exhibit101_06012010.htm




Exhibit 10.1


 







 







 







 







 







 







 


AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT


 


dated as of May 26, 2010


 


among


 


Northern Oil and Gas, Inc.,


as Borrower,


 


Macquarie Bank Limited,


as Administrative Agent,


 


and


 


The Lenders Party Hereto


 







 







 







 







 







 






  





  











  








TABLE OF CONTENTS


 


Page


 


ARTICLE I


DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS


 



	
  

	
Section 1.01

	
Terms Defined Above 

	
1








	
  

	
Section 1.02

	
Certain Defined Terms 

	
1








	
  

	
Section 1.03

	
Types of Loans and Borrowings 

	
21








	
  

	
Section 1.04

	
Terms Generally; Rules of Construction 

	
22








	
  

	
Section 1.05

	
Accounting Terms and Determinations; GAAP 

	
22







 


ARTICLE II


THE CREDITS


 



	
  

	
Section 2.01

	
Commitments 

	
22








	
  

	
Section 2.02

	
Loans and Borrowings. 

	
22








	
  

	
Section 2.03

	
Requests for Borrowings 

	
24








	
  

	
Section 2.04

	
Interest Elections; Conversions. 

	
25








	
  

	
Section 2.05

	
Funding of Borrowings. 

	
26








	
  

	
Section 2.06

	
Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts. 

	
27








	
  

	
Section 2.07

	
Borrowing Base. 

	
27








	
  

	
Section 2.08

	
Letters of Credit. 

	
30








	
  

	
Section 2.09

	
Loans and Borrowings Under Existing Credit Agreement 

	
35







 


ARTICLE III


PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST; PREPAYMENTS; FEES


 



	
  

	
Section 3.01

	
Repayment of Loans 

	
35








	
  

	
Section 3.02

	
Interest. 

	
35








	
  

	
Section 3.03

	
Alternate Rate of Interest 

	
36








	
  

	
Section 3.04

	
Prepayments. 

	
37








	
  

	
Section 3.05

	
Fees. 

	
39







 


ARTICLE IV


PAYMENTS; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF SET-OFFS


 



	
  

	
Section 4.01

	
Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. 

	
40








	
  

	
Section 4.02

	
Presumption of Payment by the Borrower 

	
41








	
  

	
Section 4.03

	
Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent 

	
42








	
  

	
Section 4.04

	
Disposition of Proceeds 

	
42







 


ARTICLE V


INCREASED COSTS; BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS; TAXES; ILLEGALITY


 



	
  

	
Section 5.01

	
Increased Costs. 

	
42








	
  

	
Section 5.02

	
Break Funding Payments 

	
43








	
  

	
Section 5.03

	
Taxes. 

	
44








	
  

	
Section 5.04

	
Designation of Different Lending Office 

	
46








	
  

	
Section 5.05

	
Illegality 

	
47











  





i











  






ARTICLE VI


CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

















	
  

	
Section 6.01

	
Effective Date 

	
47








	
  

	
Section 6.02

	
Each Credit Event 

	
50







 


ARTICLE VII


REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES


 



	
  

	
Section 7.01

	
Organization; Powers 

	
51








	
  

	
Section 7.02

	
Authority; Enforceability 

	
51








	
  

	
Section 7.03

	
Approvals; No Conflicts 

	
51








	
  

	
Section 7.04

	
Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change. 

	
52








	
  

	
Section 7.05

	
Litigation. 

	
52








	
  

	
Section 7.06

	
Environmental Matters 

	
52








	
  

	
Section 7.07

	
Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults. 

	
54








	
  

	
Section 7.08

	
Investment Company Act 

	
54








	
  

	
Section 7.09

	
Taxes 

	
54








	
  

	
Section 7.10

	
ERISA. 

	
54








	
  

	
Section 7.11

	
Disclosure; No Material Misstatements 

	
55








	
  

	
Section 7.12

	
Insurance 

	
56








	
  

	
Section 7.13

	
Restriction on Liens 

	
56








	
  

	
Section 7.14

	
Subsidiaries 

	
56








	
  

	
Section 7.15

	
Location of Business and Offices 

	
56








	
  

	
Section 7.16

	
Properties; Titles, Etc. 

	
56








	
  

	
Section 7.17

	
Maintenance of Properties 

	
57








	
  

	
Section 7.18

	
Gas Imbalances, Prepayments 

	
58








	
  

	
Section 7.19

	
Marketing of Production 

	
58








	
  

	
Section 7.20

	
Swap Agreements 

	
58








	
  

	
Section 7.21

	
Use of Loans and Letters of Credit 

	
58








	
  

	
Section 7.22

	
Solvency 

	
58








	
  

	
Section 7.23

	
Casualty Events 

	
59








	
  

	
Section 7.24

	
Material Agreements 

	
59








	
  

	
Section 7.25

	
No Brokers 

	
59








	
  

	
Section 7.26

	
Reliance 

	
59








	
  

	
Section 7.27

	
Payments by Purchasers of Production 

	
60








	
  

	
Section 7.28

	
Existing Accounts Payable 

	
60







 


ARTICLE VIII


AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS


 



	
  

	
Section 8.01

	
Financial Statements; Ratings Change; Other Information 

	
60








	
  

	
Section 8.02

	
Notices of Material Events 

	
64








	
  

	
Section 8.03

	
Existence; Conduct of Business 

	
65








	
  

	
Section 8.04

	
Payment of Obligations 

	
65








	
  

	
Section 8.05

	
Performance of Obligations under Loan Documents 

	
65








	
  

	
Section 8.06

	
Operation and Maintenance of Properties 

	
65








	
  

	
Section 8.07

	
Insurance 

	
66








	
  

	
Section 8.08

	
Books and Records; Inspection Rights 

	
66








	
  

	
Section 8.09

	
Compliance with Laws 

	
67











  





ii











  









	
  

	
Section 8.10

	
Environmental Matters. 

	
67








	
  

	
Section 8.11

	
Further Assurances. 

	
68








	
  

	
Section 8.12

	
Reserve Reports. 

	
68








	
  

	
Section 8.13

	
Title Information. 

	
69








	
  

	
Section 8.14

	
Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors. 

	
70








	
  

	
Section 8.15

	
ERISA Compliance 

	
71








	
  

	
Section 8.16

	
Swap Agreements 

	
71








	
  

	
Section 8.17

	
Marketing Activities 

	
72







 


ARTICLE IX


NEGATIVE COVENANTS


 



	
  

	
Section 9.01

	
Financial Covenants. 

	
72








	
  

	
Section 9.02

	
Debt 

	
72








	
  

	
Section 9.03

	
Liens 

	
73








	
  

	
Section 9.04

	
Dividends, Distributions and Repayment of Officer Notes. 

	
73








	
  

	
Section 9.05

	
Investments, Loans and Advances 

	
74








	
  

	
Section 9.06

	
Nature of Business 

	
75








	
  

	
Section 9.07

	
Limitation on Leases 

	
75








	
  

	
Section 9.08

	
Proceeds of Notes 

	
75








	
  

	
Section 9.09

	
ERISA Compliance 

	
75








	
  

	
Section 9.10

	
Sale or Discount of Receivables 

	
76








	
  

	
Section 9.11

	
Mergers, Etc 

	
76








	
  

	
Section 9.12

	
Sale of Properties 

	
77








	
  

	
Section 9.13

	
Environmental Matters 

	
77








	
  

	
Section 9.14

	
Material Agreements 

	
78








	
  

	
Section 9.15

	
Transactions with Affiliates 

	
78








	
  

	
Section 9.16

	
Subsidiaries 

	
78








	
  

	
Section 9.17

	
Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions 

	
78








	
  

	
Section 9.18

	
Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments 

	
78








	
  

	
Section 9.19

	
Swap Agreements 

	
78








	
  

	
Section 9.20

	
Sale and Leasebacks 

	
79








	
  

	
Section 9.21

	
Amendments to Organizational Documents 

	
79







 


ARTICLE X


EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES


 



	
  

	
Section 10.01

	
Events of Default 

	
79








	
  

	
Section 10.02

	
Remedies. 

	
81







 


ARTICLE XI


THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT


 



	
  

	
Section 11.01

	
Appointment; Powers 

	
82








	
  

	
Section 11.02

	
Duties and Obligations of Administrative Agent 

	
82








	
  

	
Section 11.03

	
Action by Administrative Agent 

	
83








	
  

	
Section 11.04

	
Reliance by Administrative Agent 

	
84








	
  

	
Section 11.05

	
Subagents 

	
84








	
  

	
Section 11.06

	
Resignation or Removal of Administrative Agent 

	
84








	
  

	
Section 11.07

	
Administrative Agent as Lender 

	
85











  





iii











  









	
  

	
Section 11.08

	
No Reliance. 

	
85








	
  

	
Section 11.09

	
Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim 

	
86








	
  

	
Section 11.10

	
Authority of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens 

	
87







 


ARTICLE XII


MISCELLANEOUS


 



	
  

	
Section 12.01

	
Notices. 

	
87








	
  

	
Section 12.02

	
Waivers; Amendments. 

	
88








	
  

	
Section 12.03

	
Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver. 

	
89








	
  

	
Section 12.04

	
Successors and Assigns. 

	
92








	
  

	
Section 12.05

	
Survival; Revival; Reinstatement. 

	
95








	
  

	
Section 12.06

	
Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. 

	
96








	
  

	
Section 12.07

	
Severability 

	
96








	
  

	
Section 12.08

	
Right of Setoff 

	
97








	
  

	
Section 12.09

	
GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS. 

	
97








	
  

	
Section 12.10

	
Headings 

	
98








	
  

	
Section 12.11

	
Confidentiality 

	
98








	
  

	
Section 12.12

	
Interest Rate Limitation 

	
99








	
  

	
Section 12.13

	
EXCULPATION PROVISIONS 

	
100








	
  

	
Section 12.14

	
Collateral Matters; Swap Agreements 

	
100








	
  

	
Section 12.15

	
No Third Party Beneficiaries 

	
100








	
  

	
Section 12.16

	
USA Patriot Act Notice 

	
100







 







 






  





iv











  








 


ANNEXES, EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES


 


 







 


Annex I                                List of Maximum Credit Amounts







Exhibit A                                Form of Note


Exhibit B                                Form of Borrowing Request


Exhibit C                                Form of Interest Election Request


Exhibit D                                Form of Compliance Certificate


Exhibit E                                Security Instruments


Exhibit F                                Form of Assignment and Assumption


Exhibit G                                Form of Swap Agreement Certificate


Exhibit H                                Form of Reserve Report Certificate


Exhibit I                                List of Unmortgaged Properties







Schedule 7.05                                           Litigation


Schedule 7.14                                           Subsidiaries and Partnerships


Schedule 7.18                                           Gas Imbalances


Schedule 7.19                                           Marketing Contracts


Schedule 7.20                                           Swap Agreements


Schedule 7.24                                           Material Agreements


Schedule 7.28                                           Existing Accounts Payable


Schedule 9.12                                           Oil and Gas Properties to be Sold

















 






  





v











  








THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of May 26, 2010, is among: Northern Oil and Gas, Inc., a corporation duly formed and existing under the laws of the State of Nevada (the “Borrower”), each of the Lenders from time to time party hereto and Macquarie Bank Limited (in its individual capacity, “MBL”), as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).


 


R E C I T A L S


 


A.           The Borrower, CIT Capital USA, Inc. and the lender party thereto have heretofore entered into that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of February 27, 2009 (as amended, the “Existing Credit Agreement”).


 


B.            The administrative agent and lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement have assigned all of their right, title and interest in and to the such agreement and the notes and liens relating thereto to MBL.


 


C.           The Borrower has requested that the Lenders continue to provide certain loans to and extensions of credit on behalf of the Borrower through an amendment and restatement of the Existing Credit Agreement.


 


D.           The Lenders have agreed to make such loans and extensions of credit subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.


 


E.           In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and of the loans, extensions of credit and commitments hereinafter referred to, the parties hereto agree as follows:


 


ARTICLE I


 


Definitions and Accounting Matters


 


Section 1.01 Terms Defined Above.  As used in this Agreement, each term defined above has the meaning indicated above.


 


Section 1.02 Certain Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:


 


“ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.


 


“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.


 


“Affected Loans” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 5.05.


 






  





1











  








“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.


 


“Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts” at any time shall equal the sum of the Maximum Credit Amounts, as the same may be reduced or terminated pursuant to Section 2.06.


 


“Agreement” means this Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, as the same may from time to time be amended, modified, supplemented or restated.


 


“Alternate Base Rate” means the Prime Rate.


 


“Applicable Margin” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, as the case may be, the rate per annum set forth in the Borrowing Base Utilization Grid below based upon the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage then in effect:


 



	
Borrowing Base Utilization Grid


	
Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage

	
<50%

	
350% <75%

	
375% <90%

	
390%


	
    Eurodollar Loans

	
2.50%

	
2.75%

	
3.00%

	
3.25%


	
   ABR Loans

	
2.00%

	
2.00%

	
2.25%

	
2.50%












Each change in the Applicable Margin shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change; provided that if at any time the Borrower fails to deliver a Reserve Report pursuant to Section 8.12(a), then the “Applicable Margin” means the rate per annum set forth on the grid when the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage is at its highest level.


 


“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts represented by such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount as such percentage is set forth on Annex I.


 


“Approved Fund” means (i) any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding, or investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers, advises or manages a Lender; (ii) with respect to any Lender that is an investment fund, any other investment fund that invests in loans and that is advised, administered or managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor; and (iii) any third party which provides “warehouse financing” to a Person described in the preceding clause (i) or (ii) (and any Person described in said clause (i) or (ii) shall also be deemed an Approved Fund with respect to such third party providing such warehouse financing).


 


“Approved Petroleum Engineers” means (a) Ryder Scott Company Petroleum Consultants, L.P. and (b) any other independent petroleum engineers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.


 






  





2











  








“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 12.04(a)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit F or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.


 


“Auction-Rate Securities” means those certain UBS auction rate securities in an aggregate principal amount up to $2,825,143 held in Borrower’s investment account Number RP 08144 at UBS Financial Services, Inc. or Borrower’s investment account Number RP 21955 at UBS Financial Services, Inc., including, but not limited to, those identified as follows:


 


(a)           NICHOLAS APPLEGATE CONY & INCOME FUND SER A M-7 AUCT PFD 3.28% identified by CUSIP Number 65370F200;


 


(b)           ILLINOIS STUD ASST VIII-7 28DAY ARC TX RV BE/R/ VARIABLE RATE RATE 04.251% MATURES 03/01/45 identified by CUSIP Number 452281HW1;


 


(c)           INDIANA SECNDRY MRKT EDU SER 05-3 RV TAXBLE BE/R/VARIABLE RATE RATE 03.844% MATURES 12/01/45 identified by CUSIP Number 455900AW0; and


 


(d)           KENTUCKY HGHR ED STUD LN SER A-4 REV TXBLE BE/R/VARIABLE RATE RATE 03.920% MATURES 06/11/35 identified by CUSIP Number 49130NBE8.


 


“Auction-Rate Securities Documents” means the “Acceptance of UBS’s offer relating to auction rate securities” relating to Borrower’s investment account Number RP 08144 at UBS Financial Services, Inc., the “Acceptance of UBS’s offer relating to auction rate securities: relating to Borrower’s investment account Number RP 21955 at UBS Financial Services, Inc., the Prospectus of UBS AG dated October 7, 2008 relating to the Auction-Rate Securities and all other documents related to an offer by UBS AG to liquidate the Borrower’s Auction Rate Securities.


 


 “Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the Termination Date.


 


“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America or any successor Governmental Authority.


 


“Borrowing” means Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.


 


“Borrowing Base” means at any time an amount equal to the amount determined in accordance with Section 2.07, as the same may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section 8.13(c) or Section 9.12(d).


 


“Borrowing Base Deficiency” occurs if at any time the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base then in effect.


 






  





3











  








“Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage” means, as of any day, the fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of the Lenders on such day, and the denominator of which is the Borrowing Base in effect on such day.


 


“Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.


 


“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or Houston, Texas are authorized or required by law to remain closed; and if such day relates to a Borrowing or continuation of, a payment or prepayment of principal of or interest on, or a conversion of or into, or the Interest Period for, a Eurodollar Loan or a notice by the Borrower with respect to any such Borrowing or continuation, payment, prepayment, conversion or Interest Period, any day which is also a day on which banks are open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.


 


“Capital Expenditures” means, in respect of any Person, for any period, the aggregate (determined without duplication) of all exploration and development expenditures and costs that should be capitalized in accordance with GAAP and any other expenditures that are capitalized on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP.


 


“Capital Leases” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases on the balance sheet of the Person liable (whether contingent or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder.


 


“Cash Receipts” means all cash or cash equivalents received by or on behalf of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with respect to the following: (a) sales from the Oil and Gas Properties (including any other working interest owner receipts received by Borrower or its Affiliates as operator of Oil and Gas Properties), (b) cash representing operating revenue earned or to be earned by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (c) any insurance proceeds received by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, (d) any net proceeds from Swap Agreements and (e) any other cash or cash equivalents received by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries from whatever source; provided that advances under the Loans, and any capital contributions or transfers made to the Borrower by any of its members, or by the Borrower to any of its Subsidiaries, shall not constitute “Cash Receipts”.


 


“Casualty Event” means any loss, casualty or other insured damage to any Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in an amount greater than $250,000, or any nationalization, taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries having a fair market value in excess of $250,000.


 


“Change in Control” means the occurrence of the following events:  (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) other than Michael Reger or Ryan Gilbertson of Equity Interests so that such Person or group owns 30% or more of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower, (b) occupation of a majority of the seats


 






  





4











  








(other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated or (c) Michael Reger or Ryan Gilbertson shall cease to devote a substantial amount of their time, respectively, to the day-to-day management of the Credit Parties.


 


“Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement by any Governmental Authority, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 5.01(b)), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.


 


“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.


 


“Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s potential Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) modified from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06 and (b) modified from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 12.04.  The amount representing each Lender’s Commitment shall at any time be the lesser of such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the then effective Borrowing Base.


 


“Commitment Fee Rate” means, on any day, a rate per annum equal to 0.500%.


 


“Consolidated Net Income” means with respect to the Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries, for any period, the aggregate of the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries after allowances for taxes for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded from such net income (to the extent otherwise included therein) the following:  (a) the net income of any Person in which the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary has an interest (which interest does not cause the net income of such other Person to be consolidated with the net income of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP), except to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions actually paid in cash during such period by such other Person to the Borrower or to a Consolidated Subsidiary, as the case may be; (b) the net income (but not loss) during such period of any Consolidated Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions or transfers or loans by that Consolidated Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument or Governmental Requirement applicable to such Consolidated Subsidiary or is otherwise restricted or prohibited, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; (c) any extraordinary gains or losses during such period and (d) any gains or losses attributable to writeups or writedowns of assets, including ceiling test writedowns; and provided further that if the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary shall acquire or dispose of any Property during such period, then Consolidated Net Income shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect to


 






  





5











  








such acquisition or disposition, as if such acquisition or disposition had occurred on the first day of such period.


 


“Consolidated Subsidiaries” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower (whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired) the financial statements of which shall be (or should have been) consolidated with the financial statements of the Borrower in accordance with GAAP.


 


“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  For the purposes of this definition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Person that owns directly or indirectly 10% or more of the Equity Interests having ordinary voting power for the election of the directors or other governing body of a Person (other than as a limited partner of such other Person) will be deemed to “control” such other Person.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.


 


“Credit Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and Guarantors, if any.


 


“Debt” means, for any Person, the sum of the following (without duplication): (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, bankers’ acceptances, debentures, notes or other similar instruments; (b) all obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, surety or other bonds and similar instruments; (c) all accounts payable and all accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of Property or services that are more than sixty (60) days past the due date other than those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (d) all obligations of such Person under Capital Leases; (e) all obligations of such Person under Synthetic Leases; (f) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) a Lien on any Property of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person; (g) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others guaranteed by such Person or in which such Person otherwise assures a creditor against loss of the Debt (howsoever such assurance shall be made) to the extent of the lesser of the amount of such Debt and the maximum stated amount of such guarantee or assurance against loss; (h) all obligations or undertakings of such Person to maintain or cause to be maintained the financial position or covenants of others or to purchase the Debt or Property of others; (i) all obligations of such Person to deliver commodities, goods or services, including, without limitation, Hydrocarbons, in consideration of one or more advance payments, other than gas balancing arrangements in the ordinary course of business; (j) all obligations of such Person to pay for goods or services whether or not such goods or services are actually received or utilized by such Person; (k) any Debt of a partnership for which such Person is liable either by agreement, by operation of law or by a Governmental Requirement but only to the extent of such liability; (l) any Disqualified Capital Stock issued by such Person; and (m) the undischarged balance of any production payment created by such Person or for the creation of which such Person received payment.  The Debt of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described above to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is not included as a liability of such Person under GAAP.


 






  





6











  








“Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or that upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.


 


“Defaulting Lender” means a Lender (a) that fails to fund a requested Loan required to be funded by such Lender and such default continues for one (1) Business Day, (b) that fails to reimburse the Administrative Agent for an LC Disbursement required to be reimbursed by such Lender and such default continues for one (1) Business Day or (c) who (or whose bank holding company) is placed into receivership, conservatorship or bankruptcy.


 


“Disqualified Capital Stock” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is convertible or exchangeable for Debt or redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock) at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is one year after the earlier of (a) the Termination Date and (b) the date on which there are no Loans, LC Exposure or other obligations hereunder outstanding and all of the Commitments are terminated.


 


“dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.


 


“EBITDAX” means, as of any date of determination, the sum of Consolidated Net Income for the period of four fiscal quarters ending on the last day of the most recently completed fiscal quarter plus the following expenses or charges to the extent deducted from Consolidated Net Income in such period: interest, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization, one-time fees and expenses paid or accrued in connection with debt financings capital-raising transactions, acquisitions and other one-time corporate transactions, the fair market value of capital stock issued for consideration, exploration expenditures and costs and other similar noncash charges, minus all noncash income added to Consolidated Net Income; provided that EBITDAX for the fiscal quarters ending June 30, 2010, September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2010 shall be calculated as follows:


 


(a)           for the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2010, EBITDAX shall be EBITDAX for such quarter multiplied by four.


 


(b)           for the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2010, EBITDAX shall be EBITDAX for the six-month period ending on such date multiplied by two.


 


(c)           for the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2010, EBITDAX shall be EBITDAX for the nine-month period ending on such date multiplied by four/thirds.


 


Thereafter, EBITDAX shall be calculated using EBITDAX for the period of four fiscal quarters ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter most recently completed as of the date of determination.


 


“Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 6.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 12.02).


 






  





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“Eligible Obligor” means that on any date of determination, such obligor is (i) an entity duly organized and validly existing under the laws of, and has its chief executive offices in, the United States or any political subdivision thereof, and has a billing address within the United States, (ii) a legal operating entity or holding company, and not a natural person, (iii) not a governmental authority, and (iv) not subject to insolvency proceedings.


 


“Engineering Reports” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(c)(i).


 


“Environmental Laws” means any and all Governmental Requirements pertaining in any way to health, safety, the environment, the preservation or reclamation of natural resources, or the management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials, in effect in any and all jurisdictions in which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is conducting, or at any time has conducted, business, or where any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary is located, including without limitation, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, as amended, the Clean Air Act, as amended, the Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”), as amended, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (“RCRA”), as amended, the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, as amended, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Law, as amended, and other environmental conservation or protection Governmental Requirements.


 


“Environmental Permit” means any permit, registration, license, notice, approval, consent, exemption, variance, or other authorization required under or issued pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws.


 


“Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such Equity Interest.


 


“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any successor statute.


 


“ERISA Affiliate” means each trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which together with the Borrower or a Subsidiary would be deemed to be a “single employer” within the meaning of section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA or subsections (b), (c), (m) or (o) of section 414 of the Code.


 


“Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the LIBO Rate.


 


“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 10.01.


 


“Excepted Liens” means:  (a) Liens for Taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with


 






  





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GAAP; (b) Liens in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (c) statutory landlord’s liens, operators’, vendors’, carriers’, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, mechanics’, suppliers’, workers’, materialmen’s, construction or other like Liens arising by operation of law in the ordinary course of business or incident to the exploration, development, operation and maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties each of which is in respect of obligations that are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (d) contractual Liens which arise in the ordinary course of business under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, oil and gas partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farm-out agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil and natural gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, royalty agreements, overriding royalty agreements, marketing agreements, processing agreements, net profits agreements, development agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or other geophysical permits or agreements and other agreements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and are for claims which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP, provided that any such Lien referred to in this clause does not materially impair the use of the Property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which such Property is held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (e) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies and burdening only deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution, provided that no such deposit account is a dedicated cash collateral account or is subject to restrictions against access by the depositor in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Board and no such deposit account is intended by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to provide collateral to the depository institution; (f) easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations in any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary for the purpose of roads, pipelines, transmission lines, transportation lines, distribution lines for the removal of gas, oil, coal or other minerals or timber, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real estate, rights of way, facilities and equipment, and Liens related to surface leases and surface operations, that do not secure any monetary obligations and which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of such Property for the purposes of which such Property is held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (g) Liens on cash or securities pledged to secure performance of tenders, surety and appeal bonds, government contracts, performance and return of money bonds, bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, regulatory obligations and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business and (h) judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default, provided that any appropriate legal proceedings which 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 and no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced; provided, further that Liens described in clauses (a) through (e) shall remain “Excepted Liens” only for so long as no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced and no


 






  





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intention to subordinate the first priority Lien granted in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is to be hereby implied or expressed by the permitted existence of such Excepted Liens.


 


“Excess Cash Flow” for any period shall mean EBITDAX for such period less cash payments for (a) taxes during such period, (b) any changes in working capital from the preceding period (as determined in accordance with GAAP) made during such period and (c) Capital Expenditures made during such period that are approved by the Majority Lenders or are otherwise permitted under this Agreement.


 


“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America or such other jurisdiction (or any political subdivision) under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower or any Guarantor is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender, any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 5.03(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 5.03(a) or Section 5.03(b).


 


“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such date, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.


 


“Fee Letter” means that certain Fee Letter dated as of May 26, 2010 by and between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.


 


“Financial Officer” means, for any Person, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer, manager or controller of such Person.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a Financial Officer means a Financial Officer of the Borrower.


 


“Financial Statements” means the financial statement or statements of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries referred to in Section 7.04(a).


 


“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located.  For purposes of this definition, the United


 






  





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States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.


 


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


 


“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 1.05.


 


“General and Administrative Costs” means reasonable, normal and customary expenses and costs paid or payable that are classified as general and administrative costs, including salaries and all other compensation to the management of the Borrower, consulting fees, salary, rent, supplies, travel and entertainment, insurance, accounting, legal, engineering and broker related fees, required to manage the affairs of the Borrower.


 


“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.


 


“Governmental Requirement” means any law, statute, code, ordinance, order, determination, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise, permit, certificate, license, rules of common law, authorization or other directive or requirement, whether now or hereinafter in effect, of any Governmental Authority.


 


“Guarantors” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that guarantees the Indebtedness pursuant to Section 8.14(b).


 


“Guaranty Agreement” means that certain Guaranty and Collateral Agreement executed by the Borrower and the Guarantors, if any, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent unconditionally guarantying on a joint and several basis, payment of the Indebtedness, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.


 


“Hazardous Material” means any substance regulated or as to which liability might arise under any applicable Environmental Law and including without limitation:  (a) any chemical, compound, material, product, byproduct, substance or waste defined as or included in the definition or meaning of “hazardous substance,” “hazardous material,” “hazardous waste,” “solid waste,” “toxic waste,” “extremely hazardous substance,” “toxic substance,” “contaminant,” “pollutant,” or words of similar meaning or import found in any applicable Environmental Law; (b) Hydrocarbons, petroleum products, petroleum substances, natural gas, oil, oil and gas waste, crude oil, and any components, fractions, or derivatives thereof; and (c) radioactive materials, explosives, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon, infectious or medical wastes.


 


“Highest Lawful Rate” means, with respect to each Lender, the maximum nonusurious interest rate, if any, that at any time or from time to time may be contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received on the Notes or on other Indebtedness under laws applicable to such Lender


 






  





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which are presently in effect or, to the extent allowed by law, under such applicable laws which may hereafter be in effect and which allow a higher maximum nonusurious interest rate than applicable laws allow as of the date hereof.


 


“Hydrocarbon Interests” means all of the Credit Parties’ rights, titles, interests and estates now or hereafter acquired in and to oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon leases, mineral fee interests, overriding royalty and royalty interests, net profit interests and production payment interests, including any reserved or residual interests of whatever nature.


 


“Hydrocarbons” means oil, gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all products refined or separated therefrom.


 


“Indebtedness” means any and all amounts owing or to be owing by the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Guarantor (whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising):  (a) to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender under any Loan Document; and (b) all renewals, extensions and/or rearrangements of any of the above.


 


“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.


 


“Indemnitee” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.03.


 


“Initial Reserve Report” means the report dated as of December 31, 2009 prepared by Ryder Scott Company Petroleum Consultants, L.P., with respect to certain Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower.


 


“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04.


 


“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day during such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period.


 


“Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (b) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest


 






  





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Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period.  For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.


 


“Interim Redetermination” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(b).


 


“Interim Redetermination Date” means the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to an Interim Redetermination becomes effective as provided in Section 2.07(d).


 


“Investment” means, for any Person: (a) the acquisition (whether for cash, Property, services or securities or otherwise) of Equity Interests of any other Person, the contribution of capital to any other Person or any agreement to make any such acquisition (including, without limitation, any “short sale” or any sale of any securities at a time when such securities are not owned by the Person entering into such short sale) or capital contribution; (b) the making of any deposit with, or advance, loan or capital contribution to, assumption of Debt of, purchase or other acquisition of any other Debt or equity participation or interest in, or other extension of credit to, any other Person (including the purchase of Property from another Person subject to an understanding or agreement, contingent or otherwise, to resell such Property to such Person, but excluding any such advance, loan or extension of credit having a term not exceeding ninety (90) days representing the purchase price of inventory or supplies sold by such Person in the ordinary course of business); (c) the purchase or acquisition (in one or a series of transactions) of Property of another Person that constitutes a business unit or (d) the entering into of any guarantee of, or other contingent obligation (including the deposit of any Equity Interests to be sold) with respect to, Debt or other liability of any other Person and (without duplication) any amount committed to be advanced, lent or extended to such Person.


 


“Issuing Bank” means Macquarie Bank Limited, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit, any Lender or any other Person named as an Issuing Bank by the Administrative Agent and reasonably acceptable to the Borrower.


 


“LC Commitment” at any time means five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).


 


“LC Disbursement” means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.


 


“LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time.  The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.


 


“Lender Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.04.


 


“Lenders” means the Persons listed on Annex I and any Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.


 






  





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“Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued or deemed issued pursuant to this Agreement.


 


“Letter of Credit Agreements” means all letter of credit applications and other agreements (including any amendments, modifications or supplements thereto) submitted by the Borrower, or entered into by the Borrower, with the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit.


 


“LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period:


 


(a) if not less than two rates are displayed on Reuters page “LIBO” at or around 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the second Business Day before the first day of the Interest Period for Eurodollar Loans over the period which is closest to that period, the arithmetic mean (expressed as a rate per cent per annum and rounded up to five decimal places) of those rates; or


 


(b) if less than two (2) rates are displayed on Reuters page “LIBO” at or around that time for Eurodollar Loans over that period, the arithmetic mean (expressed as a rate per cent per annum and rounded up to five decimal places) of the offer rates quoted to the Administrative Agent by not less than two banks which ordinarily display rates on Reuters page “LIBO” on application by Administrative Agent for Eurodollar Loans equal to that amount over the period equal to that period; or


 


(c) if the Administrative Agent is unable to determine a rate under paragraph (a) or (b) because an insufficient number of rates are displayed (in the case of paragraph (a)) or the Administrative Agent is unable to obtain the necessary number of quotes (in the case of paragraph (b)), the rate (expressed as a rate per cent per annum and rounded up to five decimal places) specified in good faith by the Administrative Agent at or around that time having regard, to the extent possible, to the offer rates otherwise quoted to the Administrative Agent for Eurodollar Loans equal to that amount over the period equal to that period at or around that time.


 


“Lien” means any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to, or a claim by, a Person other than the owner of the Property, whether such interest is based on the common law, statute or contract, and whether such obligation or claim is fixed or contingent, and including but not limited to (a) the lien or security interest arising from a mortgage, encumbrance, pledge, security agreement, conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for security purposes or (b) production payments and the like payable out of Oil and Gas Properties.  The term “Lien” shall include easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be the owner of any Property which it has acquired or holds subject to a conditional sale agreement, or leases under a financing lease or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the Property has been retained by or vested in some other Person in a transaction intended to create a financing.


 


“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes, the Fee Letter, any Swap Agreement between the Borrower or any Subsidiary and a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, the Letter of Credit Agreements, the Letters of Credit and the Security Instruments.


 






  





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“Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.


 


“Majority Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having more than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c)); provided, that if there are less than three Lenders, all Lenders shall be required to constitute the “Majority Lenders”; provided further that the Maximum Credit Amounts and the principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit of the Defaulting Lenders (if any) shall be excluded from the determination of Majority Lenders.


 


“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse change in, or material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, Property or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Guarantor to perform any of its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party, (c) the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or (d) the rights and remedies of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document.


 


“Material Agreements” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 7.24.


 


“Material Indebtedness” means Debt (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $250,000.  For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the Swap Termination Value.


 


“Maximum Credit Amount” means, as to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Annex I under the caption “Maximum Credit Amounts”, as the same may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time in connection with a reduction or termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section 2.06(b) or (b) modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment permitted by Section 12.04.


 


“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.


 


“Mortgaged Property” means any Property owned by the Borrower or any Guarantor which is subject to the Liens existing and to exist under the terms of the Security Instruments.


 


“New Borrowing Base Notice” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(d).


 


“Notes” means, if requested by any Lender, the promissory notes of the Borrower described in Section 2.02(d) and being substantially in the form of Exhibit A, together with all amendments, modifications, replacements, extensions and rearrangements thereof.


 






  





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“Officer Notes” means (i) that certain Subordinated Promissory Note in favor of Michael Reger dated February 27, 2009 in the principal amount of $250,000, as amended and (ii) that certain Subordinated Promissory Note in favor of Ryan Gilbertson dated February 27, 2009 in the principal amount of $250,000, as amended, which are unsecured and subordinate to any and all Indebtedness in favor of the Lenders hereunder.


 


“Oil and Gas Properties” means (a) Hydrocarbon Interests; (b) the Properties now or hereafter pooled or unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests; (c) all presently existing or future unitization, pooling agreements and declarations of pooled units and the units created thereby (including without limitation all units created under orders, regulations and rules of any Governmental Authority) which may affect all or any portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests; (d) all operating agreements, contracts and other agreements, including production sharing contracts and agreements, which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production, sale, purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable to such Hydrocarbon Interests; (e) all Hydrocarbons in and under and which may be produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, including all oil in tanks, and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, revenues and other incomes from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests; (f) all tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and Properties in any manner appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests and (g) all Properties, rights, titles, interests and estates described or referred to above, including any and all Property, real or personal, now owned or hereafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon Interests or Property (excluding drilling rigs, automotive equipment, rental equipment or other personal Property which may be on such premises for the purpose of drilling a well or for other similar temporary uses) and including any and all oil wells, gas wells, injection wells or other wells, buildings, structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps, pumping units, field gathering systems, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures, valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus, equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing and rods, surface leases, rights-of-way, easements and servitudes together with all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any and all of the foregoing.


 


“Operating Account” means (a) the account #364-040573 maintained at the Borrower’s expense with Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, existing on the Effective Date or (b) if the foregoing account is closed, a deposit account opened with a bank reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent maintained at the Borrower’s expense which account is subject to a duly executed account control agreement between the Administrative Agent and the Operating Account Bank.


 


“Operating Account Bank” means the bank where Borrower maintains the Operating Account.


 


“Organizational Documents” means, with respect to any Person, (a) in the case of any corporation, the certificate of incorporation and by-laws (or similar documents) of such Person, (b) in the case of any limited liability company, the certificate of formation and limited liability company agreement (or similar documents) of such Person, (c) in the case of any limited partnership, the certificate of formation and limited partnership agreement (or similar documents) of such Person, (d) in the case of any general partnership, the partnership agreement


 






  





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(or similar document) of such Person and (e) in any other case, the functional equivalent of the foregoing.


 


“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement and any other Loan Document.


 


“Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.04(c)(i).


 


“Patriot Act” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 12.16.


 


“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.


 


“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in section 3(2) of ERISA which (a) is currently or hereafter sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Borrower, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate or (b) was at any time during the six calendar years preceding the date hereof, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Borrower or a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate.


 


“Post Default Rate” shall mean, in respect of the principal of any Loan or any other amount payable by the Borrower under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, a rate per annum during the period commencing on the date of occurrence of an Event of Default until such amount is paid in full or all Events of Default are cured or waived equal to the applicable interest rate plus two and one-half percent (2.5%) per annum, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.


 


“Prime Rate” means, with respect to any day, the greater of (i) the average prime rate of interest published by the Wall Street Journal on such day (or the next following Business Day if such day is not a Business Day) and (ii) the LIBO Rate for a one (1) month Interest Period plus one percent (1.00%) per annum, in each case changing from time to time as and when that rate changes.  The Prime Rate is a reference rate and does not necessarily represent the lowest or best rate actually available.


 


“Property” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.


 


“Proposed Borrowing Base” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(c)(i).


 


“Proposed Borrowing Base Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(c)(ii).


 


“Proved Reserves” means “Proved Reserves” as defined in the Definitions for Oil and Gas Reserves (in this paragraph, the “Definitions”) promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (or any generally recognized successor) as in effect at the time in question.  “Proved Developed Producing Reserves” means Proved Reserves which are categorized as both


 






  





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“Developed” and “Producing” in the Definitions, “Proved Developed Nonproducing Reserves” means Proved Reserves which are categorized as both “Developed” and “Nonproducing” in the Definitions, and “Proved Undeveloped Reserves” means Proved Reserves which are categorized as “Undeveloped” in the Definitions.


 


“Redemption” means with respect to any Debt, the repurchase, redemption, prepayment, repayment, defeasance or any other acquisition or retirement for value (or the segregation of funds with respect to any of the foregoing) of such Debt.  “Redeem” has the correlative meaning thereto.


 


“Redetermination Date” means, with respect to any Scheduled Redetermination or any Interim Redetermination, the date that the redetermined Borrowing Base related thereto becomes effective pursuant to Section 2.07(d).


 


“Register” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 12.04(b)(iv).


 


“Registrar” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 12.04(b)(iv).


 


“Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board, as the same may be amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time.


 


“Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors (including attorneys, accountants and experts) of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.


 


“Release” means any depositing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, placing, emitting, discarding, abandoning, emptying, discharging, migrating, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing.


 


“Remedial Work” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 8.10(a).


 


“Required Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders holding at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in such Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c)) provided, that if there are less than three Lenders, all Lenders shall be required to constitute the “Required Lenders”; provided further that the Maximum Credit Amounts and the principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit of the Defaulting Lenders (if any) shall be excluded from the determination of Required Lenders.


 


“Reserve Report” means a report, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth, as of each January 1st or July 1st (or such other date in the event of an Interim Redetermination) the oil and gas reserves attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, together with a projection of the rate of production and future net income, taxes, operating expenses and Capital Expenditures with


 






  





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respect thereto as of such date, based upon the economic assumptions consistent with the Administrative Agent’s lending requirements at the time.


 


“Responsible Officer” means, as to any Person, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Financial Officer, any Vice President or any Manager of such Person.  Unless otherwise specified, all references to a Responsible Officer herein shall mean a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.


 


“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other Property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other Property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.


 


“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Loans and its LC Exposure at such time.


 


“Scheduled Redetermination” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(b).


 


“Scheduled Redetermination Date” means the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to a Scheduled Redetermination becomes effective as provided in Section 2.07(d).


 


“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor Governmental Authority.


 


“Security Instruments” means the Guaranty Agreement, mortgages, deeds of trust and other agreements, instruments or certificates described or referred to in Exhibit E, and any and all other agreements, guarantees, instruments, consents or certificates now or hereafter executed and delivered by the Borrower or any other Person (other than Swap Agreements with the Lenders or any Affiliate of a Lender or participation or similar agreements between any Lender and any other lender or creditor with respect to any Indebtedness pursuant to this Agreement) in connection with, or as security for the payment or performance of the Indebtedness, the Notes, if any, this Agreement, or reimbursement obligations under the Letters of Credit, as such agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.


 


“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.


 


“Subsidiary” means: (a) any Person of which at least a majority of the outstanding Equity Interests having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or managers or other governing body of such Person (irrespective of whether or not at the time Equity Interests of any other class or classes of such Person shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by the Borrower or one or more of its Subsidiaries or by the Borrower and one or more of its Subsidiaries and (b) any partnership of which the Borrower or any of its


 






  





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Subsidiaries is a general partner.  Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term “Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary of the Borrower.


 


“Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement, whether exchange traded, “over-the-counter” or otherwise, involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.


 


“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Agreements, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Agreements, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Agreements have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s) and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Agreements, as determined by the counterparties to such Swap Agreements.


 


“Synthetic Leases” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, treated as operating leases on the financial statements of the Person liable (whether contingently or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder and which were properly treated as indebtedness for borrowed money for purposes of U.S. federal income taxes, if the lessee in respect thereof is obligated to either purchase for an amount in excess of, or pay upon early termination an amount in excess of, 80% of the residual value of the Property subject to such operating lease upon expiration or early termination of such lease.


 


“Tangible Net Worth” means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to (a) the excess, if any, of total assets over total liabilities of Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of the last day of the most recently completed fiscal quarter, but excluding from the determination of total assets the sum of the book value of all assets of Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries which should be classified as intangibles, including goodwill, research and development costs (other than capitalized costs associated with the acquisition and development of Oil and Gas Properties), trademarks, trade names, copyrights, patents and franchises, unamortized debt discount and expense, all reserves and any writeup in the book value of assets resulting from a revaluation thereof or resulting from any changes in GAAP subsequent to December 31, 2009 plus (b) the net cash proceeds received by the Borrower from the issuance of its Equity Interests after the last day of the most recently completed fiscal quarter.


 


“Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.


 


“Termination Date” means the earlier to occur of (i) four (4) years from the Effective Date or (ii) the date that the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount is sooner terminated pursuant to Section 2.06 or Section 10.02.


 






  





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“Total Reserve Value” means, with respect to any Proved Reserves expected to be produced from any Oil and Gas Properties, the net present value, discounted at 10% per annum, of the future net revenues expected to accrue to the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ collective interests in such reserves during the remaining expected economic lives of such reserves.  Each calculation of such expected future net revenues shall be made in accordance with the then existing standards of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, provided that in any event (a) appropriate deductions shall be made for severance and ad valorem taxes, and for operating, gathering, transportation and marketing costs required for the production and sale of such reserves, (b) the pricing assumptions used in determining Total Reserve Value for any particular reserves shall be based upon (i) annual quotations on the New York Mercantile Exchange for Henry Hub (natural gas) or Cushing, Oklahoma (oil) futures on the date of the relevant Reserve Report for each calendar year to the extent such quotations are available for future periods, provided that with respect to quotations for calendar years after the fifth calendar year, the quotation for the fifth calendar year shall be applied, (ii) with respect to future periods for which quotations are not available on the New York Mercantile Exchange, constant pricing for such periods based on the quotation for the last period for which a quotation is available on the New York Mercantile Exchange for Henry Hub (natural gas) or Cushing, Oklahoma (oil), (c) operating expenses shall be held constant, (d) future Capital Expenditures shall be expressed in current year dollars (i.e., inflation shall not be assumed), (e) to the extent basis Swap Agreements are not in place, the cash-flows derived from the pricing assumptions set forth in clause (b) above shall be further adjusted to account for the historical basis differentials for each month during the preceding 12-month period calculated by comparing realized crude oil and natural gas prices to Cushing, Oklahoma and Henry Hub NYMEX prices for each month during such period and (f) to the extent that Swap Agreements are in place the cash-flows derived from the pricing assumptions set forth in clause (b) above shall be, (i) in the case of volumes subject to a swap or other fixed priced hedge, at the applicable fixed price and (ii) in the case of volumes subject to a floor or ceiling hedge (including a collar), at the price set out in the preceding clause (b)(i), but not to exceed such ceiling or to be less than such floor.


 


“Transactions” means, with respect to (a) the Borrower, the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement , and each other Loan Document to which it is a party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, and the grant of Liens by the Borrower on Mortgaged Properties and other Properties pursuant to the Security Instruments and (b) each Guarantor, the execution, delivery and performance by such Guarantor of each Loan Document to which it is a party, the guaranteeing of the Indebtedness and the other obligations under the Guaranty Agreement by such Guarantor and such Guarantor’s grant of the security interests and provision of collateral under the Security Instruments, and the grant of Liens by such Guarantor on Mortgaged Properties and other Properties pursuant to the Security Instruments.


 


“Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate or the LIBO Rate.


 


Section 1.03 Types of Loans and Borrowings.  For purposes of this Agreement, Loans and Borrowings, respectively, may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan” or a “Eurodollar Borrowing”).


 






  





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Section 1.04 Terms Generally; Rules of Construction.  The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include”, “includes” and “including” as used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”.  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.  Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth in the Loan Documents), (b) any reference herein to any law shall be construed as referring to such law as amended, modified, codified or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect from time to time, (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to the restrictions contained in the Loan Documents), (d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) with respect to the determination of any time period, the word “from” means “from and including” and the word “to” means “to and including” and (f) any reference herein to Articles, Sections, Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement.  No provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be interpreted or construed against any Person solely because such Person or its legal representative drafted such provision.


 


Section 1.05 Accounting Terms and Determinations; GAAP.  Unless otherwise specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all determinations with respect to accounting matters hereunder shall be made, and all financial statements and certificates and reports as to financial matters required to be furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance with GAAP, applied on a basis consistent with the Financial Statements except for changes in which the Borrower’s independent certified public accountants concur and which are disclosed to the Administrative Agent on the next date on which financial statements are required to be delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 8.01(a); provided that, unless the Borrower and the Majority Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing, no such change shall modify or affect the manner in which compliance with the covenants contained herein is computed such that all such computations shall be conducted utilizing financial information presented consistently with prior periods.


 


ARTICLE II


 


The Credits


 


Section 2.01 Commitments.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Loans to the Borrower during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow the Loans.


 


Section 2.02 Loans and Borrowings.


 






  





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(a) Borrowings; Several Obligations.  Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.


 


(b) Types of Loans.  Subject to Section 3.03, each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith.  Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.


 


(c) Minimum Amounts; Limitation on Number of Borrowings.  At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $100,000.  At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $100,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.08(e).  Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time, provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of six (6) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Termination Date.


 


(d) Notes.  The Loans made by each Lender shall be evidenced by a single promissory note of the Borrower upon request by such Lender in substantially the form of Exhibit A, dated, in the case of (i) any Lender party hereto as of the date of this Agreement, as of the date of this Agreement, or (ii) any Lender that becomes a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, as of the effective date of the Assignment and Assumption, payable to such Lender or its registered assigns in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount as in effect on such date, and otherwise duly completed.  In the event that any Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount increases or decreases for any reason (whether pursuant to Section 2.06, Section 12.04 or otherwise), the Borrower shall deliver or cause to be delivered on the effective date of such increase or decrease, a new Note payable to such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount after giving effect to such increase or decrease, and otherwise duly completed.  The date, amount, Type, interest rate and, if applicable, Interest Period of each Loan made by each Lender, and all payments made on account of the principal thereof, shall be recorded by such Lender on its books for its Note.  Failure to make any such notation shall not affect any Lender’s or the Borrower’s rights or obligations in respect of such Loans. Upon surrender of any Note at the principal office of Administrative Agent for registration of transfer or exchange (and in the case of a surrender for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or accompanied by a written 


 




  





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instrument of transfer duly executed by the registered holder or its attorney duly authorized in writing and accompanied by the address for notices of each transferee of such Note or part thereof), and an assignment agreement in form and substance acceptable to Administrative Agent whereby the assignee holder agrees to be bound by the terms hereof that are applicable to holders, shall execute and deliver, at Borrower’s expense, a new Note in exchange therefor.


 


Section 2.03 Requests for Borrowings.  To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston time, three (3) Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston time, one (1) Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that no such notice shall be required for any deemed request of an ABR Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.08(e).  Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in substantially the form of Exhibit B and signed by the Borrower.  Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:


 


(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;


 


(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;


 


(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;


 


(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period” and which shall not extend beyond the Termination Date;


 


(v) the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base, the current total Revolving Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Borrowing) and the pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Borrowing); and


 


(vi) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.05.


 


If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing.  If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.  Each Borrowing Request shall constitute a representation that no Borrowing Base Deficiency exists and that the amount of the requested Borrowing shall not cause the total Revolving Credit Exposures to exceed the total Commitments (i.e., the lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base).


 






  





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Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section 2.03, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.


 


Section 2.04 Interest Elections; Conversions.


 


(a) Conversion and Continuance.  Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request.  Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section 2.04.  The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing; provided that, each such portion of the affected Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $100,000.


 


(b) Interest Election Requests; Conversion Requests.  To make an election or conversion, as the case may be, pursuant to this Section 2.04, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower was requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election.  Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in substantially the form of Exhibit C and signed by the Borrower.


 


(c) Information in Interest Election Requests.  Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:


 


(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(iii) and (iv) shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);


 


(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;


 


(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and


 


(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which


 






  





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shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period” and which shall not extend beyond the Termination Date.


 


If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.


 


(d) Notice to Lenders by the Administrative Agent.  Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.


 


(e) Effect of Failure to Deliver Timely Interest Election Request and Events of Default on Interest Election.  If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing.  Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing:  (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing (and any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective) and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.


 


Section 2.05 Funding of Borrowings.


 


(a) Funding by Lenders.  Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the funding date in the Borrowing Request by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 12:00 noon, Houston time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders.  The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.08(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for its Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for its Loan in any particular place or manner.


 


(b) Presumption of Funding by the Lenders.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.05(a) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender


 






  





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and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans.  If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.


 


Section 2.06 Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.


 


(a) Scheduled Termination of Commitments.  Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Termination Date.  If at any time the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts are terminated or reduced to zero by the Borrower, or the Borrowing Base is reduced to zero by the Lenders, then the Commitments shall terminate on the effective date of such termination or reduction.


 


(b) Optional Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.


 


(i) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; provided that (A) each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000 and (B) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 3.04(a), the total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments.


 


(ii) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts under Section 2.06(b)(i) at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof.  Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(ii) shall be irrevocable.  Any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be permanent and may not be reinstated.  Each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage.


 


Section 2.07 Borrowing Base.


 


(a) Initial Borrowing Base.  For the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the first Redetermination Date, the amount of the Borrowing Base shall be $25,000,000.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowing


 






  





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Base may be subject to further adjustments from time to time pursuant to Section 8.13(c) or Section 9.12.


 


(b) Scheduled and Interim Redeterminations.  The Borrowing Base shall be redetermined semi-annually in accordance with this Section 2.07 (a “Scheduled Redetermination”), and, subject to Section 2.07(d), such redetermined Borrowing Base shall become effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders on May 1st  and November 1st of each year, commencing November 1, 2010.  In addition, one time between Scheduled Redeterminations (i) the Borrower may, by notifying the Administrative Agent thereof, (ii) the Administrative Agent may, by notifying the Borrower thereof and (iii) the Required Lenders may, by directing the Administrative Agent to notify the Borrower thereof, each elect to cause the Borrowing Base to be redetermined between Scheduled Redeterminations (an “Interim Redetermination”) in accordance with this Section 2.07.


 


(c) Scheduled and Interim Redetermination Procedure.


 


(i) Each Scheduled Redetermination and each Interim Redetermination shall be effectuated as follows:  Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of (A) the Reserve Report and the certificate required to be delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, (1) in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c), and (2) in the case of an Interim Redetermination, pursuant to Section 8.12(b) and (c), and (B) such other reports, data and supplemental information, including, without limitation, the information provided pursuant to Section 8.12(c), as may, from time to time, be reasonably requested by the Majority Lenders (the Reserve Report, such certificate and such other reports, data and supplemental information being the “Engineering Reports”), the Administrative Agent shall evaluate the information contained in the Engineering Reports and shall, in its sole discretion, propose a new Borrowing Base (the “Proposed Borrowing Base”) based upon such information and such other information (including, without limitation, the status of title information with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties as described in the Engineering Reports and the existence of any other Debt) as the Administrative Agent deems appropriate in its sole discretion.  In no event shall the Proposed Borrowing Base exceed the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.


 


(ii) The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Proposed Borrowing Base (the “Proposed Borrowing Base Notice”):


 


(A) in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination (1) if the Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on or before April 15th and October 15th of such year following the date of delivery or (2) if the Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and


 






  





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(c) in a timely and complete manner, then promptly after the Administrative Agent has received complete Engineering Reports from the Borrower and has had a reasonable opportunity to determine the Proposed Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.07(c)(i); and


 


(B) in the case of an Interim Redetermination, promptly, and in any event, within thirty (30) days after the Administrative Agent has received the required Engineering Reports.


 


(iii) Any Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base then in effect must be approved by all of the Lenders in their sole discretion as provided in this Section 2.07(c)(iii); and any Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base then in effect must be approved by the Majority Lenders as provided in this Section 2.07(c)(iii).  Upon receipt of the Proposed Borrowing Base Notice, each Lender shall have fifteen (15) days to agree with the Proposed Borrowing Base or disagree with the Proposed Borrowing Base by proposing an alternate Borrowing Base.  If at the end of such fifteen (15) days, any Lender has not communicated its approval or disapproval in writing to the Administrative Agent, such silence shall be deemed to be a rejection of the Proposed Borrowing Base.  If, at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base then in effect, or the Majority Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base then in effect, have approved, as aforesaid, then the Proposed Borrowing Base shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified in Section 2.07(d).  If, however, at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders or the Majority Lenders, as applicable, have not approved, as aforesaid, then the Administrative Agent shall poll the Lenders to ascertain the highest Borrowing Base then acceptable to all of the Lenders in their reasonable discretion or the Majority Lenders, as applicable, and, so long as such amount does not increase the Borrowing Base then in effect, such amount shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified in Section 2.07(d).


 


(iv) In connection with any Scheduled Redetermination or Interim Redetermination, the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders may propose a new definition for “Applicable Margin.”  If the Borrower agrees to such new definition, such definition shall be in effect until the next Redetermination Date; provided that no decrease in the Applicable Margin for Loans made by any Lender shall apply to such Lender without its consent.


 


(d) Effectiveness of a Redetermined Borrowing Base.  After a redetermined Borrowing Base is approved or is deemed to have been approved by all of the Lenders or Majority Lenders, as applicable, pursuant to Section 2.07(c)(iii), the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the amount of the redetermined Borrowing Base (the “New Borrowing Base Notice”), and such amount shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders:


 






  





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(i) in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, (A) if the Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on the May 1st or November 1st, as applicable, following such notice, or (B) if the Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of such notice; and


 


(ii) in the case of an Interim Redetermination, on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of such notice.


 


Such amount shall then become the Borrowing Base until the next Scheduled Redetermination Date, the next Interim Redetermination Date or the next adjustment to the Borrowing Base under Section 8.13(c) or Section 9.12, whichever occurs first.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Scheduled Redetermination or Interim Redetermination shall become effective until the New Borrowing Base Notice related thereto is received by the Borrower.


 


Section 2.08 Letters of Credit.


 


(a) General.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of dollar denominated Letters of Credit for its own account or for the account of any of its Subsidiaries, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period; provided that the Borrower may not request the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of Letters of Credit hereunder if a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists at such time or would exist as a result thereof.  In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.


 


(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions.  To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (not less than seven (7) Business Days in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice:


 


(i) requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended;


 


(ii) specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day);


 


(iii) specifying the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with Section 2.08(c));


 






  





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(iv) specifying the amount of such Letter of Credit;


 


(v) specifying the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit; and


 


(vi) specifying the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base and whether a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists at such time, the current total Revolving Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit) and the pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit).


 


Each notice shall constitute a representation that after giving effect to the requested issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, as applicable, (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed the LC Commitment and (ii) the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments (i.e. the lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base).


 


If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit.


 


Subject to the terms and conditions contained herein, the Issuing Bank shall then issue the requested Letter of Credit on the Borrower’s behalf.


 


(c) Expiration Date.  Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Termination Date.


 


(d) Participations.  By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit.  In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in Section 2.08(e), or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this Section 2.08(d) in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or


 






  





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extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default, the existence of a Borrowing Base Deficiency or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.


 


(e) Reimbursement.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse the Administrative Agent (for itself or any of its Affiliates) such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 9:00 a.m., Houston time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 9:00 a.m., Houston time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that any such LC Disbursement shall, subject to the conditions to Borrowing set forth herein, be deemed to have requested, and the Borrower does hereby request under such circumstances, that such payment be financed with an ABR Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Borrowing.  If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.05 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.05 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.  Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.08(e), the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to any Lenders that have made payments pursuant to this Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear.  Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Loans as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.


 


(f) Obligations Absolute.  The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in Section 2.08(e) shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit Agreement or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing


 






  





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Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or any Letter of Credit Agreement, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section 2.08(f), constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.  Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent.  In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the Borrower agrees that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.


 


(g) Disbursement Procedures. The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit.  The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone, facsimile or email of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.


 


(h) Interim Interest.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, until the Borrower shall have reimbursed the Issuing Bank for such LC Disbursement (either with its own funds or a Borrowing under Section 2.08(e)), the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Loans.  Interest accrued pursuant to this Section 2.08(g) shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.


 


(i) Cash Collateralization.  If (i) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent, acting at the direction of the Majority Lenders, demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.08(i), or (ii) the Borrower is required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to


 






  





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Section 3.04(c), then the Borrower shall deposit, in an account designated by the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to, in the case of an Event of Default, the LC Exposure, and in the case of a payment required by Section 3.04(c), the amount of such excess as provided in Section 3.04(c), as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower or any Subsidiary described in Section 10.01(h) or Section 10.01(i).  The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Bank and the Lenders, an exclusive first priority and continuing perfected security interest in and Lien on such account and all cash, checks, drafts, certificates and instruments, if any, from time to time deposited or held in such account, all deposits or wire transfers made thereto, any and all investments purchased with funds deposited in such account, all interest, dividends, cash, instruments, financial assets and other Property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise payable in respect of, or in exchange for, any or all of the foregoing, and all proceeds, products, accessions, rents, profits, income and benefits therefrom, and any substitutions and replacements therefor.  The Borrower’s obligation to deposit amounts pursuant to this Section 2.08(i) shall be absolute and unconditional, without regard to whether any beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit has attempted to draw down all or a portion of such amount under the terms of a Letter of Credit, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall not be subject to any defense or be affected by a right of set-off, counterclaim or recoupment which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may now or hereafter have against any such beneficiary, the Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or any other Person for any reason whatsoever.  Such deposit shall be held as collateral securing the payment and performance of the Borrower’s and the Guarantor’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.  The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account.  Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest.  Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account.  Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents.  If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, and the Borrower is not otherwise required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c), then such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three (3) Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.


 






  





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(j) Confirmation.  Upon written request of the Borrower, the Issuing Bank shall provide the Borrower, at the sole cost and expense of the Borrower, with a confirmation of the existence of  an outstanding Letter of Credit.


 


Section 2.09 Loans and Borrowings Under Existing Credit Agreement.  On the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, has acquired from the lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement the notes and obligations of Borrower existing thereunder, the liens relating thereto and the commitments of such lenders thereunder.  In connection with such acquisition and the amendment and restatement of the Existing Credit Agreement as so assigned:


 


(a) Borrower shall pay all accrued and unpaid commitment fees, break funding fees and all other fees that are outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement for the account of each lender under the Existing Credit Agreement;


 


(b) each “ABR Borrowing” outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement shall be extended and renewed so as to continue as a new ABR Borrowing under this Agreement;


 


(c) each “Eurodollar Borrowing” outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement shall be deemed repaid on the Effective Date and funded as a new Eurodollar Borrowing under this Agreement; and


 


(d) the Existing Credit Agreement and the commitments thereunder shall be superseded by this Agreement and such commitments shall terminate.


 


ARTICLE III


 


Payments of Principal and Interest; Prepayments; Fees


 


Section 3.01 Repayment of Loans.  The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Loan in full in cash on the Termination Date. All payments by the Borrower of principal, interest, fees and other obligations shall be made in dollars in immediately available funds, and shall be absolute and unconditional, without defense, rescission, recoupment, setoff or counterclaim, free of any restriction or condition.


 


Section 3.02 Interest.


 


(a) ABR Loans.  The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.


 


(b) Eurodollar Loans.  The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Margin, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.


 






  





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(c) Post Default Rate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower or any Guarantor hereunder or under any other Loan Document is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, and including any payments in respect of a Borrowing Base Deficiency under Section 3.04(c), then all Loans outstanding, in the case of an Event of Default, and such overdue amount, in the case of a failure to pay amounts when due, shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at the lesser of (i) the Highest Lawful Rate or (ii) the Post Default Rate.


 


(d) Interest Payment Dates.  Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and on the Termination Date; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to Section 3.02(c) shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than an optional prepayment of an ABR Loan prior to the Termination Date), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment, and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.


 


(e) Interest Rate Computations.  All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).  The applicable Alternate Base Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and be binding upon the parties hereto.


 


Section 3.03 Alternate Rate of Interest.  If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:


 


(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) (i) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period or (ii) deposits (whether in dollars or an alternative currency) are not being offered to Lenders in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Borrowing; or


 


(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Majority Lenders that the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;


 


then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer


 






  





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exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made either as an ABR Borrowing or at an alternate rate of interest determined by all Lenders, sufficient to cover each Lender’s cost of funds.


 


Section 3.04 Prepayments.


 


(a) Optional Prepayments.  Subject to any break funding costs payable pursuant to Section 5.02 and prior notice in accordance with Section 3.04(b), the Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, in minimum increments of $100,000 or if less than $100,000, the remaining balance of the Loans.


 


(b) Notice and Terms of Optional Prepayment.  The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston time, three (3) Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid.  Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02.  Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing.  Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 3.02.


 


(c) Mandatory Prepayments.


 


(i) If, after giving effect to any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section 2.06(b), the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the total Commitments, then the Borrower shall prepay the Borrowings on the date of such termination or reduction in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(i).


 


(ii) Upon any redetermination of or adjustment to the amount of the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.07 or Section 8.13(c), if the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the redetermined or adjusted Borrowing Base, then the Borrower shall either:


 


(A) prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess and if any excess remains after prepaying all


 






  





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of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(i); or


 


(B) pledge additional collateral not included in the most recent Reserve Report to the Administrative Agent having a fair market value equal to at least the amount of the deficiency or otherwise satisfactory to the Administrative Agent such that the total Revolving Credit Exposures are less than or equal to the Borrowing Base as redetermined or adjusted; or


 


(C) prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess (and if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(i)) in not more than six (6) equal monthly installments plus accrued interest thereon.


 


The Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment and/or deposit of cash collateral pursuant to clause (A), pledge of collateral pursuant to clause (B) or first monthly prepayment pursuant to clause (C) within thirty (30) days following its receipt of the New Borrowing Base Notice in accordance with Section 2.07(d) or the date the adjustment occurs; provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to this Section 3.04(c)(ii) must be made on or prior to the Termination Date.


 


(iii) Upon any adjustments to the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 9.12, if the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base as adjusted, then the Borrower shall (a) prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and (b) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(i).  The Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment and/or deposit of cash collateral on the date it or any Subsidiary receives proceeds as a result of such disposition; provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to this Section 3.04(c)(iii)  must be made on or prior to the Termination Date.


 


(iv) If a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists, or during an Event of Default, the Borrower shall prepay the Borrowings with all net cash proceeds received from sales and other dispositions of Properties.


 


(v) Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be applied, first, ratably to any ABR Borrowings then outstanding, and, second, to any Eurodollar Borrowings then outstanding, and if more than one Eurodollar Borrowing is then outstanding, to each such Eurodollar Borrowing in


 






  





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order of priority beginning with the Eurodollar Borrowing with the least number of days remaining in the Interest Period applicable thereto and ending with the Eurodollar Borrowing with the most number of days remaining in the Interest Period applicable thereto.


 


(vi) Each prepayment of Borrowings shall be applied ratably to the Loans of each Lender included in the prepaid Borrowings.  Prepayment pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 3.02.


 


(d) No Premium or Penalty.  Prepayments permitted or required under this Section 3.04 shall be without premium or penalty, except as required under Section 5.02.


 


Section 3.05 Fees.


 


(a) Commitment Fees.  The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Commitment Fee Rate on the average daily amount of the unused amount of the Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the Termination Date.  Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof.  All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).


 


(b) Letter of Credit Fees.  The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender, a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Margin used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, (ii) to the Issuing Bank, a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.325% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, provided that in no event shall such fee be less than $500 during any quarter and (iii) to the Issuing Bank for its own account, the standard fees charged to it by the Issuing Bank with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder.  Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third


 






  





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Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date of this Agreement; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the Termination Date and any such fees accruing after the Termination Date shall be payable on demand.  Any other fees payable pursuant to this Section 3.05(b) shall be payable within ten (10) days after demand.  All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).


 


(c) Administrative Agent Fees.  The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent as outlined in the Fee Letter.


 


(d) Defaulting Lender Fees.  The Borrower shall not be obligated to pay the Administrative Agent any Defaulting Lender's ratable share of the fees described in Sections 3.05(a) and (b) for the period commencing on the day such Defaulting Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender and continuing for so long as such Lender continues to be a Defaulting Lender.


 


ARTICLE IV


 


Payments; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs


 


Section 4.01 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.


 


(a) Payments by the Borrower.  The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 or otherwise) prior to 11:00 a.m., Houston time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without defense, deduction, recoupment, set-off or counterclaim.  Fees, once paid, shall be fully earned and shall not be refundable under any circumstances.  Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon.  All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices specified in Section 12.01, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 and Section 12.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto.  The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof.  If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension.  All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.


 






  





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(b) Application of Insufficient Payments.  If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.


 


(c) Sharing of Payments by Lenders.  If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this Section 4.01(c) shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section 4.01(c) shall apply).  The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.


 


Section 4.02 Presumption of Payment by the Borrower.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due.  In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds


 






  





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Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.


 


Section 4.03 Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent.  If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(b), Section 2.08(d), Section 2.08(e) or Section 4.02 then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.  If at any time prior to the acceleration or maturity of the Loans, the Administrative Agent shall receive any payment in respect of principal of a Loan or a reimbursement of an LC Disbursement while one or more Defaulting Lenders shall be party to this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall apply such payment first to the Borrowing(s) for which such Defaulting Lender(s) shall have failed to fund its pro rata share until such time as such Borrowing(s) are paid in full or each Lender (including each Defaulting Lender) is owed its Applicable Percentage of all Loans then outstanding.  After acceleration or maturity of the Loans, all principal will be paid ratably as provided in Section 10.02(c).


 


Section 4.04 Disposition of Proceeds.  The Security Instruments contain an assignment by the Borrower and/or the Guarantors unto and in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders of all of the Borrower’s or each Guarantor’s interest in and to production and all proceeds attributable thereto which may be produced from or allocated to the Mortgaged Property.  The Security Instruments further provide in general for the application of such proceeds to the satisfaction of the Indebtedness and other obligations described therein and secured thereby.  Notwithstanding the assignment contained in such Security Instruments, until an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, (a) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree that they will neither notify the purchaser or purchasers of such production nor take any other action to cause such proceeds to be remitted to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, but the Lenders will instead permit such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (b) the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to take such actions as may be necessary to cause such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and/or such Subsidiaries.


 


ARTICLE V


 


Increased Costs; Break Funding Payments; Taxes; Illegality


 


Section 5.01 Increased Costs.


 


(a) Eurodollar Changes in Law.  If any Change in Law shall:


 


(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender; or


 


(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender;


 






  





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and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.


 


(b) Capital Requirements.  If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.


 


(c) Certificates.  A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in Section 5.01(a) or (b) shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.


 


(d) Effect of Failure or Delay in Requesting Compensation.  Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 5.01 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section 5.01 for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.


 


Section 5.02 Break Funding Payments.  In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan into an ABR Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, or (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender


 






  





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for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event.  In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), minus (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the Eurodollar market.


 


A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 5.02 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.


 


Section 5.03 Taxes.


 


(a) Payments Free of Taxes.  Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower or any Guarantor shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 5.03(a)), the Administrative Agent, each Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower or such Guarantor shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower or such Guarantor shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.


 


(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower.  The Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.


 


(c) Indemnification by the Borrower.  The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Issuing Bank, within ten (10) days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 5.03) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate of the Administrative Agent, a Lender or


 






  





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the Issuing Bank as to the amount of such payment or liability under this Section 5.03 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.


 


(d) Evidence of Payments.  As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower or a Guarantor to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.


 


(e) Foreign Lenders.  Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate.  In addition, any Lender, if requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.


 


Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is resident for tax purposes in the United States of America, any Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so), whichever of the following is applicable:


 


(i) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States of America is a party,


 


(ii) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,


 


(iii) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) duly completed copies of  Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, or


 






  





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(iv) any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States Federal withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.


 


Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Foreign Lender shall not be required to provide any form or statement pursuant to this section that such Foreign Lender is not legally able to deliver.  Borrower shall not be required to pay any additional amount to any  Foreign Lender to the extent that withholding or deduction from payments is the result of such Lender failing to provide such forms, certificates or other evidence (collectively, “Exemption Forms”) required by Section 5.03(e) above, establishing that such Foreign Lender is exempt from United States federal withholding tax, or to notify Borrower of its inability to provide such Exemption Forms  as the case may be, provided that if such Foreign Lender shall have satisfied the requirements to provide such Exemption Forms on the Effective Date or upon such Foreign Lender becoming a Lender hereunder, nothing in this last sentence of this Section 5.03(f) shall relieve Borrower of its obligation to pay any additional amounts pursuant to this Section 5.03(f) in the event that, as a result of a change in law, treaty, governmental rule, regulation or order (or the interpretation, administration or application thereof), at a subsequent date such Exemption Forms were no longer applicable to such Lender or such Lender was no longer properly entitled to complete or deliver such Exemption Forms.


 


       (f) Effect of Tax Refund.  If a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a benefit in the nature of a refund, deduction or credit (including a refund in the form of a deduction from or credit against taxes that are otherwise payable by such Lender) of any Taxes or Other Taxes with respect to which the Borrower has made a payment under this Section 5.03, such Lender will notify the Borrower and agrees to reimburse the Borrower to the extent of the benefit of such refund, deduction or credit, including any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority, promptly after such Lender reasonably determines that such refund, deduction or credit has become final; provided, that the Borrower, upon request of the Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to such Lender in the event that such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Nothing contained in this Section 5.03(g) shall require any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems to be confidential) or to attempt to obtain any such refund, deduction or credit (including any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority and received by such Lender), which attempt would be inconsistent with any reporting position otherwise taken by any Lender on its applicable tax returns.


 


Section 5.04 Designation of Different Lending Office.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.01, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 5.03, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to


 






  





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another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 5.01 or Section 5.03, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.


 


Section 5.05 Illegality.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event that it becomes unlawful for any Lender or its applicable lending office to honor its obligation to make or maintain Eurodollar Loans either generally or having a particular Interest Period hereunder, then (a) such Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof and such Lender’s obligation to make such Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended (the “Affected Loans”) until such time as such Lender may again make and maintain such Eurodollar Loans and (b) all Affected Loans which would otherwise be made by such Lender shall be made instead as ABR Loans (and, if such Lender so requests by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, all Affected Loans of such Lender then outstanding shall be automatically converted into ABR Loans on the date specified by such Lender in such notice) and, to the extent that Affected Loans are so made as (or converted into) ABR Loans, all payments of principal which would otherwise be applied to such Lender’s Affected Loans shall be applied instead to its ABR Loans.


 


ARTICLE VI


 


Conditions Precedent


 


Section 6.01 Effective Date.  The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 12.02):


 


(a) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all commitment, facility and agency fees, including those set forth in the Fee Letter, and all other fees and amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder (including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel to the Administrative Agent).


 


(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Responsible Officer of each Credit Party setting forth (i) resolutions of its board of directors with respect to the authorization of such Credit Party to execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to enter into the transactions contemplated in those documents, (ii) the officers of such Credit Party (A) who are authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which such Credit Party is a party and (B) who will, until replaced by another officer or officers duly authorized for that purpose, act as its representative for the purposes of signing documents and giving notices and other communications in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) specimen signatures of such authorized officers, and (iv) the Organizational Documents of such Credit Party, certified as being true and complete.  The Administrative Agent and the


 






  





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Lenders may conclusively rely on such certificate until the Administrative Agent receives notice in writing from any Credit Party to the contrary.


 


(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of the appropriate State agencies with respect to the existence, qualification and good standing of each Credit Party.


 


(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a compliance certificate which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit D, duly and properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and dated as of the Effective Date.


 


(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party hereto counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party.


 


(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received duly executed Notes (if requested by any Lender) payable to each such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount dated as of the date hereof.


 


(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party thereto duly executed counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of the Security Instruments, including the Guaranty Agreement, and the other Security Instruments described on Exhibit E.  In connection with the execution and delivery of the Security Instruments, the Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied that the Security Instruments create first priority, perfected Liens (subject only to Excepted Liens identified in clauses (a) to (d) and (f) of the definition thereof, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) on at least 80% of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report  and all other Oil and Gas Properties identified and requested by the Administrative Agent.


 


(h) The Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion of Faegre & Benson LLP, special counsel to the Borrower and local counsel in each of the following states: Montana, North Dakota, Nevada and any other jurisdictions requested substantially in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.


 


(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of insurance coverage of the Borrower evidencing that the Borrower is carrying insurance in accordance with Section 7.12.


 


(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received title information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require satisfactory to the Administrative Agent setting forth the status of title to at least 80% of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report.


 


(k) The Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied with the environmental condition of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.


 






  





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(l) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that the Borrower has received all consents and approvals required by Section 7.03.


 


(m) The Administrative Agent shall have received the financial statements referred to in Section 7.04(a) and the Initial Reserve Report accompanied by a certificate covering the matters described in Section 8.12(c).


 


(n) The Administrative Agent shall have received appropriate UCC search certificates reflecting no prior Liens encumbering the Properties of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries for each of the following jurisdictions: Nevada, Montana and North Dakota and any other jurisdiction requested by the Administrative Agent; other than those being assigned or released on or prior to the Effective Date or Liens permitted by Section 9.03.


 


(o) The Administrative Agent shall have received a duly executed account control agreement between Operating Account Bank, Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the terms and conditions for which shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.


 


(p) The Administrative Agent shall have received from the Borrower a list of all Oil and Gas Properties of the Credit Parties not subject to a Lien of the Security Instruments as of the Effective Date substantially in the form of Exhibit I attached hereto.


 


(q) The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as the Administrative Agent or special counsel to the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.


 


(r) That certain ISDA Master Agreement by and between Macquarie Bank Limited and the Borrower dated on or about February 27, 2009 shall be amended to reflect the terms of this Agreement on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.


 


(s) The assignment contemplated by that certain Master Assignment, dated of even date herewith, between CIT Capital USA, Inc., as existing administrative agent, CIT Bank, as existing lender, and Macquarie Bank Limited, as new administrative agent and new lender, shall have been consummated.


 


(t) The Administrative Agent shall have received fully executed letters-in-lieu in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent from the Borrower and Guarantors, if applicable, with respect to Oil and Gas Properties constituting at least 80% of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report.


 


The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or


 






  





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waived pursuant to Section 12.02) at or prior to 1:00 p.m., Houston time, on May 28, 2010 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).


 


Section 6.02 Each Credit Event.  The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing (including the initial funding), and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:


 


(a) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.


 


(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no event, development or circumstance has occurred or shall then exist that has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.


 


(c) The representations and warranties of the Credit Parties set forth in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, except to the extent any such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in which case, on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, such representations and warranties shall continue to be true and correct as of such specified earlier date.


 


(d) The making of such Loan or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable would not conflict with, or cause any Lender or the Issuing Bank to violate or exceed, any applicable Governmental Requirement, and no Change in Law shall have occurred.


 


(e)  No litigation shall be pending or threatened, which does or, with respect to any threatened litigation, seeks to, enjoin, prohibit or restrain, the making or repayment of any Loan, the issuance, amendment, renewal, extension or repayment of any Letter of Credit or any participations therein or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.


 


(f) The receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Request in accordance with Section 2.03 or a request for a Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 2.08(b), as applicable.


 


Each request for a Borrowing and each request for the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in Section 6.02(a) through (f), except that the Borrower’s representation and warranty with respect to Section 6.02(d) shall be deemed to be to its knowledge.


 






  





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ARTICLE VII


 


Representations and Warranties


 


The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:


 


Section 7.01 Organization; Powers.  Each Credit Party is an Eligible Obligor, is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority, and has all material governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals necessary, to own its assets and to carry on its business as now conducted, and is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required, except where failure to have such power, authority, licenses, authorizations, consents, approvals and qualifications could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


 


Section 7.02 Authority; Enforceability.  The Transactions are within each Credit Party’s corporate, limited partnership or limited liability powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, limited partnership, limited liability company and, if required, stockholder action (including, without limitation, any action required to be taken by any class of directors of the Borrower or any other Person, whether interested or disinterested, in order to ensure the due authorization of the Transactions).  Each Loan Document to which the Credit Parties are a party has been duly executed and delivered by each Credit Party and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each such Credit Party, as applicable, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.


 


Section 7.03 Approvals; No Conflicts.  The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority or any other third Person (including shareholders or any class of directors, whether interested or disinterested, of the Borrower or any other Person), nor is any such consent, approval, registration, filing or other action necessary for the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect other than (i) the recording and filing of the Security Instruments as required by this Agreement, (ii) those third party approvals or consents which, if not made or obtained, would not cause a Default hereunder, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or do not have an adverse effect on the enforceability of the Loan Documents and (iii) the filing by the Borrower of a current report on Form 8-K with the SEC disclosing this Agreement and the Transactions, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or any Organizational Document of any Credit Party or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Credit Party or its Properties, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any Credit Party and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any Property of any Credit Party (other than the Liens created by the Loan Documents).


 






  





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Section 7.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.


 


(a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, reported on by Mantyla McReynolds LLC, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, certified by its chief financial officer.  Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the unaudited quarterly financial statements.


 


(b) Since December 31, 2009, (i) there has been no event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has been conducted only in the ordinary course consistent with past business practices.


 


(c) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has on the date hereof any material Debt (including Disqualified Capital Stock) or any contingent liabilities, off-balance sheet liabilities or partnerships, liabilities for taxes or unrealized or anticipated losses from any unfavorable commitments, except as referred to or reflected or provided for in the financial statements described in Section 7.04(a) or in the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(a) or (b).


 


Section 7.05 Litigation.


 


(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 7.05 on the Effective Date or as otherwise disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders after the Effective Date (which shall supplement Schedule 7.05), there are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any Subsidiary (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions.


 


(b) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the matters disclosed in Schedule 7.05 that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.


 


Section 7.06 Environmental Matters.  Except for such matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on any Credit Party:


 


(a) The Credit Parties and each of their respective Properties and operations thereon are, and within all applicable statute of limitation periods have been, in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws.


 






  





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(b) The Credit Parties have obtained all Environmental Permits required for their respective operations and each of their Properties, with all such Environmental Permits being currently in full force and effect, and none of the Credit Parties have received any written notice or otherwise has knowledge that any such existing Environmental Permit will be revoked or that any application for any new Environmental Permit or renewal of any existing Environmental Permit will be protested or denied.


 


(c) There are no claims, demands, suits, orders, inquiries, or proceedings concerning any violation of, or any liability (including as a potentially responsible party) under, any applicable Environmental Laws that is pending or, to Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against the Credit Parties or any of their respective Properties or as a result of any operations at such Properties.


 


(d) None of the Properties of the Credit Parties contain or have contained any:  (i) underground storage tanks; (ii) asbestos-containing materials; (iii) landfills or dumps; (iv) hazardous waste management units as defined pursuant to RCRA or any comparable state law; or (v) sites on or nominated for the National Priority List promulgated pursuant to CERCLA or any state remedial priority list promulgated or published pursuant to any comparable state law.


 


(e) There has been no Release or, to any Credit Party’s knowledge, threatened Release, of Hazardous Materials at, on, under or from any Credit Party’s Properties, there are no investigations, remediations, abatements, removals, or monitorings of Hazardous Materials required under applicable Environmental Laws at such Properties and, to the knowledge of any Credit Party, none of such Properties are adversely affected by any Release or threatened Release of a Hazardous Material originating or emanating from any other real property.


 


(f) No Credit Party has received any written notice asserting an alleged liability or obligation under any applicable Environmental Laws with respect to the investigation, remediation, abatement, removal, or monitoring of any Hazardous Materials at, under, or Released or threatened to be Released from any real properties offsite any Credit Party’s Properties and, to any Credit Party’s knowledge, there are no conditions or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to result in the receipt of such written notice.


 


(g) There has been no exposure of any Person or Property to any Hazardous Materials as a result of or in connection with the operations and businesses of any of the Credit Parties’ Properties that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for a claim for damages or compensation.


 


(h) The Credit Parties have provided to the Lenders complete and correct copies of all environmental site assessment reports, investigations, studies, analyses, and correspondence on environmental matters (including matters relating to any alleged non-compliance with or liability under Environmental Laws) that are in any of


 






  





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the Credit Parties’ possession or control and relating to their respective Properties or operations thereon.


 


Section 7.07 Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults.


 


(a) Each of the Credit Parties is in compliance with all Governmental Requirements applicable to it or its Property and all agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its Property, and possesses all licenses, permits, franchises, exemptions, approvals and other authorizations granted by Governmental Authorities necessary for the ownership of its Property and the conduct of its business, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 


(b) No Credit Party is in default nor has any event or circumstance occurred which, but for the expiration of any applicable grace period or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default or would require a Credit Party to Redeem or make any offer to Redeem under any indenture, note, credit agreement or instrument pursuant to which any Material Indebtedness is outstanding or by which any Credit Party or any of their Properties is bound.


 


(c) No Default has occurred and is continuing.


 


Section 7.08 Investment Company Act.  No Credit Party is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.


 


Section 7.09 Taxes.  Each Credit Party has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which such Credit Party, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of each Credit Party in respect of Taxes and other governmental charges are, in the reasonable opinion of such Credit Party, adequate.  No Liens for Taxes have been filed and, to the knowledge of the Credit Parties, no claim is being asserted with respect to any such Tax or other such governmental charge.


 


Section 7.10 ERISA.


 


(a) Each Credit Party and each ERISA Affiliate have complied in all material respects with ERISA and, where applicable, the code regarding each Plan except to the extent the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 


(b) Each Plan is, and has been, established and maintained in substantial compliance with its terms, ERISA and, where applicable, the Code except to the extent the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 






  





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(c) No act, omission or transaction has occurred which could result in imposition on any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate (whether directly or indirectly) of (i) either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i), (l) or (m) of section 502 of ERISA or a tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code or (ii) breach of fiduciary duty liability damages under section 409 of ERISA except to the extent such penalty or liability could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 


(d) Full payment when due has been made of all amounts which a Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate is required under the terms of each Plan or applicable law to have paid as contributions to such Plan as of the date hereof except to the extent the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 


(e) No Credit Party nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains, or contributes to an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) or ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by a Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate in its sole discretion at any time without any material liability.


 


(f) No Credit Party nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or has at any time in the six-year period preceding the date hereof sponsored, maintained or contributed to, any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in section 3(2) of ERISA, that it subject to Title IV of ERISA, section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code.


 


Section 7.11 Disclosure; No Material Misstatements.  The Borrower has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any other Credit Party is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  None of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of any Credit Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any of their Affiliates in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Credit Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.  There is no fact peculiar to the Borrower or other Credit Party which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or in the future is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect and which has not been set forth in this Agreement or the Loan Documents or the other documents, certificates and statements furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Credit Party prior to, or on, the date hereof in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.  None of the Credit Parties provided any statements or conclusions in the preparation of any Reserve Report which were based upon or include misleading information or failed to take into account material information regarding the matters reported therein, it being


 






  





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understood that projections concerning volumes attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties and production and cost estimates contained in each Reserve Report are necessarily based upon professional opinions, estimates and projections and that the Credit Parties do not warrant that such opinions, estimates and projections will ultimately prove to have been accurate.


 


Section 7.12 Insurance.  Each Credit Party has, and has caused all of its Subsidiaries to have, (a) all insurance policies sufficient for the compliance by each of them with all material Governmental Requirements and all material agreements and (b) insurance coverage in at least amounts and against such risk (including, without limitation, public liability) that are usually insured against by companies similarly situated and engaged in the same or a similar business for the assets and operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.  The Administrative Agent and the Lenders have been named as additional insureds in respect of such liability insurance policies and the Administrative Agent has been named as loss payee with respect to Property loss insurance.


 


Section 7.13 Restriction on Liens.  No Credit Party is a party to any material agreement or arrangement (other than Capital Leases creating Liens permitted by Section 9.03(c), but only on the Property subject of such Capital Lease), or subject to any order, judgment, writ or decree, which either restricts or purports to restrict its ability to grant Liens to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders on or in respect of their Properties to secure the Indebtedness and the Loan Documents.


 


Section 7.14 Subsidiaries.  Except as set forth on Schedule 7.14 or as disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly furnish a copy to the Lenders), which shall be a supplement to Schedule 7.14, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries.


 


Section 7.15 Location of Business and Offices.  The Borrower’s jurisdiction of organization is Nevada; the name of the Borrower as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization, as of the date hereof, is Northern Oil and Gas, Inc.; and the organizational identification number of the Borrower in its jurisdiction of organization is C876-1983 (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.01(m) in accordance with Section 12.01).  The Borrower’s principal place of business and chief executive office is located at the address specified in Section 12.01 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(m) and Section 12.01(c)). Each Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of organization, name as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization, organizational identification number in its jurisdiction of organization, and the location of its principal place of business and chief executive office is stated on Schedule 7.14 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(m)).


 


Section 7.16 Properties; Titles, Etc.


 


(a) Each Credit Party has good and defensible title to the Hydrocarbon Interests in the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report and good title to all its personal Properties, in each case, free and clear of all Liens except Liens permitted by Section 9.03.  After giving full effect to the Excepted Liens, each Credit Party specified as the owner owns the net interests in production attributable


 






  





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to the Hydrocarbon Interests as reflected in the most recently delivered Reserve Report, and the ownership of such Properties shall not in any material respect obligate such Credit Party to bear the costs and expenses relating to the maintenance, development and operations of each such Property in an amount in excess of the working interest of each Property set forth in the most recently delivered Reserve Report that is not offset by a corresponding proportionate increase in such Credit Party’s net revenue interest in such Property.


 


(b) All material leases and agreements necessary for the conduct of the business of the Credit Parties are valid and subsisting, in full force and effect, and there exists no default or event or circumstance which with the giving of notice or the passage of time or both would give rise to a default under any such lease or leases, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


 


(c) The rights and Properties presently owned, leased or licensed by the Credit Parties including, without limitation, all easements and rights of way, include all rights and Properties necessary to permit the Credit Parties to conduct their business in all material respects in the same manner as its business has been conducted prior to the date hereof.


 


(d) All of the Properties of the Credit Parties which are reasonably necessary for the operation of their businesses are in good working condition and are maintained in accordance with prudent business standards.


 


(e) Each Credit Party owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual Property material to its business, and the use thereof by such Credit Party does not and will not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The Credit Parties either own or have valid licenses or other rights to use all databases, geological data, geophysical data, engineering data, seismic data, maps, interpretations and other technical information used in their businesses as presently conducted, subject to the limitations contained in the agreements governing the use of the same, which limitations are customary for companies engaged in the business of the exploration and production of Hydrocarbons, with such exceptions as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


 


Section 7.17 Maintenance of Properties.  Except for such acts or failures to act as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Oil and Gas Properties (and Properties unitized therewith) of the Credit Parties have been maintained, operated and developed in a good and workmanlike manner and in conformity with all Governmental Requirements and in conformity with the provisions of all leases, subleases or other contracts comprising a part of the Hydrocarbon Interests and other contracts and agreements forming a part of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Credit Parties.  Specifically in connection with the foregoing, except for those as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) no Oil and Gas Property of any Credit Party is subject to having allowable production reduced below the full and regular allowable (including the maximum permissible tolerance)


 






  





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because of any overproduction (whether or not the same was permissible at the time) and (ii) none of the wells comprising a part of the Oil and Gas Properties (or Properties unitized therewith) of any Credit Party is deviated from the vertical more than the maximum permitted by Governmental Requirements, and such wells are, in fact, bottomed under and are producing from, and the well bores are wholly within, the Oil and Gas Properties (or in the case of wells located on Properties unitized therewith, such unitized Properties) of such Credit Party.  All pipelines, wells, gas processing plants, platforms and other material improvements, fixtures and equipment owned in whole or in part by any Credit Party that are necessary to conduct normal operations are being maintained in a state adequate to conduct normal operations, and with respect to such of the foregoing which are operated by any Credit Party, in a manner consistent with such Credit Party’s past practices (other than those the failure of which to maintain in accordance with this Section 7.17 could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect).


 


Section 7.18 Gas Imbalances, Prepayments.  Except as set forth on Schedule 7.18 or on the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to Section 8.12(c), on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments which would require any Credit Party to deliver Hydrocarbons produced from the Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor exceeding two percent (2%) of the Credit Parties’ Proved Reserves of natural gas (on an mcf equivalent basis) in the aggregate.


 


Section 7.19 Marketing of Production.  No Credit Party is a party to any material agreements which is not cancelable on sixty (60) days notice or less without penalty or detriment for the sale of production from the Credit Parties’ Hydrocarbons (including, without limitation, calls on or other rights to purchase, production, whether or not the same are currently being exercised) that (a) pertain to the sale of production at a fixed price and (b) have a maturity or expiry date of longer than six (6) months from the date hereof.


 


Section 7.20 Swap Agreements.  Schedule 7.20, as of the date hereof, and after the date hereof, each report required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.01(e), sets forth, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of each Credit Party, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark to market value thereof, all credit support agreements relating thereto (including any margin required or supplied) and the counterparty to each such agreement.


 


Section 7.21 Use of Loans and Letters of Credit.  The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit shall be used to provide working capital for exploration and production operations and for general corporate purposes.  The Credit Parties are not engaged principally, or as one of its or their important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation T, U or X of the Board).  No part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit will be used for any purpose which violates the provisions of Regulations T, U or X of the Board.


 


Section 7.22 Solvency.  After giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby, (a) the aggregate assets (after giving effect to amounts that could reasonably be received by reason of indemnity, offset, insurance or any similar arrangement), at a fair valuation, of the Credit


 






  





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Parties, taken as a whole, will exceed the aggregate Debt of the Credit Parties on a consolidated basis, as the Debt becomes absolute and matures, (b) no Credit Party has incurred and does not intend to incur, and does not believe that it will incur, Debt beyond its ability to pay such Debt (after taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be received by each Credit Party and the amounts to be payable on or in respect of its liabilities, and giving effect to amounts that could reasonably be received by reason of indemnity, offset, insurance or any similar arrangement) as such Debt becomes absolute and matures and (c) no Credit Party will have (and has no reason to believe that it will have thereafter) unreasonably small capital for the conduct of its business.


 


Section 7.23 Casualty Events.  Since December 31, 2009, neither the business nor any Properties of any Credit Party have been materially and adversely affected as a result of any fire, explosion, earthquake, flood, drought, windstorm, accident, strike or other labor disturbance, embargo, requisition or taking of Property or cancellation of contracts, permits or concessions by any domestic or foreign Governmental Authority, riot, activities or armed forces or acts of God or of any public enemy.


 


Section 7.24 Material Agreements.  Set forth on Schedule 7.24 hereto or as disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly furnish a copy to the Lenders), which shall be a supplement to Schedule 7.24, is a complete and correct list of all material agreements and other instruments maintained by the Credit Parties setting forth each counterparty thereto (other than the Loan Documents and joint operating agreements to which any Credit Party is a party) relating to the purchase, transportation by pipeline, gas processing, marketing, development, sale and supply of Hydrocarbons, farmout arrangements, contract operating agreements or other material contracts (excluding oil and gas leases of the Credit Parties and joint operating agreements to which any Credit Party is a party) to which the Credit Parties are a party or by which its Properties is bound, in each case for which breach, nonperformance, cancellation or failure to renew could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively “Material Agreements”) and copies of such documents have been provided to the Administrative Agent.  All such agreements are in full force and effect and the Credit Parties are not in default thereunder, nor is there any uncured default by any Affiliate predecessor in interest to any Credit Party or, to any Credit Party’s knowledge, by any predecessor in interest to such Credit Party (other than an Affiliate predecessor) or counterparty thereto, nor has any Credit Party altered any material item of such agreements since the Effective Date without the prior written consent of the Lenders.


 


Section 7.25 No Brokers.  No Person is entitled to any brokerage fee or finder’s fee or similar fee or commission in connection with arranging the Loans contemplated by this Agreement.


 


Section 7.26 Reliance.  In connection with the negotiation of and the entering into this Agreement, the Credit Parties acknowledge and represent that none of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or any representative of any of the foregoing is acting as a fiduciary or financial or investment advisor for it; it is not relying upon any representations (whether written or oral) of such Persons; they have consulted with their own legal, regulatory, tax, business investment, financial and accounting advisors to the extent it has deemed necessary, and they have made their own investment, hedging, and trading decisions based upon their own judgment


 






  





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and upon any advice from such advisors as they have deemed necessary and not upon any view expressed by any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any representative of any of the foregoing; they have not been given by any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any representative of any of the foregoing (directly or indirectly through any other Person) any advice, counsel, assurance, guarantee, or representation whatsoever as to the expected or projected success, profitability, return, performance, result, effect, consequence, or benefit (either legal, regulatory, tax, financial, accounting, or otherwise) of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby; and they are entering into this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with a full understanding of all of the risks hereof and thereof (economic and otherwise), and they are capable of assuming and willing to assume (financially and otherwise) those risks.


 


Section 7.27 Payments by Purchasers of Production.  All proceeds from the sale of any Credit Party’s interests in Hydrocarbons from its Oil and Gas Properties are currently being paid in full by the purchaser thereof on a timely basis and at prices and terms comparable to market prices and terms generally available at the time such prices and terms were negotiated for oil and gas production from producing areas situated near such Oil and Gas Properties, and none of such proceeds are currently being held in suspense by such purchaser or any other Person.


 


Section 7.28 Existing Accounts Payable.  As of the Effective Date, set forth on Schedule 7.28 hereto is a complete and correct list of all existing accounts payable of the Borrower that are more than sixty (60) days past due.


 


ARTICLE VIII


 


Affirmative Covenants


 


Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:


 


Section 8.01 Financial Statements; Ratings Change; Other Information.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:


 


(a) Annual Financial Statements.  As soon as available, but in any event in accordance with then applicable law and not later than ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its audited consolidated and consolidating balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by (i) Mantyla McReynolds, LLC, (ii) any independent public accountants of recognized national standing or (iii) any other independent public accountant reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated and consolidating financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated


 






  





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Subsidiaries on a consolidated and consolidating basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied.


 


(b) Quarterly Financial Statements.  Within sixty (60) days after the end of each fiscal quarter, a balance sheet, income statement and statement of the cumulative cash flows of the Borrower (including all notes thereto) for the period from the beginning of the then current fiscal year to the end of such fiscal quarter, prepared by the Borrower and accompanied by a certification of an Responsible Officer of the Borrower, dated the date of the delivery of the financial statements to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, and further certifying that no Default exists under this Agreement and that such financial statements present fairly in all material respects the consolidated and consolidating financial position and results of operations of the Borrower on a consolidated and consolidating basis in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes (other than those reasonably required to explain financial data).


 


(c) Certificate of Financial Officer -- Compliance.  Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) or Section 8.01(b), a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or a Financial Officer in substantially the form of Exhibit D attached hereto (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 8.14(a) and Section 9.01, (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 7.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate, and (iv) if, at any time, the Borrower has any Consolidated Subsidiaries, setting forth consolidating spreadsheets that show all Consolidated Subsidiaries and the eliminating entries, in such form as would be presentable to the auditors of the Borrower.


 


(d) Certificate of Accounting Firm -- Defaults.  Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a), a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating whether they obtained knowledge during the course of their examination of such financial statements of any Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines).


 


(e) Certificate of Financial Officer – Swap Agreements.  Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) and Section 8.01(b), a certificate of a Financial Officer, in substantially the form of Exhibit G attached hereto, setting forth as of the last Business Day of such fiscal quarter or fiscal year, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of each Credit Party, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark-to-market value therefor, any new credit support agreements relating thereto not listed on Schedule 7.20, any margin required or supplied under any credit support document, and the counterparty to each such agreement.


 






  





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(f) Certificate of Insurer -- Insurance Coverage.  Upon change or renewal, a certificate of insurance coverage from each insurer with respect to the insurance required by Section 8.07, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, all copies of the applicable policies.


 


(g) Other Accounting Reports.  Promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of each other report or letter submitted to any Credit Party by independent accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by them of the books of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary, and a copy of any response by any Credit Party, or the board of directors of any Credit Party, to such letter or report.


 


(h) SEC and Other Filings; Reports to Shareholders.  Promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be; provided, however that the Borrower shall be deemed to have complied with the requirements of this Section 8.01(h) to the extent that such reports, proxy statements and other materials are publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR filing system or any successor system and the Borrower has notified the Administrative Agent that such materials are available.  Notwithstanding the foregoing proviso, the Borrower shall provide copies of any materials required under this Section 8.01(h) upon request by the Administrative Agent.


 


(i) Notices Under Material Instruments.  Promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any financial statement, report or notice furnished to or by any Person pursuant to the terms of any preferred stock designation, indenture, loan or credit or other similar agreement, other than this Agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to any other provision of this Section 8.01.


 


(j) Lists of Purchasers.  Concurrently with the delivery of any Reserve Report to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.12, a list of all Persons purchasing Hydrocarbons from the Borrower to the extent that any Credit Party controls the marketing and the sale of such Hydrocarbons (which listings shall include, with respect to each such purchaser, the legal name and address thereof, the appropriate contact person thereat, the Oil and Gas Properties from which Hydrocarbons were purchased and the volume of Hydrocarbons purchased).


 


(k) Notice of Sales of Oil and Gas Properties.  In the event any Credit Party intends to sell, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of any Oil or Gas Properties or any Equity Interests in any other Credit Party in accordance with Section 9.12, prior written notice of such disposition, the price thereof and the anticipated date of closing and any other details thereof requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender; provided that, the foregoing shall not apply to the sale of the Oil and Gas Properties listed on Schedule 9.12 to the extent such sale is expressly permitted by Section 9.12(d).


 






  





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(l) Notice of Casualty Events.  Prompt written notice, and in any event within three (3) Business Days of the occurrence of any Casualty Event or the commencement of any action or proceeding that could reasonably be expected to result in a Casualty Event.


 


(m) Information Regarding Credit Parties.  Prompt written notice (and in any event within ten Business Days prior thereto) of any change (i) in any Credit Party’s organizational name, (ii) in the location of any Credit Party’s chief executive office or principal place of business, (iii) in any Credit Party’s identity or organizational structure or in the jurisdiction in which such Person is organized or formed, (iv) in any Credit Party’s jurisdiction of organization or such Person’s organizational identification number in such jurisdiction of organization and (v) in any Credit Party’s federal taxpayer identification number.


 


(n) Other Reports.  The Borrower shall prepare and provide the Lenders and Administrative Agent the following reports:


 


(i) on a quarterly basis by the 45th day following each calendar quarter, a report setting forth, for such calendar quarter, the volume of production and sales attributable to production (and the prices at which such sales were made and the revenues derived from such sales) for each such calendar quarter from the Oil and Gas Properties with Proved Developed Producing Reserves described in the most recent Reserve Report, and setting forth the related ad valorem, severance and production taxes and lease operating expenses attributable thereto and incurred for each such calendar quarter;


 


(ii) after the occurrence and during the continuance of any Borrowing Base Deficiency, the Borrower shall provide, on a monthly basis on the 15th day of each such month, a report setting forth, for the immediately preceding calendar month, the Credit Parties’ Excess Cash Flow;


 


(iii) on a quarterly basis by the 45th day after the end of each calendar quarter, an updated report setting forth the Credit Parties’ forecasted Capital Expenditure budget for the following twelve (12) month period; and


 


(iv) such other information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, including, but not limited to, each of the following to the extent available: an unaudited income statement, a consolidated balance sheet and a statement of cash flow (with such statement to show any variations from the budget previously delivered), copies of any Credit Party’s bank account statements, statement of expenses for the preceding month, notice of any material changes with regard to oil and gas prices received, contracts or production expenses or any material litigation affecting the operation of the Oil and Gas Properties of any Credit Party.


 


(o) Notices of Certain Changes.  Subject to Section 9.21, promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days after the execution thereof, copies of any


 






  





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amendment, modification or supplement to the Organizational Documents, any preferred stock designation or any other organizational document of any Credit Party.


 


(p) Notice of Purchase of Oil and Gas Properties.  In the event a Credit Party acquires additional Oil and Gas Properties, the Borrower shall deliver promptly, but in any event within forty-five (45) days after the end of each calendar quarter in which such acquisition occurred, to the Administrative Agent a list of all Oil and Gas Properties of the Credit Parties (including each such newly acquired Oil and Gas Property) not subject to a Lien of the Security Instruments at the time of delivery of such list to the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit I attached hereto.


 


(q) Non-Consent Election.  Promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days after any Credit Party’s election thereof, to withhold consent to participate in any wells located on Oil and Gas Properties.


 


(r) Other Requested Information.  Promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of any Credit Party, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, in each case, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.


 


(s) Surface Acreage Reports.  As soon as available and in any event within thirty (30) days after the last day of each calendar quarter, a report certified as true and complete in all material respects by a Responsible Officer, in form and substance satisfactory to Administrative Agent, setting forth as of the last Business Day of such calendar quarter an accounting of all surface acreage sold by the Borrower or any Guarantor, the gross and net proceeds received therefore and the amount of such proceeds distributed to  the partners of Borrower.


 


(t) Tax Returns.  As soon as available and in any event within fifteen (15) days after the filing of any tax return, or any other filing with a taxing authority, of the Borrower, any Guarantor or any Subsidiary of either thereof, a copy of such filed tax return or other filing, together with all exhibits and attachments thereto.


 


Section 8.02 Notices of Material Events.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:


 


(a) the occurrence of any Default;


 


(b) the filing or commencement of, or the threat in writing of, any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or arbitration by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting a Credit Party or any Affiliate thereof not previously disclosed in writing to the Lenders or any material adverse development in any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or arbitration (whether or not previously disclosed to the Lenders) that, in either case, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and


 






  





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(c) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.


 


Each notice delivered under this Section 8.02 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.


 


Section 8.03 Existence; Conduct of Business.  The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business and maintain, if necessary, its qualification to do business in each jurisdiction in which its Oil and Gas Properties is located or the ownership of its Properties requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 9.11.


 


Section 8.04 Payment of Obligations.  The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities of each such Credit Party and its Subsidiaries before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) such Credit Party has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or result in the seizure or levy of any Property of any Credit Party.


 


Section 8.05 Performance of Obligations under Loan Documents.  The Borrower will pay the Notes according to the reading, tenor and effect thereof, and the Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, do and perform every act and discharge all of the obligations to be performed and discharged by them under the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, this Agreement, at the time or times and in the manner specified.


 


Section 8.06 Operation and Maintenance of Properties.  The Borrower, at its own expense, will, and will cause each Subsidiary to:


 


(a) operate its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties or cause such Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties to be operated in a careful and efficient manner in accordance with the practices of the industry and in compliance with all applicable contracts and agreements and in compliance with all Governmental Requirements, including, without limitation, applicable proration requirements and Environmental Laws, and all applicable laws, rules and regulations of every other Governmental Authority from time to time constituted to regulate the development and operation of its Oil and Gas Properties and the production and sale of Hydrocarbons and other minerals therefrom, except, in each case, where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;


 


(b) keep, preserve and maintain all Property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and


 






  





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preserve, maintain and keep in good repair, working order and efficiency (ordinary wear and tear excepted) all of its material Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties, including, without limitation, all equipment, machinery and facilities;


 


(c) promptly pay and discharge, or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be paid and discharged, all delay rentals, royalties, expenses and indebtedness accruing under the leases or other agreements affecting or pertaining to its Oil and Gas Properties and will do all other things necessary, in accordance with customary industry standards, to keep unimpaired their rights with respect thereto and prevent any forfeiture thereof or default thereunder;


 


(d) promptly perform or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be performed, in accordance with industry standards, the obligations required by each and all of the assignments, deeds, leases, sub-leases, contracts and agreements affecting its interests in its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties;


 


(e) operate its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties or cause or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause such Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties to be operated in accordance with the practices of the industry and in material compliance with all applicable contracts and agreements and in compliance in all material respects with all Governmental Requirements; and


 


(f) to the extent a Credit Party is not the operator of any Property, the Credit Parties shall use reasonable efforts to cause the operator to comply with this Section 8.06.


 


Section 8.07 Insurance.  The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.  The loss payable clauses or provisions in said insurance policy or policies insuring any of the collateral for the Loans shall be endorsed in favor of and made payable to the Administrative Agent as its interests may appear and such policies shall name the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as “additional insureds” and “loss payees”, as applicable, and provide that the insurer will endeavor to give at least thirty (30) days prior notice of any cancellation to the Administrative Agent.


 


Section 8.08 Books and Records; Inspection Rights.  The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities.  The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its Properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.


 






  





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Section 8.09 Compliance with Laws.  The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its Property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 


Section 8.10 Environmental Matters.


 


(a) The Borrower shall at its sole expense: (i) comply, and shall cause its Properties and operations and each Subsidiary and each Subsidiary’s Properties and operations to comply, with all applicable Environmental Laws, the breach of which could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) not Release or threaten to Release, and shall cause each Subsidiary not to Release or threaten to Release, any Hazardous Material on, under, about or from any of such Credit Parties’ Properties or any other property offsite the Property to the extent caused by a Credit Party’s operations except in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, the Release or threatened Release of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) timely obtain or file, and shall cause each Subsidiary to timely obtain or file, all Environmental Permits, if any, required under applicable Environmental Laws to be obtained or filed in connection with the operation or use of a Credit Parties’ Properties, which failure to obtain or file could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, and shall cause each Subsidiary to promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, any assessment, evaluation, investigation, monitoring, containment, cleanup, removal, repair, restoration, remediation or other remedial obligations (collectively, the “Remedial Work”) in the event any Remedial Work is required or reasonably necessary under applicable Environmental Laws because of or in connection with the actual or suspected past, present or future Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material on, under, about or from any of the Credit Parties’ Properties, which failure to commence and diligently prosecute to completion could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (v) conduct, and cause its Subsidiaries to conduct, their respective operations and businesses in a manner that will not expose any Property or Person to Hazardous Materials that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for a claim for damages or compensation that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (vi) establish and implement, and shall cause each Subsidiary to establish and implement, such procedures as may be necessary to continuously determine and assure that the Credit Parties’ obligations under this Section 8.10(a) are timely and fully satisfied, which failure to establish and implement could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


 


(b) The Borrower will promptly, but in no event later than five (5) days of the occurrence of a triggering event, notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in writing of any threatened action, investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Authority or any threatened demand or lawsuit by any Person against any Credit Party or their Properties of which the Borrower has knowledge in connection with any Environmental Laws if the Borrower could reasonably anticipate that such action will result in liability (whether individually or in the aggregate) in excess of $100,000, not fully covered by insurance, subject to normal deductibles.


 






  





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(c) The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, provide environmental assessments, audits and tests in accordance with the most current version of the American Society of Testing Materials standards upon request by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders if the Administrative Agent reasonably believes (i) that there has been a Release of Hazardous Materials or (ii) non-compliance with an Environmental Law has occurred, and that such an event could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect (or as otherwise required to be obtained by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders by any Governmental Authority), in connection with any Oil and Gas Properties or other Properties.


 


Section 8.11 Further Assurances.


 


(a) The Borrower at its sole expense will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, promptly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent all such other documents, agreements and instruments reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to comply with, cure any defects or accomplish the conditions precedent, covenants and agreements of the Credit Parties, as the case may be, in the Loan Documents, including the Notes, if any, or to further evidence and more fully describe the collateral intended as security for the Indebtedness, or to correct any defect, error or inaccuracy in this Agreement or the Security Instruments, or to state more fully the obligations secured therein, or to perfect, protect or preserve any Liens created pursuant to this Agreement or any of the Security Instruments or the priority thereof, or to make any recordings, file any notices or obtain any consents, all as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate, in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent, in connection therewith.


 


(b) The Borrower hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to file one or more financing or continuation statements, and amendments thereto, relative to all or any part of the Mortgaged Property (or covering “all personal property” or “all assets”) without the signature of the Borrower or any other Guarantor where permitted by law.  A carbon, photographic or other reproduction of the Security Instruments or any financing statement covering the Mortgaged Property or any part thereof shall be sufficient as a financing statement where permitted by law.


 


Section 8.12 Reserve Reports.


 


(a) Commencing on October 1, 2010 and on or before each April 1 and October 1 of each year thereafter, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report evaluating the Oil and Gas Properties of the Credit Parties as of the immediately preceding January 1st and July 1st.  The Reserve Reports as of January 1 and July 1 of each year shall be prepared by one or more Approved Petroleum Engineers.


 


(b) In the event of an Interim Redetermination, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report prepared by one or more Approved Petroleum Engineers.  For any Interim Redetermination requested by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.07(b), the Borrower shall


 






  





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provide such Reserve Report with an “as of” date as required by the Administrative Agent as soon as possible, but in any event no later than thirty (30) days following the receipt of such request.


 


(c) With the delivery of each Reserve Report, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a certificate from a Responsible Officer, in substantially the form of Exhibit H attached hereto, certifying that in all material respects: (i) the data contained in the Reserve Report and any other information delivered in connection therewith is true and correct, (ii) the Credit Parties own good and defensible title to the Hydrocarbon Interests in the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report and such Properties are free of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 9.03, (iii) except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments in excess of the volume specified in Section 7.18 with respect to its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report which would require any Credit Party to deliver Hydrocarbons either generally or produced from such Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor, (iv) none of their Oil and Gas Properties have been sold since the date of the last Borrowing Base determination except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, which certificate shall list all of its Oil and Gas Properties sold and in such detail as reasonably required by the Administrative Agent, (v) attached to the certificate is a list of all marketing agreements entered into subsequent to the later of the Effective Date or the most recently delivered Reserve Report which the Borrower could reasonably be expected to have been obligated to list on Schedule 7.19 had such agreement been in effect on the Effective Date and (vi) attached thereto is a schedule of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that are Mortgaged Properties which demonstrates compliance with Section 8.14(a).


 


Section 8.13 Title Information.


 


(a) On or before the delivery to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of each Reserve Report required by Section 8.12(a), the Borrower will deliver title information in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent covering enough of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that were not included in the immediately preceding Reserve Report, so that the Administrative Agent shall have received together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, reasonably satisfactory title information on at least 80% of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report ; provided that, following reasonable notice from the Administrative Agent, the aforementioned threshold shall automatically be increased to acceptable title information with respect to at least 90% of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by each such Reserve Report.


 


(b) If the Borrower has provided title information for additional Properties under Section 8.13(a), the Borrower shall, within forty-five (45) days of notice from the Administrative Agent that title defects or exceptions exist with respect to such additional Properties, either (i) cure any such title defects or exceptions (including defects or exceptions as to priority) which are not permitted by Section 9.03 raised by such


 






  





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information, (ii) substitute acceptable Mortgaged Properties with no title defects or exceptions except for Excepted Liens (other than Excepted Liens described in clauses (e), (g) and (h) of such definition) having an equivalent value or (iii) deliver title information in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent so that the Administrative Agent shall have received, together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, satisfactory title information on at least 80% or 90%, as applicable, of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.


 


(c) If the Borrower is unable to cure any title defect requested by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to be cured within the 45-day period or the Borrower does not comply with the requirements to provide acceptable title information covering 80% or 90%, as applicable, of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recent Reserve Report, such default shall not be a Default, but instead the Administrative Agent and/or the Majority Lenders shall have the right to exercise the following remedy in their sole discretion from time to time, and any failure to so exercise this remedy at any time shall not be a waiver as to future exercise of the remedy by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders.  To the extent that the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders are not satisfied with title to any Mortgaged Property after the 45-day period has elapsed, such unacceptable Mortgaged Property shall not count towards the 80% or 90%, as applicable, requirement, and the Administrative Agent may send a notice to the Borrower and the Lenders that the then outstanding Borrowing Base shall be reduced by an amount as determined by the Majority Lenders to cause the Borrower to be in compliance with the requirement to provide acceptable title information on 80% or 90%, as applicable, of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties.  This new Borrowing Base shall become effective immediately after receipt of such notice.


 


Section 8.14 Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors.


 


(a) In connection with each redetermination of the Borrowing Base, the Borrower shall review the Reserve Report and the list of current Mortgaged Properties (as described in Section 8.12(c)(vi)) to ascertain whether the Mortgaged Properties represent at least 80% of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently completed Reserve Report; provided that, following reasonable notice from the Administrative Agent, the aforementioned threshold shall automatically be increased to 90% of the Total Reserve Value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently completed Reserve Report.  In the event that the Mortgaged Properties do not represent at least 80% or 90%, as applicable, of such Total Reserve Value, then the Credit Parties shall, and shall cause their Subsidiaries to, grant, within forty-five (45) days of delivery of the certificate required under Section 8.12(c), to the Administrative Agent as security for the Indebtedness a first-priority Lien interest (provided that Excepted Liens of the type described in clauses (a) to (d) and (f) of the definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) on additional Oil and Gas Properties not already subject to a Lien of the Security Instruments such that after giving effect thereto, the Mortgaged Properties will represent at least 80% or 90%, as applicable, of such Total Reserve Value.  All such Liens will be


 






  





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created and perfected by and in accordance with the provisions of deeds of trust, security agreements and financing statements or other Security Instruments, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and in sufficient executed (and acknowledged where necessary or appropriate) counterparts for recording purposes.


 


(b) In the event that a Credit Party forms or acquires any Subsidiary, the Credit Parties shall promptly cause such Subsidiary to guarantee the Indebtedness pursuant to the Guaranty Agreement.  In connection with any such guaranty, the Credit Parties shall, or shall cause such Subsidiary to, (A) execute and deliver a supplement to the Guaranty Agreement executed by such Subsidiary, (B) pledge all of the Equity Interests of such new Subsidiary (including, without limitation, delivery of original stock certificates evidencing the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary, together with an appropriate undated stock powers for each certificate duly executed in blank by the registered owner thereof) and (C) execute and deliver such other additional closing documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent.


 


(c) If requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, grant, within thirty (30) days of such request, to the Administrative Agent as security for the Indebtedness a first-priority Lien interest (provided that Excepted Liens of the type described in clauses (a) to (d) and (f) of the definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) on any Oil and Gas Properties of the Credit Parties not already subject to a Lien of the Security Instruments.  All such Liens will be created and perfected by and in accordance with the provisions of deeds of trust, security agreements and financing statements or other Security Instruments, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and in sufficient executed (and acknowledged where necessary or appropriate) counterparts for recording purposes.


 


Section 8.15 ERISA Compliance.  The Borrower will promptly furnish and will cause the Subsidiaries and any ERISA Affiliate to promptly furnish to the Administrative Agent promptly after the filing thereof with the United States Secretary of Labor or the Internal Revenue Service, copies of each annual and other report with respect to each Plan or any trust created thereunder, and immediately upon becoming aware of the occurrence of an “prohibited transaction.’ As described in section 406 of ERISA or in section 4975 of the Code, in connection with any Plan or any trust created thereunder, a written notice signed by the President or the principal Financial Officer, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate, as the case may be, specifying the nature thereof, what action such Credit Party, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto, and, when known, any action taken or proposed by the Internal Revenue Service or the Department of Labor with respect thereto.


 


Section 8.16 Swap Agreements.  The Borrower shall from time to time enter into Swap Agreements in respect of commodities so that the notional volumes of all Swap Agreements and additional fixed-price physical off-take contracts, in the aggregate, are more than 50% of the reasonably anticipated projected production from the Borrower’s Proved Developed Producing


 






  





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Reserves for each month continuing through and including the date that is thirty-six (36) months following the effective date of each such Swap Agreement.


 


Section 8.17 Marketing Activities.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage in marketing activities for any Hydrocarbons or enter into any contracts related thereto other than (i) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from their proved Oil and Gas Properties during the period of such contract, (ii) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from proved Oil and Gas Properties of third parties during the period of such contract associated with the Oil and Gas Properties of the Credit Parties that a Credit Party has the right to market pursuant to joint operating agreements, unitization agreements or other similar contracts that are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and (iii) other contracts for the purchase and/or sale of Hydrocarbons of third parties (A) which have generally offsetting provisions (i.e. corresponding pricing mechanics, delivery dates and points and volumes) such that no “position” is taken and (B) for which appropriate credit support has been taken to alleviate the material credit risks of the counterparty thereto.


 


ARTICLE IX


 


Negative Covenants


 


Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:


 


Section 9.01 Financial Covenants.


 


(a) Ratio of Debt to EBITDAX.  The Borrower will not, at any time, permit its ratio of Debt as of such time to EBITDAX to be greater than 3.5 to 1.0.


 


(b) Current Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, its ratio of (i) consolidated current assets (including the unused amount of the total Commitments, but excluding non-cash assets under FAS 133) to (ii) consolidated current liabilities (excluding non-cash obligations under FAS 133 and current maturities under this Agreement) to be less than 1.0 to 1.0.


 


(c) Tangible Net Worth Ratio.  The Borrower will not, at any time, permit its ratio of Tangible Net Worth to Debt as of such date to be less than 3.0 to 1.0.


 


Section 9.02 Debt.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, incur, create, assume or suffer to exist any Debt, except:


 


(a) the Notes or other Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents or any guaranty of or suretyship arrangement for the Notes or other Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents;


 






  





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(b) endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business;


 


(c) Debt under Capital Leases not to exceed $200,000 in aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding;


 


(d) Debt associated with bonds or surety obligations required by Governmental Requirements in connection with the operation of, or provision for the abandonment and remediation of, the Oil and Gas Properties;


 


(e) intercompany Debt between any Credit Parties to the extent permitted by Section 9.05(f); provided that such Debt is not held, assigned, transferred, negotiated or pledged to any Person other than the one of the Credit Parties, and, provided further, that any such Debt owed by any Credit Party shall be subordinated to the Indebtedness on terms set forth in the Guaranty Agreement;


 


        (f) Debt owed by the Borrower under the Officer Notes;


 


        (g) Debt in a principal amount not to exceed seventy-five percent (75%) of the marked-to-market value of the Borrower’s Auction Rate Securities, secured solely by the interests of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in such Auction-Rate Securities which is non-recourse to the Borrower and otherwise on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.


 


Section 9.03 Liens.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any of its Properties (now owned or hereafter acquired), except:


 


(a) Liens securing the payment of any Indebtedness;


 


(b) Excepted Liens;


 


(c) Liens securing Capital Leases permitted by Section 9.02(c) but only on the Property under lease; and


 


(d) Liens on Auction-Rate Securities securing Debt permitted by Section 9.02(g).


 


Section 9.04 Dividends, Distributions and Repayment of Officer Notes.


 


(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, return any capital to its stockholders or make any distribution of its Property to its Equity Interest holders, except (i) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock), (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends and make distributions to the Borrower with respect to their Equity Interests and (iii) the


 






  





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Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Credit Parties.


 


(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to (i) amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms of the Officer Note Debt permitted under Section 9.02(f) without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent or (ii) call, make or offer to make any optional or voluntary Redemption of or otherwise optionally or voluntarily Redeem (whether in whole or in part) the Officer Notes, provided that, if no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would exist after giving effect to such prepayment and no Borrowing Base Deficiency then exists, Borrower may Redeem all or any part of the Officer Notes.


 


Section 9.05 Investments, Loans and Advances.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make or permit to remain outstanding any Investments in or to any Person, except that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to:


 


(a) accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business;


 


(b) direct obligations of the United States or any agency thereof, or obligations guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof, in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;


 


(c) commercial paper maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof rated in the highest grade by S&P or Moody’s;


 


(d) deposit accounts or deposits maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof with, including certificates of deposit issued by, any Lender or any other Person at any office located in the United States which is organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, has capital, surplus and undivided profits aggregating at least $100,000,000 (as of the date of such bank or trust company’s most recent financial reports) and has a short term deposit rating of no lower than A2 or P2, as such rating is set forth from time to time, by S&P or Moody’s, respectively;


 


(e) deposits in money market funds investing exclusively in Investments described in Section 9.05(b), Section 9.05(c) or Section 9.05(d);


 


(f) Investments (i) made by the Borrower in or to any Subsidiary which is a Guarantor and with respect to which 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests have been pledged to Administrative Agent, and (ii) made by any Guarantor in or to any other Credit Party;


 


(g) Investments in direct ownership interests in additional Oil and Gas Properties and gas gathering systems related thereto or related to farm-out, farm-in, joint operating, joint venture or area of mutual interest agreements, gathering systems, pipelines or other similar arrangements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas


 






  





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exploration and production business located within the geographic boundaries of the United States of America;


 


(h) Investments in stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts arising from Investments permitted under this Section 9.05 owing to any Credit Party as a result of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding of the obligor in respect of such debts or upon the enforcement of any Lien in favor of any Credit Party; provided that the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent prompt written notice in the event that the aggregate amount of all Investments held at any one time outstanding under this Section 9.05(h) exceeds $100,000;


 


(i) The Auction Rate Securities owned by the Borrower as of the Effective Date; and


 


(j) other Investments not to exceed $200,000 in the aggregate at any time.


 


Section 9.06 Nature of Business.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, allow any material change to be made in the character of its business as an independent oil and gas exploration and production company.  From and after the date hereof, the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries will not acquire or make any other expenditure (whether such expenditure is capital, operating or otherwise) in or related to, any Oil and Gas Properties not located within the geographical boundaries of the United States.


 


Section 9.07 Limitation on Leases.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any obligation for the payment of rent or hire of Property of any kind whatsoever (real or personal but excluding Capital Leases and leases of Hydrocarbon Interests), under leases or lease agreements which would cause the aggregate amount of all payments made by the Credit Parties and the Subsidiaries pursuant to all such leases or lease agreements, including, without limitation, any residual payments at the end of any lease, to exceed $200,000 in any period of twelve consecutive calendar months during the life of such leases.


 


Section 9.08 Proceeds of Notes.  The Borrower will not permit the proceeds of the Notes to be used for any purpose other than those permitted by Section 7.21.  No Credit Party nor any Person acting on behalf of a Credit Party has taken or will take any action which might cause any of the Loan Documents to violate Regulations T, U or X or any other regulation of the Board or to violate Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation thereunder, in each case as now in effect or as the same may hereinafter be in effect.  If requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the requirements of FR Form U-1 or such other form referred to in Regulation U, Regulation T or Regulation X of the Board, as the case may be.


 


Section 9.09 ERISA Compliance.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, at any time:


 






  





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(a) engage in, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to engage in, any transaction in connection with which a Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate could be subjected to either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i), (l) or (m) of section 502 of ERISA or a tax imposed by Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code if such penalty or liability could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 


(b) Fail to make, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to fail to make, full payment when due of all amounts which, under the provisions of any Plan, agreement relating thereto or applicable law, a Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions thereto if such failure could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 


(c) contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to (i) any employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by such entities in their sole discretion at any time without any material liability, or (ii) any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in section 3(2) of ERISA, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code.


 


Section 9.10 Sale or Discount of Receivables.  Except for receivables obtained by a Credit Party out of the ordinary course of business or the settlement of joint interest billing accounts in the ordinary course of business or discounts granted to settle collection of accounts receivable or the sale of defaulted accounts arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof and not in connection with any financing transaction, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, discount or sell (with or without recourse) any of its notes receivable or accounts receivable.


 


Section 9.11 Mergers, Etc.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or with or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its Property to any other Person (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) (any such transaction, a “consolidation”), or liquidate or dissolve; provided that (a) any Subsidiary may participate in a consolidation with (i) the Borrower so long as the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving entity or (ii) any other Subsidiary (provided that if one of such Subsidiaries is a wholly-owned Subsidiary, then the surviving Person shall be a wholly-owned Subsidiary) and (b) the Borrower may merge with an into a newly-formed wholly-owned corporate Subsidiary of the Borrower organized under the laws of the state of Minnesota with such Subsidiary being the survivor; provided that (i) the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with at least ten (10) days prior written notice of its intent to consummate such a merger and in connection therewith shall provide a detailed summary of the terms and structure of the proposed merger transaction, (ii) the plan of merger, merger agreement and other documentation effectuating such merger shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (iii) contemporaneously with the consummation of such merger, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with (A) an executed assumption agreement whereby the surviving entity assumes the rights and obligations


 






  





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of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (B) executed and notarized (where applicable) amendments to and/or reaffirmations of the Security Instruments that reflect such merger, and (C) such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (iv) such merger shall be consummated on or before July 31, 2010.


 


Section 9.12 Sale of Properties.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, assign, farm-out, convey or otherwise transfer (including through the sale of a production payment or overriding royalty interest) any Property except for (a) the sale of Hydrocarbons in the ordinary course of business; (b) farmouts, sales or other dispositions of undeveloped acreage and assignments in connection with such farmouts with the approval of the Administrative Agent; (c) the sale or transfer of equipment that is no longer necessary for the business of a Credit Party or is replaced by equipment of at least comparable value and use; (d) the sale or other disposition (including Casualty Events) of any Oil and Gas Property or any interest therein or any Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties; provided that (i) 100% of the consideration received in respect of such sale or other disposition shall be cash, (ii) the consideration received in respect of such sale or other disposition shall be equal to or greater than the fair market value of the Oil and Gas Property, interest therein or the Subsidiary subject of such sale or other disposition (as reasonably determined by the board of directors of the Borrower and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying to that effect), (iii) if such sale or other disposition of Oil and Gas Property or Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report during any period between two successive Scheduled Redetermination Dates has a fair market value in excess of $250,000, individually or in the aggregate, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced, effective immediately upon such sale or disposition, by an amount equal to the value, if any, assigned such Property in the most recently delivered Reserve Report and (iv) if any such sale or other disposition is of a Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties, such sale or other disposition shall include all the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary; (e) the sale or other disposition of the Oil and Gas Properties listed on Schedule 9.12; (f) the disposition of Oil and Gas Properties not included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report in exchange for either (i) other Oil and Gas Properties of a similar use or purpose  or (ii) an operator’s commitment to drill an oil or natural gas well; (g) the sale or other disposition of the Auction-Rate Securities provided that the Debt permitted by Section 9.02(g) is paid in full and the Liens permitted by Section 9.03(d) are terminated concurrently with such sale or disposition and (h) sales and other dispositions of Properties not regulated by Section 9.12(a) to (g) having a fair market value not to exceed $250,000 during any twelve (12) month period.


 


Section 9.13 Environmental Matters.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, cause or permit any of its Property to be in violation of, or do anything or permit anything to be done which will subject any such Property to a Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Materials, exposure to any Hazardous Materials, or to any Remedial Work under any Environmental Laws, assuming disclosure to the applicable Governmental Authority of all relevant facts, conditions and circumstances, if any, pertaining to such Property where such violations, Release or threatened Release, exposure, or Remedial work could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


 






  





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Section 9.14 Material Agreements.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into or amend or otherwise modify any Material Agreement or any other contract or agreement that involves an individual commitment from such Person of more than $500,000 in the aggregate in any twelve (12) month period, except for contracts for the acquisition of Oil and Gas Properties.


 


Section 9.15 Transactions with Affiliates.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any transaction, including, without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease or exchange of Property or the rendering of any service, with any Affiliate (other than the Guarantors and wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower) unless such transactions are otherwise permitted under this Agreement and are upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to it than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate.


 


Section 9.16 Subsidiaries.  Except for the Subsidiary formed in connection with the merger contemplated by Section 9.11(b) (which Subsidiary shall neither own any Oil and Gas Properties or other Properties nor incur any liability or obligation prior to such merger), the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create any additional Subsidiary unless the Borrower gives written notice to the Administrative Agent of such creation and complies with Section 8.14(b).  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, assign or otherwise dispose of any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary except in compliance with Section 9.11(b) or Section 9.12(d).  Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary shall have any Foreign Subsidiaries.


 


Section 9.17 Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any contract, agreement or understanding (other than this Agreement, the Security Instruments, Capital Leases creating Liens permitted by Section 9.03(c) or the Auction Rate Securities Documents) which in any way prohibits or restricts the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on any of its Property in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders or restricts any Subsidiary from paying dividends or making distributions to any Credit Party, or which requires the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection therewith.


 


Section 9.18 Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, allow gas imbalances, take-or-pay or other prepayments with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of any Credit Party that would require a Credit Party to deliver Hydrocarbons at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor to exceed two percent (2%) of the Credit Parties’ Proved Reserves of natural gas (on an mcf equivalent basis) in the aggregate.


 


Section 9.19 Swap Agreements.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Swap Agreements with any Person other than Lenders or their Affiliates.  The Borrower shall neither assign, terminate or unwind any such Swap Agreements nor sell any Swap Agreements if the effect of such action (when taken together with any other Swap Agreements executed contemporaneously with the taking of such action) would have the effect of cancelling its positions under such Swap Agreements required hereby. The Borrower shall not enter into Swap Agreements in respect of commodities if the effect thereof would be to


 






  





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cause the notional volumes of all Swap Agreements and additional fixed-price physical off-take contracts, in the aggregate, to exceed 90% of the reasonably anticipated projected production from the Borrower’s Proved Developed Producing Reserves for any month continuing through and including the date that is thirty-six (36) months following the effective date of each such Swap Agreement.


 


Section 9.20 Sale and Leasebacks.  The Borrower will not, any will not permit any Subsidiary or Guarantor to enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Guarantor shall sell or transfer any of its Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and whereby Borrower or any Subsidiary or Guarantor shall then or thereafter rent or lease as lessee such Property or any part thereof or other Property which Borrower or any Subsidiary or Guarantor intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the Property sold or transferred.


 


Section 9.21 Amendments to Organizational Documents.  Without the prior written consent of the Majority Lenders, neither Borrower nor any Guarantor will amend, or permit to be amended, its Organizational Documents or waive any right or obligation of any Person thereunder except to the extent such amendment or waiver could not reasonably be expected to adversely affect the rights and benefits of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and/or other secured parties under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.


 


ARTICLE X


 


Events of Default; Remedies


 


Section 10.01 Events of Default.  One or more of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default”:


 


(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof, by acceleration or otherwise;


 


(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in Section 10.01(a)) payable under any Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days;


 


(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of a Credit Party in or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification of any Loan Document or waiver under such Loan Document or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;


 


(d) a Credit Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 8.01(i), Section 8.01(m), Section 8.02, Section 8.03, Section 8.14 or in Article IX;


 






  





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(e) a Credit Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in Section 10.01(a), Section 10.01(b) or Section 10.01(d)) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after the earlier to occur of (A) notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) or (B) a Responsible Officer of such Credit Party otherwise becoming aware of such default;


 


(f) a Credit Party shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto;


 


(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due (after taking into account any applicable period of grace with respect thereto), or to require the Redemption thereof or any offer to Redeem to be made in respect thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity or an event or condition requires a Credit Party to make an offer in respect thereof;


 


(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of a Credit Party or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any  Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for a Credit Party or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for forty-five (45) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;


 


(i) a Credit Party shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in Section 10.01(h), (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for a Credit Party for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing; or any stockholder of the Borrower shall make any request or take any action for the purpose of calling a meeting of the stockholders of the Borrower to consider a resolution to dissolve and wind-up the Borrower’s affairs;


 


(j) a Credit Party shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;


 


(k) (i) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $250,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third


 






  





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party insurance provided by insurers of the highest claims paying rating or financial strength as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage and is not subject to an insolvency proceeding) or (ii) any one or more non-monetary judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, shall be rendered against a Credit Party or any combination thereof and, in either such case, the same shall remain undischarged for a period of forty-five (45) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of a Credit Party to enforce any such judgment;


 


(l) the Loan Documents after delivery thereof shall for any reason, except to the extent permitted by the terms thereof, cease to be in full force and effect and valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with their terms against the Borrower or a Guarantor party thereto or shall be repudiated by any of them, or cease to create a valid and perfected Lien of the priority required thereby on any of the collateral purported to be covered thereby, except to the extent permitted by the terms of this Agreement, or a Credit Party or any of their Affiliates shall so state in writing;


 


(m) a Change in Control shall occur;


 


(n) a failure to cure a Borrowing Base Deficiency as outlined in Section 3.04(c)(ii) or (iii); and


 


(o) an “Event of Default”, “Termination Event” or “Additional Termination Event” (other than an “Event of Default”, “Termination Event” or “Additional Termination Event” associated with a breach thereof by Macquarie Bank Limited) shall occur under that certain ISDA Master Agreement by and between Macquarie Bank Limited and the Borrower dated on or about February 27, 2009 as the same may be amended from time to time or any other Swap Agreement between the Borrower and any Lender or Affiliate of any Lender (in each case after giving effect to any applicable grace periods).


 


Section 10.02 Remedies.


 


(a) In the case of an Event of Default other than one described in Section 10.01(h), Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j), at any time thereafter during the continuance of such Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Majority Lenders, shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times:  (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Notes and the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors accrued hereunder and under the Notes and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.08(i)), shall become due and payable immediately,


 






  





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without presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and each Guarantor; and in case of an Event of Default described in Section 10.01(h), Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j), the Commitments shall automatically terminate and such Notes and the principal of such Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and the other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors accrued hereunder and under such Notes and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.08(i)), shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and each Guarantor.


 


(b) In the case of the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders will have all other rights and remedies available at law and equity.


 


(c) All proceeds realized from the liquidation or other disposition of collateral or otherwise received after maturity of the Notes, whether by acceleration or otherwise, shall be applied:


 


(i) first, to payment or reimbursement of that portion of the Indebtedness constituting fees, expenses and indemnities payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;


 


(ii) second, pro rata to payment or reimbursement of that portion of the Indebtedness constituting fees, expenses and indemnities payable to the Lenders;


 


(iii) third, pro rata to payment of accrued interest on the Loans;


 


(iv) fourth, pro rata to payment of all other Indebtedness; and


 


(v) fifth, any excess, after all of the Indebtedness shall have been indefeasibly paid in full in cash, shall be paid to the Borrower or as otherwise required by any Governmental Requirement.


 


ARTICLE XI


 


The Administrative Agent


 


Section 11.01 Appointment; Powers.  Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof and the other Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.


 


Section 11.02 Duties and Obligations of Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall


 






  





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not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing (the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law; rather, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties), (b) the Administrative Agent shall have no duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except as provided in Section 11.03, and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Credit Party that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or in any other Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article VI or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or as to those conditions precedent expressly required to be to the Administrative Agent’s satisfaction, (vi) the existence, value, perfection or priority of any collateral security or the financial or other condition of any Credit Party or any other obligor or guarantor, or (vii) any failure by a Credit Party or any other Person (other than itself) to perform any of its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document or the performance or observance of any covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein.  For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Article VI, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed closing date specifying its objection thereto.


 


Section 11.03 Action by Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall have no duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.02) and in all cases the Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to act hereunder or under any other Loan Documents unless it shall (a) receive written instructions from the Majority Lenders or the Lenders, as applicable, (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.02) specifying the action to be taken and (b) be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expenses which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action.  The instructions as aforesaid and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto by the Administrative Agent shall be binding on all of the


 






  





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Lenders.  If a Default has occurred and is continuing, then the Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default as shall be directed by the requisite Lenders in the written instructions (with indemnities) described in this Section 11.03, provided that, unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders.  In no event, however, shall the Administrative Agent be required to take any action which exposes the Administrative Agent to personal liability or which is contrary to this Agreement, the Loan Documents or applicable law.  The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Majority Lenders or the Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.02), and otherwise the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it hereunder or under any other Loan Document or under any other document or instrument referred to or provided for herein or therein or in connection herewith or therewith INCLUDING ITS OWN ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE, except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.




 


Section 11.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon and each of the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereby waive the right to dispute the Administrative Agent’s record of such statement, except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.  The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the holder thereof for all purposes hereof unless and until a written notice of the assignment or transfer thereof permitted hereunder shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent.


 


Section 11.05 Subagents.  The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of the preceding Sections of this Article XI shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.


 


Section 11.06 Resignation or Removal of Administrative Agent.  Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this Section 11.06, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Issuing Bank, the


 






  





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Lenders and the Borrower, and the Administrative Agent may be removed at any time with or without cause by the Majority Lenders.  Upon any such resignation or removal, the Majority


 


Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower (provided no Event of Default then exist), to appoint a successor.  If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation or removal of the retiring Administrative Agent, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Issuing Bank and Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank.  Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder.  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article XI and Section 12.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.


 


Section 11.07 Administrative Agent as Lender.  Each Person serving as an Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not an Administrative Agent hereunder.


 


Section 11.08 No Reliance.


 


(a) Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party.  Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.  The Administrative Agent shall not be required to keep itself informed as to the performance or observance by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of this Agreement, the Loan Documents or any other document referred to or provided for herein or to inspect the Properties or books of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries.  Except for notices, reports and other documents and information expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the affairs, financial condition or business of the Borrower (or any of its Affiliates) which may come into the possession of such Agent or any of its


 






  





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Affiliates.  In this regard, each Lender acknowledges that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is acting in this transaction as special counsel to the Administrative Agent only, except to the extent otherwise expressly stated in any legal opinion or any Loan Document.  Each other party hereto will consult with its own legal counsel to the extent that it deems necessary in connection with the Loan Documents and the matters contemplated therein.


 


(b) The Lenders acknowledge that the Administrative Agent is acting solely in an administrative capacity with respect to the structuring and syndication of this facility and have no duties, responsibilities or liabilities under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents other than their administrative duties, responsibilities and liabilities specifically as set forth in the Loan Documents and in their capacity as Lenders hereunder.  In structuring, arranging or syndicating this facility, each Lender acknowledges that the Administrative Agent may be an agent or lender under these Notes, other loans or other securities and waives any existing or future conflicts of interest associated with the their role in such other debt instruments.  If in its administration of this facility or any other debt instrument, the Administrative Agent determines (or is given written notice by any Lender that a conflict exists), then it shall eliminate such conflict within ninety (90) days or resign pursuant to Section 11.06 and shall have no liability for action taken or not taken while such conflict existed.


 


Section 11.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.  In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:


 


(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Indebtedness that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Section 12.03) allowed in such judicial proceeding;


 


(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;


 


and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Section 12.03.


 






  





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Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Indebtedness or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.


 


Section 11.10 Authority of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens.  Each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to release any collateral that is permitted to be sold or released pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents.  Each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver to the Borrower, at the Borrower’s sole cost and expense, any and all releases of Liens, termination statements, assignments or other documents reasonably requested by the Borrower in connection with any sale or other disposition of Property to the extent such sale or other disposition is permitted by the terms of Section 9.12 or is otherwise authorized by the terms of the Loan Documents.


 


ARTICLE XII


 


Miscellaneous


 


Section 12.01 Notices.


 


(a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to Section 12.01(b)), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:


 


(i) if to the Borrower, to it at 315 Manitoba Avenue, Suite 200, Wayzata, MN 55391, Attention of Chief Financial Officer (Telecopy No. (952) 476-9801);


 


(ii) if to the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank to it at: Macquarie Bank Limited, No. 1 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia, Attention: Metals and Energy Capital Division (Facsimile: +612 8232 3590) with a copy to Macquarie Bank Limited-Representative Office, One Allen Center, 500 Dallas Street, Suite 3250, Houston TX 77002 USA, Attention: Metals and Energy Capital Division (Facsimile: +1 713 275 6222); and


 


(iii) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.


 


(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II, Article III, Article IV and Article V unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender.  The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.


 






  





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(c) Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.  All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.


 


Section 12.02 Waivers; Amendments.


 


(a) No failure on the part of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender to exercise and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any right, power or privilege, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right, power or privilege, under any of the Loan Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege under any of the Loan Documents preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.  The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have.  No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by Section 12.02(b), and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.


 


(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof nor any Security Instrument nor any provision thereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment or the Maximum Credit Amount of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) increase the Borrowing Base without the written consent of all of the Lenders, decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base without the consent of the Majority Lenders, or modify Section 2.07 in any manner without the consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender); provided that a Scheduled Redetermination may be postponed by the Required Lenders, (iii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, or reduce any other Indebtedness hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) postpone the scheduled date of payment or prepayment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or any other Indebtedness hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone or extend the Termination Date without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (v) change Section 4.01(b) or Section 4.01(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (vi) waive or amend Section 3.04(c), Section 6.01, Section 8.14, Section 10.02(c) or Section 12.14 or change the definition of the terms “Foreign Subsidiary” or


 






  





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“Subsidiary”, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (vii) release any Guarantor (except as set forth in the Guaranty Agreement), release any of the collateral (other than as provided in Section 11.10), or reduce the percentage set forth in Section 8.13(a) to less than 80%, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), or (viii) change any of the provisions of this Section 12.02(b) or the definitions of “Required Lenders” or “Majority Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or under any other Loan Documents or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder or any other Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender); provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any supplement to Schedule 7.14 (Subsidiaries) or Schedule 7.24 (Material Agreements) shall be effective simply by delivering to the Administrative Agent a supplemental schedule clearly marked as such and, upon receipt, the Administrative Agent will promptly deliver a copy thereof to the Lenders.


 


Section 12.03 Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver.


 


(a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel and other outside consultants for the Administrative Agent, the reasonable travel, photocopy, mailing, courier, telephone and other similar expenses, and the cost of environmental audits and surveys and appraisals, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration (both before and after the execution hereof and including advice of counsel to the Administrative Agent as to the rights and duties of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect thereto) of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers of or consents related to the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all costs, expenses, Taxes, assessments and other charges incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with any filing, registration, recording or perfection of any security interest contemplated by this Agreement or any Security Instrument or any other document referred to therein, (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder, (iv) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including its rights under this Section 12.03, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including, without limitation, all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.


 






  





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(b) THE BORROWER SHALL INDEMNIFY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE ISSUING BANK AND EACH LENDER, AND EACH RELATED PARTY OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING PERSONS (EACH SUCH PERSON BEING CALLED AN “INDEMNITEE”) AGAINST, AND HOLD EACH INDEMNITEE HARMLESS FROM, ANY AND ALL LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES AND RELATED EXPENSES, INCLUDING THE FEES, CHARGES AND DISBURSEMENTS OF ANY COUNSEL FOR ANY INDEMNITEE, INCURRED BY OR ASSERTED AGAINST ANY INDEMNITEE ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION WITH, OR AS A RESULT OF (i) THE EXECUTION OR DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ANY AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, THE PERFORMANCE BY THE PARTIES HERETO OR THE PARTIES TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR THE CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR BY ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, (ii) THE FAILURE OF THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THIS AGREEMENT, OR WITH ANY GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENT, (iii) ANY INACCURACY OF ANY REPRESENTATION OR ANY BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY OR COVENANT OF THE BORROWER OR ANY GUARANTOR SET FORTH IN ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY INSTRUMENTS, DOCUMENTS OR CERTIFICATIONS DELIVERED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (iv) ANY LOAN OR LETTER OF CREDIT OR THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS THEREFROM, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, (A) ANY REFUSAL BY THE ISSUING BANK TO HONOR A DEMAND FOR PAYMENT UNDER A LETTER OF CREDIT IF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH DEMAND DO NOT STRICTLY COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT, OR (B) THE PAYMENT OF A DRAWING UNDER ANY LETTER OF CREDIT NOTWITHSTANDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE, NON-DELIVERY OR OTHER IMPROPER PRESENTATION OF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (v) ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, (vi) THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUSINESS OF THE BORROWER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES BY THE BORROWER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (vii) ANY ASSERTION THAT THE LENDERS WERE NOT ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE PROCEEDS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE SECURITY INSTRUMENTS, (viii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES OR OPERATIONS, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE PRESENCE, GENERATION, STORAGE, RELEASE, THREATENED RELEASE, USE, TRANSPORT, DISPOSAL, ARRANGEMENT OF DISPOSAL OR TREATMENT OF OIL, OIL AND GAS WASTES, SOLID WASTES OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OR AT ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, (ix) THE BREACH OR NON-COMPLIANCE BY THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY WITH ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY, (x) THE PAST OWNERSHIP BY THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OF ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES OR PAST ACTIVITY ON ANY OF


 






  





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THEIR PROPERTIES WHICH, THOUGH LAWFUL AND FULLY PERMISSIBLE AT THE TIME, COULD RESULT IN PRESENT LIABILITY, (xi) THE PRESENCE, USE, RELEASE, STORAGE, TREATMENT, DISPOSAL, GENERATION, THREATENED RELEASE, TRANSPORT, ARRANGEMENT FOR TRANSPORT OR ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPOSAL OF OIL, OIL AND GAS WASTES, SOLID WASTES OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON ANY OF THE PROPERTIES OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR ANY ACTUAL OR ALLEGED PRESENCE OR RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OR FROM ANY PROPERTY OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (xii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY RELATED IN ANY WAY TO THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, OR (xiii) ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH OR SAFETY CONDITION IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, OR (xiv) ANY ACTUAL OR PROSPECTIVE CLAIM, LITIGATION, INVESTIGATION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY INDEMNITEE IS A PARTY THERETO, AND SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL EXTEND TO EACH INDEMNITEE NOTWITHSTANDING THE SOLE OR CONCURRENT NEGLIGENCE OF EVERY KIND OR CHARACTER WHATSOEVER, WHETHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE, WHETHER AN AFFIRMATIVE ACT OR AN OMISSION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL TYPES OF NEGLIGENT CONDUCT IDENTIFIED IN THE RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS OF ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES OR BY REASON OF STRICT LIABILITY IMPOSED WITHOUT FAULT ON ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES; PROVIDED THAT SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL NOT, AS TO ANY INDEMNITEE, BE AVAILABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES OR RELATED EXPENSES ARE DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY FINAL AND NONAPPEALABLE JUDGMENT TO HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH INDEMNITEE.


 


(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank under Section 12.03(a) or (b), each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank in its capacity as such.


 


(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.


 






  





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(e) All amounts due under this Section 12.03 shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.


 


Section 12.04 Successors and Assigns.


 


(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section 12.04.  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants (to the extent provided in Section 12.04(c)) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.


 


(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in Section 12.04(b)(ii), any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:


 


(A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required if such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, is to any other assignee; and


 


(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment to an assignee that is a Lender immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment.


 


(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:


 


(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $1,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;


 






  





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(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement except that this clause (B) shall not prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations among separate term and revolving facilities on a non-pro rata basis;


 


(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and


 


(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.


 


(iii) Subject to Section 12.04(b)(iv) and the acceptance and recording thereof, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 and Section 12.03).  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 12.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 12.04(c).


 


(iv) The Administrative Agent as Registrar (the “Registrar”), acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain (or shall appoint a designee to maintain) at one of its offices located in the United States a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Maximum Credit Amount of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary; provided that, failure to make any such recordation, or any error in such recordation, shall not affect any Lender’s Commitments or Borrower’s obligations in respect of any Loans or LC Disbursements.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.  In connection with any changes to the Register, if necessary, the Administrative Agent will reflect the revisions on


 






  





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Annex I and forward a copy of such revised Annex I to the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and each Lender.


 


(v) At the request of the registered owner of the Loan or Note, the Registrar shall note a collateral assignment of the Loan or Note on the Register and, provided that the Registrar has been given the name and address of such collateral assignee, the Registrar (i) shall not permit any further transfers of the Loan or Note on the Register absent receipt of written consent to such transfers from such collateral assignee and (ii) shall record the transfer of the Loan or Note on the Register to such collateral assignee (or such collateral assignee's designee, nominee or assignee) upon written request by such collateral assignee.


 


(vi) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s providing any information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in this Section 12.04(b) and any written consent to such assignment required by Section 12.04(a), the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register.  No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this Section 12.04(b).


 


(c) (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, or the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the proviso to Section 12.02 that affects such Participant.  In addition such agreement must provide that the Participant be bound by the provisions of Section 12.03.  Subject to Section 12.04(c)(ii), the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 5.01, Section 5.02 and Section 5.03 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 12.04.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 12.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 4.01(c) as though it were a Lender.


 






  





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(ii)           A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 5.01 or Section 5.03 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent.  A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 5.03 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 5.03(e) as though it were a Lender.


 


(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement, including to a trustee or other pledgee, to secure obligations of such Lender, including, without limitation, any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section 12.04(d) shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.


 


(e) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 12.04, no transfer or assignment of the interests or obligations of any Lender or any grant of participations therein shall be permitted if such transfer, assignment or grant would require the Borrower and the Guarantors to file a registration statement with the SEC or to qualify the Loans under the “Blue Sky” laws of any state.


 


(f) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 12.04, no transfer or assignment of the interests or obligations of any Lender or any grant of participations therein shall be permitted if such transfer, assignment or grant would be to an Affiliate of the Borrower, provided that an Approved Fund shall not be deemed an Affiliate of the Borrower.


 


Section 12.05 Survival; Revival; Reinstatement.


 


(a) All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated.  The provisions of Section 5.01, Section 5.02, Section 5.03 and Section 12.03 and Article XI


 






  





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shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.


 


(b) To the extent that any payments on the Indebtedness or proceeds of any collateral are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid to a trustee, debtor in possession, receiver or other Person under any bankruptcy law, common law or equitable cause, then to such extent, the Indebtedness so satisfied shall be revived and continue as if such payment or proceeds had not been received and the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ Liens, security interests, rights, powers and remedies under this Agreement and each Loan Document shall continue in full force and effect.  In such event, each Loan Document shall be automatically reinstated and the Borrower shall take such action as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to effect such reinstatement.


 


Section 12.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.


 


(a) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.


 


(b) This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof.  THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO AND THERETO AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.  THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.


 


(c) Except as provided in Section 6.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by telecopy or electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof.


 


Section 12.07 Severability.  Any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof or thereof;


 






  





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and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.


 


Section 12.08 Right of Setoff.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations (of whatsoever kind, including, without limitations obligations under Swap Agreements) at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Credit Party against any of and all the obligations of a Credit Party owed to such Lender now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations may be unmatured.  The rights of each Lender under this Section 12.08 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender or its Affiliates may have.


 


Section 12.09 GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS.


 


(a) THIS AGREEMENT AND THE NOTES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT UNITED STATES FEDERAL LAW PERMITS ANY LENDER TO CONTRACT FOR, CHARGE, RECEIVE, RESERVE OR TAKE INTEREST AT THE RATE ALLOWED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE WHERE SUCH LENDER IS LOCATED.


 


(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THE LOAN DOCUMENTS SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK LOCATED IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN OR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH PARTY HEREBY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW) IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS.  EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS.  THIS SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION IS NON-EXCLUSIVE AND DOES NOT PRECLUDE A PARTY FROM OBTAINING JURISDICTION OVER ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY COURT OTHERWISE HAVING JURISDICTION.


 


(c) EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE SERVICE OF PROCESS OF ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED COURTS IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY THE MAILING OF COPIES THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, TO IT AT THE


 






  





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ADDRESS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 12.01 OR SUCH OTHER ADDRESS AS IS SPECIFIED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.01 (OR ITS ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION), SUCH SERVICE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER SUCH MAILING.  NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF A PARTY OR ANY HOLDER OF A NOTE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO COMMENCE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR OTHERWISE PROCEED AGAINST ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.


 


(d) EACH PARTY HEREBY (i) IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN; (ii) IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO CLAIM OR RECOVER IN ANY SUCH LITIGATION ANY SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES OTHER THAN, OR IN ADDITION TO, ACTUAL DAMAGES; (iii) CERTIFIES THAT NO PARTY HERETO NOR ANY REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR COUNSEL FOR ANY PARTY HERETO HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, OR IMPLIED THAT SUCH PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVERS, AND (iv) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT, THE LOAN DOCUMENTS AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 12.09.


 


Section 12.10 Headings.  Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.


 


Section 12.11 Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to potential investors, rating agencies, and secured parties, including Approved Funds, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (c) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (d) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (e) to any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (f) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (g) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 12.11, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee


 






  





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of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any Swap Agreement relating to a Credit Party and its obligations, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 12.11 or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than a Credit Party.  For the purposes of this Section 12.11, “Information” means all information received from any Credit Party relating to any Credit Party and their businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by a Credit Party; provided that, in the case of information received from a Credit Party after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 12.11 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.


 


Section 12.12 Interest Rate Limitation.  It is the intention of the parties hereto that each Lender shall conform strictly to usury laws applicable to it.  Accordingly, if the transactions contemplated hereby would be usurious as to any Lender under laws applicable to it (including the laws of the United States of America and the State of New York or any other jurisdiction whose laws may be mandatorily applicable to such Lender notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement), then, in that event, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any of the Loan Documents or any agreement entered into in connection with or as security for the Notes, it is agreed as follows:  (i) the aggregate of all consideration which constitutes interest under law applicable to any Lender that is contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received by such Lender under any of the Loan Documents or agreements or otherwise in connection with the Notes shall under no circumstances exceed the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and any excess shall be canceled automatically and if theretofore paid shall be credited by such Lender on the principal amount of the Indebtedness (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Indebtedness shall have been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded by such Lender to the Borrower); and (ii) in the event that the maturity of the Notes is accelerated by reason of an election of the holder thereof resulting from any Event of Default under this Agreement or otherwise, or in the event of any required or permitted prepayment, then such consideration that constitutes interest under law applicable to any Lender may never include more than the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and excess interest, if any, provided for in this Agreement or otherwise shall be canceled automatically by such Lender as of the date of such acceleration or prepayment and, if theretofore paid, shall be credited by such Lender on the principal amount of the Indebtedness (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Indebtedness shall have been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded by such Lender to the Borrower).  All sums paid or agreed to be paid to any Lender for the use, forbearance or detention of sums due hereunder shall, to the extent permitted by law applicable to such Lender, be amortized, prorated, allocated and spread throughout the stated term of the Loans evidenced by the Notes until payment in full so that the rate or amount of interest on account of any Loans hereunder does not exceed the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law.  If at any time and from time to time (i) the amount of interest payable to any Lender on any date shall be computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender pursuant to this Section 12.12 and (ii) in respect of any subsequent interest computation period the amount of interest otherwise


 






  





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payable to such Lender would be less than the amount of interest payable to such Lender computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender, then, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the amount of interest payable to such Lender in respect of such subsequent interest computation period shall continue to be computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender until the total amount of interest payable to such Lender shall equal the total amount of interest which would have been payable to such Lender if the total amount of interest had been computed without giving effect to this Section 12.12.


 


Section 12.13 EXCULPATION PROVISIONS.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO SPECIFICALLY AGREES THAT IT HAS A DUTY TO READ THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND AGREES THAT IT IS CHARGED WITH NOTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; THAT IT HAS IN FACT READ THIS AGREEMENT AND IS FULLY INFORMED AND HAS FULL NOTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS, CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS OF THIS AGREEMENT; THAT IT HAS BEEN REPRESENTED BY INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL OF ITS CHOICE THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS PRECEDING ITS EXECUTION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; AND HAS RECEIVED THE ADVICE OF ITS ATTORNEY IN ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; AND THAT IT RECOGNIZES THAT CERTAIN OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS RESULT IN ONE PARTY ASSUMING THE LIABILITY INHERENT IN SOME ASPECTS OF THE TRANSACTION AND RELIEVING THE OTHER PARTY OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH LIABILITY.  EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES AND COVENANTS THAT IT WILL NOT CONTEST THE VALIDITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY EXCULPATORY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS ON THE BASIS THAT THE PARTY HAD NO NOTICE OR KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH PROVISION OR THAT THE PROVISION IS NOT “CONSPICUOUS.”


 


Section 12.14 Collateral Matters; Swap Agreements.  The benefit of the Security Instruments and of the provisions of this Agreement relating to any collateral securing the Indebtedness shall also extend to and be available any Swap Agreement between the Borrower or any Subsidiary and a Lender or its Affiliates on a pro rata basis in respect of any obligations of the Credit Parties.


 


Section 12.15 No Third Party Beneficiaries.  This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the agreement of the Lenders to make Loans and the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend Letters of Credit hereunder are solely for the benefit of the Borrower, and no other Person (including, without limitation, any Subsidiary of the Borrower, any obligor, contractor, subcontractor, supplier or materialsman) shall have any rights, claims, remedies or privileges hereunder or under any other Loan Document (except to the extent it is a party thereto) against the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender for any reason whatsoever.  There are no third party beneficiaries other than swap counterparties.


 


Section 12.16 USA Patriot Act Notice.  Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Patriot Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.


 


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The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.


 







 


BORROWER:                                                                       NORTHERN OIL AND GAS, INC.


 







By:  _____________________________


Name:  Michael Reger


Title:    Chief Executive Officer







 








  





  











  










ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:                                            MACQUARIE BANK LIMITED


as Administrative Agent












By:  _____________________________


Name:  ___________________________


Title:    ___________________________


















  





  











  















LENDERS:                                                                            MACQUARIE BANK LIMITED


 


By:  _____________________________


Name:  ___________________________


Title:    ___________________________