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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.9

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<S>                               <C>                         <C>

EPIQ SYSTEMS, INC.                GOLD BANK                   App#           131001008337
501 KS AVE                        11301 NALL AVENUE           Loan Number    131001008337
KANSAS CITY, KS 66105             LEAWOOD, KS 66211           Date           JUNE 20, 2001
48-1056429                                                    Maturity Date  JUNE 20, 2002
                                                              Loan Amount    $ 3,500,000.00
                                                              Renewal Of       131001001309
BORROWER'S NAME AND ADDRESS     LENDER'S NAME AND ADDRESS
"I" includes each borrower      "You" means the lender,
above, jointly and severally.    its successors and assigns.

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For value received, I promise to pay to you, or your order, at your address
listed above the PRINCIPAL sum of THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND
NO/100 Dollars $ 3,500,000.00

/ /  Single Advance: I will receive all of this principal sum on _____________.
     No additional advances are contemplated under this note.

/X/  Multiple Advance: The principal sum shown above is the maximum amount
     of principal I can borrow under this note. On June 20, 2001, I will
     receive the amount of $ 0.00 and future principal advances are
     contemplated.

     Conditions: The conditions for future advances are ALL FUTURE ADVANCES
     MUST BE REQUESTED IN PERSON, IN WRITING OR BY PHONE AND ARE SUBJECT TO
     APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF GOLD BANK MANAGEMENT

     /X/  Open End Credit: You and I agree that I may borrow up to the
          maximum amount of principal more than one time. This feature
          is subject to all other conditions and expires on June 20, 2002.

     / /  Closed End Credit: You and I agree that I may borrow up to the
          maximum only one time (and subject to all other conditions).

INTEREST: I agree to pay interest on the outstanding principal balance from
     JUNE 20, 2001 at the rate of 7.000 % per year until THE INDEX STATED BELOW
     CHANGES.

/X/  Variable Rate: This rate may then change as stated below.

     /X/  Index Rate: The future rate will be 0.000 % above the following index
          rate: GOLD BANK PRIME RATE

     / /  No Index: The future rate will not be subject to any internal or
          external index. It will be entirely in your control.

     /X/  Frequency and Timing: The rate on this note may change as often as
          DAILY.
             A change in the interest rate will take effect ON THE SAME DAY.

     / /  Limitations: During the term of this loan, the applicable annual
          interest rate will not be more than _________% or less than
          _________%. The rate may not change more than _________% each
          _________.

     Effect of Variable Rate: A change in the interest rate will have the
     following effect on the payments:

     /X/  The amount of each scheduled payment will change.
     / /  The amount of the final payment will change.
     / /  ___________________________________________.

ACCRUAL METHOD: Interest will be calculated on a   ACTUAL/360   basis.
POST MATURITY RATE: I agree to pay interest on the unpaid balance of this note
owing after maturity, and until paid in full, as stated below:

     /X/  on the same fixed or variable rate basis in effect before maturity
          (as indicated above).
     / /  at a rate equal to _______________________________.

/X/  LATE CHARGE: If a payment is made more than 10 days after it is due, I
     agree to pay a late charge of 5.000% of the unpaid amount due or $25.00,
     which ever is greater.

/X/  ADDITIONAL CHARGES: In addition to interest, I agree to pay the
     following charges which are are not included in the principal amount
     above:   $100.00 LOAN DOC FEE

PAYMENTS: I agree to pay this note as follows:

/X/  Interest: I agree to pay accrued interest ON DEMAND, BUT IF NO DEMAND IS
     MADE, THEN ON THE 20TH OF EACH MONTH BEGINNING JULY 20, 2001, AND WITH
     THE PRINCIPAL

/X/  Principal: I agree to pay the principal ON DEMAND, BUT IF NO DEMAND IS
     MADE, THEN ON JUNE 20, 2002

/ /  Installments: I agree to pay this note in _________ payments. The first
     payment will be in the amount of $_________ and will be due _________.
     A payment of _________ will be due _________ thereafter.  The first
     payment of the entire unpaid balance of principal and interest will be
     due _________.

ADDITIONAL TERMS:

     THIS NOTE IS SECURED BY:
     1.  A LINE OF CREDIT AGREEMENT DATED JUNE 20, 2001.
     LOAN COVENANTS:
     1.  EARNINGS BEFORE INTEREST, TAXES, DEPRECIATION & AMORTIZATION/CURRENT
         MATURITIES + INTEREST = 1.5:1.
     2.  NET WORTH = $20,000,000.
     3.  PROVIDE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
     4.  DEBT/WORTH 1:1.

/ /  SECURITY: This note is separately secured by (describe separate document
     by type and date):

(This _____ is for your internal use. Failure to list a separate security
document does not mean the agreement will not secure this note.)

Signature for Lender

/s/ Julie Hook
----------------------------------
JULIE L. HOOK       VICE PRESIDENT

----------------------------------

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this loan is WORKING CAPITAL LINE OF CREDIT - RENEWAL
 OF LOAN #131001001309

SIGNATURES: I AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS NOTE (INCLUDING THOSE ON PAGE 2).
I have received a copy on today's date.

EPIQ SYSTEMS, INC.

/s/ Janice Katterhenry
----------------------------------
JANICE KATTERHENRY, VICE PRESIDENT

----------------------------------

----------------------------------

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                             MODIFICATION AGREEMENT

EPIQ Systems, Inc.
501 Kansas Avenue
Kansas City, Kansas 66105

Loan Number:  1001008337-00001

On June 20, 2001 the undersigned EPIQ Systems, Inc. ("Borrowers") executed a
Promissory Note ("Note") in favor of:

                                    Gold Bank
                    11301 Nall Avenue, Leawood, Kansas 66211
                                    ("Bank")

The Note is in the original principal amount of $3,500,000.00, bearing
interest at the rate of 1/2% below Gold Bank Prime Rate. Bank remains the
holder and owner of the Note and has agreed with Borrower to modify certain
provisions of the Note. Therefore, in connection with the provisions
contained in this Instrument and the exchange of other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged, Bank
and Borrower agree to amend the Note as follows:

       XX      The face amount of the Note is changed from $3,500,000.00 to
      _______  $5,000,000.00.
      _______  The payment schedule is amended as follows:
               _____________________________________________________________
      _______  The maturity date is changed to:_____________________________
      _______  The interest rate is amended to:_____________________________
      _______  An additional modification to the Note is:___________________
               _____________________________________________________________

The amendment and modifications described above are carried forward and apply
to any and all other documents which refer to or are in any way related to
the Note. All other terms, conditions and covenants in the Note, not
otherwise modified by this agreement, shall be and remain the same, and this
Agreement, when executed by Bank and Borrower, shall be attached to and
become a part of the original Note.

The date on which the above modifications became effective is August 24, 2001.

EXECUTED this __________ day of __________, 2001.

Gold Bank                              "Borrowers"
                                       EPIQ Systems, Inc.

/s/ Julie L. Hook                      /s/ Tom W. Olofson
----------------------------------     -----------------------------------
Julie L. Hook                          Tom W. Olofson, CEO
Vice President

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This document, together with other written agreements of the parties, is the
final expression of the agreement between the parties. This document may not
be contradicted by evidence of prior or contemporaneous oral agreements of
the parties. Any credit agreement not contained in the printed form must be
inserted below to be enforceable.

There are no unwritten oral agreements between the parties.

/s/ Tom W. Olofson                     /s/ Julie L. Hook
----------------------------------     -----------------------------------
Debtor                                 Bank

NOTICE TO CONSUMER: l. Do not sign this agreement before you read it. 2. You
are entitled to a copy of this agreement. 3. You may prepay the unpaid
balance at any time without penalty and may be entitled to receive a refund
of unearned charges in accordance with law.QuickLinks
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NONCOMPETE AGREEMENT    
  

        This NONCOMPETE AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of February 23, 2002 is between Key Production Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), which for the purposes hereof shall include any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company, and Monroe Robertson (the "Employee"). 

RECITALS  

        A.    The
Employee is currently employed and has been employed as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company since September 1999 and has been employed in an
executive, management or professional capacity for the Company since 1992. 

        B.    The
Company may desire to terminate the Employee's employment for valid corporate reasons. 

        C.    The
Employee has acquired, through his employment, valuable confidential and proprietary information. 

        D.    The
Company desires that the information acquired by the Employee not be used by its competitors. 

        E.    The
Company desires to pay the Employee an amount equal to $2,300,000 in consideration for the Employee's agreement not to compete with the Company. 

        F.    In
order to protect the trade secrets and confidential information of the Company and as a condition to the payment of $2,300,000 to the Employee, the Company requires
that Employee enter into this Agreement. 

        NOW
THEREFORE, in consideration of Employee's employment with the Company, $2,300,000, and of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein and for other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows: 

AGREEMENT  

        1.    Covenants Not to Compete or Interfere.    

        (a)  During
the term of Employee's employment with the Company and for a period of 24 months thereafter, and regardless of the reason for Employee's termination,
Employee shall not directly or indirectly own, manage, operate, control, be employed by, serve as a consultant to or otherwise participate, be a director, partner, or hold a 10% equity interest in any
entity that has drilling, production, or exploration operations in the States of Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, California or Wyoming, in the Gulf of Mexico in areas contiguous to the States
of Louisiana or Mississippi. 

        (b)  During
the term of Employee's employment with the Company and for a period of 24 months thereafter, and regardless of the reason for Employee's termination,
Employee shall not (i) cause or attempt to cause any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the Company, (ii) actively recruit any employee of the Company to work for any
organization of, or in which Employee is an officer, director, employee, consultant, independent contractor or owner of any equity interest; or (iii) solicit, divert or take away, or attempt to
take away, the business or patronage of any client, customer or account, or prospective client, customer or account, of the Company which were contacted, solicited or served by Employee while employed
by the Company. 

        (c)  Employee
acknowledges that through his employment with the Company he has acquired access to information suited to immediate application by a business in competition
with the Company and that, if used by a competitor, could cause serious harm to the Company. Accordingly, Employee considers the foregoing restrictions on his future employment or business activities
in all respects reasonable. Employee specifically acknowledges that the Company and its 

 

licensees, as well as the Company's competitors, provide their services throughout the geographic area specified in Section 1(a) above. Employee therefore specifically consents to the
foregoing geographic restriction on competition and believes that such a restriction is reasonable, given the scope of the Company's business and the nature of Employee's position with the Company. 

        (d)  Employee
acknowledges the following provisions of Colorado law, set forth in Colorado Revised Statutes § 8-2-113(2): 

Any
covenant not to compete which restricts the right of any person to receive compensation for performance of skilled or unskilled labor for any employer shall be void, but this subsection (2) shall
not apply to: 

	(a)
	Any
contract for the purchase and sale of a business or the assets of a business;

	(b)
	Any
contract for the protection of trade secrets;

	(c)
	Any
contract provision providing for the recovery of the expense of educating and training an employee who has served an employer for a period of less than two years;

	(d)
	Executive
and management personnel and officers and employees who constitute professional staff to executive and management personnel. 

Employee
acknowledges that this Agreement is a contract for the protection of trade secrets under § 8-2-113(2)(b), and is intended to protect the confidential
information and trade secrets of the Company, and that Employee is an executive and management employee or professional staff to executive or management personnel, with the meaning of §
8-2-113(2)(d). 

        2.    No Employment Contract; Termination.    This Agreement is not an employment contract and by execution hereof the
parties do not intend to create an employment contract. This Agreement does not effect the Employee's rights under his existing employment contract. 

        3.    Injunctive Relief; Damages.    Upon a breach or threatened breach by Employee of any of the provisions of this
Agreement, the Company shall be entitled to an injunction restraining Employee from such breach without posting a bond. Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting the Company from pursuing any
other remedies for such breach or threatened breach, including recovery of damages from Employee. 

        4.    Attorney's Fees.    In any action to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall
be entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of investigation and litigation. 

        5.    Severability.    It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provisions of this Agreement shall be
enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the law. Accordingly, if any provision of this Agreement shall prove to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be
affected thereby, and in lieu of each provision of this Agreement that is illegal, invalid or unenforceable, there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such
illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be legal, valid and enforceable. In the event that a court finds any portion of Section 1 to be overly broad, and therefore
unenforceable, the parties intend that the court shall modify such portion of paragraph 1 to reflect the maximum restraint allowable, and shall enforce this Agreement and the covenants herein
as so modified. 

        6.    Entire Agreement; Governing Law.    This Agreement embodies the entire Agreement between the parties concerning
the subject matter hereof and replaces and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous negotiations, oral representations, agreements or understandings among or attributable to the parties hereto. The
provisions of this Agreement shall not limit or otherwise affect Employee's obligations under the provisions of any agreement with the Company with respect to the nondisclosure of the Company's
confidential information. This Agreement and all performances hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado. 

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        7.    Arbitration.    If a dispute arises between the Employer and the Employee as to the interpretation of this
Agreement, the Employer and the Employee agree to submit the matter to binding arbitration in accordance with the Center for Public Resources Rules for Non-Administered Arbitration of
Business Disputes, as modified herein, by a sole arbitrator, in Denver, Colorado, selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(b). The arbitration shall be governed by the United
States Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 1-16, and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof. 

        8.    Waiver of Jury Trial.    Employee and the Company hereby agree to waive their respective rights to a jury trial
of any claim or cause of action based upon or arising out of this Agreement. The scope of this waiver is intended to be all encompassing of any and all disputes that may be filed in any court and that
relate to the subject matter of this Agreement, including without limitation, contract claims, tort claims, breach of duty claims, and all other common law and statutory claims. Employee and the
Company warrant and represent that each has reviewed this waiver with its legal counsel and that each knowingly and voluntarily waives its jury trial rights following consultation with legal counsel.
In the event of litigation, this Agreement may be filed as a written consent to a trial by the court. 

        9.    Amendments; Waiver.    This Agreement may not be altered or amended, and no right hereunder may be waived,
except by an instrument executed by each of the parties hereto. No waiver of any term, provision, or condition of this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be or construed as a
further or continuing waiver of any such term, provision or condition or as a waiver of any other term, provision or condition of this Agreement. 

        10.    Assignment.    The Company may assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement to any subsidiary or
affiliate of the Company or to any acquirer of substantially all of the business of the Company, and all covenants and Agreements hereunder shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by or
against any such assignee. Neither the Agreement nor any rights or duties hereunder may be assigned or delegated by Employee. 

        11.    Binding Effect.    Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to
the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective legal representatives, heirs, successors and assigns. 

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        IN
WITNESS WHEREOF the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written. 

	COMPANY:	 	KEY PRODUCTION COMPANY, INC.

a Delaware corporation
	

 	
 	

By:	

    

	 	 	Its:	    

	

EMPLOYEE:	
 	

    
 Monroe Robertson

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