Exhibit 10.1


 


October 21, 2020


 


Rice Acquisition Corp.


 


102 East Main Street, Second Story


Carnegie, Pennsylvania 15106


 


		Re:	Initial Public Offering



 


Ladies and Gentlemen:


 


This letter (this “Letter
Agreement”) is being delivered to you in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting
Agreement”) entered into by and among Rice Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
and Barclays Capital Inc., as representative (the “Representative”) of the several underwriters (the
“Underwriters”), relating to an underwritten initial public offering (the “Public Offering”),
of up to 24,725,000 of the Company’s units (including up to 3,225,000 units which may be purchased to cover over-allotments,
if any) (the “Units”), each comprised of one share of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value
$0.0001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), and one-half of one redeemable warrant (each whole warrant,
a “Public Warrant”). Each Public Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of the Class
A Common Stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. The Units shall be sold in the Public Offering pursuant to
the registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-249340) and prospectus (the “Prospectus”) filed
by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and the Company shall apply
to have the Units listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in paragraph 11
hereof.


 


In order to induce
the Company and the Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Public Offering and for other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Rice Acquisition Sponsor LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (“Sponsor”), Atlas Point Energy Infrastructure Fund, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company (“Atlas Point Fund”), and each of the undersigned individuals, each of whom
is a member of the Company’s board of directors and/or management team (each an “Insider” and,
collectively, the “Insiders”), hereby agrees with the Company as follows:


 


1.
The Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund and each Insider agrees that if the Company seeks stockholder approval of a proposed Business
Combination, then in connection with such proposed Business Combination, it, he or she shall vote all Founder Shares, Sponsor
Shares and any shares acquired by it, him or her in the Public Offering or the secondary public market in favor of such
proposed Business Combination and not redeem any such shares owned by it, him or her in connection with such stockholder
approval.


 


2.
The Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund and each Insider hereby agrees that in the event that the Company fails to consummate a
Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Public Offering, or such later period approved by the
Company’s stockholders in accordance with the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the
Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund and each Insider shall take all reasonable steps to cause the Company to (i) cease all operations
except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 business days thereafter,
subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the Class A Common Stock and the Class A Units of Rice
Acquisition Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Offering Shares”), at a
per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest not
previously released to Opco to pay franchise and income taxes of Opco or the Company (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay
dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Offering Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish
Public Stockholders’ rights as stockholders or unitholders (including the right to receive further liquidation
distributions, if any), subject to applicable law and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption,
subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve
and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors
and other requirements of applicable law. The Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund and the Insiders agree to not propose any amendment
to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of the
obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete an initial Business Combination within 24
months from the closing of the Public Offering, unless the Company provides its Public Stockholders with the opportunity to
redeem their Offering Shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the
aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and
not previously released to Opco to pay franchise and income taxes of Opco or the Company, divided by the number of then
outstanding Offering Shares.


 






     


     


    

 


The Sponsor, Atlas
Point Fund and each Insider acknowledges that it, he or she has no right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies
held in the Trust Account or any other asset of the Company or Opco as a result of any liquidation of the Company or Opco with
respect to the Founder Shares. The Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund and each Insider hereby further waives, with respect to any Founder
Shares, Sponsor Shares or shares of Class A Common Stock held by it, him or her, any redemption rights it, he or she may have in
connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, including, without limitation, any such rights available in the context
of a stockholder vote to approve such Business Combination or in the context of a tender offer made by the Company to purchase
shares of the Class A Common Stock or Class A Units of Opco and in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s
amended and restated certificate of incorporation in a manner that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s
obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within 24 months
from the closing of the Public Offering (although the Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund, the Insiders and their respective affiliates shall
be entitled to redemption and liquidation rights with respect to any Sponsor Shares and shares of Class A Common Stock purchased
in or after the Public Offering it or they hold if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 24 months from
the date of the closing of the Public Offering or such later date as may be specified in an amendment to the Company’s amended
and restated certificate of incorporation).


 


3.
During the period commencing on the effective date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending 180 days after such date, the
undersigned shall not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to
sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or
indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the
meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
promulgated thereunder, any Units, shares of Class A Common Stock, Founder Shares, Sponsor Shares, Warrants or any securities
convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Class A Common Stock or Class A Units of Opco owned by him,
her or it; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to transfers to the Sponsor by Atlas Point Fund or
the Insiders or any forfeiture of the foregoing securities by Atlas Point Fund as required by the Forward Purchase Agreement,
(ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic
consequences of ownership of any Units, shares of Class A Common Stock, Founder Shares, Sponsor Shares, Warrants or any
securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Class A Common Stock or Class A Units of Opco
owned by him, her or it, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise
or (iii) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii). If the undersigned is an
officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the forgoing restrictions shall be equally applicable
to any issuer-directed Units that the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering.


 


4.
In the event of the liquidation of the Trust Account, the Sponsor (which for purposes of clarification shall not extend to
any officer, member or manager of the Sponsor) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and Opco against any and all
loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, whether pending or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever) to which the Company or Opco may become subject as a result of any claim by (i) any third party (other than
the Company’s independent public accountants) for services rendered or products sold to the Company or Opco or (ii) a
prospective target business with which the Company or Opco has entered into a letter of intent, confidentiality or other
similar agreement or business combination agreement (a “Target”); provided, however, that
such indemnification of the Company and Opco by the Sponsor shall apply only to the extent necessary to ensure that such
claims by a third party for services rendered (other than the Company’s independent public accountants) or products
sold to the Company or Opco or a Target do not reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i)
$10.00 per share of the Offering Shares and (ii) the actual amount per share of the Offering Shares held in the Trust Account
due to reductions in the value of the trust assets as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, in each case
including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to Opco to pay franchise and
income taxes of the Company or Opco, less franchise and income taxes payable by the Company or Opco, except as to any claims
by a third party or Target that executed an agreement waiving claims against and all rights to seek access to the Trust
Account whether or not such agreement is enforceable. In the event that any such executed waiver is deemed to be
unenforceable against such third party, the Sponsor shall not be responsible for any liability as a result of any such third
party claims. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, such indemnification of the Company or Opco by the Sponsor shall not
apply as to any claims under the Company’s obligation to indemnify the Underwriters against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The
Sponsor shall have the right to defend against any such claim with counsel of its choice reasonably satisfactory to the
Company if, within 15 days following written receipt of notice of the claim to the Sponsor, the Sponsor notifies the Company
in writing that it shall undertake such defense.


 






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5.
To the extent that the Underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option to purchase an additional 3,225,000 Units (as
described in the Prospectus), the Sponsor agrees, upon the expiration or waiver of such option, to forfeit, for cancellation
at no cost, a number of Founder Shares equal to 806,250 multiplied by a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is 3,225,000
minus the number of Units purchased by the Underwriters upon the exercise of their over-allotment option, and (ii) the
denominator of which is 3,225,000. The forfeiture will be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option is not
exercised in full by the Underwriters so that the Founder Shares will
represent 20.0% of the Company’s total outstanding equity after the Public Offering (excluding the Sponsor Shares and
any shares issuable upon exercise of any Warrants). The Sponsor further agrees that to the extent that (a) the size of the
Public Offering is increased or decreased and (b) an adjustment to the number of Founder Shares has been effected by way of a
stock split, stock dividend, reverse stock split, contribution back to capital or otherwise, in each case in connection with
such increase or decrease in the size of the Public Offering, then (A) the references to 3,225,000 in the numerator and
denominator of the formula in the first sentence of this paragraph shall be changed to a number equal to 15% of the number of
the Units issued in the Public Offering and (B) the reference to 806,250 in the formula set forth in the first sentence of
this paragraph shall be adjusted to such number of Founder Shares that the Sponsor would have to collectively return to the
Company and Opco, as applicable, in order for all holders of Founder Shares to hold an aggregate of 20.0% of the
Company’s total outstanding equity after the Public Offering (excluding the Sponsor Shares and any shares issuable upon
exercise of any Warrants).


 


6. (a)  Messrs.
Rice and Derham agree not to become an officer or director of any other blank check company until the Company has entered into
a definitive agreement with respect to a Business Combination or the Company has failed to complete a Business Combination within
24 months after the closing of the Public Offering.


 


(b)
Each of the Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund and each Insider hereby agrees and acknowledges that: (i) each of the Underwriters and
the Company would be irreparably injured in the event of a breach by such Sponsor or Insider of his, her or its obligations
under paragraphs 6(a), 7(a) and 7(b), (ii) monetary damages may not be an adequate remedy for such breach and (iii) the
non-breaching party shall be entitled to injunctive relief, in addition to any other remedy that such party may have in law
or in equity, in the event of such breach.


 


7. (a)  Subject
to the exceptions set forth herein, the Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund and each Insider agrees not to transfer, assign or sell any Founder
Shares or Sponsor Shares held by it, him or her until one year after the date of the consummation of a Business Combination or
earlier if, subsequent to a Business Combination, (i) the last sale price of the Class A Common Stock equals or exceeds $12.00
per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days
within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the consummation of a Business Combination or (ii) the Company
consummates a subsequent liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s
stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property (the “Lock-up”).


 


(b)
Subject to the exceptions set forth herein, the Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund and each Insider agrees not to transfer, assign or
sell any Private Placement Warrants, or Class A Common Stock or Class A Units, if applicable, of Opco underlying such
warrants held by it, him or her, until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination.


 






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(c)
Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in paragraphs 7(a) and (b), transfers of the Founder Shares, Sponsor Shares,
Private Placement Warrants and shares of Class A Common Stock or Class A Units of Opco, if applicable, issuable upon the
exercise of the Private Placement Warrants or the Founder Shares and that are held by the Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund, any
Insider or any of their permitted transferees, as applicable, (that have complied with any applicable requirements of this
paragraph 7(c)) are permitted (a) in the case of the Sponsor, any Insider or any of their permitted transferees, to the
Company’s officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of the Company’s officers or directors,
the Sponsor, any members of the Sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of the Sponsor; (b) in the case of Atlas Point
Fund or any of its permitted transferees, to the Company, the Sponsor or any affiliates of Atlas Point Fund; (c) in the case
of an individual, by gift to members of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a
member of one of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (d) in
the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (e) in the case of an
individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (f) by virtue of the laws of the state of Delaware, the
Sponsor’s operating agreement upon dissolution of the Sponsor or Atlas Point Fund’s operating agreement upon
dissolution of Atlas Point Fund; (g) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a Business
Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased; (h) in the event of the
Company’s liquidation prior to the completion of a Business Combination; or (i) in the event of completion of a
liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s stockholders
having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the completion
of a Business Combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (g), these permitted transferees
must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions.


 


8.
Each Insider’s biographical information furnished to the Company that is included in the Prospectus is true and
accurate in all respects and does not omit any material information with respect to such Insider’s background. Each
Insider’s questionnaire furnished to the Company is true and accurate in all respects. Each Insider represents and
warrants that: such Insider is not subject to or a respondent in any legal action for, any injunction, cease-and-desist order
or order or stipulation to desist or refrain from any act or practice relating to the offering of securities in any
jurisdiction; such Insider has never been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any crime (i) involving fraud, (ii) relating to
any financial transaction or handling of funds of another person or (iii) pertaining to any dealings in any securities and
such Insider is not currently a defendant in any such criminal proceeding; and none of the Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund or any
such Insider has ever been suspended or expelled from membership in any securities or commodities exchange or association or
had a securities or commodities license or registration denied, suspended or revoked.


 


9.
Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, none of the Sponsor or Atlas Point Fund, any affiliate of the Sponsor or Atlas Point
Fund, or any director or officer of the Company, shall receive any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies
in respect of any repayment of a loan or other compensation prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to
effectuate the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination (regardless of the type of transaction that
it is). However, such persons may receive the following payments, none of which will be made from the proceeds held in the
Trust Account prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination: repayment of a loan of up to $300,000 made to Opco
by the Sponsor, pursuant to a Promissory Note dated September 1, 2020; payment of an aggregate of $10,000 per month, to the
Sponsor, for office space, utilities, secretarial support and administrative services, pursuant to an Administrative Services
Agreement, dated October 21, 2020; reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating,
negotiating and consummating an initial Business Combination; and repayment of loans, if any, and on such terms as to be
determined by the Company from time to time, made by the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the
Company’s officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business
Combination, provided, that, if the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination, a portion of the
working capital held outside the Trust Account may be used by the Company to repay such loaned amounts so long as no proceeds
from the Trust Account are used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a
price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants,
including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period.


 


10.
The Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund and each Insider has full right and power, without violating any agreement to which it, he or
she is bound (including, without limitation, any non-competition or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or former
employer), to enter into this Letter Agreement, and each Insider hereby consents to being named in the Prospectus as an
officer and/or director of the Company, as applicable.


 






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11. 
As used herein, (i) “Business Combination” shall mean a merger, capital stock exchange, asset
acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more
businesses; (ii) “Private Placement Warrants” shall mean the warrants to purchase 6,326,000 shares
of Class A Common Stock or, in certain circumstances, Class A Units of Opco (with a corresponding number of shares of the
Company’s Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class B Common Stock” and
together with Class A Common Stock, “Common Stock”)) (or 6,971,000 shares of Class A Common Stock
or Class A Units of Opco (with a corresponding number of shares of Class B Common Stock) if the Underwriters’
over-allotment option in connection with the Public Offering is exercised in full), that the Sponsor and Atlas Point Fund
have agreed to purchase for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $632,600 (or approximately $697,100 if the
Underwriters’ over-allotment option in connection with the Public Offering is exercised in full), or $1.00 per warrant,
in a private placement that shall occur simultaneously with the consummation of the Public Offering; (iv) “Public
Stockholders” shall mean the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and the holders of Class A Units of Opco
(other than the Company); (v) “Trust Account” shall mean the trust fund into which a portion of the
net proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants to the Sponsor and Atlas Point Fund shall
be deposited; (vi) “Founder Shares” shall mean the Class B Units of Opco initially issued in a
private placement to the Sponsor prior to the Public Offering (or the Class A Units of Opco into which such Class B Units
will convert) and a corresponding number of shares of Class B Common Stock; (vii) “Sponsor Shares”
shall mean the 100 Class A Units of Opco, and corresponding number of shares of Class B Common Stock, and the 2,500 shares of
Class A Common Stock purchased by Sponsor in a private placement prior to the Public Offering; and (viii)
“Warrants” shall refer to the Public Warrants and the Priavte Placement Warrants, collectively.


 


12.
This Letter Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject
matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties hereto, written
or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby. This
Letter Agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived (other than to correct a typographical error) as to any
particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.


 


13.
No party hereto may assign either this Letter Agreement or any of its rights, interests or obligations hereunder without the
prior written consent of the other parties. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and
ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee. This Letter
Agreement shall be binding on the Sponsor, Atlas Point Fund, each Insider and each of their respective successors, heirs and
assigns.


 


14.
This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York,
without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another
jurisdiction. The parties hereto (i) all agree that any action, proceeding, claim or dispute arising out of, or relating in
any way to, this Letter Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of New York City, in the State of New York, and
irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction and venue, which jurisdiction and venue shall be exclusive and (ii) waive any
objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and venue or that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.


 


15.
Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Letter Agreement shall
be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt
requested), by hand delivery or facsimile transmission.


 


16.
This Letter Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of the Lock-up or (ii) the liquidation of the
Company; provided, however, that this Letter Agreement shall earlier terminate in the event that the Public Offering
is not consummated and closed by March 30, 2021, provided further that paragraph 4 of this Letter Agreement shall
survive such liquidation.


 


[Signature Page Follows]


 






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	 	Sincerely,
	 	 	 
	 	RICE ACQUISITION SPONSOR LLC
	 	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ Daniel Joseph Rice, IV
	 	Name:	Daniel Joseph Rice, IV
	 	Title:	Chief Executive Officer
	 	 	 
	 	 	/s/ Kathryn Jackson
	 	 	Dr. Kathryn Jackson
	 	 	 
	 	 	/s/ Joseph Malchow
	 	 	Joseph Malchow
	 	 	 
	 	 	/s/ James Torgerson
	 	 	James Torgerson
	 	 	 
	 	 	/s/ Daniel Joseph Rice, IV
	 	 	Daniel Joseph Rice, IV
	 	 	 
	 	 	/s/ J. Kyle Derham
	 	 	J. Kyle Derham
	 	 	 
	 	 	/s/ James Wilmot Rogers
	 	 	James Wilmot Rogers
	 	 	 
	 	ATLAS POINT ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FUND, LLC
	 	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ Adam Karpf
	 	Name:	Adam Karpf
	 	Title:	Managing Director and Portfolio Manager


 


	Acknowledged and Agreed:	 
	 	 	 
	RICE ACQUISITION CORP.	 
	 	 	 
	By:	/s/ Daniel Joseph Rice, IV 	 
	Name:  	Daniel Joseph Rice, IV	 
	Title:	Chief Executive Officer	 


 


[Signature Page to Letter Agreement]