Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 20, 2010

Registration No. 333-                

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

FORM S-4

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

ROSETTA RESOURCES INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware		1311		43-2083519
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

717 Texas, Suite 2800

Houston, TX 77002

(713) 335-4000

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Michael J. Rosinksi

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Rosetta Resources Inc.

717 Texas, Suite 2800

Houston, TX 77002

(713) 335-4000

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Michael H. Hickey Rosetta Resources Inc. 717 Texas, Suite 2800 Houston, TX 77002 (713) 335-4000		Sean T. Wheeler Michael E. Dillard Latham & Watkins LLP 717 Texas, Suite 1600 Houston, TX 77002 (713) 546-5400

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale of the securities to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the securities being registered on this Form are being offered in connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check the following box.  ¨

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer		¨		Accelerated filer		x
Non-accelerated filer		(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)  ¨		Smaller reporting company		¨

If applicable, place an X in the box to designate the appropriate rule provision relied upon in conducting this transaction:

Exchange Act Rule 13e-4(i) (Cross-Border Issuer Tender Offer)  ¨

Exchange Act Rule 14d-1(d) (Cross-Border Third-Party Tender Offer)  ¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered		Amount to be Registered		Proposed Offering Price Per Note(1)		Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1)		Amount of Registration Fee
9.500% Senior Notes due 2018		$200,000,000		100%		$200,000,000		$14,260
Guarantees of the 9.500% Senior Notes due 2018		—		—		—		(2)

(1)	Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(f) of the Securities Act.

(2)	No additional registration fee is due for guarantees pursuant to Rule 457(n) under the Securities Act.

 

 

Each registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the SEC, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

---

Table of Contents

TABLE OF ADDITIONAL REGISTRANT GUARANTORS

 

Exact Name of Registrant Guarantor(1)		State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Formation		Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number		I.R.S. Employer Identification Number
Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC		Delaware		1311		51-0546843
Rosetta Resources Holdings, LLC		Delaware		1311		20-2943018
Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC		Delaware		1311		27-0011349
Rosetta Resources Operating LP		Delaware		1311		71-0882453
Rosetta Resources Gathering LP		Delaware		1311		30-0421588

(1)	The address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of each additional registrant guarantor’s principal executive office is 717 Texas, Suite 2800, Houston, TX 77002, (713) 335-4000.

---

Table of Contents

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JULY 20, 2010

PROSPECTUS

ROSETTA RESOURCES INC.

OFFER TO EXCHANGE

$200,000,000 principal amount of its 9.500% Senior Notes due 2018

which have been registered under the Securities Act,

for any and all of its outstanding 9.500% Senior Notes due 2018

We are offering to exchange our 9.500% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “exchange notes”) for our currently outstanding 9.500% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “private notes”). The exchange notes are substantially identical to the private notes, except that the exchange notes have been registered under the federal securities laws and will not bear any legend restricting their transfer. The exchange notes will represent the same debt as the private notes and we will issue the exchange notes under the same indenture. We refer to the private notes and the exchange notes collectively in this prospectus as the “notes.”

The principal features of the exchange offer are as follows:

 

•

The exchange offer expires at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on                     , 2010, unless extended.

 

•

We will exchange all private notes that are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the expiration of the exchange offer.

 

•

You may withdraw tenders of private notes at any time before the exchange offer expires.

 

•

The exchange of private notes for exchange notes pursuant to the exchange offer will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

•

We will not receive any proceeds from the exchange offer.

 

•

We do not intend to apply for listing of the exchange notes on any securities exchange or automated quotation system.

Broker-dealers receiving exchange notes in exchange for private notes acquired for their own account through market-making or other trading activities must deliver a prospectus in any resale of the exchange notes.

Investing in the exchange notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 8 of this prospectus and the risk factors set forth in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and in Item  1A of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2010, which are incorporated by reference herein.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the notes or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is                     , 2010.

---

Table of Contents

We have not authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus as if we had authorized it. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which it relates, nor does this prospectus constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction.

The information in this prospectus is current only as of the date on its cover and may change after that date.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Where You Can Find More Information		ii
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference		ii
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements		iii
Prospectus Summary		1
Risk Factors		8
The Exchange Offer		14
Use of Proceeds		22
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges		23
Description of the Exchange Notes		24
Book-Entry; Delivery and Form		80
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences		83
Plan of Distribution		89
Validity of the Securities		90
Experts		90

 

i

---

Table of Contents

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

Rosetta Resources Inc. and the subsidiary guarantors have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement on Form S-4 (including all amendments, exhibits, annexes and schedules, the “exchange offer registration statement”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”) covering the exchange notes being offered. This prospectus does not contain all the information in the exchange offer registration statement. For further information with respect to Rosetta Resources Inc., the subsidiary guarantors and the exchange offer, reference is made to the exchange offer registration statement. Statements made in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract, agreement or other documents referred to are not necessarily complete. For a more complete understanding and description of each contract, agreement or other document filed as an exhibit to the exchange offer registration statement, we encourage you to read the documents contained in the exhibits.

In addition, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to documents containing that information. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (other than information determined to be furnished and not filed with the SEC) until our offering is completed or terminated.

 

(a)

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009;

 

(b)

Our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on March 26, 2010;

 

(c)

Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, filed on May 10, 2010; and

 

(d)

Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on April 5, 2010, April 13, 2010, April 19, 2010, May 10, 2010 and July 20, 2010.

Any statement contained herein, or in any documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purpose of this prospectus to the extent that a subsequent statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at:

Rosetta Resources Inc.

717 Texas, Suite 2800

Houston, TX 77002

Attention: Corporate Secretary

Telephone: (713) 335-4000

 

ii

---

Table of Contents

You may also obtain copies of these filings, at no cost, by accessing our website at www.rosettaresources.com; however, the information found on our website is not considered part of this prospectus. To obtain timely delivery of any copies of filings requested, please write or telephone no later than                     , 2010, five days prior to the expiration of the exchange offer.

This exchange offer is not being made to, nor will we accept surrenders for exchange from, holders of private notes in any jurisdiction in which this exchange offer or the acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdiction.

DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The information contained in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this prospectus are forward-looking statements, including without limitation all statements regarding future plans, business objectives, strategies, expected future financial position or performance, expected future operational position or performance, budgets and projected costs, future competitive position, and goals and/or projections of management for future operations. In some cases, you can identify a forward-looking statement by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “project,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “pursue,” “target” or “continue,” the negative of such terms or variations thereon, or other comparable terminology.

The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are largely based on our expectations for the future, which reflect certain estimates and assumptions made by our management. These estimates and assumptions reflect our best judgment based on currently known market conditions, operating trends, and other factors. Although we believe such estimates and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently uncertain and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that are beyond our control. As such, management’s assumptions about future events may prove to be inaccurate. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties involved, you should also carefully consider the statements contained in or incorporated by reference to our filings with the SEC. We do not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, changes in circumstances, or otherwise. These cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to us, or persons acting on our behalf. Management cautions all readers that the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are not guarantees of future performance, and we cannot assure any reader that such statements will be realized or that the events and circumstances they describe will occur. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements herein include, but are not limited to:

 

•

the supply and demand for oil and natural gas;

 

•

the price of oil and natural gas;

 

•

general economic conditions, either internationally, nationally or in jurisdictions affecting our business;

 

•

conditions in the energy and economic markets;

 

•

our ability to access the capital markets on favorable terms or at all;

 

•

our ability to obtain credit and/or capital in desired amounts and/or on favorable terms;

 

•

the ability and willingness of our current or potential counterparties or vendors to enter into transactions with us and/or to fulfill their obligations to us;

 

•

failure of our joint interest partners to fund any or all of their portion of any capital program;

 

•

the occurrence of property acquisitions or divestitures;

 

iii

---

Table of Contents

•

reserve levels;

 

•

inflation;

 

•

competition in the oil and natural gas industry;

 

•

the availability and cost of relevant raw materials, goods and services;

 

•

the availability and cost of processing and transportation;

 

•

changes or advances in technology;

 

•

potential reserve revisions;

 

•

future processing volumes and pipeline throughput;

 

•

developments in oil-producing and natural gas-producing countries;

 

•

drilling and exploration risks;

 

•

several possible new legislative initiatives and regulatory changes potentially adversely impacting our business and industry, including, but not limited to, national healthcare, cap and trade, hydraulic fracturing, state and federal income taxes, retroactive royalty or production tax regimes, changes in environmental regulations, environmental risks and liability under federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations;

 

•

effects of the application of applicable laws and regulations, including changes in such regulations or the interpretation thereof;

 

•

present and possible future claims, litigation and enforcement actions;

 

•

lease termination due to lack of activity or other disputes with mineral lease and royalty owners, whether regarding calculation and payment of royalties;

 

•

the weather, including the occurrence of any adverse weather conditions and/or natural disasters affecting our business;

 

•

any other factors that impact or could impact the exploration of oil or natural gas resources, including but not limited to, the geology of a resource, the total amount and costs to develop recoverable reserves, legal title, regulatory, natural gas administration, marketing and operational factors relating to the extraction of oil and natural gas; and

 

•

factors that could impact the cost, extent and pace of our capital program execution, including but not limited to, access to oilfield services, access to water for hydraulic fracture stimulations and permitting delays, unavailability of required permits, lease suspensions, drilling, exploration and production moratoriums and other legislative, executive or judicial actions by federal, state and local authorities, as well as actions by private citizens, environmental groups or other interested persons.

 

iv

---

Table of Contents

 

1

---

Table of Contents

 

2

---

Table of Contents

 

3

---

Table of Contents

 

4

---

Table of Contents

 

5

---

Table of Contents

 

6

---

Table of Contents

 

7

---

Table of Contents

RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the following risk factors and the risk factors identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2010 incorporated herein by reference, as well as all other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus before participating in the exchange offer.

Risks Related to the Notes

If you do not properly tender your private notes, you will continue to hold unregistered private notes and your ability to transfer private notes will be adversely affected.

We will only issue exchange notes in exchange for private notes that are timely received by the exchange agent. Therefore, you should allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery of the private notes and you should carefully follow the instructions on how to tender your private notes. Neither we nor the exchange agent is required to tell you of any defects or irregularities with respect to your tender of the private notes. If you do not tender your private notes or if we do not accept your private notes because you did not tender your private notes properly, then, after we consummate the exchange offer, you may continue to hold private notes that are subject to the existing transfer restrictions. In addition, if you tender your private notes for the purpose of participating in a distribution of the exchange notes, you will be required to comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the exchange notes. If you are a broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for your own account in exchange for private notes that you acquired as a result of market-making activities or any other trading activities, you will be required to acknowledge that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such exchange notes.

After the exchange offer is consummated, if you continue to hold any private notes, you may have difficulty selling them because there will be fewer private notes outstanding. In addition, if a large amount of private notes are not tendered or are tendered improperly, the limited amount of exchange notes that would be issued and outstanding after we consummate the exchange offer could lower the market price of such exchange notes.

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flows to meet our debt obligations.

We expect our earnings and cash flows to vary significantly from year to year due to the cyclical nature of the oil and natural gas industry. As a result, the amount of debt that we can manage in some periods may not be appropriate for us in other periods. In addition, our future cash flows may be insufficient to meet our debt obligations and commitments, including the notes. Any insufficiency could negatively impact our business. A range of economic, competitive, business and industry factors will affect our future financial performance, and, as a result, our ability to generate cash flows from operations and to pay our debt, including the notes. Many of these factors, such as oil and gas prices, economic and financial conditions in our industry and the global economy or competitive initiatives of our competitors, are beyond our control.

If we do not generate sufficient cash flows from operations to satisfy our debt obligations, we may have to undertake alternative financing plans, such as:

 

•

refinancing or restructuring our debt;

 

•

selling assets;

 

•

reducing or delaying capital investments; or

 

•

seeking to raise additional capital.

However, any alternative financing plans that we undertake, if necessary, may not allow us to meet our debt obligations. Our inability to generate sufficient cash flows to satisfy our debt obligations, including our obligations under the notes, or to obtain alternative financing, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

8

---

Table of Contents

Our ability to restructure or refinance our indebtedness will depend on the condition of the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. Any refinancing of our indebtedness could be at higher interest rates and could require us to comply with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict our business operations. The terms of existing or future debt instruments, including the indenture governing the notes, may restrict us from adopting some of these alternatives. In addition, any failure to may payments of interest or principal on our outstanding indebtedness on a timely basis would likely result in a reduction of our credit rating, which could harm our ability to incur additional indebtedness. In the absence of sufficient cash flows and capital resources, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or operations to meet our debt service and other obligations. We may not be able to refinance our indebtedness, sell assets or issue equity, or borrow more funds on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

Our debt could have important consequences to you. For example, it could:

 

•

increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;

 

•

limit our ability to fund future working capital and capital expenditures, to engage in future acquisitions or development activities, or to otherwise realize the value of our assets and opportunities fully because of the need to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flows from operations to payments of interest and principal on our debt or to comply with any restrictive terms of our debt;

 

•

limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;

 

•

impair our ability to obtain additional financing in the future; and

 

•

place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt.

In addition, if we fail to comply with the covenants or other terms of any agreements governing our debt, our lenders will have the right to accelerate the maturity of that debt and foreclose upon the collateral, if any, securing that debt. Realization of any of these factors could adversely affect our financial condition.

The notes and the guarantees are unsecured and effectively subordinated to our and our subsidiary guarantors’ existing and future secured indebtedness and structurally subordinated to any existing or future indebtedness and other liabilities of our non-guarantor subsidiaries.

The notes and the guarantees are general unsecured senior obligations ranking effectively junior in right of payment to all existing and future secured debt of ours and that of each subsidiary guarantor, including obligations under our senior secured revolving credit facility and our second lien term loan to the extent of the value of the collateral securing the debt and will be subordinate in right of payment to any existing or future indebtedness and other liabilities of our non-guarantor subsidiaries. As of May 31, 2010, we had approximately $321.0 million in principal amount of senior indebtedness (including the private notes), of which approximately $121.0 ranked effectively senior to the private notes by virtue of being secured. As of May 31, 2010 we had $101.0 million outstanding and $244.0 million available for future borrowings under our senior secured revolving credit facility, all of which was effectively senior to the notes by virtue of being secured.

If we or a subsidiary guarantor is declared bankrupt, becomes insolvent or is liquidated or reorganized, any secured debt of ours or that subsidiary guarantor will be entitled to be paid in full from our assets or the assets of the guarantor, as applicable, securing that debt before any payment may be made with respect to the notes or the affected guarantees. Holders of the notes will participate ratably in our remaining assets with all holders of our unsecured indebtedness that does not rank junior to the notes, including all of our other general creditors, based upon the respective amounts owed to each holder or creditor. In any of the foregoing events, there may not be sufficient assets to pay amounts due on the notes. As a result, holders of the notes would likely receive less, ratably, than holders of secured indebtedness.

In addition, creditors of current and future subsidiaries that do not guarantee the notes will have claims, with respect to the assets of those subsidiaries, that rank structurally senior to the notes. In the event of any

 

9

---

Table of Contents

distribution or payment of assets of such subsidiaries in any dissolution, winding up, liquidation, reorganization, or other bankruptcy proceeding, the claims of those creditors must be satisfied prior to making any such distribution or payment to us in respect of its direct or indirect equity interests in such subsidiaries.

We may be able to incur substantially more debt. This could exacerbate the risks associated with our indebtedness.

We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future. As of May 31, 2010, we had $101.0 million outstanding and $244.0 million available for future secured borrowings under our senior secured revolving credit facility. Any additional borrowings would be secured, and as a result, effectively senior to the notes and the guarantees of the notes by our subsidiary guarantors, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing that indebtedness. In addition, the holders of any future debt we may incur that ranks equally with the notes, will be entitled to share ratably with the holders of the notes in any proceeds distributed in connection with any insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding-up of us. This may have the effect of reducing the amount of proceeds paid to you.

If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we and our subsidiaries now face could intensify. As of May 31, 2010, we had approximately $321.0 million in principal amount of senior indebtedness (including the private notes), of which approximately $121.0 would have effectively ranked senior to the private notes by virtue of being secured. Our level of indebtedness may prevent us from engaging in certain transactions that might otherwise be beneficial to us by limiting our ability to obtain additional financing, limiting our flexibility in operating our business or otherwise. In addition, we could be at a competitive disadvantage against other less leveraged competitors that have more cash flow to devote to their business. Any of these factors could result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, business prospects and ability to satisfy our obligations under the notes.

Restrictions in our existing and future debt agreements could limit our growth and our ability to respond to changing conditions.

Our credit facilities contain a number of significant covenants in addition to covenants restricting the incurrence of additional debt. These covenants limit our ability and the ability of our restricted subsidiaries, among other things, to:

 

•

pay dividends or distributions on our capital stock;

 

•

issue redeemable stock or preferred stock;

 

•

prepay, redeem, or repurchase debt;

 

•

enter into certain transactions with affiliates;

 

•

enter into transactions that would result in a change of control of us;

 

•

make certain loans and investments;

 

•

sell assets;

 

•

create or assume certain liens on our assets; and

 

•

merge or to enter into other business combination transactions.

Our credit facilities also require us to maintain certain financial ratios. These restrictions also limit our ability to obtain future financings, withstand a future downturn in our business or the economy in general, or otherwise conduct necessary corporate activities. We may also be prevented from taking advantage of business opportunities that arise because of the limitations that the restrictive covenants under the indenture governing the notes and our credit facilities.

 

10

---

Table of Contents

A breach of any covenant in our credit facilities or the agreements governing our other indebtedness would result in a default under that agreement after any applicable grace periods. A default, if not waived, could result in acceleration of the debt outstanding under the agreement and in a default with respect to, and acceleration of, the debt outstanding under any other debt agreements. The accelerated debt would become immediately due and payable. If that should occur, we may not be able to make all of the required payments or borrow sufficient funds to refinance it. Even if new financing were then available, it may not be on terms that are acceptable to us. If we were unable to repay those amounts, the lenders could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure such defaulted debt. See “Description of the Exchange Notes—Events of Default.”

We may not be able to repurchase the notes upon a change of control.

If we experience certain kinds of changes of control coupled with a ratings downgrade with respect to the notes, we must give holders of the notes the opportunity to sell us their notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest. However, in such an event, we might not be able to pay you the required repurchase price for the notes you present to us because we might not have sufficient funds available at that time, or the terms of our credit facilities may prevent us from applying funds to repurchase the notes. The source of funds for any repurchase required as a result of a change of control will be our available cash or cash generated from our oil and gas operations or other sources, including:

 

•

borrowings under our credit facilities or other sources;

 

•

sales of assets; or

 

•

sales of equity.

Sufficient funds may not be available at the time of any change of control to repurchase your notes after first repaying any of our senior debt that may exist at the time. In addition, restrictions under our credit facilities will not allow such repurchases and we may not be able to have these restrictions waived. Our failure to purchase the notes as required under the indenture would result in a default under the indenture and a cross default under our credit facilities, each of which could have material adverse consequences for us and the holders of the notes. A “change of control” (as defined in the indenture governing the notes) will also be an event of default under our senior secured revolving credit facility that would permit the lenders to accelerate the debt outstanding under those credit facilities. Finally, using available cash to fund the potential consequences of a change of control may impair our ability to obtain additional financing in the future, which could negatively impact our ability to conduct our business operations.

A financial failure by us or our subsidiaries may result in the assets of any or all of those entities becoming subject to the claims of all creditors of those entities.

A financial failure by us or our subsidiaries could affect payment of the notes if a bankruptcy court were to substantively consolidate us and our subsidiaries. If a bankruptcy court substantively consolidated us and our subsidiaries, the assets of each entity would be subject to the claims of creditors of all entities. This would expose you not only to the usual impairments arising from bankruptcy, but also to potential dilution of the amount ultimately recoverable because of the larger creditor base. Furthermore, forced restructuring of the notes could occur through the cram-down provision of the bankruptcy code. Under this provision, the notes could be restructured over your objections as to their general terms, primarily interest rate and maturity.

 

11

---

Table of Contents

If the subsidiary guarantees are deemed fraudulent conveyances or preferential transfers, a court may subordinate or void them.

Under various fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer laws, a court could subordinate or void our subsidiary guarantees. Generally, a United States court may void or subordinate a subsidiary guarantee in favor of the subsidiary’s other obligations if it finds that at the time the subsidiary entered into a subsidiary guarantee it:

 

•

intended to hinder, delay or defraud any present or future creditor or contemplated insolvency with a design to favor one or more creditors to the exclusion of others;

 

•

did not receive fair consideration or reasonably equivalent value for issuing the subsidiary guarantee;

 

•

was insolvent or became insolvent as a result of issuing the subsidiary guarantee;

 

•

was engaged or about to engage in a business or transaction for which the remaining assets of the subsidiary constituted unreasonably small capital; or

 

•

intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond its ability to pay those debts as they matured.

The measures of insolvency for purposes of fraudulent transfer laws vary depending upon the governing law. Generally, a guarantor would be considered insolvent if:

 

•

the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, were greater than the fair saleable value of all its assets;

 

•

the present fair saleable value of its assets is less than the amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they become absolute and mature; or

 

•

it could not pay its debts as they become due.

In addition, a guarantee may be voided based on the level of benefits that the subsidiary guarantor received compared to the amount of the subsidiary guarantee. If a subsidiary guarantee is voided or held unenforceable, you would not have any claim against that subsidiary and would be creditors solely of us and any subsidiary guarantors whose guarantees are not held unenforceable. After providing for all prior claims, there may not be sufficient assets to satisfy claims of holders of notes relating to any voided portions of any of the subsidiary guarantees. In addition, the court might direct you to repay any amounts that you already received from the subsidiary guarantor.

The amount that can be collected under future subsidiary guarantees, if any, will be limited.

Each subsidiary guarantee entered into after the closing date will contain a provision intended to limit such guarantor’s liability to the maximum amount that it could guarantee without causing the incurrence of the obligations under its guarantee to be a fraudulent transfer. This provision may not be effective to protect subsidiary guarantees from being voided under applicable fraudulent transfer laws or may reduce the guarantor’s obligation to an amount that effectively makes the subsidiary guarantee worthless. In a recent Florida bankruptcy case, this kind of provision was found to be ineffective to protect the guarantees.

There is a risk of a preferential transfer if:

 

•

a subsidiary guarantor declares bankruptcy or its creditors force it to declare bankruptcy within 90 days (or in certain cases, one year) after a payment on the guarantee; or

 

•

a subsidiary guarantee was made in contemplation of insolvency.

In addition, a court could require holders of notes to return amounts received from the subsidiary guarantor during the 90-day (or, in certain cases, one-year) period.

 

12

---

Table of Contents

Your ability to transfer the notes may be limited by the absence of an active trading market, and an active trading market may not develop for the notes.

The notes are a new issue of securities for which there is no established trading market. An active trading market may not develop for the notes. Historically, the market for non-investment grade debt has been subject to disruptions that have caused substantial volatility in the prices of securities similar to the notes. The market, if any, for the notes may not be free from similar disruptions and any such disruptions may adversely affect the prices at which you may sell your notes. In addition, subsequent to their initial issuance, the notes may trade at a discount from their initial offering price, depending upon prevailing interest rates, the market for similar notes, our operating performance and financial condition and other factors.

We do not intend to apply for listing or quotation of the notes on any securities exchange or stock market. The liquidity of any market for the notes will depend on a number of factors, including:

 

•

the number of holders of notes;

 

•

our operating performance and financial condition;

 

•

our ability to complete the offer to exchange the notes for the exchange notes;

 

•

the market for similar securities;

 

•

the interest of securities dealers in making a market in the notes; and

 

•

prevailing interest rates.

Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our debt service obligations to increase significantly.

Borrowings under our senior secured revolving credit facility bear interest at variable rates and expose us to interest rate risk. If interest rates increase, our debt service obligations on the variable rate indebtedness would increase although the amount borrowed remained the same, and our net income and cash available for servicing our indebtedness would decrease.

 

13

---

Table of Contents

THE EXCHANGE OFFER

Purpose and Effect

In connection with the sale of the private notes on April 15, 2010, we entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers of the private notes, which requires us to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the exchange notes and, upon the effectiveness of the registration statement, offer to the holders of the private notes the opportunity to exchange their private notes for a like principal amount of exchange notes. The exchange notes will be issued without a restrictive legend and generally may be reoffered and resold without registration under the Securities Act. The registration rights agreement provides that we must use our reasonable best efforts to cause the registration statement to be declared effective not later than 210 days after the original issuance of the private notes. The registration rights agreement further provides that we must file a shelf registration statement for the resale of the notes under certain circumstances and use our reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective under the Securities Act and to keep such registration statement effective for a period of one year, or such shorter period that will terminate when all notes covered by the shelf registration statement have been sold.

If the exchange offer is not completed (or, if required, the shelf registration statement is not declared effective) on or before the date that is 210 days after the issue date of the private notes (the “Target Registration Date”), then we agree to pay each holder of notes liquidated damages in the form of additional interest in an amount equal to 0.25% per annum of the principal amount of notes held by such holder, with respect to the first 90 days after the Target Registration Date (which rate shall be increased by an additional 0.25% per annum for each subsequent 90-day period that such liquidated damages continue to accrue), in each case until the exchange offer is completed or the shelf registration statement is declared effective; provided, however, that at no time shall the amount of liquidated damages accruing exceed in the aggregate 1.0% per annum. Upon the completion of the exchange offer (or, if required, the effectiveness of the shelf registration statement) liquidated damages described in this paragraph will cease to accrue.

Except as described below, upon the completion of the exchange offer, our obligations with respect to the registration of the private notes and the exchange notes will terminate. A copy of the registration rights agreement has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and this summary of the material provisions of the registration rights agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete registration rights agreement. Following the completion of the exchange offer, holders of private notes not tendered will not have any further registration rights other than as set forth in the paragraphs below, and the private notes will continue to be subject to certain restrictions on transfer. Additionally, the liquidity of the market for the private notes could be adversely affected upon consummation of the exchange offer. See “Risk Factors—If you do not properly tender your private notes, you will continue to hold unregistered private notes and your ability to transfer private notes will be adversely affected.”

In order to participate in the exchange offer, a holder must represent to us, among other things, that:

 

•

the exchange notes to be received by the holder will be acquired in the ordinary course of the holder’s business;

 

•

the holder has no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the exchange notes in violation of the provisions of the Securities Act;

 

•

the holder is not an “affiliate” (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of Rosetta or any guarantor; and

 

•

if the holder is a broker-dealer that will receive exchange notes for its own account in exchange for private notes that were acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities, then the holder will deliver a prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available a prospectus to purchasers) in connection with any resale of the exchange notes.

 

14

---

Table of Contents

Under certain circumstances specified in the registration rights agreement, we may be required to file a “shelf” registration statement for a continuous offer in connection with the private notes pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act.

Based on an interpretation by the SEC’s staff set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties unrelated to us, we believe that, with the exceptions set forth below, exchange notes issued in the exchange offer may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by the holder of exchange notes without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, unless the holder:

 

•

is an “affiliate” of Rosetta or any guarantor within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act;

 

•

is a broker-dealer who purchased private notes directly from us for resale under Rule 144A or Regulation S or any other available exemption under the Securities Act;

 

•

acquired the exchange notes other than in the ordinary course of the holder’s business; or

 

•

has an arrangement with any person to engage in the distribution of the exchange notes.

Any holder who tenders in the exchange offer for the purpose of participating in a distribution of the exchange notes cannot rely on this interpretation by the SEC’s staff and must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction. Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own account in exchange for private notes, where such private notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such exchange notes. See “Plan of Distribution.” Broker-dealers who acquired private notes directly from us and not as a result of market making activities or other trading activities may not rely on the staff’s interpretations discussed above or participate in the exchange offer, and must comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in order to sell the private notes.

Terms of the Exchange Offer

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this prospectus and in the letter of transmittal, we will accept any and all private notes validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on                     , 2010, or such date and time to which we extend the offer. We will issue $1,000 in principal amount of exchange notes in exchange for each $1,000 principal amount of private notes accepted in the exchange offer. Holders may tender some or all of their private notes pursuant to the exchange offer. However, private notes may be tendered only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The exchange notes will evidence the same debt as the private notes and will be issued under the terms of, and entitled to the benefits of, the indenture relating to the private notes.

As of the date of this prospectus, $200.0 million in aggregate principal amount of the private notes were outstanding and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for The Depository Trust Company. This prospectus, together with the letter of transmittal, is being sent to the registered holder and to others believed to have beneficial interests in the private notes. We intend to conduct the exchange offer in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated under the Exchange Act.

We will be deemed to have accepted validly tendered private notes when, as and if we have given oral or written notice thereof to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, the exchange agent. The exchange agent will act as agent for the tendering holders for the purpose of receiving the exchange notes from us. If any tendered private notes are not accepted for exchange because of an invalid tender, the occurrence of certain other events set forth under the heading “—Conditions to the Exchange Offer” or otherwise, certificates for any such unaccepted private notes will be returned, without expense, to the tendering holder of those private notes as promptly as practicable after the expiration date unless the exchange offer is extended.

 

15

---

Table of Contents

Holders who tender private notes in the exchange offer will not be required to pay brokerage commissions or fees or, subject to the instructions in the letter of transmittal, transfer taxes with respect to the exchange of private notes in the exchange offer. We will pay all charges and expenses, other than certain applicable taxes, applicable to the exchange offer. See “—Fees and Expenses.”

Expiration Date; Extensions; Amendments

The expiration date will be 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on                     , 2010, unless we, in our sole discretion, extend the exchange offer, in which case the expiration date shall be the latest date and time to which the exchange offer is extended. In order to extend the exchange offer, we will notify the exchange agent and each registered holder of any extension by oral or written notice prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled expiration date. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion:

 

•

to delay accepting any private notes, to extend the exchange offer or, if any of the conditions set forth under “—Conditions to the Exchange Offer” shall not have been satisfied, to terminate the exchange offer, by giving oral or written notice of that delay, extension or termination to the exchange agent, or

 

•

to amend the terms of the exchange offer in any manner.

In the event that we make a fundamental change to the terms of the exchange offer, we will file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement.

Procedures for Tendering

Only a holder of private notes may tender the private notes in the exchange offer. Except as set forth under “—Book-Entry Transfer,” to tender in the exchange offer a holder must complete, sign and date the letter of transmittal, or a copy of the letter of transmittal, have the signatures on the letter of transmittal guaranteed if required by the letter of transmittal and mail or otherwise deliver the letter of transmittal or copy to the exchange agent prior to the expiration date. In addition,

 

•

certificates for the private notes must be received by the exchange agent along with the letter of transmittal prior to the expiration date, or

 

•

a timely confirmation of a book-entry transfer (a “book-entry confirmation”) of the private notes, if that procedure is available, into the exchange agent’s account at The Depository Trust Company, which we refer to as the book-entry transfer facility, following the procedure for book-entry transfer described below, must be received by the exchange agent prior to the expiration date, or you must comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures described below.

To be tendered effectively, the letter of transmittal and other required documents must be received by the exchange agent at the address set forth under “—Exchange Agent” prior to the expiration date.

Your tender, if not withdrawn prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date, will constitute an agreement between you and us in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the letter of transmittal.

The method of delivery of private notes and the letter of transmittal and all other required documents to the exchange agent is at your election and risk. Instead of delivery by mail, it is recommended that you use an overnight or hand delivery service. In all cases, sufficient time should be allowed to assure delivery to the exchange agent before the expiration date. No letter of transmittal or private notes should be sent to us. You may request your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or nominee to effect these transactions for you.

Any beneficial owner whose private notes are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee and who wishes to tender should contact the registered holder promptly and

 

16

---

Table of Contents

instruct the registered holder to tender on the beneficial owner’s behalf. If the beneficial owner wishes to tender on its own behalf, the beneficial owner must, prior to completing and executing the letter of transmittal and delivering the owner’s private notes, either make appropriate arrangements to register ownership of the private notes in the beneficial owner’s name or obtain a properly completed bond power from the registered holder. The transfer of registered ownership may take considerable time.

Signatures on a letter of transmittal or a notice of withdrawal, as the case may be, must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” within the meaning of Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act unless private notes tendered pursuant thereto are tendered:

 

•

by a registered holder who has not completed the box entitled “Special Registration Instruction” or “Special Delivery Instructions” on the letter of transmittal, or

 

•

for the account of an eligible guarantor institution.

If signatures on a letter of transmittal or a notice of withdrawal, as the case may be, are required to be guaranteed, the guarantee must be by any eligible guarantor institution that is a member of or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program or an eligible guarantor institution.

If the letter of transmittal is signed by a person other than the registered holder of any private notes listed in the letter of transmittal, the private notes must be endorsed or accompanied by a properly completed bond power, signed by the registered holder as that registered holder’s name appears on the private notes.

If the letter of transmittal or any private notes or bond powers are signed by trustees, executors, administrators, guardians, attorneys-in-fact, officers of corporations or others acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, such persons should so indicate when signing, and evidence satisfactory to us of their authority to so act must be submitted with the letter of transmittal unless waived by us.

All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility, including time of receipt, acceptance, and withdrawal of tendered private notes will be determined by us in our sole discretion, which determination will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute right to reject any and all private notes not properly tendered or any private notes our acceptance of which would, in the opinion of our counsel, be unlawful. We also reserve the right to waive any defects, irregularities or conditions of tender as to particular private notes. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer, including the instructions in the letter of transmittal, will be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of private notes must be cured within such time as we shall determine. Although we intend to notify holders of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of private notes, neither we, the exchange agent, nor any other person shall incur any liability for failure to give that notification. Tenders of private notes will not be deemed to have been made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. Any private notes received by the exchange agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned by the exchange agent to the tendering holders, unless otherwise provided in the letter of transmittal, as soon as practicable following the expiration date, unless the exchange offer is extended.

In addition, we reserve the right in our sole discretion to purchase or make offers for any private notes that remain outstanding after the expiration date or, as set forth under “—Conditions to the Exchange Offer,” to terminate the exchange offer and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, purchase private notes in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise. The terms of any such purchases or offers could differ from the terms of the exchange offer.

By tendering, you will be making the representations to us set forth in the fourth paragraph above under the heading “—Purpose and Effect.”

 

17

---

Table of Contents

In all cases, issuance of exchange notes for private notes that are accepted for exchange in the exchange offer will be made only after timely receipt by the exchange agent of certificates for such private notes or a timely book-entry confirmation of such private notes into the exchange agent’s account at the book-entry transfer facility, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal or, with respect to The Depository Trust Company and its participants, electronic instructions in which the tendering holder acknowledges its receipt of and agreement to be bound by the letter of transmittal, and all other required documents. If any tendered private notes are not accepted for any reason set forth in the terms and conditions of the exchange offer or if private notes are submitted for a greater principal amount than the holder desires to exchange, such unaccepted or non-exchanged private notes will be returned without expense to the tendering holder or, in the case of private notes tendered by book-entry transfer into the exchange agent’s account at the book-entry transfer facility according to the book-entry transfer procedures described below, those non-exchanged private notes will be credited to an account maintained with that book-entry transfer facility, in each case, as promptly as practicable after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.

Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own account in exchange for private notes, where those private notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of those exchange notes. See “Plan of Distribution.”

Book-Entry Transfer

The exchange agent will make a request to establish an account with respect to the private notes at the book-entry transfer facility for purposes of the exchange offer within two business days after the date of this prospectus, and any financial institution that is a participant in the book-entry transfer facility’s systems may make book-entry delivery of private notes being tendered by causing the book-entry transfer facility to transfer such private notes into the exchange agent’s account at the book-entry transfer facility in accordance with that book-entry transfer facility’s procedures for transfer. However, although delivery of private notes may be effected through book-entry transfer at the book-entry transfer facility, the letter of transmittal or copy of the letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees and any other required documents, must, in any case other than as set forth in the following paragraph, be transmitted to and received by the exchange agent at the address set forth under “—Exchange Agent” on or prior to the expiration date or the guaranteed delivery procedures described below must be complied with.

The Depository Trust Company’s Automated Tender Offer Program, or ATOP, is the only method of processing exchange offers through The Depository Trust Company. To accept the exchange offer through ATOP, participants in The Depository Trust Company must send electronic instructions to The Depository Trust Company through The Depository Trust Company’s communication system instead of sending a signed, hard copy letter of transmittal. The Depository Trust Company is obligated to communicate those electronic instructions to the exchange agent. To tender private notes through ATOP, the electronic instructions sent to The Depository Trust Company and transmitted by The Depository Trust Company to the exchange agent must contain the character by which the participant acknowledges its receipt of and agrees to be bound by the letter of transmittal.

Guaranteed Delivery Procedures

If a registered holder of the private notes desires to tender private notes and the private notes are not immediately available, or time will not permit that holder’s private notes or other required documents to reach the exchange agent prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date, or the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot be completed on a timely basis, a tender may be effected if:

 

•

the tender is made through an eligible guarantor institution;

 

18

---

Table of Contents

•

prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date, the exchange agent receives from that eligible guarantor institution a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal or a facsimile of a duly executed letter of transmittal and notice of guaranteed delivery, substantially in the form provided by us, by telegram, telex, fax transmission, mail or hand delivery, setting forth the name and address of the holder of private notes and the amount of the private notes tendered and stating that the tender is being made by guaranteed delivery and guaranteeing that within three New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the “NYSE”), trading days after the date of execution of the notice of guaranteed delivery, the certificates for all physically tendered private notes, in proper form for transfer, or a book-entry confirmation, as the case may be, will be deposited by the eligible guarantor institution with the exchange agent; and

 

•

the certificates for all physically tendered private notes, in proper form for transfer, or a book-entry confirmation, as the case may be, are received by the exchange agent within three NYSE trading days after the date of execution of the notice of guaranteed delivery.

Withdrawal Rights

Tenders of private notes may be withdrawn at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date.

For a withdrawal of a tender of private notes to be effective, a written or, for The Depository Trust Company participants, electronic ATOP transmission, notice of withdrawal, must be received by the exchange agent at its address set forth under “—Exchange Agent” prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date. Any such notice of withdrawal must:

 

•

specify the name of the person having deposited the private notes to be withdrawn, whom we refer to as the depositor;

 

•

identify the private notes to be withdrawn, including the certificate number or numbers and principal amount of such private notes;

 

•

be signed by the holder in the same manner as the original signature on the letter of transmittal by which such private notes were tendered, including any required signature guarantees, or be accompanied by documents of transfer sufficient to have the trustee register the transfer of such private notes into the name of the person withdrawing the tender; and

 

•

specify the name in which any such private notes are to be registered, if different from that of the depositor.

All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility and time of receipt of such notices will be determined by us, whose determination shall be final and binding on all parties. Any private notes so withdrawn will be deemed not to have been validly tendered for exchange for purposes of the exchange offer. Any private notes which have been tendered for exchange, but which are not exchanged for any reason, will be returned to the holder of those private notes without cost to that holder as soon as practicable after withdrawal, rejection of tender, or termination of the exchange offer. Properly withdrawn private notes may be retendered by following one of the procedures under “—Procedures for Tendering” at any time on or prior to the expiration date.

Conditions to the Exchange Offer

Notwithstanding any other provision of the exchange offer, we will not be required to accept for exchange, or to issue exchange notes in exchange for, any private notes and may terminate or amend the exchange offer if at any time before the acceptance of those private notes for exchange or the exchange of the exchange notes for those private notes, we determine that the exchange offer violates applicable law, any applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC or any order of any governmental agency or court of competent jurisdiction.

 

19

---

Table of Contents

The foregoing conditions are for our sole benefit and may be asserted by us regardless of the circumstances giving rise to any such condition or may be waived by us in whole or in part at any time and from time to time in our sole discretion. The failure by us at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights shall not be deemed a waiver of any of those rights and each of those rights shall be deemed an ongoing right which may be asserted at any time and from time to time.

In addition, we will not accept for exchange any private notes tendered, and no exchange notes will be issued in exchange for those private notes, if at such time any stop order shall be threatened or in effect with respect to the registration statement of which this prospectus constitutes a part or the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. In any of those events we are required to use our commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any stop order at the earliest possible moment.

Exchange Agent

All executed letters of transmittal should be directed to the exchange agent. Wells Fargo Bank, National Association has been appointed as exchange agent for the exchange offer. Questions, requests for assistance and requests for additional copies of this prospectus or of the letter of transmittal should be directed to the exchange agent addressed as follows:

 

For Delivery by Registered and Certified Mail:		For Delivery by Regular Mail or Overnight Courier:
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Corporate Trust Operations MAC N9303-121 PO Box 1517 Minneapolis, MN 55480		WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Corporate Trust Operations MAC N9303-121 Sixth & Marquette Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55479

For Delivery in Person by Hand:

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

12^th Floor—Northstar East Building

Corporate Trust Operations

608 Second Avenue South

Minneapolis, MN 55402

 

By Facsimile (for eligible institutions only):		For Information or Confirmation by Telephone:
(612) 667-6282 Attention: Corporate Trust Operations		(800) 344-5128

Originals of all documents sent by facsimile should be sent promptly by registered or certified mail, by hand or by overnight delivery service.

Fees And Expenses

We will not make any payments to brokers, dealers or others soliciting acceptances of the exchange offer. The principal solicitation is being made by mail; however, additional solicitations may be made in person or by telephone by our officers and employees. The estimated cash expenses to be incurred in connection with the exchange offer will be paid by us and will include fees and expenses of the exchange agent, accounting, legal, printing and related fees and expenses.

 

20

---

Table of Contents

Transfer Taxes

Holders who tender their private notes for exchange pursuant to this exchange offer will not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in connection with that tender or exchange, except that holders who instruct us to register exchange notes in the name of, or request that private notes not tendered or not accepted in the exchange offer be returned to, a person other than the registered tendering holder will be responsible for the payment of any applicable transfer tax on those private notes. If, however, a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of private notes pursuant to this exchange offer, then the amount of such transfer taxes (whether imposed on such holder or any other person) will be payable by the tendering holder.

 

21

---

Table of Contents

USE OF PROCEEDS

We will not receive any cash proceeds from the exchange offer. The exchange offer is intended to satisfy an obligation under the registration rights agreement. We will retire or cancel all of the outstanding private notes tendered in the exchange offer. Accordingly, the issuance of the exchange notes will not result in any increase in our outstanding indebtedness or in the obligations of the guarantors of the notes.

 

22

---

Table of Contents

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods presented:

 

		Predecessor Combined				Successor-Consolidated
		Six Months Ended June  30,				Six Months Ended December 31,		Year Ended December 31,								Three Months Ended March  31,
		2005				2005		2006		2007		2008(2)		2009(2)		2010
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges(1)		4.8				4.1		4.2		4.9		—		—		2.7

 

(1)

For purposes of calculating the ratios of consolidated earnings to fixed charges, earnings consist of income before income taxes, fixed charges and amortization of capitalized interest, less capitalized interest. Fixed charges consist of interest expensed, interest capitalized, amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness and an estimate of interest within rental expense.

(2)	Due to our loss for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2009, the ratio coverage was less than 1:1. We would have needed additional earnings of $302.1 million and $345.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2009, respectively, to achieve coverage of 1:1.

 

23

---

Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXCHANGE NOTES

We issued the private notes, and will issue the exchange notes, under the indenture, dated April 15, 2010 (the “Indenture”), among us, the Subsidiary Guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”). The Indenture is unlimited in aggregate principal amount. We may issue an unlimited principal amount of additional notes having identical terms and conditions as the Notes (the “Additional Notes”). We will only be permitted to issue such Additional Notes in compliance with the covenant described under the subheading “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock.” Unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of the Indenture and this “Description of the Exchange Notes,” references to the Notes include the private notes, the exchange notes and any Additional Notes actually issued.

This “Description of the Exchange Notes” is intended to be a useful overview of the material provisions of the Notes, the Indenture and the registration rights agreement. Since this description is only a summary, you should refer to these documents for a complete description of the obligations of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors and your rights.

You will find the definitions of capitalized terms used in this “Description of the Exchange Notes” under the heading “—Certain Definitions.” For purposes of this description, references to “the Company,” “we,” “our,” “ours” and “us” refer only to Rosetta Resources Inc. and not to any of its subsidiaries.

General

The Notes. The Notes:

 

•

are general unsecured, senior obligations of the Company;

 

•

mature on April 15, 2018;

 

•

will be issued in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000;

 

•

will be represented by one or more registered Notes in global form, but in certain circumstances may be represented by Notes in definitive form, see “Book-Entry; Delivery and Form”;

 

•

will rank senior in right of payment to any future Subordinated Obligations of the Company;

 

•

will rank equally in right of payment to any senior Indebtedness of the Company, including the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the Second Lien Term Loan, in each case, without giving effect to collateral arrangements;

 

•

will be initially unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC, Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC, Rosetta Resources Operating LP, Rosetta Resources Gathering LP and Rosetta Resources Holdings, LLC, representing each Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that currently guarantees the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the Second Lien Term Loan, see “—Subsidiary Guarantees”;

 

•

will effectively rank junior to any future secured Indebtedness of the Company, including amounts that may be borrowed under our Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the Second Lien Term Loan, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness; and

 

•

rank structurally junior to the indebtedness and other obligations of any future non-guarantor subsidiaries, including any future Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

The guarantees. Initially, each of the Company’s wholly-owned Subsidiaries will unconditionally guarantee the Notes on a senior unsecured basis. Each Guarantee of the Notes:

 

•

will be general unsecured, senior obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

24

---

Table of Contents

•

will rank senior in right of payment to any future Guarantor Subordinated Obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

•

will rank equally in right of payment to any other existing and future senior Indebtedness of each Subsidiary Guarantor (including the Subsidiary Guarantors’ Guarantee under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the Second Lien Term Loan, in each case, without giving effect to collateral arrangements;

 

•

will effectively rank junior to all existing and future secured Indebtedness of each Subsidiary Guarantor, including any borrowings and guarantees under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the Second Lien Term Loan, in each case, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness; and

 

•

will effectively rank junior to all future Indebtedness of any non-guarantor Subsidiary of each Subsidiary Guarantor.

Initially, all of the Company’s Subsidiaries will be Subsidiary Guarantors and Restricted Subsidiaries. Certain future Subsidiaries may not be required to guarantee the Notes. See “—Certain Covenants—Future Subsidiary Guarantors.” Also, under the circumstances described below in the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” under the heading “—Certain Definitions,” the Company may designate certain of its Subsidiaries as “Unrestricted Subsidiaries.” Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not guarantee the Notes and will not be subject to the restrictive covenants in the Indenture.

Interest. Interest on the Notes will compound semiannually and will:

 

•

accrue at the rate of 9.5% per annum;

 

•

accrue from the Issue Date or, if interest has already been paid on the Notes, from the most recent interest payment date;

 

•

be payable in cash semiannually in arrears on April 15 and October 15, commencing on October 15, 2010;

 

•

be payable to the holders of record on April 1 and October 1 immediately preceding the related interest payment dates; and

 

•

be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

Additional interest may accrue on the Notes as liquidated damages in certain circumstances pursuant to the registration rights agreement and all references to “interest” in this description include any additional interest that may be payable on the Notes.

If an interest payment date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the interest payment to be made on such interest payment date will be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such interest payment date, and no additional interest will accrue as a result of such delayed payment. The Company will pay interest on overdue principal of the Notes at the above rate, and overdue installments of interest at such rate, to the extent lawful.

Payments on the Notes; Paying Agent and Registrar

We will pay principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes at the office or agency designated by the Company in the City and State of New York, except that we may, at our option, pay interest on the Notes by check mailed to holders of the Notes at their registered address as it appears in the registrar’s books. We have initially designated the corporate trust office of the Trustee in Dallas, Texas to act as our paying agent and registrar. We may, however, change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of the Notes, and the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

 

25

---

Table of Contents

We will pay principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, Notes in global form registered in the name of or held by The Depository Trust Company or its nominee in immediately available funds to The Depository Trust Company or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of such global Note.

Transfer and Exchange

A holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The registrar and the Trustee may require a holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents in connection with a transfer of Notes. No service charge will be imposed by the Company, the Trustee or the registrar for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, but the Company may require a holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or other governmental taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Company is not required to transfer or exchange any Note selected for redemption. Also, the Company is not required to transfer or exchange any Note for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.

The registered holder of a Note will be treated as its owner for all purposes.

Optional Redemption

On and after April 15, 2014, we may redeem all or, from time to time, a part of the Notes upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at the following redemption prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount of the Notes), plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes, if any, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on April 15 of the years indicated below:

 

Year		Percentage
2014		104.750	%
2015		102.375	%
2016 and thereafter		100.000	%

Prior to April 15, 2013, we may, at our option, on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes) issued under the Indenture with the Net Cash Proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings at a redemption price of 109.5% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date); provided that

 

(1)

at least 65% of the original principal amount of the Notes issued on the Issue Date remains outstanding after each such redemption; and

 

(2)

the redemption occurs within 120 days after the closing of the related Equity Offering.

In addition, the Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time prior to April 15, 2014 at the option of the Company upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice mailed by first-class mail to each holder of Notes at its registered address, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest to, the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).

“Applicable Premium” means, with respect to any Note on any applicable redemption date, the greater of:

 

(1)

1.0% of the principal amount of such Note; or

 

(2)

the excess, if any, of:

 

(a)

the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of such Note at April 15, 2014 (such redemption price being set forth in the table appearing above under the caption

 

26

---

Table of Contents

“—Optional Redemption”) plus (ii) all required interest payments (excluding accrued and unpaid interest to such redemption date) due on such Note through April 15, 2014 computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 50 basis points; over

 

(b)

the principal amount of such Note.

“Treasury Rate” means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) which has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to April 15, 2014; provided, however, that if the period from the redemption date to April 15, 2014 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to April 15, 2014 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used. The Company will (a) calculate the Treasury Rate as of the second Business Day preceding the applicable redemption date and (b) prior to such redemption date file with the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the Applicable Premium and the Treasury Rate and showing the calculation of each in reasonable detail.

Selection and Notice

If the Company is redeeming less than all of the outstanding Notes, the Trustee will select the Notes for redemption in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed or, if the Notes are not listed, then on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee in its sole discretion will deem to be fair and appropriate, although no Note of $2,000 in original principal amount or less will be redeemed in part. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption relating to such Note will state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in the name of the holder thereof upon cancellation of the partially redeemed Note. On and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on Notes or the portion of them called for redemption unless we default in the payment thereof.

Mandatory Redemption; Offers to Purchase; Open Market Purchases

We are not required to make mandatory redemption payments or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes. However, under certain circumstances, we may be required to offer to purchase Notes as described under the captions “—Change of Control” and “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock.”

We may acquire Notes by means other than a redemption or required repurchase, whether by tender offer, open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise, in accordance with applicable securities laws, so long as such acquisition does not otherwise violate the terms of the Indenture. However, other existing or future agreements of the Company or its Subsidiaries may limit the ability of the Company or its Subsidiaries to purchase Notes prior to maturity.

Ranking

The Notes will be general unsecured obligations of the Company that rank senior in right of payment to all existing and future Indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes. The Notes will rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future liabilities of the Company that are not so subordinated and will be effectively subordinated to all of our secured Indebtedness, including Indebtedness

 

27

---

Table of Contents

Incurred under our Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the Second Lien Term Loan, in each case, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness, and liabilities of any of our Subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes (including each of our Restricted Subsidiaries). The obligations of each of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Subsidiary Guarantees for the Notes will rank equally in right of payment with all other Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor, except to the extent such other Indebtedness is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the obligations arising under its Subsidiary Guarantee. However, such obligations will effectively rank junior to all existing and future secured Indebtedness of the Subsidiary Guarantors, including any borrowings and guarantees under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the Second Lien Term Loan, in each case, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness. In the event of bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up of the Company or its Subsidiary Guarantors or upon a default in payment with respect to, or the acceleration of, any Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, the Second Lien Term Loan or other secured Indebtedness, the assets of the Company and its Subsidiary Guarantors that secure secured Indebtedness will be available to pay obligations on the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees only after all Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, the Second Lien Term Loan and other secured Indebtedness has been repaid in full from such assets. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up of a non-guarantor Subsidiary, the assets of such Subsidiary will be available to pay obligations on the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantee only after all obligations of such Subsidiary have been repaid in full from such assets. We advise you that there may not be sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts due on any or all the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees then outstanding.

As of May 31, 2010:

 

•

we and our Subsidiary Guarantors had $321.0 million of total Indebtedness; and

 

•

of the $321.0 million of total Indebtedness, $121.0 million would have constituted secured Indebtedness under our Senior Secured Credit Agreement and Second Lien Term Loans and we would have additional availability of $244.0 million (excluding letters of credit) under our Senior Secured Credit Agreement as to which the Notes would have been effectively subordinated to the extent of the assets secured thereby.

Subsidiary Guarantees

The Subsidiary Guarantors will, jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guarantee on a senior unsecured basis our obligations under the Notes and all obligations under the Indenture. The obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Subsidiary Guarantees will rank equally in right of payment with other Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor, except to the extent such other Indebtedness is expressly subordinate to the obligations arising under the Subsidiary Guarantee.

As of May 31, 2010, the Subsidiary Guarantors had approximately $321.0 million of total Indebtedness.

Although the Indenture limits the amount of Indebtedness that the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may Incur, such Indebtedness may be substantial and such limitation is subject to a number of significant qualifications. Moreover, the Indenture does not impose any limitation on the Incurrence by such Subsidiaries of liabilities that are not considered Indebtedness under the Indenture. See “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock.”

The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee will be limited as necessary to prevent that Subsidiary Guarantee from constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under applicable law, although no assurance can be given that a court would give the holder the benefit of such provision. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to the Notes— If the subsidiary guarantees are deemed fraudulent conveyances or preferential transfers, a court may subordinate or void them.” If a Subsidiary Guarantee were rendered voidable, it could be subordinated by a court to all other indebtedness (including guarantees and other contingent liabilities) of the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor, and, depending on the amount of such

 

28

---

Table of Contents

indebtedness, a Subsidiary Guarantor’s liability on its Subsidiary Guarantee could be reduced to zero. If the obligations of a Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee were avoided, holders of Notes would have to look to the assets of any remaining Subsidiary Guarantors for payment. There can be no assurance in that event that such assets would suffice to pay the outstanding principal and interest on the Notes.

In the event a Subsidiary Guarantor is sold or disposed of (whether by merger, consolidation, the sale of its Capital Stock or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets (other than by lease)) and whether or not the Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving entity in such transaction to a Person which is not the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, such Subsidiary Guarantor will be released from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee if the sale or other disposition does not violate the covenants described under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock.”

In addition, a Subsidiary Guarantor will be released from its obligations under the Indenture, its Subsidiary Guarantee and the Registration Rights Agreement, upon the release or discharge of the Guarantee that resulted in the creation of such Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Future Subsidiary Guarantors,” except a release or discharge by or as a result of payment under such Guarantee; if the Company designates such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and such designation complies with the other applicable provisions of the Indenture or in connection with any covenant defeasance, legal defeasance or satisfaction and discharge of the Notes as provided below under the captions “—Defeasance” and “—Satisfaction and Discharge.”

Change of Control

If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Company has previously or concurrently exercised its right to redeem all of the Notes as described under “—Optional Redemption,” each holder will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000) of such holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).

Within 30 days following any Change of Control, unless we have previously or concurrently exercised our right to redeem all of the Notes as described under “—Optional Redemption,” we will mail a notice (the “Change of Control Offer”) to each holder, with a copy to the Trustee, stating:

 

(1)

that a Change of Control has occurred and that such holder has the right to require us to purchase such holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of such Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on a record date to receive interest on the relevant interest payment date) (the “Change of Control Payment”);

 

(2)

the repurchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed) (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);

 

(3)

that any Note not properly tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest;

 

(4)

that unless we default in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

(5)

that holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender such Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of such Notes completed, to the paying agent specified in the notice at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

29

---

Table of Contents

(6)

that holders will be entitled to withdraw their tendered Notes and their election to require us to purchase such Notes, provided that the paying agent receives, not later than the close of business on the 30th day following the date of the Change of Control notice, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the holder of the Notes, the principal amount of Notes tendered for purchase, and a statement that such holder is withdrawing its tendered Notes and its election to have such Notes purchased;

 

(7)

that if we are repurchasing less than all of the Notes, the holders of the remaining Notes will be issued new Notes and such new Notes will be equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered. The unpurchased portion of the Notes must be equal to a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000; and

 

(8)

the procedures determined by us, consistent with the Indenture, that a holder must follow in order to have its Notes repurchased.

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful:

 

(1)

accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes (in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000) properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer and not properly withdrawn;

 

(2)

deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered and not properly withdrawn; and

 

(3)

deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Company.

The paying agent will promptly mail or deliver to each holder of Notes properly tendered and not properly withdrawn the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each such new Note will be in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000.

If the Change of Control Payment Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest, will be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no further interest will be payable to holders who tender pursuant to the Change of Control Offer.

The Change of Control provisions described above will be applicable whether or not any other provisions of the Indenture are applicable. Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control, the Indenture does not contain provisions that permit the holders to require that the Company repurchase or redeem the Notes in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar transaction.

We will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by us and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.

A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making the Change of Control Offer.

We will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes as a result of a Change of Control.

 

30

---

Table of Contents

To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of the Indenture, or compliance with the Change of Control provisions of the Indenture would constitute a violation of any such laws or regulations, we will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached our obligations under the Indenture by virtue of our compliance with such securities laws or regulations.

Our ability to repurchase Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer may be limited by a number of factors. The occurrence of certain of the events that constitute a Change of Control would constitute a default under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. In addition, certain events that may constitute a change of control under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and cause a default under that agreement will not constitute a Change of Control under the Indenture. Future Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries may also contain prohibitions of certain events that would constitute a Change of Control or require such Indebtedness to be repurchased or repaid upon a Change of Control. Moreover, the exercise by the holders of their right to require the Company to repurchase the Notes could cause a default under such Indebtedness, even if the Change of Control itself does not, due to the financial effect of such repurchase on the Company. Finally, the Company’s ability to pay cash to the holders upon a repurchase may be limited by the Company’s then existing financial resources. There can be no assurance that sufficient funds will be available when necessary to make any required repurchases.

Even if sufficient funds were otherwise available, the terms of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement will, and other and/or future Indebtedness may, prohibit the Company’s prepayment or repurchase of Notes before their scheduled maturity. Consequently, if the Company is not able to prepay the Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and any such other Indebtedness containing similar restrictions or obtain requisite consents, the Company will be unable to fulfill its repurchase obligations if holders of Notes exercise their repurchase rights following a Change of Control, resulting in a default under the Indenture. A default under the Indenture may result in a cross-default under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement.

If holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes validly tender and do not withdraw such Notes in a Change of Control Offer and the Company, or any third party making a Change of Control Offer in lieu of the Company as described above, purchases all of the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such holders, the Company will have the right, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase pursuant to the Change of Control Offer described above, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a redemption price in cash equal to the applicable Change of Control Payment plus, to the extent not included in the Change of Control Payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).

The Change of Control provisions described above may deter certain mergers, tender offers and other takeover attempts involving the Company. The Change of Control purchase feature is a result of negotiations between the initial purchasers and us. As of the Issue Date, we have no present intention to engage in a transaction involving a Change of Control, although it is possible that we could decide to do so in the future. Subject to the limitations discussed below, we could, in the future, enter into certain transactions, including acquisitions, refinancings or other recapitalizations, that would not constitute a Change of Control under the Indenture, but that could increase the amount of Indebtedness outstanding at such time or otherwise affect our capital structure or credit ratings. Restrictions on our ability to incur additional Indebtedness are contained in the covenants described under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” and “—Certain covenants—Limitation on liens.” Such restrictions in the Indenture can be waived only with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding. Except for the limitations contained in such covenants, however, the Indenture does not contain any covenants or provisions that may afford holders of the Notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction.

The definition of “Change of Control” includes a disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any Person. Although there is a limited

 

31

---

Table of Contents

body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular transaction would involve a disposition of “all or substantially all” of the property or assets of a Person. As a result, it may be unclear as to whether a Change of Control has occurred and whether a holder of Notes may require the Company to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as described above. In a recent decision, the Chancery Court of Delaware raised the possibility that a Change of Control occurring as a result of a failure to have Continuing Directors comprising a majority of the Board of Directors may be unenforceable on public policy grounds.

The provisions under the Indenture relative to our obligation to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as a result of a Change of Control may be waived or modified or terminated with the written consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes) prior to the occurrence of such Change of Control.

Certain Covenants

Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) and the Company will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the Company may Incur Indebtedness and any of the Subsidiary Guarantors may Incur Indebtedness and issue Preferred Stock if on the date thereof:

 

(1)

the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries is at least 2.25 to 1.00, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of proceeds); and

 

(2)

no Default would occur as a consequence of, and no Event of Default would be continuing following, Incurring the Indebtedness or transactions relating to such Incurrence.

The first paragraph of this covenant will not prohibit the Incurrence of the following Indebtedness:

 

(1)

Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor Incurred pursuant to (a) the Second Lien Term Loan and (b) one or more Credit Facilities in an aggregate amount under clauses (a) and (b) not to exceed the greater of (i) $400.0 million or (ii) an amount equal to the sum of $250.0 million and 30.0% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined as of the date of the Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving effect to the application of the proceeds therefrom;

 

(2)

Guarantees by the Company or Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, Incurred in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture; provided that in the event such Indebtedness that is being Guaranteed is a Subordinated Obligation or a Guarantor Subordinated Obligation, then the related Guarantee shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee to at least the same extent as the Indebtedness being Guaranteed, as the case may be;

 

(3)

Indebtedness of the Company owing to and held by any Restricted Subsidiary or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to and held by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that (a) if the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor is the obligor of such Indebtedness and the obligee is not the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor, such Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of the Notes or all obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor with respect to its Subsidiary Guarantee, as the case may be and (b) (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock or any other event which results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and (ii) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an Incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause;

 

32

---

Table of Contents

(4)

Indebtedness represented by (a) the Notes issued on the Issue Date, and the related Exchange Notes, and all Subsidiary Guarantees, (b) any Indebtedness (other than the Indebtedness described in clauses (1), (2) and 4(a)) outstanding on the Issue Date, and (c) any Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred in respect of any Indebtedness described in this clause (4) or clause (5) or (7) or Incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant;

 

(5)

Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness;

 

(6)

Indebtedness Incurred in respect of (a) self-insurance obligations, bid, appeal, reimbursement, performance, surety and similar bonds and completion guarantees provided by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and any Guarantees or letters of credit functioning as or supporting any of the foregoing bonds or obligations and (b) obligations represented by letters of credit for the account of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in order to provide security for workers’ compensation claims (in the case of clauses (a) and (b) other than for an obligation for money borrowed);

 

(7)

Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary represented by Capitalized Lease Obligations (whether or not incurred pursuant to Sale/Leaseback Transactions) or other Indebtedness incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition, construction, improvement or development of real or personal, movable or immovable, property, in each case Incurred for the purpose of financing, refinancing, renewing, defeasing or refunding all or any part of the purchase price or cost of acquisition, construction, improvement or development of property used in the business of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the aggregate principal amount incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to this clause (7) and any Refinancing Indebtedness incurred under clause (4)(c) above to refinance any Indebtedness originally incurred under this clause (7) outstanding at anytime shall not exceed the greater of (x) $15.0 million and (y) 2.0% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; and provided further that the principal amount of any Indebtedness permitted under this clause (7) did not in each case at the time of incurrence exceed the Fair Market Value, as determined in accordance with the definition of such term, of the acquired or constructed asset or improvement so financed;

 

(8)

Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or of any of the Subsidiary Guarantors;

 

(9)

Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries if, at the time of incurrence and after giving effect thereto, the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries incurred pursuant to this clause (9) and then outstanding does not exceed the greater of $30.0 million and an amount equal to 10% of the total assets of such Foreign Subsidiaries; and

 

(10)

in addition to the items referred to in clauses (1) through (9) above, Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiary Guarantors in an aggregate outstanding principal amount which, when taken together with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (10) and then outstanding, will not at any time exceed the greater of $35.0 million or 5.0% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, determined as of the date of Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving effect to such Incurrence and the application of the proceeds therefrom.

For purposes of determining compliance with, and the outstanding principal amount of any particular Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to and in compliance with, this covenant:

 

(1)

in the event an item of that Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Indebtedness described in the first and second paragraphs of this covenant, the Company, in its sole discretion, will be permitted to divide and classify such item of Indebtedness on the date of Incurrence and, subject to clause (2) below may later classify, reclassify or redivide all or a portion of such item of Indebtedness, in any manner that complies with this covenant;

 

(2)

all Indebtedness outstanding on the date of the Indenture under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement shall be deemed Incurred on the Issue Date under clause (1) of the second paragraph of this covenant;

 

33

---

Table of Contents

(3)

Guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit supporting, Indebtedness which is otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Indebtedness shall not be included;

 

(4)

if obligations in respect of letters of credit are Incurred pursuant to a Credit Facility and are being treated as Incurred pursuant to clause (1) of the second paragraph above and the letters of credit relate to other Indebtedness, then such other Indebtedness shall not be included;

 

(5)

the principal amount of any Disqualified Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, will be equal to the greater of the maximum mandatory redemption or repurchase price (not including, in either case, any redemption or repurchase premium) or the liquidation preference thereof;

 

(6)

Indebtedness permitted by this covenant need not be permitted solely by reference to one provision permitting such Indebtedness but may be permitted in part by one such provision and in part by one or more other provisions of this covenant permitting such Indebtedness; and

 

(7)

the amount of Indebtedness issued at a price that is less than the principal amount thereof will be equal to the amount of the liability in respect thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

Accrual of interest, accrual of dividends, the amortization of debt discount or the accretion of accreted value, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness, the payment of dividends in the form of additional shares of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock and unrealized losses, charges or other similar obligations in respect of Hedging Obligations (including those resulting from the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 133) will not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this covenant. The Company will not permit any of its Unrestricted Subsidiaries to Incur any Indebtedness, or issue any shares of Disqualified Stock, other than Non-Recourse Debt.

If at any time an Unrestricted Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary as of such date (and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be Incurred as of such date under this “Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” covenant, the Company shall be in Default of this covenant).

For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, in the case of term Indebtedness, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit Indebtedness; provided that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced. Notwithstanding any other provision of this covenant, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Company may Incur pursuant to this covenant shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies. The principal amount of any Indebtedness Incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if Incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such Refinancing Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.

The Indenture does not treat (1) unsecured Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to secured Indebtedness merely because it is unsecured or (2) senior Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to any other senior Indebtedness merely because it has a junior priority with respect to the same collateral.

 

34

---

Table of Contents

Limitation on Restricted Payments

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, to:

 

(1)

declare or pay any dividend or make any payment or distribution on or in respect of the Company’s Capital Stock (including any payment or distribution in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) except:

 

(a)

dividends or distributions by the Company payable solely in Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or in options, warrants or other rights to purchase such Capital Stock of the Company; and

 

(b)

dividends or distributions payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and if such Restricted Subsidiary is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, to minority stockholders (or owners of an equivalent interest in the case of a Subsidiary that is an entity other than a corporation) so long as the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution;

 

(2)

purchase, repurchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Capital Stock of the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company held by Persons other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than in exchange for Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock));

 

(3)

purchase, repurchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, prior to scheduled maturity, scheduled repayment or scheduled sinking fund payment, any Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations (other than (x) Indebtedness permitted under clause (3) of the second paragraph of the covenant “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” or (y) the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement); or

 

(4)

make any Restricted Investment in any Person;

(any such dividend, distribution, purchase, redemption, repurchase, defeasance, other acquisition, retirement or Restricted Investment referred to in clauses (1) through (4) shall be referred to herein as a “Restricted Payment”), if at the time the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary makes such Restricted Payment:

 

(a)

a Default shall have occurred and be continuing (or would result therefrom);

 

(b)

the Company is not able to Incur an additional $1.00 of Indebtedness pursuant to the covenant described under the first paragraph under “—Limitation on indebtedness and preferred stock” after giving effect, on a pro forma basis, to such Restricted Payment; or

 

(c)

the aggregate amount of such Restricted Payment and all other Restricted Payments declared or made subsequent to the Issue Date would exceed the sum of:

 

(i)

50% of Consolidated Net Income for the period (treated as one accounting period) from January 1, 2010 to the end of the most recent fiscal quarter ending prior to the date of such Restricted Payment for which internal financial statements are in existence (or, in case such Consolidated Net Income is a deficit, minus 100% of such deficit);

 

(ii)

100% of the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of property or securities other than cash (including Capital Stock of Persons engaged primarily in the Oil and Gas Business or assets used in the Oil and Gas Business), in each case received by the Company from the issue or sale of its Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or other capital contributions subsequent to the Issue Date (other than Net Cash Proceeds received from an issuance or sale of such Capital Stock to (x) management, employees, directors or any direct or indirect parent of the

 

35

---

Table of Contents

Company, to the extent such Net Cash Proceeds have been used to make a Restricted Payment pursuant to clause (5)(a) of the next succeeding paragraph, (y) a Subsidiary of the Company or (z) an employee stock ownership plan, option plan or similar trust (to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan, option plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination));

 

(iii)

the amount by which Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurred on or after the Issue Date is reduced on the Company’s balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange (other than by a Subsidiary of the Company) subsequent to the Issue Date of any Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries convertible or exchangeable for Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company (less the amount of any cash, or the Fair Market Value of any other property (other than such Capital Stock), distributed by the Company upon such conversion or exchange), together with the net proceeds, if any, received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries upon such conversion or exchange; and

 

(iv)

the amount equal to the aggregate net reduction in Restricted Investments made by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in any Person after the Issue Date resulting from:

 

(A)

repurchases, repayments or redemptions of such Restricted Investments by such Person, proceeds realized upon the sale of such Restricted Investment (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company), repayments of loans or advances or other transfers of assets (including by way of dividend or distribution) by such Person to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(B)

the redesignation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries as Restricted Subsidiaries (valued in each case as provided in the definition of “Investment”) not to exceed, in the case of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, the amount of Investments previously made by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in such Unrestricted Subsidiary, which amount in each case under this clause (iv) was included in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments; provided, however, that no amount will be included under this clause (iv) to the extent it is already included in Consolidated Net Income; and

 

(C)

the sale by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) of all or a portion of the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or a distribution from an Unrestricted Subsidiary or a dividend from an Unrestricted Subsidiary (whether any such distribution or dividend is made with proceeds from the issuance by such Unrestricted Subsidiary of its Capital Stock or otherwise).

The provisions of the preceding paragraph will not prohibit:

 

(1)

any Restricted Payment made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock and other than Capital Stock issued or sold to a Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination) or a substantially concurrent cash capital contribution received by the Company from its shareholders; provided, however, that (a) such Restricted Payment will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments and (b) the Net Cash Proceeds from such sale of Capital Stock or capital contribution will be excluded from clause (c)(ii) of the preceding paragraph;

 

(2)

any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Obligations of the Company or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Subordinated Obligations of the Company or any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Guarantor Subordinated Obligations made by exchange for or out of the proceeds of

 

36

---

Table of Contents

the substantially concurrent sale of Guarantor Subordinated Obligations that, in each case, is permitted to be Incurred pursuant to the covenant described under “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”; provided, however, that such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or retirement will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(3)

any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Disqualified Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary made by exchange for or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of Disqualified Stock of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that, in each case, is permitted to be Incurred pursuant to the covenant described under “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”; provided, however, that such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or retirement will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(4)

dividends paid or distributions made within 60 days after the date of declaration if at such date of declaration such dividend or distribution would have complied with this covenant; provided, however, that such dividends and distributions will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments; and provided further, however, that for purposes of clarification, this clause (4) shall not include cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares included in clause (9) below;

 

(5)

so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, (a) the repurchase or other acquisition of Capital Stock (including options, warrants, equity appreciation rights or other rights to purchase or acquire Capital Stock) of the Company held by any existing or former employees, management or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or their assigns, estates or heirs, in each case pursuant to the repurchase or other acquisition provisions under employee stock option or stock purchase plans or agreements or other agreements to compensate management, employees or directors, in each case approved by the Company’s Board of Directors; provided that such repurchases or other acquisitions pursuant to this subclause (a) during any calendar year will not exceed $3.0 million in the aggregate (with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to succeeding calendar years); provided further, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed (A) the cash proceeds received by the Company from the sale of Capital Stock of the Company to members of management or directors of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries that occurs after the Issue Date (to the extent the cash proceeds from the sale of such Capital Stock have not otherwise been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments by virtue of the clause (c) of the preceding paragraph), plus (B) the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date, less (C) the amount of any Restricted Payments made pursuant to clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (5)(a); provided further, however, that the amount of any such repurchase or other acquisition under this subclause (a) will be excluded in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments and the proceeds received from any such transaction will be excluded from clause (c)(ii) of the preceding paragraph; and (b) loans or advances to employees or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case as permitted by Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the proceeds of which are used to purchase Capital Stock of the Company, or to refinance loans or advances made pursuant to this clause (5)(b), in an aggregate principal amount not in excess of $3.0 million at any one time outstanding; provided, however, that the amount of such loans and advances will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(6)

purchases, repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements for value of (i) restricted Capital Stock issued to existing or former employees, management or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or their assigns, estates or heirs, in each case pursuant to the repurchase or other acquisition provisions under employee stock option or stock purchase plans or agreements or other agreements to compensate management, employees or directors, in each case approved by the Company’s Board of Directors and (ii) Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants, rights to acquire Capital Stock or other convertible securities, in

 

37

---

Table of Contents

each case if such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise or exchange price thereof, and any purchases, repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements for value of Capital Stock made in lieu of withholding taxes in connection with any issuance, exercise or exchange of warrants, options or rights to acquire Capital Stock; provided, however, that such acquisitions or retirements will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(7)

the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Subordinated Obligation (i) at a purchase price not greater than 101 % of the principal amount of such Subordinated Obligation in the event of a Change of Control in accordance with provisions similar to the covenant described under “Change of Control” or (ii) at a purchase price not greater than 100% of the principal amount thereof in accordance with provisions similar to the covenant described under “—Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock”; provided that, prior to or simultaneously with such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement, the Company has made the Change of Control Offer or Asset Disposition Offer, as applicable, as provided in such covenant with respect to the Notes and has completed the repurchase or redemption of all Notes validly tendered for payment in connection with such Change of Control Offer or Asset Disposition Offer; provided, however, that such repurchases will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(8)

payments or distributions to dissenting stockholders pursuant to applicable law or in connection with the settlement or other satisfaction of legal claims made pursuant to or in connection with a consolidation, merger or transfer of assets; provided, however, that any payment pursuant to this clause (8) shall be included in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(9)

cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares; provided, however, that any payment pursuant to this clause (9) shall be excluded in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(10)

the declaration and payment of scheduled or accrued dividends to holders of any class of or series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued on or after the Issue Date in accordance with the covenant captioned “—Limitation on indebtedness and preferred stock,” to the extent such dividends are included in Consolidated Interest Expense; provided, however, that any payment pursuant to this clause (10) shall be excluded in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments; and

 

(11)

Restricted Payments in an amount not to exceed $25.0 million in the aggregate since the Issue Date; provided, however, that the amount of such Restricted Payments will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments.

The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) shall be the Fair Market Value on the date of such Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or securities proposed to be paid, transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to such Restricted Payment. The Fair Market Value of any cash Restricted Payment shall be its face amount and the Fair Market Value of any non-cash Restricted Payment shall be determined in accordance with the definition of that term.

In the event that a Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment meets the criteria of more than one of the exceptions described in (1) through (11) above, is entitled to be made pursuant to the first paragraph above or meets the description of one or more Permitted Investments, the Company shall, in its sole discretion, be permitted to divide or classify (or if made pursuant to one or more of the exceptions described in (1) through (11) above or a Permitted Investment, later divide, classify or reclassify in whole or in part such Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment among such clauses).

As of the Issue Date, each of our Subsidiaries will be Restricted Subsidiaries. We will not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the last sentence of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary.” For purpose of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the

 

38

---

Table of Contents

Subsidiary so designated will be deemed to be Restricted Payments in an amount determined as set forth in the last sentence of the definition of “Investment.” Such designation will be permitted only if a Restricted Payment in such amount would be permitted at such time, whether pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant or under clause (11) of the second paragraph of this covenant, or pursuant to the definition of “Permitted Investments,” and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to any of the restrictive covenants set forth in the Indenture.

Limitation on Liens

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, Incur or suffer to exist any Lien (the “Initial Lien”) other than Permitted Liens upon any of its property or assets (including Capital Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries), including any income or profits therefrom, whether owned on the date of the Indenture or acquired after that date, which Lien is securing any Indebtedness, unless contemporaneously with the Incurrence of such Liens effective provision is made to secure the Indebtedness due under the Notes or, in respect of Liens on any Restricted Subsidiary’s property or assets, any Subsidiary Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, equally and ratably with (or senior in priority to in the case of Liens with respect to Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations, as the case may be) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien for so long as such Indebtedness is so secured.

Any Lien created for the benefit of the holders of the Notes pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the Initial Lien.

Limitation on Restrictions on Distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries

The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

(1)

pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock or pay any Indebtedness or other obligations owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the priority of any Preferred Stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on Common Stock shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make distributions on Capital Stock);

 

(2)

make any loans or advances to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the subordination of loans or advances made to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to other Indebtedness Incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances); or

 

(3)

sell, lease or transfer any of its property or assets to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

The preceding provisions will not prohibit:

 

(i)

any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to or by reason of an agreement in effect at or entered into on the Issue Date, including, without limitation, the Indenture in effect on such date;

 

(ii)

any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Person pursuant to or by reason of an agreement relating to any Capital Stock or Indebtedness Incurred by a Person on or before the date on which such Person was acquired by the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary (other than Capital Stock or Indebtedness Incurred as consideration in, or to provide all or any portion of the funds utilized to consummate, the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Person was acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or in contemplation of the transaction) and outstanding on such date; provided that any such encumbrance or restriction shall not extend to any assets or property of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the assets and property so acquired;

 

39

---

Table of Contents

(iii)

encumbrances and restrictions contained in contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, not relating to any Indebtedness, and that do not, individually or in the aggregate, detract from the value of, or from the ability of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to realize the value of, property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(iv)

any encumbrance or restriction with respect to an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to or by reason of an agreement that the Unrestricted Subsidiary is a party to entered into before the date on which such Unrestricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such agreement was not entered into in anticipation of the Unrestricted Subsidiary becoming a Restricted Subsidiary and any such encumbrance or restriction shall not extend to any assets or property of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the assets and property so acquired;

 

(v)

with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary, any encumbrance or restriction contained in the terms of any Indebtedness or any agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness was Incurred if either (1) the encumbrance or restriction applies only in the event of a payment default or a default with respect to a financial covenant in such Indebtedness or agreement or (2) the Company determines that any such encumbrance or restriction will not materially affect the Company’s ability to make principal or interest payments on the Notes, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be conclusive;

 

(vi)

any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement effecting a refunding, replacement or refinancing of Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in clauses (i) through (v) or clause (xii) of this paragraph or this clause (vi) or contained in any amendment, restatement, modification, renewal, supplemental, refunding, replacement or refinancing of an agreement referred to in clauses (i) through (v) or clause (xii) of this paragraph or this clause (vi); provided that the encumbrances and restrictions with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary contained in any such agreement taken as a whole are no less favorable in any material respect to the holders of the Notes than the encumbrances and restrictions contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refunded, replaced or refinanced;

 

(vii)

in the case of clause (3) of the first paragraph of this covenant, any encumbrance or restriction:

 

(a)

that restricts in a customary manner the subletting, assignment or transfer of any property or asset that is subject to a lease (including leases governing leasehold interests or farm-in agreements or farm-out agreements relating to leasehold interests in Oil and Gas Properties), license or similar contract, or the assignment or transfer of any such lease (including leases governing leasehold interests or farm-in agreements or farm-out agreements relating to leasehold interests in Oil and Gas Properties), license (including, without limitation, licenses of intellectual property) or other contract;

 

(b)

contained in mortgages, pledges or other security agreements permitted under the Indenture securing Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to the extent such encumbrances or restrictions restrict the transfer of the property subject to such mortgages, pledges or other security agreements;

 

(c)

pursuant to customary provisions restricting dispositions of real property interests set forth in any reciprocal easement agreements of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(d)

restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; or

 

(e)

provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets or property in operating agreements, joint venture agreements, development agreements, area of mutual interest agreements and other agreements that are customary in the Oil and Gas Business and entered into in the ordinary course of business.

 

40

---

Table of Contents

(viii)

any encumbrance or restriction contained in (a) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and (b) Capitalized Lease Obligations permitted under the Indenture, in each case, that impose encumbrances or restrictions of the nature described in clause (3) of the first paragraph of this covenant on the property so acquired;

 

(ix)

any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary (or any of its property or assets) imposed pursuant to an agreement entered into for the direct or indirect sale or disposition of all or a portion of the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary (or the property or assets that are subject to such restriction) pending the closing of such sale or disposition;

 

(x)

any customary encumbrances or restrictions imposed pursuant to any agreement of the type described in the definition of “Permitted Business Investment”;

 

(xi)

encumbrances or restrictions arising or existing by reason of applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation or order;

 

(xii)

encumbrances or restrictions contained in agreements governing Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted to be Incurred pursuant to an agreement entered into subsequent to the Issue Date in accordance with the covenant described under the caption “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”; provided that the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction contained in such Indebtedness are not materially less favorable to the Company taken as a whole, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith, than the provisions contained in the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and in the Indenture as in effect on the Issue Date;

 

(xiii)

the issuance of Preferred Stock by a Restricted Subsidiary or the payment of dividends thereon in accordance with the terms thereof; provided that issuance of such Preferred Stock is permitted pursuant to the covenant described under the caption “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” and the terms of such Preferred Stock do not expressly restrict the ability of a Restricted Subsidiary to pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock (other than requirements to pay dividends or liquidation preferences on such Preferred Stock prior to paying any dividends or making any other distributions on such other Capital Stock);

 

(xiv)

supermajority voting requirements existing under corporate charters, bylaws, stockholders agreements and similar documents and agreements;

 

(xv)

restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xvi)

any encumbrance or restriction contained in the Senior Secured Credit Agreement as in effect as of the Issue Date, and in any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings thereof; provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are no more restrictive with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in the Senior Secured Credit Agreement as in effect on the Issue Date; and

 

(xvii)

any encumbrance or restriction that is no more restrictive than any encumbrance or restriction in the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and that is contained in any agreement creating Hedging Obligations permitted from time to time under the Indenture.

Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any Asset Disposition unless:

 

(1)

the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Disposition at least equal to the Fair Market Value (such Fair Market Value to be determined on the date of contractually agreeing to such Asset Disposition) of the shares or other assets subject to such Asset Disposition;

 

41

---

Table of Contents

(2)

at least 75% of the aggregate consideration received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from such Asset Disposition and all other Asset Dispositions since the Issue Date, on a cumulative basis, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents or Additional Assets, or any combination thereof; and

 

(3)

except as provided in the next paragraph, an amount equal to 100% of the Net Available Cash from such Asset Disposition is applied, within 365 days from the later of the date of such Asset Disposition or the receipt of such Net Available Cash, by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be:

 

(a)

to prepay, repay, redeem or purchase Indebtedness of the Company under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, the Second Lien Term Loan, any other Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor that is secured by a Lien permitted to be Incurred under the Indenture or Indebtedness (other than Disqualified Stock) of any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor (in each case, excluding Indebtedness owed to the Company or an Affiliate of the Company); provided, however, that, in connection with any prepayment, repayment, redemption or purchase of Indebtedness pursuant to this clause (a), the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary will retire such Indebtedness and will cause the related commitment (if any) to be permanently reduced in an amount equal to the principal amount so prepaid, repaid, redeemed or purchased;

 

(b)

to invest in or acquire Additional Assets; or

 

(c)

to prepay, repay, redeem or purchase any other Senior Indebtedness (and to correspondingly reduce commitments, if any, with respect thereto); provided, however, that the Company shall equally and ratably reduce prepay, repay, redeem or purchase Notes, through open-market purchases (to the extent such purchases are at or above 100% of the principal amount thereof) or by making an offer (in accordance with the procedures set forth below for an Asset Disposition Offer) to all holders to purchase their Notes at 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus the amount of accrued but unpaid interest, if any, on the amount of Notes that would otherwise be prepaid.

Pending the final application of any such Net Available Cash in accordance with clauses (a) through (c) above, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may temporarily reduce Indebtedness or otherwise invest such Net Available Cash in any manner not prohibited by the Indenture.

Any Net Available Cash from Asset Dispositions that is not applied or invested as provided in the preceding paragraph will be deemed to constitute “Excess Proceeds.” Not later than the 366th day from the later of the date of such Asset Disposition or the receipt of such Net Available Cash, if the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $20.0 million, the Company will be required to make an offer (“Asset Disposition Offer”) to all holders of Notes and, to the extent required by the terms of other Pari Passu Indebtedness, to all holders of other Pari Passu Indebtedness outstanding with similar provisions requiring the Company to make an offer to purchase such Pari Passu Indebtedness with the proceeds from any Asset Disposition (“Pari Passu Notes”) to purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes and any such Pari Passu Notes to which the Asset Disposition Offer applies that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds, at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount (or, in the event such Pari Passu Indebtedness of the Company was issued with significant original issue discount, 100% of the accreted value thereof) of the Notes and Pari Passu Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any (or in respect of such Pari Passu Indebtedness, such lesser price, if any, as may be provided for by the terms of such Indebtedness), to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture or the agreements governing the Pari Passu Notes, as applicable, in each case in minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by holders thereof and other Pari Passu Notes surrendered by holders or lenders, collectively, exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be

 

42

---

Table of Contents

purchased on a pro rata basis on the basis of the aggregate principal amount of tendered Notes and Pari Passu Notes. To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes and Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to an Asset Disposition Offer is less than the Excess Proceeds, the Company may use any remaining Excess Proceeds for general corporate purposes, subject to the other covenants contained in the Indenture. Upon completion of such Asset Disposition Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.

The Asset Disposition Offer will remain open for a period of 20 Business Days following its commencement, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “Asset Disposition Offer Period”). No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Asset Disposition Offer Period (the “Asset Disposition Purchase Date”), the Company will purchase the principal amount of Notes and Pari Passu Notes required to be purchased pursuant to this covenant (the “Asset Disposition Offer Amount”) or, if less than the Asset Disposition Offer Amount has been so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, all Notes and Pari Passu Notes validly tendered and not properly withdrawn in response to the Asset Disposition Offer.

If the Asset Disposition Purchase Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no further interest will be payable to holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Disposition Offer.

On or before the Asset Disposition Purchase Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Asset Disposition Offer Amount of Notes and Pari Passu Notes or portions of Notes and Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Asset Disposition Offer, or if less than the Asset Disposition Offer Amount has been validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, all Notes and Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, in each case in minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. The Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Company in accordance with the terms of this covenant and, in addition, the Company will deliver all certificates and notes required, if any, by the agreements governing the Pari Passu Notes. The Company or the paying agent, as the case may be, will promptly (but in any case not later than five Business Days after the termination of the Asset Disposition Offer Period) mail or deliver to each tendering holder of Notes or holder or lender of Pari Passu Notes, as the case may be, an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes or Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn by such holder or lender, as the case may be, and accepted by the Company for purchase, and the Company will promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon delivery of an Officers’ Certificate from the Company, will authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note to such holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered; provided that each such new Note will be in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. In addition, the Company will take any and all other actions required by the agreements governing the Pari Passu Notes. Any Note not so accepted will be promptly mailed or delivered by the Company to the holder thereof. The Company will publicly announce the results of the Asset Disposition Offer on the Asset Disposition Purchase Date.

The Company will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to an Asset Disposition Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of this covenant, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Indenture by virtue of its compliance with such securities laws or regulations.

 

43

---

Table of Contents

For the purposes of clause (2) of the first paragraph of this covenant, the following will be deemed to be cash:

 

(1)

the assumption by the transferee of any liabilities, as shown on the Company’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet, of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, including liabilities with respect to plugging and abandonment (other than Subordinated Obligations, Disqualified Stock, Guarantor Subordinated Obligations or Disqualified Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary Guarantor) and the release of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from all such liability in connection with such Asset Disposition in which case the Company will, without further action, be deemed to have applied such deemed cash to Indebtedness in accordance with clause (3)(a) of the first paragraph of this covenant; and

 

(2)

securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from the transferee that are converted by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash within 180 days after receipt thereof.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the 75% limitation referred to in clause (2) of the first paragraph of this covenant shall be deemed satisfied with respect to any Asset Disposition in which the cash or Cash Equivalents portion of the consideration received therefrom, determined in accordance with the foregoing provision on an after-tax basis, is equal to or greater than what the after-tax proceeds would have been had such Asset Disposition complied with the aforementioned 75% limitation.

The requirement of clause (3)(b) of the first paragraph of this covenant above shall be deemed to be satisfied if an agreement (including a lease, whether a capital lease or an operating lease) committing to make the investments, acquisitions or expenditures referred to therein is entered into by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiary within the specified time period and such Net Available Cash is subsequently applied in accordance with such agreement within six months following such agreement.

The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, engage in any Asset Swaps, unless:

 

(1)

at the time of entering into such Asset Swap and immediately after giving effect to such Asset Swap, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof; and

 

(2)

in the event such Asset Swap involves the transfer by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of assets having an aggregate Fair Market Value in excess of $20.0 million, the terms of such Asset Swap have been approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company.

Limitation on Affiliate Transactions

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, make, amend or conduct any transaction (including making a payment to, the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or the rendering of any service), contract, agreement or understanding with or for the benefit of any Affiliate of the Company (an “Affiliate Transaction”) unless:

 

(1)

the terms of such Affiliate Transaction are not materially less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those that could reasonably be expected to be obtained in a comparable transaction at the time of such transaction in arm’s-length dealings with a Person who is not such an Affiliate or, if in the good faith judgment of the Company’s Board of Directors, no comparable transaction is available with which to compare such Affiliate Transaction, such Affiliate Transaction is otherwise fair to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view;

 

(2)

if such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $20.0 million, the terms of such transaction have been approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company having no personal stake in such transaction, if any (and such majority determines that such Affiliate Transaction satisfies the criteria in clause (1) above); and

 

44

---

Table of Contents

(3)

if such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $50.0 million, the Board of Directors of the Company has received a written opinion from an independent investment banking, accounting, engineering or appraisal firm of nationally recognized standing that such Affiliate Transaction is fair, from a financial standpoint, to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or is not materially less favorable than those that could reasonably be expected to be obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm’s-length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate.

The preceding paragraph will not apply to:

 

(1)

any Restricted Payment permitted to be made pursuant to the covenant described under “—Limitation on Restricted Payments” or any Permitted Investment;

 

(2)

any issuance of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock), or other payments, awards or grants in cash, Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment or severance agreements and other compensation arrangements, options to purchase Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company, restricted stock plans, long-term incentive plans, stock appreciation rights plans, participation plans or similar employee benefits plans and/or insurance and indemnification arrangements provided to or for the benefit of directors and employees approved by the Board of Directors of the Company;

 

(3)

loans or advances to employees, officers or directors in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(4)

advances to or reimbursements of employees for moving, entertainment and travel expenses, drawing accounts and similar expenditures in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(5)

any transaction between the Company and a Restricted Subsidiary or between Restricted Subsidiaries, and Guarantees issued by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary for the benefit of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in accordance with “—Limitation on indebtedness and preferred stock”;

 

(6)

any transaction with a joint venture or similar entity which would constitute an Affiliate Transaction solely because the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary owns, directly or indirectly, an Equity Interest in or otherwise controls such joint venture or similar entity;

 

(7)

the issuance or sale of any Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company to, or the receipt by the Company of any capital contribution from its shareholders;

 

(8)

indemnities of officers, directors and employees of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted by bylaw or statutory provisions and any employment agreement or other employee compensation plan or arrangement entered into in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(9)

the payment of reasonable compensation and fees paid to, and indemnity provided on behalf of, officers or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(10)

the performance of obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under the terms of any agreement to which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party as of or on the Issue Date, as these agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented, extended or renewed from time to time; provided, however, that any future amendment, modification, supplement, extension or renewal entered into after the Issue Date will be permitted only to the extent that its terms are not materially more disadvantageous, taken as a whole, to the holders of the Notes than the terms of the agreements in effect on the Issue Date;

 

(11)

transactions with customers, clients, suppliers, or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with the terms of the Indenture;

 

45

---

Table of Contents

provided that in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors of the Company or the senior management of the Company, such transactions are on terms not materially less favorable to the Company, taken as a whole, than those that could reasonably be expected to be obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm’s-length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company;

 

(12)

transactions with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns, directly or through a Restricted Subsidiary, an Equity Interest in such Person; and

 

(13)

transactions between the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Person, a director of which is also a director of the Company or any direct or indirect Company of the Company, and such director is the sole cause for such Person to be deemed an Affiliate of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such director shall abstain from voting as a director of the Company or such direct or indirect parent company, as the case may be, on any matter involving such other Person.

Provision of Financial Information

The Indenture provides that, whether or not the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to the extent not prohibited by the Exchange Act, the Company will file with the SEC, and make available to the Trustee and the holders of the Notes without cost to any holder, the annual reports and the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) that are specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act and applicable to a U.S. corporation within the time periods specified therein with respect to an accelerated filer. In the event that the Company is not permitted to file such reports, documents and information with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Company will nevertheless make available such Exchange Act information to the Trustee and the holders of the Notes without cost to any holder as if the Company were subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act within the time periods specified therein with respect to a non-accelerated filer.

If the Company has designated any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries, then the financial information required will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, and in any accompanying Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Company.

For so long as any Notes remain outstanding and constitute “restricted securities” under Rule 144, the Guarantors will furnish to the holders of the Notes, and to securities analysts and prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, such requirements shall be deemed satisfied prior to the commencement of the exchange offer or the effectiveness of the shelf registration statement by the filing with the SEC of the exchange offer registration statement or shelf registration statement, and any amendments thereto, with such financial information that satisfies Regulation S-X of the Securities Act within the time period specified by the Registration Rights Agreement.

The availability of the foregoing materials on the SEC’s website or on a freely accessible page on the Company’s website shall be deemed to satisfy the foregoing delivery obligations.

 

46

---

Table of Contents

Merger and Consolidation

The Company will not consolidate with or merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not the Company is the surviving Person), or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all its assets in one or more related transactions to, any Person, unless:

 

(1)

the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Company”) will be a corporation, partnership, trust or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States or the District of Columbia and the Successor Company (if not the Company) will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Notes, the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement;

 

(2)

immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the Successor Company or any Subsidiary of the Successor Company as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by the Successor Company or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(3)

either (A) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, the Successor Company would be able to Incur at least an additional $1.00 of Indebtedness pursuant to the first paragraph of the covenant described under “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” or (B) immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis and any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four quarter period, the Consolidated Coverage Ratio of the Company is equal to or greater than the Consolidated Coverage Ratio of the Company immediately before such transaction;

 

(4)

each Subsidiary Guarantor (unless it is the other party to the transactions above, in which case clause (1) shall apply) shall have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Subsidiary Guarantee shall apply to such Person’s obligations in respect of the Indenture, the Notes and the Registration Rights Agreement (if applicable) and that its Guarantee shall continue to be in effect; and

 

(5)

the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with the Indenture.

For purposes of this covenant, the sale, lease, conveyance, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company, which properties and assets, if held by the Company instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.

The Successor Company will succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under the Indenture; and its predecessor Company, except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all its assets, will be released from all obligations under the Indenture and the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes.

Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular transaction would involve “all or substantially all” of the property or assets of a Person.

Notwithstanding the preceding clause (3)(x) any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to the Company and the Company may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to a Subsidiary Guarantor and (y) the Company may merge with an Affiliate incorporated solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Company in another jurisdiction; provided that, in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that consolidates with, merges into or transfers all or part of its properties and assets to the Company, the Company will not be required to comply with the preceding clause (5).

 

47

---

Table of Contents

In addition, the Company will not permit any Subsidiary Guarantor to consolidate with or merge with or into, and will not permit the conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the assets of any Subsidiary Guarantor to, any Person (other than the Company or another Subsidiary Guarantor) unless:

 

(1)

(a) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person will be a corporation, partnership, trust or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States or the District of Columbia and such Person (if not such Subsidiary Guarantor) will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee; and (b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the resulting, surviving or transferee Person or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by such Person or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default shall have occurred and be continuing; or

 

(2)

the transaction is made in compliance with the covenants described under “Subsidiary Guarantees” and “—Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock;” and

 

(3)

the Company will have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and such supplement indenture (if any) comply with the Indenture.

Future Subsidiary Guarantors

The Indenture provides that the Company will cause (a) each Restricted Subsidiary that Guarantees any Indebtedness under a Credit Facility, other than a Foreign Subsidiary, (b) any other Domestic Subsidiary that is not already a Subsidiary Guarantor that guarantees any Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor, in each case, created or acquired by the Company or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries, to execute and deliver to the Trustee within 30 days a supplemental indenture (in the form specified in the Indenture) pursuant to which such Subsidiary will unconditionally Guarantee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes on a senior basis; provided that any Restricted Subsidiary that constitutes an Immaterial Subsidiary need not become a Subsidiary Guarantor until such time as it ceases to be an Immaterial Subsidiary.

Covenant Termination

From and after the occurrence of an Investment Grade Rating Event, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will no longer be subject to the provisions of the Indenture described above under the following headings:

 

•

“—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock,”

 

•

“—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments,”

 

•

“—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restrictions on Distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries,”

 

•

“—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock,”

 

•

“—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Affiliate Transactions” and

 

•

Clause (3) of “—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation”

(collectively, the “Eliminated Covenants”). As a result, after the date on which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer subject to the Eliminated Covenants, the Notes will be entitled to substantially reduced covenant protection. After the foregoing covenants have been terminated, the Company may not designate any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the second sentence of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary.”

 

48

---

Table of Contents

Events of Default

Each of the following is an Event of Default:

 

(1)

default in any payment of interest on any Note when due, continued for 30 days;

 

(2)

default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on any Note when due at its Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, upon required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise;

 

(3)

failure by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor to comply with its obligations under “Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation”;

 

(4)

failure by the Company to comply for 30 days after notice as provided below with any of its obligations under the covenant described under “Change of control” above or under the covenants described under “Certain covenants” above (in each case, other than a failure to purchase Notes which will constitute an Event of Default under clause (2) above and other than a failure to comply with “Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation” which is covered by clause (3));

 

(5)

failure by the Company to comply for 60 days (or 180 days in the case of a Reporting Failure) after notice as provided below with its other agreements contained in the Indenture;

 

(6)

default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), other than Indebtedness owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the Indenture, which default:

 

(a)

is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness (and any extensions of any grace period) (“payment default”); or

 

(b)

results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its Maturity (the “cross acceleration provision”);

and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a payment default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $15.0 million or more;

 

(7)

certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company, the Company or a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary (the “bankruptcy provisions”);

 

(8)

failure by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary to pay final judgments aggregating in excess of $15.0 million (to the extent not covered by insurance by a reputable and creditworthy insurer as to which the insurer has not disclaimed coverage), which judgments are not paid or discharged, and there shall be any period of 60 consecutive days following entry of such final judgment or decree during which a stay of enforcement of such final judgment or decree, by reason of pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect (the “judgment default provision”); or

 

(9)

any Subsidiary Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of the Indenture) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiary Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, denies or disaffirms its obligations under the Indenture or its Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

49

---

Table of Contents

However, a default under clauses (4) and (5) of this paragraph will not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes notify the Company in writing and, in the case of a notice given by the holders, the Trustee of the default and the Company does not cure such default within the time specified in clauses (4) and (5) of this paragraph after receipt of such notice.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default described in clause (7) above) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by notice to the Company, or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes by notice to the Company and the Trustee, may, and the Trustee at the request of such holders shall, declare the principal of, premium, if any, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the Notes to be due and payable. If an Event of Default described in clause (7) above occurs and is continuing, the principal of, premium, if any, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the Notes will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any holders. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may waive all past defaults (except with respect to nonpayment of principal, premium or interest, if any) and rescind any such acceleration with respect to the Notes and its consequences if (1) rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) all existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes that have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in clause (6) above shall have occurred and be continuing, such Event of Default and any consequential acceleration (to the extent not in violation of any applicable law or in conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction) shall be automatically rescinded if (i) the Indebtedness that is the subject of such Event of Default has been repaid or (ii) if the default relating to such Indebtedness is waived by the holders of such Indebtedness or cured and if such Indebtedness has been accelerated, then the holders thereof have rescinded their declaration of acceleration in respect of such Indebtedness, in each case within 20 days after the declaration of acceleration with respect thereto, and (iii) any other existing Events of Default, except nonpayment of principal, premium or interest on the Notes that became due solely because of the acceleration of the Notes, have been cured or waived.

Subject to the provisions of the Indenture relating to the duties of the Trustee, if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders unless such holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity or security against any loss, liability or expense. Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest when due, no holder may pursue any remedy with respect to the Indenture or the Notes unless:

 

(1)

such holder has previously given the Trustee notice that an Event of Default is continuing;

 

(2)

holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes have requested the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

 

(3)

such holders have offered the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against any loss, liability or expense;

 

(4)

the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and

 

(5)

the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes have not waived such Event of Default or otherwise given the Trustee a direction that, in the opinion of the Trustee, is inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.

Subject to certain restrictions, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes are given the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. The Indenture provides that in the event an

 

50

---

Table of Contents

Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee will be required in the exercise of its powers to use the degree of care that a prudent person would use in the conduct of its own affairs. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or the Indenture or that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other holder or that would involve the Trustee in personal liability. Prior to taking any action under the Indenture, the Trustee will be entitled to indemnification satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against all losses and expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.

If a Default occurs and is continuing and is known to the Trustee, the Trustee must mail to each holder notice of the Default within 90 days after it occurs. Except in the case of a Default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note, the Trustee may withhold such notice if and so long as a committee of trust officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interests of the holders. In addition, the Company is required to deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a certificate indicating whether the signers thereof know of any Default that occurred during the previous year. The Company also is required to deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any events which would constitute certain Defaults, their status and what action the Company is taking or proposing to take in respect thereof.

Amendments and Waivers

Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture and the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes) and, subject to certain exceptions, any past default or compliance with any provisions may be waived with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes). However, without the consent of each holder of an outstanding Note affected, no amendment may, among other things:

 

(1)

reduce the principal amount of Notes whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

(2)

reduce the stated rate of or extend the stated time for payment of interest on any Note;

 

(3)

reduce the principal of or extend the Stated Maturity of any Note;

 

(4)

reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of any Note as described above under “Optional Redemption,” or change the time at which any Note may be redeemed as described above under “—Optional Redemption” or make any change relative to our obligation to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as a result of a Change of Control as described above under “—Change of Control” after (but not before) the occurrence of such Change of Control;

 

(5)

make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Note;

 

(6)

impair the right of any holder to receive payment of premium, if any, principal of and interest on such holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such holder’s Notes;

 

(7)

make any change in the amendment provisions which require each holder’s consent or in the waiver provisions;

 

(8)

modify the Subsidiary Guarantees in any manner adverse to the holders of the Notes; or

 

(9)

make any change to or modify the ranking of the Notes that would adversely affect the holders.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any holder, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee may amend the Indenture and the Notes to:

 

(1)

cure any ambiguity, omission, defect, mistake or inconsistency;

 

51

---

Table of Contents

(2)

provide for the assumption by a successor of the obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Indenture;

 

(3)

provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes (provided that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code, or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code);

 

(4)

add Subsidiary Guarantees with respect to the Notes, including Subsidiary Guarantees, or release a Subsidiary Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee and terminate such Subsidiary Guarantee; provided that the release and termination is in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture;

 

(5)

secure the Notes or Subsidiary Guarantees;

 

(6)

add to the covenants of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor for the benefit of the holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

(7)

make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder; provided, however, that any change to conform the Indenture to this “Description of the Exchange Notes” will not be deemed to adversely affect the rights of any holder;

 

(8)

comply with any requirement of the SEC in connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

(9)

provide for the issuance of Exchange Notes which shall have terms substantially identical in all respects to the Notes (except that the transfer restrictions contained in the Notes shall be modified or eliminated as appropriate) and which shall be treated, together with any outstanding Notes, as a single class of securities; or

 

(10)

provide for the succession of a successor Trustee, provided that the successor Trustee is otherwise qualified and eligible to act as such under the Indenture.

The consent of the holders is not necessary under the Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment. A consent to any amendment or waiver under the Indenture by any holder of Notes given in connection with a tender of such holder’s Notes will not be rendered invalid by such tender. After an amendment under the Indenture becomes effective, the Company is required to mail to the holders a notice briefly describing such amendment. However, the failure to give such notice to all the holders, or any defect in the notice will not impair or affect the validity of the amendment.

Defeasance

The Company at any time may terminate all its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture (“legal defeasance”), except for certain obligations, including those respecting the defeasance trust and obligations to register the transfer or exchange of the Notes, to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and to maintain a registrar and paying agent in respect of the Notes.

The Company at any time may terminate its obligations described under “Change of Control” and under covenants described under “Certain Covenants” (other than clauses (1), (2), (4) and (5) of “—Merger and Consolidation”), the operation of the cross default upon a payment default, cross acceleration provisions, the bankruptcy provisions with respect to Significant Subsidiaries, the judgment default provision, the Subsidiary Guarantee provision described under “Events of Default” above and the limitations contained in clause (3) under “Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation” above, and the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors may terminate the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors to provide the Subsidiary Guarantees, which thereupon shall be automatically released (“covenant defeasance”).

 

52

---

Table of Contents

The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option notwithstanding its prior exercise of its covenant defeasance option. If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default with respect to the Notes. If the Company exercises its covenant defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in clause (4), (5), (6), (7) (with respect only to Significant Subsidiaries), (8) or (9) under “Events of Default” above or because of the failure of the Company to comply with clause (3) under “Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation” above.

In order to exercise either defeasance option, the Company must, among other things, irrevocably deposit in trust (the “defeasance trust”) with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be, and must comply with certain other conditions, including delivery to the Trustee of an Opinion of Counsel (subject to customary exceptions and exclusions) to the effect that holders of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred. In the case of legal defeasance only, such Opinion of Counsel must be based on a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or other change in applicable federal income tax law.

Satisfaction and Discharge

The Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Notes issued thereunder, when either:

 

(1)

all Notes that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or

 

(2)

all Notes that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year by reason of the giving of a notice of redemption or otherwise and the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for such purpose, cash in U.S. dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption, and in each case certain other requirements set forth in the Indenture are satisfied.

No personal liability of directors, officers, employees and stockholders

No director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder, member, partner or trustee of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes, the Indenture or the Subsidiary Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

Concerning the Trustee

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, is the Trustee under the Indenture and has been appointed by the Company as registrar and paying agent with regard to the Notes.

The Indenture contains certain limitations on the rights of the Trustee, should it become a creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The Trustee will be permitted to engage

 

53

---

Table of Contents

in other transactions; provided, however, that if it acquires any conflicting interest (as defined in the Trust Indenture Act) while any Default exists it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue as Trustee with such conflict or resign as Trustee.

Governing Law

The Indenture provides that it and the Notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

Certain Definitions

“Acquired Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (i) of a Person or any of its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person becomes or is merged with and into a Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case whether or not Incurred by such Person in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such acquisition. Acquired Indebtedness shall be deemed to have been Incurred, with respect to clause (i) of the preceding sentence, on the date such Person becomes or is merged with and into a Restricted Subsidiary and, with respect to clause (ii) of the preceding sentence, on the date of consummation of such acquisition of assets.

“Additional Assets” means:

 

(1)

any properties or assets to be used by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(2)

capital expenditures by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(3)

the Capital Stock of a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of the acquisition of such Capital Stock by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(4)

Capital Stock constituting a minority interest in any Person that at such time is a Restricted Subsidiary;

provided, however, that, in the case of clauses (3) and (4), such Restricted Subsidiary is primarily engaged in the Oil and Gas Business.

“Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” of a Person means (without duplication), as of the date of determination, the remainder of:

 

(a)

the sum of:

 

(i)

discounted future net revenues from proved oil and gas reserves of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state, federal or foreign income taxes, as estimated by the Company in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available, as increased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from

 

(A)

estimated proved oil and gas reserves acquired since such year end, which reserves were not reflected in such year end reserve report, and

 

(B)

estimated oil and gas reserves attributable to extensions, discoveries and other additions and upward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves since such year-end due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities, which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions (including the impact to proved reserves and future net revenues from estimated development costs incurred and the accretion of discount since such year-end),

 

54

---

Table of Contents

and decreased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from

 

(C)

estimated proved oil and gas reserves produced or disposed of since such year end, and

 

(D)

estimated oil and gas reserves attributable to downward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves since such year-end due to changes in geological conditions or other factors which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions, in each case calculated on a pretax basis and substantially in accordance with SEC guidelines,

in the case of clauses (A) through (D) utilizing prices and costs calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines as if the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding the date of determination for which such information is available to the Company were year end; provided, however, that in the case of each of the determinations made pursuant to clauses (A) through (D), such increases and decreases shall be as estimated by the Company’s petroleum engineers;

 

(ii)

the capitalized costs that are attributable to Oil and Gas Properties of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries to which no proved oil and gas reserves are attributable, based on such Person’s books and records as of a date no earlier than the date of such Person’s latest available annual or quarterly financial statements;

 

(iii)

the Net Working Capital of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a date no earlier than the date of such Person’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements; and

 

(iv)

the greater of

 

(A)

the net book value of other tangible assets of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as of a date no earlier than the date of such Person’s latest annual or quarterly financial statement, and

 

(B)

the appraised value, as estimated by independent appraisers, of other tangible assets of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as of a date no earlier than the date of such Person’s latest audited financial statements; provided, that, if no such appraisal has been performed the Company shall not be required to obtain such an appraisal and only clause (iv)(A) of this definition shall apply;

minus

 

(b)

the sum of:

 

(i)

Minority Interests;

 

(ii)

any net gas balancing liabilities of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries reflected in such Person’s latest annual or quarterly balance sheet (to the extent not deducted in calculating Net Working Capital of such Person in accordance with clause (a)(iii) above of this definition);

 

(iii)

to the extent included in (a)(i) above, the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (but utilizing prices and costs calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines as if the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding the date of determination for which such information is available to the Company were year-end), attributable to reserves which are required to be delivered to third parties to fully satisfy the obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to Volumetric Production Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto); and

 

(iv)

the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines, attributable to reserves subject to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments which, based on the estimates of production and price assumptions included in determining the discounted future net revenues specified in (a)(i) above, would be necessary to fully satisfy the payment obligations of such Person and its Subsidiaries with respect to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto).

 

55

---

Table of Contents

If the Company changes its method of accounting from the full cost method of accounting to the successful efforts or a similar method, “Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” will continue to be calculated as if the Company were still using the full cost method of accounting.

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person, directly or indirectly, controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Asset Disposition” means any direct or indirect sale, lease (including by means of Production Payments and Reserve Sales and a Sale/Leaseback Transaction but excluding an operating lease entered into in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business), transfer, issuance or other disposition, or a series of related sales, leases, transfers, issuances or dispositions that are part of a common plan, of (A) shares of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries issued in compliance with the covenant described under the heading “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock,” and directors’ qualifying shares or shares required by applicable law to be held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), (B) all or substantially all the assets of any division or line of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (excluding any division or line of business the assets of which are owned by an Unrestricted Subsidiary) or (C) any other assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary outside of the ordinary course of business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (each referred to for the purposes of this definition as a “disposition”), in each case by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any disposition by means of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction.

Notwithstanding the preceding, the following items shall not be deemed to be Asset Dispositions:

 

(1)

a disposition by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)

a disposition of cash, Cash Equivalents or other financial assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

(3)

a disposition of Hydrocarbons or mineral products inventory in the ordinary course of business;

 

(4)

a disposition of damaged, unserviceable, obsolete or worn-out assets or assets that is no longer necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and that is disposed of in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(5)

transactions in accordance with the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants— Merger and Consolidation”;

 

(6)

an issuance of Capital Stock by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(7)

the making of a Permitted Investment or a Restricted Payment (or a disposition that would constitute a Restricted Payment but for the exclusions from the definition thereof) permitted by the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments”;

 

(8)

an Asset Swap;

 

(9)

dispositions of assets with a Fair Market Value of less than $10.0 million;

 

(10)

Permitted Liens;

 

(11)

dispositions of receivables in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or similar proceedings and exclusive of factoring or similar arrangements;

 

(12)

the licensing or sublicensing of intellectual property (including, without limitation, the licensing of seismic data) or other general intangibles and licenses, leases or subleases of other property in the ordinary course of business which do not materially interfere with the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

56

---

Table of Contents

(13)

foreclosure on assets;

 

(14)

any Production Payments and Reserve Sales; provided that any such Production Payments and Reserve Sales, other than incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists and other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, shall have been created, Incurred, issued, assumed or Guaranteed in connection with the financing of, and within 60 days after the acquisition of, the property that is subject thereto;

 

(15)

a disposition of oil and natural gas properties in connection with tax credit transactions complying with Section 29 or any successor or analogous provisions of the Code;

 

(16)

surrender or waiver of contract rights, oil and gas leases, or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind;

 

(17)

the abandonment, farm-out, lease or sublease of developed or undeveloped Oil and Gas Properties in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(18)

a disposition (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) of any Oil and Gas Property or interest therein to which no proved reserves are attributable at the time of such disposition.

“Asset Swap” means any substantially contemporaneous (and in any event occurring within 180 days of each other) purchase and sale or exchange of any oil or natural gas properties or assets or interests therein between the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and another Person; provided, that any cash received must be applied in accordance with “—Certain covenants— Limitation on sales of assets and subsidiary stock” as if the Asset Swap were an Asset Disposition.

“Average Life” means, as of the date of determination, with respect to any Indebtedness or Preferred Stock, the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the products of the numbers of years from the date of determination to the dates of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Preferred Stock multiplied by the amount of such payment by (2) the sum of all such payments.

“Beneficial Owner” 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. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have a corresponding meaning.

“Board of Directors” means, as to any Person that is a corporation, the board of directors of such Person or any duly authorized committee thereof or as to any Person that is not a corporation, the board of managers or such other individual or group serving a similar function.

“Business Day” means each day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.

“Capital Stock” of any Person means any and all shares, units, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, such equity.

“Capitalized Lease Obligations” means an obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as a capitalized lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation will be the capitalized amount of such obligation at the time any determination thereof is to be made as determined in accordance with GAAP, and the Stated Maturity thereof will be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date such lease may be terminated without penalty.

 

57

---

Table of Contents

“Cash Equivalents” means:

 

(1)

securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States Government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof), having maturities of not more than fifteen (15) months from the date of acquisition;

 

(2)

marketable general obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within fifteen (15) months from the date of acquisition (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof) and, at the time of acquisition, having a credit rating of “A” (or the equivalent thereof) or better from either S&P or Moody’s;

 

(3)

certificates of deposit, time deposits, Eurodollar time deposits, overnight bank deposits or bankers’ acceptances having maturities of not more than fifteen (15) months from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any commercial bank the short-term deposit of which is rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A-2” or the equivalent thereof by S&P, or “P-2” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s, and having combined capital and surplus in excess of $100.0 million;

 

(4)

repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (1), (2) and (3) entered into with any bank meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above;

 

(5)

commercial paper rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A-2” or the equivalent thereof by S&P or “P-2” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s, or carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized rating agency, if both of the two named Rating Agencies cease publishing ratings of investments, and in any case maturing within one year after the date of acquisition thereof; and

 

(6)

interests in any investment company or money market fund which invests 95% or more of its assets in instruments of the type specified in clauses (1) through (5) above.

“Cash Management Obligations” means, with respect to the Company or any Guarantor, any obligations of such Person to any lender in respect of treasury management arrangements, depositary or other cash management services, including any treasury management line of credit.

“Change of Control” means:

 

(1)

any “person” or “group” of related persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company (or its successor by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all of its assets) (for the purposes of this clause (1), such person or group shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any Voting Stock of the Company held by a parent entity, if such person or group Beneficially Owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such parent entity);

 

(2)

the first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company are not Continuing Directors;

 

(3)

the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act); or

 

(4)

the adoption by the shareholders of the Company of a plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

58

---

Table of Contents

“Commodity Agreements” means, in respect of any Person, any forward contract, commodity swap agreement, commodity option agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement in respect of Hydrocarbons used, produced, processed or sold by such Person that are customary in the Oil and Gas Business and designed to protect such Person against fluctuation in Hydrocarbon prices.

“Common Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests or other participations in, and other equivalents (however designated and whether voting or nonvoting) of such Person’s common stock whether or not outstanding on the Issue Date, and includes, without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.

“Consolidated Coverage Ratio” means as of any date of determination, the ratio of (x) the aggregate amount of Consolidated EBITDA of such Person for the period of the most recent four consecutive fiscal quarters ending prior to the date of such determination for which financial statements are in existence to (y) Consolidated Interest Expense for such four fiscal quarters, provided, however, that:

 

(1)

if the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary:

 

(a)

has Incurred any Indebtedness since the beginning of such period that remains outstanding on such date of determination or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio is an Incurrence of Indebtedness, Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof as if such Indebtedness had been Incurred on the first day of such period and such proceeds had been applied as of such date (except that in making such computation, the amount of Indebtedness under any revolving Credit Facility outstanding on the date of such calculation will be deemed to be (i) the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during such four fiscal quarters or such shorter period for which such facility was outstanding or (ii) if such revolving Credit Facility was created after the end of such four fiscal quarters, the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the period from the date of creation of such revolving Credit Facility to the date of such calculation, in each case, provided that such average daily balance shall take into account any repayment of Indebtedness under such revolving Credit Facility as provided in clause (b)); or

 

(b)

has repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged any Indebtedness since the beginning of the period, including with the proceeds of such new Indebtedness, that is no longer outstanding on such date of determination or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio involves a discharge of Indebtedness (in each case other than Indebtedness Incurred under any revolving Credit Facility unless such Indebtedness has been permanently repaid and the related commitment terminated), Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such discharge of such Indebtedness as if such discharge had occurred on the first day of such period;

 

(2)

if, since the beginning of such period, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has made any Asset Disposition or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio is such an Asset Disposition, the Consolidated EBITDA for such period will be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if positive) directly attributable to the assets which are the subject of such Asset Disposition for such period or increased by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if negative) directly attributable thereto for such period and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated Interest Expense directly attributable to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged with respect to the Company and its continuing Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with or with the proceeds from such Asset Disposition for such period (or, if the Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary is sold, the Consolidated Interest Expense for such period directly attributable to the Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the Company and its continuing Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer liable for such Indebtedness after such sale);

 

59

---

Table of Contents

(3)

if, since the beginning of such period, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (by merger or otherwise) has made an Investment in any Restricted Subsidiary (or any Person which becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) or an acquisition (or will have received a contribution) of assets, including any acquisition or contribution of assets occurring in connection with a transaction causing a calculation to be made under the Indenture, which constitutes all or substantially all of a company, division, operating unit, segment, business, group of related assets or line of business, Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including the Incurrence of any Indebtedness) as if such Investment or acquisition or contribution had occurred on the first day of such period; and

 

(4)

if, since the beginning of such period, any Person (that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period) made any Asset Disposition or any Investment or acquisition of assets that would have required an adjustment pursuant to clause (2) or (3) above if made by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period, Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Asset Disposition or Investment or acquisition of assets had occurred on the first day of such period.

For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any calculation under this definition, the pro forma calculations will be determined in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company; provided that such officer may in his or her discretion include any reasonably identifiable and factually supportable pro forma changes to Consolidated EBITDA, including any pro forma expenses and cost reductions, that have occurred or in the judgment of such officer are reasonably expected to occur within 12 months of the date of the applicable transaction (regardless of whether such expense or cost reduction or any other operating improvements could then be reflected properly in pro forma financial statements prepared in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act or any other regulation or policy of the SEC). If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest expense on such Indebtedness will be calculated as if the average rate in effect from the beginning of such period to the date of determination had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Interest Rate Agreement applicable to such Indebtedness, but if the remaining term of such Interest Rate Agreement is less than 12 months, then such Interest Rate Agreement shall only be taken into account for that portion of the period equal to the remaining term thereof). If any Indebtedness that is being given pro forma effect bears an interest rate at the option of the Company, the interest rate shall be calculated by applying such optional rate chosen by the Company. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a Eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Company may designate.

“Consolidated EBITDA” for any period means, without duplication, the Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus the following, without duplication and to the extent deducted (and not added back) in calculating such Consolidated Net Income:

 

(1)

Consolidated Interest Expense;

 

(2)

Consolidated Income Taxes of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(3)

consolidated depletion and depreciation expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(4)

consolidated amortization expense or impairment charges of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries recorded in connection with the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangibles” and Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long Lived Assets”;

 

60

---

Table of Contents

(5)

other non-cash charges of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (excluding any such non-cash charge to the extent it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period not included in the calculation); and

 

(6)

if the Company changes its method of accounting for Oil and Gas Properties from full cost to successful efforts or a similar method of accounting, consolidated exploration and abandonment expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries,

if applicable for such period; and less, to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income and in excess of any costs or expenses attributable thereto that were deducted (and not added back) in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (x) the amount of deferred revenues that are amortized during such period and are attributable to reserves that are subject to Volumetric Production Payments, (y) amounts recorded in accordance with GAAP as repayments of principal and interest pursuant to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments and (z) other non-cash gains (excluding any non-cash gain to the extent it represents the reversal of an accrual or reserve for a potential cash item that reduced Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period).

Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, clauses (2) through (6) relating to amounts of a Restricted Subsidiary of a Person will be added to Consolidated Net Income to compute Consolidated EBITDA of such Person only to the extent (and in the same proportion) that the net income (loss) of such Restricted Subsidiary was included in calculating the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and, to the extent the amounts set forth in clauses (2) through (6) are in excess of those necessary to offset a net loss of such Restricted Subsidiary or if such Restricted Subsidiary has net income for such period included in Consolidated Net Income, only if a corresponding amount would be permitted at the date of determination to be dividended to the Company by such Restricted Subsidiary without prior approval (that has not been obtained), pursuant to the terms of its charter and all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes, rules and governmental regulations applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary.

“Consolidated Income Taxes” means, with respect to any Person for any period, taxes imposed upon such Person or other payments required to be made by such Person by any governmental authority which taxes or other payments are calculated by reference to the income, profits or capital of such Person or such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries (including state franchise taxes) (to the extent such income or profits were included in computing Consolidated Net Income for such period), regardless of whether such taxes or payments are required to be remitted to any governmental authority.

“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the total consolidated interest expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether paid or accrued, plus, to the extent not included in such interest expense and without duplication:

 

(1)

interest expense attributable to Capitalized Lease Obligations and the interest component of any deferred payment obligations;

 

(2)

amortization of debt discount and debt issuance cost (provided that any amortization of bond premium will be credited to reduce Consolidated Interest Expense unless, pursuant to GAAP, such amortization of bond premium has otherwise reduced Consolidated Interest Expense);

 

(3)

non-cash interest expense;

 

(4)

commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing;

 

(5)

the interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person that is Guaranteed by the Company or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets of the Company or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent such Guarantee becomes payable or such Lien becomes subject to foreclosure;

 

61

---

Table of Contents

(6)

each costs associated with Interest Rate Agreements (including amortization of fees); provided, however, that if Interest Rate Agreements result in net benefits rather than costs, such benefits shall be credited to reduce Consolidated Interest Expense unless, pursuant to GAAP, such net benefits are otherwise reflected in Consolidated Net Income;

 

(7)

the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period; and

 

(8)

all dividends paid or payable in cash, Cash Equivalents or Indebtedness or accrued during such period on any series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or on Preferred Stock of its Restricted Subsidiaries payable to a party other than the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary,

minus, to the extent included above, write-off of deferred financing costs (and interest) attributable to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments.

For the purpose of calculating the Consolidated Coverage Ratio in connection with the Incurrence of any Indebtedness described in the final paragraph of the definition of “Indebtedness,” the calculation of Consolidated Interest Expense shall include all interest expense (including any amounts described in clauses (1) through (8) above) relating to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary described in the final paragraph of the definition of “Indebtedness.”

“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the aggregate net income (loss) (excluding minority interest) of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of Preferred Stock dividends of such Person; provided, however, that there will not be included (to the extent otherwise included therein) in such Consolidated Net Income:

 

(1)

any net income (loss) of any Person (other than the Company) if such Person is not a Restricted Subsidiary, except that:

 

(a)

subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3) and (4) below, the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitations contained in clause (2) below); and

 

(b)

the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Person for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income to the extent such loss has been funded with cash from the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period;

 

(2)

any net income (but not loss) of any Restricted Subsidiary if such Subsidiary is subject to restrictions, directly or indirectly, on the payment of dividends or the making of distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to the Company, except that:

 

(a)

subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3), (4) and (5) below, the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash that could have been distributed by such Restricted Subsidiary during such period to the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution paid to another Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitation contained in this clause); and

 

(b)

the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income;

 

(3)

any gain (loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any property, plant or equipment of the Company or its consolidated Subsidiaries (including pursuant to any Sale/ Leaseback Transaction) which is not sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business and any gain (loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any Capital Stock of any Person;

 

62

---

Table of Contents

(4)

any extraordinary or nonrecurring gains or losses, together with any related provision for taxes on such gains or losses and all related fees and expenses;

 

(5)

the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles;

 

(6)

any “ceiling limitation” on Oil and Gas Properties or other asset impairment write-downs under GAAP or SEC guidelines;

 

(7)

any unrealized non-cash gains or losses or charges in respect of Hedging Obligations (including those resulting from the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 133);

 

(8)

income or loss attributable to discontinued operations (including, without limitation, operations disposed of during such period whether or not such operations were classified as discontinued);

 

(9)

all deferred financing costs written off, and premiums paid, in connection with any early extinguishment of Indebtedness; and

 

(10)

any non-cash compensation charge arising from any grant of stock, stock options or other equity based awards; provided that the proceeds resulting from any such grant will be excluded from clause (c)(ii) of the first paragraph of the covenant described under “—Certain covenants—Limitation on restricted payments.”

“Continuing Directors” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who: (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the Indenture; or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election.

“Credit Facility” means, with respect to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Senior Secured Credit Agreement), indentures or commercial paper facilities providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables), notes, debentures, bonds or similar securities or instruments or letters of credit, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced in whole or in part from time to time (and whether or not with the original administrative agent and lenders or another administrative agent or agents or other lenders and whether provided under the original Senior Secured Credit Agreement or any other credit or other agreement or indenture).

“Currency Agreement” means in respect of a Person any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement, futures contract, option contract or other similar agreement as to which such Person is a party or a beneficiary.

“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

“Disqualified Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person which by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock or upon the happening of any event:

 

(1)

matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than redeemable only for Capital Stock of such Person which is not itself Disqualified Stock) pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise;

 

(2)

is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock (excluding Capital Stock which is convertible or exchangeable solely at the option of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary); or

 

(3)

is redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock in whole or in part,

 

63

---

Table of Contents

in each case on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the earlier of the date (a) of the Stated Maturity of the Notes or (b) on which there are no Notes outstanding; provided that only the portion of Capital Stock which so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date will be deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided further, that any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders thereof have the right to require the Company to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale (each defined in a substantially identical manner to the corresponding definitions in the Indenture) shall not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is ratable or exchangeable) provide that (i) the Company may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is ratable or exchangeable) pursuant to such provision prior to compliance by the Company with the provisions of the Indenture described under the captions “—Change of Control” and “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock” and (ii) such repurchase or redemption will be permitted solely to the extent also permitted in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture described under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments.”

The amount of any Disqualified Stock that does not have a fixed redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Stock as if such Disqualified Stock were redeemed, repaid or repurchased on any date on which the amount of such Disqualified Stock is to be determined pursuant to the Indenture; provided, however, that if such Disqualified Stock could not be required to be redeemed, repaid or repurchased at the time of such determination, the redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be the book value of such Disqualified Stock as reflected in the most recent financial statements of such Person.

“Dollar-Denominated Production Payments” means production payment obligations recorded as liabilities in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

“Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).

“Equity Offering” means a public or private offering for cash by the Company of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock), other than public offerings registered on Form S-8.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

“Exchange Notes” means Notes issued in exchange for Notes or Additional Notes pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement.

“Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset or property, the sale value that would be obtained in an arm’s-length free market transaction between an informed and willing seller under no compulsion to sell and an informed and willing buyer under no compulsion to buy. Fair Market Value of an asset or property in excess of $15.0 million shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company acting in good faith, whose determination shall be conclusive and evidenced by a resolution of such Board of Directors, and any lesser Fair Market Value may be determined by an officer of the Company acting in good faith.

“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

 

64

---

Table of Contents

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time. All ratios and computations based on GAAP contained in the Indenture will be computed in conformity with GAAP. At any time after the Issue Date, the Company may elect to apply IFRS accounting principles in lieu of GAAP and, upon any such election, references herein to GAAP shall thereafter be construed to mean IFRS (except as otherwise provided in the Indenture); provided that any such election, once made, shall be irrevocable; provided, further, any calculation or determination in the Indenture that requires the application of GAAP for periods that include fiscal quarters ended prior to the Company’s election to apply IFRS shall remain as previously calculated or determined in accordance with GAAP. The Company shall give notice of any such election made in accordance with this definition to the Trustee and the holders of Notes.

“Guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:

 

(1)

to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or

 

(2)

entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part);

provided, however, that the term “Guarantee” will not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or any obligation to the extent it is payable only in Capital Stock of the Guarantor that is not Disqualified Stock. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

“Guarantor Subordinated Obligation” means, with respect to a Subsidiary Guarantor, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred) which is expressly subordinate in right of payment to the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to a written agreement.

“Hedging Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate Agreement, Currency Agreement or Commodity Agreement.

“holder” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered on the registrar’s books.

“Hydrocarbons” means oil, natural gas, casing head gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all constituents, elements or compounds thereof and products refined or processed therefrom.

“Immaterial Subsidiary” means, as of any date, any Restricted Subsidiary whose total assets, as of the end of the most recent month for which financial statements are available, are less than $1,000,000 and whose total revenues for the most recent 12-month period for which financial statements are available do not exceed $1,000,000; provided that a Restricted Subsidiary will not be considered to be an Immaterial Subsidiary if it, directly or indirectly, Guarantees or otherwise provides direct credit support for any Indebtedness of the Company.

“Incur” means issue, create, assume, Guarantee, incur or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable for, contingently or otherwise; provided, however, that any Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) will be deemed to be Incurred by such Restricted Subsidiary at the time it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; and the terms “Incurred” and “Incurrence” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

65

---

Table of Contents

“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without duplication, whether or not contingent):

 

(1)

the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money;

 

(2)

the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;

 

(3)

the principal component of all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments (including reimbursement obligations with respect thereto except to the extent such reimbursement obligation relates to a trade payable, to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such obligation is satisfied within 30 days of payment on the letter of credit);

 

(4)

the principal component of all obligations of such Person (other than obligations payable solely in Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Stock) to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property (except as described in clause (8) of the penultimate paragraph of this definition of “Indebtedness”), which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing such property in service or taking delivery and title thereto to the extent such obligations would appear as a liabilities upon the consolidated balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(5)

Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person to the extent such Capitalized Lease Obligations would appear as liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(6)

the principal component or liquidation preference of all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock or, with respect to any Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, any Preferred Stock (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends);

 

(7)

the principal component of all Indebtedness of other Persons secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person; provided, however, that the amount of such Indebtedness will be the lesser of (a) the Fair Market Value of such asset at such date of determination and (b) the amount of such Indebtedness of such other Persons;

 

(8)

the principal component of Indebtedness of other Persons to the extent Guaranteed by such Person; and

 

(9)

to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, net obligations of such Person under Commodity Agreements, Currency Agreements and Interest Rate Agreements (the amount of any such obligations to be equal at any time to the termination value of such agreement or arrangement giving rise to such obligation that would be payable by such Person at such time);

provided, however, that any indebtedness which has been defeased in accordance with GAAP or defeased pursuant to the deposit of cash or Cash Equivalents (in an amount sufficient to satisfy all such indebtedness obligations at maturity or redemption, as applicable, and all payments of interest and premium, if any) in a trust or account created or pledged for the sole benefit of the holders of such indebtedness, and subject to no other Liens, shall not constitute “Indebtedness.”

The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date will be the outstanding balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above and the maximum liability, upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation, of any contingent obligations at such date.

Notwithstanding the preceding, “Indebtedness” shall not include:

 

(1)

Production Payments and Reserve Sales;

 

(2)

any obligation of a Person 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

 

66

---

Table of Contents

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;

 

(3)

any obligations under Currency Agreements, Commodity Agreements and Interest Rate Agreements; provided that such Agreements are entered into for bona fide hedging purposes of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors or senior management of the Company, whether or not accounted for as a hedge in accordance with GAAP) and, in the case of Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements, such Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements are related to business transactions of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business and, in the case of Interest Rate Agreements, such Interest Rate Agreements substantially correspond in terms of notional amount, duration and interest rates, as applicable, to Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurred without violation of the Indenture;

 

(4)

any obligation arising from agreements of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary providing for indemnification, Guarantees, adjustment of purchase price, holdbacks, contingency payment obligations or similar obligations (other than Guarantees of Indebtedness), in each case, Incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business, assets or Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary, provided that such Indebtedness is not reflected on the face of the balance sheet of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(5)

any obligation arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business, provided that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five business days of Incurrence;

 

(6)

in-kind obligations relating to net oil or natural gas balancing positions arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

(7)

all contracts and other obligations, agreements, instruments or arrangements described in clauses (20), (21), (29)(a) or (30) of the definition of “Permitted Liens”; and

 

(8)

accrued expenses and trade payables and other accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business that are not overdue by 90 days past the invoice or billing date or more or are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted;

In addition, “Indebtedness” of any Person shall include Indebtedness described in the first paragraph of this definition of “Indebtedness” that would not appear as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person if:

 

(1)

such Indebtedness is the obligation of a partnership or joint venture that is not a Restricted Subsidiary (a “Joint Venture”);

 

(2)

such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner of the Joint Venture or otherwise liable for all or a portion of the Joint Venture’s liabilities (a “General Partner”); and

 

(3)

there is recourse, by contract or operation of law, with respect to the payment of such Indebtedness to property or assets of such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person; and then such Indebtedness shall be included in an amount not to exceed:

 

(a)

the lesser of (i) the net assets of the General Partner and (ii) the amount of such obligations to the extent that there is recourse, by contract or operation of law, to the property or assets of such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person; or

 

(b)

if less than the amount determined pursuant to clause (a) immediately above, the actual amount of such Indebtedness that is recourse to such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person, if the Indebtedness is evidenced by a writing and is for a determinable amount and the related interest expense shall be included in Consolidated Interest Expense to the extent actually paid by such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

67

---

Table of Contents

“Interest Rate Agreement” means with respect to any Person any interest rate protection agreement, interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedge agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement as to which such Person is party or a beneficiary.

“Investment” means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of any direct or indirect advance, loan or other extensions of credit (including by way of Guarantee or similar arrangement, but excluding any debt or extension of credit represented by a bank deposit other than a time deposit and advances or extensions of credit to customers in the ordinary course of business) or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other property to others or any payment for property or services for the account or use of others), or any purchase or acquisition of Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other similar instruments (excluding any interest in a crude oil or natural gas leasehold to the extent constituting a security under applicable law) issued by, such other Person and all other items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP; provided that none of the following will be deemed to be an Investment:

 

(1)

Hedging Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business and in compliance with the Indenture;

 

(2)

endorsements of negotiable instruments and documents in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(3)

an acquisition of assets, Capital Stock or other securities by the Company or a Subsidiary for consideration to the extent such consideration consists of Common Stock of the Company.

The amount of any Investment shall not be adjusted for increases or decreases in value, write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to such Investment.

For purposes of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” and the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments,”

 

(1)

“Investment” will include the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in a Restricted Subsidiary to be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Restricted Subsidiary at the time that such Restricted Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Company will be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to

 

(a)

the Company’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation less

 

(b)

the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time that such Subsidiary is so redesignated a Restricted Subsidiary; and

 

(2)

any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer.

“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than:

 

(1)

Baa3 (or the equivalent) with a stable or better outlook by Moody’s; and

 

(2)

BBB- (or the equivalent) with a stable or better outlook by S&P,

or, if either such entity ceases to rate the Notes for reasons outside of the Company’s control, the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any other Rating Agency.

“Investment Grade Rating Event” means the first day on which the Notes have an Investment Grade Rating from each Rating Agency and no Default has occurred and is then continuing under the Indenture.

 

68

---

Table of Contents

“Issue Date” means the first date on which the Notes were issued under the Indenture.

“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien (statutory or otherwise), pledge, hypothecation, charge, security interest, preference, priority or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction; provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to constitute a Lien.

“Minority Interest” means the percentage interest represented by any shares of any class of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that are not owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.

“Net Available Cash” from an Asset Disposition means cash payments received (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise and net proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any securities received as consideration, but only as and when received, but excluding any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other obligations relating to the properties or assets that are the subject of such Asset Disposition or received in any other non-cash form) therefrom, in each case net of:

 

(1)

all legal, accounting, investment banking, title and recording tax expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses Incurred, and all federal, state, provincial, foreign and local taxes required to be paid or accrued as a liability under GAAP (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing agreements), as a consequence of such Asset Disposition;

 

(2)

all payments made on any Indebtedness or Hedging Obligation which is secured by any assets subject to such Asset Disposition, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon such assets, or which must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Asset Disposition, or by applicable law be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Disposition;

 

(3)

all distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest holders in Subsidiaries or joint ventures or to holders of royalty or similar interests as a result of such Asset Disposition;

 

(4)

the deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the seller as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with the assets disposed of in such Asset Disposition and retained by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary after such Asset Disposition; and

 

(5)

all relocation expenses incurred as a result thereof and all related severance and associated costs, expenses and charges of personnel related to assets and related operations disposed of.

“Net Cash Proceeds,” with respect to any issuance or sale of Capital Stock or any contribution to equity capital, means the cash proceeds of such issuance, sale or contribution net of attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, underwriters’ or placement agents’ fees, listing fees, discounts or commissions and brokerage, consultant and other fees and charges actually Incurred in connection with such issuance, sale or contribution and net of taxes paid or payable as a result of such issuance or sale (after taking into account any available tax credit or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements).

“Net Working Capital” means (a) the sum of (i) all current assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, except current assets from commodity price risk management activities arising in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business, plus (ii) the amount of revolving credit borrowings available to be Incurred under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, less (b) all current liabilities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, except current liabilities (i) associated with asset retirement obligations relating to Oil and Gas Properties, (ii) included in Indebtedness and (iii) any current liabilities from commodity price risk management activities arising in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business, in each case as set forth in the consolidated financial statements of the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

69

---

Table of Contents

“Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness of a Person:

 

(1)

as to which neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary (a) provides any Guarantee or credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, guarantee, indemnity, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness) or (b) is directly or indirectly liable (as a guarantor or otherwise);

 

(2)

no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders thereof may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any holder of any other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to declare a default under such other Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity; and

 

(3)

the explicit terms of which provide there is no recourse against any of the assets of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries.

“Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company. Officer of any Subsidiary Guarantor has a correlative meaning.

“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers of the Company.

“Oil and Gas Business” means:

 

(1)

the business of acquiring, exploring, exploiting, developing, producing, operating and disposing of interests in oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas and other Hydrocarbon and mineral properties or products produced in association with any of the foregoing;

 

(2)

the business of gathering, marketing, distributing, treating, processing, storing, refining, selling and transporting of any production from such interests or properties and products produced in association therewith and the marketing of oil, natural gas, other Hydrocarbons and minerals obtained from unrelated Persons;

 

(3)

any other related energy business, including power generation and electrical transmission business, directly or indirectly, from oil, natural gas and other Hydrocarbons and minerals produced substantially from properties in which the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, participates;

 

(4)

any business relating to oil field sales and service; and

 

(5)

any business or activity relating to, arising from, or necessary, appropriate or incidental to the activities described in the foregoing clauses (1) through (4) of this definition.

“Oil and Gas Properties” means all properties, including equity or other ownership interests therein, owned by a Person which contain or are believed to contain Hydrocarbons.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or the Trustee.

“Pari Passu Indebtedness” means Indebtedness that ranks equally in right of payment to the Notes.

“Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (or Disqualified Stock) of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent such Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock was Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock:

 

(1)

of an acquired Person prior to the date on which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of having been acquired and not Incurred in contemplation of such acquisition; or

 

70

---

Table of Contents

(2)

of a Person that was merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary that was not Incurred in contemplation of such merger, consolidation or amalgamation; provided that on the date such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or the date such Person was merged, consolidated and amalgamated with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, after giving pro forma effect thereto,

 

(a)

the Restricted Subsidiary or the Company, as applicable, would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Consolidated Coverage Ratio test described under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock,” or

 

(b)

the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for the Company would be greater than the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for the Company immediately prior to such transaction.

“Permitted Business Investment” means any Investment made in the ordinary course of, and of a nature that is or shall have become customary in, the Oil and Gas Business including investments or expenditures for actively exploiting, exploring for, acquiring, developing, producing, processing, gathering, marketing or transporting oil, natural gas or other Hydrocarbons and minerals through agreements, transactions, interests or arrangements which permit one to share risks or costs, comply with regulatory requirements regarding local ownership or satisfy other objectives customarily achieved through the conduct of the Oil and Gas Business jointly with third parties including:

 

(1)

ownership interests in oil, natural gas, other Hydrocarbons and minerals properties, liquefied natural gas facilities, processing facilities, gathering systems, pipelines, storage facilities or related systems or ancillary real property interests;

 

(2)

Investments in the form of or pursuant to operating agreements, working interests, royalty interests, mineral leases, processing agreements, farm-in agreements, farm-out agreements, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil, natural gas, other Hydrocarbons and minerals, production sharing agreements, participation agreements, development agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, unitization agreements, pooling agreements, joint bidding agreements, service contracts, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements (whether general or limited), subscription agreements, stock purchase agreements, stockholder agreements and other similar agreements (including for limited liability companies) with third parties (including Unrestricted Subsidiaries); and

 

(3)

direct or indirect ownership interests in drilling rigs and related equipment, including, without limitation, transportation equipment.

“Permitted Investment” means an Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in:

 

(1)

the Company, a Restricted Subsidiary or a Person which will, upon the making of such Investment, become a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that the primary business of such Restricted Subsidiary is the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(2)

another Person whose primary business is the Oil and Gas Business if as a result of such Investment such other Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all its assets to, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and, in each case, any Investment held by such Person; provided that such Investment was not acquired by such Person in contemplation of such acquisition, merger, consolidation or transfer;

 

(3)

cash and Cash Equivalents;

 

(4)

receivables owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms; provided, however, that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances;

 

71

---

Table of Contents

(5)

payroll, commission, travel, relocation and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at the time of such advances ultimately to be treated as expenses for accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(6)

loans or advances to employees made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(7)

Capital Stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts (x) created in the ordinary course of business and owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or in satisfaction of judgments or (y) pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement in a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding;

 

(8)

Investments made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Disposition that was made pursuant to and in compliance with the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock”;

 

(9)

Investments in existence on the Issue Date;

 

(10)

Commodity Agreements, Currency Agreements, Interest Rate Agreements and related Hedging Obligations, which transactions or obligations are Incurred in compliance with “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”;

 

(11)

Guarantees issued in accordance with the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants— Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”;

 

(12)

Permitted Business Investments;

 

(13)

any Person where such Investment was acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable or (b) as a result of a foreclosure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default;

 

(14)

any Person to the extent such Investments consist of prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and workers’ compensation, performance and other similar deposits made in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(15)

Guarantees of performance or other obligations (other than Indebtedness) arising in the ordinary course in the Oil and Gas Business, including obligations under oil and natural gas exploration, development, joint operating, and related agreements and licenses, concessions or operating leases related to the Oil and Gas Business; and

 

(16)

Investments by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, together with all other Investments pursuant to this clause (16), in an aggregate amount outstanding at the time of such Investment not to exceed $25.0 million (with the Fair Market Value of such Investment being measured at the time such Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value).

“Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person:

 

(1)

Liens securing Indebtedness and other obligations under, and related Hedging Obligations and Liens on assets of Restricted Subsidiaries securing Guarantees of Indebtedness and other obligations of the Company under, any Credit Facility permitted to be Incurred under the Indenture under the provisions described in clause (1) of the second paragraph under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”;

 

(2)

pledges or deposits by such Person under workers’ compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws, social security or old age pension laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a

 

72

---

Table of Contents

party, or deposits (which may be secured by a Lien) to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person including letters of credit and bank guarantees required or requested by the United States, any State thereof or any foreign government or any subdivision, department, agency, organization or instrumentality of any of the foregoing in connection with any contract or statute (including lessee or operator obligations under statutes, governmental regulations, contracts or instruments related to the ownership, exploration and production of oil, natural gas, other hydrocarbons and minerals on State, Federal or foreign lands or waters), or deposits of cash or United States government bonds to secure indemnity performance, surety or appeal bonds or other similar bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import or customs duties or for the payment of rent, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(3)

statutory and contractual Liens of landlords and Liens imposed by law, including carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s and repairmen’s Liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings if a reserve or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made in respect thereof;

 

(4)

Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or claims not yet subject to penalties for nonpayment or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; provided that appropriate reserves, if any, required pursuant to GAAP have been made in respect thereof;

 

(5)

Liens in favor of issuers of surety or performance bonds or bankers’ acceptances issued pursuant to the request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary course of its business;

 

(6)

survey exceptions, encumbrances, ground leases, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights of way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning, building codes or other restrictions (including, without limitation, minor defects or irregularities in title and similar encumbrances) as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of the assets of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;

 

(7)

Liens securing Hedging Obligations so long as the related Indebtedness, if any, is, and is permitted to be under the Indenture, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Obligation;

 

(8)

leases, licenses, subleases and sublicenses of assets (including, without limitation, real property and intellectual property rights) which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

(9)

prejudgment Liens and judgment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default;

 

(10)

Liens for the purpose of securing the payment of all or a part of the purchase price of, or Capitalized Lease Obligations incurred under clause (4) or (7) of the second paragraph under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”, purchase money obligations or other payments Incurred to finance the acquisition, lease, improvement or construction of or repairs or additions to, assets or property acquired or constructed in the ordinary course of business; provided that:

 

(a)

the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens is otherwise permitted to be Incurred under the Indenture and does not exceed the cost of the assets or property so acquired or constructed; and

 

(b)

such Liens are created within 180 days of the later of the acquisition, lease, completion of improvements, construction, repairs or additions or commencement of full operation of the assets or property subject to such Lien and do not encumber any other assets or property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than such assets or property and assets affixed or appurtenant thereto;

 

73

---

Table of Contents

(11)

Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provisions relating to banker’s Liens, rights of setoff or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a depositary institution; provided that:

 

(a)

such deposit account is not a dedicated cash collateral account and is not subject to restrictions against access by the Company in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board; and

 

(b)

such deposit account is not intended by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to provide collateral to the depository institution;

 

(12)

Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(13)

Liens existing on the Issue Date;

 

(14)

Liens on property or shares of Capital Stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Subsidiary; provided further, however, that any such Lien may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than assets or property affixed or appurtenant thereto);

 

(15)

Liens on property at the time the Company or any of its Subsidiaries acquired the property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition; provided further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than assets or property affixed or appurtenant thereto);

 

(16)

Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations of a Subsidiary owing to the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary;

 

(17)

Liens securing the Notes, Subsidiary Guarantees and other obligations under the Indenture;

 

(18)

Liens securing Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred to refinance Indebtedness that was previously so secured, provided that any such Lien is limited to all or part of the same property or assets (plus improvements, accessions, proceeds or dividends or distributions in respect thereof) that secured (or, under the written arrangements under which the original Lien arose, could secure) the Indebtedness being refinanced or is in respect of property or assets that is the security for a Permitted Lien hereunder;

 

(19)

any interest or title of a lessor under any Capitalized Lease Obligation or operating lease;

 

(20)

Liens in respect of Production Payments and Reserve Sales, which Liens shall be limited to the property that is the subject of such Production Payments and Reserve Sales;

 

(21)

Liens arising under oil and gas leases or subleases, assignments, farm-out agreements, farm-in agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, purchase, exchange, transportation, gathering or processing of Hydrocarbons, unitizations and pooling designations, declarations, orders and agreements, development agreements, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements, operating agreements, royalties, working interests, net profits interests, joint interest billing arrangements, participation agreements, production sales contracts, area of mutual interest agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or geophysical permits or agreements, licenses, sublicenses and other agreements which are customary in the Oil and Gas Business; provided, however, in all instances that such Liens are limited to the assets that are the subject of the relevant agreement, program, order or contract;

 

(22)

Liens on pipelines or pipeline facilities that arise by operation of law;

 

74

---

Table of Contents

(23)

Liens securing Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any one time, added together with all other Indebtedness secured by Liens Incurred pursuant to this clause (23), not to exceed the greater of $10.0 million and 1.0% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, as determined on the date of Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving pro forma effect to such Incurrence and the application of the proceeds therefrom;

 

(24)

Liens in favor of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

(25)

deposits made in the ordinary course of business to secure liability to insurance carriers;

 

(26)

Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;

 

(27)

Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements permitted under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”; provided that such Liens do not extend to any assets other than those that are the subject of such repurchase agreement;

 

(28)

Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

 

(29)

any (a) interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease, liens reserved in oil, gas or other Hydrocarbons, minerals, leases for bonus, royalty or rental payments and for compliance with the terms of such leases; (b) restriction or encumbrance that the interest or title of such lessor or sublessor may be subject to (including, without limitation, ground leases or other prior leases of the demised premises, mortgages, mechanics’ liens, tax liens, and easements); or (c) subordination of the interest of the lessee or sublessee under such lease to any restrictions or encumbrance referred to in the preceding clause (b);

 

(30)

Liens upon specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;

 

(31)

Liens arising under the Indenture in favor of the Trustee for its own benefit and similar Liens in favor of other trustees, agents and representatives arising under instruments governing Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred under the Indenture, provided, however, that such Liens are solely for the benefit of the trustees, agents or representatives in their capacities as such and not for the benefit of the holders of such Indebtedness;

 

(32)

Liens arising from the deposit of funds or securities in trust for the purpose of decreasing or defeasing Indebtedness so long as such deposit of funds or securities and such decreasing or defeasing of Indebtedness are permitted under the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments”;

 

(33)

Liens securing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (9) of the second paragraph under the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”; provided that such Liens extend only to the assets of Foreign Subsidiaries; and

 

(34)

Liens in favor of collecting or payer banks having a right of setoff, revocation, or charge back with respect to money or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company on deposit with or in possession of such bank.

In each case set forth above, notwithstanding any stated limitation on the assets that may be subject to such Lien, a Permitted Lien on a specified asset or group or type of assets may include Liens on all improvements, additions and accessions thereto and all products and proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof).

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.

 

75

---

Table of Contents

“Preferred Stock,” as applied to the Capital Stock of any corporation, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such corporation.

“Production Payments and Reserve Sales” means the grant or transfer by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to any Person of a royalty, overriding royalty, net profits interest, production payment (whether volumetric or dollar-denominated), partnership or other interest in Oil and Gas Properties, reserves or the right to receive all or a portion of the production or the proceeds from the sale of production attributable to such properties where the holder of such interest has recourse solely to such production or proceeds of production, subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to operate and maintain, or cause the subject interests to be operated and maintained, in a reasonably prudent manner or other customary standard or subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to indemnify for environmental, title or other matters customary in the Oil and Gas Business, including any such grants or transfers pursuant to incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists or other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.

“Rating Agency” means each of S&P and Moody’s, or if S&P or Moody’s or both shall not make a rating on the Notes publicly available, a nationally recognized statistical rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors) which shall be substituted for S&P or Moody’s, or both, as the case may be.

“Refinancing Indebtedness” means Indebtedness that is Incurred to refund, refinance, replace, exchange, renew, repay, extend, prepay, redeem or retire (including pursuant to any defeasance or discharge mechanism) (collectively, “refinance,” “refinances” and “refinanced” shall have correlative meanings) any Indebtedness (including Indebtedness of the Company that refinances Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary and Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of another Restricted Subsidiary, but excluding Indebtedness of a Subsidiary that is not a Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), including Indebtedness that refinances Refinancing Indebtedness, provided, however, that:

 

(1)

(a) if the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being Refinanced is earlier than the Stated Maturity of the Notes, the Refinancing Indebtedness has a Stated Maturity no earlier than the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being refinanced or (b) if the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being refinanced is later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes, the Refinancing Indebtedness has a Stated Maturity at least 91 days later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes;

 

(2)

the Refinancing Indebtedness has an Average Life at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is incurred that is equal to or greater than the Average Life of the Indebtedness being refinanced;

 

(3)

such Refinancing Indebtedness is incurred in an aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, an aggregate issue price) that is equal to or less than the sum of the aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, the aggregate accreted value) then outstanding of the Indebtedness being refinanced (plus, without duplication, any additional Indebtedness Incurred to pay interest, premiums or defeasance costs required by the instruments governing such existing Indebtedness and fees and expenses Incurred in connection therewith); and

 

(4)

if the Indebtedness being Refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee, such Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee on terms at least as favorable to the holders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being Refinanced.

“Registration Rights Agreement” means that certain registration rights agreement dated as of the date of the Indenture by and among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the initial purchasers named therein.

 

76

---

Table of Contents

“Reporting Failure” means the failure of the Company to file with the SEC and make available or otherwise deliver to the Trustee and each holder of Notes, within the time periods specified in “—Certain Covenants—Provision of Financial Information” (after giving effect to any grace period specified under Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act), the periodic reports, information, documents or other reports which the Company may be required to file with the SEC pursuant to such provision.

“Restricted Investment” means any Investment other than a Permitted Investment.

“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Rating Service, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.

“Sale/Leaseback Transaction” means an arrangement relating to property now owned or hereafter acquired whereby the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary transfers such property to a Person and the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary leases it from such Person.

“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Second Lien Term Loan” means the Amended and Restated Second Lien Term Loan Agreement dated as of April 9, 2009 among the Company, as Borrower, BNP Paribas, as Administrative Agent, Wells Fargo Energy Capital, Inc. as Syndication Agent, Unionbancal Equities, Inc., as Documentation Agent, and the lenders party thereto in an aggregate principal amount of $20.0 million as of the Issue Date.

“Senior Indebtedness” means any unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted to be incurred under the terms of this Indenture, unless the instrument under which such Indebtedness is incurred expressly provides that it is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding sentence, Senior Indebtedness will not include:

 

(a)

any intercompany Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to the Company or any of its Affiliates; or

 

(b)

any Indebtedness that is incurred in violation of this Indenture.

For the avoidance of doubt, “Senior Indebtedness” will not include any trade payables or taxes owed or owing by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

“Senior Secured Credit Agreement” means the Amended And Restated Senior Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of April 9, 2009 among the Company, as Borrower, BNP Paribas, as Administrative Agent, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Union Bank Of California, N.A., as Co-Syndication Agents, Compass Bank and Bank Of Montreal, as Co-Documentation Agents and the lenders parties thereto from time to time, any guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements, refundings or refinancings thereof and any indentures, notes, bonds debentures, credit facilities, commercial paper facilities or similar securities or instruments with banks or other institutional lenders or investors that replace, refund or refinance any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such replacement, refunding or refinancing facility or indenture that increases the amount borrowable thereunder or alters the maturity thereof (provided that such increase in borrowings is permitted under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” above).

“Significant Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a “Significant Subsidiary” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC, as in effect on the Issue Date.

 

77

---

Table of Contents

“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision, but shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.

“Subordinated Obligation” means any Indebtedness of the Company (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred) which is expressly subordinate in right of payment to the Notes pursuant to a written agreement.

“Subsidiary” of any Person means (a) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity) of which more than 50% of the total ordinary voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof (or Persons performing similar functions) or (b) any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity of which more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general or limited partnership interests, as applicable, is, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (1) such Person, (2) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (3) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person. Unless otherwise specified herein, each reference to a Subsidiary (other than in this definition) will refer to a Subsidiary of the Company.

“Subsidiary Guarantee” means, individually, any Guarantee of payment of the Notes by a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to the terms of the Indenture and any supplemental indenture thereto, and, collectively, all such Guarantees. Each such Subsidiary Guarantee will be in the form prescribed by the Indenture.

“Subsidiary Guarantors” means any Subsidiary of the Company that is a guarantor of the Notes, including any Person that is required after the Issue Date to guarantee the Notes pursuant to the “Future Subsidiary Guarantors” covenant, in each case until a successor replaces such Person pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture and, thereafter, means such successor.

“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means:

 

(1)

any Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of the Company in the manner provided below; and

 

(2)

any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Subsidiary of the Company (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary or a Person becoming a Subsidiary through merger or consolidation or Investment therein) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary only if:

 

(1)

such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries does not own any Capital Stock or Indebtedness of or have any Investment in, or own or hold any Lien on any property of, any other Subsidiary of the Company which is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated or otherwise an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)

all the Indebtedness of such Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries shall, at the date of designation, and will at all times thereafter, consist of Non-Recourse Debt;

 

(3)

on the date of such designation, such designation and the Investment of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in such Subsidiary complies with “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments”;

 

(4)

such Subsidiary is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation

 

(a)

to subscribe for additional Capital Stock of such Person;

 

(b)

to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and

 

78

---

Table of Contents

(5)

such Subsidiary, either alone or in the aggregate with all other Unrestricted Subsidiaries, does not operate, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries; and

 

(6)

on the date such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary, such Subsidiary is not a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with terms substantially less favorable to the Company than those that might have been obtained from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company.

Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complies with the foregoing conditions. If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the foregoing requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it shall thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the Indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred as of such date.

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that immediately after giving effect to such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof and the Company could Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the first paragraph of the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” on a pro forma basis taking into account such designation.

“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities that are (a) direct obligations of the United States of America for the timely payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (b) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of the United States of America, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act), as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligations or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such U.S. Government Obligations held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligations or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the U.S. Government Obligations evidenced by such depositary receipt.

“Volumetric Production Payments” means production payment obligations recorded as deferred revenue in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

“Voting Stock” of an entity means all classes of Capital Stock of such entity then outstanding and normally entitled to vote in the election of members of such entity’s Board of Directors.

“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means a Restricted Subsidiary, all of the Capital Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) is owned by the Company or another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

 

79

---

Table of Contents

BOOK-ENTRY; DELIVERY AND FORM

The private notes are represented by, and the exchange notes will be represented by, one or more permanent global notes in definitive, fully registered form without interest coupons and will be deposited with the Trustee as custodian for, and registered in the name of a nominee of, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).

Ownership of beneficial interests in each global note will be limited to persons who have accounts with DTC, which are called DTC participants, or persons who hold interests through DTC participants. We expect that under procedures established by DTC:

 

•

upon deposit of each global note with DTC’s custodian, shown on, and transfer of principal amount of the global notes to the accounts of the DTC participants designated by the initial purchasers; and

 

•

ownership of beneficial interests in each global note will be shown on, and transfer of ownership of those interests will be effected only through, records, maintained by DTC (with respect to interests of DTC participants) and the records of DTC participants (with respect to other owners of beneficial interests in the global note.

Exchanges Among the Global Notes

Transfers involving exchanges of beneficial interests between global notes will be effected in DTC by means of an instruction originated by the applicable Trustee through DTC’s Deposit/Withdraw at Custodian system. Accordingly, in connection with any such transfer, appropriate adjustments will be made to reflect a decrease in the principal amount of a global note and a corresponding increase in the principal amount of another global note. Any beneficial interest in one of the global notes that is transferred to a person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in the other global note will, upon transfer, cease to be an interest in such global note and will become an interest in the other global note and, accordingly, will thereafter be subject to all transfer restrictions and other procedures applicable to beneficial interest in such other global note for so long as it remains such an interest.

Book-Entry Procedures for the Global Notes

All interests in the global notes will be subject to the operations and procedures of DTC. We provide the following summaries of those operations and procedures solely for the convenience of investors. The operations and procedures of each settlement system are controlled by that settlement system and may be changed at any time. Neither we nor the initial purchasers are responsible for those operations or procedures.

DTC has advised us that it is:

 

•

a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York;

 

•

a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York State Banking Law;

 

•

a member of the Federal Reserve System;

 

•

a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code; and

 

•

a “clearing agency” registered under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

DTC was created to hold securities its participants and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between its participants through electronic book-entry changes to the accounts of its participants. DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers; banks and trust companies; clearing corporations and other organizations. Indirect access to DTC’s system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies; these indirect participants clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC participant, either directly or indirectly. Investors who are not DTC participants may beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only through DTC participants or indirect participants in DTC.

 

80

---

Table of Contents

Investors in the global notes who are participants in DTC’s system may hold their interests therein directly through DTC. Investors in the global notes who are not participants may hold their interests therein indirectly through organizations which are participants in such system, including the Euroclear System or Clearstream Banking, S.A. (as indirect participants in DTC). All interests in a global note, including those held through Euroclear or Clearstream, may be subject to the procedures and requirements of DTC. Those interests held through Euroclear or Clearstream may also be subject to the procedures and requirements of such systems.

So long as DTC’s nominee is the registered owner of a global note, that nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of the notes represented by that global note for all purposes under the indenture. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in a global note:

 

•

will not be entitled to have notes represented by the global note registered in their names;

 

•

will not receive or be entitled to receive physical, certificated notes; and

 

•

will not be considered the owners or holders of the notes under the indenture for any purpose, including with respect to the giving of any direction, instruction or approval to the Trustee under the indenture.

As a result, each investor who owns a beneficial interest in a global note must rely on the procedures of DTC to exercise any rights of a holder of notes under the indenture (and, if the investor is not a participant or an indirect participant in DTC, on the procedures of the DTC participant through which the investor owns its interest).

Payments of principal, premium (if any) and interest with respect to the notes represented by a global note will be made by the Trustee to DTC’s nominee as the registered holder of the global note. Neither we nor the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for the payment of amounts to owners of beneficial interests in a global note, for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of those interests by DTC, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of DTC relating to those interests.

Payments by participants and indirect participants in DTC to the owners of beneficial interests in a global note will be governed by standing instructions and customary industry practice and will be the responsibility of those participants or indirect participants and DTC.

Cross-market transfers between the participants in DTC, on the one hand, and Euroclear or Clearstream participants, oil the other hand, will be effected through DTC in accordance with DTC’s rules on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by its respective depositary; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by the counterparty in such system in accordance with the rules and procedures and within the established deadlines (Brussels time) of such system. Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its respective depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving interests in the relevant global note to DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Euroclear participants and Clearstream participants may not deliver instructions directly to the depositories for Euroclear or Clearstream.

Transfers between participants in DTC will be effected under DTC’s procedures and will be settled in same-day funds. Transfers between participants in Euroclear or Clearstream will be effected in the ordinary way under the rules and operating procedures of those systems.

DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream have agreed to the above procedures to facilitate transfers of interests in the global notes among participants in their respective settlement systems. However, DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream are not obligated to perform these procedures and may discontinue or change these procedures at any time. Neither we nor the Trustee will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC. Euroclear or Clearstream or their respective participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their respective operations.

 

81

---

Table of Contents

Certificated Notes

Notes in physical, certificated form will be issued and delivered to each person that DTC identifies as a beneficial owner of the related notes only if:

 

•

DTC notifies us at any time that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the global notes and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days;

 

•

DTC ceases to be registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days;

 

•

we, at our option, notify the Trustee that we elect to cause the issuance of certificated notes; or certain other events provided in the indenture should occur.

 

82

---

Table of Contents

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

The following general discussion summarizes certain U.S. federal income tax considerations of the exchange of private notes for exchange notes pursuant to the exchange offer and the ownership and disposition of exchange notes, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all potential tax effects. This discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended (“Code”), regulations of the Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) rulings and pronouncements, and judicial decisions now in effect, all of which are subject to change (possibly on a retroactive basis). We have not and will not seek any rulings from the IRS regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not take positions concerning the tax consequences of the exchange of private notes for exchange notes pursuant to the exchange offer or the ownership or disposition of the exchange notes which are different from those discussed below.

This discussion is a summary for general information only and does not consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to the exchange of private notes for exchange notes pursuant to the exchange offer or the ownership and disposition of exchange notes. In addition, this discussion is limited to the U.S. federal income tax consequences to holders who hold the notes as capital assets (generally, property held for investment). It does not describe any tax consequences arising under the tax laws of any state, local or foreign jurisdiction, any estate or gift tax consequences or the U.S. federal income tax consequences to investors subject to special treatment under the U.S. federal income tax laws, such as:

 

•

dealers in securities or foreign currency;

 

•

tax-exempt entities;

 

•

banks and other financial institutions;

 

•

thrifts;

 

•

regulated investment companies;

 

•

real estate investment trusts;

 

•

traders in securities that have elected the mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities;

 

•

insurance companies;

 

•

persons that hold notes as part of a “straddle,” a “hedge” or a “conversion transaction” or other risk reduction transaction;

 

•

persons liable for alternative minimum tax;

 

•

expatriates;

 

•

U.S. holders (defined below) that have a “functional currency” other than the U.S. dollar;

 

•

pass-through entities (e.g., partnerships) or investors who hold the notes through pass-through entities;

 

•

passive foreign investment companies; and

 

•

controlled foreign corporations.

If a partnership, including any entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is a beneficial owner of notes, the treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership that is considering exchanging, owning or disposing of notes, you should consult with your tax advisor.

 

83

---

Table of Contents

Consequences of the Exchange

The exchange of the private notes for the exchange notes in the exchange offer will not be treated as an “exchange” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, because the exchange notes will not be considered to differ materially in kind or extent from the private notes. Accordingly, the exchange of private notes for exchange notes will not be a taxable event to holders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Moreover, the exchange notes will have the same tax attributes as the private notes exchanged therefor and, subject to the discussion below, the same tax consequences to holders as the private notes have to holders, including the same issue price, adjusted tax basis and holding period.

Consequences Relating to the Exchange Notes

In certain circumstances (see “Description of the Exchange Notes—Optional Redemption” and “Description of the Exchange Notes—Change of Control”) we may be obligated to pay amounts in excess of stated interest or principal on the exchange notes. We intend to take the position that the exchange notes should not be treated as contingent payment debt instruments because of the possibility of such additional payments. This position is based in part on assumptions regarding the likelihood, as of the issue date of the private notes, that such additional payments will not have to be paid. Assuming such position is respected, a holder generally would not be required to include any income in respect of the foregoing contingencies unless and until any of such contingencies occurred. Our position is binding on a holder unless the holder explicitly discloses on its U.S. federal income tax return that it is taking a contrary position. Our position is not, however, binding on the IRS, and if the IRS were to challenge this determination, a holder might be required to accrue income on its notes in excess of stated interest, and to treat as ordinary income any income realized on the taxable disposition of an exchange note before the resolution of the contingencies. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application to the exchange notes of the contingent payment debt instrument rules and the consequences thereof. The remainder of the discussion assumes the exchange notes will not be treated as contingent payment debt instruments.

U.S. Holders

As used in this discussion, a “U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of exchange notes that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is:

 

•

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

•

a corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

•

an estate if its income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

•

a trust if a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or a trust that was in existence on August 20, 1996, was treated as a U.S. person prior to such date and has validly elected to continue to be treated as a domestic trust.

Interest

The private notes were not, and the exchange notes will not be, treated as issued with original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Stated interest on the exchange notes is generally taxable to you as ordinary income:

 

•

when it accrues, if you use the accrual method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes; or

 

•

when you receive it, if you use the cash method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

84

---

Table of Contents

Sale or Other Taxable Disposition

Upon the sale, taxable exchange, redemption, retirement or other taxable disposition of exchange notes, subject to the market discount rules discussed below under “—Market Discount,” you will generally recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between:

 

•

the amount of cash proceeds and the fair market value of any property received on such disposition (less any amount attributable to accrued and unpaid stated interest on the exchange notes that you have not previously included in income, which will generally be taxable as ordinary income); and

 

•

your adjusted tax basis in the exchange notes.

Your adjusted tax basis in an exchange note generally will equal your adjusted tax basis in the private note exchanged for the exchange note, increased by any accrued market discount included in income and decreased by any bond premium previously amortized. Subject to the treatment of a portion of any gain as ordinary income to the extent of any accrued market discount as described below under “—Market Discount,” any capital gain or loss recognized on the disposition of exchange notes will be long-term capital gain or loss if your holding period with respect to the exchange notes (which includes your holding period for the private notes exchanged for such exchange notes) is more than one year. For certain non-corporate holders, net long-term capital gain is currently subject to tax at a preferential rate. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

Market Discount

If a U.S. holder acquired a private note, or acquires an exchange note, at a cost less than its “stated redemption price at maturity,” the amount of such difference is treated as “market discount” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, unless such difference is less than 0.0025 multiplied by the stated redemption price at maturity and multiplied by the number of complete years to maturity (from the date of acquisition by such holder). The stated redemption price at maturity of a note will generally be the note’s principal amount.

Under the market discount rules of the Code, a U.S. holder is required to treat any partial payment of principal on a note with market discount, and any gain on the sale, taxable exchange, retirement or other disposition of such a note, as ordinary income to the extent of the accrued market discount that has not previously been included in income. If such note is disposed of by the U.S. holder in certain otherwise nontaxable transactions, accrued market discount must be included as ordinary income by the U.S. holder as if the holder had sold the note at its then–fair market value.

In general, the amount of market discount that has accrued is determined on a ratable basis. A U.S. holder may, however, elect to determine the amount of accrued market discount on a constant yield to maturity basis. This election is made on a note-by-note basis and is irrevocable.

With respect to notes with market discount, a U.S. holder may not be allowed to deduct immediately a portion of the interest expense on any indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or to carry the notes. A U.S. holder may elect to include market discount in income currently as it accrues, in which case the interest deferral rule set forth in the preceding sentence will not apply. This election will apply to all debt instruments acquired by the U.S. holder on or after the first day of the first taxable year to which the election applies and is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. A U.S. holder’s tax basis in a note will be increased by the amount of market discount included in the holder’s income under the election.

Amortizable Bond Premium

If a U.S. holder purchased a private note or acquires an exchange note for an amount in excess of the sum of all amounts payable on the note after the date of acquisition (other than payments of stated interest), the holder will be considered to have purchased such note with “amortizable bond premium” equal in amount to the excess. Generally, a U.S. holder may elect to amortize the premium as an offset to stated interest income, using a

 

85

---

Table of Contents

constant yield method similar to that described above, over the remaining term of the note. The exchange notes are subject to call provisions at our option at various times, as described under “Description of the Exchange Notes—Optional Redemption.” A U.S. holder will calculate the amount of amortizable bond premium based on the amount payable at the applicable call date, but only if use of the call date (in lieu of the stated maturity date) results in a smaller amortizable bond premium for the period ending on the call date. A U.S. holder who elects to amortize bond premium must reduce its tax basis in the note by the amount of the premium used to offset stated interest income as set forth above. An election to amortize bond premium applies to all taxable debt obligations held or subsequently acquired by the U.S. holder on or after the first day of the first taxable year to which the election applies and may be revoked only with the consent of the IRS.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Information reporting will generally apply to payments of interest on, or the proceeds of the sale or other disposition (including a retirement or redemption) of, exchange notes held by you, unless you are an exempt recipient. Backup withholding generally will apply to such payments unless you provide us or the appropriate intermediary with a taxpayer identification number and comply with certain certification procedures, or you otherwise establish an exemption from backup withholding. U.S. backup withholding tax is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and a refund may be obtained if the amounts withheld exceed your actual U.S. federal income tax liability and you timely provide the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.

Non-U.S. Holders

You are a “non-U.S. holder” for purposes of this discussion if you are a beneficial owner of exchange notes that is an individual, corporation, estate or trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes and you are not a U.S. holder.

Income and Withholding Tax on Payments on the Exchange Notes

Subject to the discussion of backup withholding below, you will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on payments of interest on an exchange note, provided that:

 

•

you are not:

 

•

an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our voting stock; or

 

•

a controlled foreign corporation related (directly or indirectly) to us through stock ownership;

 

•

such interest payments are not effectively connected with the conduct by you of a trade or business within the United States; and

 

•

we or our paying agent receives:

 

•

from you, a properly completed IRS Form W-8BEN (or substitute IRS Form W-8BEN or the appropriate successor form) signed under penalties of perjury, which provides your name and address and certifies that you are a non-U.S. holder; or

 

•

from a security clearing organization, bank or other financial institution that holds the exchange notes in the ordinary course of its trade or business (a “financial institution”) on behalf of you, certification under penalties of perjury that such an IRS Form W-8BEN (or substitute IRS Form W-8BEN or the appropriate successor form) has been received by it, or by another such financial institution, from you, and, in the case of certain financial institutions (including “non-qualified intermediaries”), a copy of the IRS Form W-8BEN (or substitute IRS Form W-8BEN or the appropriate successor form) must be attached to such certification.

 

86

---

Table of Contents

Special rules may apply to holders who hold exchange notes through “qualified intermediaries” within the meaning of U.S. federal income tax laws.

If interest on an exchange note is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States and, if you are entitled to benefits under an applicable tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or a fixed base maintained by you in the United States, then such income generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis at the rates applicable to U.S. persons generally (and, if you are a corporate holder, you may also be subject to a branch profits tax on your effectively connected earnings and profits attributable to such income at a rate of 30% or such lower rate as may be available under an applicable income tax treaty). If interest is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States, payments of such interest will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax so long as you provide us or our paying agent with a properly completed applicable IRS Form W-8, signed under penalties of perjury.

A non-U.S. holder that does not qualify for exemption from withholding under the preceding paragraphs generally will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) on payments of interest on the exchange notes.

NON-U.S. HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS ABOUT ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATIES, WHICH MAY PROVIDE FOR AN EXEMPTION FROM OR A LOWER RATE OF WITHHOLDING TAX, EXEMPTION FROM OR REDUCTION OF BRANCH PROFITS TAX, OR OTHER RULES DIFFERENT FROM THOSE DESCRIBED ABOVE.

Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Exchange Notes

Subject to the discussion of backup withholding below, any gain realized by you on the sale, taxable exchange, redemption, retirement or other taxable disposition of an exchange note generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax, unless:

 

•

such gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States and, if you are entitled to benefits under an applicable tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or a fixed base maintained by you in the United States;

 

•

in the case of an amount which is attributable to interest, you do not meet the conditions for exemption from U.S. federal income or withholding tax, as described above; or

 

•

you are an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the disposition and certain other conditions are satisfied.

If the first bullet point applies, you generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to such gain in the same manner as U.S. holders, as described above, unless an applicable income tax treaty provides otherwise. In addition, if you are a corporation, you may also be subject to the branch profits tax described above. If the third bullet point applies, you generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or at a reduced rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on the amount by which your capital gains from U.S. sources exceed capital losses (without taking into account any capital loss carryovers) allocable to U.S. sources.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Payments to you of interest on an exchange note, and amounts withheld from such payments, if any, generally will be required to be reported to the IRS and to you. U.S. backup withholding tax generally will not apply to payments of interest on an exchange note if you duly provide a certification as to your foreign status, or you otherwise establish an exemption, provided that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person.

 

87

---

Table of Contents

Payment of the proceeds on the sale or other disposition (including a retirement or redemption) of an exchange note by you effected by the U.S. office of a United States or foreign broker generally will be subject to information reporting requirements and backup withholding unless you properly certify under penalties of perjury as to your foreign status and certain other conditions are met, or you otherwise establish an exemption. Payments of the proceeds on the sale or other disposition (including a retirement or redemption) by you made to or through a foreign office of a broker will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding, except that information reporting (but generally not backup withholding) may apply to those payments if the broker is a U.S. person or has certain connections to the United States.

U.S. backup withholding tax is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules may be credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability and any excess may be refundable if the proper information is provided in a timely manner to the IRS.

THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF EXCHANGING PRIVATE NOTES FOR EXCHANGE NOTES PURSUANT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER AND OWNING AND DISPOSING OF THE EXCHANGE NOTES, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAWS.

 

88

---

Table of Contents

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such exchange notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of exchange notes received in exchange for private notes where such private notes were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. We have agreed that, starting on the expiration date and ending on the close of business 180 days after the expiration date, we will make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale.

We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of the exchange notes by brokers-dealers. Exchange notes received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the exchange offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of options on the exchange notes or a combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer and/or the purchasers of any such exchange notes. Any broker-dealer that resells exchange notes that were received by it for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a distribution of such exchange notes may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit of any such resale of exchange notes and any commissions or concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. The letter of transmittal states that by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act.

For such period of time as such broker-dealers subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act must comply with such requirements, from the date on which the exchange offer is consummated, we will promptly send additional copies of this prospectus and any amendment or supplement to this prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents in the letter of transmittal. We have agreed to pay all expenses incident to the exchange offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the holder of the securities) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers or dealers and will indemnify the holders of the securities (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

89

---

Table of Contents

VALIDITY OF THE SECURITIES

The validity of the exchange notes and the guarantees thereof will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, Houston, Texas.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference to Rosetta Resources, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 20, 2010 and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Rosetta Resources, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2009 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

Information with respect to estimates of oil and gas reserves associated with our oil and gas properties was prepared by us. Our reserves estimates were reviewed by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., independent consulting petroleum engineers, as stated in its review report with respect thereto. Such report is incorporated by reference herein upon the authority of said firm as experts with respect to the matters covered by such report and in giving such report.

 

90

---

Table of Contents

 

 

ROSETTA RESOURCES INC.

OFFER TO EXCHANGE

$200,000,000 principal amount of its 9.500% Senior Notes due 2018

which have been registered under the Securities Act,

for any and all of its outstanding 9.500% Senior Notes due 2018

 

 

                    , 2010

 

 

 

 

 

---

Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 20.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“Section 145”) permits indemnification of directors, officers, agents and controlling persons of a corporation under certain conditions and subject to certain limitations. Article X of our Certificate of Incorporation and Article VIII of our Bylaws provide for the indemnification of our directors, officers and other authorized representatives to the maximum extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. Section 145 empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer or agent of the corporation or another enterprise if serving at the request of the corporation. Depending on the character of the proceeding, a corporation may indemnify against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person indemnified acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. In the case of an action by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification may be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the court of chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine that despite the adjudication of liability such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper. Section 145 further provides that to the extent a director or officer of a corporation has been successful in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to above or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.

We currently carry directors and officers’ certain liability insurance and have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that provide for indemnification and expense advances to the fullest extent permitted under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

Delaware Limited Liability Company Guarantors

Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC, Rosetta Resources Holdings, LLC and Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC are organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. Under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, a limited liability company may, and shall have the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.

The limited liability company agreements of these subsidiary guarantors provides that such subsidiary’s officers and directors shall be indemnified by such subsidiary to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, penalties, amounts paid in settlement and other liabilities actually and reasonably incurred by such persons in connection with such action, suit or proceeding.

Delaware Limited Partnership Guarantors

Rosetta Resources Operating LP and Rosetta Resources Gathering LP are organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. Subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions set forth in the applicable partnership agreements, Section 15-110 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other persons from and against all claims and demands whatsoever. The partnership agreements of Rosetta Resources Operating LP and Rosetta Resources Gathering, LP provide that they will generally indemnify the officers and directors of their respective general partners for any and all claims or threats thereof, expenses and liabilities or threats thereof that such party may

 

II-1

---

Table of Contents

incur by reason of being an indemnitee, unless such claim, expense or liability is caused by an act or omission performed or omitted by the indemnitee in bad faith or in a manner constituting willful misconduct, fraud, or breach of the fiduciary duty of loyalty.

 

Item 21.

Exhibits.

(a) The following documents are filed as exhibits to this registration statement.

 

Exhibit No.		Exhibit
3.1		Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-l filed on October 7, 2005 (Registration No. 333-128888)).
3.2		Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 10, 2008 (Registration No. 000-51801)).
3.3*		Certificate of Formation of Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC, dated June 20, 2005.
3.4*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Formation of Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC dated January 31, 2008.
3.5*		Limited Liability Company Agreement of Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC, effective as of June 20, 2005.
3.6*		Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC, dated April 24, 2002.
3.7*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC, dated July 23, 2003.
3.8*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC, dated August 18, 2005.
3.9*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC, dated January 31, 2008.
3.10*		Limited Liability Company Agreement of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC dated April 24, 2002.
3.11*		Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated April 24, 2002.
3.12*		Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated July 23, 2003.
3.13*		Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated August 18, 2005.
3.14*		Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated January 31, 2008.
3.15*		Limited Liability Company Agreement of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated April 24, 2002.
3.16*		Certificate of Limited Partnership of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated April 2, 2007.
3.17*		Amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated January 31, 2008.
3.18*		Amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated May 19, 2008.
3.19*		Limited Partnership Agreement of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated April 5, 2007.
3.20*		First Amendment to Limited Partnership Agreement of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated May 22, 2008.

 

II-2

---

Table of Contents

3.21*		Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., dated April 24, 2002.
3.22*		Certificate of Correction of the Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P. dated April 24, 2002.
3.23*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., dated July 23, 2003.
3.24*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., dated August 18, 2005.
3.25*		Amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., dated January 31, 2008.
3.26*		Agreement of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., effective as of April 25, 2002.
4.1		Indenture, dated April 15, 2010 among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 19, 2010 (Registration No. 000-51801)).
4.2		Form of 9.500% Senior Note due 2018 (included as Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.1 above).
4.3		Registration Rights Agreement, dated April 15, 2010, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors party thereto and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 19, 2010 (Registration No. 000-51801)).
5.1*		Legal Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.
12.1*		Calculation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges.
23.1*		Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
23.2*		Consent of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.
23.3*		Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1*		Powers of Attorney (included on signature pages).
25.1*		Statement of Eligibility of Trustee with respect to the Indenture governing the 9.500% Senior Notes due 2018.
99.1*		Letter of Transmittal.
99.2*		Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.
99.3*		Letter to DTC Participants.
99.4*		Letter to Beneficial Holders.

 

*	Filed herewith

(b) Not applicable.

(c) Not applicable.

 

II-3

---

Table of Contents

Item 22.

Undertakings.

Each registrant hereby undertakes:

To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(a)

to include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(b)

to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

(c)

to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if such registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

That, for the purpose of determining liability of such registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, in a primary offering of securities of such registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(a)

any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrants relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(b)

any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of such registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrants;

 

(c)

the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrants or their securities provided by or on behalf of such registrant; and

 

(d)

any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by such registrant to the purchaser.

 

II-4

---

Table of Contents

Each undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Each undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to respond to requests for information that is incorporated by reference into the prospectus pursuant to Items 4, 10(b), 11, or 13 of this form, within one business day of receipt of such request, and to send the incorporated documents by first class mail or other equally prompt means. This includes information contained in documents filed subsequent to the effective date of the registration statement through the date of responding to the request.

Each undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to supply by means of a post-effective amendment all information concerning a transaction, and the company being acquired involved therein, that was not the subject of and included in the registration statement when it became effective.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of each registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, each registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

II-5

---

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on July 20, 2010.

 

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Randy L. Limbacher and Michael J. Rosinski to be his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this registration statement and any and all amendments thereto (including without limitation any post-effective amendments thereto and any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b)), and to file each of the same, with all exhibits thereto and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, thereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature		Title		Date
/S/    RANDY L. LIMBACHER         Randy L. Limbacher		Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President (Principal Executive Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    MICHAEL J. ROSINSKI         Michael J. Rosinski		Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    W. RUFUS ESTIS         W. Rufus Estis		Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    D. HENRY HOUSTON         D. Henry Houston		Lead Director		July 20, 2010
/S/    RICHARD W. BECKLER         Richard W. Beckler		Director		July 20, 2010
/S/    MATTHEW D. FITZGERALD         Matthew D. Fitzgerald		Director		July 20, 2010
/S/    PHILIP L. FREDERICKSON         Philip L. Frederickson		Director		July 20, 2010

---

Table of Contents

Signature		Title		Date
/S/    JOSIAH O. LOW III         Josiah O. Low III		Director		July 20, 2010
/S/    DONALD D. PATTESON, JR.         Donald D. Patteson, Jr.		Director		July 20, 2010

---

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on July 20, 2010.

 

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Randy L. Limbacher and Michael J. Rosinski to be his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this registration statement and any and all amendments thereto (including without limitation any post-effective amendments thereto and any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b)), and to file each of the same, with all exhibits thereto and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, thereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature		Title		Date
/S/    RANDY L. LIMBACHER         Randy L. Limbacher		Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    MICHAEL J. ROSINSKI         Michael J. Rosinski		Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    W. RUFIS ESTIS         W. Rufis Estis		Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)		July 20, 2010

---

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on July 20, 2010.

 

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Randy L. Limbacher and Michael J. Rosinski to be his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this registration statement and any and all amendments thereto (including without limitation any post-effective amendments thereto and any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b)), and to file each of the same, with all exhibits thereto and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, thereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature		Title		Date
/S/    RANDY L. LIMBACHER         Randy L. Limbacher		Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    MICHAEL J. ROSINSKI         Michael J. Rosinski		Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    W. RUFIS ESTIS         W. Rufis Estis		Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)		July 20, 2010

---

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on July 20, 2010.

 

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Randy L. Limbacher and Michael J. Rosinski to be his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this registration statement and any and all amendments thereto (including without limitation any post-effective amendments thereto and any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b)), and to file each of the same, with all exhibits thereto and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, thereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature		Title		Date
/S/    RANDY L. LIMBACHER         Randy L. Limbacher		Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    MICHAEL J. ROSINSKI         Michael J. Rosinski		Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Director (Principal Financial Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    W. RUFIS ESTIS         W. Rufis Estis		Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    ELLEN R. DESANCTIS         Ellen R. DeSanctis		Director		July 20, 2010

---

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on July 20, 2010.

 

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Randy L. Limbacher and Michael J. Rosinski to be his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this registration statement and any and all amendments thereto (including without limitation any post-effective amendments thereto and any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b)), and to file each of the same, with all exhibits thereto and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, thereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature		Title		Date
/S/    RANDY L. LIMBACHER         Randy L. Limbacher		Chief Executive Officer, President and Director of Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC, the sole general partner of the registrant (Principal Executive Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    MICHAEL J. ROSINSKI         Michael J. Rosinski		Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Director of Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC, the sole general partner of the registrant (Principal Financial Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    W. RUFIS ESTIS         W. Rufis Estis		Vice President and Controller of Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC, the sole general partner of the registrant (Principal Accounting Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    ELLEN R. DESANCTIS         Ellen R. DeSanctis		Director of Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC, the sole general partner of the registrant		July 20, 2010

---

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on July 20, 2010.

 

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Randy L. Limbacher and Michael J. Rosinski to be his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this registration statement and any and all amendments thereto (including without limitation any post-effective amendments thereto and any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b)), and to file each of the same, with all exhibits thereto and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, thereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, acting alone, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature		Title		Date
/S/    RANDY L. LIMBACHER         Randy L. Limbacher		Chief Executive Officer, President and Director of Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC, the sole general partner of Rosetta Resources Operating LP, the sole general partner of the registrant (Principal Executive Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    MICHAEL J. ROSINSKI         Michael J. Rosinski		Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Director of Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC, the sole general partner of Rosetta Resources Operating LP, the sole general partner of the registrant (Principal Financial Officer)		July 20, 2010

---

Table of Contents

Signature		Title		Date
/S/    W. RUFIS ESTIS         W. Rufis Estis		Vice President and Controller of Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC, the sole general partner of Rosetta Resources Operating LP, the sole general partner of the registrant (Principal Accounting Officer)		July 20, 2010
/S/    ELLEN R. DESANCTIS         Ellen R. DeSanctis		Director of Rosetta Resources Operating GP, LLC, the sole general partner of Rosetta Resources Operating LP, the sole general partner of the registrant		July 20, 2010

---

Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.		Exhibit
3.1		Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-l filed on October 7, 2005 (Registration No. 333-128888)).
3.2		Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 10, 2008 (Registration No. 000-51801)).
3.3*		Certificate of Formation of Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC, dated June 20, 2005.
3.4*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Formation of Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC dated January 31, 2008.
3.5*		Limited Liability Company Agreement of Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC, effective as of June 20, 2005.
3.6*		Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC, dated April 24, 2002.
3.7*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC, dated July 23, 2003.
3.8*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC, dated August 18, 2005.
3.9*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC, dated January 31, 2008.
3.10*		Limited Liability Company Agreement of Calpine Natural Gas Holdings, LLC dated April 24, 2002.
3.11*		Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated April 24, 2002.
3.12*		Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated July 23, 2003.
3.13*		Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated August 18, 2005.
3.14*		Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Formation of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated January 31, 2008.
3.15*		Limited Liability Company Agreement of Calpine Natural Gas GP, LLC, dated April 24, 2002.
3.16*		Certificate of Limited Partnership of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated April 2, 2007.
3.17*		Amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated January 31, 2008.
3.18*		Amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated May 19, 2008.
3.19*		Limited Partnership Agreement of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated April 5, 2007.
3.20*		First Amendment to Limited Partnership Agreement of Rosetta Resources Gathering LP, dated May 22, 2008.
3.21*		Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., dated April 24, 2002.
3.22*		Certificate of Correction of the Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P. dated April 24, 2002.
3.23*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., dated July 23, 2003.

---

Table of Contents

3.24*		Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., dated August 18, 2005.
3.25*		Amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., dated January 31, 2008.
3.26*		Agreement of Limited Partnership of Calpine Natural Gas L.P., effective as of April 25, 2002.
4.1		Indenture, dated April 15, 2010 among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 19, 2010 (Registration No. 000-51801)).
4.2		Form of 9.500% Senior Note due 2018 (included as Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.1 above).
4.3		Registration Rights Agreement, dated April 15, 2010, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors party thereto and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 19, 2010 (Registration No. 000-51801)).
5.1*		Legal Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.
12.1*		Calculation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges.
23.1*		Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
23.2*		Consent of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.
23.3*		Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1*		Powers of Attorney (included on signature pages).
25.1*		Statement of Eligibility of Trustee with respect to the Indenture governing the 9.500% Senior Notes due 2018.
99.1*		Letter of Transmittal.
99.2*		Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.
99.3*		Letter to DTC Participants.
99.4*		Letter to Beneficial Holders.

 

*	Filed herewith