e424b5
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424b5
Registration
No. 333-134157
Prospectus supplement
To prospectus dated May 17, 2006
Range Resources Corporation
$150,000,000
71/2% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2016
Interest payable May 15 and November 15
Issue price: 100%
We are offering $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of our
71/2
% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016. The notes will
mature on May 15, 2016. Interest will accrue from
May 23, 2006, and the first interest payment date will be
November 15, 2006.
We may redeem some or all of the notes at any time on or after
May 15, 2011 at the redemption prices specified herein. We
may also redeem up to 35% of the notes using all or a portion of
the net proceeds of certain public sales of equity interests of
our company completed before May 15, 2009. We may also
redeem the notes prior to May 15, 2011 upon payment of the
make-whole premium specified herein. If we sell certain of our
assets or upon the occurrence of certain changes in control, we
must offer to repurchase the notes.
The notes will be unsecured, and will be subordinated to all our
existing and future senior debt, rank equally with all our
existing and future senior subordinated debt and rank senior to
all our existing and future subordinated debt. The notes will be
guaranteed on a senior subordinated basis by certain of our
subsidiaries.
See Risk Factors beginning on page S-11 for
a discussion of certain risks that you should consider in
connection with an investment in the notes.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the
accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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Proceeds, before | |
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Public offering price | |
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Underwriting discount | |
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expenses, to Range | |
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Per note
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100% |
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2% |
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98% |
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Total
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$ |
150,000,000 |
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$ |
3,000,000 |
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$ |
147,000,000 |
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We expect that delivery of the notes will be made to investors
in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company on or
about May 23, 2006.
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Sole book-running manager
JPMorgan
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Lead manager
Credit
Suisse |
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Co-managers
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Banc of America Securities LLC |
Harris Nesbitt |
Wachovia Securities |
Calyon Securities (USA)
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Natexis Bleichroeder Inc. |
May 18, 2006
You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have
not, authorized any other person to provide you with different
information. If anyone provides you with different or
inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.
We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to
sell the notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is
not permitted.
You should assume that the information appearing in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is
accurate only as of the respective dates on the front of those
documents or earlier dates specified herein or therein. Our
business, financial condition, results of operations and
prospects may have changed since those dates.
Table of contents
Prospectus supplement
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S-1 |
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S-3 |
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S-6 |
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S-11 |
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S-22 |
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S-23 |
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S-24 |
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S-26 |
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S-29 |
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S-33 |
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S-35 |
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S-35 |
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S-35 |
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S-36 |
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Prospectus
S-i
Forward-looking statements
This prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus contain forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
These statements include statements relating to our plans,
strategies, objectives, expectations, intentions and adequacy of
resources and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In
general, all statements other than statements of historical fact
are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
are based on managements current belief, based on
currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of
future events. However, managements assumptions and our
future performance are subject to a wide range of business risks
and uncertainties and we cannot assure you that these goals and
projections can or will be met. Any number of factors could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to:
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production variance from expectations, |
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volatility of oil and natural gas prices, |
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hedging results, |
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the need to develop and replace reserves, |
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the substantial capital expenditures required to fund operations, |
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exploration risks, |
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environmental risks, |
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uncertainties about estimates of reserves, |
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competition, |
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litigation, |
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our sources of liquidity, |
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access to capital, |
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government regulation, |
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political risks, |
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our ability to implement our business strategy, |
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costs and results of drilling new projects, |
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mechanical and other inherent risks associated with oil and
natural gas production, |
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weather, |
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availability of drilling equipment, and |
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changes of interest rates. |
Reserve engineering is a process of estimating underground
accumulations of oil and natural gas that cannot be measured in
an exact way. The accuracy of any reserve estimate depends on
the quality of available data, the interpretation of such data
and price and cost assumptions made by our reserve engineers. In
addition, the results of drilling, testing and production
S-1
activities may justify revisions of estimates that were made
previously. If significant, such revisions would change the
schedule of any further production and development drilling.
Accordingly, reserve estimates may differ from the quantities of
oil and natural gas that are ultimately recovered.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the
forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee
future results, events, levels of activity, performance or
achievements. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy
and completeness of the forward-looking statements.
Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in
this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or the
documents we incorporate by reference, or should underlying
assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could
differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking
statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise.
All forward-looking statements express or implied included in
this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the
documents we incorporate by reference and attributable to Range
are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary
statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered
in connection with any subsequent written or oral
forward-looking statements that Range or persons acting on its
behalf may issue.
S-2
Summary
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this
prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or the
documents incorporated by reference. You should read carefully
the entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus,
the documents incorporated by reference and the other documents
to which we refer for a more complete understanding of this
offering. You should read Risk Factors beginning on
page S-11 of this
prospectus supplement for more information about important risks
that you should consider before buying the notes to be issued in
connection with this offering. Unless the context requires
otherwise or as otherwise indicated, Range,
we, us, our or similar terms
in this prospectus supplement refer to Range Resources
Corporation and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.
Business
We are engaged in the exploration, development and acquisition
of oil and gas properties, primarily in the Southwestern,
Appalachian and Gulf Coast regions of the United States. We seek
to increase reserves and production through internally generated
drilling projects coupled with complementary acquisitions.
At year-end 2005, our proved reserves had the following
characteristics:
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1.4 Tcfe of proved reserves; |
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80% natural gas; |
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66% proved developed; |
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78% operated; |
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a reserve life of 15.3 years (based on fourth quarter 2005
production); and |
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a pre-tax present value of $4.9 billion. |
At year-end 2005, we owned 2,843,000 gross
(2,381,000 net) acres of leasehold, plus over 400,000
royalty acres. We have built a multi-year inventory of drilling
projects which includes over 7,700 identified drilling locations.
Range was incorporated in early 1980 under the name Lomak
Petroleum, Inc. and, later that year, we completed an initial
public offering and began trading on the NASDAQ. In 1996, our
common stock was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1998,
we changed our name to Range Resources Corporation. In 1999, we
implemented a strategy of internally generated drillbit growth
coupled with complementary acquisitions. Our objective is to
build stockholder value through consistent growth in reserves
and production on a cost-efficient basis. During the past four
years, we have increased our proved reserves 143%, while
production has increased 59% during that same period.
Our corporate offices are located at 777 Main Street,
Suite 800, Fort Worth, Texas 76102. Our telephone
number is (817) 870-2601.
Pending acquisition
On May 11, 2006, we entered into an agreement and plan of
merger with Stroud Energy, Inc. (Stroud) pursuant to
which a newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary of Range will merge
with and into Stroud. In the merger, each holder of Stroud
common stock may elect to receive
S-3
cash, shares of Range common stock or a combination thereof
comprised of 50% cash and 50% Range common stock.
The acquisition will assist us in executing our business
strategy by adding:
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High quality, operated gas production and reserves, a
significant portion of which is located in the Barnett Shale
play, one of the largest onshore gas plays in the U.S.; |
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236 drilling locations to our inventory; |
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171 Bcfe of proved reserves and 33 Mmcfe/d in current
production; |
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Incremental acreage in the Fort Worth Barnett Shale play
bringing our total Barnett Shale acreage to 42,900 (gross) and
35,300 (net) acres; and |
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Highly regarded technical personnel with extensive experience in
our core operating areas and in particular the Barnett Shale
play. |
The total consideration to be paid by Range to the shareholders
of Stroud in cash and common stock is estimated at approximately
$450 million, including approximately $82 million in
assumed debt. The cash consideration will be paid by Range by
drawing down on our Senior Credit Facility. We expect the Stroud
acquisition to close in the second half of June 2006. However,
the closing of the acquisition is subject to the conditions set
forth in the section entitled Risk Factors Our
pending Stroud acquisition may not close as anticipated
beginning on
page S-11. We
cannot assure you that the acquisition will close, and this
offering is not conditioned on the closing of the acquisition.
Business strategy
Our objective is to build stockholder value through consistent
growth in reserves and production on a cost-efficient basis. Our
strategy is to employ internally generated drillbit growth
coupled with complementary acquisitions to achieve such growth.
This strategy requires us to make significant investments in
technical staff, acreage and seismic to build drilling
inventory. In implementing our strategy, we employ the following
principal elements:
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Concentrate in Core Operating Areas. We currently operate
in three regions; the Southwestern (which includes the Permian
Basin of West Texas and eastern New Mexico, the East Texas
Basin, the Texas Panhandle and Anadarko Basin of Western
Oklahoma), Appalachian and Gulf Coast. The pending Stroud
acquisition significantly expands our Southwestern region
presence in the Barnett Shale play, one of the largest onshore
gas plays in the U.S. Concentrating our drilling and producing
activities in these core areas allows us to develop the regional
expertise needed to interpret specific geological and operating
trends and develop economies of scale. Operating in multiple
core areas allows us to combine the production characteristics
of each area to balance our portfolio toward our goal of
consistent production and reserve growth. |
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Maintain Multi-Year Drilling Inventory. We focus on areas
where multiple prospective productive horizons and development
opportunities exist. We use our technical expertise to build and
maintain a multi-year drilling inventory. We believe that
maintaining a large, multi-year inventory of drilling projects
enhances our ability to consistently grow production and
reserves over the next several years. Currently, we have over
7,700 identified drilling locations in inventory. In 2005, we
drilled 841 gross (594 net) wells. In 2006, our
capital program targets the drilling of 1,065 gross
(789 net) wells. |
S-4
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Make Complementary Acquisitions. We target complementary
acquisitions in existing core areas and focus on acquisition
candidates where our existing scientific knowledge is
transferable and drilling results can be forecast with
confidence. Over the past three years, we have completed
$743.0 million of complementary acquisitions (excluding our
pending Stroud acquisition) located in the Southwestern and
Appalachian regions. |
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Manage Our Risk Exposure. We allocate the majority of our
capital spending to long-term development projects in areas
where multiple productive horizons exist to reduce our risk
exposure. Where our exploration projects may involve high dry
hole costs, we often bring in industry partners in order to
reduce financial exposure. We try to limit our exploratory
expenditures to 20% of our annual capital budget per year. Most
of our exploratory drilling projects are structural reservoir
projects where we have several years of experience in drilling
such projects. We also invest in new seismic data and technology
each year. By equipping our geologists and geophysicists with
state-of-the-art
seismic technology with multiple reprocessing applications, we
hope to multiply the number of higher potential exploration
prospects we drill without substantially adding to dry hole risk. |
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Maintain Flexibility. Given the volatility of commodity
prices and the risks involved in drilling, we remain flexible
and may adjust our capital budget throughout the year. We may
defer capital projects in order to seize an attractive
acquisition opportunity. If certain areas generate higher than
anticipated returns, we may accelerate drilling in those areas
and decrease capital expenditures elsewhere. We also believe in
maintaining a strong balance sheet and using commodity hedging.
This will allow us to be more opportunistic in cyclical price
environments as well as provide more consistent financial
results. |
S-5
The offering
The following summary contains basic information about the notes
and is not complete. For a more complete understanding of the
notes, please refer to the section entitled Description of
notes in this prospectus supplement and Description
of debt securities in the accompanying prospectus.
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Issuer |
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Range Resources Corporation. |
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Securities |
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$150 million aggregate principal amount of our
71/2
% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016. |
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Maturity |
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May 15, 2016. |
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Interest payment dates |
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May 15 and November 15 of each year commencing
November 15, 2006. |
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Optional redemption |
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Except as otherwise described below, the notes will not be
redeemable prior to May 15, 2011. Thereafter, the notes
will be subject to redemption at the option of the Company, in
whole or in part, at the redemption prices set forth under the
heading Description of notes Optional
redemption, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to
the applicable redemption date. |
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In addition, prior to May 15, 2009, the Company may, at its
option, on any one or more occasions, redeem up to 35% of the
aggregate principal amount of all of our
71/2% Senior
Subordinated Notes at a redemption price equal to 107.5% of the
principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if
any, to the redemption date, with all or a portion of the net
proceeds of public sales of certain equity interests of the
Company; provided that at least 65% of the original aggregate
principal amount of our
71/2
% Senior Subordinated Notes remains outstanding
immediately after the occurrence of such redemption. See
Description of notes Optional redemption. |
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We may also redeem the notes prior to May 15, 2011 upon
payment of the make-whole premium specified herein. See
Description of notes Optional redemption. |
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Change of control |
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Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Company will
generally be required to offer to repurchase all or a portion of
each Holders notes, at an offer price in cash equal to
101% of the aggregate principal amount of such notes, plus
accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of repurchase,
and to repurchase all notes tendered pursuant to such offer. The
Senior Credit Facility will prohibit the Company from
repurchasing any notes pursuant to a Change of Control offer
prior to the repayment in full of the Senior Debt under the
Senior Credit Facility. Therefore, if a Change of Control were
to occur, there can be no assurance that we or the Subsidiary
Guarantors will have the financial resources or be permitted
under the terms of their indebtedness to repurchase any of the
notes. See Risk factors We may not be able to
repurchase the notes herein and Description of debt
securities Subordina- |
S-6
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tion, Repurchase at the option of
holders Change of control, and Events of
default and remedies in the accompanying prospectus. |
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The notes will be general, unsecured obligations of the Company,
will be subordinated in right of payment to our Senior Debt,
which includes borrowings under the Senior Credit Facility. As
of March 31, 2006, after giving pro forma effect to the
application of the net proceeds from this offering, we would
have had approximately $99.6 million of Senior Debt. See
Description of debt securities Subordination
in the accompanying prospectus and Capitalization
and Description of other indebtedness Senior credit
facility herein. |
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Subsidiary guarantees |
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Our payment obligations under the notes will be jointly,
severally and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior
subordinated basis (the Guarantees) by certain of
our material domestic Restricted Subsidiaries and any future
material domestic Restricted Subsidiaries. The Guarantees will
be subordinated to Senior Debt of the Subsidiary Guarantors to
the same extent and in the same manner as the notes are
subordinated to Senior Debt. See Description of debt
securities Guarantees in the accompanying prospectus
and Description of other indebtedness Senior credit
facility herein. |
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Certain covenants |
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The notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture (the
Indenture) which contains certain covenants that,
among other things, limit the ability of us and our Restricted
Subsidiaries to incur additional indebtedness and issue
Disqualified Stock, pay dividends, make distributions, make
investments, make certain other Restricted Payments, enter into
certain transactions with affiliates, dispose of certain assets,
incur liens securing Indebtedness (as defined therein) of any
kind (other than Permitted Liens, as defined therein) and engage
in mergers and consolidations. See Description of Debt
Securities Certain covenants in the accompanying
prospectus. |
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Use of proceeds |
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We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering (after
deducting the initial purchasers discounts and estimated
expenses of the offering payable by us) will be approximately
$146.5 million. We will use the net proceeds of this
offering to pay down a portion of the outstanding balance of the
Senior Credit Facility. For more information about our use of
proceeds from this offering, see Use of proceeds on
page S-22 of this
prospectus supplement. |
Risk factors
In evaluating an investment in the notes, prospective investors
should carefully consider, along with the other information in
this prospectus supplement, the specific factors set forth under
Risk factors for risks involved with an investment
in the notes.
S-7
Summary condensed consolidated financial data
You should read the summary condensed consolidated financial
data set forth below in conjunction with our annual report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2005 and our quarterly report on
Form 10-Q/ A for
the quarter ended March 31, 2006. None of the data provided
below reflects the effect of the Stroud acquisition.
The condensed consolidated statement of operations and statement
of cash flows data for the years ended December 31, 2003,
December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2005 have been
derived from our audited consolidated financial statements
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. The
condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31,
2006, the condensed consolidated statement of operations and
statement of cash flows data for the three months ended
March 31, 2005 and March 31, 2006 are derived from our
unaudited consolidated financial statements incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement which, in the opinion of
our management, include all adjustments, consisting only of
normal recurring accruals, necessary for a fair presentation.
Our operating results for the three months ended March 31,
2006 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be
expected for future periods.
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Three months ended | |
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March 31, | |
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Year ended December 31, | |
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2006 | |
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(Dollars in thousands) |
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2003 | |
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2004 | |
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2005 | |
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(unaudited) | |
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(unaudited) | |
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Statement of operations
data:
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Revenues:
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Oil and gas sales
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$ |
226,402 |
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$ |
315,703 |
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$ |
525,074 |
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$ |
107,415 |
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$ |
176,338 |
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Transportation and processing
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3,509 |
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2,202 |
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2,578 |
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528 |
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142 |
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Gain (loss) on retirement of
securities
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18,526 |
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(39 |
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Mark-to market on oil and gas
derivatives
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10,868 |
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11,281 |
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Other
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(2,670 |
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2,841 |
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(2,563 |
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17 |
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1,432 |
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Total revenues
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245,767 |
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320,707 |
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535,957 |
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107,960 |
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189,193 |
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Costs and expenses:
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Direct operating
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36,423 |
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46,308 |
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66,632 |
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14,808 |
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19,377 |
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Production and ad valorem taxes
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12,894 |
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20,504 |
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31,516 |
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5,755 |
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9,727 |
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Exploration
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13,946 |
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21,219 |
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29,437 |
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3,271 |
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9,518 |
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General and administrative
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17,818 |
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20,634 |
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29,432 |
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6,603 |
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9,399 |
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Non-cash stock compensation
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6,559 |
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19,176 |
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35,250 |
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4,067 |
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7,319 |
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Interest expense and dividends on
trust convertible preferred securities
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22,165 |
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23,119 |
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38,797 |
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8,584 |
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10,551 |
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Depletion, depreciation and
amortization
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86,549 |
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102,971 |
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127,514 |
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29,762 |
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34,567 |
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Total expenses
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196,354 |
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253,931 |
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358,578 |
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72,850 |
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100,458 |
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Income before income tax and
accounting change
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49,413 |
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66,776 |
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177,379 |
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35,110 |
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88,735 |
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Income tax (benefit)
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Current
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170 |
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(245 |
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1,071 |
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578 |
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Deferred
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18,319 |
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24,790 |
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65,297 |
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13,107 |
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32,482 |
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Income before cumulative effect of
change in accounting principle
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30,924 |
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42,231 |
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111,011 |
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22,003 |
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55,675 |
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Cumulative effect of change in
accounting principle
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4,491 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
|
35,415 |
|
|
|
42,231 |
|
|
|
111,011 |
|
|
|
22,003 |
|
|
|
55,675 |
|
|
Preferred dividends
|
|
|
(803 |
) |
|
|
(5,163 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income available to common
stockholders
|
|
$ |
34,612 |
|
|
$ |
37,068 |
|
|
$ |
111,011 |
|
|
$ |
22,003 |
|
|
$ |
55,675 |
|
|
|
|
Comprehensive income (loss)
|
|
$ |
13,714 |
|
|
$ |
41,782 |
|
|
$ |
7,185 |
|
|
$ |
(25,188 |
) |
|
$ |
109,311 |
|
|
S-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Three months ended | |
|
|
March 31, | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Year ended December 31, | |
|
2005 | |
|
2006 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
(Dollars in thousands) |
|
2003 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
| |
Statement of cash flows
data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating activities:
|
|
$ |
124,680 |
|
|
$ |
209,249 |
|
|
$ |
325,745 |
|
|
$ |
63,521 |
|
|
$ |
125,509 |
|
|
Investing activities:
|
|
|
(186,838 |
) |
|
|
(624,301 |
) |
|
|
(432,377 |
) |
|
|
(46,979 |
) |
|
|
(107,448 |
) |
|
Financing activities:
|
|
|
61,455 |
|
|
|
432,803 |
|
|
|
93,000 |
|
|
|
(15,945 |
) |
|
|
(21,462 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
As of March 31, | |
|
|
2006 | |
|
|
| |
(Dollars in thousands) |
|
(unaudited) | |
| |
Balance sheet data:
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
1,349 |
|
Total assets
|
|
|
2,034,953 |
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
593,125 |
|
Stockholders equity
|
|
|
814,480 |
|
|
S-9
Summary production data
The following table sets forth summary data with respect to our
production and sales of oil and natural gas for the periods
indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Three months ended | |
|
|
|
|
March 31, | |
|
|
Year ended December 31, | |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
2005 | |
|
2006 | |
|
|
2003 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
| |
Average daily
production:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crude oil (Bbls)
|
|
|
5,543 |
|
|
|
6,865 |
|
|
|
8,305 |
|
|
|
7,901 |
|
|
|
8,552 |
|
|
NGLs (Bbls)
|
|
|
1,098 |
|
|
|
2,700 |
|
|
|
2,772 |
|
|
|
2,766 |
|
|
|
2,967 |
|
|
Natural gas (Mcf)
|
|
|
119,206 |
|
|
|
138,585 |
|
|
|
172,613 |
|
|
|
164,825 |
|
|
|
188,001 |
|
|
Total (Mcfe)
|
|
|
159,049 |
|
|
|
195,972 |
|
|
|
239,076 |
|
|
|
228,827 |
|
|
|
257,118 |
|
Average sales prices
(excluding hedging):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crude oil (per Bbl)
|
|
$ |
28.42 |
|
|
$ |
39.25 |
|
|
$ |
53.31 |
|
|
$ |
47.09 |
|
|
$ |
59.80 |
|
|
NGLs (per Bbl)
|
|
|
18.75 |
|
|
|
23.73 |
|
|
|
31.52 |
|
|
|
25.62 |
|
|
|
29.77 |
|
|
Natural gas (per Mcf)
|
|
|
5.10 |
|
|
|
5.79 |
|
|
|
7.98 |
|
|
|
5.97 |
|
|
|
8.29 |
|
|
Total (per Mcfe)
|
|
|
4.94 |
|
|
|
5.80 |
|
|
|
7.98 |
|
|
|
6.24 |
|
|
|
8.39 |
|
Average sales price
(including hedging):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crude oil (per Bbl)
|
|
$ |
23.53 |
|
|
$ |
28.04 |
|
|
$ |
38.71 |
|
|
$ |
36.23 |
|
|
$ |
46.59 |
|
|
NGLs (per Bbl)
|
|
|
18.75 |
|
|
|
19.76 |
|
|
|
27.27 |
|
|
|
22.45 |
|
|
|
29.77 |
|
|
Natural gas (per Mcf)
|
|
|
3.94 |
|
|
|
4.45 |
|
|
|
6.03 |
|
|
|
5.13 |
|
|
|
7.83 |
|
|
Total (per Mcfe)
|
|
|
3.90 |
|
|
|
4.40 |
|
|
|
6.02 |
|
|
|
5.22 |
|
|
|
7.62 |
|
|
S-10
Risk factors
You should carefully consider and evaluate all the
information included or incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including
the risks described below, before you decide to buy our notes.
Our business, financial condition and results of operations
could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks.
The trading price of the notes could decline, and you may lose
all or part of your investment. The risks described below are
not the only ones facing our company. Additional risks not
presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial
individually or in the aggregate may also impair our business
operations.
This prospectus supplement and documents incorporated by
reference also contain forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties, some of which are described in the
documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Our actual results
could differ materially from those anticipated in these
forward-looking statements as a result of various factors,
including the risks and uncertainties faced by us described
below or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus.
Risks related to our business
Volatility of oil and natural gas prices significantly
affects our cash flow and capital resources and could hamper our
ability to produce oil and gas economically
Oil and natural gas prices are volatile, and an extended decline
in prices would adversely affect our profitability and financial
condition. The oil and natural gas industry is typically
cyclical, and prices for oil and natural gas have been highly
volatile. Historically, the industry has experienced severe
downturns characterized by oversupply and/or weak demand. For
example, in 1998 and early 1999, oil and natural gas prices
declined, which contributed to the substantial losses we
reported in those years. By early 2001, oil and natural gas
prices reached levels above historical norms. Prices declined in
the second half of 2001 but have risen steadily since mid-2002.
Recent oil and natural gas prices are at historic highs, with
oil prices recently reaching $75.35 per barrel and natural
gas prices reaching $15.78 per mcf in some markets. Higher
oil and natural gas prices have contributed to our positive
earnings over the last several years. However, long-term supply
and demand for oil and natural gas is uncertain and subject to a
myriad of factors including technology, geopolitics, weather
patterns and economics.
Many factors affect oil and natural gas prices including general
economic conditions, consumer preferences, discretionary
spending levels, interest rates and the availability of capital
to the industry. Decreases in oil and natural gas prices from
current levels could adversely affect our revenues, net income,
cash flow and proved reserves. Significant and prolonged price
decreases could have a material adverse effect on our operations
and limit our ability to fund capital expenditures. Without the
ability to fund capital expenditures, we will be unable to
replace production.
Hedging transactions may limit our potential gains and
involve other risks
To manage our exposure to price risk, we enter into hedging
arrangements with respect to a significant portion of our future
production. The goal of these hedges is to lock in prices so as
to limit volatility and increase the predictability of cash
flow. These transactions limit our potential gains if oil and
natural gas prices rise above the price established by the
hedge. For
S-11
example, at December 31, 2005, we were party to swap
hedging arrangements covering 6.7 Bcf and 0.1 million
barrels of oil. We also had collars covering 82.8 Bcf of
gas and 4.8 million barrels of oil. The derivatives
fair value was a pre-tax loss of $231.0 million. At
March 31, 2006, the derivatives fair value was a
pre-tax loss of $134.9 million. If oil and natural gas
prices continue to rise, we could be subject to margin calls.
In addition, hedging transactions may expose us to the risk of
financial loss in certain circumstances, including instances in
which:
|
|
|
Our production is less than expected; |
|
|
The counterparties to our futures contracts fail to perform
under the contracts; or |
|
|
A sudden, unexpected event materially impacts oil or natural gas
prices or the relationship between the hedged price index and
the oil and gas sales price. |
Recently, due to the trading volatility of NYMEX gas contracts,
we have experienced larger than usual differentials between
actual prices paid at delivery points and NYMEX based gas
hedges. Due to this event, certain of our gas hedges no longer
qualified for hedge accounting in the fourth quarter and were
marked-to-market as a
gain of $10.9 million. This may result in more volatility
in our income in future periods. In the three months ended
March 31, 2006, we recorded a
marked-to-market gain
of $11.3 million relating to these gas hedges.
Information concerning our reserves and future net reserve
estimates is uncertain
There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating
quantities of proved oil and natural gas reserves and their
values, including many factors beyond our control. Estimates of
proved undeveloped reserves, which comprise a significant
portion of our reserves, are by their nature uncertain. Although
we believe these estimates are reasonable, actual production,
revenues and costs to develop will likely vary from estimates,
and these variances could be material.
The accuracy of any reserve estimate is a function of the
quality of available data, engineering and geological
interpretation and judgment, assumptions used regarding
quantities of oil and natural gas in place, recovery rates and
future prices for oil and natural gas. Actual prices,
production, development expenditures, operating expenses and
quantities of recoverable oil and natural gas reserves will vary
from those assumed in our estimates, and such variances may be
material. Any variance in the assumptions could materially
affect the estimated quantity and value of the reserves.
If oil and natural gas prices decrease or exploration efforts
are unsuccessful, we may be required to take write-downs of our
oil and natural gas properties
In the past, we have been required to write down the carrying
value of certain of our oil and natural gas properties, and
there is a risk that we will be required to take additional
write-downs in the future. This could occur when oil and natural
gas prices are low, or if we have downward adjustments to our
estimated proved reserves, increases in our estimates of
operating or development costs, deterioration in our exploration
results or mechanical problems with wells where the cost to
redrill or repair does not justify the expense which might occur
due to hurricanes.
Accounting rules require that the carrying value of oil and
natural gas properties be periodically reviewed for possible
impairment. Impairment is recognized when the book
value of a proven property is greater than the expected
undiscounted future net cash flows
S-12
from that property and on acreage when conditions indicate the
carrying value is not recoverable. We may be required to write
down the carrying value of a property based on oil and natural
gas prices at the time of the impairment review, as well as a
continuing evaluation of drilling results, production data,
economics and other factors. While an impairment charge reflects
our long-term ability to recover an investment, it does not
impact cash or cash flow from operating activities, but it does
reduce our reported earnings and increases our leverage ratios.
For example, based primarily on the poor performance of certain
properties acquired in 1997 and 1998 and significantly lower oil
and natural gas prices, we recorded impairments of
$215.0 million in 1998 and $29.9 million in 1999. At
year-end 2001, we recorded an impairment of $31.1 million
due to lower year-end prices. At year-end 2004, we recorded an
impairment of $3.6 million on an offshore property due to
hurricane damage and related production declines. As of
May 9, 2006, we continued to have 1.5 Mmcfe per day of
production shut-in due to the effects of hurricanes Katrina and
Rita. While we do not currently believe there is any material
long-term damage to the shut-in properties, we cannot yet
predict whether impairment charges may be required due to these
storms.
The demand for field services and their ability to meet that
demand may limit our ability to drill and produce our oil and
natural gas properties
Due to current industry demands, well service providers and
related equipment and personnel are in short supply. This is
causing escalating prices, the possibility of poor services
coupled with potential damage to downhole reservoirs and
personnel injuries. Such pressures will likely increase the
actual cost of services, extend the time to secure such services
and add costs for damages due to accidents sustained from the
over use of equipment and inexperienced personnel.
Our business is subject to operating hazards and
environmental regulations that could result in substantial
losses or liabilities
Oil and natural gas operations are subject to many risks,
including well blowouts, craterings, explosions, uncontrollable
flows of oil, natural gas or well fluids, fires, formations with
abnormal pressures, pipeline ruptures or spills, pollution,
releases of toxic natural gas and other environmental hazards
and risks. If any of these hazards occur, we could sustain
substantial losses as a result of:
|
|
|
Injury or loss of life; |
|
|
Severe damage to or destruction of property, natural resources
and equipment; |
|
|
Pollution or other environmental damage; |
|
|
Clean-up
responsibilities; |
|
|
Regulatory investigations and penalties; or |
|
|
Suspension of operations. |
As we begin drilling to deeper horizons and in more geologically
complex areas, we could experience a greater increase in
operating and financial risks due to inherent higher reservoir
pressures and unknown downhole risk exposures. As we continue to
drill deeper, the number of rigs capable of drilling to such
depths will be fewer and we may experience greater competition
from other operators.
S-13
Our operations are subject to numerous and increasingly strict
federal, state and local laws, regulations and enforcement
policies relating to the environment. We may incur significant
costs and liabilities in complying with existing or future
environmental laws, regulations and enforcement policies and may
incur costs arising out of property damage or injuries to
employees and other persons. These costs may result from our
current and former operations and even may be caused by previous
owners of property we own or lease. Any past, present or future
failure by us to completely comply with environmental laws,
regulations and enforcement policies could cause us to incur
substantial fines, sanctions or liabilities from cleanup costs
or other damages. Incurrence of those costs or damages could
reduce or eliminate funds available for exploration, development
or acquisitions or cause us to incur losses.
We maintain insurance against some, but not all, of these
potential risks and losses. We may elect not to obtain insurance
if we believe that the cost of available insurance is excessive
relative to the risks presented. Currently, we expect
substantial increases in premiums especially in the areas
affected by the hurricanes and tropical storms. In addition, we
expect insurers to impose revised limits affecting how much the
insurers will pay on actual storm claims plus the cost to
re-drill wells where substantial damage has been incurred.
Insurers are also requiring us to retain larger deductibles and
reducing the scope of what insurable losses will include. Even
with the increase in future insurance premiums, coverage will be
reduced, requiring us to bear a greater potential risk if our
oil and gas properties are damaged. We do not maintain any
business interruption insurance. In addition, pollution and
environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. If a
significant accident or other event occurs that is not fully
covered by insurance, it could have a material adverse affect on
our financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to financing and interest rate exposure
risks
Our business and operating results can be harmed by factors such
as the availability, terms of and cost of capital, increases in
interest rates or a reduction in credit rating. These changes
could cause our cost of doing business to increase, limit our
ability to pursue acquisition opportunities and place us at a
competitive disadvantage. For example, at March 31, 2006,
approximately 64% of our debt was at fixed interest rates with
the remaining 36% subject to variable interest rates.
Some of our current and potential competitors have greater
resources than we have and we may not be able to successfully
compete in acquiring, exploring and developing new properties
We face competition in every aspect of our business, including,
but not limited to, acquiring reserves and leases, obtaining
goods, services and employees needed to operate and manage our
business and marketing oil and natural gas. Competitors include
multinational oil companies, independent production companies
and individual producers and operators. Many of our competitors
have greater financial and other resources than we do.
The oil and natural gas industry is subject to extensive
regulation
The oil and natural gas industry is subject to various types of
regulations in the United States by local, state and federal
agencies. Legislation affecting the industry is under constant
review for amendment or expansion, frequently increasing our
regulatory burden.
S-14
Numerous departments and agencies, both state and federal, are
authorized by statute to issue rules and regulations binding on
participants in the oil and natural gas industry. Compliance
with such rules and regulations often increases our cost of
doing business and, in turn, decreases our profitability.
Acquisitions are subject to the risks and uncertainties of
evaluating reserves and potential liabilities and may be
disruptive and difficult to integrate into our business
We could be subject to significant liabilities related to our
acquisitions. It generally is not feasible to review in detail
every individual property included in an acquisition.
Ordinarily, a review is focused on higher valued properties.
However, even a detailed review of all properties and records
may not reveal existing or potential problems in all of the
properties, nor will it permit us to become sufficiently
familiar with the properties to assess fully their deficiencies
and capabilities. We do not always inspect every well we
acquire, and environmental problems, such as groundwater
contamination, are not necessarily observable even when an
inspection is performed.
For example, in 1997, we consummated a large acquisition that
proved extremely disappointing. Production from the acquired
properties fell more rapidly than anticipated and further
development results were below the results we had originally
projected. The poor production performance of these properties
resulted in material downward reserve revisions. There is no
assurance that our recent and/or future acquisition activity
will not result in similarly disappointing results.
In addition, there is intense competition for acquisition
opportunities in our industry. Competition for acquisitions may
increase the cost of, or cause us to refrain from, completing
acquisitions. Our acquisition strategy is dependent upon, among
other things, our ability to obtain debt and equity financing
and, in some cases, regulatory approvals. Our ability to pursue
our acquisition strategy may be hindered if we are not able to
obtain financing on terms acceptable to us or regulatory
approvals.
Acquisitions often pose integration risks and difficulties. In
connection with recent and future acquisitions, the process of
integrating acquired operations into our existing operations may
result in unforeseen operating difficulties and may require
significant management attention and financial resources that
would otherwise be available for the ongoing development or
expansion of existing operations. Future acquisitions could
result in our incurring additional debt, contingent liabilities,
expenses and diversion of resources, all of which could have a
material adverse effect on our financial condition and operating
results.
Our success depends on key members of our management and our
ability to attract and retain experienced technical and other
professional personnel
Our success is highly dependent on our management personnel,
none of which is currently subject to an employment contract.
The loss of one or more of these individuals could have a
material adverse effect on our business. Furthermore,
competition for experienced technical and other professional
personnel is intense. If we cannot retain our current personnel
or attract additional experienced personnel, our ability to
compete could be adversely affected.
Our future success depends on our ability to replace reserves
that we produce
Because the rate of production from oil and natural gas
properties generally declines as reserves are depleted, our
future success depends upon our ability to economically find or
S-15
acquire and produce additional oil and natural gas reserves.
Except to the extent that we acquire additional properties
containing proved reserves, conduct successful exploration and
development activities or, through engineering studies, identify
additional behind-pipe zones or secondary recovery reserves, our
proved reserves will decline as reserves are produced. Future
oil and natural gas production, therefore, is highly dependent
upon our level of success in acquiring or finding additional
reserves that are economically recoverable. We cannot assure you
that we will be able to find or acquire and develop additional
reserves at an acceptable cost.
A portion of our business is subject to special risks related
to offshore operations generally and in the Gulf of Mexico
specifically
Offshore operations are subject to a variety of operating risks
specific to the marine environment, such as capsizing,
collisions and damage or loss from hurricanes or other adverse
weather conditions. These conditions can cause substantial
damage to facilities and interrupt production. As of May 9,
2006, we continued to have 1.5 Mmcfe per day of production
shut-in due to the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As a
result, we could incur substantial expense and liabilities that
could materially reduce the funds available for exploration,
development or leasehold acquisitions or result in the loss of
equipment and properties.
Production of reserves from reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico
generally declines more rapidly than from reservoirs in many
other producing regions. This results in recovery of a
relatively higher percentage of reserves from properties in the
Gulf of Mexico during the initial few years of production. As a
result, reserve replacement needs from new prospects are greater
and require us to incur significant capital expenditures to
replace production.
New technologies may cause our current exploration and
drilling methods to become obsolete
The oil and natural gas industry is subject to rapid and
significant advancements in technology, including the
introduction of new products and services using new
technologies. As competitors use or develop new technologies, we
may be placed at a competitive disadvantage, and competitive
pressures may force us to implement new technologies at a
substantial cost. In addition, competitors may have greater
financial, technical and personnel resources that allow them to
enjoy technological advantages and may in the future allow them
to implement new technologies before we can. One or more of the
technologies that we currently use or that we may implement in
the future may become obsolete. We cannot be certain that we
will be able to implement technologies on a timely basis or at a
cost that is acceptable to us. If we are not able to maintain
technological advancements consistent with industry standards,
our operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.
Our business depends on oil and natural gas transportation
facilities, many of which are owned by others
The marketability of our oil and natural gas production depends
in part on the availability, proximity and capacity of pipeline
systems owned by third parties. The unavailability of or lack of
available capacity on these systems and facilities could result
in the shut-in of producing wells or the delay or discontinuance
of development plans for properties. Although we have some
contractual control over the transportation of our product,
material changes in these business relationships could
materially affect our operations. We generally do not purchase
firm transportation on third party facilities and therefore, our
production transportation can be interrupted by those having
firm arrangements. Federal and state regulation of oil and
natural
S-16
gas production and transportation, tax and energy policies,
changes in supply and demand, pipeline pressures, damage to or
destruction of pipelines and general economic conditions could
adversely affect our ability to produce, gather and transport
oil and natural gas.
The disruption of third-party facilities due to maintenance
and/or weather could negatively impact our ability to market and
deliver our products. We have no control over when or if such
facilities are restored or what prices will be charged. A total
shut-in of production could materially affect us due to a lack
of cash flow, and if a substantial portion of the production is
hedged at lower than market prices, those financial hedges would
have to be paid from borrowings absent sufficient cash flow.
We exist in a litigious environment
Any constituent could bring suit or allege a violation of an
existing contract. This action could delay when operations can
actually commence or could cause a halt to production until such
alleged violations are resolved by the courts. Not only could we
incur significant legal and support expenses in defending our
rights, planned operations could be delayed which would impact
our future operations and financial condition. Such legal
disputes could also distract management and other personnel from
their primary responsibilities.
Our financial statements are complex
Due to accounting rules, our financial statements continue to be
complex, particularly with reference to hedging, asset
retirement obligations, equity awards and the accounting for our
deferred compensation plan. We expect such complexity to
continue and possibly increase.
Our pending Stroud acquisition may not close as anticipated
resulting in material effects on our business
We expect that our pending acquisition of Stroud will close in
the second half of June 2006. However, this offering is not
conditioned on the closing of the Stroud acquisition, which may
not ultimately close. The closing of the Stroud acquisition is
subject to certain closing conditions, including, without
limitation:
|
|
|
the shareholders of Stroud shall have approved the merger; |
|
|
the representations and warranties of both us and Stroud are
true and correct in all material respects as of the closing date
and both parties shall have complied, in all material respects,
with all covenants in the merger agreement; |
|
|
there shall not have occurred a material adverse effect on us or
Stroud as defined in the merger agreement; |
|
|
there shall be no legal proceeding instituted to stop the
closing of the acquisition; and |
|
|
certain necessary third party consents shall have been obtained. |
We cannot predict the impact on our stock price or the market
value of the notes, if the acquisition does not close.
S-17
Risks related to investment in the notes
Our significant indebtedness could limit our ability to
successfully operate our business
We are leveraged and our exploration and development program
will require substantial capital resources estimated to range
from $450 to $550 million per year over the next three
years, depending on the level of drilling and the expected cost
of services. Our existing operations will also require ongoing
capital expenditures. In addition, if we decide to pursue
additional acquisitions, our capital expenditures will increase
both to complete such acquisitions and to explore and develop
any newly acquired properties.
The degree to which we are leveraged could have other important
consequences, including the following:
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|
We may be required to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash
flows from operations to the payment of our indebtedness,
reducing the funds available for our operations; |
|
|
A portion of our borrowings are at variable rates of interest,
making us vulnerable to increases in interest rates; |
|
|
We may be more highly leveraged than some of our competitors,
which could place us at a competitive disadvantage; |
|
|
Our degree of leverage may make us more vulnerable to a downturn
in our business or the general economy; |
|
|
The terms of our existing credit arrangements contain numerous
financial and other restrictive covenants; |
|
|
Our debt level could limit our flexibility in planning for, or
reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which
we operate; and |
|
|
We may have difficulties borrowing money in the future. |
Despite our current levels of indebtedness we still may be
able to incur substantially more debt. This could further
increase the risks described above
We may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness in
the future. The terms of the Indenture and our existing
indebtedness do not prohibit us from issuing additional notes or
other indebtedness provided that certain financial ratios are
satisfied. As of March 31, 2006, our Senior Credit Facility
permitted borrowings of $600 million (of which
$246.1 million was outstanding), all of which would be
senior to the notes. We will use the net proceeds of this
offering to pay down a portion of the outstanding balance of our
Senior Credit Facility. However, the terms of our Senior Credit
Facility do not prohibit us from re-borrowing any amounts which
we have repaid. If new debt is added to our current debt levels,
the related risks that we now face could intensify. See
Capitalization.
Any failure to meet our debt obligations could harm our
business, financial condition and results of operations
If our cash flow and capital resources are insufficient to fund
our debt obligations, we may be forced to sell assets, seek
additional equity or debt or restructure our debt. In addition,
any failure to make scheduled payments of interest and principal
on our outstanding indebtedness would likely result in a
reduction of our credit rating, which could harm our ability to
incur additional indebtedness on acceptable terms. Our cash flow
and capital resources may be
S-18
insufficient for payment of interest on and principal of our
debt in the future, including payments on the notes, and any
such alternative measures may be unsuccessful or may not permit
us to meet scheduled debt service obligations, which could cause
us to default on our obligations and impair our liquidity.
Your right to receive payments on these notes is subordinated
to the rights of our senior indebtedness and effectively
subordinated to the rights of existing and future creditors of
any subsidiaries that are not guarantors on the notes
Holders of our senior indebtedness will have claims that are
prior to your claims as holders of the notes. In the event of
any distribution of our assets in any foreclosure, dissolution,
winding-up, liquidation, reorganization, or other, bankruptcy
proceeding, holders of senior indebtedness will have prior claim
to all of our assets. Holders of the notes will participate
ratably with all holders of our senior subordinated indebtedness
that is deemed to be of the same class as the notes, based upon
the respective amounts owed to each holder or creditor, in our
remaining assets. In any of the foregoing events, we cannot
assure you that there will be sufficient assets to pay amounts
due on the notes. As a result, holders of notes may receive
less, ratably, than holders of senior indebtedness.
As of March 31, 2006, we had total Senior Debt of
approximately $246.1 million. Any additional indebtedness
we are permitted to incur under the Indenture or the indentures
may be senior to the notes.
In addition, we conduct substantially all of our operations
through our subsidiaries and some of our subsidiaries do not
guarantee the notes. In addition, we may be able to designate
one or more subsidiaries in the future as unrestricted
subsidiaries. As a result, holders of the notes will be
effectively subordinated to the indebtedness and other
liabilities of any such subsidiaries, including trade creditors.
Therefore, in the event of the insolvency or liquidation of an
unrestricted subsidiary, following payment by such subsidiary of
its liabilities, such subsidiary may not have sufficient
remaining assets to make payments to us as a shareholder or
otherwise. In the event of a default by any such subsidiary
under any credit arrangement or other indebtedness, its
creditors could accelerate such debt, prior to such subsidiary
distributing amounts to us that we could have used to make
payments on the notes.
We may not be able to repurchase the notes
Under the terms of the Indenture, you may require us to
repurchase all or a portion of your notes on certain dates or in
the event of a change in control. We may not have enough funds
to pay the repurchase price on a purchase date (in which case,
we could be required to issue common stock to pay the repurchase
price). Our existing and any future credit agreements or other
debt agreements to which we become a party may provide that our
obligation to purchase or redeem the notes would be an event of
default under such agreement. As a result, we may be restricted
or prohibited from repurchasing or redeeming the notes. If we
are prohibited from repurchasing or redeeming the notes, we
could seek the consent of our then- existing lenders to
repurchase or redeem the notes or we could attempt to refinance
the borrowings that contain such prohibition. If we are unable
to obtain a consent or refinance the debt, we could not
repurchase or redeem the notes. Our failure to redeem tendered
notes would constitute a default under the Indenture and might
constitute a default under the terms of other indebtedness that
we incur.
S-19
The term change in control is limited to certain
specified transactions and may not include other events that
might adversely affect our financial condition. Our obligation
to repurchase the notes upon a change in control would not
necessarily afford holders of notes protection in the event of a
highly leveraged transaction, reorganization, merger or similar
transaction involving us.
The notes may receive a lower rating than anticipated
If one or more rating agencies assigns the notes a rating lower
than the rating expected by investors, or reduces their rating
in the future, the market price of the notes would be adversely
affected.
There is no public trading market for the notes
The notes will constitute a new issue of securities for which
there is no established trading market. We do not intend to list
the notes on any national securities exchange or seek the
admission of the notes for quotation through the National
Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. We
have been informed by the underwriters that they intend to make
a market in the notes after this offering is completed. However,
the underwriters are not obligated to do so and may cease their
market-making activities at any time. In addition, the liquidity
of the trading market in the notes, and the market price quoted
for the notes, may be adversely affected by changes in the
overall market for high yield securities and by changes in our
financial performance or prospects or in the financial
performance or prospects of companies in our industry generally.
As a result, we cannot assure you that an active trading market
will develop or be maintained for the notes. If an active market
does not develop or is not maintained, the market price and
liquidity of the notes may be adversely affected.
Federal and state fraudulent transfer laws may permit a court
to void the notes and the guarantees and, if that occurs, you
may not receive any payments on the notes
The issuance of the notes and the guarantees may be subject to
review under federal and state fraudulent transfer and
conveyance statutes. While the relevant laws may vary from state
to state, under such laws the payment of consideration will be a
fraudulent conveyance if (1) we paid the consideration with
the intent of hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors or
(2) we or any of our subsidiary guarantors, as applicable,
received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair
consideration in return for issuing either the notes or a
guarantee and, in the case of (2) only, one of the
following is also true:
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|
|
we or any of our subsidiary guarantors were or was insolvent or
rendered insolvent by reason of the incurrence of the
indebtedness; |
|
|
payment of the consideration left us or any of our subsidiary
guarantors with an unreasonably small amount of capital to carry
on the business; or |
|
|
we or any of our subsidiary guarantors intended to, or believed
that we or it would, incur debts beyond our or its ability to
pay as they mature. |
If a court were to find that the issuance of the notes or a
guarantee was a fraudulent conveyance, the court could void the
payment obligations under the notes or such guarantee or
subordinate the notes or such guarantee to presently existing
and future indebtedness of ours or such guarantor, or require
the holders of the notes to repay any amounts received with
respect to the notes or such guarantee. In the event of a
finding that a fraudulent conveyance
S-20
occurred, you may not receive any repayment on the notes.
Further, the voidance of the notes could result in an event of
default with respect to our other debt and that of our
subsidiaries that could result in acceleration of such debt.
Generally, an entity would be considered insolvent if at the
time it incurred indebtedness:
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|
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the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, was
greater than the fair saleable value of all its assets; |
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|
the present fair saleable value of its assets were less than the
amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on
its existing debts and liabilities, including contingent
liabilities, as they become absolute and mature; or |
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|
it could not pay its debts as they become due. |
We cannot be certain as to the standards a court would use to
determine whether or not we or the subsidiary guarantors were
solvent at the relevant time, or regardless of the standard that
a court uses, that the issuance of the notes and the guarantees
would not be subordinated to our or any guarantors other
debt.
If the guarantees were legally challenged, any guarantee could
also be subject to the claim that, since the guarantee was
incurred for our benefit, and only indirectly for the benefit of
the guarantor, the obligations of the applicable guarantor were
incurred for less than fair consideration. A court could thus
void the obligations under the guarantees, subordinate them to
the applicable guarantors other debt or take other action
detrimental to the holders of the notes.
The market price of the notes may fluctuate significantly,
which may result in losses for investors
The market price of the notes could be volatile. We expect the
market price of the notes to be subject to fluctuations as a
result of a variety of factors, including factors beyond our
control. These include:
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|
|
changes in oil and natural gas prices; |
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|
variations in quarterly drilling, recompletions, acquisitions
and operating results; |
|
|
changes in financial estimates by securities analysts; |
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changes in market valuations of comparable companies; |
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|
additions or departures of key personnel; and |
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|
future incurrence of more debt. |
We may fail to meet expectations of the market or of securities
analysts at some time in the future, and the market price of the
notes could decline as a result.
S-21
Use of proceeds
We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering (after
deducting discounts to the underwriters and estimated expenses
of the offering) will be approximately $146.5 million. We
intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to pay down a
portion of the outstanding balance on our Senior Credit
Facility, which was $246.1 million as of March 31,
2006.
S-22
Capitalization
The following table sets forth our capitalization as of
March 31, 2006 on an actual basis and as adjusted to
reflect the application of the estimated net proceeds from the
sale of the
71/2
% Senior Subordinated Notes in this offering. This
table does not reflect any pro forma adjustments for the Stroud
acquisition as closing of the acquisition is not expected until
the second half of June 2006 and is not a condition to this
offering. This table should be read in conjunction with our
consolidated financial statements and related notes incorporated
by reference in this prospectus supplement.
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| |
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March 31, 2006 | |
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| |
(Dollars in thousands) |
|
Actual | |
|
As adjusted(1) | |
| |
Cash and cash equivalents
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|
$ |
1,349 |
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|
$ |
1,349 |
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|
Long-term debt:
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Senior credit facility
|
|
|
246,100 |
|
|
|
99,600 |
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|
73/8% senior
subordinated notes due 2013
|
|
|
197,025 |
|
|
|
197,025 |
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|
63/8% senior
subordinated notes due 2015
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
150,000 |
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|
Senior subordinated notes offered
hereby
|
|
|
|
|
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|
150,000 |
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|
|
|
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Total long-term debt
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|
593,125 |
|
|
|
596,625 |
|
Stockholders equity:
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Common stock, $.01 par value;
250,000,000 shares authorized; 131,206,835 issued and
outstanding(2)
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1,312 |
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|
1,312 |
|
Capital in excess of par value
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859,090 |
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859,090 |
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Stock held by employee benefit
trust, 1,956,112 shares at cost
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(19,283 |
) |
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(19,283 |
) |
Retained earnings (deficit)
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|
66,852 |
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|
66,852 |
|
Deferred compensation
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Other comprehensive income (loss)
|
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(93,491 |
) |
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|
(93,491 |
) |
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|
Total stockholders equity
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|
814,480 |
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|
814,480 |
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Total capitalization
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|
$ |
1,407,605 |
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|
$ |
1,411,105 |
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(1) Includes an estimated $146.5 million of net
proceeds from this offering and payment of all transaction
expenses.
(2) Outstanding common stock does not include grants to
purchase 8,891,622 shares of common stock outstanding under
our employee benefit and equity plans as of March 31, 2006.
S-23
Description of other indebtedness
Senior credit facility
In June 2004, we entered into an amended and restated
$600.0 million revolving bank facility, which is secured by
substantially all of our assets. The bank credit facility
provides for a borrowing base subject to redeterminations
semi-annually each April and October and pursuant to certain
unscheduled redeterminations. At March 31, 2006, the
borrowing base was $600.0 million. At March 31, 2006,
the outstanding balance under the bank credit facility was
$246.1 million and there was $353.9 million of
borrowing capacity available. In April 2006, the loan maturity
was extended two years to January 1, 2011 and the borrowing
base was redetermined at $600.0 million. Borrowing under
the bank credit facility can either be base rate loans or LIBOR
loans. On all base rate loans, the rate per annum is equal to
the lesser of (i) the maximum rate (the weekly
ceiling as defined in Section 303 of the Texas
Finance Code or other applicable laws if greater) (the
Maximum Rate) or, (ii) the sum of (A) the
higher of (1) the prime rate for such date, or (2) the
sum of the federal funds effective rate for such data plus
one-half of one percent (0.50%) per annum, plus a base rate
margin of between 0.0% to 0.5% per annum depending on the
total outstanding under the bank credit facility relative to the
borrowing base. On all LIBOR loans, we pay a varying rate per
annum equal to the lesser of (i) the Maximum Rate, or
(ii) the sum of the quotient of (A) the LIBOR base
rate, divided by (B) one minus the reserve requirement
applicable to such interest period, plus a LIBOR margin of
between 1.0% and 1.75% per annum depending on the total
outstanding under the bank credit facility relative to the
borrowing base. We may elect, from
time-to-time, to
convert all or any part of our LIBOR loans to base rate loans or
to convert all or any part of the base rate loans to LIBOR
loans. The weighted average interest rate on the bank credit
facility was 5.6% and 4.1% for the three months ended
March 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. A commitment fee is
paid on the undrawn balance based on an annual rate of between
0.25% and 0.50%. At March 31, 2006, the commitment fee was
0.25% and the interest rate margin was 1.0%. At April 24,
2006, the interest rate (including applicable margin) was 5.9%.
73/8% senior
subordinated notes due 2013
In 2003, we issued $100.0 million of
73/8% senior
subordinated notes due 2013, or the
73/8% Notes.
In 2004, we issued an additional $100.0 million of
73/8% Notes;
therefore, $200.0 million of the
73/8% Notes
are currently outstanding. We pay interest on the
73/8% Notes
semi-annually in January and July of each year. The
73/8% Notes
mature in 2013 and are guaranteed by certain of our
subsidiaries. The
73/8% Notes
were issued at a discount which is amortized into interest
expense over the life of the
73/8
% Notes.
We may redeem the
73/8% Notes,
in whole or in part, at any time on or after July 15, 2008,
at redemption prices from 103.7% of the principal amount as of
July 15, 2008, and declining to 100.0% on July 15,
2011 and thereafter. Prior to July 15, 2006, we may redeem
up to 35% of the original aggregate principal amount of the
notes at a redemption price of 107.4% of the principal amount
thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, with the
proceeds of certain equity offerings. If we experience a change
of control, there may be a requirement to repurchase all or a
portion of the
73/8% Notes
at 101% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid
interest, if any. The
73/8% Notes
and the guarantees by our subsidiary guarantors are general,
unsecured obligations and are subordinated to our senior debt
and will be subordinated to future senior debt that Range and
our subsidiary guarantors are permitted to incur under the bank
credit facility and the indenture governing the
73/8
% Notes.
S-24
63/8% senior
subordinated notes Due 2015
In 2005, we issued $150.0 million of
63/8% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2015, or the
63/8% Notes.
We pay interest on the
63/8% Notes
semi-annually in March and September of each year. The
63/8
% Notes mature in 2015 and are guaranteed by certain
of our subsidiaries.
We may redeem the
63/8% Notes,
in whole or in part, at any time on or after March 15,
2010, at redemption prices from 103.2% of the principal amount
as of March 15, 2010 and declining to 100% on
March 15, 2013 and thereafter. Prior to March 15,
2008, we may redeem up to 35% of the original aggregate
principal amount of the notes at a redemption price of 106.4% of
the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest,
if any, with the proceeds of certain equity offerings. If we
experience a change of control, there may be a requirement to
repurchase all or a portion of the
63/8% Notes
at 101% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid
interest, if any. The
63/8% Notes
and the guarantees by our subsidiary guarantors are general,
unsecured obligations and are subordinated to our bank debt and
will be subordinated to future senior debt that Range and our
subsidiary guarantors are permitted to incur under the bank
credit facility and the indenture governing the
63/8
% Notes.
S-25
Description of notes
The Company will issue the notes as an issue of securities under
the indenture described more fully in the accompanying
prospectus under the heading Description of Debt
Securities, as supplemented by a supplemental indenture or
board resolution dated as of the date the notes are first issued
(together, the indenture). This Description of the
Notes, together with the Description of Debt
Securities included in the accompanying base prospectus,
is intended to be an overview of the material provisions of the
notes and the indenture and it supplements the description of
the general terms and provisions of the securities set forth in
the accompanying prospectus. Since this Description of Notes and
the Description of Debt Securities is only a summary, you should
refer to the indenture for a complete description of our
obligations and your rights. You will find the definitions of
certain capitalized terms used in this description under the
heading Description of Debt Securities Certain
definitions in the accompanying prospectus. Other
capitalized terms have the meanings assigned to them elsewhere
in this description or in the indenture. For purposes of this
description, references to the Company,
Range, we, our and
us refer only to Range Resources Corporation and any
successor obligor on the notes, and not to any of its
subsidiaries.
General
The notes. The notes
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will be general unsecured, senior obligations of the Company; |
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will be issued in an initial aggregate principal amount of
$150 million, subject to our ability to issue additional
notes in accordance with the indenture; |
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will mature on May 15, 2016; |
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|
will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples
of $1,000; |
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|
will be represented by one or more registered notes in global
form, and, except in limited circumstances, will not be issued
in definitive form; |
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|
will be guaranteed by certain material domestic subsidiaries of
the Company as provided in the Description of Debt
Securities in the accompanying prospectus; and |
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|
will rank junior in right of payment to any existing and future
Senior Indebtedness of the Company and will rank equally with
the Companys outstanding
73/8% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2013 and
63/8
% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2015, all as
described in the Description of Debt Securities in
the accompanying prospectus. |
Interest. Interest on the new notes will compound
semi-annually and:
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|
accrue at the rate of
71/2
% per annum; |
|
|
accrue from the date of original issuance or, if interest has
already been paid, from the most recent interest payment date; |
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|
be payable in cash semi-annually in arrears on each May 15
and November 15, commencing on November 15, 2006; |
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|
be payable to the holders of record on the May 1 and
November 1 immediately preceding the related interest
payment dates; and |
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be computed on the basis of a
360-day year comprised
of twelve 30-day months. |
S-26
Optional redemption
Except as otherwise described below, the notes will not be
redeemable at the Companys option prior to May 15,
2011. Thereafter, the notes will be subject to redemption at the
option of the Company, in whole or in part, upon not less than
30 nor more than 60 days notice, at the redemption
prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth
below plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the applicable
redemption date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period
beginning on May 15 of the years indicated below:
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| |
Year |
|
% of principal amount | |
| |
2011
|
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|
103.750% |
|
2012
|
|
|
102.500% |
|
2013
|
|
|
101.250% |
|
2014 and thereafter
|
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|
100.000% |
|
|
Prior to May 15, 2009, the Company may, at its option, on
any one or more occasions, redeem up to 35% of the original
aggregate principal amount of the notes at a redemption price
equal to 107.5% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued
and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date,
with all or a portion of the net proceeds of public sales of
Equity Interests of the Company; provided that at least 65% of
the original aggregate principal amount of the notes remains
outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption;
and provided, further, that such redemption shall occur within
60 days of the date of the closing of the related sale of
such Equity Interests.
In addition, before May 15, 2011, the Company may redeem
all or, from time to time, any part of the notes upon not less
than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, at a redemption
price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the
Make-Whole Premium 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).
Make-Whole Premium means, with respect to a note at
any redemption date, the excess of (A) the present value at
such time of (1) the redemption price, excluding accrued
interest, of such note at May 15, 2011, (as set forth in
the table above) plus (2) all required interest payments,
excluding accrued interest, due on such note through
May 15, 2011, computed using a discount rate equal to the
Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, over (B) the
principal amount of such note.
Treasury Rate means 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 or similar
market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the
redemption date to May 15, 2011; provided, however, that if
the period from the redemption date to May 15, 2011 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 May 15, 2011 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.
S-27
If the optional redemption date is on or after an interest
record date and on or before the related interest payment date,
the accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will be paid to the
person in whose name the note is registered at the close of
business, on such record date, and no additional interest will
be payable to holders whose notes will be subject to redemption
by the Company.
S-28
United States federal income tax considerations
The following discussion summarizes the material United States
federal income tax considerations relevant to the acquisition,
ownership and disposition of the notes by an initial beneficial
owner of the notes. This discussion is based upon the provisions
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
Code), applicable Treasury Regulations promulgated
thereunder, judicial authority and administrative
interpretations, as of the date hereof, all of which are subject
to change, possibly with retroactive effect, or are subject to
different interpretations. We cannot assure you that the
Internal Revenue Service (the IRS) will not
challenge one or more of the tax consequences described herein,
and we have not obtained, nor do we intend to obtain, a ruling
from the IRS or an opinion of counsel with respect to the United
States federal tax consequences of acquiring, holding or
disposing of the notes.
In this discussion, we do not purport to address all tax
considerations that may be important to a particular holder in
light of the holders circumstances, or to certain
categories of investors that may be subject to special rules,
such as financial institutions, insurance companies, regulated
investment companies, tax-exempt organizations, dealers in
securities or currencies, U.S. holders (as defined below)
whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar,
U.S. expatriates, persons subject to the alternative
minimum tax, or persons who hold the notes as part of a hedge,
conversion transaction, straddle or other risk reduction
transaction. This discussion is limited to initial holders who
purchase the notes for cash at the issue price, which will equal
the first price to the public (not including bond houses,
brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the
capacity of underwriters, placement agents or wholesalers) at
which a substantial amount of the notes is sold for money and
who hold the notes as capital assets (within the meaning of
section 1221 of the Code). If a partnership holds the
notes, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend upon
the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership.
If you are a partner or a partnership acquiring the notes, you
should consult your own tax advisor about the U.S. federal
income tax consequences of acquiring, holding and disposing of
the notes. This discussion also does not address the tax
considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state,
local or other jurisdiction.
Investors considering the purchase of notes should consult
their own tax advisors regarding the application of the
U.S. federal income tax laws to their particular situations
and the applicability and effect of state, local or foreign tax
laws and tax treaties.
Consequences to U.S. holders
You are a U.S. holder for purposes of this
discussion if you are a beneficial owner of a note and you are
for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
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an individual who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident
alien; |
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a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, that was created or
organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state
thereof or the District of Columbia; |
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an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income
taxation regardless of its source; or |
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a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise
primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one
or more United States persons have the authority to control all
substantial decisions of the trust, or that has a valid election
in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations to be
treated as a United States person. |
S-29
Interest on the notes
The notes will be issued without original issue discount for
United States federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, you will
generally be required to recognize as ordinary income any
interest paid or accrued on the notes, in accordance with your
regular method of accounting for federal income tax purposes.
Disposition of the notes
You will generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale,
redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of
a note. This gain or loss will equal the difference between your
adjusted tax basis in the note and the proceeds you receive,
excluding any proceeds attributable to accrued interest which
will be recognized as ordinary interest income to the extent you
have not previously included the accrued interest in income. The
proceeds you receive will include the amount of any cash and the
fair market value of any other property received for the note.
Your adjusted tax basis in the note will generally equal the
amount you paid for the note less any principal payments
received. The gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or
loss if you held the note for more than one year. Long- term
capital gains of individuals, estates and trusts currently are
taxed at a maximum rate of 15%. The deductibility of capital
losses may be subject to limitation.
Information reporting and backup withholding
Information reporting will apply to payments of interest and
principal on, or the proceeds of the sale or other disposition
of, notes held by you, and backup withholding (currently at a
rate of 28%) will apply unless you provide the appropriate
intermediary with a taxpayer identification number, certified
under penalties of perjury, as well as certain other information
or otherwise establish an exemption from backup withholding. 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 provide the required information or appropriate claim form
to the IRS.
Consequences to
non-U.S. holders
You are a
non-U.S. holder
for purposes of this discussion if you are a beneficial owner of
notes and you are not a U.S. holder.
Interest on the notes
If you are a
non-U.S. holder,
payments of interest on the notes generally will be exempt from
withholding of U.S. federal income tax under the
portfolio interest exemption if you properly certify
as to your foreign status as described below, and:
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you do not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of the
total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled
to vote; and |
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you are not a controlled foreign corporation that is
directly or indirectly related to us. |
The portfolio interest exemption and several of the special
rules for
non-U.S. holders
described below generally apply only if you appropriately
certify as to your foreign status. You can generally meet this
certification requirement by providing a properly executed IRS
Form W-8BEN or appropriate substitute form to us or our
paying agent. If you hold the notes through
S-30
a financial institution or other agent acting on your behalf,
you may be required to provide appropriate certifications to the
agent. Your agent will then generally be required to provide
appropriate certifications to us or our paying agent, either
directly or through other intermediaries. Special rules apply to
foreign partnerships, estates and trusts, and in certain
circumstances certifications as to foreign status of partners,
trust owners or beneficiaries may have to be provided to us or
our paying agent. In addition, special rules apply to qualified
intermediaries that enter into withholding agreements with the
IRS.
If you cannot satisfy the requirements described above, payments
of interest made to you will be subject to the 30%
U.S. federal withholding tax, unless you provide us with a
properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or appropriate substitute
form claiming an exemption from (or a reduction of) withholding
under the benefit of a tax treaty, or the payments of interest
are effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or
business in the United States and you meet the certification
requirements described below. See Income or Gain
Effectively Connected With a U.S. Trade or Business.
Disposition of notes
You generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income
tax on any gain realized on the sale, redemption, exchange,
retirement or other taxable disposition of a note unless:
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the gain is effectively connected with the conduct by you of a
U.S. trade or business (and where an applicable tax treaty
applies, attributable to your permanent establishment in the
United States); or |
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you are an individual who has been present in the United States
for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and
certain other requirements are met. |
Income or gain effectively connected with a
U.S. trade or business
The preceding discussion of the tax consequences of the
purchase, ownership and disposition of notes by you generally
assumes that you are not engaged in a U.S. trade or
business. If any interest on the notes or gain from the sale,
exchange or other taxable disposition of the notes is
effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business
conducted by you, (and where an applicable treaty applies,
attributable to your permanent establishment in the United
States) then the income or gain will be subject to
U.S. federal income tax at regular graduated income tax
rates, but will not be subject to withholding tax if certain
certification requirements are satisfied. You can generally meet
the certification requirements by providing a properly executed
IRS Form W-8ECI or appropriate substitute form to us, or
our paying agent. If you are eligible for the benefits of a tax
treaty between the United States and your country of residence,
any effectively connected income or gain will
generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax only if it
is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by
you in the United States. If you are a corporation, that portion
of your earnings and profits that is effectively connected with
your U.S. trade or business (or where an applicable tax
treaty applies, attributable to your permanent establishment in
the United States) also may be subject to a branch profits
tax at a 30% rate, although an applicable tax treaty may
provide for a lower rate.
U.S. federal estate tax
Individual
non-U.S. holders
and entities the property of which is potentially includible in
such an individuals gross estate for U.S. federal
estate tax purposes (for example, a trust funded by
S-31
such an individual and with respect to which the individual has
retained certain interests or powers), should note that, absent
an applicable treaty benefit, a note or coupon will be treated
as U.S. situs property subject to U.S. federal estate
tax if payments on the note, if received by the decedent at the
time of death, would have been:
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subject to U.S. federal withholding tax (even if the W-8BEN
certification requirement described above were satisfied); or |
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effectively connected with the conduct by the holder of a trade
or business in the United States. |
Information reporting and backup withholding
Payments to
non-U.S. holders
of interest on a note, and amounts withheld from such payments,
if any, generally will be required to be reported to the IRS and
to you.
United States backup withholding generally will not apply to
payments of interest and principal on a note to a
non-U.S. holder if
the statement described in Consequences to
Non-U.S. Holders
Interest on the Notes is duly provided by the holder or
the holder otherwise establishes an exemption, provided that we
do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the holder
is a United States person.
Payment of the proceeds of a sale of a note effected by the
U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker 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. Information
reporting requirements and backup withholding generally will not
apply to any payment of the proceeds of the sale of a note
effected outside the United States by a foreign office of a
broker. However, unless such a broker has documentary evidence
in its records that you are a
non-U.S. holder
and certain other conditions are met, or you otherwise establish
an exemption, information reporting will apply to a payment of
the proceeds of the sale of a note effected outside the United
States by such a broker if the broker:
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is a United States person; |
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derives 50% or more of its gross income for certain periods from
the conduct of a trade or business in the United States; |
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is a controlled foreign corporation for U.S. federal income
tax purposes; or |
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is a foreign partnership that, at any time during its taxable
year, has more than 50% of its income or capital interests owned
by United States persons or is engaged in the conduct of a
U.S. trade or business. |
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 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 purchasing, holding, and disposing
of our notes, including the consequences of any proposed change
in applicable laws.
S-32
Underwriting
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the
underwriting agreement among Range and the underwriters, we have
agreed to sell to each underwriter, and each underwriter has
severally agreed to purchase from us, the principal amount of
the notes that appears opposite its name in the table below:
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Underwriter |
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Principal amount of notes | |
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J.P. Morgan Securities
Inc.
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$ |
63,000,000 |
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Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
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25,500,000 |
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Banc of America Securities LLC
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13,500,000 |
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Harris Nesbitt Corp.
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13,500,000 |
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Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC
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13,500,000 |
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Calyon Securities
(USA) Inc.
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3,000,000 |
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Comerica Securities,
Inc.
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3,000,000 |
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Fortis Securities LLC
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3,000,000 |
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Capital One Southcoast,
Inc.
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3,000,000 |
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Keybanc Capital Markets
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3,000,000 |
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Scotia Capital
(USA) Inc.
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3,000,000 |
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Natexis Bleichroeder
Inc.
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3,000,000 |
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Total
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$ |
150,000,000 |
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The obligations of the underwriters under the underwriting
agreement, including their agreement to purchase notes from us,
are several and not joint. Those obligations are also subject to
various conditions in the underwriting agreement being
satisfied. The underwriters have agreed to purchase all of the
notes if any of them are purchased.
The underwriters initially propose to offer the notes to the
public at the public offering price that appears on the cover of
this prospectus supplement. The underwriters may offer the notes
to selected dealers at the public offering price minus a
concession of up to 0.50% of the principal amount. In addition,
the underwriters may allow, and those selected dealers may
reallow, a concession of up to 0.25% of the principal amount to
certain other dealers. After the initial offering, the
underwriters may change the public offering price and any other
selling terms.
In the underwriting agreement, we have agreed that:
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We will not offer or sell any of our debt securities having a
term of more than one year (other than the notes) for a period
of 90 days after the date of this prospectus supplement
without the prior consent of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. |
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We will pay our own expenses related to the offering, which we
estimate will be $500,000. |
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We will indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities act of 1933, or
contribute payments that the underwriters may be required to
make in respect of those liabilities. |
The notes are new issues of securities with no established
trading market. We do not intend to apply for the notes to be
listed on any securities exchange or to arrange for the notes to
be quoted on any quotation system. The underwriters have advised
us that they intend to make a
S-33
market in the notes. However, they are not obligated to do so
and they may discontinue any market making at any time in their
sole discretion. Therefore, we cannot assure you that a liquid
trading market will develop for the notes, that you will be able
to sell your notes at a particular time or that the prices that
you receive when you sell will be favorable.
In connection with the offering, the underwriters may engage in
overallotment, stabilizing transactions and syndicate covering
transactions. Overallotment involves sales in excess of the
offering size, which creates a short position for the
underwriters. Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase
the notes in the open market for the purpose of pegging, fixing
or maintaining the price of the notes. Syndicate covering
transactions involve purchases of the notes in the open market
after the distribution has been completed in order to cover
short positions. Stabilizing transactions and syndicate covering
transactions may cause the price of the notes to be higher than
it would otherwise be in the absence of those transactions. If
the underwriters engage in stabilizing or syndicate covering
transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.
We intend to use more than 10% of the net proceeds from the sale
of the notes to repay indebtedness owed by us to certain of the
underwriters or their affiliates. Accordingly, the offering is
being made in compliance with the requirements of
Rule 2710(h) of the Conduct Rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. This rule provides
generally that if more than 10% of the net proceeds from the
sale of debt securities, not including underwriting
compensation, is paid to the underwriters of such debt
securities or their affiliates, the yield on the securities may
not be lower than that recommended by a qualified
independent underwriter meeting certain standards.
Accordingly, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC is assuming
the responsibilities of acting as the qualified independent
underwriter in pricing the offering and conducting due
diligence. The yield on the notes, when sold to the public at
the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this
prospectus, is no lower than that recommended by Credit Suisse
Securities (USA) LLC.
The underwriters or their affiliates have from time to time
provided investment banking, commercial banking and financial
advisory services to us and our affiliates, for which they have
received customary compensation. The underwriters and their
affiliates may provide similar services in the future. In
particular, certain of the underwriters or their affiliates are
lenders under our bank credit facility and will receive the net
proceeds from this offering used to pay down our bank credit
facility. In addition, from time to time, certain of our
underwriters and their affiliates may effect transactions for
their own account or the account of customers, and hold on
behalf of themselves or their customers, long or short positions
in our debt or equity securities or loans, and may do so in the
future.
J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association, an
affiliate of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., will serve as
trustee under the indenture which will govern the notes being
offered hereby. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPMorgan)
has entered into an agreement with The Bank of New York Company,
Inc. (BNY) pursuant to which JPMorgan intends to
exchange portions of its corporate trust business, including
municipal and corporate trusteeships, for BNYs consumer,
small business and middle market banking businesses. This
transaction has been approved by both companies boards of
directors and is subject to regulatory approvals. It is expected
to close in the late third quarter or fourth quarter of 2006.
S-34
Legal matters
Our legal counsel, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Dallas,
Texas, will pass upon certain legal matters in connection with
the offered securities. The underwriters will be represented by
Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York, New York.
Experts
The consolidated financial statements of Range Resources
Corporation appearing in Range Resources Corporations
Annual Report
(Form 10-K) for
the year ended December 31, 2005, and Range Resources
Corporation managements assessment of the effectiveness of
internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2005 included therein, have been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included
therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated
financial statements and managements assessment are
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and in
the accompanying prospectus in reliance upon such reports given
on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and
auditing.
Reserve engineers
Certain information presented and incorporated by reference in
this prospectus supplement and in the accompanying prospectus
regarding estimated quantities of oil and natural gas reserves
occurred by us, the future net revenues from those reserves and
their present value is based on estimates of the reserves and
present values prepared by or derived from estimates prepared by
DeGolyer and MacNaughton, Wright & Company, Inc. and
H.J. Gruy and Associates, Inc. The reserve information is
presented and incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon
the authority of said firms as experts with respect to such
reports.
S-35
Glossary of certain oil and natural gas terms
In this prospectus supplement, the following terms have the
meanings specified below.
Bbl One stock tank barrel, or 42 U.S. gallons
liquid volume, used herein in reference to crude oil or other
liquid hydrocarbons.
Bcf One billion cubic feet.
Bcfe One billion cubic feet of natural gas
equivalents, based on a ratio of 6 Mcf for each barrel of
oil, which reflects the relative energy content.
Development Well A well drilled within the proved
area of an oil or natural gas reservoir to the depth of a
stratigraphic horizon known to be productive.
Dry Hole A well found to be incapable of producing
oil or natural gas in sufficient economic quantities.
Exploratory Well A well drilled to find oil or gas
in an unproved area, to find a new reservoir in an existing
field or to extend a known reservoir.
Gross Acres Or Gross Wells The total acres or
wells, as the case may be, in which a working interest is owned.
Infill Well A well drilled between known producing
wells to better exploit the reservoir.
LIBOR London Interbank Offer Rate, the rate of
interest at which banks offer to lend to one another in the
wholesale money markets in the City of London. This rate is a
yardstick for lenders involved in many high value transactions.
Mbbl One thousand barrels of crude oil or other
liquid hydrocarbons.
Mcf One thousand cubic feet of gas.
Mcf Per Day One thousand cubic feet of gas per day.
Mcfe One thousand cubic feet of natural gas
equivalents, based on a ratio of 6 Mcf for each barrel of
oil or NGL, which reflects relative energy content.
Mmbbl One million barrels of crude oil or other
liquid hydrocarbons.
Mmbtu One million British thermal units. A British
thermal unit is the heat required to raise the temperature of
one-pound of water from 58.5 to 59.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mmcf One million cubic feet of gas.
Mmcfe One million cubic feet of gas equivalents.
Net Acres Or Net Wells The sum of the fractional
working interests owned in gross acres or gross wells.
Present Value (PV) The present value, discounted at
10%, of future net cash flows from estimated proved reserves,
using constant prices and costs in effect on the date of the
report (unless such prices or costs are subject to change
pursuant to contractual provisions).
Productive Well A well that is producing oil or
natural gas or that is capable of production.
Proved Developed Non-Producing Reserves Reserves
that consist of (i) proved reserves from wells which have
been completed and tested but are not producing due to lack of
market or minor completion problems which are expected to be
corrected and (ii) proved reserves
S-36
currently behind the pipe in existing wells and which are
expected to be productive due to both the well log
characteristics and analogous production in the immediate
vicinity of the wells.
Proved Developed Producing Reserves Proved reserves
that can be expected to be recovered from currently producing
zones under the continuation of present operating methods.
Proved Developed Reserves Proved reserves that can
be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing
equipment and operating methods.
Proved Reserves The estimated quantities of crude
oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids which geological and
engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to be
recoverable in future years from known reservoirs under existing
economic and operating conditions.
Proved Undeveloped Reserves Proved reserves that
are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled
acreage, or from existing wells where a relatively major
expenditure is required for recompletion.
Recompletion The completion for production of
another formation in an existing well bore.
Reserve Life Index Proved reserves at a point in
time divided by the then annual production rate.
Royalty Interest An interest in an oil and gas
property entitling the owner to a share of oil and natural gas
production free of costs of production.
Standardized Measure The present value, discounted
at 10%, of future net cash flows from estimated proved reserves
after income taxes, calculated holding prices and costs constant
at amounts in effect on the date of the report (unless such
prices or costs are subject to change pursuant to contractual
provisions) and otherwise in accordance with the SECs
rules for inclusion of oil and natural gas reserve information
in financial statements filed with the SEC.
Tcfe One trillion cubic feet of natural gas
equivalent, computed on an approximate energy equivalent basis
that one Bbl equals six Mcf.
Term Overriding Royalty A royalty interest that is
carved out of the operating or working interest in a well. Its
term does not necessarily extend to the economic life of the
property and may be of shorter duration than the underlying
working interest. The term overriding royalties in which the
Company participates through Independent Producer Finance
typically extend until amounts financed and a designated rate of
return have been achieved. If such point in time is reached, the
override interest reverts back to the working interest owner.
Working Interest The operating interest that gives
the owner the right to drill, produce and conduct operating
activities on the property and a share of production, subject to
all royalties, overriding royalties and other burdens, and to
all costs of exploration, development and operations, and all
risks in connection therewith.
S-37
PROSPECTUS
and
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Great Lakes
Energy Partners, L.L.C.
PMOG Holdings, Inc.
Range Energy I, Inc.
Range HoldCo, Inc. |
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Range Production I, L.P.
Range Production Company
Range Energy Ventures Corporation
Range Operating New Mexico, Inc. as
Guarantors |
Range Resources Corporation
Debt Securities
Guarantees of Debt Securities
We may offer and sell securities from time to time in amounts,
at prices and on terms that we will determine at the times of
the offerings.
We will provide the specific terms of the securities in one or
more supplements to this prospectus. You should read this
prospectus and the related prospectus supplements carefully
before you invest in our securities. This prospectus may not be
used to offer and sell our securities unless accompanied by a
prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the
offering of those offered securities. We may sell the securities
directly, or we may distribute them through underwriters or
dealers.
You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully
before you invest. AN INVESTMENT IN OUR SECURITIES INVOLVES
RISKS. PLEASE READ THE RISK FACTORS DESCRIBED IN ANY
ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT, IN OUR
FORM 10-K AND IN
ANY OF THE DOCUMENTS WE INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
The date of this prospectus is May 17, 2006
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
and the accompanying prospectus supplement. You must not rely
upon any information or representation not contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying
prospectus supplement as if we had authorized it. This
prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement are not an
offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any
securities other than the registered securities to which they
relate. This prospectus and the accompanying prospectus
supplement are not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to
whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation in that
jurisdiction. The information contained in this prospectus and
the accompanying prospectus supplement is accurate as of the
dates on their covers. When we deliver this prospectus or an
accompanying prospectus supplement or make a sale pursuant to
this prospectus, we are not implying that the information is
current as of the date of the delivery or sale.
i
About this prospectus
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on
Form S-3 that we
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) utilizing a shelf registration process. Under
this shelf registration process, we may sell the securities
described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This
prospectus provides you with a general description of the
securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will
provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific
information about the terms of the offering and the securities
to be sold. This prospectus does not contain all of the
information included in the registration statement. The
prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information
contained in this prospectus. You should read both this
prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the
additional information under the heading Where You Can
Find More Information.
Unless otherwise noted herein, as used in this prospectus,
Range, Range Resources, we,
our, ours, us and the
Company refer to Range Resources Corporation and its
consolidated subsidiaries, except where the context otherwise
requires or as otherwise indicated.
Where you can find more information
This prospectus does not contain all of the information included
in the registration statement and all of the exhibits and
schedules thereto. For further information about the
registrants, you should refer to the registration statement.
Summaries of agreements or other documents is this prospectus
are not necessarily complete. Please refer to the exhibits to
the registration statement for complete copies of such documents.
We file annual, quarterly and other periodic reports, proxy
statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings
are available over the Internet at the SECs web site at
http://www.sec.gov. You may also read and copy any document we
file with the SEC at the SECs public reference room
located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.
Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330 for more
information on the public reference room and its copy charges.
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol RRC. You may also inspect our SEC reports
and other information at the New York Stock Exchange,
20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005, or at our
website at http://www.rangeresources.com. We do not intend for
information contained in our website to be part of this
prospectus.
Information we incorporate by reference
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the
information we file with them, which means that we can disclose
important information to you by referring you to those
documents. The information incorporated by reference is an
important part of this prospectus. Information that we file with
the SEC after we file this prospectus will automatically update
and may replace information in this prospectus and information
previously filed with the SEC.
We incorporate by reference in this prospectus the documents
listed below which we previously have filed with the SEC and any
future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(excluding those filings made under Item 9 or 12 of
Form 8-K) after we
file this prospectus until the offering of the securities
terminates or
1
we have filed with the SEC an amendment to the registration
statement relating to this offering that deregisters all
securities then remaining unsold:
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Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2005; |
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Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q/ A for
the quarterly period ended March 31, 2006, filed on
May 11, 2006; and |
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Current Reports on
Form 8-K filed on
January 4, 2006, filed on January 18, 2006, filed on
January 25, 2006, filed on February 2, 2006, filed on
February 24, 2006, filed on March 30, 2006, filed on
April 19, 2006 and filed on May 16, 2006 (and the
Form 8-K/A filed
on May 16, 2006). |
You may request a copy of any of these filings (other than an
exhibit to those filings unless we have specifically
incorporated that exhibit by reference into the filing), at no
cost, by telephoning us at the following number or writing us at
the following address:
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Range Resources Corporation |
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Attention: Corporate Secretary |
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777 Main Street |
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Suite 800 |
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Fort Worth, Texas 76102 |
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(817) 870-2601 |
Forward-looking statements
This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in
this prospectus contain forward-looking statements
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. These statements include statements relating to our plans,
strategies, objectives, expectations, intentions and adequacy of
resources and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In
general, all statements other than statements of historical fact
are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
are based on managements current belief, based on
currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of
future events. However, managements assumptions and our
future performance are subject to a wide range of business risks
and uncertainties and we cannot assure you that these goals and
projections can or will be met. Any number of factors could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to:
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production variance from expectations, |
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volatility of oil and natural gas prices, |
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hedging results, |
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the need to develop and replace reserves, |
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the substantial capital expenditures required to fund operations, |
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exploration risks, |
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environmental risks, |
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uncertainties about estimates of reserves, |
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competition, |
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litigation, |
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our sources of liquidity, |
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access to capital, |
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government regulation, |
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political risks, |
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our ability to implement our business strategy, |
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costs and results of drilling new projects, |
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mechanical and other inherent risks associated with oil and
natural gas production, |
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weather, |
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availability of drilling equipment, and |
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changes of interest rates. |
Reserve engineering is a process of estimating underground
accumulations of oil and natural gas that cannot be measured in
an exact way. The accuracy of any reserve estimate depends on
the quality of available data, the interpretation of such data
and price and cost assumptions made by our reserve engineers. In
addition, the results of drilling, testing and production
activities may justify revisions of estimates that were made
previously. If significant, such revisions would change the
schedule of any further production and development drilling.
Accordingly, reserve estimates may differ from the quantities of
oil and natural gas that are ultimately recovered.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the
forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee
future results, events, levels of activity, performance or
achievements. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy
and completeness of the forward-looking statements.
Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in
this prospectus or the documents we incorporate by reference, or
should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual
results and plans could differ materially from those expressed
in any forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
All forward-looking statements express or implied, included in
this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference
and attributable to Range are expressly qualified in their
entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement
should also be considered in connection with any subsequent
written or oral forward-looking statements that Range or persons
acting on its behalf may issue.
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
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Year ended December 31, | |
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Three months ended | |
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March 31, | |
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2001 | |
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2002 | |
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2003 | |
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2004 | |
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2005 | |
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2006 | |
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
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1.5x |
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1.9x |
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3.2x |
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3.8x |
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5.5x |
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9.3x |
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For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed
charges:
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fixed charges represent interest expense,
amortization of debt costs and the portion of rental expense
representing the interest factor, and |
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earnings represent the aggregate of income from
continuing operations and fixed charges. |
Use of proceeds
Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we
expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities
covered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which
may include but are not limited to reduction or refinancing of
debt or other corporate obligations, repurchasing or redeeming
our securities, the financing of capital expenditures,
acquisitions and additions to our working capital. We may
temporarily use the net proceeds received from any offering of
securities to repay our senior credit facility or other debt
until we can use such net proceeds for the stated purpose.
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Description of debt securities
In this Description of Debt Securities, Range or
the Company refers only to Range Resources
Corporation, and any successor obligor on the securities, and
not to any of its subsidiaries. You can find the definitions of
certain terms used in this description under Certain
definitions.
The Company may from time to time issue such securities
(referred to herein as the notes) under an Indenture
between the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and
J.P. Morgan Trust Company, N.A., to be entered into prior
to issuance of the notes. 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 notes may be issued from time to time as provided in this
prospectus. When notes are offered, a prospectus supplement will
explain the particular terms of the notes to the extent they are
not set forth in or vary from the terms set forth in this
prospectus, and in particular will include the following
information about the notes offered:
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the initial principal amount of notes offered, |
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the interest rate borne by the notes, |
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the interest payment dates and related record date, |
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the maturity date, |
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the prices and other terms, if any, upon which the notes may be
redeemed prior to maturity, |
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any changes in the terms related to the notes described herein,
including changes in covenants, events of default or any other
provision described herein, and |
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any other information relevant to the terms of the notes so
offered. |
The following is a summary of the material provisions of the
Indenture. Because this is a summary, it may not contain all the
information that is important to you. We have filed the form of
Indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement of which
this prospectus is part. You should read the Indenture in its
entirety.
Basic terms of notes
The notes
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will be unsecured senior subordinated obligations of Range,
subordinated in right of payment to all existing and future
Senior Debt of Range in accordance with the subordination
provisions of the Indenture; |
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will be jointly, severally and unconditionally guaranteed on a
senior subordinated basis by certain of the material domestic
Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company and any future material
domestic Restricted Subsidiary of the Company. The obligations
of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Guarantees will be
general unsecured obligations of each of the Subsidiary
Guarantors and will be subordinated in right of payment to all
obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors in respect of Senior
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will rank equally with all of our senior subordinated unsecured
debt, including $200.0 million in aggregate principal
amount of our outstanding
73/8
% Senior Subordinated Notes and our |
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$150.0 million in aggregate principal amount of our
outstanding
63/8
% Senior Subordinated Notes; |
Additional notes
Subject to the covenants described below, following the initial
issuance of notes under the Indenture, we may issue additional
notes under the Indenture having the same terms as the initial
notes; provided, however, that any such issuance made under the
same CUSIP number as the original issuance will be made only if
either such additional notes are issued with no more than de
minimis original issue discount or such issuance is a
qualified reopening as such term is defined under
Treasury regulations section 1.1275-2(k)(3) promulgated
under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The initial
notes and any such additional notes would be treated as a single
class for all purposes under the Indenture and will vote
together as one class on all matters with respect to the notes.
Optional redemption
We will be permitted to redeem the notes prior to maturity on
the terms and at the prices set forth in the prospectus
supplement relating to the issuance of the notes.
No mandatory redemption or sinking fund
Except as set forth below under Repurchase at the
option of holders, we will not be required to make
mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to
the notes.
Guarantees
The Companys payment obligations under the notes will be
jointly, severally and unconditionally guaranteed (the
Guarantees) initially by certain of the
Companys material domestic Restricted Subsidiaries of the
Company and by any future material domestic Restricted
Subsidiaries of the Company. The initial Subsidiary Guarantors
shall be Great Lakes Energy Partners, L.L.C., Range
Energy I, Inc., Range HoldCo, Inc., Range
Production I, L.P., Range Production Company, Range Energy
Ventures Corporation, Range Operating New Mexico, Inc. and PMOG
Holdings, Inc. The Guarantees will be subordinated to
Indebtedness of the Subsidiary Guarantors to the same extent and
in the same manner as the notes are subordinated to the Senior
Debt. Each Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor will be limited
in an amount not to exceed the maximum amount that can be
guaranteed by the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor without
rendering such Guarantee, as it relates to such Subsidiary
Guarantor, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent
conveyance or fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting
rights of creditors generally.
The Indenture provides that no Subsidiary Guarantor may
consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such
Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving Person), another Person
whether or not affiliated with such Subsidiary Guarantor, unless
(i) subject to the provisions of the following paragraph,
the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or
merger (if other than such Subsidiary Guarantor) assumes all the
obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to a
supplemental Indenture in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Trustee in respect of the notes, the
Indenture and the Guarantees; (ii) immediately after giving
effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default
exists; and (iii) such transaction does not violate any of
the covenants described under the heading Certain
covenants.
The Indenture provides that in the event of a sale or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of a
Subsidiary Guarantor to a third party or an Unrestricted
Subsidiary in a
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transaction that does not violate any of the covenants in the
Indenture, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, or a
sale or other disposition of all of the capital stock of a
Subsidiary Guarantor, then such Subsidiary Guarantor (in the
event of a sale or other disposition, by way of such a merger,
consolidation or otherwise, of all of the capital stock of such
Subsidiary Guarantor) or the Person acquiring the property (in
the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially
all of the assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor) will be released
from and relieved of any obligations under its Guarantee.
Any Subsidiary Guarantor that is designated an Unrestricted
Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of the Indenture shall
be released and relieved of its obligations under its Guarantee
and any Unrestricted Subsidiary.
Subordination
The payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the
notes and any other payment obligations of the Company in
respect of the notes (including any obligation to repurchase the
notes) will be subordinated in certain circumstances in right of
payment, as set forth in the Indenture, to the prior payment in
full in cash of all Senior Debt, whether outstanding on the date
of the Indenture or thereafter incurred.
Upon any payment or distribution of property or securities to
creditors of the Company in a liquidation or dissolution of the
Company or in a bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency,
receivership or similar proceeding relating to the Company or
its property, or in an assignment for the benefit of creditors
or any marshalling of the Companys assets and liabilities,
the holders of Senior Debt will be entitled to receive payment
in full of all Obligations due in respect of such Senior Debt
(including interest after the commencement of any such
proceeding at the rate specified in the applicable Senior Debt,
whether or not a claim for such interest would be allowed in
such proceeding) before the Holders of notes will be entitled to
receive any payment with respect to the notes, and until all
Obligations with respect to Senior Debt are paid in full, any
distribution to which the Holders of notes would be entitled
shall be made to the holders of Senior Debt (except in each case
that Holders of notes may receive securities that are
subordinated at least to the same extent as the notes are
subordinated to Senior Debt and any securities issued in
exchange for Senior Debt and payments made from the trust
described under Legal defeasance and covenant
defeasance).
The Company may not make any payment (whether by redemption,
purchase, retirement, defeasance or otherwise) upon or in
respect of the notes (except in such subordinated securities or
from the trust described under Legal defeasance and
covenant defeasance) if (i) a default in the payment
of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on Designated
Senior Debt occurs or (ii) any other default occurs and is
continuing with respect to Designated Senior Debt that permits,
or with the giving of notice or passage of time or both (unless
cured or waived) will permit, holders of the Designated Senior
Debt as to which such default relates to accelerate its maturity
and the Trustee receives a notice of such default (a
Payment Blockage Notice) from the Company or the
holders of any Designated Senior Debt. Cash payments on the
notes shall be resumed (a) in the case of a payment
default, upon the date on which such default is cured or waived
and (b) in case of a nonpayment default, the earliest of
the date on which such nonpayment default is cured or waived,
the date on which the applicable Payment Blockage Notice is
retracted by written notice to the Trustee or 90 days after
the date on which the applicable Payment Blockage Notice is
received, unless the maturity of any Designated Senior Debt has
been accelerated or a default of the type
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described in clause (ix) under the caption
Events of Default has occurred and is continuing. No
new period of payment blockage may be commenced unless and until
360 days have elapsed since the date of commencement of the
payment blockage period resulting from the immediately prior
Payment Blockage Notice. No nonpayment default in respect of
Designated Senior Debt that existed or was continuing on the
date of delivery of any Payment Blockage Notice to the Trustee
shall be, or be made, the basis for a subsequent Payment
Blockage Notice.
The Indenture further requires that the Company promptly notify
holders of Senior Debt if payment of the notes is accelerated
because of an Event of Default.
As a result of the subordination provisions described above, in
the event of a liquidation or insolvency of the Company, Holders
of notes may recover less ratably than creditors of the Company
who are holders of Senior Debt. The Indenture will limit,
subject to certain financial tests, the amount of additional
Indebtedness, including Senior Debt, that the Company and its
Subsidiaries can incur. See Certain covenants
Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of disqualified
stock.
Repurchase at the option of holders
Change of control
Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each Holder of notes
will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or
any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of
such Holders notes pursuant to the offer described below
(the Change of Control Offer) at an offer price in
cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the
notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the
date of purchase (the Change of Control Payment).
Within 30 days following any Change of Control, unless a
notice of redemption has been given with respect to the notes,
the Company will mail a notice to each Holder describing the
transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of
Control and offer to repurchase the notes pursuant to the
procedures required by the Indenture and described in such
notice. The Change of Control Payment shall be made on a
business day not less than 30 days nor more than
60 days after such notice is mailed (the Change of
Control Payment Date). The Company will comply with the
requirements of
Rule 14e-1 under
the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations
thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are
applicable in connection with the repurchase of the notes as a
result of a Change of Control.
On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will, to the
extent lawful, (i) accept for payment all the notes or
portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of
Control Offer, (ii) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount
equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all the
notes or portions thereof so tendered and (iii) deliver or
cause to be delivered to the Trustee the notes so accepted
together with an Officers Certificate stating the
aggregate principal amount of such notes or portions thereof
being purchased by the Company. The Paying Agent will promptly
mail to each Holder of notes so tendered 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 principal amount of $1,000
or an integral multiple thereof. The Company will publicly
announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as
soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.
Except as described above with respect to a Change
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of Control, the Indenture will not contain provisions that
permit the Holders of notes to require that the Company
repurchase or redeem the notes in the event of a takeover,
recapitalization or similar transaction.
The Company 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 the Company and
purchases all notes (or portions thereof) validly tendered and
not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.
The Credit Agreement will prohibit the Company from repurchasing
any notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer prior to the
repayment in full of the Senior Debt under the Credit Agreement.
Moreover, the occurrence of certain change of control events
identified in the Credit Agreement will constitute a default
under the Credit Agreement. Any future Credit Facilities or
other agreements relating to the Senior Debt to which the
Company becomes a party may contain similar restrictions and
provisions. If a Change of Control were to occur, the Company
may not have sufficient available funds to pay the Change of
Control Payment for all notes that might be delivered by Holders
of notes seeking to accept the Change of Control Offer after
first satisfying its obligations under the Credit Agreement or
other agreements relating to Senior Debt, if accelerated. The
failure of the Company to make or consummate the Change of
Control Offer or pay the Change of Control Payment when due will
constitute a Default under the Indenture and will otherwise give
the Trustee and the Holders of notes the rights described under
Events of default and remedies.
The definition of Change of Control includes a phrase relating
to the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of
all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Although there is
a developing body of case law interpreting the phrase
substantially all, there is no precise established
definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the
ability of a Holder of notes to require the Company to
repurchase such notes as a result of a sale, lease, transfer,
conveyance or other disposition of less than all of the assets
of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to another
Person or group may be uncertain.
Asset sales
The Indenture provides that the Company will not, and will not
permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, engage in an Asset
Sale unless (i) the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary,
as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such
Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value (as
determined in good faith by a resolution of the Board of
Directors set forth in an Officers Certificate delivered
to the Trustee, which determination shall be conclusive evidence
of compliance with this provision) of the assets or Equity
Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of and
(ii) at least 85% of the consideration therefor received by
the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary in such Asset Sale,
plus all other Asset Sales since the date of the Indenture, on a
cumulative basis, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents;
provided that the amount of any liabilities (as shown on
the Companys or such Restricted Subsidiarys most
recent balance sheet) of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities
that are by their terms subordinated to the notes or any
guarantee thereof) that are assumed by the transferee of any
such assets pursuant to a customary novation agreement that
releases the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from further
liability shall be treated as cash for the foregoing purposes.
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Within 360 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from
an Asset Sale, the Company may apply such Net Proceeds, at its
option, (a) to reduce Senior Debt, (b) to acquire a
controlling interest in another Oil and Gas Business,
(c) to make capital expenditures in respect of the
Companys or its Restricted Subsidiaries Oil and Gas
Business, (d) to purchase long-term assets that are used or
useful in such Oil and Gas Business or (e) to repurchase
any notes. Pending the final application of any such Net
Proceeds, the Company may temporarily reduce Senior Debt that is
revolving debt or otherwise invest such Net Proceeds in any
manner that is not prohibited by the Indenture. Any Net Proceeds
from Asset Sales that are not applied as provided in the first
sentence of this paragraph will (after the expiration of the
periods specified in this paragraph) be deemed to constitute
Excess Proceeds.
When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds
$10.0 million, the Company will be required to make an
offer to all Holders of notes and, to the extent required by the
terms thereof, to all holders or lenders of Pari Passu
Indebtedness (an Asset Sale Offer) to purchase the
maximum principal amount of the notes and any such Pari Passu
Indebtedness to which the Asset Sale Offer applies that may be
purchased out of the Excess Proceeds, at an offer price in cash
in an amount equal to, in the case of the notes, 100% of the
principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest
thereon to the date of purchase, or, in the case of any other
Pari Passu Indebtedness, 100% of the principal amount thereof
(or with respect to discount Pari Passu Indebtedness, the
accreted value thereof) on the date of purchase, in each case in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture or the
agreements governing the Pari Passu Indebtedness, as applicable.
To the extent that the aggregate principal amount (or accreted
value, as the case may be) of the notes and Pari Passu
Indebtedness tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less
than the Excess Proceeds, the Company may use any remaining
Excess Proceeds for general corporate purposes. If the sum of
the aggregate principal amount of the notes surrendered by
Holders thereof and the aggregate principal amount or accreted
value, as the case may be, of other Pari Passu Indebtedness
surrendered by holders or lenders thereof exceeds the amount of
Excess Proceeds, the Trustee and the trustee or other lender
representatives for the Pari Passu Indebtedness shall select the
notes and other Pari Passu Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro
rata basis, based on the aggregate principal amount (or accreted
value, as applicable) thereof surrendered in such Asset Sale
Offer. Upon completion of such Asset Sale Offer, the amount of
Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
The Credit Agreement will prohibit the Company from purchasing
any notes from the Net Proceeds of Asset Sales. Any future
credit agreements or other agreements relating to Senior Debt to
which the Company becomes a party may contain similar
restrictions and provisions. In the event an Asset Sale Offer
occurs at a time when the Company is prohibited from purchasing
the notes, the Company could seek the consent of its lenders to
the purchase or could attempt to refinance the Senior Debt that
contain such prohibition. If the Company does not obtain such a
consent or repay such Senior Debt, the Company may remain
prohibited from purchasing the notes. In such case, the
Companys failure to purchase tendered notes would
constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture which would,
in turn, constitute a default under the Credit Agreement and
possibly a default under other agreements relating to Senior
Debt. In such circumstances, the subordination provisions in the
Indenture would likely restrict payments to the Holders of the
notes.
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Certain covenants
The Indenture contains covenants including, among others, the
following:
Restricted payments
The Indenture provides that the Company will not, and will not
permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or
indirectly: (i) declare or pay any dividend or make any
other payment or distribution on account of the Companys
Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any payment to
holders of the Companys Equity Interests in connection
with any merger or consolidation involving the Company) or to
the direct or indirect holders of the Companys Equity
Interests in their capacity as such (other than dividends or
distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than
Disqualified Stock) of the Company); (ii) purchase, redeem
or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of
the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company;
(iii) make any principal payment on, or purchase, redeem,
defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any
Indebtedness that is subordinated to the notes, except at final
maturity; or (iv) make any Restricted Investment (all such
payments and other actions set forth in clauses (i) through
(iv) above being collectively referred to as
Restricted Payments), unless, at the time of and
after giving effect to such Restricted Payment:
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(a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and
be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof; and |
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(b) the Company would, at the time of such Restricted
Payment and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such
Restricted Payment had been made at the beginning of the
applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to incur at
least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of
the covenant described below under the caption
Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of
disqualified stock; and |
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(c) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate of
all other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries after the date of the Indenture
(excluding Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (2),
(3), (5) and (6) of the next succeeding paragraph), is
less than the sum of (i) the dollar amount calculated as of
the date of the Indenture under Section 4.07(c) of that
certain Indenture dated July 21, 2003 among the Company,
the Subsidiary Guarantors and J.P. Morgan Trust Company,
National Association as successor trustee to Bank One, National
Association, plus (ii) 50% of the Consolidated Net Income
of the Company for the period (taken as one accounting period)
from the beginning of the first fiscal quarter commencing prior
to the date of the Indenture to the end of the Companys
most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial
statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment
(or, if such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a
deficit, less 100% of such deficit), plus (iii) 100% of the
aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Company from the
issue and sale since the date of the Indenture of Equity
Interests of the Company or of debt securities of the Company
that have been converted into or exchanged for such Equity
Interests (other than Equity Interests (or convertible debt
securities) sold to a Subsidiary of the Company and other than
Disqualified Stock or debt securities that have been converted
into Disqualified Stock), plus (iv) 100% of the amount of
net cash proceeds received by the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary from the sale within 12 months of the related
acquisition of any of the following that are acquired after the
date of the Indenture in |
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exchange for Equity Interests of the Company (other than
Disqualified Stock and other than Capital Stock issued to a
Subsidiary of the Company): (A) any property or assets
(other than Indebtedness and Capital Stock); (B) 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 another Restricted Subsidiary; or (C) Capital
Stock constituting a minority interest in any Person that at
such time is a Restricted Subsidiary, plus (v) to the
extent that any Restricted Investment that was made after the
date of the Indenture is sold for cash or otherwise liquidated
or repaid for cash, the lesser of (A) the net proceeds of
such sale, liquidation or repayment and (B) the initial
amount of such Restricted Investment. |
The foregoing provisions will not prohibit: (1) the payment
of any dividend within 60 days after the date of
declaration thereof, if at said date of declaration such payment
would have complied with the provisions of the Indenture;
(2) the redemption, repurchase, retirement or other
acquisition of any Equity Interests of the Company in exchange
for, or out of the proceeds of, the substantially concurrent
sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) of other Equity
Interests of the Company (other than any Disqualified Stock);
provided that the amount of any such net cash proceeds that are
utilized for any such redemption, repurchase, retirement or
other acquisition shall be excluded from clause (c)(iii) or
(c)(iv) of the preceding paragraph; (3) the defeasance,
redemption or repurchase of Subordinated Indebtedness with the
net cash proceeds from an incurrence of Permitted Refinancing
Debt or the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a
Subsidiary of the Company) of Equity Interests of the Company
(other than Disqualified Stock); provided that the amount of any
such net cash proceeds that are utilized for any such
redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition shall be
excluded from clause (c)(iii) or (c)(iv) of the preceding
paragraph; (4) the repurchase, redemption or other
acquisition or retirement for value of any Equity Interests of
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company held by any of the
Companys (or any of its Subsidiaries) employees
pursuant to any equity subscription agreement or stock option
agreement in effect as of the date of the Indenture; provided
that the aggregate price paid for all such repurchased,
redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests shall not exceed
$2 million in any twelve-month period; and provided further
that no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing immediately after such transaction;
(5) repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon
exercise of stock options if such Equity Interests represent a
portion of the exercise price of such options; and (6) cash
payments made by the Company for the repurchase, redemption or
other acquisition or retirement of the Companys
73/8% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2013 or
63/8
% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2015.
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) shall be
the fair market value (as determined in good faith by a
resolution of the Board of Directors set forth in an
Officers Certificate delivered to the Trustee, which
determination shall be conclusive evidence of compliance with
this provision) on the date of the Restricted Payment of the
asset(s) proposed to be transferred by the Company or the
applicable Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant
to the Restricted Payment. Not later than five days after the
date of making any Restricted Payment, the Company shall deliver
to the Trustee an Officers Certificate stating that such
Restricted Payment is permitted and setting forth the basis upon
which the calculations required by the covenant Restricted
Payments were computed.
Designation of unrestricted subsidiaries
The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any
Restricted Subsidiary to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if such
designation would not cause a Default. For purposes of making
12
such determination, all outstanding Investments by the Company
and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid in
cash) in the Subsidiary so designated will be deemed to be a
Restricted Investment or, if applicable, a Permitted Investment
at the time of such designation and must comply with the
covenant Restricted payments. All such outstanding
Investments will be deemed to constitute Investments in an
amount equal to the greater of the fair market value or the book
value of such Investments at the time of such designation. Such
designation will only be permitted if such Restricted Payment
would be permitted at such time and if such Restricted
Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted
Subsidiary.
Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of disqualified
stock
The Indenture provides that the Company will not, and will not
permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or
indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise
become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise,
with respect to (collectively, incur) any
Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) and that the Company will
not issue any Disqualified Stock and will not permit any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of preferred stock;
provided, however, that the Company may incur Indebtedness
(including Acquired Debt) or issue shares of Disqualified Stock
if:
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(i) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Companys
most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal
financial statements are available immediately preceding the
date on which such additional Indebtedness is incurred or such
Disqualified Stock is issued would have been at least 2.5
to 1, determined on a pro forma basis as set forth in the
definition of Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio; and |
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(ii) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and
be continuing at the time such additional Indebtedness is
incurred or such Disqualified Stock is issued or would occur as
a consequence of the incurrence of the additional Indebtedness
or the issuance of the Disqualified Stock. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indenture will not prohibit
any of the following (collectively, Permitted
Indebtedness): (a) the Indebtedness evidenced by the
notes initially issued under the Indenture; (b) the
Indebtedness evidenced by the Companys
73/8% Senior
Subordinated Notes or
63/8
% Senior Subordinated Notes; (c) the incurrence
by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of
Indebtedness pursuant to Credit Facilities, so long as the
aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness incurred pursuant
to this clause (c) and outstanding under all Credit
Facilities does not, at any one time, exceed the greater of
(i) $600.0 million and (ii) an amount equal to
the sum of (A) $50.0 million plus (B) 30% of
Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined after the
incurrence of such Indebtedness (including the application of
the proceeds therefrom); (d) the guarantee by any
Subsidiary Guarantor of any Indebtedness that is permitted by
the Indenture to be incurred by the Company; (e) all
Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in
existence as of the date of the Indenture; (f) intercompany
Indebtedness between or among the Company and any of its Wholly
Owned Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that
(i) if the Company is the obligor on such Indebtedness,
such Indebtedness is expressly subordinate to the payment in
full of all Obligations with respect to the notes and (ii)(A)
any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that
results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other
than the Company or a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary and
(B) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to
a Person that is not either the Company or a Wholly Owned
Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed, in each case, to
constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or
such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be;
(g) Indebtedness in connection
13
with one or more standby letters of credit, guarantees,
performance bonds or other reimbursement obligations, in each
case, issued in the ordinary course of business and not in
connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of
advances or credit (other than advances or credit on open
account, includible in current liabilities, for goods and
services in the ordinary course of business and on terms and
conditions which are customary in the Oil and Gas Business, and
other than the extension of credit represented by such letter of
credit, guarantee or performance bond itself), not to exceed in
the aggregate at any given time 5% of Total Assets;
(h) Indebtedness under Interest Rate Hedging Agreements
entered into for the purpose of limiting interest rate risks,
provided that the obligations under such agreements are related
to payment obligations on Indebtedness otherwise permitted by
the terms of this covenant and that the aggregate notional
principal amount of such agreements does not exceed 105% of the
principal amount of the Indebtedness to which such agreements
relate; (i) Indebtedness under Oil and Gas Hedging
Contracts, provided that such contracts were entered into in the
ordinary course of business for the purpose of limiting risks
that arise in the ordinary course of business of the Company and
its Restricted Subsidiaries; (j) the incurrence by the
Company of Indebtedness not otherwise permitted to be incurred
pursuant to this paragraph, provided that the aggregate
principal amount (or accreted value, as applicable) of all
Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (j) together
with all Permitted Refinancing Debt incurred pursuant to
clause (k) of this paragraph in respect of Indebtedness
previously incurred pursuant to this clause (j), does not
exceed $10.0 million at any one time outstanding;
(k) Permitted Refinancing Debt incurred in exchange for, or
the net proceeds of which are used to refinance, extend, renew,
replace, defease or refund, Indebtedness that was permitted by
the Indenture to be incurred (including Indebtedness previously
incurred pursuant to this clause (k) and Indebtedness
referred to in clause (e) above); (l) accounts payable
or other obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary
to trade creditors created or assumed by the Company or such
Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business in
connection with the obtaining of goods or services; and
(m) Indebtedness consisting of obligations in respect of
purchase price adjustments, guarantees or indemnities in
connection with the acquisition or disposition of assets.
The Indenture provides that the Company will not permit any
Unrestricted Subsidiary to incur any Indebtedness other than
Non-Recourse Debt; provided, however, if any such Indebtedness
ceases to be Non-Recourse Debt, such event shall be deemed to
constitute an incurrence of Indebtedness by the Company.
For purposes of determining compliance with, and the outstanding
principal amount of any particular Indebtedness incurred
pursuant to and in compliance with this covenant:
(A) 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, (B) in the event that
Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the types of
Indebtedness permitted by this covenant to be incurred, the
Company, in its sole discretion, will classify such item of
Indebtedness on the date of incurrence (or later reclassify such
Indebtedness from or after the first date on which the Company
or its Restricted Subsidiaries could have incurred such
Indebtedness under one or more other of such provisions) and
only be required to include the amount and type of such
Indebtedness in one or more of such provisions as it determines;
and (C) the amount of any 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.
14
No layering
The Indenture provides that (i) the Company will not incur,
create, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable for
any Indebtedness that is subordinate or junior in right of
payment to any Senior Debt and senior in any respect in right of
payment to the notes and (ii) the Subsidiary Guarantors
will not directly or indirectly incur, create, issue, assume,
guarantee or otherwise become liable for any Indebtedness that
is subordinate or junior in right of payment to any Senior Debt
and senior in any respect in right of payment to the Guarantees,
provided, however, that the foregoing limitations will not apply
to distinctions between categories of Indebtedness that exist by
reason of any Liens arising or created in respect of some but
not all such Indebtedness.
Liens
The Indenture provides that the Company will not, and will not
permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur,
assume or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective
any Lien securing Indebtedness of any kind (other than Permitted
Liens) upon any of its property or assets, now owned or
hereafter acquired, unless all payments under the notes are
secured by such Lien prior to, or on an equal and ratable basis
with, the Indebtedness so secured for so long as such
Indebtedness is secured by such Lien.
Dividend and other payment restrictions affecting
subsidiaries
The Indenture provides that the Company will not, and will not
permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or
indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or
become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on
the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to (i)(x) pay dividends
or make any other distributions to the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries (1) on its Capital Stock or
(2) with respect to any other interest or participation in,
or measured by, its profits, or (y) pay any indebtedness
owed by it to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries,
(ii) make loans or advances to the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries or (iii) transfer any of its
properties or assets to the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries, except for such encumbrances or restrictions
existing under or by reason of (a) the Credit Agreement and
the indentures governing the Companys
73/8% Senior
Subordinated Notes and
63/8
% Senior Subordinated Notes, each as in effect as of
the date of the Indenture, and any amendments, modifications,
restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings,
replacements or refinancings thereof or any other Credit
Facility or indenture or other financing agreement or
instrument, provided that such amendments, modifications,
restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings,
replacements, refinancings or other Credit Facilities or
indentures or other financing agreements or instruments are not
materially more restrictive taken as a whole with respect to
such dividend and other payment restrictions than those
contained in the Credit Agreement and such indentures as in
effect on the date of the Indenture, (b) the Indenture and
the notes, (c) applicable law, (d) any instrument
governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by
the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect
at the time of such acquisition (except, in the case of
Indebtedness, to the extent such Indebtedness was incurred in
connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which
encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or
the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person
and its Subsidiaries, or the property or assets of the Person
and its Subsidiaries, so acquired, provided that, in the case of
Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of
the Indenture to be incurred, (e) by reason of customary
non-assignment provisions in leases
15
and customary provisions in other agreements that restrict
assignment of such agreement or rights thereunder, entered into
in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practices, (f) purchase money obligations for property
acquired in the ordinary course of business that impose
restrictions of the nature described in clause (iii) above
on the property so acquired, or (g) Permitted Refinancing
Debt, provided that the restrictions contained in the agreements
governing such Permitted Refinancing Debt are not materially
more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the
agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced.
Merger, consolidation on sale of substantially all assets
The Indenture provides that the Company may not consolidate or
merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving
corporation), or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties
or assets, in one or more related transactions, to another
Person, and the Company may not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to enter into any such transaction or series of
transactions if such transaction or series of transactions
would, in the aggregate, result in a sale, assignment, transfer,
lease, conveyance, or other disposition of all or substantially
all of the properties or assets of the Company to another
Person, in either case unless (i) the Company is the
surviving corporation or the Person formed by or surviving any
such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or to
which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or
other disposition shall have been made (the Surviving
Entity) is a corporation organized or existing under the
laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of
Columbia; (ii) the Surviving Entity (if the Company is not
the continuing obligor under the Indenture) assumes all the
obligations of the Company under the notes and the Indenture
pursuant to a supplemental Indenture in a form reasonably
satisfactory to the Trustee; (iii) immediately before and
after giving effect to such transaction or series of
transactions no Default or Event of Default exists; and
(iv) the Company or the Surviving Entity (if the Company is
not the continuing obligor under the Indenture) will, at the
time of such transaction or series of transactions and after
giving pro forma effect thereto as if such transaction or series
of transactions had occurred at the beginning of the applicable
four-quarter period, be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of
additional Indebtedness pursuant to the test set forth in the
first paragraph of the covenant described above under the
caption Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of
disqualified stock. Notwithstanding the restrictions
described in the foregoing clause (iv), any Restricted
Subsidiary may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or
part of its properties and assets to the Company, and any Wholly
Owned Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate with, merge into or
transfer all or part of its properties and assets to another
Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary.
Transactions with affiliates
The Indenture provides that the Company will not, and will not
permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any payment
to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its
properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets
from, or enter into or make or amend any contract, agreement,
understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the
benefit of, any of its Affiliates (each of the foregoing, an
Affiliate Transaction), unless (i) such
Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to
the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those
that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the
Company or such Subsidiary with an unrelated Person and
(ii) the Company delivers to the Trustee (a) with
respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related
Affiliate
16
Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of
$1.0 million but less than or equal to $10.0 million,
an Officers Certificate certifying that such Affiliate
Transaction complies with clause (i) above, (b) with
respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related
Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in
excess of $10.0 million but less than or equal to
$25.0 million, a resolution of the Board of Directors set
forth in an Officers Certificate certifying that such
Affiliate Transaction or series of Affiliate Transactions
complies with clause (i) above and that such Affiliate
Transaction or series of Affiliate Transactions has been
approved in good faith by a majority of the members of the Board
of Directors who are disinterested with respect to such
Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate
Transactions, which resolution shall be conclusive evidence of
compliance with this provision, and (c) with respect to any
Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate
Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of
$25.0 million, the Company delivers a resolution of the
Board of Directors set forth in an Officers Certificate
certifying that such Affiliate Transaction or series of related
Affiliate Transactions complies with clause (i) above and
that such Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate
Transactions has been approved in good faith by a resolution
adopted by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors
of the Company who are disinterested with respect to such
Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate
Transactions and an opinion as to the fairness to the Company or
such Subsidiary of such Affiliate Transaction or series of
related Affiliate Transactions (which resolution and fairness
opinion shall be conclusive evidence of compliance with this
provision) from a financial point of view issued by an
accounting, appraisal, engineering or investment banking firm of
national standing; (which resolution and fairness opinion shall
be conclusive evidence of compliance with this provision);
provided that the following shall not be deemed Affiliate
Transactions: (1) transactions contemplated by any
employment agreement or other compensation plan or arrangement
entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the
ordinary course of business, (2) transactions between or
among the Company and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries,
(3) Restricted Payments and Permitted Investments that are
permitted by the provisions of the Indenture described above
under the caption Restricted payments,
(4) indemnification payments made to officers, directors
and employees of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to
charter, bylaw, statutory or contractual provisions, and
(5) transactions with entities that are Affiliates of the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary only because of the ownership
by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of Equity Interests in
such entity.
Additional subsidiary guarantees
The Indenture provides that if the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries shall acquire or create another material
Restricted Subsidiary after the date of the Indenture, then such
newly acquired or created Restricted Subsidiary will be required
to execute a Guarantee and deliver an opinion of counsel, in
accordance with the terms of the Indenture; provided that, in no
event will any
non-U.S. Subsidiary
of the Company be required to execute a Guarantee. For purposes
of the foregoing, a Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to be
material if it would not be a minor subsidiary
within the meaning of Rule 3-10(h) of
Regulation S-X
under the Exchange Act.
Business activities
The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted
Subsidiary to, engage in any material respect in any business
other than the Oil and Gas Business.
17
Commission reports
Notwithstanding that the Company may not be required to remain
subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act, to the extent permitted by the
Exchange Act, the Company will file with the Commission and
provide, within 15 days after such filing, the Trustee and
Holders and prospective Holders (upon request) with the annual
reports and the information, documents and other reports which
are specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act
(but without exhibits in the case of the Holders and-prospective
Holders). In the event that the Company is not permitted to file
such reports, documents and information with the Commission, the
Company will provide substantially similar information to the
Trustee, the Holders and prospective Holders (upon request) as
if the Company were subject to the reporting requirements of
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company will
also comply with the other provisions of Section 314(a) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
Events of default and remedies
The Indenture provides that each of the following constitutes an
Event of Default: (i) a default for 30 days in the
payment when due of interest on the notes (whether or not
prohibited by the subordination provisions of the Indenture);
(ii) a default in payment when due of the principal of or
premium, if any, on the notes (whether or not prohibited by the
subordination provisions of the Indenture); (iii) the
failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under
Certain covenants Merger, consolidation or sale of
assets above; (iv) the failure by the Company for
30 days after notice from the Trustee or the Holders of at
least 25% in principal amount of the notes then outstanding to
comply with the provisions described under the captions
Repurchase at the option of holders and Certain
covenants other than the provisions described under
Merger, consolidation or sale of assets;
(v) failure by the Company for 60 days after notice
from the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal
amount of the notes then outstanding to comply with any of its
other agreements in the Indenture or the notes; (vi) except
as permitted by the Indenture, any Guarantee shall be held in
any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall
cease for any reason to be in full force and effect or a
Subsidiary Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of such
Subsidiary Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations
under its Guarantee; (vii) a 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) 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 premium, if any, or interest on
such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period
provided in such Indebtedness on the date of such default (a
Payment Default) or (b) results in the
acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity
and, in each case, the principal amount of any such
Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other
such Indebtedness under which there is then existing a Payment
Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated,
aggregates $10.0 million or more; provided, that if any
such default is cured or waived or any such acceleration
rescinded, or such Indebtedness is repaid, within a period of
10 days from the continuation of such default beyond the
applicable grace period or the occurrence of such acceleration,
as the case may be, such Event of Default under the Indenture
and any consequential acceleration of the notes shall be
automatically rescinded; (viii) the failure by the Company
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay final,
non-appealable judgments aggregating in excess of
$10.0 million, which judgments remain
18
unpaid or discharged for a period of 60 days; and
(ix) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with
respect to the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or
any group of Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute
a Significant Subsidiary.
If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or
the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the notes
then outstanding may declare the principal of and accrued but
unpaid interest on such notes to be due and payable immediately.
Upon such declaration the principal and interest shall be due
and payable immediately; provided, however, that so long as any
Designated Senior Debt or any commitment therefor is
outstanding, any such notice or declaration shall not become
effective until the earlier of (a) five Business Days after
such notice is delivered to the representative for the
Designated Senior Debt or (b) the acceleration of any
Designated Senior Debt and thereafter, payments on the
Securities pursuant the above provisions shall be made only to
the extent permitted pursuant to the subordination provisions of
the indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an
Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or
insolvency, with respect to the Company or any Significant
Subsidiary or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken together,
would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding notes
will become due and payable without further action or notice.
Holders of notes may not enforce the Indenture or notes except
as provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations,
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the notes then
outstanding may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust
or power. The Trustee may withhold from Holders of notes notice
of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default
or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal or
interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in their
interest.
The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the notes then
outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the
Holders of all of the notes waive any existing Default or Event
of Default and its consequences under the Indenture except a
continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of
interest or premium on, or the principal of, the notes.
The Company is required to deliver to the Trustee annually a
statement regarding compliance with the Indenture, and the
Company is required, within five business days of becoming aware
of any Default or Event of Default, to deliver to the Trustee a
statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.
No liability of directors, officers, employees,
incorporators, members and stockholders
No director, officer, employee, incorporator, member or
stockholder of the Company or any Guarantor, as such, will have
any liability for any obligations of the Company or such
Guarantor under the notes or the Indenture or for any claim
based on, in respect of, or by reason of,-such obligations or
their creation. Each holder of notes by accepting a note waives
and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part
of the consideration for issuance of the notes. This waiver may
not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal
securities laws and it is the view of the Commission that such a
waiver is against public policy.
Amendment, supplements and waivers
Except as provided in the next two succeeding paragraphs, the
Indenture, the notes or the Guarantees may be amended or
supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least 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, the
19
notes), and any existing Default or Event of Default or
compliance with any provision of such Indenture, the notes or
the Guarantees may be waived with the consent of the Holders of
a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding notes
(including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer
or exchange offer for the notes).
Without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or
waiver may not (with respect to any the notes held by a
non-consenting Holder): (i) reduce the principal amount of
the notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement
or waiver, (ii) reduce the principal of or change the fixed
maturity of any Note or alter the provisions with respect to the
redemption of the notes (other than provisions relating to the
covenants described above under the caption
Repurchase at the option of holders),
(iii) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of
interest on any Note, (iv) waive a Default or Event of
Default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or
interest on the notes (except a rescission of acceleration of
the notes by the Holders of at least a majority in principal
amount of such notes and a waiver of the payment default that
resulted from such acceleration), (v) make any Note payable
in money other than that stated in the notes, (vi) make any
change in the provisions of the Indenture relating to waivers of
past Defaults or the rights of Holders of notes to receive
payments of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the
notes or (vii) make any change in the foregoing amendment
and waiver provisions. In addition, any amendment to the
provisions described under Repurchase at the option
of holders or the provisions of Article 10 of the
Indenture (which relate to subordination) will require the
consent of the Holders of at least
662/3
% in principal amount of the notes then outstanding if
such amendment would adversely affect the rights of Holders of
such notes. However, no amendment may be made to the
subordination provisions of the Indenture that adversely affects
the rights of any holder of Senior Debt then outstanding unless
the holders of such Senior Debt (or any group or representative
thereof authorized to give a consent) consents to such change.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any Holder
of the notes the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement
the Indenture or the notes to cure any ambiguity, defect or
inconsistency, to provide for uncertificated notes in addition
to or in place of certificated notes, to add Subsidiary
Guarantors, to provide for the assumption of the Companys
obligations to Holders of the notes in the case of a merger or
consolidation, to make any change that would provide any
additional rights or benefits to the Holders of the notes or
that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the
Indenture of any such Holder, to secure the notes or to comply
with requirements of the Commission in order to effect or
maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust
Indenture Act.
Satisfaction and discharge
The Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further
effect as to all notes issued thereunder, when: (1) either
(a) 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 and thereafter repaid to the Company) have been delivered
to the trustee for cancellation, or (b) all notes that have
not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become
due and payable by reason of the giving of a notice of
redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable
(including pursuant to a notice of redemption duly given) within
one year 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 the benefit of
the holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable
U.S. government
20
securities, 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, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of
maturity or redemption; (2) no Default or Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such
deposit or shall occur as a result of such deposit (other than a
Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of
funds to be applied to such deposit) and such deposit will not
result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default
under, any instrument (other than the indenture) to which the
Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor is a party or by which the
Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor is bound; (3) the
Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor has paid or caused to be
paid all other sums payable by it under the indenture; and
(4) the Company has delivered an Officers Certificate
and an opinion of counsel to the trustee stating that all
conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been
satisfied.
Legal defeasance and covenant defeasance
The Company may, at its option and at any time, elect to have
all of its obligations discharged with respect to the
outstanding notes (Legal Defeasance) except for
(i) the rights of Holders of such outstanding notes to
receive payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if
any, or interest on such notes when such payments are due from
the trust referred to below, (ii) the Companys
obligations with respect to such notes concerning issuing
temporary notes, registration of such notes, mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen notes and the maintenance of an office
or agency for payment and money for security payments held in
trust, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and
immunities of the Trustee, and the Companys obligations in
connection therewith and (iv) the Legal Defeasance
provisions of the Indenture. In addition, the Company may, at
its option and at any time, elect to have the obligations of the
Company released with respect to certain covenants that are
described in the Indenture (Covenant Defeasance) and
thereafter any omission to comply with such obligations shall
not constitute a Default or Event of Default. In the event
Covenant Defeasance occurs, certain events (not including
non-payment, bankruptcy, receivership, rehabilitation and
insolvency events with respect to the Company) described under
Events of default and remedies will no longer
constitute an Event of Default.
In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant
Defeasance, (i) the Company must irrevocably deposit with
the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of notes,
cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities,
or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient,
in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent
public accountants, to pay the principal of, premium, if any,
and interest on the outstanding notes on the stated maturity or
on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the
Company must specify whether the notes are being defeased to
maturity or to a particular redemption date; (ii) in the
case of Legal Defeasance, the Company shall have delivered to
the Trustee an opinion of counsel in the United States
reasonably acceptable to such Trustee confirming that
(A) the Company has received from, or there has been
published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or
(B) since the date of the Indenture, there has been a
change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case
to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel
shall confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding notes will
not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax
purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be
subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same
manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such
Legal Defeasance had not
21
occurred; (iii) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the
Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of
counsel in the United States reasonably acceptable to such
Trustee confirming that the Holders of the outstanding notes
will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax
purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be
subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same
manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such
Covenant Defeasance had not occurred; (iv) no Default or
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the
date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default
resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such
deposit) or insofar as Events of Default from bankruptcy or
insolvency events are concerned, at any time in the period
ending on the 91st day after the date of deposit;
(v) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not
result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default
under any material agreement or instrument (other than the
Indenture) to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
bound; (vi) the Company must deliver to the Trustee an
Officers Certificate stating that the deposit was not made
by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of
notes over the other creditors of the Company, or with the
intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors
of the Company or others; and (vii) the Company must
deliver to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an
opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent
provided for relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant
Defeasance have been complied with.
Concerning the trustee
J.P. Morgan Trust Company, N.A. is the Trustee under the
Indenture. The Trustee and its affiliates also perform and may
in the future perform certain banking and other services for us
in the ordinary course of their business. The Trustee will be
the paying agent, conversion agent, transfer agent and bid
solicitation agent for the notes.
The Trustee assumes no responsibility for this prospectus and
has not reviewed or undertaken to verify any information
contained in this prospectus.
Form, denomination and registration of the notes
The notes will be issued in registered form, without interest
coupons, in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples
thereof, in global form. Except in the limited circumstances
described below, notes will not be issued in certificated form.
The trustee is not required (i) to issue, register the
transfer of or exchange any note for a period of 15 days
before a selection of notes to be redeemed or purchased pursuant
to an Offer to Purchase, (ii) to register the transfer of
or exchange any note so selected for redemption or purchase in
whole or in part, except, in the case of a partial redemption or
purchase, that portion of any the note not being redeemed or
purchased, or (iii) if a redemption or a purchase pursuant
to an Offer to Purchase is to occur after a regular record date
but on or before the corresponding interest payment date, to
register the transfer or exchange of any note on or after the
regular record date and before the date of redemption or
purchase.
No service charge will be imposed in connection with any
transfer or exchange of any note, but the Company may in general
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or
similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
22
Global notes
Global notes will be deposited with a custodian for DTC, and
registered in the name of a nominee of DTC. Beneficial interests
in the global notes will be shown on records maintained by DTC
and its direct and indirect participants. So long as DTC or its
nominee is the registered owner or holder of a global note, DTC
or such nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of
the notes represented by such global note for all purposes under
the Indenture and the notes. No owner of a beneficial interest
in a global note will be able to transfer such interest except
in accordance with DTCs applicable procedures and the
applicable procedures of its direct and indirect participants.
The Company will apply to DTC for acceptance of the global notes
in its book-entry settlement system. Investors may hold their
beneficial interests in the global notes directly through DTC if
they are participants in DTC, or indirectly through
organizations which are participants in DTC.
Payments of principal and interest under global notes will be
made to DTCs nominee as the registered owner of such
global note. The Company expects that the nominee, upon receipt
of any such payment, will immediately credit DTC
participants accounts with payments proportional to their
respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of the
relevant global note as shown on the records of DTC. The Company
also expects that payments by DTC participants to owners of
beneficial interests will be governed by standing instructions
and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held
for the accounts of customers registered in the names of
nominees for such customers. Such payments will be the
responsibility of such participants, and none of the Company,
the Trustee, the custodian or any paying agent or registrar will
have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the
records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial
interests in any global note or for maintaining or reviewing any
records relating to such beneficial interests.
Certificated notes
If DTC notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to
continue as depositary for a global note and a successor
depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days
of such notice, or an Event of Default has occurred and the
Trustee has received a request from DTC, the Trustee will
exchange each beneficial interest in that global note for one or
more certificated notes registered in the name of the owner of
such beneficial interest, as identified by DTC.
Same day settlement and payment
The Indenture will require that payments in respect of the notes
represented by the global notes be made by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to the accounts specified by holders
of the global notes. With respect to notes in certificated form,
the Company will make all payments by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the
holders thereof or, if no such account is specified, by mailing
a check to each holders registered address.
The notes represented by the global notes are expected to trade
in DTCs Same-Day Funds Settlement System, and any
permitted secondary market trading activity in such notes will,
therefore, be required by DTC to be settled in immediately
available funds. The Company expects that secondary trading in
any certificated notes will also be settled in immediately
available funds.
23
Governing law
The Indenture, the notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees provide
that they will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
Certain definitions
Set forth below are certain defined terms used in the Indenture.
Reference is made to the Indenture for a full definition of all
such terms, as well as any other capitalized terms used herein
for which no definition is provided.
Acquired Debt means, with respect to any
specified Person, (i) Indebtedness of any other Person
existing at the time such other Person is merged with or into or
became a Subsidiary of such specified Person, including, without
limitation, Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in
contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into or
becoming a Subsidiary of such specified Person, and
(ii) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset
acquired by such specified Person.
Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets
means (without duplication), as of the date of determination,
(i) the sum of (a) discounted future net revenues from
proved oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with the Commissions
guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, with no
less than 80% of the discounted future net revenues estimated by
one or more nationally recognized firms of independent petroleum
engineers in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the
Companys most recently completed fiscal year, as increased
by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted
future net revenues from (1) estimated proved oil and gas
reserves acquired since the date of such year-end reserve
report, and (2) estimated oil and gas reserves attributable
to upward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves
since the date of such year-end reserve report due to
exploration, development or exploitation activities, in each
case calculated in accordance with the Commissions
guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in such year-end
reserve report) increased by the accretion of the discount from
the date of the reserve report to the date of determination, and
decreased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated
discounted future net revenues from (3) estimated proved
oil and gas reserves produced or disposed of since the date of
such year-end reserve report and (4) estimated oil and gas
reserves attributable to downward revisions of estimates of
proved oil and gas reserves since the date of such year-end
reserve report due to changes in geological conditions or other
factors which would, in accordance with standard industry
practice, cause such revisions, in each case calculated in
accordance with the Commissions guidelines (utilizing the
prices utilized in such year-end reserve report); provided that,
in the case of each of the determinations made pursuant to
clause (1) through (4), such increases and decreases shall
be as estimated by the Companys petroleum engineers,
unless in the event that there is a Material Change as a result
of such acquisitions, dispositions or revisions, then the
discounted future net revenues utilized for purposes of this
clause (i)(a) shall be confirmed in writing by one or more
nationally recognized firms of independent petroleum engineers,
(b) the capitalized costs that are attributable to oil and
gas properties of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries to
which no proved oil and gas reserves are attributable, based on
the Companys books and records as of a date no earlier
than the date of the Companys latest annual or quarterly
financial statements, (c) the Net Working Capital on a date
no earlier than the date of the Companys latest annual or
quarterly financial statements and (d) the greater of
(1) the net book value on a date no earlier than the date
of the Companys latest annual or
24
quarterly financial statements or (2) the book value of
other tangible assets (including, without duplication,
investments in unconsolidated Restricted Subsidiaries and
mineral rights held under lease or other contractual
arrangement) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as
of the date no earlier than the date of the Companys
latest annual or quarterly financial statements, minus
(ii) the sum of (a) minority interests, (b) any
gas balancing liabilities of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries reflected in the Companys latest audited
financial statements, and (c) the discounted future net
revenues, calculated in accordance with the Commissions
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
(i)(a) above, would be necessary to fully satisfy the payment
obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries with
respect to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments on the
schedules specified with respect thereto. If the Company changes
its method of accounting from the successful efforts method to
the full cost method or a similar method of accounting,
Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets will
continue to be calculated as if the Company was still using the
successful efforts 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 purposes of this definition, control
(including, with correlative meanings, the terms
controlling, controlled by and
under common control with), as used with respect to
any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly,
of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management
or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of
voting securities, by agreement or otherwise; provided that
beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the voting securities of
a Person shall be deemed to be control.
Asset Sale means (i) the sale, lease,
conveyance or other disposition (but excluding the creation of
or disposition pursuant to a Lien) of any assets including,
without limitation, by way of a sale and leaseback (provided
that the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole will be governed by the provisions
of the Indenture described above under the caption
Repurchase at the option of Holders Change of
control and/or the provisions described above under the
caption Certain covenants Merger,
consolidation or sale of assets and not by the provisions
described above under Repurchase at the option of
holders Asset sales), and (ii) the issuance or
sale by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of
Equity Interests of any of the Companys Subsidiaries
(including the sale by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of
Equity Interests in an Unrestricted Subsidiary), in the case of
either clause (i) or (ii), whether in a single transaction
or a series of related transactions (a) that have a fair
market value in excess of $5.0 million or (b) for net
proceeds in excess of $5.0 million. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the following shall not be deemed to be Asset Sales:
(i) a transfer of assets by the Company to a Wholly Owned
Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or by a Wholly Owned
Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or to
another Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company,
(ii) an issuance of Equity Interests by a Wholly Owned
Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or to
another Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company,
(iii) the making of a Restricted Payment or Permitted
Investment that is permitted by the covenant described above
under the caption Certain covenants Restricted
payments, (iv) the abandonment, farm-out, lease or
sublease of undeveloped oil and gas properties in the ordinary
course of business, (v) the trade or exchange by the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of any oil
and gas
25
property owned or held by the Company or such Restricted
Subsidiary for any oil and gas property owned or held by another
Person, which the Board of Directors of the Company determines
in good faith to be of approximately equivalent value,
(vi) the trade or exchange by the Company or any Subsidiary
of the Company of any oil and gas property owned or held by the
Company or such Subsidiary for Equity Interests in another
Person engaged primarily in the Oil and Gas Business which,
together with all other such trades or exchanges (to the extent
excluded from the definition of Asset Sale pursuant to this
clause (vi)) since the date of the Indenture, does not
exceed 5% of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets
determined after such trade or exchange, (vii) the sale or
transfer of hydrocarbons or other mineral products or other
inventory or surplus or obsolete equipment in the ordinary
course of business or (viii) sales of assets or property
(including Capital Stock) described in paragraph (c)(iv) of
the covenant described above under Certain
covenants Restricted payments.
Attributable Debt in respect of a sale and
leaseback transaction means, at the time of determination, the
present value (discounted at the rate of interest implicit in
such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP) of the
obligation of the lessee for net rental payments during the
remaining term of the lease included in such sale and leaseback
transaction (including any period for which such lease has been
extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended).
Capital Lease Obligation means, at the time
any determination thereof is to be made, the amount of the
liability in respect of a capital lease that would at such time
be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance
with GAAP.
Capital Stock means (i) in the case of a
corporation, corporate stock, (ii) in the case of an
association or business entity, any and all shares, interests,
participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated)
of corporate stock, (iii) in the case of a partnership,
partnership interests (whether general or limited), (iv) in
the case of a limited liability company or similar entity, any
membership or similar interests therein and (v) any other
interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to
receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions
of assets of, the issuing Person, in each case excluding debt
securities convertible or exchangeable for any of the foregoing.
Cash Equivalents means (i) United States
dollars, (ii) securities issued or directly and fully
guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any
agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of not more
than six months from the date of acquisition,
(iii) certificates of deposit and eurodollar time deposits
with maturities of six months or less from the date of
acquisition, bankers acceptances with maturities not
exceeding-six months and overnight bank deposits, in each case
with any lender party to the Credit Agreement or with any
domestic commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of
$500 million and a Thompson Bank Watch Rating of
B or better, (iv) repurchase obligations with a
term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of
the types described in clauses (ii) and (iii) above
entered into with any financial institution meeting the
qualifications specified in clause (iii) above,
(v) commercial paper having a rating of at least P1 from
Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (or its successor) and a
rating of at least A1 from Standard & Poors
Ratings Group (or its successor) and (vi) investments in
money market or other mutual funds substantially all of whose
assets comprise securities of the types described in
clauses (ii) through (v) above.
Change of Control means the occurrence of any
of the following: (i) 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
26
Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any person or group
of related persons (a Group) (as such
terms are used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act),
(ii) the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or
dissolution of the Company, (iii) the consummation of any
transaction (including, without limitation, any purchase, sale,
acquisition, disposition, merger or consolidation) the result of
which is that any person (as defined above) or Group
becomes the beneficial owner (as such term is
defined in
Rule 13d-3 and
Rule 13d-5 under
the Exchange Act) of more than 40% of the aggregate voting power
of all classes of Capital Stock of the Company having the right
to elect directors under ordinary circumstances or (iv) the
first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of
Directors of the Company are not Continuing Directors.
Commission means the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Consolidated Cash Flow means, with respect to
any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such
Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period plus
(i) an amount equal to any extraordinary loss, plus any net
loss realized in connection with an Asset Sale (together with
any related provision for taxes), to the extent such losses were
included in computing such Consolidated Net Income, plus
(ii) provision for taxes based on income or profits of such
Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the
extent that such provision for taxes was included in computing
such Consolidated Net Income, plus (iii) consolidated
interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries
for such period, whether paid or accrued (including, without
limitation, amortization of original issue discount, non-cash
interest payments, the interest component of any deferred
payment obligations, the interest component of all payments
associated with Capital Lease Obligations, imputed interest with
respect to Attributable Debt, commissions, discounts and other
fees and charges incurred in respect of letters of credit or
bankers acceptance financings, and net payments (if any)
pursuant to Interest Rate Hedging Agreements), to the extent
that any such expense was included in computing such
Consolidated Net Income, plus (iv) depreciation, depletion
and amortization expenses (including amortization of goodwill
and other intangibles) for such Person and its Restricted
Subsidiaries for such period to the extent that such
depreciation, depletion and amortization expenses were included
in computing such Consolidated Net Income, plus
(v) exploration expenses for such Person and its Restricted
Subsidiaries for such period to the extent such exploration
expenses were included in computing such Consolidated Net
Income, plus (vi) other non-cash charges (excluding any
such non-cash charge to the extent that 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) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such
period to the extent that such other non-cash charges were
included in computing such Consolidated Net Income, in each
case, on a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with
GAAP. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provision for taxes on
the income or profits of, and the depreciation, depletion and
amortization and other non-cash charges and expenses of, a
Restricted Subsidiary of the referent Person shall be added to
Consolidated Net Income to compute Consolidated Cash Flow only
to the extent (and in the same proportion) that the Net Income
of such Restricted Subsidiary was included in calculating the
Consolidated Net Income of such Person and only if a
corresponding amount would be permitted at the date of
determination to be dividended to the referent Person by such
Restricted Subsidiary without prior governmental approval (that
has not been obtained), and without direct or indirect
restriction pursuant to the terms of its charter and all
agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes,
rules and governmental regulations applicable to that Restricted
Subsidiary or its stockholders.
27
Consolidated Net Income means, with respect
to any Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of
such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period, on a
consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP; provided
that (i) the Net Income (but not loss) of any Person that
is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the
equity method of accounting shall be included only to the extent
of the amount of dividends or distributions paid in cash to the
referent Person or a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary thereof,
(ii) the Net Income of any Restricted Subsidiary shall be
excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of
dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary
of that Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted
without any prior governmental approval (that has not been
obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by operation of the terms
of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree,
order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to
that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders, (iii) the
Net Income of any Person acquired in a pooling of interests
transaction for any period prior to the date of such acquisition
shall be excluded, (iv) the cumulative effect of a change
in accounting principles shall be excluded, (v) any
impairments or write-downs of oil and natural gas assets, shall
be excluded, provided, however, that ceiling limitation
write-downs in accordance with GAAP shall be treated as
capitalized costs, as if such write-downs had not occurred,
(vi) extraordinary non-cash losses shall be excluded,
(vii) any non-cash compensation expenses realized for
grants of performance shares, stock options or stock awards to
officers, directors and employees of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries shall be excluded and (viii) any
unrealized non-cash gains or losses or charges in respect of
hedge or non-hedge derivatives (including those resulting from
the application of SFAS 133) shall be excluded.
Continuing Directors means, as of any date of
determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the
Company who (i) was a member of such Board of Directors on
the date of original issuance of the notes or (ii) 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 at the time of such nomination.
Credit Agreement means that certain Second
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of June 23,
2004, by and among Range, Great Lakes Energy Partners L.L.C. and
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (successor by merger to Bank One,
N.A., (Illinois), a national banking association), The Frost
National Bank, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Union Bank of
California, N.A., Wachovia Bank, National Association, Key Bank,
Harris Nesbitt Financing, Inc., Southwest Bank of Texas, N.A.,
Hibernia National Bank, Comerica Bank, Natexis Banques
Populaires, Fortis Capital Corp., Fleet National Bank, Compass
Bank, Calyon New York Branch and Bank of Scotland (hereinafter
collectively referred to as Lenders, and
individually, Lender) and JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.
(formerly Bank One, NA), as Administrative Agent, Fleet National
Bank, as Co-Documentation Agent, Fortis Capital Corp., as
Co-Documentation Agent, Calyon, New York Branch, as
Co-Syndication Agent, Harris Nesbitt Financing, Inc., as
Co-Syndication Agent, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (formerly
Banc One Capital Markets, Inc.), as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole
Bookrunner providing for up to $600 million of
Indebtedness, as such credit agreement has been amended or
supplemented to the date of the Indenture, including any related
notes, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and
agreements executed in connection therewith, and in each case as
amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or
refinanced, in whole or in part, from time to time, whether or
not with the same lenders or agents.
Credit Facilities means, with respect to the
Company, one or more debt facilities (including, without
limitation, the Credit Agreement) or commercial paper facilities
with banks or other
28
institutional lenders providing for revolving credit loans, term
loans, production payments, 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) 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.
Default means any event that is or with the
passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be an
Event of Default.
Designated Senior Debt means (i) the
Credit Agreement and (ii) any other Senior Debt permitted
under the Indenture the principal amount of which is
$25 million or more and that has been designated by the
Company as Designated Senior Debt.
Disqualified Stock means any Capital Stock to
the extent that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security
into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable),
or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily
redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise,
or redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or
in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the
date on which the notes mature.
Dollar-Denominated Production Payments means
production payment obligations recorded as liabilities in
accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and
obligations in connection therewith.
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).
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio means with
respect to any Person for any period, the ratio of the
Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person for such period to the
Fixed Charges of such Person for such period. In the event that
the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries incurs,
assumes, guarantees or redeems any Indebtedness (other than
revolving credit borrowings) or issues preferred stock
subsequent to the commencement of the period for which the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio is being calculated but prior to the date
on which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is
made (the Calculation Date), then the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to
such incurrence, assumption, guarantee or redemption of
Indebtedness, or such issuance or redemption of preferred stock,
as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable
four-quarter reference period. In addition, for purposes of
making the computation referred to above, (i) acquisitions
that have been made by the referent Person or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries, including through mergers or
consolidations and including any-related financing transactions,
during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such
reference period and on or prior to the Calculation Date
(including, without limitation, any acquisition to occur on the
Calculation Date) shall be deemed to have occurred on the first
day of the four-quarter reference period and Consolidated Cash
Flow for such reference period shall be calculated without
giving effect to clause (iii) of the proviso set forth in
the definition of Consolidated Net Income, (ii) the net
proceeds of Indebtedness incurred or Disqualified Stock issued
by the referent Person pursuant to the first paragraph of the
covenant described under the caption Certain
covenants Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of
disqualified stock during the four-quarter reference
period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to
the Calculation Date shall be deemed to have been received by
the referent Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries on the
first day of the four-quarter reference period and applied to
its intended use on such date, (iii) the Consolidated Cash
Flow attributable to discontinued operations, as
29
determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses
disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, shall be excluded,
and (iv) the Fixed Charges attributable to discontinued
operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and
operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation
Date, shall be excluded, but only to the extent that the
obligations giving rise to such Fixed Charges will not be
obligations of the referent Person or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries following the Calculation Date.
Fixed Charges means, with respect to any
Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of
(i) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and
its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or
accrued (including, without limitation, amortization of original
issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest
component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest
component of all payments associated with Capital Lease
Obligations, imputed interest with respect to Attributable Debt,
commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in
respect of letter of credit or bankers acceptance
financings, and net payments (if any) pursuant to Interest Rate
Hedging Agreements), (ii) the consolidated interest expense
of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was
capitalized during such period, (iii) any interest expense
on Indebtedness of another Person that is guaranteed by such
Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a
Lien on assets of such Person or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries (whether or not such guarantee or Lien is called
upon) and (iv) the product of (a) all cash dividend
payments (and non-cash dividend payments in the case of a Person
that is a Restricted Subsidiary) on any series of preferred
stock of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries,
times (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the
denominator of which is one minus the then current combined
federal, state and local statutory tax rate of such Person,
expressed as a decimal, in each case, on a consolidated basis
and in accordance with GAAP.
GAAP means generally accepted accounting
principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the
Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements
of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other
statements by such other entity as have been approved by a
significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in
effect on the date of the Indenture.
Guarantee means a guarantee (other than by
endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the
ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner
(including, without limitation, letters of credit and
reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part
of any Indebtedness.
Indebtedness means, with respect to any
Person, without duplication, (a) any indebtedness of such
Person, whether or not contingent, (i) in respect of
borrowed money, (ii) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures
or similar instruments, (iii) evidenced by letters of
credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof) or
bankers acceptances, (iv) representing Capital Lease
Obligations, (v) representing the balance deferred and
unpaid of the purchase price of any property, except any such
balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable,
(vi) representing any obligations in respect of Interest
Rate Hedging Agreements or Oil and Gas Hedging Contracts, and
(vii) in respect of any Production Payment, (b) all
indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such
Person (whether or not such indebtedness is assumed by such
Person), (c) Attributable Debt of such Person, and
(d) to the extent not otherwise included in the foregoing,
the guarantee by such Person of any indebtedness of any other
Person, provided that the indebtedness described in
clauses (a)(i), (ii), (iv) and (v) shall be
included in this definition of Indebtedness only if, and to the
extent
30
that, the indebtedness described in such clauses would appear as
a liability upon a balance sheet of such Person prepared in
accordance with GAAP.
Interest Rate Hedging Agreements means, with
respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person under
(i) interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap
agreements and interest rate collar agreements and
(ii) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect
such Person against fluctuations in interest rates.
Investments means, with respect to any
Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons
(including Affiliates) in the form of direct or indirect loans
(including guarantees- of Indebtedness or other obligations, but
excluding trade credit and other ordinary course advances
customarily made in the oil and gas industry), advances or
capital contributions (excluding commission, travel and similar
advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course
of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration
of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities, together
with all items that are or would be classified as investments on
a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP; provided that
the following shall not constitute Investments: (i) an
acquisition of assets, Equity Interests or other securities by
the Company for consideration consisting of common equity
securities of the Company, (ii) Interest Rate Hedging
Agreements entered into in accordance with the limitations set
forth in clause (h) of the second paragraph of the covenant
described under the caption Certain covenants
Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of disqualified
stock, (iii) Oil and Gas Hedging Agreements entered
into in accordance with the limitations set forth in
clause (i) of the second paragraph of the covenant
described under the caption Certain covenants
Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of disqualified
stock and (iv) endorsements of negotiable instruments
and documents in the ordinary course of business.
Lien means, with respect to any asset, any
mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest 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
other than a precautionary financing statement with respect to a
lease not intended as a security agreement).
Material Change means an increase or decrease
(excluding changes that result solely from changes in prices) of
more than 20% during a fiscal quarter in the estimated
discounted future net cash flows from proved oil and gas
reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries,
calculated in accordance with clause (i)(a) of the
definition of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets;
provided, however, that the following will be excluded from the
calculation of Material Change: (i) any acquisitions during
the quarter of oil and gas reserves that have been estimated by
one or more nationally recognized firms of independent petroleum
engineers and on which a report or reports exist and
(ii) any disposition of properties existing at the
beginning of such quarter that have been disposed of as provided
in the Asset Sales covenant.
Net Income means, with respect to any Person,
the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance
with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock
dividends, excluding, however, (i) any gain (but not loss),
together with any related provision for taxes on such gain (but
not loss), realized in connection with (a) any Asset Sale
(including, without limitation, dispositions pursuant to sale
and leaseback transactions) or (b) the disposition of any
securities by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
or the
31
extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) any extraordinary or
nonrecurring gain (but not loss), together with any related
provision for taxes on such extraordinary or nonrecurring gain
(but not loss).
Net Proceeds means the aggregate cash
proceeds received by the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without
limitation, any cash received upon the sale or other disposition
of any non-cash consideration received in any Asset Sale, but
excluding cash amounts placed in escrow, until such amounts are
released to the Company), net of the direct costs relating to
such Asset Sale (including, without limitation, legal,
accounting and investment banking fees and expenses, and sales
commissions) and any relocation expenses incurred as a result
thereof, taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (after taking
into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax
sharing arrangements), amounts required to be applied to the
repayment of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness under any
Credit Facility) secured by a Lien on the asset or assets that
were the subject of such Asset Sale and any reserve for
adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets
established in accordance with GAAP and any reserve established
for future liabilities.
Net Working Capital means (i) all
current assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries,
minus (ii) all current liabilities of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, except current liabilities included in
Indebtedness, in each case as set forth in financial statements
of the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP (excluding any
adjustments made pursuant to FASB 133).
Non-Recourse Debt means Indebtedness
(i) as to which neither the Company nor any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries (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); and (ii) 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 of its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a
default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof
to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity; and
(iii) the explicit terms of which provide that there is no
recourse against any of the assets of the Company or its
Restricted Subsidiaries.
Obligations means any principal, interest,
penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and
other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any
Indebtedness.
Oil and Gas Business means (i) the
acquisition, exploration, development, operation and disposition
of interests in oil, gas and other hydrocarbon properties,
(ii) the gathering, marketing, treating, processing,
storage, distribution, selling and transporting of any
production from such interests or properties, (iii) any
business relating to exploration for or development, production,
treatment, processing, storage, transportation or marketing of
oil, gas and other minerals and products produced in association
therewith and (iv) any activity that is ancillary to or
necessary or appropriate for the activities described in
clauses (i) through (iii) of this definition.
Oil and Gas Hedging Contracts means any oil
and gas purchase or hedging agreement, and other agreement or
arrangement, in each case, that is designed to provide
protection against oil and gas price fluctuations.
Pari Passu Indebtedness means Indebtedness
that ranks Pari Passu in right of payment to the notes.
32
Permitted Indebtedness has the meaning given
in the covenant described under the caption Certain
covenants Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of
disqualified stock.
Permitted Investments means (a) any
Investment in the Company or in a Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary of the Company; (b) any Investment in Cash
Equivalents or securities issued or directly and fully
guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any
agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of not more
than one year from the date of acquisition; (c) any
Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the
Company in a Person if, as a result of such Investment and any
related transactions that at the time of such Investment are
contractually mandated to occur, (i) such Person becomes a
Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or
(ii) such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated
with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all
of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a
Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; (d) any
Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash
consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and
in compliance with the covenant described above under the
caption Repurchase at the option of holders
Asset sales; (e) other Investments in any Person or
Persons having an aggregate fair market value (measured on the
date each such Investment was made and without giving effect to
subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all other
Investments made pursuant to this clause (e) that are at
the time outstanding, not to exceed $10.0 million;
(f) any Investment acquired by the Company in exchange for
Equity Interests in the Company (other than Disqualified Stock);
(g) shares of Capital Stock received in connection with any
good faith settlement of a bankruptcy proceeding involving a
trade creditor; (h) entry into operating agreements, joint
ventures, partnership agreements, working interests, royalty
interests, mineral leases, processing agreements, farm-out
agreements, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange
of oil and natural gas, unitization agreements, pooling
arrangements, area of mutual interest agreements, production
sharing agreements or other similar or customary agreements,
transactions, properties, interests or arrangements, and
Investments and expenditures in connection therewith or pursuant
thereto, in each case made or entered into the ordinary course
of the Oil and Gas Business, excluding, however, Investments in
corporations other than any Investment received pursuant to the
Asset Sale provision; and (i) the acquisition of any Equity
Interests pursuant to a transaction of the type described in
clause (vi) of the exclusions from the definition of
Asset Sale.
Permitted Liens means (i) Liens securing
Indebtedness of a Subsidiary or Liens securing Senior Debt that
is outstanding on the date of issuance of the notes and Liens
securing Senior Debt that are permitted by the terms of the
Indenture to be incurred; (ii) Liens in favor of the
Company; (iii) Liens on property existing at the time of
acquisition thereof by the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company and Liens on property or assets of a Subsidiary existing
at the time it became a Subsidiary, provided that such Liens
were in existence prior to the contemplation of the acquisition
and do not extend to any assets other than the acquired
property; (iv) Liens incurred or deposits made in the
ordinary course of business in connection with workers
compensation, unemployment insurance or other kinds of social
security, or to secure the payment or performance of tenders,
statutory or regulatory obligations, surety or appeal bonds,
performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature incurred
in the ordinary course of business (including lessee or operator
obligations under statutes, governmental regulations or
instruments related to the ownership, exploration and production
of oil, gas and minerals on state or federal lands or waters);
(v) Liens existing on the date of the Indenture;
(vi) Liens for-taxes, assessments or governmental charges
or claims that are not yet delinquent or that are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly
instituted and
33
diligently concluded, provided that any reserve or other
appropriate provision as shall be required in conformity with
GAAP shall have been made therefor; (vii) statutory liens
of landlords, mechanics, suppliers, vendors, warehousemen,
carriers or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of
business; (viii) judgment Liens not giving rise to an Event
of Default so long as any appropriate legal proceeding that may
have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment shall
not have been finally terminated or the period within which such
proceeding may be initiated shall not have expired;
(ix) Liens on, or related to, properties or assets to
secure all or part of the costs incurred in the ordinary course
of the Oil and Gas Business for the exploration, drilling,
development, or operation thereof; (x) Liens in pipeline or
pipeline facilities that arise under operation of law;
(xi) Liens arising under operating agreements, joint
venture agreements, partnership agreements, oil and gas leases,
farm-out agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale,
transportation or exchange of oil or natural gas, unitization
and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest
agreements and other agreements that are customary in the Oil
and Gas Business; (xii) Liens reserved in oil and gas
mineral leases for bonus or rental payments and for compliance
with the terms of such leases; (xiii) Liens securing the
notes; and (xiv) Liens not otherwise permitted by
clauses (i) through (xiii) that are incurred in the
ordinary course of business of the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company with respect to obligations that do not exceed
$5.0 million at any one time outstanding.
Permitted Refinancing Debt means any
Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of
which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or
refund other Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness incurred
under a Credit Facility) of the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries; provided that: (i) the principal amount of
such Permitted Refinancing Debt does not exceed the principal
amount of the Indebtedness so extended, refinanced, renewed,
replaced, defeased or refunded (plus the amount of reasonable
expenses incurred in connection therewith); (ii) such
Permitted Refinancing Debt has a final maturity date on or later
than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life
to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life
to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced,
renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; (iii) if the
Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced,
defeased or refunded is subordinated in right of payment to the
notes, such Permitted Refinancing Debt has a final maturity date
later than the final maturity date of, and is subordinated in
right of payment to, the notes on terms at least as favorable
taken as a whole to the Holders of notes as those contained in
the documentation governing the Indebtedness being extended,
refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; and
(iv) such Indebtedness is incurred either by the Company or
by the Restricted Subsidiary who is the obligor on the
Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced,
defeased or refunded.
Production Payments means Dollar-Denominated
Production Payments and Volumetric Production Payments,
collectively.
Restricted Investment means an Investment
other than a Permitted Investment.
Restricted Subsidiary means any direct or
indirect Subsidiary of the Company that is not an Unrestricted
Subsidiary.
Senior Debt means (i) Indebtedness of
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company under or in respect
of any Credit Facility, whether for principal, interest
(including interest accruing after the filing of a petition
initiating any proceeding pursuant to any bankruptcy law,
whether or not the claim for such interest is allowed as a claim
in such proceeding),
34
reimbursement obligations, fees, commissions, expenses,
indemnities or other amounts, and (ii) any other
Indebtedness permitted under the terms of the Indenture, unless
the instrument under which such Indebtedness is incurred
expressly provides that it is on a parity with or subordinated
in right of payment to the notes; provided that the
Companys
73/8% Senior
Subordinated Notes and
63/8
% Senior Subordinated Notes outstanding on the date
of the indenture shall be deemed to rank on parity with the
notes and shall not be Senior Debt. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary in the foregoing sentence, Senior Debt will not
include (w) any liability for federal, state, local or
other taxes owed or owing by the Company, (x) any
Indebtedness of the Company to any of its Subsidiaries or other
Affiliates, (y) any trade payables or (z) any
Indebtedness that is incurred in violation of the Indenture
(other than Indebtedness under (i) any Credit Agreement or
(ii) any other Credit Facility that is incurred on the
basis of a representation by the Company to the applicable
lenders that it is permitted to incur such Indebtedness under
the Indenture).
Significant Subsidiary means any Subsidiary
of the Company that would be a significant
subsidiary as defined in Article I, Rule 1-02 of
Regulation S-X,
promulgated pursuant to the Exchange Act, as such Regulation is
in effect on the date hereof.
Subsidiary means, with respect to any Person,
(i) any corporation, association or other business entity
of which more than 50% of the total 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 is at the time owned or controlled, directly or
indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other
Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof) and
(ii) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or
the managing general partner of which is such Person or a
Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners
of which are such Person or of one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person (or any combination thereof).
Subsidiary Guarantors means initially the
following Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company existing on the
date of the Indenture: Great Lakes Energy Partners, L.L.C.,
Range Energy I, Inc., Range HoldCo, Inc., Range
Production I, L.P., Range Production Company, Range Energy
Ventures Corporation, Range Operating New Mexico, Inc., and PMOG
Holdings, Inc., and any other future Restricted Subsidiary of
the Company that executes a Guarantee in accordance with the
provisions of the Indenture and, in each case, their respective
successors and assigns, provided that, in no event shall any
future acquired or created foreign Subsidiary be a Subsidiary
Guarantor under the Indenture.
Total Assets means, with respect to any
Person, the total consolidated assets of such Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, as shown on the most recent balance
sheet of such Person.
Unrestricted Subsidiary means (i) any
Subsidiary of the Company which at the time of determination
shall be an Unrestricted Subsidiary (as designated by the Board
of Directors of the Company, as provided below) and
(ii) 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 (a) such Subsidiary does not own any
Capital Stock of, 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; (b) all the Indebtedness of such Subsidiary
shall, at the date of designation, and will at all times
thereafter, consist of Non-Recourse Debt; (c) the Company
certifies that such designation complies with the
Limitation on restricted payments covenant;
(d) such Subsidiary, either alone or in the aggregate with
all other
35
Unrestricted Subsidiaries, does not operate, directly or
indirectly, all or substantially all of the business of the
Company and its Subsidiaries; (e) such Subsidiary does not,
directly or indirectly, own any Indebtedness of or Equity
Interest in, and has no investments in, the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary; (f) such Subsidiary is a Person with
respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation (1) to
subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (2) to
maintain or preserve such Persons financial condition or
to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of
operating results; and (g) 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 complied 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 Restricted
Subsidiary; provided, that (i) 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 (excluding Permitted Indebtedness) pursuant to the
first paragraph of the Incurrence of indebtedness and
issuance of disqualified stock covenant on a pro forma
basis taking into account such designation and (ii) such
Subsidiary executes a Guarantee pursuant to the terms of the
Indenture.
Volumetric Production Payments means
production payment obligations recorded as deferred revenue in
accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and
obligations in connection therewith.
Weighted Average Life to Maturity means, when
applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years
obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the products obtained
by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining
installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required
payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in
respect thereof, by (b) the number of years (calculated to
the nearest-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the
making of such payment, by (ii) the then outstanding
principal amount of such Indebtedness.
Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of any
Person means a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person all of the
outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership interests of which
(other than directors qualifying shares) shall at the time
be owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or
more Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries of such Person.
36
Legal matters
Our legal counsel, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Dallas,
Texas, will pass upon certain legal matters in connection with
the offered securities. Any underwriters will be advised about
issues relating to any offering by their own legal counsel.
Experts
The consolidated financial statements of Range Resources
Corporation appearing in Range Resources Corporations
Annual Report
(Form 10-K) for
the year ended December 31, 2005, and Range Resources
Corporation managements assessment of the effectiveness of
internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2005 included therein, have been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included
therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated
financial statements and managements assessment are
incorporated by reference into this prospectus in reliance upon
such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in
accounting and auditing.
Reserve engineers
Certain information incorporated by reference in this prospectus
regarding estimated quantities of oil and natural gas reserves
occurred by us, the future net revenues from those reserves and
their present value is based on estimates of the reserves and
present values prepared by or derived from estimates prepared by
DeGolyer and MacNaughton, Wright & Company, Inc. and
H.J. Gruy and Associates, Inc. The reserve information is
incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the authority
of said firms as experts with respect to such reports.
37