vehicles, tools and other tangible personal property) or software; (C) make modifications to its existing systems or software; or (D) pay any costs related to the transfer or conversion of data of Buyer; provided, however, that unless Service Provider can reasonably continue to maintain the Standard of Care, if any employees that are engaged in the provision of Services cease working for Service Provider or are reassigned to other work by Service Provider, Service Provider shall take commercially reasonable efforts to replace such employees or otherwise to have the duties performed by such employees in connection with the Services continue to be provided, and that Service Provider shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make or cause to be made such repairs or modifications as are reasonably necessary to keep the equipment, systems or software owned by or otherwise in the control of the Service Provider and used in providing the Services in working order. Service Provider shall not be required to perform Services hereunder, and shall be excused from any non-performance of such Services, that conflict with any applicable Law, contract, permit, lease, order, security instrument or policy of Service Provider or to which Service Provider is subject relating to business conduct and ethical practices.

 

(b)                                 Buyer acknowledges and agrees, on its behalf and on behalf of the Acquired Operating Companies, that Service Provider and those providing such Services on its behalf have, and will have, responsibilities with respect to the other businesses of Service Provider and its Affiliates and may not be dedicated full time to providing the Services.

 

(c)                                  At all times during the performance of the Services, all Persons performing such Services (including agents, temporary employees, Third Parties and consultants) shall be construed as being independent from Buyer, and such Persons shall not be considered or deemed to be an employee of Buyer or any of its Affiliates nor entitled to any employee benefits of Buyer or any of its Affiliates as a result of this Agreement.

 

2.3.                            Standard of Care.

 

(a)                                 Service Provider shall use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that the Services to be provided hereunder (including any Services provided by a Third Party) shall be performed with the degree of care, diligence and skill as a reasonably prudent Person involved in the acquisition, development and management of mineral and royalty interests in oil and natural gas properties comparable to those of the Serviced Properties would exercise (the “Standard of Care”).

 

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(b)                                 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, Service Provider does not represent or warrant the outcome or result with respect to the Services, except as expressly set forth herein.

 

(c)                                  BUYER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT SERVICE PROVIDER IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF PROVIDING THE SERVICES AND THAT SERVICE PROVIDER IS PROVIDING THE SERVICES AS AN ACCOMMODATION TO BUYER FOLLOWING THE CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED IN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS. THE SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT ARE FURNISHED WITHOUT WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

2.4.                            Service Coordinator. Buyer and Service Provider shall nominate in writing a representative to act as the primary contact with respect to the provision of the Services and the resolution of disputes under this Agreement (each such person, a “Service Coordinator”). The initial Service Coordinators shall be Matthew S. Daly for Buyer and Vasilis Mouratoff for Service Provider (or their designated delegates). Unless Service Provider and Buyer otherwise agree in writing, Service Provider and Buyer agree that all notices and communications relating to this Agreement other than those day-to-day communications and billings relating to the actual provision of the Services shall be delivered to the Service Coordinators in accordance with Section 7.3 hereof. The Service Coordinators shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to meet as expeditiously as possible to resolve any dispute hereunder.

 

2.5.                            Cooperation. The Parties shall cooperate with one another and provide such further assistance as the other Party may reasonably request in connection with the provision of Services hereunder. During the term of this Agreement and for so long as any Services are being provided with respect to the Serviced Properties by Service Provider, Service Provider and Buyer shall provide the other Party and its authorized representatives reasonable access, during regular business hours upon reasonable notice, to it and its employees, representatives, facilities and books and records to the extent reasonably necessary in order to perform the Services. Buyer hereby acknowledges that the cooperation of Buyer and the Acquired Operating Companies is essential to Service Provider’s provision of the Services hereunder and agrees that, to the extent that Service Provider’s failure to perform the Services in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, including the Standard of Care, is caused by the failure of Buyer and the Acquired Operating Companies to cooperate in provision of the Services, such failure shall be deemed waived by Buyer.

 

2.6.                            Remittance of Amounts Collected. To the extent Service Provider shall have charge or possession of any of Buyer’s assets in connection with the provision of the Services pursuant to this Agreement, Service Provider shall (a) hold such assets in the name and for the benefit of Buyer (or its designated Affiliates) and (b) separately maintain, and not commingle, such assets with any assets of Service Provider, Sellers or any other Person. Within five (5) Business Days of the Effective Date, Service Provider shall use its reasonable best efforts to transfer access and title to all lockbox accounts and other bank or deposit accounts used in connection with the Serviced Properties to Buyer, such that Buyer has exclusive control over and access to all such accounts; provided, that to the extent that Wells Fargo Bank, National Association does not permit the transfer of access or title of such accounts, Service Provider shall use its reasonable best efforts to

 

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work with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association to attempt to find a solution. For the avoidance of doubt, the accounts described in the preceding sentence shall include, but shall not be limited to, the accounts described on Schedule C to this Agreement.

 

2.7.                            Termination of Services. The obligations of Service Provider under this Agreement to provide (a) the Full Term Services shall terminate on the End Date and (b) the Short Term Services shall terminate on the date that is ninety (90) days after the Effective Date (each of (a) and (b), a “Services Term”).

 

ARTICLE III
FEES AND EXPENSES

 

3.1.                            Services Fees; Signing Fee.

 

(a)                                 During the applicable Services Term, Buyer shall pay to Service Provider a monthly fee with respect to each Service equal to the amount set forth next to such Service on Schedule A and Schedule B (each such fee, a “Services Fee” and, collectively, the “Services Fees”). Buyer shall remit payment to Service Provider for the applicable Services Fees for such month within five (5) days of the beginning of each month; provided, however, that if the Effective Date is other than the first day of a calendar month, then the applicable Services Fees for such month shall be remitted to Service Provider within five (5) days of the Effective Date. If the Effective Date is other than the first day of a calendar month, or if the term of this Agreement ends on any day other than the last day of a calendar month, the amount of the Services Fees that Buyer shall owe for any such month shall be prorated on a daily basis

 

(b)                                 Within ten (10) days of the Effective Date, Buyer shall remit a one-time payment of $600,000 to Service Provider (the “Signing Fee”) to be used by Service Provider in the retention of employees, consultants and contractors engaged by Service Provider in the provision of the Services.

 

3.2.                            Third Party Fees. Buyer shall reimburse Service Provider for documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses reasonably incurred by Service Provider and paid to any Third Party solely as a result of providing the Services hereunder (and not otherwise reimbursed to Service Provider, including under the Services Fees) (the “Third Party Expenses”); provided, however, that Service Provider shall not incur Third Party Expenses in excess of $25,000 during any month without the prior written consent of Buyer, and Buyer shall have no obligation to reimburse Service Provider for any such Third Party Expenses for which Buyer did not provide its prior written consent.

 

3.3.                            Invoicing for Third Party Fees. As soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each month, Service Provider shall provide Buyer with an invoice (each, an “Invoice”) for the preceding month reflecting (a) the Third Party Expenses incurred during such month and (b) the amount due for Taxes pursuant to Section 3.7 (collectively, the “Fees”). Buyer shall remit to Service Provider the Fees billed to it within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the applicable Invoice. By way of example, the first such Fees shall be due and payable on or before the fifteenth (15th) day after the first Invoice is received by Buyer and (ii) the last Invoice shall be due and payable on or before the fifteenth (15th) day after the last Invoice is received by Buyer. Each Invoice shall

 

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be directed to Buyer’s Service Coordinator or such other person designated in writing from time to time by such Service Coordinator. The Invoice shall set forth the Fees due in reasonable detail for the period covered by such Invoice. Upon written request, Service Provider shall promptly provide to Buyer reasonable support documentation to permit Buyer to verify the accuracy of an Invoice.

 

3.4.                            Objection. Except to the extent such expense or cost was previously approved by Buyer in writing (including via email), Buyer may object to any expense or cost included on an Invoice, including on the ground that the same was not a reasonable or appropriate cost incurred by Service Provider in connection with the Services; provided that such objection is made in writing to Service Provider within fifteen (15) days following the date of Buyer’s receipt of the disputed Invoice.

 

3.5.                            Dispute Resolution. In the event of an invoicing or payment dispute not otherwise resolved between the Service Coordinators, Buyer shall promptly notify Service Provider in writing of such disputed item and the reasons for the dispute. The Parties shall, during the fifteen (15) days after such notice, use their commercially reasonable efforts to reach agreement on the disputed items or amounts. If the Parties are unable to reach agreement within such period, they shall promptly thereafter cause a nationally recognized accounting firm agreeable to the Parties (the “Accounting Referee”) to review this Agreement and the disputed items or amounts. The Accounting Referee shall deliver to the Parties as promptly as practicable (but in any event no later than thirty (30) days from the date of engagement of the Accounting Referee), a report setting forth the Accounting Referee’s determination of the appropriate resolution of the disputed items or amounts. Such determination shall be final and binding upon the Parties absent manifest error. The cost of such review and report shall be borne equally by each Party involved in the dispute.

 

3.6.                            Error Correction. Each Party shall make adjustments to charges as required to reflect the discovery of undisputed errors or omissions in charges; provided, however, that any errors or omissions the correction of which would result in additional or increased charges or fees for Services must be corrected within three (3) months after the date of payment of the applicable Services Fees or the related Invoice, as applicable.

 

3.7.                            Taxes. All transfer taxes, excises, fees or other charges (including value added, sales, use or receipts taxes, but not including a tax on or measured by the income, net or gross revenues, business activity or capital of Service Provider), or any increase therein, now or hereafter imposed directly or indirectly by Law, which Service Provider is required to pay or incur in connection with the provision of Services hereunder (“Tax”), shall be passed on to Buyer as an explicit surcharge and shall be paid by Buyer in addition to any payment to cover expenses and costs related to the Services provided. If Buyer submits to Service Provider a timely and valid resale or other exemption certificate reasonably acceptable to Service Provider and sufficient to support the exemption from any applicable Tax, then such Tax shall not be added to the Fees pursuant to Section 3.3, provided, however, that if Service Provider is ever required to pay such Tax, Buyer shall promptly reimburse Service Provider for such Tax, including any interest,

 

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penalties and attorney’s fees related thereto. The Parties shall cooperate to minimize the imposition of any Taxes.

 

ARTICLE IV
INDEMNIFICATION

 

4.1.                            Indemnification.

 

(a)                                 BUYER SHALL ASSUME ALL LIABILITY FOR AND SHALL RELEASE, INDEMNIFY, DEFEND AND HOLD HARMLESS SERVICE PROVIDER, ITS AFFILIATES, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, MANAGERS, MEMBERS, PARTNERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS (THE “SERVICE PROVIDER INDEMNIFIED PARTIES”) FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LOSSES, RELATED TO, ARISING OUT OF, OR IN CONNECTION WITH (I) ANY MATERIAL BREACH BY BUYER OF THIS AGREEMENT OR (II) THE PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OF OR LIABILITY OF BUYER OR ITS AFFILIATES (INCLUDING THE ACQUIRED OPERATING COMPANIES), ANY THIRD PARTY OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND AGENTS AND ARISING FROM, CONNECTED WITH OR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT. FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, BUYER’S ONLY REMEDY FOR BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE, WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OR ANY OTHER FAULT OF SERVICE PROVIDER PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 5.2.

 

(b)                                 Buyer will have the right to control the defense of any claim for which a Service Provider Indemnified Party has a right to indemnification hereunder and shall reimburse each Service Provider Indemnified Party for all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of one counsel for all such Service Provider Indemnified Parties (and any required local counsel, each to be selected by Service Provider) and any other litigation-related expenses) as they are incurred in connection with investigating, preparing, pursuing, defending or assisting in the defense of any action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding for which such Service Provider Indemnified Party would be entitled to indemnification under the terms of the previous sentence, whether or not such Service Provider Indemnified Party is a party thereto; provided that the payment of such costs and expenses shall be made only upon delivery to Buyer of a written affirmation by such Service Provider Indemnified Party of such Person’s good faith belief that such Person has met the requirements necessary for indemnification under Section 4.1(a) and a written undertaking, by or on behalf of such Person, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such Service Provider Indemnified Party is not entitled to be indemnified under Section 4.1(a). Buyer agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the applicable Service Provider Indemnified Party (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding subject to indemnification pursuant to Section 4.1(a) (and to which such Service Provider Indemnified Party is a party) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such Service Provider Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or proceeding, and does not contain an admission of guilt or liability on the part of such Service Provider Indemnified Party.

 

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(c)                                  The rights of indemnification hereunder will be in addition to any other rights and remedies any Person may have under any other agreement or instrument to which such Person is or becomes a party or is, or otherwise becomes, a beneficiary, or under any applicable Law.

 

(d)                                 THE FOREGOING INDEMNITIES ARE INTENDED TO BE ENFORCEABLE AGAINST BUYER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EXPRESS TERMS AND SCOPE THEREOF NOTWITHSTANDING ANY EXPRESS NEGLIGENCE RULE OR ANY SIMILAR DIRECTIVE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT OR OTHERWISE LIMIT INDEMNITIES BECAUSE OF THE SOLE, CONCURRENT, ACTIVE OR PASSIVE NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR FAULT OF ANY OF THE SERVICE PROVIDER INDEMNIFIED PARTIES.

 

ARTICLE V
TERM AND TERMINATION

 

5.1.                            Term. The term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and end on December 31, 2018 (the “End Date”).

 

5.2.                            Termination. This Agreement shall terminate on the End Date unless terminated by one or more of the Parties pursuant to any of the following:

 

(a)                                 termination by mutual written agreement of the Parties;

 

(b)                                 termination by Service Provider (i) after twenty (20) Business Days following Notice by Service Provider that Buyer is in breach of the reimbursement or payment obligations set forth in this Agreement if such breach involves a good faith dispute between the Parties or (ii) immediately following Notice by Service Provider that Buyer is in breach of the reimbursement or payment obligations set forth in this Agreement if such breach does not involve a good faith dispute between the Parties;

 

(c)                                  termination by Service Provider if Buyer is in material breach of the terms of this Agreement (other than as set forth in clause (b) above) to the extent such breach (i) does not involve a good faith dispute between the Parties and (ii) has not been cured by Buyer within thirty (30) Business Days after Notice thereof by Service Provider;

 

(d)                                 termination by Buyer upon the occurrence of any gross negligence or willful misconduct of Service Provider in performing the Services resulting in material harm to Buyer, following fifteen (15) Business Days’ Notice from Buyer to Service Provider;

 

(e)                                  termination by Buyer if Service Provider is in material breach of the terms of this Agreement and such violation or breach is not capable of being cured or, if capable of being cured, shall not have been cured within thirty (30) Business Days after Notice thereof or such longer period as is reasonably required to cure such breach, provided that Service Provider commences to cure such breach within such 30-Business Day period and uses its commercially reasonable efforts to cure such breach; or

 

(f)                                   termination by either Party if the other Party: (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition; (C) becomes the

 

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subject of an order for relief or is declared insolvent in any federal or state bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding; (D) files a petition or answer in a court of competent jurisdiction seeking a reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar relief under any Law; (E) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed in a proceeding of the type described in subclauses (A) through (D) of this clause (v); (F) seeks, consents or acquiesces to the appointment of a trustee, receiver or liquidator of all or any substantial part of its assets or properties; or (G) is liquidated and dissolved.

 

5.3.                            Effect of Termination. Upon any termination of this Agreement under this Article V, all rights and obligations under this Agreement shall cease except for all rights and obligations under Article IV, Article VII or that are expressly stated to survive or extend beyond a termination of this Agreement. Service Provider shall, within ninety (90) days after discontinuation or termination, to the extent reasonably practicable, deliver to Buyer all books and records in its possession arising under or relating to the Services, including copies of all books, records, contracts, receipts for deposits and all other papers or documents in its possession that pertain solely to the provision of such Services and the business of Buyer.

 

ARTICLE VI
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

6.1.                            Representations and Warranties of Service Provider. Service Provider represents and warrants that as of the Effective Date:

 

(a)                                 It is duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of its formation;

 

(b)                                 This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (ii) general principles of equity; and

 

(c)                                  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all requisite action and do not and will not conflict with or result in the violation of: (i) any provisions of its organizational documents, (ii) any Law to which it is subject or (iii) any material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it, its property or its assets are bound or affected.

 

6.2.                            Representations and Warranties of Buyer. Buyer represents and warrants that as of the Effective Date:

 

(a)                                 It is duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its formation;

 

(b)                                 This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (ii) general principles of equity; and

 

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(c)                                  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all requisite action and do not and will not conflict with or result in the violation of: (i) any provisions of its organizational documents, (ii) any Law to which it is subject or (iii) any material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it, its property or its assets are bound or affected.

 

ARTICLE VII
OTHER PROVISIONS

 

7.1.                            Assignment and Binding Effect. Neither Party shall assign its rights or delegate its duties under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other Party. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon the Parties and their successors and assigns.

 

7.2.                            Amendments. This Agreement may be amended only in a writing signed by Buyer and Service Provider.

 

7.3.                            Notices. All notices, offers, acceptances, consents, requests, demands, instructions, and other communications hereunder (“Notice”) shall be in writing and shall be sufficient if delivered personally, electronic mail, commercial courier, or if mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Parties at the addresses set forth below, or at such other addresses as a Party may designate to the other Party in writing. All Notices shall be effective when actually received by the Party being notified, provided that, if by email, then notices shall be effective upon the earlier of (i) an affirmative reply by email by the intended recipient that such email was received (provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, an automated response from the email account or server of the intended recipient shall not constitute an affirmative reply) and (ii) two (2) Business Days after the time it was sent.

 

To the Buyer:

 

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

777 Taylor Street, Suite 810

Fort Worth, TX 76102

Email: [email protected]

Attention: Matthew S. Daly

 

with a copy to:

 

Baker Botts L.L.P.

910 Louisiana Street

Houston, TX 77002

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Attention: Jason A. Rocha and Josh Davidson

 

To the Service Provider:

 

Haymaker Services, LLC

 

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4601 Washington Avenue, Suite 220

Houston, Texas 77007

Attention: Vasilis M. Mouratoff

Electronic mail: [email protected]

 

with a copy to:

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

609 Main Street, Suite 4500

Houston, TX 77002

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Attention: John D. Pitts, P.C. and David M. Castro, Jr., P.C.

 

7.4.                            Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the other agreements referenced herein, constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

7.5.                            Waivers. The waiver by a Party of a breach of any provision of this Agreement by the other Party shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent, or other, breach by any Party.

 

7.6.                            Invalidity. If any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall for any reason be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect the remaining provisions of this Agreement and this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision or provisions had never been contained herein.

 

7.7.                            Applicable Law. THIS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN EXECUTED AND DELIVERED AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED, INTERPRETED AND GOVERNED PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES WHICH, IF APPLIED, MIGHT PERMIT OR REQUIRE THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION.

 

7.8.                            Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process; Appointment of Agent for Service of Process; Limitation of Liability. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY CONSENTS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT LOCATED IN HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS AND IRREVOCABLY AGREES THAT ALL ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER SUCH ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS ARE BASED IN STATUTE, TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE), SHALL BE LITIGATED IN SUCH COURTS. EACH PARTY HERETO (I) CONSENTS TO SUBMIT ITSELF TO THE PERSONAL JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS FOR SUCH ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS, (II) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO DENY OR DEFEAT SUCH PERSONAL JURISDICTION BY MOTION OR OTHER REQUEST FOR LEAVE FROM ANY SUCH COURTS, AND (III) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT BRING ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY COURT OTHER THAN SUCH COURTS. EACH PARTY HERETO ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND IN CONNECTION WITH ITS PROPERTIES, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE EXCLUSIVE AND IRREVOCABLE

 

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JURISDICTION AND VENUE OF THE AFORESAID COURTS AND WAIVES ANY DEFENSE OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, AND IRREVOCABLY AGREES TO BE BOUND BY ANY NON-APPEALABLE JUDGMENT RENDERED THEREBY IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS. A COPY OF ANY SERVICE OF PROCESS SERVED UPON THE PARTIES HERETO SHALL BE MAILED BY REGISTERED MAIL TO THE RESPECTIVE PARTY EXCEPT THAT, UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY FAILURE TO MAIL SUCH COPY SHALL NOT AFFECT THE VALIDITY OF SERVICE OF PROCESS. IF ANY AGENT APPOINTED BY A PARTY HERETO REFUSES TO ACCEPT SERVICE, EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT SERVICE UPON THE APPROPRIATE PARTY BY REGISTERED MAIL SHALL CONSTITUTE SUFFICIENT SERVICE. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF A PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW. IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY OR ITS AFFILIATES BE LIABLE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY DAMAGES FOR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF USE, DATA, REVENUE OR PROFIT, WHETHER ARISING OUT OF BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES WERE FORESEEABLE AND WHETHER OR NOT THE OTHER PARTY WAS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT A PARTY MAY RECOVER FROM ANY OTHER PARTY ALL COSTS, EXPENSES OR DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, CONSEQUENTIAL, REMOTE OR SPECULATIVE DAMAGES PAID OR OWED TO ANY THIRD PERSON FOR WHICH SUCH PARTY HAS A RIGHT TO RECOVER FROM SUCH OTHER PARTY UNDER THE TERMS HEREOF.

 

7.9.                            Waiver of Jury Trial. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY WAIVES ITS RESPECTIVE RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY DEALINGS BETWEEN THEM RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT IS BEING ESTABLISHED. EACH PARTY HERETO ALSO WAIVES ANY BOND OR SURETY OR SECURITY UPON SUCH BOND WHICH MIGHT, BUT FOR THIS WAIVER, BE REQUIRED OF ANY OF THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO. THE SCOPE OF THIS WAIVER IS INTENDED TO BE ALL-ENCOMPASSING OF ANY AND ALL DISPUTES THAT MAY BE FILED IN ANY COURT AND THAT RELATE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING CONTRACT CLAIMS, TORT CLAIMS, BREACH OF DUTY CLAIMS, AND ALL OTHER COMMON LAW AND STATUTORY CLAIMS. EACH PARTY HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS WAIVER IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT TO ENTER INTO A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, THAT EACH PARTY HERETO HAS ALREADY RELIED ON THE WAIVER IN ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THAT EACH PARTY HERETO WILL CONTINUE TO RELY ON THE WAIVER IN THEIR RELATED FUTURE DEALINGS. EACH PARTY HERETO FURTHER WARRANTS AND REPRESENTS THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL, AND THAT EACH PARTY HERETO KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION

 

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WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. THIS WAIVER IS IRREVOCABLE, MEANING THAT IT MAY NOT BE MODIFIED EITHER ORALLY OR IN WRITING, AND THE WAIVER SHALL APPLY TO ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, SUPPLEMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THIS AGREEMENT OR TO ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS OR AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, THIS AGREEMENT MAYBE FILED AS A WRITTEN CONSENT TO A TRIAL BY THE COURT.

 

7.10.                     Relationship of Parties. In the performance of its services hereunder, Service Provider shall act as an independent contractor for Buyer. The Parties do not intend to create, nor shall this Agreement be construed as creating, a partnership or association that might render the Parties liable as partners. Service Provider shall be responsible for the payment of federal income tax, social security tax, workers’ compensation insurance, unemployment tax and other similar payments, if any, relating to Service Provider’s and its Affiliates’ businesses and employees, and Buyer shall not be responsible for any such amounts.

 

7.11.                     Force Majeure. To the extent either Party is prevented from or delayed in performing any of its obligations, other than any obligations to make payments, under this Agreement due to any act of God, fire, lightning, landslide, earthquake, flood, or other adverse weather condition; strike, lockout, or other industrial disturbance in respect of Service Provider’s employees; war, act of terrorism, military operation, or national emergency; explosions, breakage or destruction of, or accident or damage to, machinery, equipment, facilities, and the repair, maintenance, improvement, or replacement of equipment, facilities; and acts of any Governmental Authority or any similar material disruptive events outside the reasonable control of such Party (collectively, “Force Majeure Events”), if such affected Party gives notice and details of the Force Majeure Event to the other Party promptly, then the affected Party will be excused from the performance with respect to any such obligations. The affected Party shall cure any such Force Majeure Event as soon as reasonably practicable and complete, as soon as reasonably practicable, performance of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

7.12.                     Construction of Agreement. In construing this Agreement:

 

(i)                                     no consideration shall be given to the captions of the articles, sections, subsections, or clauses, which are inserted for convenience in locating the provisions of this Agreement and not as an aid in its construction;

 

(ii)                                  no consideration shall be given to the fact or presumption that one Party had a greater or lesser hand in drafting this Agreement;

 

(iii)                               examples shall not be construed to limit, expressly or by implication, the matter they illustrate;

 

(iv)                              the word “includes” and its derivatives means “includes, but is not limited to” and corresponding derivative expressions;

 

(v)                                 a defined term has its defined meaning throughout this Agreement and each exhibit to this Agreement, regardless of whether it appears before or after the place where it is defined;

 

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(vi)                              the plural shall be deemed to include the singular, and vice versa;

 

(vii)                           each gender shall be deemed to include the other genders; and

 

(viii)                        each exhibit, schedule or annex to this Agreement is a part of this Agreement, but if there is any conflict or inconsistency between the main body of this Agreement and any exhibit, attachment, or schedule, the provisions of the main body of this Agreement shall prevail.

 

7.13.                     Third Party Beneficiaries. Except for the rights to indemnification set forth in Section 4.1, this Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Parties and does not confer on any third parties any remedy, claim, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in addition to those existing without reference to this Agreement.

 

7.14.                     Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts and delivered by facsimile or portable document format, each of which, when executed, shall be deemed an original, and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

7.15.                     No Recourse. This Agreement may only be enforced against, and any claims or causes of action that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement may only be made against the entities that are expressly identified as parties hereto and no Affiliates of any Party shall have any liability for any obligations or liabilities of the parties to this Agreement or for any claim (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) based on, in respect of, or by reason of the transactions contemplated hereby or in respect of any oral representations made or alleged to be made in connection herewith.

 

7.16.                     Confidential Information.

 

(a)                                 Service Provider shall hold in strict confidence any Confidential Information it receives from Buyer or on its behalf and may not disclose any Confidential Information to any Person, and Buyer shall hold in strict confidence any Confidential Information it receives from Service Provider or on its behalf and may not disclose any Confidential Information to any Person, except in each case for disclosures (a) to comply with applicable Laws, (b) to such Party’s Affiliates, officers, directors, employees, consultants, agents, advisers or representatives, but only if the recipients of such information have agreed to be bound by confidentiality provisions substantially similar to the provisions of this Section 7.16, (c) by Service Provider (and its Affiliates’ and any of their respective officers’, directors’ or employees’), on a confidential basis, regarding the underlying investment with respect to the Acquired Operating Companies and the acquisition or disposition of the Acquired Operating Companies in connection with legitimate fundraising activities or fund performance reporting with current or prospective investors, lenders, or partners, or (d) to such Party’s existing and prospective lenders, existing and prospective investors, attorneys, accountants, consultants and other representatives with a need to know such information (including a need to know for such Party’s own purposes), provided, however, that such Party shall be responsible for such Person’s use and disclosure of any such information. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, nothing shall prevent Service Provider (or any of its Affiliates’ or any of their respective officers’, directors’ or employees’) from using their

 

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knowledge or mental impressions of such information or their general knowledge of the industry or geographic area in the conduct of their respective businesses.

 

(b)                                 Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, Service Provider shall, and shall cause its respective employees and representatives to, at Service Provider’s election in its sole discretion, (i) promptly return to Buyer all Confidential Information, including all copies thereof, in its possession or control or (ii) destroy or purge its own system and files of any such Confidential Information (to the extent practicable); provided, however, that Service Provider may retain copies of such Confidential Information to the extent necessary to comply with its record retention policies with such retained copies remaining subject to the restrictions on Confidential Information contained herein for the duration of such retention.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of the Parties as of the date first above written.

 

 

BUYER:

 

 

 

KIMBELL ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP

 

 

 

By: Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC

 

Its: General Partner

 

 

 

By:

/s/ R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Name: R. Davis Ravnaas

 

Title: President and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to Transition Services Agreement]

 



 

 

SERVICE PROVIDER:

 

 

 

HAYMAKER SERVICES, LLC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Name: Vasilis Mouratoff

 

Title: Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel

 

 

[Signature Page to Transition Services Agreement]

 



 

SCHEDULE A

 

Full Term Services & Services Fees

 

Services Fee: $175,000 per month.

 

Full Term Services:

 

Revenue Management Team Support

 

1.              Provide a list of all wells, including the well name, purchaser well number, accounting well number, state, county, reservoir and accounting cost center.  Update this list monthly.

 

2.              Provide a list of all current purchasers and owner numbers. Provide a monthly list of any new purchasers with owner numbers.  Indicate which purchasers are subject to summary bookings versus line-by-line booking.

 

3.              Create (scanned PDFs) or provide digital copies of check stub detail for all checks received containing revenue of the Serviced Properties.

 

4.              Provide Buyer check stub line-by-line detail revenue that is identifiable by well and production date. This detail should include the following:

 

a.              Gross and net volumes

 

b.              Gross and net value

 

c.               Severance taxes

 

d.              Other deductions

 

e.               Net revenue

 

5.              Reconcile the net of all checks processed in the accounting sub-ledger to the total of corresponding month’s bank deposits.

 

6.              All revenue entry for a calendar month’s deposits shall be completed within 40 days after the end of a calendar month.

 

7.              Assistance and cooperation with transitioning check processing on a gradual basis to OGBS.

 

8.              Provide digital copies of division orders and all other land related documents, and support to familiarize Buyer with the sources and organization of the underlying files.

 



 

SCHEDULE B

 

Short Term Services & Services Fees

 

Services Fee: $250,000 per month.

 

Short Term Services:

 

1.              Accounting Reserve and Executive team support of transition post-Closing.

 

2.              Accounting, Reserve and Executive team support of Q2 2018 financial statements.

 

3.              Assistance and support related to pro forma financials.

 

4.              Assistance with tax matters in connection with Buyer’s election to be taxed as a C-corporation, as needed.

 


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SEC Filings