Document:

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                                                                     Exhibit 4.1

<TABLE>
<S>               <C>                                                                            <C>
                  INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS                                                    COMMON STOCK
                   OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE                                                      PAR VALUE $.01 EACH

                  THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE                                               CUSIP 913431 10 2
                  IN BOSTON, MA OR NEW YORK, NY                                                  SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

                                                   UNIVERSAL COMPRESSION HOLDINGS, INC.
                     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     This Certifies that

[GRAPHIC APPEARS                                                                                                   [GRAPHIC APPEARS
      HERE]                                                                                                              HERE]

                     is the owner of
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                                     FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF THE COMMON STOCK  OF

                     Universal Compression Holdings, Inc. transferable on the books of the Corporation by the
                     holder hereof, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate
                     properly endorsed. This Certificate is not valid until countersigned by the Transfer Agent
                     and registered by the Registrar.

                 Witness the facsimile seal of this Corporation and the signatures of its duly authorized officers.

                     Dated

                                                                           Countersigned and Registered:
                                                                                  EquiServe Trust Company, N.A.
                                                                                                            Transfer Agent
                                                                                                            and Registrar,

                      /s/ STEPHEN A. SNIDER        /s/ RICHARD W. FITZGERALD            By  /s/ CLINSTON MORRIS
                             President                  Assistant Secretary                     Auhorized Signature.
</TABLE>

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                          [UNIVERSAL COMPRESSION LOGO]

THE CORPORATION WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH STOCKHOLDER WHO SO REQUESTS
THE POWERS, DESIGNATIONS, PREFERENCES AND RELATIVE, PARTICIPATING, OPTIONAL OR
OTHER SPECIAL RIGHTS OF EACH CLASS OF STOCK OR SERIES THEREOF OF THE
CORPORATION, AND THE QUALIFICATIONS, LIMITATIONS OR RESTRICTIONS OF SUCH
PREFERENCES AND/OR RIGHTS.

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this
certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:
<TABLE>
<S>                                          <C>
TEN COM -- as tenants in common              UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -- _________Custodian______________
TEN ENT -- as tenants by the entireties                            (Cust)              (Minor)
JT TEN  -- as joint tenants with right
           of survivorship and not as                             under Uniform Gifts to Minors
           tenants in common
                                                                  Act ________________________
                                                                            (State)
</TABLE>

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

  For value received, ____________________________________ hereby sell, assign
and transfer unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
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Please print or typewrite name and address including postal zip code of assignee

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                                                                         Shares
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of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint
                                   ---------------------------------------------

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Attorney to transfer the said stock on the books of the within-named Corporation
with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated,
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                       NOTICE:               X
                                               ---------------------------------
          THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS AS-                    (SIGNATURE)
          SIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH
          THE NAME(S) AS WRITTEN UPON  --->
          THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE
          IN EVERY PARTICULAR WITHOUT        X
          ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR         ---------------------------------
          ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.                            (SIGNATURE)

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

                                        ---------------------------------------<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.7

                  THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE is dated as of May 9,
2000 between UNIVERSAL COMPRESSION, INC., a Texas corporation, as
successor-in-interest to TW Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, as trustee under the
Indenture hereinafter mentioned (the "Trustee").

                  WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to
the Trustee an indenture dated as of February 20, 1998 (the "Indenture"),
providing for the creation and issuance of $242,500,000 in aggregate principal
amount at maturity of the Company's 9 7/8% Senior Discount Notes due 2008 (the
"Notes");

                  WHEREAS, the Company has solicited the consent of the Holders
of the Notes pursuant to a Consent Solicitation Statement dated April 17, 2000
as supplemented by Supplement to Consent Solicitation Statement dated April 28,
2000 (collectively, the "Consent Solicitation Statement") to amend the
definition of "Permitted Liens" contained in the Indenture;

                  WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.02 of the Indenture, the
Company and the Trustee may amend the definition of "Permitted Liens" contained
in the Indenture with the written consent of the Holders of not less than a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding; and

                  WHEREAS, the Company has received the consent of the Holders
of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes to the amendment to the
Indenture described in the Consent Solicitation Statement;

                  NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and
in order to effect the amendment to the Indenture described in the Consent
Solicitation Statement, the Company and the Trustee agree pursuant to Section
9.02 of the Indenture as follows:

                                    Article 1

                             Amendment of Indenture

                  Section 1.01. Amendment of Section 1.01. Pursuant to Section
9.02 of the Indenture, Section 1.01 of the Indenture is hereby amended as
follows:

                  Immediately and automatically upon receipt by the Trustee not
later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on May 9, 2001 of an Officers' Certificate
in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Equity Condition Certificate"),
the definition of "Permitted Liens" contained in the Indenture shall be amended
and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

                  "Permitted Liens" means the following types of Liens:

                           (i) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental
         charges or claims which are either (a) not delinquent or (b) being
         contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which the
         Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries shall have set aside on its
         books such reserves as may be required pursuant to GAAP;

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                           (ii) statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of
         carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, suppliers, materialmen, repairmen
         and other Liens imposed by law incurred in the ordinary course of
         business for sums not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith,
         if such reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be
         required by GAAP shall have been made in respect thereof;

                           (iii) Liens incurred or deposits made in the ordinary
         course of business in connection with workers' compensation,
         unemployment insurance, and other types of social security, including
         any Lien securing letters of credit issued in the ordinary course of
         business consistent with past practice in connection therewith, or to
         secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and
         appeal bonds, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and
         return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of
         obligations for the payment of borrowed money);

                           (iv) Liens arising by reason of any judgment, decree
         or order of any court but not giving rise to an Event of Default so
         long as such Lien is adequately bonded and any appropriate legal
         proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such
         judgment, decree or order shall not have been finally terminated or the
         period within which such proceedings may be initiated shall not have
         expired;

                           (v) easements, rights-of-way, zoning restrictions and
         other similar charges or encumbrances in respect of real property not
         interfering in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of the
         business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

                           (vi) Liens representing the interest or title of a
         lessor under any capitalized lease or operating lease; provided that
         such Liens do not extend to any property or assets which is not leased
         property subject to such capitalized lease or operating lease;

                           (vii) Liens upon specific items of inventory or other
         goods and proceeds of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
         securing such Person's obligations in respect of bankers' acceptances
         issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the
         purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;

                           (viii) Liens securing reimbursement obligations with
         respect to letters of credit which encumber documents and other
         property relating to such letters of credit and products and proceeds
         thereof;

                           (ix) Liens encumbering deposits made to secure
         obligations arising from statutory, regulatory, contractual or warranty
         requirements of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries,
         including rights of offset and setoff;

                           (x) Liens securing Interest Swap Obligations which
         Interest Swap Obligations relate to Indebtedness that is otherwise
         permitted under this Indenture;

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                           (xi) Liens securing Capitalized Lease Obligations and
         Purchase Money Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 4.12;
         provided, however, that in the case of Purchase Money Indebtedness (A)
         the Indebtedness shall not exceed the cost of such property or assets
         and shall not be secured by any property or assets of the Company or
         any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company other than the property and
         assets so acquired or constructed and (B) the Lien securing such
         Indebtedness shall be created within 180 days of such acquisition or
         construction or, in the case of a refinancing of any Purchase Money
         Indebtedness, within 180 days of such refinancing;

                           (xii) Liens securing Indebtedness under Currency
         Agreements;

                           (xiii) Liens securing Acquired Indebtedness incurred
         in accordance with Section 4.12; provided that (A) such Liens secured
         such Acquired Indebtedness at the time of and prior to the incurrence
         of such Acquired Indebtedness by the Company or a Restructured
         Subsidiary of the Company and were not granted in connection with, or
         in anticipation of, the incurrence of such Acquired Indebtedness by the
         Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and (B) such Liens do
         not extend to or cover any property or assets of the Company or of any
         of its Restricted Subsidiaries other than the property or assets that
         secured the Acquired Indebtedness prior to the time such Indebtedness
         became Acquired Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary
         of the Company; and

                           (xiv) Liens securing obligations with respect to
         operating leases and guaranties thereof, provided that such Liens do
         not extend to or cover any property or assets of the Company or any of
         its Restricted Subsidiaries other than the property subject to such
         leases, any property or rights (including rights under subleases)
         relating to such leased property and the equity interests of the lessee
         in any such lease, provided, however, that at the time of entering into
         (and immediately after giving effect to) any such lease, the Company
         and its Restricted Subsidiaries have consolidated assets (net of book
         depreciation, if applicable) in excess of $100 million (excluding any
         property subject to, or rights relating to, all such leases),
         calculated in accordance with GAAP, as evidenced by an Officers'
         Certificate delivered to the Trustee.

                                    Article 2

                                   The Trustee

                  Section 2.01. Privileges and Immunities of Trustee. The
Trustee accepts the amendment of the Indenture effected by this First
Supplemental Indenture but only upon the terms and conditions set forth in the
Indenture, including the terms and provisions defining and limiting the
liabilities and responsibilities of the Trustee, which terms and provisions
shall in like manner define and limit its liabilities and responsibilities in
the performance of the trust created by the Indenture as hereby amended. The
Trustee shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of this First
Supplemental Indenture, for the due execution thereof by the Company for the
recitals contained herein or for the validity or accuracy of the contents of any
Equity Condition Certificate delivered hereunder, each of which is the Company's
responsibility.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4
                                    Article 3

                            Miscellaneous Provisions

                  Section 3.01. Instruments to be Read Together. Except as
supplemented hereby, all provisions in the Indenture shall remain in full force
and effect. This First Supplemental Indenture is an indenture supplemental to
and in implementation of the Indenture, and said Indenture and this First
Supplemental Indenture shall henceforth be read together.

                  Section 3.02. Confirmation. The Indenture as amended and
supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture is in all respects confirmed
and preserved.

                  Section 3.03. Terms Defined. Capitalized terms used herein
without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

                  Section 3.04. Counterparts. This First Supplemental Indenture
may be signed in any number of counterparts each of which so executed shall be
deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.

                  Section 3.05. Effectiveness, Etc.. Without qualifying the
provisions of Section 1.01 of this First Supplemental Indenture, this First
Supplemental Indenture will take effect immediately upon execution thereof by
the parties hereto and shall automatically cease to be in effect in the event
that the Equity Condition Certificate is not delivered hereunder on or before
5:00 p.m. (New York time) on May 9, 2001.

                  Section 3.06. Trust Indenture Act. If any provision of this
First Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with any provision
of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under such Act to be part of and
govern any provision of this First Supplemental Indenture, the provisions of
such Act shall control. If any provision of this First Supplemental Indenture
modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so
modified or excluded, the provision of such Act shall be deemed to apply to the
Indenture or to be excluded by this First Supplemental Indenture, as the case
may be.

                  Section 3.07. Illegality, Unenforceability. In case any
provision in this First Supplemental Indenture shall be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

                  Section 3.08. Benefits of Supplemental Indenture. Nothing in
this First Supplemental Indenture, the Indenture or the Notes, express or
implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and thereto and
their successors hereunder and thereunder and the Holders of the Notes, any
benefit of any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under the Indenture,
this First Supplemental Indenture or the Notes.

                  Section 3.09. Successors and Assigns. All agreements in this
First Supplemental Indenture made by the Company and the Trustee shall inure to
the benefit of the Company and the Trustee and their respective successors and
assigns. The provisions of this First

                                      -4-
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Supplemental Indenture shall bind the Holders of the Notes from time to time,
the Company, the Trustee and their respective successors and assigns, whether so
expressed or not.

                  Section 3.10. Governing Law. This First Supplemental Indenture
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

                  Section 3.11. Captions. The captions of the sections of this
First Supplemental Indenture were formulated, used and inserted in this First
Supplemental Indenture for convenience only and shall not be deemed to affect
the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

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                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First
Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

                                      UNIVERSAL COMPRESSION, INC.

                                      By:      /s/  Richard W. FitzGerald
                                          --------------------------------------
                                           Richard W. FitzGerald
                                           Senior Vice President and Chief
                                              Financial Officer

                                      UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY OF
                                      NEW YORK, as Trustee

                                      By:      /s/  Christine C. Collins
                                          --------------------------------------
                                           Christine C. Collins
                                           Assistant Vice President

                                      -6-

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