-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, SuO11czleGPtS2wYM808FOMhuDBHKSQlC1CTN1xS0dMexTShhr10uKbWMGE23V8s wn8lcbfN9fxR/+ODmLP3Uw== 0001193125-05-188441.txt : 20050920 0001193125-05-188441.hdr.sgml : 20050920 20050920172238 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-05-188441 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-4 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 13 FILED AS OF DATE: 20050920 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20050920 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: MidCon Compression LP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001321703 IRS NUMBER: 200299525 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-01 FILM NUMBER: 051094190 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: POST OFFICE BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 BUSINESS PHONE: 405-848-8000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: POST OFFICE BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE SIGMA L P CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001177304 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-04 FILM NUMBER: 051094193 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058102625 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: OXLEY JOHN C LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001266856 IRS NUMBER: 731508539 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-11 FILM NUMBER: 051094200 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058102625 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE EP LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001177306 IRS NUMBER: 481270813 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-17 FILM NUMBER: 051094206 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058102625 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE EP CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20030408 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE BETA CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20020711 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: OXLEY PETROLEUM CO CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001266855 IRS NUMBER: 731508537 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-20 FILM NUMBER: 051094209 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058102625 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE PRH CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001284283 IRS NUMBER: 200877783 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-24 FILM NUMBER: 051094213 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE STREET 2: PO BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: MC MINERAL CO LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001260932 IRS NUMBER: 611448831 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-09 FILM NUMBER: 051094198 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: GOTHIC PRODUCTION LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001061312 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311] IRS NUMBER: 731539475 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-12 FILM NUMBER: 051094201 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: GOTHIC PRODUCTION CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19980508 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE PERMIAN ACQUISITION LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001284284 IRS NUMBER: 731592437 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-14 FILM NUMBER: 051094203 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE STREET 2: PO BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ENO ACQUISITION LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001177305 IRS NUMBER: 820553595 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-18 FILM NUMBER: 051094207 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058102625 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ENO ACQUISITION CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20020731 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ALPHA CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20020711 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ACQUISITION LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001064216 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: DRILLING OIL & GAS WELLS [1381] IRS NUMBER: 731528271 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-19 FILM NUMBER: 051094208 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ACQUISITION CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19980616 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE SOUTH TEXAS CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001177307 IRS NUMBER: 412050649 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-23 FILM NUMBER: 051094212 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058102625 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE DELTA CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20020711 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE OPERATING INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000949553 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: DRILLING OIL & GAS WELLS [1381] IRS NUMBER: 731343196 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-25 FILM NUMBER: 051094214 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 NORTH WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE PERIMIAN LP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001284281 IRS NUMBER: 200701951 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-05 FILM NUMBER: 051094194 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE EXPLORATION L P CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000949557 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: DRILLING OIL & GAS WELLS [1381] IRS NUMBER: 731384282 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-08 FILM NUMBER: 051094197 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 NORTH WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ORC LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001226474 IRS NUMBER: 710934234 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-15 FILM NUMBER: 051094204 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 NORTH WESTERN AVE CITY: OKC STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N. WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: PO BOX 18496 CITY: OKC STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CARMEN ACQUISITION LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001141201 IRS NUMBER: 731604860 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-22 FILM NUMBER: 051094211 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CARMEN ACQUISITION CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20010523 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ENERGY MARKETING INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001084831 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311] STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-26 FILM NUMBER: 051094215 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 NORTH WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: NOMAC DRILLING CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001141205 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311] IRS NUMBER: 731606317 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-21 FILM NUMBER: 051094210 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ZAPATA L P CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001271007 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-02 FILM NUMBER: 051094191 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 NORTH WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058102625 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ROYALTY LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001141203 IRS NUMBER: 731549744 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-13 FILM NUMBER: 051094202 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ROYALTY CO DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20010523 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Chesapeake Land CO LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001321700 IRS NUMBER: 202099392 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-16 FILM NUMBER: 051094205 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: POST OFFICE BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 BUSINESS PHONE: 405-848-8000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: POST OFFICE BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE STAGHORN ACQUISITION LP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001162420 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-03 FILM NUMBER: 051094192 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N. WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058799225 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N. WESTERN AVE. CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE LOUISIANA LP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001064208 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: DRILLING OIL & GAS WELLS [1381] IRS NUMBER: 731519126 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-07 FILM NUMBER: 051094196 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Chesapeake NFW, L.P. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001303984 IRS NUMBER: 201559859 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-06 FILM NUMBER: 051094195 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 NORTH WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: P. O. BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 405-848-8000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 NORTH WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: P. O. BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Mayfield Processing LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001321701 IRS NUMBER: 200174765 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-10 FILM NUMBER: 051094199 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: POST OFFICE BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 BUSINESS PHONE: 405-848-8000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: POST OFFICE BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Chesapeake Eagle Canada Corp. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001321702 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: A3 FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-28 FILM NUMBER: 051094217 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: POST OFFICE BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 BUSINESS PHONE: 405-848-8000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVENUE STREET 2: POST OFFICE BOX 18496 CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73154-0496 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: 601541 NB Ltd DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20050324 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000895126 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311] IRS NUMBER: 731395733 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453 FILM NUMBER: 051094189 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058488000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 NORTH WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHESAPEAKE ENERGY LOUISIANA CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001064204 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: DRILLING OIL & GAS WELLS [1381] IRS NUMBER: 731524569 STATE OF INCORPORATION: OK FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-128453-27 FILM NUMBER: 051094216 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 BUSINESS PHONE: 4058799212 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6100 N WESTERN AVE CITY: OKLAHOMA CITY STATE: OK ZIP: 73118 S-4 1 ds4.htm FORM S-4 Form S-4
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 20, 2005

Registration No. 333-            


 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM S-4

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 


 

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION*

(exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Oklahoma   1311   73-1395733
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)  

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

  (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

6100 North Western Avenue

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118

(405) 848-8000

 

Aubrey K. McClendon

Chairman of the Board and

Chief Executive Officer

6100 North Western Avenue

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118

(405) 848-8000

(Address, Including Zip Code,

and Telephone Number, Including Area Code,

of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code,

and Telephone Number, Including

Area Code, of Agent for Service)

 


 

Copy to:

 

James M. Prince, Esq.

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

2300 First City Tower

1001 Fannin Street

Houston, Texas 77002-6760

713-758-3710

713-615-5962 (fax)

 


 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:    As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 


 

If the securities being registered on this Form are being offered in connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check the following box.  ¨

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


Title of Each Class of

Securities to be Registered

   Amount to be
Registered
   Proposed Maximum
Offering Price
Per Note(1)
  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price(1)
   Amount of
Registration Fee

6.50% Senior Notes due 2017

   $600,000,000    100%   $600,000,000    $70,620

Guarantees by certain of Chesapeake Energy Corporation’s subsidiaries

   —      —     —      —  (2)

(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(f) under the Securities Act of 1933.
(2) Pursuant to Rule 457(n) no separate fee for the guarantees is payable because the guarantees relate to other securities that are being registered concurrently.
* Includes certain subsidiaries of Chesapeake Energy Corporation identified on the following pages.


Table of Contents

Chesapeake Eagle Canada Corp.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

New Brunswick, Canada

(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)

 

None

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Energy Louisiana Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1524569
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1439175
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Operating, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1343196
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake PRH Corp.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Texas   75-2883958
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake South Texas Corp.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   41-2050649
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Nomac Drilling Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1606317
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Oxley Petroleum Co.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1508537
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Carmen Acquisition, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1604860
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Acquisition, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1528271
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 



Table of Contents

 

Chesapeake ENO Acquisition, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   82-0553595
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake EP, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   48-1270813
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Land Company, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-2099392
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake ORC, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   71-0934234
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Permian Acquisition, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1592437
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Royalty, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1549744
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Gothic Production, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1539475
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

John C. Oxley, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1508539
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Mayfield Processing, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-0174765
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 



Table of Contents

 

MC Mineral Company, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   61-1448831
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Exploration Limited Partnership

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1384282
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Louisiana, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1519126
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake NFW, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-1559859
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Permian, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-0701951
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Sigma, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   27-0029884
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake-Staghorn Acquisition L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1612854
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

Chesapeake Zapata, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-0322339
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 


 

MidCon Compression, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-0299525
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 



Table of Contents

 

Each Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 



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PROSPECTUS

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)

Registration No. 333-126476

 

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

 

Offer to Exchange up to

$600,000,000 of 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017

for

$600,000,000 of 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017

that have been Registered under the Securities Act of 1933

 

 

Terms of the Exchange Offer

 

 

•      We are offering to exchange up to $600,000,000 of our outstanding 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017 for new notes with substantially identical terms that have been registered under the Securities Act and are freely tradable.

 

•      We will exchange all outstanding notes that you validly tender and do not validly withdraw before the exchange offer expires for an equal principal amount of new notes.

  

 

•      The exchange offer expires at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             , 2005, unless extended. We do not currently intend to extend the exchange offer.

 

•      Tenders of outstanding notes may be withdrawn at any time prior to the expiration of the exchange offer.

 

•      The exchange of outstanding notes for new notes will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

 

Terms of the New 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017 Offered in the Exchange Offer

 

 

Maturity

•      The new notes will mature on August 15, 2017.

 

Interest

•      Interest on the new notes is payable on February 15 and August 15 of each year.

 

•      Interest will accrue from August 16, 2005 or the most recent date to which interest has been paid.

  

 

Redemption

•      We may redeem some or all of the new notes at any time by the payment of a make-whole premium.

 

Ranking

•      The new notes are unsecured. The new notes rank equally in right of payment with all of our other existing and future senior debt and senior in right of payment to all of our future subordinated debt.

 


 

PLEASE READRISK FACTORSON PAGE 6 FOR A DISCUSSION OF FACTORS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE PARTICIPATING IN THE EXCHANGE OFFER.

 


 

THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

 


 

The date of this prospectus is             , 2005.


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This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In making your investment decision, you should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the accompanying letter of transmittal. This prospectus incorporates business and financial information about us that is not included in this prospectus. Please see “Where You Can Find More Information.” We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any other information. If you receive any unauthorized information, you must not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, or the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus or the date of such document, as the case may be.

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

   1

RISK FACTORS

   6

EXCHANGE OFFER

   14

RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

   21

USE OF PROCEEDS

   22

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW NOTES

   23

FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

   42

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

   42

LEGAL MATTERS

   43

EXPERTS

   43

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

   44

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

   45

ANNEX A

   A-1

 


 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

This summary may not contain all the information that may be important to you. You should read this entire prospectus and the documents we have incorporated into this prospectus by reference before making an investment decision. You should carefully consider the information set forth under “Risk Factors.” In addition, certain statements include forward-looking information which involves risks and uncertainties. Please read “Forward-Looking Statements.” Unless this prospectus otherwise indicates or the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “our,” “us” “Chesapeake” or the “Company” as used in this prospectus refer to Chesapeake Energy Corporation and its subsidiaries.

 

Chesapeake

 

We are the third largest independent producer of natural gas in the U.S. and own interests in approximately 21,500 producing oil and gas wells. At June 30, 2005, approximately 90% of our proved reserves (by volume) were natural gas, and approximately 64% of our proved oil and natural gas reserves were located in our primary operating area—the Mid-Continent region of the United States, which includes Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and the Texas Panhandle. In addition, we are building significant secondary operating areas in the South Texas and Texas Gulf Coast regions, the Permian Basin of West Texas and eastern New Mexico, the Barnett Shale area of north-central Texas and the Ark-La-Tex areas of East Texas and northern Louisiana.

 

As of December 31, 2004, our estimated proved reserves were 4,902 bcfe. As of June 30, 2005, our internally estimated proved reserves had grown to 5,850 bcfe, an increase of 948 bcfe, or 19%. During the first half of 2005, we replaced our 218 bcfe of production with an internally estimated 1,166 bcfe of new proved reserves, for a reserve replacement rate of 535%. Reserve replacement through the drillbit was 583 bcfe, or 268% of production (including 43 bcfe from positive performance revisions and 25 bcfe from oil and natural gas price increases), and reserve replacement through acquisitions was 583 bcfe, or 267% of production.

 

From January 1, 1998 through June 30, 2005, we have been one of the most active consolidators of onshore U.S. natural gas assets, having purchased approximately 4.5 tcfe of proved reserves at a total cost of approximately $7.1 billion (including amounts paid for unproved leasehold and excluding $809 million of deferred taxes in connection with certain corporate acquisitions).

 

During the first half of 2005, we were especially active in the acquisitions market. Acquisition expenditures totaled $1.8 billion in this period (including amounts paid for unproved leasehold and excluding $252 million of deferred taxes in connection with certain corporate acquisitions and pro forma for our recent acquisitions). Through these acquisitions, we acquired an internally estimated 696 bcfe of proved oil and natural gas reserves at a cost of $1.54 per mcfe (excluding $0.36 per mcfe of deferred taxes in connection with certain corporate acquisitions).

 

During the first half of 2005, we led the nation in drilling activity with an average utilization of 71 operated rigs and 65 non-operated rigs. Through this drilling activity, we drilled 413 (305 net) operated wells and participated in another 505 (60 net) wells operated by other companies and we added approximately 515 bcfe of proved oil and natural gas reserves. Our success rate was 98% for both operated and non-operated wells. As of June 30, 2005, our proved developed reserves were 63% of our total proved reserves. In the first half of 2005, we invested $118 million in leasehold (exclusive of leases acquired through acquisitions) and 3-D seismic data.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 6100 North Western Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118, and our telephone number at that location is (405) 848-8000.

 

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The Exchange Offer

 

On August 16, 2005, we completed a private offering of the outstanding notes. As part of the private offering, we entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers of the outstanding notes in which we agreed, among other things, to deliver this prospectus to you and to use our best efforts to complete the exchange offer within 300 days after the date we issued the outstanding notes. The following is a summary of the exchange offer.

 

Exchange Offer

   We are offering to exchange new notes for outstanding notes.

Expiration Date

   The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on                 , 2005, unless we decide to extend it.

Condition to the Exchange Offer

   The registration rights agreement does not require us to accept outstanding notes for exchange if the exchange offer or the making of any exchange by a holder of the outstanding notes would violate any applicable law or interpretation of the staff of the SEC. A minimum aggregate principal amount of outstanding notes being tendered is not a condition to the exchange offer.

Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes

  

 

To participate in the exchange offer, you must follow the Automated Tender Offer Program procedures established by The Depository Trust Company, which we call “DTC,” for tendering notes held in book-entry form. These procedures, which we call “ATOP,” require that the exchange agent receive, prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer, a computer generated message known as an “agent’s message” that is transmitted through DTC’s automated tender offer program and that DTC confirm that:

 

•      DTC has received your instructions to exchange your notes; and

 

•      you agree to be bound by the terms of the letter of transmittal.

 

For more details, please refer to the sections of this prospectus entitled “Exchange Offer—Terms of the Exchange Offer” and “—Procedures for Tendering.”

Guaranteed Delivery Procedures

   None.

Withdrawal of Tenders

   You may withdraw your tender of outstanding notes at any time prior to the expiration date. To withdraw, you must submit a notice of withdrawal to the exchange agent using ATOP procedures before 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the expiration date of the exchange offer. Please read “Exchange Offer—Withdrawal of Tenders.”

Acceptance of Outstanding Notes and Delivery of New Notes

  

 

If you fulfill all conditions required for proper acceptance of outstanding notes, we will accept any and all outstanding notes that you properly tender in the exchange offer on or before 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the expiration date. We will return any outstanding note that we do not accept for exchange to you without expense as promptly as practicable after the expiration date. We will deliver the new notes as promptly as practicable after the expiration date and acceptance of the outstanding

 

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     notes for exchange. Please refer to the section in this prospectus entitled “Exchange Offer—Terms of the Exchange Offer.”

Fees and Expenses

   We will bear all expenses related to the exchange offer. Please refer to the section in this prospectus entitled “Exchange Offer—Fees and Expenses.”

Use of Proceeds

   The issuance of the new notes will not provide us with any new proceeds. We are making this exchange offer solely to satisfy our obligations under our registration rights agreement.

Consequences of Failure to Exchange Outstanding Notes

  

 

If you do not exchange your outstanding notes in this exchange offer, you will no longer be able to require us to register the outstanding notes under the Securities Act except in the limited circumstances provided under our registration rights agreement. In addition, you will not be able to resell, offer to resell or otherwise transfer the outstanding notes unless we have registered the outstanding notes under the Securities Act, or unless you resell, offer to resell or otherwise transfer them under an exemption from the registration requirements of, or in a transaction not subject to, the Securities Act.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

 

   The exchange of new notes for outstanding notes in the exchange offer will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Please read “Federal Income Tax Considerations.”

Exchange Agent

   We have appointed The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. as exchange agent for the exchange offer. You should direct questions and requests for assistance and requests for additional copies of this prospectus (including the letter of transmittal) to the exchange agent addressed as follows: The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., Corporate Trust Department, Reorganization Unit, 101 Barclay Street—7 East, New York, New York, 10286. Eligible institutions may make requests by facsimile at (212) 298-1915.

 

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Terms of the New Notes

 

The new notes will be identical to the outstanding notes except that the new notes are registered under the Securities Act and will not have restrictions on transfer, registration rights or provisions for additional interest and will contain different administrative terms. The new notes will evidence the same debt as the outstanding notes, and the same indenture will govern the new notes and the outstanding notes.

 

The following summary contains basic information about the new notes and is not intended to be complete. It does not contain all the information that is important to you. For a more complete understanding of the new notes, please refer to the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of the New Notes.”

 

Issuer

   Chesapeake Energy Corporation.

Notes Offered

   $600,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017.

Maturity

   August 15, 2017.

Interest on the New Notes

   6.50% annually.

Interest Payment Dates

   February 15 and August 15 of each year beginning February 15, 2006.

Guarantees

   The notes will be unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, by (i) each of our existing restricted subsidiaries and (ii) each of our future domestic restricted subsidiaries that guarantees any other indebtedness of us or a subsidiary guarantor in excess of $5 million. The guarantee will be released if we dispose of the subsidiary guarantor or it ceases to guarantee certain other indebtedness of us or any other subsidiary guarantor.

Ranking

  

The notes will be unsecured and will rank equally in right of payment to all of our existing and future unsecured senior indebtedness. The notes will rank senior in right of payment to all of our future subordinated indebtedness. Please read “Description of the New Notes—Ranking.”

 

As of September 16, 2005, we had approximately $4.5 billion in principal amount of senior indebtedness outstanding, $114 million of which was indebtedness under our secured revolving bank credit facility.

Make-Whole Redemption

   We may redeem some or all of the notes at any time prior to maturity by the payment of a make-whole premium described in the “Description of the New Notes—Make-Whole Redemption” section of this offering memorandum.

Restrictive Covenants

   The indenture governing the notes contains covenants that limit our ability and our restricted subsidiaries’ ability to:
    

•     incur certain secured indebtedness;

    

•     enter into sale-leaseback transactions; and

    

•     consolidate, merge or transfer assets.

     The covenants are subject to a number of exceptions and qualifications. See “Description of the New Notes—Certain Covenants.”

 

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Transfer Restrictions; Absence of a Public Market for the Notes

  

 

The new notes generally will be freely transferable; however, there can be no assurance as to the development or liquidity of any market for the new notes.

 

Risk Factors

 

Please read “Risk Factors,” beginning on page 6 of this prospectus, for a discussion of certain factors that you should consider before participating in the exchange offer.

 

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Table of Contents

RISK FACTORS

 

In addition to the other information set forth elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the following factors relating to our company and the exchange offer and the new notes should be considered carefully in deciding whether to participate in the exchange offer.

 

Risks Related to Our Business

 

Oil and gas prices are volatile. A decline in prices could adversely affect our financial position, financial results, cash flows, access to capital and ability to grow.

 

Our revenues, operating results, profitability and future rate of growth depend primarily upon the prices we receive for the oil and gas we sell. Prices also affect the amount of cash flow available for capital expenditures and our ability to borrow money or raise additional capital. The amount we can borrow from banks is subject to periodic redeterminations based on prices specified by our bank group at the time of redetermination. In addition, we may have ceiling test write-downs in the future if prices fall significantly.

 

Historically, the markets for oil and gas have been volatile and they are likely to continue to be volatile. Wide fluctuations in oil and gas prices may result from relatively minor changes in the supply of and demand for oil and natural gas, market uncertainty and other factors that are beyond our control, including:

 

    worldwide and domestic supplies of oil and gas;

 

    weather conditions;

 

    the level of consumer demand;

 

    the price and availability of alternative fuels;

 

    the availability of pipeline capacity;

 

    the price and level of foreign imports;

 

    domestic and foreign governmental regulations and taxes;

 

    the ability of the members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to agree to and maintain oil price and production controls;

 

    political instability or armed conflict in oil-producing regions; and

 

    the overall economic environment.

 

These factors and the volatility of the energy markets make it extremely difficult to predict future oil and gas price movements with any certainty. Declines in oil and gas prices would not only reduce revenue, but could reduce the amount of oil and gas that we can produce economically and, as a result, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and reserves. Further, oil and gas prices do not necessarily move in tandem. Because approximately 89% of our reserves at December 31, 2004 are natural gas reserves, we are more affected by movements in natural gas prices.

 

Our level of indebtedness may adversely affect our operations and limit our growth, and we may have difficulty making debt service payments on our indebtedness as such payments become due.

 

As of June 30, 2005, we had long term indebtedness of approximately $4.1 billion, with $455 million drawn under our revolving bank credit facility. Our long-term indebtedness represented 52% of our total book capitalization at June 30, 2005. As of September 16, 2005, we had approximately $114 million drawn under our revolving bank credit facility. We expect to continue to be highly leveraged in the foreseeable future.

 

Our level of indebtedness affects our operations in several ways, including the following:

 

    a portion of our cash flows from operating activities must be used to service our indebtedness and is not available for other purposes;

 

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    we may be at a competitive disadvantage as compared to similar companies that have less debt;

 

    the covenants contained in the agreements governing our outstanding indebtedness and future indebtedness may limit our ability to borrow additional funds, pay dividends and make certain investments and may also affect our flexibility in planning for, and reacting to, changes in the economy and in our industry;

 

    additional financing in the future for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, general corporate or other purposes may have higher costs and more restrictive covenants;

 

    changes in the credit ratings of our debt may negatively affect the cost, terms, conditions and availability of future financing, and lower ratings will increase the interest rate and fees we pay on our revolving bank credit facility; and

 

    we may be more vulnerable to general adverse economic and industry conditions.

 

We may incur additional debt, including significant secured indebtedness, in order to make future acquisitions or to develop our properties. While the covenants in under our existing indentures restrict our ability to incur indebtedness, those covenants are subject to a number of significant exceptions, and the covenants governing these notes will not restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness. A higher level of indebtedness increases the risk that we may default on our debt obligations, including the new notes. Our ability to meet our debt obligations and to reduce our level of indebtedness depends on our future performance. General economic conditions, oil and gas prices and financial, business and other factors affect our operations and our future performance. Many of these factors are beyond our control. We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow to pay the interest on our debt, and future working capital, borrowings or equity financing may not be available to pay or refinance such debt. Factors that will affect our ability to raise cash through an offering of our capital stock or a refinancing of our debt include financial market conditions, the value of our assets and our performance at the time we need capital.

 

In addition, our bank borrowing base is subject to periodic redetermination. A lowering of our borrowing base could require us to repay indebtedness in excess of the borrowing base, or we might need to further secure the lenders with additional collateral.

 

Competition in the oil and natural gas industry is intense, and many of our competitors have greater financial and other resources than we do.

 

We operate in the highly competitive areas of oil and natural gas acquisition, development, exploitation, exploration and production. We face intense competition from both major and other independent oil and natural gas companies in each of the following areas:

 

    seeking to acquire desirable producing properties or new leases for future exploration; and

 

    seeking to acquire the equipment and expertise necessary to develop and operate our properties.

 

Many of our competitors have financial and other resources substantially greater than ours, and some of them are fully integrated oil companies. These companies may be able to pay more for development prospects and productive oil and natural gas properties and may be able to define, evaluate, bid for and purchase a greater number of properties and prospects than our financial or human resources permit. Our ability to develop and exploit our oil and natural gas properties and to acquire additional properties in the future will depend upon our ability to successfully conduct operations, evaluate and select suitable properties and consummate transactions in this highly competitive environment.

 

Significant capital expenditures are required to replace our reserves.

 

Our exploration, development and acquisition activities require substantial capital expenditures. Historically, we have funded our capital expenditures through a combination of cash flows from operations, our revolving bank credit facility and debt and equity issuances. Future cash flows are subject to a number of variables, such as the level of production from existing wells, prices of oil and gas, and our success in developing

 

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and producing new reserves. If revenue were to decrease as a result of lower oil and gas prices or decreased production, and our access to capital were limited, we would have a reduced ability to replace our reserves. If our cash flow from operations is not sufficient to fund our capital expenditure budget, we may not be able to access additional bank debt, debt or equity or other methods of financing on an economic basis to meet these requirements.

 

If we are not able to replace reserves, we may not be able to sustain production.

 

Our future success depends largely upon our ability to find, develop or acquire additional oil and gas reserves that are economically recoverable. Unless we replace the reserves we produce through successful development, exploration or acquisition activities, our proved reserves and production will decline over time. In addition, approximately 34% of our total estimated proved reserves (by volume) at December 31, 2004 were undeveloped. By their nature, estimates of undeveloped reserves are less certain. Recovery of such reserves will require significant capital expenditures and successful drilling operations. Our reserve estimates reflect that our production rate on producing properties will decline approximately 26% from the beginning until the end of 2005. Thus, our future oil and natural gas reserves and production and, therefore, our cash flow and income are highly dependent on our success in efficiently developing and exploiting our current reserves and economically finding or acquiring additional recoverable reserves.

 

The actual quantities and present value of our proved reserves may prove to be lower than we have estimated.

 

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus contain estimates of our proved reserves and the estimated future net revenues from our proved reserves. These estimates are based upon various assumptions, including assumptions required by the SEC relating to oil and gas prices, drilling and operating expenses, capital expenditures, taxes and availability of funds. The process of estimating oil and gas reserves is complex. The process involves significant decisions and assumptions in the evaluation of available geological, geophysical, engineering and economic data for each reservoir. Therefore, these estimates are inherently imprecise.

 

Actual future production, oil and gas prices, revenues, taxes, development expenditures, operating expenses and quantities of recoverable oil and gas reserves most likely will vary from these estimates. Such variations may be significant and could materially affect the estimated quantities and present value of our proved reserves. In addition, we may adjust estimates of proved reserves to reflect production history, results of exploration and development drilling, prevailing oil and gas prices and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. Our properties may also be susceptible to hydrocarbon drainage from production by operators on adjacent properties.

 

At December 31, 2004, approximately 34% of our estimated proved reserves (by volume) were undeveloped. Recovery of undeveloped reserves requires significant capital expenditures and successful drilling operations. These reserve estimates include the assumption that we will make significant capital expenditures to develop the reserves, including $1.0 billion in 2005. You should be aware that the estimated costs may not be accurate, development may not occur as scheduled and results may not be as estimated.

 

You should not assume that the present values referred to in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein represent the current market value of our estimated oil and gas reserves. In accordance with SEC requirements, the estimates of our present values are based on prices and costs as of the date of the estimates. The December 31, 2004 present value is based on weighted average oil and gas wellhead prices of $39.91 per barrel of oil and $5.65 per mcf of natural gas. Actual future prices and costs may be materially higher or lower than the prices and costs as of the date of an estimate.

 

Any changes in consumption by oil and gas purchasers or in governmental regulations or taxation will also affect actual future net cash flows.

 

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The timing of both the production and the expenses from the development and production of oil and gas properties will affect both the timing of actual future net cash flows from our proved reserves and their present value. In addition, the 10% discount factor, which is required by the SEC to be used in calculating discounted future net cash flows for reporting purposes, is not necessarily the most accurate discount factor. The effective interest rate at various times and the risks associated with our business or the oil and gas industry in general will affect the accuracy of the 10% discount factor.

 

Acquisitions may prove to be worth less than we paid because of uncertainties in evaluating recoverable reserves and potential liabilities.

 

Our recent growth is due in part to acquisitions of exploration and production companies, producing properties and undeveloped leasehold. We expect acquisitions will also contribute to our future growth. Successful acquisitions require an assessment of a number of factors, including estimates of recoverable reserves, exploration potential, future oil and gas prices, operating costs and potential environmental and other liabilities. Such assessments are inexact and their accuracy is inherently uncertain. In connection with our assessments, we perform a review of the acquired properties which we believe is generally consistent with industry practices. However, such a review will not reveal all existing or potential problems. In addition, our review may not permit us to become sufficiently familiar with the properties to fully assess their deficiencies and capabilities. We do not inspect every well. Even when we inspect a well, we do not always discover structural, subsurface and environmental problems that may exist or arise. We are generally not entitled to contractual indemnification for preclosing liabilities, including environmental liabilities. Normally, we acquire interests in properties on an “as is” basis with limited remedies for breaches of representations and warranties. As a result of these factors, we may not be able to acquire oil and gas properties that contain economically recoverable reserves or be able to complete such acquisitions on acceptable terms.

 

Additionally, significant acquisitions can change the nature of our operations and business depending upon the character of the acquired properties, which may have substantially different operating and geological characteristics or be in different geographic locations than our existing properties. It is our current intention to continue focusing on acquiring properties with development and exploration potential located in the Mid-Continent, the South Texas and Texas Gulf Coast regions, the Permian Basin of West Texas and eastern New Mexico, the Barnett Shale area of north-central Texas and the Ark-La-Tex areas of East Texas and northern Louisiana. To the extent that we acquire properties substantially different from the properties in our primary operating regions or acquire properties that require different technical expertise, we may not be able to realize the economic benefits of these acquisitions as efficiently as in our prior acquisitions.

 

Exploration and development drilling may not result in commercially productive reserves.

 

We do not always encounter commercially productive reservoirs through our drilling operations. The new wells we drill or participate in may not be productive and we may not recover all or any portion of our investment in wells we drill or participate in. The seismic data and other technologies we use do not allow us to know conclusively prior to drilling a well that oil or gas is present or may be produced economically. The cost of drilling, completing and operating a well is often uncertain, and cost factors can adversely affect the economics of a project. Our efforts will be unprofitable if we drill dry wells or wells that are productive but do not produce enough reserves to return a profit after drilling, operating and other costs. Further, our drilling operations may be curtailed, delayed or canceled as a result of a variety of factors, including:

 

    increases in the cost of, or shortages or delays in the availability of drilling rigs and equipment;

 

    unexpected drilling conditions;

 

    title problems;

 

    pressure or irregularities in formations;

 

    equipment failures or accidents;

 

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    adverse weather conditions; and

 

    compliance with environmental and other governmental requirements.

 

Future price declines may result in a write-down of our asset carrying values.

 

We utilize the full cost method of accounting for costs related to our oil and gas properties. Under this method, all such costs (for both productive and nonproductive properties) are capitalized and amortized on an aggregate basis over the estimated lives of the properties using the unit-of-production method. However, these capitalized costs are subject to a ceiling test which limits such pooled costs to the aggregate of the present value of future net revenues attributable to proved oil and gas reserves discounted at 10% plus the lower of cost or market value of unproved properties. The full cost ceiling is evaluated at the end of each quarter using the prices for oil and gas at that date, adjusted for the impact of derivatives accounted for as cash flow hedges. A significant decline in oil and gas prices from current levels, or other factors, without other mitigating circumstances, could cause a future writedown of capitalized costs and a non-cash charge against future earnings. Our aggregate present value of future net revenues plus the value of the unproved properties would equal the recorded net book value of our oil and gas properties at December 31, 2004, assuming an index price of approximately $3.90 per mcf for gas and assuming the price of oil remains constant at $43.39 per barrel for oil. If index prices were to fall below these levels, we could experience a write-down of the book value of our oil and gas assets.

 

Our hedging activities may reduce the realized prices received for our oil and gas sales and require us to provide collateral for hedging liabilities.

 

In order to manage our exposure to price volatility in marketing our oil and gas, we enter into oil and gas price risk management arrangements for a portion of our expected production. Commodity price hedging may limit the prices we actually realize and therefore reduce oil and gas revenues in the future. The fair value of our oil and gas derivative instruments outstanding as of June 30, 2005 was a liability of approximately $118.2 million. In addition, our commodity price risk management transactions may expose us to the risk of financial loss in certain circumstances, including instances in which:

 

    our production is less than expected;

 

    there is a widening of price differentials between delivery points for our production and the delivery point assumed in the hedge arrangement; or

 

    the counterparties to our contracts fail to perform under the contracts.

 

Some of our commodity price and interest rate risk management arrangements require us to deliver cash collateral or other assurances of performance to the counterparties in the event that our payment obligations exceed certain levels. As of June 30, 2005, we were required to post a total of $50 million of collateral with our counterparties through letters of credit issued under our bank credit facility with respect to commodity price and financial risk management transactions. As of September 16, 2005, we were required to post $61 million of collateral with our counterparties through letters of credit. Future collateral requirements are uncertain and will depend on arrangements with our counterparties and highly volatile natural gas and oil prices.

 

Lower oil and gas prices could negatively impact our ability to borrow.

 

Our revolving bank credit facility limits our borrowings to $1.25 billion, based on our borrowing base. The borrowing base is determined periodically at the discretion of a majority of the banks and is based in part on oil and gas prices. Additionally, some of our indentures contain covenants limiting our ability to incur indebtedness in addition to that incurred under our bank credit facility. These indentures limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness unless we meet one of two alternative tests. The first alternative is based on our adjusted consolidated net tangible assets (as defined in all of our indentures), which is determined using discounted future net revenues from proved oil and gas reserves as of the end of each year. The second alternative is based on the

 

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ratio of our adjusted consolidated EBITDA (as defined in all of our indentures) to our adjusted consolidated interest expense over a trailing twelve-month period. As of the date of this prospectus, we are permitted to incur significant additional indebtedness under both of these debt incurrence tests. Lower oil and gas prices in the future could reduce our adjusted consolidated EBITDA, as well as our adjusted consolidated net tangible assets, and thus could reduce our ability to incur additional indebtedness.

 

Oil and gas drilling and producing operations can be hazardous and may expose us to environmental liabilities.

 

Oil and gas operations are subject to many risks, including well blowouts, cratering and explosions, pipe failure, fires, formations with abnormal pressures, uncontrollable flows of oil, natural gas, brine or well fluids, and other environmental hazards and risks. Our drilling operations involve risks from high pressures and from mechanical difficulties such as stuck pipes, collapsed casings and separated cables. If any of these risks occurs, we could sustain substantial losses as a result of:

 

    injury or loss of life;

 

    severe damage to or destruction of property, natural resources and equipment;

 

    pollution or other environmental damage;

 

    clean-up responsibilities;

 

    regulatory investigations and penalties; and

 

    suspension of operations.

 

Our liability for environmental hazards includes those created either by the previous owners of properties that we purchase or lease or by acquired companies prior to the date we acquire them. We maintain insurance against some, but not all, of the risks described above. Our insurance may not be adequate to cover casualty losses or liabilities. Also, in the future we may not be able to obtain insurance at premium levels that justify its purchase.

 

Reserve estimates of properties acquired in 2005 have not been prepared by independent petroleum engineers. Our internal estimates may not be as reliable as estimates of those reserves by independent engineers.

 

Our estimates of proved reserves attributed to our 2005 acquisitions included herein or incorporated by reference in this offering memorandum have not been reviewed or reported on by independent petroleum engineers. These estimates were prepared by our own engineers and professionals using criteria otherwise in compliance with SEC rules. Furthermore, our internal reserve estimates for these acquisitions are based upon data available to us which may not be as complete as data available on our other properties. Oil and gas pricing can affect estimates of quantities of proved reserves due to impact of pricing on ultimate economic recovery. Estimates prepared by independent engineers might be different than our internal estimates.

 

The loss of key personnel could adversely affect our business.

 

We depend, and will continue to depend in the foreseeable future, on the services of our officers and key employees with extensive experience and expertise in evaluating and analyzing producing oil and gas properties and drilling prospects, maximizing production from oil to gas properties, marketing oil and gas production, and developing and executing financing and hedging strategies. Our ability to retain our officers and key employees is important to our continued success and growth. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of these individuals could have a detrimental effect on our business. We do not maintain key person life insurance on any of our personnel.

 

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Risks Related to the Exchange Offer and the New Notes

 

If you do not properly tender your outstanding notes, you will continue to hold unregistered outstanding notes and your ability to transfer outstanding notes will be adversely affected.

 

We will only issue new notes in exchange for outstanding notes that you timely and properly tender. Therefore, you should allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery of the outstanding notes and you should carefully follow the instructions on how to tender your outstanding notes. Neither we nor the exchange agent is required to tell you of any defects or irregularities with respect to your tender of outstanding notes.

 

If you do not exchange your outstanding notes for new notes pursuant to the exchange offer, the outstanding notes you hold will continue to be subject to the existing transfer restrictions. In general, you may not offer or sell the outstanding notes except under an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. We do not plan to register outstanding notes under the Securities Act unless our registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers of the outstanding notes requires us to do so. Further, if you continue to hold any outstanding notes after the exchange offer is consummated, you may have trouble selling them because there will be fewer such notes outstanding.

 

Holders of the new notes, like holders of the outstanding notes, will be effectively subordinated to all of our and the subsidiary guarantors’ secured indebtedness.

 

Holders of our secured indebtedness, which is comprised primarily of the indebtedness under our revolving bank credit facility, have claims with respect to our assets constituting collateral for their indebtedness that are prior to your claims under the new notes. In the event of a default on the new notes or our bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization, those assets would be available to satisfy obligations with respect to the indebtedness secured thereby before any payment could be made on the new notes. Accordingly, the secured indebtedness would effectively be senior to the new notes to the extent of the value of the collateral securing the indebtedness. While the indenture governing the new notes places some limitations on our ability to create liens, there are significant exceptions to these limitations, including with respect to sale and leaseback transactions, that will allow us to secure indebtedness without equally and ratably securing the new notes. To the extent the value of the collateral is not sufficient to satisfy the secured indebtedness, the holders of that indebtedness would be entitled to share with the holders of the new notes and the holders of other claims against us with respect to our other assets. In addition, in certain circumstances a Restricted Subsidiary may not be required to be, or may be delayed in becoming, a Subsidiary Guarantor. The new notes will be structurally subordinated to any indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

A guarantee could be voided if the guarantor fraudulently transferred the guarantee at the time it incurred the indebtedness, which could result in the noteholders being able to rely on only us to satisfy claims.

 

Under U.S. bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer laws, a guarantee can be voided, or claims under a guarantee may be subordinated to all other debts of that guarantor if, among other things, the guarantor, at the time it incurred the indebtedness evidenced by its guarantee:

 

    intended to hinder, delay or defraud any present or future creditor or received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for the incurrence of the guarantee;

 

    was insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of such incurrence;

 

    was engaged in a business or transaction for which the guarantor’s remaining assets constituted unreasonably small capital; or

 

    intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond its ability to pay those debts as they mature.

 

In addition, any payment by that guarantor under a guarantee could be voided and required to be returned to the guarantor or to a fund for the benefit of the creditors of the guarantor.

 

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The measures of insolvency for purposes of fraudulent transfer laws vary depending upon the governing law. Generally, a guarantor would be considered insolvent if:

 

    the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, was greater than the fair saleable value of all of its assets;

 

    the present fair saleable value of its assets was less than the amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they became absolute and mature; or

 

    it could not pay its debts as they became due.

 

On the basis of historical financial information, recent operating history and other factors, we believe that the subsidiary guarantees are being incurred for proper purposes and in good faith and that each subsidiary guarantor, after giving effect to its guarantee of the notes, will not be insolvent, have unreasonably small capital for the business in which it is engaged or have incurred debts beyond its ability to pay those debts as they mature. We cannot be certain, however, that a court would agree with our conclusions in this regard.

 

The notes are not subject to a change-of-control put option and lack some covenants typically found in other comparably rated public debt securities.

 

Although the notes are rated below investment grade by both Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service, they lack the protection for holders of a change-of-control put option and several financial and other restrictive covenants associated with several other series of our outstanding senior notes and typically associated with comparably rated public debt securities, including:

 

    incurrence of additional indebtedness;

 

    payment of dividends and other restricted payments;

 

    sale of assets and the use of proceeds therefrom;

 

    transactions with affiliates; and

 

    dividend and other payment restrictions affecting subsidiaries.

 

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EXCHANGE OFFER

 

Purpose and Effect of the Exchange Offer

 

In connection with the issuance of the outstanding notes, we entered into a registration rights agreement. Under the registration rights agreement, we agreed to:

 

    within 120 days after the original issuance of the outstanding notes on August 16, 2005, file a registration statement with the SEC with respect to a registered offer to exchange each outstanding note for a new note having terms substantially identical in all material respects to such note, except that the new note will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions;

 

    use our best efforts to cause the registration statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act within 240 days after the original issuance of the outstanding notes;

 

    promptly following the effectiveness of the registration statement, offer the new notes in exchange for surrender of the outstanding notes; and

 

    keep the exchange offer open for not less than 30 days (or longer if required by applicable law) after the date notice of the exchange offer is mailed to the holders of the outstanding notes.

 

We have fulfilled the agreements described in the first two of the preceding bullet points and are now offering eligible holders of the outstanding notes the opportunity to exchange their outstanding notes for new notes registered under the Securities Act. Holders are eligible if they are not prohibited by any law or policy of the SEC from participating in this exchange offer. The new notes will be substantially identical to the outstanding notes except that the new notes will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions, registration rights or additional interest.

 

Under limited circumstances, we agreed to use our best efforts to cause the SEC to declare effective a shelf registration statement for the resale of the outstanding notes. We also agreed to use our best efforts to keep the shelf registration statement effective for up to two years after its effective date. The circumstances include if:

 

    applicable interpretations thereof of the staff of the SEC do not permit us to effect the exchange offer; or

 

    for any other reason the exchange offer is not consummated within 270 days from August 16, 2005, the date of the original issuance of the outstanding notes; or

 

    any of the initial purchasers notify us following consummation of the exchange offer that outstanding notes held by it are not eligible to be exchanged for new notes in the exchange offer; or

 

    certain holders are not eligible to participate in the exchange offer, or such holders do not receive freely tradeable securities on the date of the exchange.

 

We will pay additional cash interest on the applicable outstanding notes, subject to certain exceptions:

 

    if the exchange offer is not consummated on or before the 60th business day after the date on which this registration statement was declared effective,

 

    if obligated to file a shelf registration statement, we fail to file the shelf registration statement with the SEC on or prior to the 30th day after the date on which the obligation to file a shelf registration statement arises, which we refer to as the shelf filing date,

 

    if obligated to file a shelf registration statement due to the circumstances described in the first bullet point of the preceding paragraph, the shelf registration statement is not declared effective on or prior to the 240th day after the original issuance of the outstanding notes,

 

    if we are obligated to file a shelf registration statement due to the circumstances described in the second, third or fourth bullet points of the preceding paragraph, the shelf registration statement is not declared effective on or prior to the 180th day after the shelf filing date, or

 

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    after this registration statement or the shelf registration statement, as the case may be, is declared effective, such registration statement thereafter ceases to be effective or usable (subject to certain exceptions) (each such event referred to in the preceding clauses being a “registration default”);

 

from and including the date on which any such registration default occurs to but excluding the date on which all registration defaults have been cured.

 

The rate of the additional interest will be 0.25% per year for the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of a registration default, and such rate will increase by an additional 0.25% per year with respect to each subsequent 90-day period until all registration defaults have been cured, up to a maximum additional interest rate of 1.0% per year. We will pay such additional interest on regular interest payment dates. Such additional interest will be in addition to any other interest payable from time to time with respect to the outstanding notes and the new notes.

 

Upon the effectiveness of this registration statement, the consummation of the exchange offer, the effectiveness of a shelf registration statement, or the effectiveness of a succeeding registration statement, as the case may be, the interest rate borne by the notes from the date of such effectiveness or consummation, as the case may be, will be reduced to the original interest rate. However, if after any such reduction in interest rate, a different registration default occurs, the interest rate may again be increased pursuant to the preceding paragraph.

 

To exchange your outstanding notes for transferable new notes in the exchange offer, you will be required to make the following representations:

 

    any new notes will be acquired in the ordinary course of your business;

 

    you have no arrangement or understanding with any person or entity to participate in the distribution of the new notes;

 

    you are not engaged in and do not intend to engage in the distribution of the new notes;

 

    if you are a broker-dealer that will receive new notes for your own account in exchange for outstanding notes, you acquired those notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities and you will deliver a prospectus, as required by law, in connection with any resale of such new notes; and

 

    you are not our “affiliate,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

 

In addition, we may require you to provide information to be used in connection with the shelf registration statement to have your outstanding notes included in the shelf registration statement and benefit from the provisions regarding additional interest described in the preceding paragraphs. A holder who sells outstanding notes under the shelf registration statement generally will be required to be named as a selling securityholder in the related prospectus and to deliver a prospectus to purchasers. Such a holder will also be subject to the civil liability provisions under the Securities Act in connection with such sales and will be bound by the provisions of the registration rights agreement that are applicable to such a holder, including indemnification obligations.

 

The description of the registration rights agreement contained in this section is a summary only. For more information, you should review the provisions of the registration rights agreement that we filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

Resale of New Notes

 

Based on no action letters of the SEC staff issued to third parties, we believe that new notes may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by you without further compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act if:

 

    you are not our “affiliate” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act;

 

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    such new notes are acquired in the ordinary course of your business; and

 

    you do not intend to participate in a distribution of the new notes.

 

The SEC, however, has not considered the exchange offer for the new notes in the context of a no action letter, and the SEC may not make a similar determination as in the no action letters issued to these third parties.

 

If you tender in the exchange offer with the intention of participating in any manner in a distribution of the new notes, you

 

    cannot rely on such interpretations by the SEC staff; and

 

    must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction.

 

Unless an exemption from registration is otherwise available, any security holder intending to distribute new notes should be covered by an effective registration statement under the Securities Act. This registration statement should contain the selling security holder’s information required by Item 507 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act. This prospectus may be used for an offer to resell, resale or other retransfer of new notes only as specifically described in this prospectus. Only broker-dealers that acquired the outstanding notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities may participate in the exchange offer. Each broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account in exchange for outstanding notes, where such outstanding notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge by way of the letter of transmittal that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the new notes. Please read the section captioned “Plan of Distribution” for more details regarding the transfer of new notes.

 

Terms of the Exchange Offer

 

Subject to the terms and conditions described in this prospectus and in the letter of transmittal, we will accept for exchange any outstanding notes properly tendered and not withdrawn prior to 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the expiration date. We will issue new notes in principal amount equal to the principal amount of outstanding notes surrendered under the exchange offer. Outstanding notes may be tendered only for new notes and only in integral multiples of $1,000.

 

The exchange offer is not conditioned upon any minimum aggregate principal amount of outstanding notes being tendered for exchange.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, $600,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes are outstanding. This prospectus is being sent to DTC, the sole registered holder of the outstanding notes, and to all persons that we can identify as beneficial owners of the outstanding notes. There will be no fixed record date for determining registered holders of outstanding notes entitled to participate in the exchange offer.

 

We intend to conduct the exchange offer in accordance with the provisions of the registration rights agreement, the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations of the SEC. Outstanding notes whose holders do not tender for exchange in the exchange offer will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest. These outstanding notes will be entitled to the rights and benefits such holders have under the indenture relating to the notes and the registration rights agreement.

 

We will be deemed to have accepted for exchange properly tendered outstanding notes when we have given oral or written notice of the acceptance to the exchange agent and complied with the applicable provisions of the registration rights agreement. The exchange agent will act as agent for the tendering holders for the purposes of receiving the new notes from us.

 

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If you tender outstanding notes in the exchange offer, you will not be required to pay brokerage commissions or fees or, subject to the letter of transmittal, transfer taxes with respect to the exchange of outstanding notes. We will pay all charges and expenses, other than certain applicable taxes described below, in connecting with the exchange offer. It is important that you read the section labeled “—Fees and Expenses” for more details regarding fees and expenses incurred in the exchange offer.

 

We will return any outstanding notes that we do not accept for exchange for any reason without expense to their tendering holder as promptly as practicable after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.

 

Expiration Date

 

The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m. New York City time on                     , 2005, unless, in our sole discretion, we extend it.

 

Extensions, Delays in Acceptance, Termination or Amendment

 

We expressly reserve the right, at any time or various times, to extend the period of time during which the exchange offer is open. We may delay acceptance of any outstanding notes by giving oral or written notice of such extension to their holders. During any such extensions, all outstanding notes previously tendered will remain subject to the exchange offer, and we may accept them for exchange.

 

In order to extend the exchange offer, we will notify the exchange agent orally or in writing of any extension. We will notify the registered holders of outstanding notes of the extension no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the business day after the previously scheduled expiration date.

 

If any of the conditions described below under “—Conditions to the Exchange Offer” have not been satisfied, we reserve the right, in our sole discretion

 

    to delay accepting for exchange any outstanding notes,

 

    to extend the exchange offer, or

 

    to terminate the exchange offer,

 

by giving oral or written notice of such delay, extension or termination to the exchange agent. Subject to the terms of the registration rights agreement, we also reserve the right to amend the terms of the exchange offer in any manner.

 

Any such delay in acceptance, extension, termination or amendment will be followed as promptly as practicable by oral or written notice thereof to the registered holders of outstanding notes. If we amend the exchange offer in a manner that we determine to constitute a material change, we will promptly disclose such amendment by means of a prospectus supplement. The supplement will be distributed to the registered holders of the outstanding notes. Depending upon the significance of the amendment and the manner of disclosure to the registered holders, we will extend the exchange offer if the exchange offer would otherwise expire during such period.

 

Conditions to the Exchange Offer

 

We will not be required to accept for exchange, or exchange any new notes for, any outstanding notes if the exchange offer, or the making of any exchange by a holder of outstanding notes, would violate applicable law or any applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC. Similarly, we may terminate the exchange offer as provided in this prospectus before accepting outstanding notes for exchange in the event of such a potential violation.

 

In addition, we will not be obligated to accept for exchange the outstanding notes of any holder that has not made to us the representations described under “—Purpose and Effect of the Exchange Offer,” “—Procedures for

 

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Tendering” and “Plan of Distribution” and such other representations as may be reasonably necessary under applicable SEC rules, regulations or interpretations to allow us to use an appropriate form to register the new notes under the Securities Act.

 

We expressly reserve the right to amend or terminate the exchange offer, and to reject for exchange any outstanding notes not previously accepted for exchange, upon the occurrence of any of the conditions to the exchange offer specified above. We will give oral or written notice of any extension, amendment, non-acceptance or termination to the holders of the outstanding notes as promptly as practicable.

 

These conditions are for our sole benefit, and we may assert them or waive them in whole or in part at any time or at various times in our sole discretion. If we fail at any time to exercise any of these rights, this failure will not mean that we have waived our rights. Each such right will be deemed an ongoing right that we may assert at any time or at various times.

 

In addition, we will not accept for exchange any outstanding notes tendered, and will not issue new notes in exchange for any such outstanding notes, if at such time any stop order has been threatened or is in effect with respect to the registration statement of which this prospectus constitutes a part or the qualification of the indenture relating to the notes under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

 

Procedures for Tendering

 

In order to participate in the exchange offer, you must properly tender your outstanding notes to the exchange agent as described below. It is your responsibility to properly tender your notes. We have the right to waive any defects. However, we are not required to waive defects and are not required to notify you of defects in your exchange.

 

If you have any questions or need help in exchanging your notes, please call the exchange agent whose address and phone number are described in the section of the prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

All of the outstanding notes were issued in book-entry form, and all of the outstanding notes are currently represented by global certificates held for the account of DTC. We have confirmed with DTC that the outstanding notes may be tendered using the Automated Tender Offer Program (“ATOP”) instituted by DTC. The exchange agent will establish an account with DTC for purposes of the exchange offer promptly after the commencement of the exchange offer and DTC participants may electronically transmit their acceptance of the exchange offer by causing DTC to transfer their outstanding notes to the exchange agent using the ATOP procedures. In connection with the transfer, DTC will send an “agent’s message” to the exchange agent. The agent’s message will state that DTC has received instructions from the participant to tender outstanding notes and that the participant agrees to be bound by the terms of the letter of transmittal.

 

By using the ATOP procedures to exchange outstanding notes, you will not be required to deliver a letter of transmittal to the exchange agent. However, you will be bound by its terms just as if you had signed it.

 

There is no procedure for guaranteed late delivery of the notes.

 

Determinations Under the Exchange Offer

 

We will determine in our sole discretion all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility, time of receipt, acceptance of tendered outstanding notes and withdrawal of tendered outstanding notes. Our determination will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute right to reject any outstanding notes not properly tendered or any outstanding notes our acceptance of which would, in the opinion of our counsel, be unlawful. We also reserve the right to waive any defect, irregularities or conditions of tender as to particular outstanding notes. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer, including the instructions in the letter of transmittal, will be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, all defects or irregularities in connection with

 

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tenders of outstanding notes must be cured within such time as we shall determine. Although we intend to notify holders of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of outstanding notes, neither we, the exchange agent nor any other person will incur any liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of outstanding notes will not be deemed made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. Any outstanding notes received by the exchange agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned to the tendering holder as soon as practicable following the expiration date.

 

When We Will Issue New Notes

 

In all cases, we will issue new notes for outstanding notes that we have accepted for exchange under the exchange offer only after the exchange agent receives, prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date,

 

    a book-entry confirmation of such outstanding notes into the exchange agent’s account at DTC; and

 

    a properly transmitted agent’s message.

 

Return of Outstanding Notes Not Accepted or Exchanged

 

If we do not accept any tendered outstanding notes for exchange or if outstanding notes are submitted for a greater principal amount than the holder desires to exchange, the unaccepted or non-exchanged outstanding notes will be returned without expense to their tendering holder. Such non-exchanged outstanding notes will be credited to an account maintained with DTC. These actions will occur as promptly as practicable after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.

 

Your Representations to Us

 

By agreeing to be bound by the letter of transmittal, you will represent to us that, among other things:

 

    any new notes that you receive will be acquired in the ordinary course of your business;

 

    you have no arrangement or understanding with any person or entity to participate in the distribution of the new notes;

 

    you are not engaged in and do not intend to engage in the distribution of the new notes;

 

    if you are a broker-dealer that will receive new notes for your own account in exchange for outstanding notes, you acquired those notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities and you will deliver a prospectus, as required by law, in connection with any resale of such new notes; and

 

    you are not our “affiliate,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

 

Withdrawal of Tenders

 

Except as otherwise provided in this prospectus, you may withdraw your tender at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the expiration date. For a withdrawal to be effective you must comply with the appropriate procedures of DTC’s ATOP system. Any notice of withdrawal must specify the name and number of the account at DTC to be credited with withdrawn outstanding notes and otherwise comply with the procedures of DTC.

 

We will determine all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility and time of receipt of notice of withdrawal. Our determination shall be final and binding on all parties. We will deem any outstanding notes so withdrawn not to have been validly tendered for exchange for purposes of the exchange offer.

 

Any outstanding notes that have been tendered for exchange but that are not exchanged for any reason will be credited to an account maintained with DTC for the outstanding notes. This return or crediting will take place

 

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as soon as practicable after withdrawal, rejection of tender or termination of the exchange offer. You may retender properly withdrawn outstanding notes by following the procedures described under “—Procedures for Tendering” above at any time on or prior to the expiration date.

 

Fees and Expenses

 

We will bear the expenses of soliciting tenders. The principal solicitation is being made by mail; however, we may make additional solicitation by telegraph, telephone or in person by our officers and regular employees and those of our affiliates.

 

We have not retained any dealer-manager in connection with the exchange offer and will not make any payments to broker-dealers or others soliciting acceptances of the exchange offer. We will, however, pay the exchange agent reasonable and customary fees for its services and reimburse it for its related reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.

 

We will pay the cash expenses to be incurred in connection with the exchange offer. They include:

 

    SEC registration fees;

 

    fees and expenses of the exchange agent and trustee;

 

    accounting and legal fees and printing costs; and

 

    related fees and expenses.

 

Transfer Taxes

 

We will pay all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the exchange of outstanding notes under the exchange offer. The tendering holder, however, will be required to pay any transfer taxes, whether imposed on the registered holder or any other person, if a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of outstanding notes under the exchange offer.

 

Consequences of Failure to Exchange

 

If you do not exchange new notes for your outstanding notes under the exchange offer, you will remain subject to the existing restrictions on transfer of the outstanding notes. In general, you may not offer or sell the outstanding notes unless they are registered under the Securities Act, or if the offer or sale is exempt from the registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Except as required by the registration rights agreement, we do not intend to register resales of the outstanding notes under the Securities Act.

 

Accounting Treatment

 

We will record the new notes in our accounting records at the same carrying value as the outstanding notes. This carrying value is the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes less any bond discount, as reflected in our accounting records on the date of exchange. Accordingly, we will not recognize any gain or loss for accounting purposes in connection with the exchange offer.

 

Other

 

Participation in the exchange offer is voluntary, and you should carefully consider whether to accept. You are urged to consult your financial and tax advisors in making your own decision on what action to take.

 

We may in the future seek to acquire untendered outstanding notes in open market or privately negotiated transactions, through subsequent exchange offers or otherwise. We have no present plans to acquire any outstanding notes that are not tendered in the exchange offer or to file a registration statement to permit resales of any untendered outstanding notes.

 

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RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

For purposes of determining the ratios of earnings to fixed charges, earnings are defined as net income (loss) before income taxes, cumulative effect of accounting change, pre-tax gain or loss of equity investees, amortization of capitalized interest and fixed charges, less capitalized interest. Fixed charges consist of interest (whether expensed or capitalized and excluding the effect of unrealized gains or losses on interest rate derivatives) and amortization of debt expenses and discount or premium relating to any indebtedness.

 

     Year Ended December 31,

    Six Months
Ended
June 30,
2005


     2000

    2001

    2002

    2003

    2004

   

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

   3.1 x   4.4 x   1.5 x   4.0 x   4.8 x   4.4x

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

The exchange offer is intended to satisfy our obligations under the registration rights agreement. We will not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the new notes in the exchange offer. In consideration for issuing the new notes as contemplated by this prospectus, we will receive outstanding notes in a like principal amount. The form and terms of the new notes are identical in all respects to the form and terms of the outstanding notes, except the new notes do not include certain transfer restrictions. Outstanding notes surrendered in exchange for the new notes will be retired and cancelled and will not be reissued. Accordingly, the issuance of the new notes will not result in any change in our outstanding indebtedness.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW NOTES

 

The new notes will be issued, and the outstanding notes were issued, pursuant to an indenture dated as of August 16, 2005 (the “Indenture”), among the Company, as issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantors, as guarantors, and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”). The terms of the new notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”). Certain terms used in this description are defined under the subheading “—Certain Definitions.” In this description, the words “Company” and “we” refer only to Chesapeake Energy Corporation and not to any of its subsidiaries.

 

The following description is only a summary of the material provisions of the Notes, the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement. These descriptions do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, the Notes, the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement. You may request copies of the Indenture and Registration Rights Agreement at our address set forth under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

Brief Description of the Notes

 

The Notes:

 

    are unsecured senior indebtedness of the Company;

 

    are unlimited in aggregate principal amount, of which $600,000,000 are currently outstanding;

 

    are senior in right of payment to all future Subordinated Indebtedness of the Company; and

 

    rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future Senior Indebtedness.

 

The new notes will be issued, and the outstanding notes were issued, only in registered form, without coupons, in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.

 

Any outstanding notes that remain outstanding after the completion of the Exchange Offer, together with the new notes issued in connection with the Exchange Offer and any other notes issued under the indenture then outstanding, will be treated as a single class of securities under the Indenture.

 

The Company has issued Notes in an aggregate principal amount of $600 million. The Company is permitted to issue additional Notes under the Indenture in an unlimited aggregate principal amount (“Add On Notes”). Any Add On Notes that are actually issued will be treated as issued and outstanding Notes (as the same class as the new notes) for all purposes of the Indenture and this “Description of the New Notes,” unless the context indicates otherwise. Each Note will mature on August 15, 2017 and will bear interest at the rate of interest per annum indicated on the cover page of this prospectus.

 

Interest on the new notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from August 16, 2005, and will be payable semiannually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing February 15, 2006. We will make each interest payment to the holders of record of the Notes at the close of business on the February 1 or August 1 preceding such interest payment date. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. Principal, premium, if any, and interest will be payable at the offices of the Trustee and the paying agent, provided that, at the option of the Company, payment of interest on Notes not in global form may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as it appears in the register of the Notes maintained by the registrar. Initially, the Trustee will also act as paying agent and registrar for the Notes.

 

The Notes are unsecured senior obligations of the Company. The Notes rank pari passu in right of payment with all future Senior Indebtedness of the Company and rank senior in right of payment to all future Subordinated Indebtedness of the Company.

 

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All of our Subsidiaries are “Restricted Subsidiaries.” However, under the circumstances described in the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” under “—Certain Definitions” below, we may designate certain of our Subsidiaries as “Unrestricted Subsidiaries.” Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to many of the restrictive covenants in the Indenture and will not guarantee the Notes.

 

Guarantees

 

On the Issue Date, all the existing subsidiaries of the Company will fully and unconditionally guarantee, on a joint and several basis, the Company’s obligations to pay principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes. The Indenture provides that each Person that becomes a domestic Subsidiary after the Issue Date and guarantees any other Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor in excess of a De Minimis Guaranteed Amount will guarantee the payment of the Notes within 180 days after the later of (i) the date it becomes a domestic Subsidiary and (ii) the date it guarantees such other Indebtedness, provided that no guarantee shall be required if the Subsidiary merges into the Company or an existing Subsidiary Guarantor and the surviving entity remains a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under its Guarantee will be limited as necessary to prevent that Guarantee from constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal, state or foreign law. Each Subsidiary Guarantor that makes a payment or distribution under a Guarantee shall be entitled to a contribution from each other Subsidiary Guarantor in a pro rata amount based on the respective net assets of each Subsidiary Guarantor at the time of such payment determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

If a Guarantee were rendered voidable, it could be subordinated by a court to all other indebtedness (including guarantees and other contingent liabilities) of the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor, and, depending on the amount of such indebtedness, a Subsidiary Guarantor’s liability on its Guarantee could be reduced to zero. Please read “Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Exchange Offer and the New Notes—A guarantee could be voided if the guarantor fraudulently transferred the guarantee at the time it incurred the indebtedness, which could result in the noteholders being able to rely on only us to satisfy claims.”

 

Subject to the next succeeding paragraph, no Subsidiary Guarantor may consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not such Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving Person) another Person unless:

 

(1) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than such Subsidiary Guarantor) assumes all the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the Indenture and the Notes pursuant to a supplemental indenture, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, and

 

(2) immediately after such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists.

 

The preceding does not prohibit a merger between Subsidiary Guarantors or a merger between the Company and a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

In the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of any Subsidiary Guarantor, or a sale or other disposition of all the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor, in any case whether by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, or a Subsidiary Guarantor otherwise ceases to be a Subsidiary Guarantor, then the Person acquiring the assets (in the event of a sale or other disposition, by way of such a merger, consolidation or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor) or such Subsidiary Guarantor (in any other event) will be released and relieved of any obligations under its Guarantee. Further, a Subsidiary Guarantor will be released and relieved from any obligations under its Guarantee if it ceases to guarantee any other Indebtedness of the Company or any other Subsidiary Guarantor other than a De Minimis Guaranteed Amount.

 

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Ranking

 

Senior Indebtedness versus Notes. The Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes and the Guarantees will be unsecured and will rank pari passu in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be.

 

As of June 30, 2005, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors had approximately $4.2 billion in principal amount of Senior Indebtedness outstanding, of which approximately $455 million was secured indebtedness under our revolving bank credit facility. Upon completion of this offering and the ultimate application of the net proceeds from this offering as described under “Use of Proceeds,” as of June 30, 2005 we would have had, on a pro forma basis as adjusted, approximately $4.6 billion in principal amount of Senior Indebtedness outstanding, $280.2 million of which would have been secured. As of September 16, 2005, we had $114.0 million outstanding under our revolving bank credit facility.

 

The Notes will be unsecured obligations of the Company. Secured debt and other secured obligations of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors (including obligations with respect to our revolving bank credit facility) will be effectively senior to the Notes to the extent of the value of the assets securing such debt or other obligations.

 

Liabilities of Subsidiaries versus Notes. A substantial portion of the Company’s operations is conducted through its subsidiaries. Claims of creditors of any subsidiaries that are not Subsidiary Guarantors, including trade creditors and creditors holding indebtedness or guarantees issued by such subsidiaries, and claims of preferred stockholders of such subsidiaries will have priority with respect to the assets and earnings of such subsidiaries over the claims of the Company’s creditors, including holders of the Notes. Accordingly, the Notes will be effectively subordinated to creditors (including trade creditors) and preferred stockholders, if any, of the Company’s subsidiaries that are not Subsidiary Guarantors. As of the Issue Date, all of the Company’s existing subsidiaries were Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

Although the Indenture limits the incurrence of certain secured Indebtedness of Subsidiaries, such limitations are subject to a number of significant qualifications and the Indenture does not limit the incurrence of unsecured Indebtedness.

 

Make-Whole Redemption

 

At any time prior to the Maturity Date, the Company may, at its option, redeem all or any portion of the Notes at the Make-Whole Price plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption.

 

Certain Covenants

 

The following restrictive covenants will be applicable to the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

Limitation on Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur or assume any Indebtedness secured by any Liens (other than Permitted Liens) upon any of the properties of the Company or any Subsidiary, unless the Notes or a Guarantee are equally and ratably secured; provided that if such Indebtedness is expressly subordinated to the Notes or a Guarantee, the Lien securing such Indebtedness will be subordinated and junior to the Lien securing the Notes or such Guarantee.

 

Limitation on Sale/Leaseback Transactions. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale/Leaseback Transaction with any Person (other than the Company or any other Subsidiary) unless:

 

(1) the Company or such Subsidiary would be entitled to incur secured Indebtedness, in a principal amount equal to the Attributable Indebtedness with respect to such Sale/Leaseback Transaction in accordance with the covenant captioned “—Limitation on Liens”; or

 

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(2) the Company or such Subsidiary receives proceeds from such Sale/Leaseback Transaction at least equal to the fair market value thereof (as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors, whose determination in good faith, evidenced by a resolution of such Board, shall be conclusive) and such proceeds are applied in accordance with the following two paragraphs:

 

The Company may apply Net Available Proceeds from such Sale/Leaseback Transaction, within 365 days following the receipt of Net Available Proceeds from the Sale/Leaseback Transaction, to:

 

(1) the repayment of Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary under Credit Facilities or other Senior Indebtedness, including any mandatory redemption or repurchase or make-whole redemption of the Existing Notes or the Notes;

 

(2) make an Investment in assets used in the Oil and Gas Business; or

 

(3) develop by drilling the Company’s oil and gas reserves.

 

If, upon completion of the 365-day period, any portion of the Net Available Proceeds shall not have been applied by the Company as described in clauses (1), (2) or (3) in the immediately preceding paragraph and such remaining Net Available Proceeds, together with any remaining net cash proceeds from any prior Sale/Leaseback Transaction (such aggregate constituting “Excess Proceeds”), exceed $40 million, then the Company will be obligated to make an offer (the “Net Proceeds Offer”) to purchase the Notes and any other Senior Indebtedness in respect of which such an offer to purchase is also required to be made concurrently with the Net Proceeds Offer having an aggregate principal amount equal to the Excess Proceeds (such purchase to be made on a pro rata basis if the amount available for such repurchase is less than the principal amount of the Notes and other such Senior Indebtedness tendered in such Net Proceeds Offer) at a purchase price of 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest to the date of repurchase. Upon the completion of the Net Proceeds Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset to zero.

 

Within 15 days after the Company becomes obligated to make a Net Proceeds Offer (a “Net Proceeds Offer Triggering Event”), the Company will mail or cause to be mailed to all Holders on the date of the Net Proceeds Offer Triggering Event a notice (the “Offer Notice”) of the occurrence of such Net Proceeds Offer Triggering Event and of the Holders’ rights arising as a result thereof. The Offer Notice shall state, among other things:

 

(1) that the offer is being made pursuant to this covenant;

 

(2) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;

 

(3) that any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the offer shall cease to accrue interest on the payment date; and

 

(4) the instructions, consistent with this covenant, that a Holder must follow in order to have such Holder’s Notes purchased.

 

The Net Proceeds Offer will be deemed to have commenced upon mailing of the Offer Notice and will terminate 20 business days after its commencement, unless a longer offering period is required by law. Promptly after the termination of the offer, the Company will purchase and mail or deliver payment for all Notes tendered in response to the offer.

 

On the payment date, the Company will, to the extent lawful, (a) accept for payment Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Net Proceeds Offer, (b) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof so tendered and (c) deliver to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an officers’ certificate stating the Notes or portions thereof tendered to the Company. The paying agent will promptly mail or deliver to each Holder of Notes so accepted payment in an amount equal to the purchase price for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail or deliver to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any, provided that each such new Note will be in a principal amount of $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof.

 

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The Company will comply with Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the provisions of Regulation 14E and any other tender offer rules under the Exchange Act and any other federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations which may then be applicable to any Net Proceeds Offer.

 

During the period between any Sale/Leaseback Transaction and the application of the Net Available Proceeds therefrom in accordance with this covenant, all Net Available Proceeds shall be maintained in a segregated account and shall be invested in Permitted Financial Investments.

 

Limitations on Mergers and Consolidations. The Company will not consolidate or merge with or into any Person, or sell, convey, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to any Person, unless:

 

(1) the Person formed by or surviving such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company), or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall be made (collectively, the “Successor”), is a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, or Canada or any province thereof, and the Successor assumes by supplemental indenture in a form satisfactory to the Trustee all of the obligations of the Company under the Indenture and under the Notes; provided, that unless the Successor is a corporation, a corporate co-issuer of the Notes will be added to the Indenture by such supplemental indenture; and

 

(2) immediately before and after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

SEC Reports. Notwithstanding that the Company may not be required to remain subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company will file with the SEC and provide the Trustee and Holders with annual reports and such information, documents and other reports specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

Certain Definitions

 

The following is a summary of certain defined terms used in the Indenture. Reference is made to the Indenture for the full definition of all such terms and for the definitions of capitalized terms used in this offering memorandum and not defined below.

 

“Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” or “ACNTA” means, without duplication, as of the date of determination, (a) the sum of

 

(1) discounted future net revenue from proved oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, as estimated by petroleum engineers (which may include the Company’s internal engineers) in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year, as increased by, as of the date of determination, the discounted future net revenue of (A) estimated proved oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries attributable to any acquisition consummated since the date of such year-end reserve report and (B) estimated proved oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries attributable to extensions, discoveries and other additions and upward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities conducted or otherwise occurring since the date of such year-end reserve report which, in the case of sub-clauses (A) and (B), would, in accordance with standard industry practice, result in such increases as calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in such year-end reserve report), and decreased by, as of the date of determination, the discounted future net revenue of (C) estimated proved oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries produced or disposed of since the date of such year-end reserve report and (D) reductions in the estimated oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries since the date of such year-end reserve report attributable to downward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities conducted or

 

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otherwise occurring since the date of such year-end reserve report which, in the case of sub-clauses (C) and (D) would, in accordance with standard industry practice, result in such decreases as calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in such year-end reserve report); provided that, in the case of each of the determinations made pursuant to clauses (A) through (D), such increases and decreases shall be as estimated by the Company’s engineers,

 

(2) the capitalized costs that are attributable to oil and gas properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries to which no proved oil and gas reserves are attributable, based on the Company’s books and records as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements,

 

(3) the Net Working Capital on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements and

 

(4) the greater of (I) the net book value on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements and (II) the appraised value, as estimated by independent appraisers,

of other tangible assets (including Investments in unconsolidated Subsidiaries) of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest audited financial statements,

 

minus (b) the sum of

 

(1) minority interests,

 

(2) any gas balancing liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected as a long-term liability in the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements,

 

(3) the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in the Company’s year-end reserve report), attributable to reserves which are required to be delivered to third parties to fully satisfy the obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to Volumetric Production Payments on the schedules specified with respect thereto,

 

(4) the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines, attributable to reserves subject to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments which, based on the estimates of production included in determining the discounted future net revenue specified in (a)(1) above (utilizing the same prices utilized in the Company’s year-end reserve report), would be necessary to fully satisfy the payment obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments on the schedules specified with respect thereto and

 

(5) the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the same prices utilized in the Company’s year-end reserve report), attributable to reserves subject to participation interests, overriding royalty interests or other interests of third parties, pursuant to participation, partnership, vendor financing or other agreements then in effect, or which otherwise are required to be delivered to third parties.

 

If the Company changes its method of accounting from the full cost method to the successful efforts method or a similar method of accounting, ACNTA will continue to be calculated as if the Company were still using the full cost method of accounting.

 

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

“Attributable Indebtedness” means, with respect to any particular lease under which any Person is at the time liable and at any date as of which the amount thereof is to be determined, the present value of the total net amount of rent required to be paid by such Person under the lease during the primary term thereof, without giving effect to any renewals at the option of the lessee, discounted from the respective due dates thereof to such date at

 

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the rate of interest per annum implicit in the terms of the lease. As used in the preceding sentence, the “net amount of rent” under any lease for any such period shall mean the sum of rental and other payments required to be paid with respect to such period by the lessee thereunder excluding any amounts required to be paid by such lessee on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates or similar charges. In the case of any lease which is terminable by the lessee upon payment of a penalty, such net amount of rent shall also include the amount of such penalty, but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid under such lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so terminated.

 

“Average Life” means, as of the date of determination, with respect to any Indebtedness, the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the product of (x) the number of years from such date to the date of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Indebtedness multiplied by (y) the amount of such principal payment by (b) the sum of all such principal payments.

 

“Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock or partnership or limited liability company interests and any and all warrants, options and rights with respect thereto (whether or not currently exercisable), including each class of common stock and preferred stock of such Person.

 

“Capitalized Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under a lease of property, real or personal, that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Credit Facilities” means, one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Company’s existing credit facility) or commercial paper facilities, in each case with banks, investment banks, insurance companies, mutual funds and/or other institutional lenders providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from (or sell receivables to) such lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit, in each case, as amended, extended, restated, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced (in each case with Credit Facilities), supplemented or otherwise modified (in whole or in part and without limitation as to amount, terms, conditions, covenants and other provisions) from time to time.

 

“Currency Hedge Obligations” means, at any time as to the Company and its Subsidiaries, the obligations of any such Person at such time that were incurred in the ordinary course of business pursuant to any foreign currency exchange agreement, option or futures contract or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect against or manage such Person’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.

 

“De Minimis Guaranteed Amount” means a principal amount of Indebtedness that does not exceed $5 million.

 

“Disqualified Stock” means any Capital Stock of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company which, 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 or with the passage of time, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the Maturity Date or which is exchangeable or convertible into debt securities of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, except to the extent that such exchange or conversion rights cannot be exercised prior to the Maturity Date.

 

“Dollar-Denominated Production Payments” mean production payment obligations recorded as liabilities in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC hereunder.

 

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“Existing Notes” means the Company’s outstanding (a) 8.375% Senior Notes due 2008, (b) 9% Senior Notes due 2012, (c) 7.5% Senior Notes due 2013, (d) 7.5% Senior Notes due 2014, (e) 7% Senior Notes due 2014, (f) 7.75% Senior Notes due 2015, (g) 6.375% Senior Notes due 2015, (h) 6.875% Senior Notes due 2016, (i) 6.625% Senior Notes due 2016 and (j) 6.25% Senior Notes due 2018.

 

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect in the United States of America as of the Issue Date.

 

“Guarantee” means, individually and collectively, the guarantees given by the Subsidiary Guarantors pursuant to Article Ten of the Indenture.

 

“Holder” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered on the registrar’s books.

 

“Indebtedness” means, without duplication, with respect to any Person,

 

(a) all obligations of such Person

 

(1) in respect of borrowed money (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such Person or only to a portion thereof),

 

(2) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments,

 

(3) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services (other than accounts payable or other obligations arising in the ordinary course of business),

 

(4) evidenced by bankers’ acceptances or similar instruments issued or accepted by banks,

 

(5) for the payment of money relating to a Capitalized Lease Obligation, or

 

(6) evidenced by a letter of credit or a reimbursement obligation of such Person with respect to any letter of credit;

 

(b) all net obligations of such Person in respect of Currency Hedge Obligations, Interest Rate Hedging Agreements and Oil and Gas Hedging Contracts, except to the extent such net obligations are taken into account in the determination of future net revenues from proved oil and gas reserves for purposes of the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets;

 

(c) all liabilities of others of the kind described in the preceding clauses (a) or (b) that such Person has guaranteed or that are otherwise its legal liability (including, with respect to any Production Payment, any warranties or guaranties of production or payment by such Person with respect to such Production Payment but excluding other contractual obligations of such Person with respect to such Production Payment);

 

(d) Indebtedness (as otherwise defined in this definition) of another Person secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person, the amount of such obligations being deemed to be the lesser of

 

(1) the full amount of such obligations so secured and

 

(2) the fair market value of such asset, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of such Person, which determination shall be evidenced by a resolution of such Board;

 

(e) with respect to such Person, the liquidation preference or any mandatory redemption payment obligations in respect of Disqualified Stock;

 

(f) the aggregate preference in respect of amounts payable on the issued and outstanding shares of preferred stock of any of such Person’s Subsidiaries in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up (excluding any such preference attributable to such shares of preferred stock that are owned by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries; provided, that if such Person is the Company, such exclusion shall be for such preference attributable to such shares of preferred stock that are owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries); and

 

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(g) any and all deferrals, renewals, extensions, refinancings and refundings (whether direct or indirect) of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, any liability of the kind described in any of the preceding clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) or this clause (g), whether or not between or among the same parties.

 

Subject to clause (c) of the preceding sentence, neither Dollar-Denominated Production Payments nor Volumetric Production Payments shall be deemed to be Indebtedness.

 

“Interest Rate Hedging Agreements” means, with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries, the obligations of such Persons under (a) interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements and (b) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect any such Person or any of its Subsidiaries against fluctuations in interest rates.

 

“Investment” of any Person means (a) all investments by such Person in any other Person in the form of loans, advances or capital contributions, (b) all guarantees of Indebtedness or other obligations of any other Person by such Person, (c) all purchases (or other acquisitions for consideration) by such Person of assets, Indebtedness, Capital Stock or other securities of any other Person and (d) all other items that would be classified as investments (including, without limitation, purchases of assets outside the ordinary course of business) or advances on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Issue Date” means the first date on which the Notes were originally issued, August 16, 2005.

 

“Lien” means, with respect to any Person, any mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, easement, restriction, covenant, right-of-way, charge or adverse claim affecting title or resulting in an encumbrance against real or personal property of such Person, or a security interest of any kind (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option, right of first refusal or other similar agreement to sell, in each case securing obligations of such Person and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statute or statutes) of any jurisdiction).

 

“Make-Whole Amount” with respect to a Note means an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (a) the present value of the remaining interest, premium and principal payments due on such Note (excluding any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of the redemption date) as if such Note were redeemed on the Maturity Date, computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, over (b) the outstanding principal amount of such Note. “Treasury Rate” with respect to a Note means the yield to maturity (calculated on a semi-annual bond equivalent basis) at the time of the computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled by and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15(519), which has become publicly available at least two business days prior to the date of the redemption notice or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data) most nearly equal to the then remaining maturity of such Note assuming that such Note will be redeemed on the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if the Make-Whole Average Life of a Note is not equal to the constant maturity of the United States Treasury security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury securities for which such yields are given, except that if the Make-Whole Average Life of such Note is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used.

 

Make-Whole Average Life” means, with respect to a Note, the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) between the date of redemption of such Note and the Maturity Date.

 

“Make-Whole Price” means the sum of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus the Make-Whole Amount of such Notes.

 

“Maturity Date” means August 15, 2017.

 

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.

 

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“Net Available Proceeds” means, with respect to any Sale/Leaseback Transaction of any Person, cash proceeds received (including any cash proceeds received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received, and excluding any other consideration until such time as such consideration is converted into cash) therefrom, in each case net of all legal, title and recording tax expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses incurred, and all federal, state or local taxes

required to be accrued as a liability as a consequence of such Sale/Leaseback Transaction, and in each case net of all Indebtedness which is secured by such assets, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon or with respect to such assets, or which must, by its terms or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Sale/Leaseback Transaction or by applicable law, be repaid out of the proceeds from such Sale/Leaseback Transaction and which is actually so repaid.

 

“Net Working Capital” means (a) all current assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, minus (b) all current liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries, except current liabilities included in Indebtedness.

 

“Oil and Gas Business” means the business of the exploration for, and exploitation, development, production, processing (but not refining), marketing, storage and transportation of, hydrocarbons, and other related energy and natural resource businesses (including oil and gas services businesses related to the foregoing).

 

“Oil and Gas Hedging Contracts” means any oil and gas purchase or hedging agreement, and other agreement or arrangement, in each case, that is designed to provide protection against price fluctuations of oil, gas or other commodities.

 

“Permitted Company Refinancing Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of the Company, the net proceeds of which are used to renew, extend, refinance, refund or repurchase outstanding Indebtedness of the Company, provided that

 

(1) if the Indebtedness (including the Notes) being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased is pari passu with or subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, then such Indebtedness is pari passu or subordinated in right of payment to, as the case may be, the Notes at least to the same extent as the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased,

 

(2) such Indebtedness is scheduled to mature no earlier than the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased, and

 

(3) such Indebtedness has an Average Life at the time such Indebtedness is incurred that is equal to or greater than the Average Life of the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased;

 

provided, further, that such Indebtedness (to the extent that such Indebtedness constitutes Permitted Company Refinancing Indebtedness) is in an aggregate principal amount (or, if such Indebtedness is issued at a price less than the principal amount thereof, the aggregate amount of gross proceeds therefrom is) not in excess of the aggregate principal amount then outstanding of the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased (or if the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased was issued at a price less than the principal amount thereof, then not in excess of the amount of liability in respect thereof determined in accordance with GAAP).

 

“Permitted Financial Investments” means the following kinds of instruments if, in the case of instruments referred to in clauses (1)-(4) below, on the date of purchase or other acquisition of any such instrument by the Company or any Subsidiary, the remaining term to maturity is not more than one year:

 

(1) readily marketable obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed as to principal of and interest thereon by the United States of America or by any agency or authority controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the United States of America;

 

(2) repurchase obligations for instruments of the type described in clause (1) for which delivery of the instrument is made against payment;

 

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(3) obligations (including, but not limited to, demand or time deposits, bankers’ acceptances and certificates of deposit) issued by a depository institution or trust company incorporated or doing business

under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or a branch or subsidiary of any such depository institution or trust company operating outside the United States, provided, that such depository institution or trust company has, at the time of the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s investment therein or contractual commitment providing for such investment, capital surplus or undivided profits (as of the date of such institution’s most recently published financial statements) in excess of $500,000,000;

 

(4) commercial paper issued by any corporation, if such commercial paper has, at the time of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s investment therein or contractual commitment providing for such investment, credit ratings of A-1 (or higher) by S&P and P-1 (or higher) by Moody’s; and

 

(5) money market mutual or similar funds having assets in excess of $500,000,000.

 

“Permitted Liens” means

 

(1) Liens existing on the Issue Date;

 

(2) Liens securing Indebtedness under Credit Facilities;

 

(3) Liens now or hereafter securing any obligations under Interest Rate Hedging Agreements so long as the related Indebtedness (a) constitutes the Existing Notes or the Notes (or any Permitted Company Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof) or (b) is, or is permitted to be under the Indenture, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such interest rate hedging obligations;

 

(4) Liens securing Permitted Company Refinancing Indebtedness or Permitted Subsidiary Refinancing Indebtedness; provided, that such Liens extend to or cover only the property or assets currently securing the Indebtedness being refinanced and that the Indebtedness being refinanced was not incurred under the Credit Facilities;

 

(5) Liens for taxes, assessments and governmental charges not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established to the extent required by GAAP;

 

(6) mechanics’, worker’s, materialmen’s, operators’ or similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

(7) Liens in connection with worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations;

 

(8) Liens, deposits or pledges to secure the performance of bids, tenders, contracts (other than contracts for the payment of money), leases, public or statutory obligations, surety, stay, appeal, indemnity, performance or other similar bonds, or other similar obligations arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

(9) survey exceptions, encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, rights of way, zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real properties, and minor defects in title which, in the case of any of the foregoing, were not incurred or created to secure the payment of borrowed money or the deferred purchase price of property or services, and in the aggregate do not materially adversely affect the value of such properties or materially impair use for the purposes of which such properties are held by the Company or any Subsidiaries;

 

(10) Liens on, or related to, properties to secure all or part of the costs incurred in the ordinary course of business of exploration, drilling, development or operation thereof;

 

(11) Liens on pipeline or pipeline facilities which arise out of operation of law;

 

(12) judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default or Liens created by or existing from any litigation or legal proceeding that are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been made;

 

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(13) (a) Liens upon any property of any Person existing at the time of acquisition thereof by the Company or a Subsidiary, (b) Liens upon any property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged or consolidated with the Company or any Subsidiary or existing at the time of the sale or transfer of any such property of such Person to the Company or any Subsidiary, or (c) Liens upon any property of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided, that in each case such Lien has not been created in contemplation of such sale, merger, consolidation, transfer or acquisition, and provided that in each such case no such Lien shall extend to or cover any property of the Company or any Subsidiary other than the property being acquired and improvements thereon;

 

(14) Liens on deposits to secure public or statutory obligations or in lieu of surety or appeal bonds entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(15) Liens in favor of collecting or payor banks having a right of setoff, revocation, refund or chargeback with respect to money or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary on deposit with or in possession of such bank;

 

(16) purchase money security interests granted in connection with the acquisition of assets in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices, provided, that (A) such Liens attach only to the property so acquired with the purchase money indebtedness secured thereby and (B) such Liens secure only Indebtedness that is not in excess of 100% of the purchase price of such assets;

 

(17) Liens reserved in oil and gas mineral leases for bonus or rental payments and for compliance with the terms of such leases;

 

(18) Liens arising under partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farm-out agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, purchase, exchange, transportation or processing (but not refining) of oil, gas or other hydrocarbons, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, development agreements, operating agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, and other similar agreements which are customary in the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(19) Liens securing obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under Currency Hedge Obligations or Oil and Gas Hedging Contracts;

 

(20) Liens to secure Dollar-Denominated Production Payments and Volumetric Production Payments; and

 

(21) Liens securing other Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount which, together with all other Indebtedness outstanding on the date of such incurrence and secured by Liens pursuant to this clause (21), does not exceed 15% of Adjusted Consolidated Tangible Net Assets.

 

“Permitted Subsidiary Refinancing Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of any Subsidiary, the net proceeds of which are used to renew, extend, refinance, refund or repurchase outstanding Indebtedness of such Subsidiary, provided that

 

(1) if the Indebtedness (including the Guarantees) being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased is pari passu with or subordinated in right of payment to the Guarantees, then such Indebtedness is pari passu with or subordinated in right of payment to, as the case may be, the Guarantees at least to the same extent as the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased,

 

(2) such Indebtedness is scheduled to mature no earlier than the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased, and

 

(3) such Indebtedness has an Average Life at the time such Indebtedness is incurred that is equal to or greater than the Average Life of the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased;

 

provided, further, that such Indebtedness (to the extent that such Indebtedness constitutes Permitted Subsidiary Refinancing Indebtedness) is in an aggregate principal amount (or, if such Indebtedness is issued at a price less than the principal amount thereof, the aggregate amount of gross proceeds therefrom is) not in excess of the

 

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aggregate principal amount then outstanding of the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased (or if the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, refinanced, refunded or repurchased was issued at a price less than the principal amount thereof, then not in excess of the amount of liability in respect thereof determined in accordance with GAAP).

 

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, estate, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Production Payments” means, collectively, Dollar-Denominated Production Payments and Volumetric Production Payments.

 

“S&P” refers to Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.

 

“Sale/Leaseback Transaction” means with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any principal property, acquired or placed into service more than 180 days prior to such arrangement, whereby such property has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to such Person.

 

“Senior Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter incurred), unless such Indebtedness is contractually subordinate or junior in right of payment of principal, premium and interest to the Notes or the Guarantees, respectively.

 

Subordinated Indebtedness of a Subsidiary Guarantor” means any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter created, incurred or assumed, which is contractually subordinate or junior in right of payment of principal, premium and interest to the Guarantees.

 

Subordinated Indebtedness of the Company” means any Indebtedness of the Company, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter created, incurred or assumed, which is contractually subordinate or junior in right of payment of principal, premium and interest to the Notes.

 

“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company. A “subsidiary” of any Person means

 

(1) a corporation a majority of whose Voting Stock is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person, by one or more subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and one or more subsidiaries of such Person,

 

(2) a partnership in which such Person or a subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if such Person or its subsidiary is entitled to receive more than 50 percent of the assets of such partnership upon its dissolution, or

 

(3) any other Person (other than a corporation or partnership) in which such Person, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination thereof, has (x) at least a majority ownership interest or (y) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person.

 

“Subsidiary Guarantor” means (a) each of the Subsidiaries on the Issue Date and (b) each of the other Subsidiaries that becomes a guarantor of the Notes in compliance with the terms of the Indenture.

 

“U.S. Government Securities” means securities that are (1) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (2) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, which, in either case under clauses (1) or (2) are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

 

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“U.S. Legal Tender” means such coin or currency of the United States as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

 

“Volumetric Production Payments” mean production payment obligations recorded as deferred revenue in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

 

“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, securities of any class or classes of Capital Stock in such Person entitling the holders thereof (whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has voting power by reason of contingency) to vote in the election of members of the Board of Directors or other governing body of such Person.

 

Events of Default

 

The following will be Events of Default with respect to the Notes:

 

(1) default by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on the Notes when due and payable at maturity, upon repurchase pursuant to the covenant described under “Limitation on Sale/Leaseback Transactions,” upon acceleration or otherwise;

 

(2) default by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor for 30 days in payment of any interest on the Notes;

 

(3) default by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the deposit of any make-whole redemption payment;

 

(4) default on any other Indebtedness of the Company, any Subsidiary Guarantor or any other Subsidiary if either

 

(A) such default results in the acceleration of the maturity of any such Indebtedness having a principal amount of $50.0 million or more individually or, taken together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness the maturity of which has been so accelerated, in the aggregate, or

 

(B) such default results from the failure to pay when due principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any such Indebtedness, after giving effect to any applicable grace period (a “Payment Default”), having a principal amount of $50.0 million or more individually or, taken together with the principal amount of any other Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default, in the aggregate;

 

provided that if any such default is cured or waived or any such acceleration is rescinded, or such Indebtedness is repaid, within a period of 30 days from the continuation of such default beyond any applicable grace period or the occurrence of such acceleration, as the case may be, such Event of Default and any consequent acceleration of the Notes shall be rescinded, so long as any such rescission does not conflict with any judgment or decree or applicable provision of law;

 

(5) default in the performance, or breach of, the covenant set forth in the covenant captioned “Limitations on Mergers and Consolidations,” or in the performance, or breach of, any other covenant or agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the Indenture and failure to remedy such default within a period of 45 days after written notice thereof from the Trustee or Holders of 25% of the principal amount of the outstanding Notes;

 

(6) the entry by a court of one or more judgments or orders for the payment of money against the Company, any Subsidiary Guarantor or any other Subsidiary in an aggregate amount in excess of $50.0 million (net of applicable insurance coverage by a third party insurer which is acknowledged in writing by such insurer) that has not been vacated, discharged, satisfied or stayed pending appeal within 60 days from the entry thereof;

 

(7) the failure of a Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor to be in full force and effect, or the denial or disaffirmance by such entity thereof; or

 

(8) certain events involving bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.

 

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The Indenture provides that the Trustee may withhold notice to the Holders of the Notes of any default (except in payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes) if the Trustee considers it in the interest of the Holders of the Notes to do so.

 

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Notes outstanding may declare the principal of and premium, if any, and accrued but unpaid interest on all the Notes to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such principal, premium, if any, and interest will be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default relating to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company occurs and is continuing, the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on all the Notes will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holders of the Notes. The amount due and payable on the acceleration of any Note will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Note, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of payment. Under certain circumstances, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may rescind any such acceleration with respect to the Notes and its consequences.

 

No Holder of a Note may pursue any remedy under the Indenture unless

 

(1) the Trustee shall have received written notice of a continuing Event of Default,

 

(2) the Trustee shall have received a request from Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes to pursue such remedy,

 

(3) the Trustee shall have been offered indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it,

 

(4) the Trustee shall have failed to act for a period of 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity and

 

(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes;

 

provided, however, such provision does not affect the right of a Holder of any Note to sue for enforcement of any overdue payment thereon.

 

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee, subject to certain limitations specified in the Indenture. The Indenture requires the annual filing by the Company with the Trustee of a written statement as to compliance with the covenants contained in the Indenture.

 

Modification and Waiver

 

Supplements and amendments to the Indenture or the Notes may be made by the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding; provided that no such modification or amendment may, without the consent of the Holder of each Note then outstanding affected thereby,

 

(1) reduce the percentage of principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment or supplement;

 

(2) reduce the rate or change the time for payment of interest, including default interest, on any Note;

 

(3) reduce the principal amount of any Note or change the Maturity Date;

 

(4) reduce the redemption price, including premium, if any, payable upon redemption of any Note or change the time at which any Note may or shall be redeemed;

 

(5) reduce the purchase price payable upon the repurchase of any Note in connection with a Net Proceeds Offer, or change the time at which any Note may or shall be repurchased thereunder;

 

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(6) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in such Note;

 

(7) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, any Note;

 

(8) make any change in the percentage of principal amount of Notes necessary to waive compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture; or

 

(9) waive a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes.

 

Supplements and amendments of the Indenture may be made by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of any Holders of the Notes in certain limited circumstances, including

 

(a) to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency,

 

(b) to provide for the assumption of the obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Indenture upon the merger, consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor,

 

(c) to reflect the release of any Subsidiary Guarantor from its Guarantee of the Notes, or the addition of any Subsidiary of the Company as a Subsidiary Guarantor, in the manner provided in the Indenture,

 

(d) to comply with any requirement of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act or

 

(e) to make any change that would provide any additional benefit to the Holders or that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder of the Notes in any material respect.

 

The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may waive any past default under the Indenture, except a default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest.

 

Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

The Company may, at its option and at any time, elect to have its obligations discharged with respect to the outstanding Notes (“Legal Defeasance”). Such Legal Defeasance means that the Company will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Notes, except for

 

(1) the rights of Holders of the Notes to receive payments solely from the trust fund described in the following paragraph in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes when such payments are due,

 

(2) the Company’s obligations with respect to the Notes concerning the issuance of temporary Notes, transfers and exchanges of the Notes, replacement of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes, the maintenance of an office or agency where the Notes may be surrendered for transfer or exchange or presented for payment, and duties of paying agents,

 

(3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee, and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith and

 

(4) the Legal Defeasance provisions of the Indenture.

 

In addition, the Company may, at its option and at any time, elect to have the obligations of the Company released with respect to certain covenants described under “—Certain Covenants” (“Covenant Defeasance”), and thereafter any omission to comply with such obligations shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default. In the event Covenant Defeasance occurs, certain events (not including non-payment) described under “—Events of Default” will no longer constitute an Event of Default. If we exercise our Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance option, each Subsidiary Guarantor will be released from all its obligations under the Indenture and its Guarantee.

 

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In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance under the Indenture,

 

(1) the Company must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, cash in U.S. Legal Tender, U.S. Government Securities, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the outstanding amount of the Notes on the Maturity Date or on the applicable mandatory redemption date, as the case may be, of such principal or installment of principal, premium, if any, or interest;

 

(2) in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Company must deliver to the Trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that

 

(A) the Company has received from or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or

 

(B) since the date of the Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to U.S. Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(3) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee to the effect that the Holders of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(4) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or insofar as Events of Default from bankruptcy or insolvency events are concerned, at any time in the period ending on the 91st day after the date of deposit;

 

(5) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under the Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound;

 

(6) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Notes over other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Company or others; and

 

(7) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel each stating that the Company has complied with all conditions precedent provided for relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance.

 

Governing Law

 

The Indenture provides that it and the Notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

The Trustee

 

The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. is the Trustee under the Indenture. The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. also serves as trustee for our 8.375% Senior Notes due 2008, our 7.5% Senior Notes due 2013, our 7% Senior Notes due 2014, our 7.5% Senior Notes due 2014, our 7.75% Senior Notes due 2015, our 6.375% Senior Notes due 2015, our 6.875% Senior Notes due 2016, our 6.625% Senior Notes due 2016 and our

 

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6.25% Senior Notes due 2018. We may also maintain banking and other commercial relationships with the Trustee and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business, and the Trustee may own our debt securities. Its address is 101 Barclay Street, 8th Floor, New York, New York 10286. The Company has also appointed the Trustee as the initial registrar and paying agent under the Indenture.

 

The Trustee is permitted to become an owner or pledgee of the Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. If, however, the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest (as defined in the Trust Indenture Act) after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, it must eliminate such conflict or resign.

 

In case an Event of Default shall occur (and be continuing), the Trustee will be required to use the degree of care and skill of a prudent person in the conduct of such person’s own affairs. The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its powers under the Indenture at the request of any of the Holders of the Notes, unless such Holders have offered the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it.

 

Book Entry, Delivery and Form

 

The Notes sold will be issued in the form of one or more global securities. The global securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, the Depositary and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee. Except as set forth below, the global securities may be transferred, in whole and not in part, only to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary. Investors may hold their beneficial interests in the global securities directly through the Depositary if they have an account with the Depositary or indirectly through organizations which have accounts with the Depositary.

 

Notes that are issued as described below under “—Certificated Notes” will be issued in definitive form. Upon the transfer of Notes in definitive form, such Notes will, unless the global securities have previously been exchanged for Notes in definitive form, be exchanged for an interest in the global securities representing the aggregate principal amount of Notes being transferred.

 

The Depositary has advised the Company as follows: The Depositary is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. The Depositary was created to hold securities of institutions that have accounts with the Depositary (“participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among its participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. The Depositary’s participants include securities brokers and dealers (which may include the initial purchaser), banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Access to the Depositary’s book-entry system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, whether directly or indirectly.

 

The Company expects that pursuant to procedures established by the Depositary, upon the issuance of the global securities, the Depositary will credit, on its book-entry registrations and transfer system, the aggregate principal amount of Notes represented by such global securities to the accounts of participants. The accounts to be credited shall be designated by the initial purchaser of the Notes. Ownership of beneficial interests in the global securities will be limited to participants or Persons that may hold interests through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in the global securities will be shown on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary (with respect to participants’ interest) and such participants (with respect to the owners of beneficial interests in the global securities other than participants). The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and laws may impair the ability to transfer or pledge beneficial interests in the global securities.

 

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So long as the Depositary, or its nominee, is the Holder of the global securities, the Depositary or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole legal owner and Holder of the Notes for all purposes of the Notes and the Indenture. Except as set forth below, you will not be entitled to have the Notes represented by the global securities registered in your name, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated Notes in definitive form and will not be considered to be the owner or Holder of any Notes under the global securities. The Company understands that under existing industry practice, in the event an owner of a beneficial interest in the global securities desires to take any action that the Depositary, as the Holder of the global securities, is entitled to take, the Depositary will authorize the participants to take such action, and that the participants will authorize beneficial owners owning through such participants to take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them.

 

The Company will make all payments on Notes represented by the global securities registered in the name of and held by the Depositary or its nominee to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the owner and Holder of the global securities.

 

The Company expects that the Depositary or its nominee, upon receipt of any payment in respect of the global securities, will credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the aggregate principal amount of the global securities as shown on the records of the Depositary or its nominee. The Company also expects that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interest in the global securities held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices and will be the responsibility of such participants. The Company will not have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial ownership interests in the global securities for any Notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for any other aspect of the relationship between the Depositary and its participants or the relationship between such participants and the owners of beneficial interests in the global securities owning through such participants.

 

Although the Depositary has agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of interests in the global securities among participants of the Depositary, it is under no obligations to perform or continue to perform such procedures, and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. Neither the Trustee nor the Company will have any responsibility for the performance by the Depositary or its participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

 

Certificated Notes

 

Subject to certain conditions, the Notes represented by the global securities will be exchangeable for certificated Notes in definitive form of like tenor as such Notes if:

 

(1) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the global securities and a successor is not promptly appointed or if at any time the Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act or

 

(2) the Company in its discretion at any time determines not to have all of the Notes represented by the global securities.

 

Any Notes that are exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence will be exchanged for certificated Notes issuable in authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct. Subject to the foregoing, the global securities are not exchangeable, except for global securities of the same aggregate denominations to be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee. In addition, such certificates will bear the legend referred to under “Transfer Restrictions” (unless the Company determines otherwise in accordance with applicable law) subject, with respect to such Notes, to the provisions of such legend.

 

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FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

 

Federal Income Tax Considerations of the Exchange of Outstanding Notes for New Notes

 

The following discussion is a summary of certain federal income tax considerations relevant to the exchange of outstanding notes for new notes, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all potential tax effects. The discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, Treasury Regulations, Internal Revenue Service rulings and pronouncements and judicial decisions now in effect, all of which may be subject to change at any time by legislative, judicial or administrative action. These changes may be applied retroactively in a manner that could adversely affect a holder of new notes. The description does not consider the effect of any applicable foreign, state, local or other tax laws or estate or gift tax considerations.

 

We believe that the exchange of outstanding notes for new notes will not be an exchange or otherwise a taxable event to a holder for United States federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, a holder will have the same adjusted issue price, adjusted basis and holding period in the new notes as it had in the outstanding notes immediately before the exchange.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

Based on interpretations by the staff of the SEC in no action letters issued to third parties, we believe that you may transfer new notes issued under the exchange offer in exchange for the outstanding notes if:

 

    you acquire the new notes in the ordinary course of your business; and

 

    you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, and have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in, a distribution of such new notes.

 

You may not participate in the exchange offer if you are:

 

    our “affiliate” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act; or

 

    a broker-dealer that acquired outstanding notes directly from us.

 

Each broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such new notes. To date, the staff of the SEC has taken the position that broker-dealers may fulfill their prospectus delivery requirements with respect to transactions involving an exchange of securities such as this exchange offer, other than a resale of an unsold allotment from the original sale of the outstanding notes, with the prospectus contained in this registration statement. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of new notes received in exchange for outstanding notes where such outstanding notes were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. We have agreed that, for a period of up to 180 days after the effective date of this registration statement, we will make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until such date, all dealers effecting transactions in new notes may be required to deliver a prospectus.

 

If you wish to exchange new notes for your outstanding notes in the exchange offer, you will be required to make representations to us as described in “Exchange Offer—Purpose and Effect of the Exchange Offer” and “—Procedures for Tendering—Your Representations to Us” in this prospectus. As indicated in the letter of transmittal, you will be deemed to have made these representations by tendering your outstanding notes in the exchange offer. In addition, if you are a broker-dealer who receives new notes for your own account in exchange for outstanding notes that were acquired by you as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities,

 

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you will be required to acknowledge, in the same manner, that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale by you of such new notes.

 

We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of new notes by broker-dealers. New notes received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the exchange offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market:

 

    in negotiated transactions;

 

    through the writing of options on the new notes or a combination of such methods of resale;

 

    at market prices prevailing at the time of resale; and

 

    at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated prices.

 

Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such new notes. Any broker-dealer that resells new notes that were received by it for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a distribution of such new notes may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. The letter of transmittal states that by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act.

 

For a period of 180 days after the effective date of this registration statement, we will promptly send additional copies of this prospectus and any amendment or supplement to this prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents in the letter of transmittal. We have agreed to pay all expenses incident to the exchange offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the holders of the outstanding notes) other than commissions or concessions of any broker-dealers and will indemnify the holders of the outstanding notes (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the new notes offered in this exchange offer will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. in reliance on the opinion of Commercial Law Group P.C. with respect to matters of Oklahoma law.

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

Estimates of the oil and gas reserves of Chesapeake Energy Corporation and related future net cash flows and the present values thereof, included in Chesapeake’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, were based in part upon reserve reports prepared by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., Lee Keeling and Associates, Inc., Ryder Scott Company, L.P., LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd., H.J. Gruy and Associates, Inc. and Miller and Lents, Ltd., independent petroleum engineers. We have incorporated these estimates in reliance on the authority of each such firm as experts in such matters.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may inspect and copy such material at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information on the public reference room. You can also find our SEC filings at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on our website at www.chkenergy.com. Information contained on our website is not part of this prospectus.

 

In addition, our reports and other information concerning us can be inspected at the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005, where our common stock is listed.

 

The following documents we filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act are incorporated herein by reference:

 

    our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004;

 

    our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2005 and June 30, 2005;

 

    our current reports on Form 8-K filed on January 3, 2005, January 20, 2005, January 31, 2005, February 2, 2005, February 22, 2005, March 15, 2005, March 24, 2005, April 13, 2005 (four reports of the same date, one such report as amended on April 25, 2005), April 14, 2005 (two reports of the same date), April 19, 2005, April 25, 2005 (two reports of the same date), May 2, 2005, May 23, 2005 (two reports of the same date), June 7, 2005, June 10, 2005, June 13, 2005, June 16, 2005, June 21, 2005 (two reports of the same date), June 23, 2005, June 30, 2005, July 1, 2005 (two reports of the same date), July 8, 2005, July 11, 2005, July 12, 2005, July 19, 2005, July 22, 2005, August 5, 2005, August 11, 2005, August 12, 2005, August 16, 2005 (three reports of the same date), August 17, 2005, August 22, 2005, August 23, 2005, September 7, 2005, September 8, 2005 (two reports of the same date), September 9, 2005 (two reports of the same date) and September 15, 2005 and our current reports on Form 8-K/A filed on July 22, 2005, August 12, 2005 and August 17, 2005 (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any such Current Report on Form 8-K or Form 8-K/A); and

 

    our definitive proxy statement dated April 29, 2005 filed on Schedule 14A relating to the 2005 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

 

All documents filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 on any current report on Form 8-K) subsequent to the date of this filing and prior to the termination of this offering shall be deemed to be incorporated in this prospectus and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such document. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for all purposes to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus, or in any other subsequently filed document which is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

We will provide without charge to each person to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Requests for such copies should be directed to Jennifer M. Grigsby, Secretary, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, 6100 North Western Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118, by mail, or if by telephone at (405) 848-8000.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events. They include statements regarding oil and gas reserve estimates, planned capital expenditures, the drilling of oil and gas wells and future acquisitions, the impact of recently completed acquisitions, expected oil and gas production, cash flow and anticipated liquidity, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations and expected future expenses and use of net operating loss carryforwards. Statements concerning the fair values of derivative contracts and their estimated contribution to our future results of operations are based upon market information as of a specific date. These market prices are subject to significant volatility.

 

Although we believe the expectations and forecasts reflected in these and other forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance they will prove to have been correct. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results are described under “Risk Factors” and include:

 

    the volatility of oil and gas prices;

 

    our level of indebtedness;

 

    the strength and financial resources of our competitors;

 

    the availability of capital on an economic basis to fund reserve replacement costs;

 

    uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of oil and gas reserves, projecting future rates of production and the timing of development expenditures;

 

    our ability to replace reserves and sustain production;

 

    uncertainties in evaluating oil and gas reserves of acquired properties and associated potential liabilities;

 

    unsuccessful exploration and development drilling;

 

    declines in the values of our oil and gas properties resulting in ceiling test write-downs;

 

    lower prices realized on oil and gas sales and collateral required to secure hedging liabilities resulting from our commodity price risk management activities;

 

    adverse effects of governmental and environmental regulation;

 

    losses from pending and future litigation; and

 

    drilling and operating risks.

 

We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus, and we undertake no obligation to update this information. We urge you to carefully review and consider the disclosures made in this prospectus and our reports filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference herein that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business.

 

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ANNEX A

 

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

To Tender

Outstanding 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017

of

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION

Pursuant to the Exchange Offer and Prospectus dated                 , 2005

 

THE EXCHANGE OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON                     , 2005 (THE “EXPIRATION DATE”), UNLESS THE EXCHANGE OFFER IS EXTENDED BY THE COMPANY.

 

The Exchange Agent for the Exchange Offer is:

 

The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.

c/o The Bank of New York

 

Corporate Trust Department

Reorganization Unit

101 Barclay Street—7 East

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Carolle Montreuil

Facsimile: (212) 298-1915

Telephone: (212) 815-5098

 

IF YOU WISH TO EXCHANGE CURRENTLY OUTSTANDING 6.50% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2017 (THE “OUTSTANDING NOTES”) FOR AN EQUAL AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NEW 6.50% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2017 PURSUANT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER, YOU MUST VALIDLY TENDER (AND NOT WITHDRAW) OUTSTANDING NOTES TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT PRIOR TO 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON THE EXPIRATION DATE BY CAUSING AN AGENT’S MESSAGE TO BE RECEIVED BY THE EXCHANGE AGENT PRIOR TO SUCH TIME.

 


 

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The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt and review of the Prospectus, dated                 , 2005 (the “Prospectus”), of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma corporation (the “Company”), and this Letter of Transmittal (the “Letter of Transmittal”), which together describe the Company’s offer (the “Exchange Offer”) to exchange its 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017 (the “New Notes”) that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for a like principal amount of its issued and outstanding 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017 (the “Outstanding Notes”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the respective meaning given to them in the Prospectus.

 

The Company reserves the right, at any time or from time to time, to extend the Exchange Offer at its discretion, in which event the term “Expiration Date” shall mean the latest date to which the Exchange Offer is extended. The Company shall notify the Exchange Agent and each registered holder of the Outstanding Notes of any extension by oral or written notice prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled Expiration Date.

 

This Letter of Transmittal is to be used by holders of the Outstanding Notes. Tender of Outstanding Notes is to be made according to the Automated Tender Offer Program (“ATOP”) of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) pursuant to the procedures set forth in the prospectus under the caption “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Tendering.” DTC participants that are accepting the Exchange Offer must transmit their acceptance to DTC, which will verify the acceptance and execute a book-entry delivery to the Exchange Agent’s DTC account. DTC will then send a computer generated message known as an “agent’s message” to the exchange agent for its acceptance. For you to validly tender your Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, the Exchange Agent must receive, prior to the Expiration Date, an agent’s message under the ATOP procedures that confirms that:

 

    DTC has received your instructions to tender your Outstanding Notes; and

 

    You agree to be bound by the terms of this Letter of Transmittal.

 

By using the ATOP procedures to tender outstanding notes, you will not be required to deliver this Letter of Transmittal to the Exchange Agent. However, you will be bound by its terms, and you will be deemed to have made the acknowledgments and the representations and warranties it contains, just as if you had signed it.

 

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PLEASE READ THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

1. By tendering Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, you acknowledge receipt of the Prospectus and this Letter of Transmittal.

 

2. By tendering Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, you represent and warrant that you have full authority to tender the Outstanding Notes described above and will, upon request, execute and deliver any additional documents deemed by the Company to be necessary or desirable to complete the tender of Outstanding Notes.

 

3. You understand that the tender of the Outstanding Notes pursuant to all of the procedures set forth in the Prospectus will constitute an agreement between and the Company as to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

 

4. By tendering Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, you acknowledge that the Exchange Offer is being made in reliance upon interpretations contained in no-action letters issued to third parties by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including Exxon Capital Holdings Corp., SEC No-Action Letter (available April 13, 1989), Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc., SEC No-Action Letter (available June 5, 1991) and Shearman & Sterling, SEC No-Action Letter (available July 2, 1993), that the New Notes issued in exchange for the Outstanding Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by holders thereof (other than a broker-dealer who purchased Outstanding Notes exchanged for such New Notes directly from the Company to resell pursuant to Rule 144A or any other available exemption under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and any such holder that is an “affiliate” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act), without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act, provided that such New Notes are acquired in the ordinary course of such holders’ business and such holders are not participating in, and have no arrangement with any person to participate in, the distribution of such New Notes.

 

5. By tendering Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, you represent and warrant that:

 

a. the New Notes acquired pursuant to the Exchange Offer are being obtained in the ordinary course of your business, whether or not you are the holder;

 

b. neither you nor any such other person is engaging in or intends to engage in a distribution of such New Notes;

 

c. neither you nor any such other person has an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of such New Notes; and

 

d. neither the holder nor any such other person is an “affiliate,” as such term is defined under Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act, of the Company.

 

6. You may, if you are unable to make all of the representations and warranties contained in Item 5 above and as otherwise permitted in the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below), elect to have your Outstanding Notes registered in the shelf registration statement described in the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of August 16, 2005 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), by and among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors (as defined therein) and the Initial Purchasers (as defined therein). Such election may be made only by notifying the Company in writing at 6100 North Western Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73118, Attention: Chief Financial Officer. By making such election, you agree, as a holder of Outstanding Notes participating in a shelf registration, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of the directors of the Company, each of the officers of the Company who signs such shelf registration statement, each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the

 

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“Exchange Act”), and each other holder of Outstanding Notes, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any shelf registration statement or prospectus, or in any supplement thereto or amendment thereof, or caused by the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; but only with respect to information relating to the undersigned furnished in writing by or on behalf of the undersigned expressly for use in a shelf registration statement, a prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto. Any such indemnification shall be governed by the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, including, without limitation, the provisions regarding notice, retention of counsel, contribution and payment of expenses set forth therein. The above summary of the indemnification provision of the Registration Rights Agreement is not intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

7. If you are a broker-dealer that will receive New Notes for its own account in exchange for Outstanding Notes that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, you acknowledge, by tendering Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such New Notes; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, you will not be deemed to admit that you are an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. If you are a broker-dealer and Outstanding Notes held for your own account were not acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities, such Outstanding Notes cannot be exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

 

8. Any of your obligations hereunder shall be binding upon your successors, assigns, executors, administrators, trustees in bankruptcy and legal and personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

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INSTRUCTIONS

 

FORMING PART OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER

 

1. Book-Entry Confirmations.

 

Any confirmation of a book-entry transfer to the Exchange Agent’s account at DTC of Outstanding Notes tendered by book-entry transfer (a “Book-Entry Confirmation”), as well as an agent’s message, and any other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal, must be received by the Exchange Agent at its address set forth herein prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the Expiration Date.

 

2. Partial Tenders.

 

Tenders of Outstanding Notes will be accepted only in integral multiples of $1,000. The entire principal amount of Outstanding Notes delivered to the Exchange Agent will be deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise communicated to the Exchange Agent. If the entire principal amount of all Outstanding Notes is not tendered, then Outstanding Notes for the principal amount of Outstanding Notes not tendered and Notes issued in exchange for any Outstanding Notes accepted will be delivered to the holder via the facilities of DTC promptly after the Outstanding Notes are accepted for exchange.

 

3. Validity of Tenders.

 

All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt), acceptance, and withdrawal of tendered Outstanding Notes will be determined by the Company, in its sole discretion, which determination will be final and binding. The Company reserves the absolute right to reject any or all tenders not in proper form or the acceptance for exchange of which may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be unlawful. The Company also reserves the absolute right to waive any of the conditions of the Exchange Offer or any defect or irregularity in the tender of any Outstanding Notes. The Company’s interpretation of the terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer (including the instructions on this Letter of Transmittal) will be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of Outstanding Notes must be cured within such time as the Company shall determine. Although the Company intends to notify holders of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of Outstanding Notes, neither the Company, the Exchange Agent, nor any other person shall be under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in tenders or incur any liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of Outstanding Notes will not be deemed to have been made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. Any Outstanding Notes received by the Exchange Agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned by the Exchange Agent to the tendering holders via the facilities of DTC, as soon as practicable following the Expiration Date.

 

4. Waiver of Conditions.

 

The Company reserves the absolute right to waive, in whole or part, any of the conditions to the Exchange Offer set forth in the Prospectus or in this Letter of Transmittal.

 

5. No Conditional Tender.

 

No alternative, conditional, irregular or contingent tender of Outstanding Notes will be accepted.

 

6. Request for Assistance or Additional Copies.

 

Requests for assistance or for additional copies of the Prospectus or this Letter of Transmittal may be directed to the Exchange Agent at the address or telephone number set forth on the cover page of this Letter of Transmittal. Holders may also contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Exchange Offer.

 

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7. Withdrawal.

 

Tenders may be withdrawn only pursuant to the limited withdrawal rights set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Exchange Offer—Withdrawal of Tenders.”

 

8. No Guarantee of Late Delivery.

 

There is no procedure for guarantee of late delivery in the Exchange Offer.

 

IMPORTANT: By using the ATOP procedures to tender outstanding notes, you will not be required to deliver this Letter of Transmittal to the Exchange Agent. However, you will be bound by its terms, and you will be deemed to have made the acknowledgments and the representations and warranties it contains, just as if you had signed it.

 

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Until             , 2006, all dealers that effect transactions in the new notes, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.


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PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 20. Indemnification Of Officers And Directors

 

Section 1031 of the Oklahoma General Corporation Act, under which Chesapeake is incorporated, authorizes the indemnification of directors and officers under certain circumstances. Article VIII of the Certificate of Incorporation of Chesapeake and Article VI of the Bylaws of Chesapeake also provide for indemnification of directors and officers under certain circumstances. These provisions, together with Chesapeake’s indemnification obligations under individual indemnity agreements with its directors and officers, may be sufficiently broad to indemnify such persons for liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”), as amended. In addition, Chesapeake maintains insurance, which insures its directors and officers against certain liabilities.

 

The Oklahoma General Corporation Act provides for indemnification of each of Chesapeake’s officers and directors against (a) expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with any action, suit or proceeding brought by reason of such person being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent of Chesapeake, or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of Chesapeake, other than an action by or in the right of Chesapeake. To be entitled to indemnification, the individual must have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of Chesapeake, and with respect to any criminal action, the person seeking indemnification had no reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful and (b) expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of any action or suit by or in the right of Chesapeake brought by reason of the person seeking indemnification being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent of Chesapeake, or any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of Chesapeake, provided the actions were in good faith and were reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of Chesapeake, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which the individual shall have been adjudged liable to Chesapeake, unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action was decided has determined that the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court deems proper. Article VIII of Chesapeake’s Certificate of Incorporation provides for indemnification of Chesapeake’s directors and officers. The Oklahoma General Corporation Act also permits Chesapeake to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of Chesapeake’s directors and officers against any liability arising out of their status as such, whether or not Chesapeake would have the power to indemnify them against such liability. These provisions may be sufficiently broad to indemnify such persons for liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

 

Chesapeake has entered into indemnity agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. Under each indemnity agreement, Chesapeake will pay on behalf of the indemnitee any amount which he is or becomes legally obligated to pay because of (a) any claim or claims from time to time threatened or made against him by any person because of any act or omission or neglect or breach of duty, including any actual or alleged error or misstatement or misleading statement, which he commits or suffers while acting in his capacity as a director and/or officer of Chesapeake or an affiliate or (b) being a party, or being threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending or contemplated action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was an officer, director, employee or agent of Chesapeake or an affiliate or is or was serving at the request of Chesapeake as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. The payments which Chesapeake would be obligated to make under an indemnification agreement could include damages, charges, judgments, fines, penalties, settlements and costs, cost of investigation and cost of defense of legal, equitable or criminal actions, claims or proceedings and appeals therefrom, and costs of attachment, supersedeas, bail, surety or other bonds. Chesapeake also provides liability insurance for each of its directors and executive officers.

 

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Item 21. Exhibits And Financial Statement Schedules

 

(a) Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed herewith pursuant to the requirements of Item 601 of Regulation S-K:

 

Exhibit
No.


  

Description


  4.1      Indenture dated as of June 20, 2005 among Chesapeake, as issuer, the subsidiaries signatory thereto, as Subsidiary Guarantors and the Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, with respect to our 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Chesapeake’s current report on Form 8-K filed August 16, 2005.
  4.2*    Registration Rights Agreement dated August 16, 2005 among Chesapeake and the Initial Purchasers named therein, with respect to our 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017.
  5.1*    Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. regarding the validity of the securities being registered.
  5.2*    Opinion of Commercial Law Group, P.C. regarding the validity of the securities being registered.
12         Computation of Ratios of Earnings and Fixed Charges. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12 to Chesapeake’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2005.
23.1*    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
23.2*    Consent of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.
23.3*    Consent of Lee Keeling and Associates, Inc.
23.4*    Consent of Ryder Scott Company, L.P.
23.5*    Consent of LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd.
23.6*    Consent of H.J. Gruy and Associates, Inc.
23.7*    Consent of Miller and Lents, Ltd.
23.8*    Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.9*    Consent of Commercial Law Group, P.C. (included in Exhibit 5.2).
24.1*    Power of Attorney (included in the signature pages of this Registration Statement).
25.1*    Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 of The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A

* Filed herewith.

 

(b) Financial Statement Schedules. Incorporated herein by reference to Item 8 of Chesapeake’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004.

 

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Item 22. Undertakings

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of any Registrant, we have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by any Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of such Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, such Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

Each registrant hereby undertakes

 

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(a) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(b) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

 

(c) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; and

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrants annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(5) To respond to requests for information that is incorporated by reference into the prospectus pursuant to Items 4, 10(b), 11, or 13 of this Form, within one business day of receipt of such request, and to send the incorporated documents by first class mail or other equally prompt means. This includes information contained in documents filed subsequent to the effective date of the registration statement through the date of responding to the request.

 

(6) To supply by means of a post-effective amendment all information concerning a transaction, and the company being acquired involved therein, that was not the subject of and included in this Registration Statement when it became effective.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma on September 20, 2005.

 

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION

By:   /s/    AUBREY K. MCCLENDON        
    Aubrey K. McClendon
    Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer

 

Each person whose signature appears below authorizes Aubrey K. McClendon and Marcus C. Rowland, and each of them, each of whom may act without joinder of the other, to execute in the name of each such person who is then an officer or director of the company and to file any amendments to this registration statement necessary or advisable to enable the company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the registration of the securities which are the subject of this registration statement, which amendments may make such changes in the registration statement as such attorney may deem appropriate. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature


  

Capacity


 

Date


/s/    AUBREY K. MCCLENDON        


Aubrey K. McClendon

  

Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)

  September 20, 2005

/s/    TOM L. WARD        


Tom L. Ward

  

President, Chief Operating Officer and Director

  September 20, 2005

/s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        


Marcus C. Rowland

  

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)

  September 20, 2005

/s/    MICHAEL A. JOHNSON        


Michael A. Johnson

  

Senior Vice President—Accounting, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)

  September 20, 2005

/s/    FRANK KEATING        


Frank Keating

  

Director

  September 20, 2005

/s/    BREENE M. KERR        


Breene M. Kerr

  

Director

  September 20, 2005

/s/    CHARLES T. MAXWELL        


Charles T. Maxwell

  

Director

  September 20, 2005

/s/    DONALD L. NICKLES        


Donald L. Nickles        

  

Director

  September 20, 2005

/s/    FREDERICK B. WHITTEMORE        


Frederick B. Whittemore

  

Director

  September 20, 2005

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, each Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma on September 20, 2005.

 

CHESAPEAKE EAGLE CANADA CORP.

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY LOUISIANA CORPORATION

CHESAPEAKE OPERATING, INC.

CHESAPEAKE PRH CORP.

CHESAPEAKE SOUTH TEXAS CORP.

NOMAC DRILLING CORPORATION

OXLEY PETROLEUM CO.

By:

  /s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        
Name:   Marcus C. Rowland
Title:   Vice President

 

Each person whose signature appears below authorizes Aubrey K. McClendon and Marcus C. Rowland, and each of them, each of whom may act without joinder of the other, to execute in the name of each such person who is then an officer or director of the company and to file any amendments to this registration statement necessary or advisable to enable the company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the registration of the securities which are the subject of this registration statement, which amendments may make such changes in the registration statement as such attorney may deem appropriate. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature


  

Capacity


 

Date


/s/    AUBREY K. MCCLENDON        


Aubrey K. McClendon

  

Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)

  September 20, 2005

/s/    TOM L. WARD        


Tom L. Ward

  

President and Director

  September 20, 2005

/s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        


Marcus C. Rowland

  

Vice President (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  September 20, 2005

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, each Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma on September 20, 2005.

 

CARMEN ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE ENO ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE EP, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE LAND COMPANY, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE ORC, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE PERMIAN ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE ROYALTY, L.L.C.

GOTHIC PRODUCTION, L.L.C.

JOHN C. OXLEY, L.L.C.

MC MINERAL COMPANY, L.L.C.

By:

  /s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        
Name:   Marcus C. Rowland
Title:   Vice President

 

Each person whose signature appears below authorizes Aubrey K. McClendon and Marcus C. Rowland, and each of them, each of whom may act without joinder of the other, to execute in the name of each such person who is then an officer or manager of the company and to file any amendments to this registration statement necessary or advisable to enable the company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the registration of the securities which are the subject of this registration statement, which amendments may make such changes in the registration statement as such attorney may deem appropriate. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature


  

Capacity


 

Date


/s/    AUBREY K. MCCLENDON        


Aubrey K. McClendon

  

Chief Executive Officer and Manager (Principal Executive Officer)

  September 20, 2005

/s/    TOM L. WARD        


Tom L. Ward

  

President and Manager

  September 20, 2005

/s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        


Marcus C. Rowland

  

Vice President (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  September 20, 2005

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, each Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma on September 20, 2005.

 

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY MARKETING, INC.

By:

  /s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        
Name:   Marcus C. Rowland
Title:   Vice President

 

Each person whose signature appears below authorizes Aubrey K. McClendon and Marcus C. Rowland, and each of them, each of whom may act without joinder of the other, to execute in the name of each such person who is then an officer or director of the company and to file any amendments to this registration statement necessary or advisable to enable the company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the registration of the securities which are the subject of this registration statement, which amendments may make such changes in the registration statement as such attorney may deem appropriate. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature


  

Capacity


 

Date


/s/    AUBREY K. MCCLENDON        


Aubrey K. McClendon

  

Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)

  September 20, 2005

/S/    TOM L. WARD        


Tom L. Ward

  

Vice President and Director

  September 20, 2005

/s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND


Marcus C. Rowland

  

Vice President (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  September 20, 2005

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, each Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma on September 20, 2005.

 

MAYFIELD PROCESSING, L.L.C.

By:

  /s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        
Name:   Marcus C. Rowland
Title:   Vice President

 

Each person whose signature appears below authorizes Aubrey K. McClendon and Marcus C. Rowland, and each of them, each of whom may act without joinder of the other, to execute in the name of each such person who is then an officer or director of the company and to file any amendments to this registration statement necessary or advisable to enable the company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the registration of the securities which are the subject of this registration statement, which amendments may make such changes in the registration statement as such attorney may deem appropriate. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature


  

Capacity


 

Date


/s/    AUBREY K. MCCLENDON        


Aubrey K. McClendon

  

Chief Executive Officer and Manager (Principal Executive Officer)

  September 20, 2005

/S/    TOM L. WARD        


Tom L. Ward

  

Vice President and Manager

  September 20, 2005

/s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND


Marcus C. Rowland

  

Vice President (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  September 20, 2005

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, each Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma on September 20, 2005

 

CHESAPEAKE EXPLORATION LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

CHESAPEAKE LOUISIANA, L.P.

CHESAPEAKE NFW, L.P.

CHESAPEAKE PERMIAN, L.P.

CHESAPEAKE SIGMA, L.P.

CHESAPEAKE-STAGHORN ACQUISITION L.P.

CHESAPEAKE ZAPATA, L.P.

By:

 

 

Chesapeake Operating, Inc., as general partner of each respective entity

By:

  /s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        
Name:   Marcus C. Rowland
Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

Each person whose signature appears below authorizes Aubrey K. McClendon and Marcus C. Rowland, and each of them, each of whom may act without joinder of the other, to execute in the name of each such person who is then an officer or director of the company and to file any amendments to this registration statement necessary or advisable to enable the company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the registration of the securities which are the subject of this registration statement, which amendments may make such changes in the registration statement as such attorney may deem appropriate. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature


  

Capacity


 

Date


/s/    AUBREY K. MCCLENDON        


Aubrey K. McClendon

  

Chief Executive Officer and Director of Chesapeake Operating, Inc. (Principal Executive Officer)

  September 20, 2005

/s/    TOM L. WARD        


Tom L. Ward

  

President, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Chesapeake Operating, Inc.

  September 20, 2005

/s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        


Marcus C. Rowland

  

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Chesapeake Operating, Inc. (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  September 20, 2005

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, each Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma on September 20, 2005

 

MIDCON COMPRESSION, L.P.

By:

 

Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc., as general partner

By:

  /s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        
Name:   Marcus C. Rowland
Title:   Vice President

 

Each person whose signature appears below authorizes Aubrey K. McClendon and Marcus C. Rowland, and each of them, each of whom may act without joinder of the other, to execute in the name of each such person who is then an officer or director of the company and to file any amendments to this registration statement necessary or advisable to enable the company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the registration of the securities which are the subject of this registration statement, which amendments may make such changes in the registration statement as such attorney may deem appropriate. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature


  

Capacity


 

Date


/s/    AUBREY K. MCCLENDON        


Aubrey K. McClendon

  

Chief Executive Officer and Director of Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc. (Principal Executive Officer)

  September 20, 2005

/s/    TOM L. WARD        


Tom L. Ward

  

Vice President and Director of Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc.

  September 20, 2005

/s/    MARCUS C. ROWLAND        


Marcus C. Rowland

  

Vice President of Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc. (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  September 20, 2005

 

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EX-4.2 2 dex42.htm REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT Registration Rights Agreement

Exhibit 4.2

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

$600,000,000

 

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION

 

6.50% Senior Notes due 2017

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

August 16, 2005

 

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.

CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON LLC

LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.

UBS SECURITIES LLC

As representatives (the “Representatives”) of the several Purchasers

c/o Banc of America Securities LLC

9 West 57th Street, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Chesapeake Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma corporation (the “Issuer”), proposes to issue and sell (i) to Banc of America Securities LLC, Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., Credit Suisse First Boston LLC, Lehman Brothers Inc., UBS Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, ABN AMRO Incorporated, BOSC, Inc., BMO Nesbitt Burns Corp., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Calyon Securities (USA) Inc., Comerica Securities Inc., Fortis Securities LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., RBC Capital Markets Corporation, Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC, Piper Jaffray & Co. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, upon the terms set forth in a purchase agreement dated August 12, 2005 and (ii) to the initial purchasers named above and SunTrust Capital Markets, Inc. (together, the “Initial Purchasers”), upon the terms set forth in a purchase agreement dated August 11, 2005 (together, the “Purchase Agreements”), a total of $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017 (the “Initial Securities”) to be initially guaranteed (the “Guarantees”) by Chesapeake Eagle Canada Corp., Chesapeake Energy Louisiana Corporation, Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc., Chesapeake Operating Inc., Chesapeake PRH Corp., Chesapeake South Texas Corp., Nomac Drilling Corporation, Oxley Petroleum Co., Carmen Acquisition, L.L.C., Chesapeake Acquisition, L.L.C., Chesapeake ENO Acquisition, L.L.C., Chesapeake EP, L.L.C., Chesapeake Land Company, L.L.C., Chesapeake ORC, L.L.C., Chesapeake Permian Acquisition, L.L.C., Chesapeake Royalty, L.L.C., Gothic Production, L.L.C., John C. Oxley, L.L.C., MC Mineral Company, L.L.C., Mayfield Processing L.L.C., Chesapeake Exploration Limited Partnership, Chesapeake Louisiana, L.P., Chesapeake NFW, L.P., Chesapeake Permian, L.P., Chesapeake Sigma, L.P., Chesapeake-Staghorn Acquisition L.P., Chesapeake Zapata, L.P. and MidCon Compression, L.P., (the “Guarantors” and, collectively with the Issuer, the “Company”). The Initial Securities will be issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of August 16, 2005 (the “Indenture”), among the Issuer, the Guarantors named therein and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”). As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreements, the Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers, for the benefit of the Initial Purchasers and the holders of the Securities (as defined below) (collectively, the “Holders”), as follows:

 

1. Registered Exchange Offer. Unless not permitted by applicable law (after the Company has complied with the ultimate paragraph of this Section 1), the Company shall prepare and, not later than 120 days (such 120th day being a “Filing Deadline”) after the date on which the Initial Purchasers purchase the Initial Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreements (the “Closing Date”), file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the


Commission”) a registration statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or amend an existing registration statement (each such registration statement, an “Exchange Offer Registration Statement”), with respect to a proposed offer (the “Registered Exchange Offer”) to the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in Section 6 hereof), who are not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in the Registered Exchange Offer, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange for the Initial Securities, a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities of the Company issued under the Indenture, identical in all material respects to the Initial Securities and registered under the Securities Act (the “Exchange Securities”). Each of the Issuer and the Guarantors shall use its best efforts to (i) cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act within 240 days after the Closing Date (such 240th day being an “Effectiveness Deadline”) and (ii) keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective for not less than 30 days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date notice of the Registered Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders.

 

If the Company commences the Registered Exchange Offer, each of the Issuer and the Guarantors (i) shall use its best efforts to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer on the earliest practicable date after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has become effective and (ii) will be required to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer no later than 60 days after the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective (such 60th day being the “Consummation Deadline”).

 

Following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to enable each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities electing to exchange the Initial Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such Holder is not an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, acquires the Exchange Securities in the ordinary course of such Holder’s business and has no arrangements with any person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange Securities and is not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in the Registered Exchange Offer) to trade such Exchange Securities from and after their receipt without any limitations or restrictions under the Securities Act and without material restrictions under the securities laws of the several states of the United States.

 

The Company acknowledges that, pursuant to current interpretations by the Commission’s staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, in the absence of an applicable exemption therefrom, (i) each Holder which is a broker-dealer electing to exchange Initial Securities, acquired for its own account as a result of market making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange Securities (an “Exchanging Dealer”), is required to deliver a prospectus containing the information set forth in (a) Annex A hereto on the cover, (b) Annex B hereto in the “Exchange Offer Procedures” section and the “Purpose of the Exchange Offer” section and (c) Annex C hereto in the “Plan of Distribution” section of such prospectus in connection with a sale of any such Exchange Securities received by such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and (ii) if an Initial Purchaser elects to sell Securities (as defined below) acquired in exchange for Initial Securities constituting any portion of an unsold allotment, such Initial Purchaser is required to deliver a prospectus containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in connection with such sale.

 

The Company shall use its best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the prospectus contained therein, in order to permit such prospectus to be lawfully delivered by all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such requirements in order to resell the Exchange Securities; provided, however, that (i) in the case where such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must be delivered by an Exchanging Dealer or an Initial Purchaser, such period shall be the lesser of 180 days and the date on which all Exchanging Dealers and the Initial Purchasers have sold all Exchange Securities held by them (unless such period is extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) and (ii) the Company shall make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of any Exchange Securities for a period of not less than 180 days after the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer.

 

If, upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, any Initial Purchaser holds Initial Securities acquired by it as part of its initial distribution, the Company, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, shall issue and deliver to such Initial Purchaser upon the written request of such Initial Purchaser, in exchange (the “Private Exchange”) for the Initial Securities held by

 

2


such Initial Purchaser, a like principal amount of debt securities of the Company issued under the Indenture and identical in all material respects to the Initial Securities (the “Private Exchange Securities”). The Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities are herein collectively called the “Securities”.

 

In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:

 

(a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter of transmittal and related documents;

 

(b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for the minimum period required under applicable Federal and state securities laws, which shall not be less than 30 days nor more than 60 days after the date notice thereof is mailed to the Holders;

 

(c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, which may be the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee;

 

(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time prior to the close of business, New York time, on the last business day on which the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and

 

(e) otherwise comply with all applicable laws.

 

As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange Offer or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:

 

(x) accept for exchange all the Securities validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private Exchange;

 

(y) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all the Initial Securities so accepted for exchange; and

 

(z) cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly to each Holder of the Initial Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, equal in principal amount to the Initial Securities of such Holder so accepted for exchange.

 

The Indenture provides that the Exchange Securities will not be subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture and that all the Securities will vote and consent together on all matters as one class and that none of the Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a class separate from one another on any matter.

 

Interest on each Exchange Security and Private Exchange Security issued pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on the Initial Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid on the Initial Securities, from date of original issue of the Initial Securities.

 

Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities received by such Holder will be acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) such Holder will have no arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the Securities or the Exchange Securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, (iii) such Holder is not an “affiliate,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, of the Company or if it is an affiliate, such Holder will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable, (iv) if such Holder is not a broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the distribution of the Exchange Securities and (v) if such Holder is a broker-dealer, that it will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities and that it will be required to acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

 

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Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to such prospectus, does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

If following the date hereof there has been announced a change in Commission policy with respect to exchange offers that in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Company raises a substantial question as to whether the Registered Exchange Offer is permitted by applicable federal law, the Company will seek a no-action letter or other favorable decision from the Commission allowing the Company to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer. The Company will pursue the issuance of such a decision to the Commission staff level. In connection with the foregoing, the Company will take all such other actions as may be requested by the Commission or otherwise required in connection with the issuance of such decision, including without limitation (i) participating in telephonic conferences with the Commission, (ii) delivering to the Commission staff an analysis prepared by counsel to the Company setting forth the legal bases, if any, upon which such counsel has concluded that the Registered Exchange Offer should be permitted and (iii) diligently pursuing a resolution (which need not be favorable) by the Commission staff.

 

2. Shelf Registration. If, (i) because of any change in law or in applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission, the Company is not permitted to effect a Registered Exchange Offer, as contemplated by Section 1 hereof, (ii) for any other reason the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated within 270 days of the Closing Date, (iii) any Initial Purchaser so requests with respect to the Initial Securities (or the Private Exchange Securities) not eligible to be exchanged for Exchange Securities in the Registered Exchange Offer and held by it following consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer or (iv) any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) is not eligible to participate in the Registered Exchange Offer or, in the case of any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) that participates in the Registered Exchange Offer, such Holder does not receive freely tradeable Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange and any such Holder so requests, the Company shall take the following actions (the date on which any of the conditions described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) occur, including in the case of clauses (iii) or (iv) the receipt of the required notice, being a “Trigger Date”):

 

(a) The Company shall promptly (but in no event more than 30 days after the Trigger Date (such 30th day being a “Filing Deadline”)) file with the Commission and thereafter use its best efforts to cause to be declared effective no later than the date (such date, an “Effectiveness Deadline”) that is (1) in the case of clause (i) above, 240 days after the Issue Date or (2) in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, 60 days after the Filing Deadline, a registration statement (the “Shelf Registration Statement” and, together with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a “Registration Statement”) on an appropriate form under the Securities Act relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities by the Holders thereof from time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution set forth in the Shelf Registration Statement and Rule 415 under the Securities Act (hereinafter, the “Shelf Registration”); provided, however, that no Holder (other than an Initial Purchaser) shall be entitled to have the Securities held by it covered by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees in writing to be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Holder.

 

(b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the prospectus included therein to be lawfully delivered by the Holders of the relevant Securities, for a period of two years (or for such longer period if extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) from the date of its effectiveness or such shorter period that will terminate when all the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement (i) have been sold pursuant thereto or (ii) are no longer restricted securities (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any successor rule thereof) (such period, the “Shelf Registration Period”). The Company shall be deemed not to have used its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite period if it

 

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voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Securities during that period, unless such action is required by applicable law.

 

(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or supplement, (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission and (ii) not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

3. Registration Procedures. In connection with any Shelf Registration contemplated by Section 2 hereof and, to the extent applicable, any Registered Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following provisions shall apply:

 

(a) The Company shall (i), if requested by an Initial Purchaser, furnish to such Initial Purchaser, prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any, to the prospectus included therein and, in the event that an Initial Purchaser (with respect to any portion of an unsold allotment from the original offering) is participating in the Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall use its best efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the Commission, such comments as such Initial Purchaser reasonably may propose; (ii) include the information set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the “Exchange Offer Procedures” section and the “Purpose of the Exchange Offer” section and in Annex C hereto in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and include the information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; (iii) if requested by an Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement; (iv) include within the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement a section entitled “Plan of Distribution,” reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchasers, which shall contain a summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by the staff of the Commission with respect to the potential “underwriter” status of any broker-dealer that is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) of Exchange Securities received by such broker-dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”), whether such positions or policies have been publicly disseminated by the staff of the Commission or such positions or policies, in the reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers based upon advice of counsel (which may be in-house counsel), represent the prevailing views of the staff of the Commission; and (v) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, include the names of the Holders who propose to sell Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement as selling securityholders.

 

(b) The Company shall give written notice to the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any Participating Broker-Dealer from whom the Company has received prior written notice that it will be a Participating Broker-Dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (which notice pursuant to clauses (ii)-(v) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):

 

(i) when the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed with the Commission and when the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;

 

(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein or for additional information;

 

(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose;

 

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(iv) of the receipt by the Company or its legal counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and

 

(v) of the happening of any event that requires the Company to make changes in the Registration Statement or the prospectus in order that the Registration Statement or the prospectus does not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.

 

(c) The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

 

(d) The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, at least one copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, and, if the Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by reference).

 

(e) The Company shall deliver to each Exchanging Dealer and each Initial Purchaser who so requests, and to any other Holder who so requests, without charge, at least one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, and, if any Initial Purchaser or any such Holder requests, all exhibits thereto (including those incorporated by reference).

 

(f) The Company shall, during the Shelf Registration Period, deliver to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, as many copies of the prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such person may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of the Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in the Shelf Registration Statement.

 

(g) The Company shall deliver to each Initial Purchaser, any Exchanging Dealer, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange Offer, without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such persons may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by any Initial Purchaser, if necessary, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange Offer in connection with the offering and sale of the Exchange Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in such Exchange Offer Registration Statement.

 

(h) Prior to any public offering of the Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement the Company shall register or qualify or cooperate with the Holders of the Securities included therein and their respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of such states of the United States as any Holder of the Securities reasonably requests in writing and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities covered by such Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or (ii) take any action which would subject it to general service of process or to taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.

 

(i) The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing the Securities to be sold pursuant to any Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such denominations and registered in such names as the

 

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Holders may request a reasonable period of time prior to sales of the Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.

 

(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above during the period for which the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly prepare and file a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus and any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to Holders of the Securities or purchasers of Securities, the prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known Participating Broker-Dealer in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above to suspend the use of the prospectus until the requisite changes to the prospectus have been made, then the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any such Participating Broker-Dealers shall suspend use of such prospectus, and the period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement provided for in Section 2(b) above and the Exchange Offer Registration Statement provided for in Section 1 above shall each be extended by the number of days from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known Participating Broker-Dealer shall have received such amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to this Section 3(j).

 

(k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with certificates for the Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.

 

(l) The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of the Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration and will make generally available to its security holders (or otherwise provide in accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) an earnings statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act, no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first month of the Company’s first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such 12-month period.

 

(m) The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in a timely manner and containing such changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such qualification. In the event that such qualification would require the appointment of a new trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall appoint a new trustee thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture.

 

(n) The Company may require each Holder of Securities to be sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the Company such information regarding the Holder and the distribution of the Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably require for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement, and the Company may exclude from such registration the Securities of any Holder that unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such request.

 

(o) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements (including, if requested, an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all such other action, if any, as any Holder of the Securities shall reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration.

 

(p) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company shall (i) make reasonably available for inspection by the Holders of the Securities, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by the Holders of the Securities or any such underwriter all relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents

 

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and properties of the Company and (ii) cause the Company’s officers, directors, employees, accountants and auditors to supply all relevant information reasonably requested by the Holders of the Securities or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, as shall be reasonably necessary to enable such persons, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act; provided, however, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall be coordinated on behalf of the Initial Purchasers by Banc of America Securities LLC, and on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel designated by and on behalf of such other parties as described in Section 4 hereof.

 

(q) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company, if requested by any Holder of Securities covered thereby, shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver an opinion and updates thereof relating to the Securities in customary form addressed to such Holders and the Managing Underwriters (as defined below), if any, thereof and dated, in the case of the initial opinion, the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (it being agreed that the matters to be covered by such opinion shall include, without limitation, the due incorporation and good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries; the qualification of the Company and its subsidiaries to transact business as foreign corporations; the due authorization, execution and delivery of the relevant agreement of the type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the due authorization, execution, authentication and issuance, and the validity and enforceability, of the applicable Securities; the absence of material legal or governmental proceedings involving the Company and its subsidiaries; the absence of governmental approvals required to be obtained in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, the offering and sale of the applicable Securities, or any agreement of the type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the compliance as to form of such Shelf Registration Statement and any documents incorporated by reference therein and of the Indenture with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, respectively; and, as of the date of the opinion and as of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most recent post-effective amendment thereto, as the case may be, the absence from such Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein, as then amended or supplemented, and from any documents incorporated by reference therein of an untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of any such documents, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time that such documents were filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act)); (ii) its officers to execute and deliver all customary documents and certificates and updates thereof requested by any underwriters of the applicable Securities and (iii) its independent public accountants to provide to the selling Holders of the applicable Securities and any underwriter therefor a comfort letter in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in comfort letters in connection with primary underwritten offerings, subject to receipt of appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Professional Standard AU Section 634 “Letters for Underwriters and Certain Other Requesting Parties.”

 

(r) In the case of the Registered Exchange Offer, if requested by any Initial Purchaser or any known Participating Broker-Dealer, the Company shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer a signed opinion in the form set forth in Section 6(c) of each of the Purchase Agreements with such changes as are customary in connection with the preparation of a Registration Statement and (ii) its independent public accountants to deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer a comfort letter, in customary form, meeting the requirements as to the substance thereof as set forth in Section 6(a) of each of the Purchase Agreements, with appropriate date changes.

 

(s) If a Registered Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to be consummated, upon delivery of the Initial Securities by Holders to the Company (or to such other person as directed by the Company) in exchange for the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall mark, or caused to be marked, on the Initial Securities so exchanged that such Initial Securities are being canceled in exchange for the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be; in no event shall the Initial Securities be marked as paid or otherwise satisfied.

 

(t) The Company will use its best efforts to (i) if the Initial Securities have been rated prior to the initial sale of such Initial Securities, confirm such ratings will apply to the Securities covered by a

 

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Registration Statement, or (ii) if the Initial Securities were not previously rated, cause the Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be rated with the appropriate rating agencies, if so requested by Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities covered by such Registration Statement, or by the Managing Underwriters, if any.

 

(u) In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act shall underwrite any Securities or participate as a member of an underwriting syndicate or selling group or “assist in the distribution” (within the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the “Rules”) of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”)) thereof, whether as a Holder of such Securities or as an underwriter, a placement or sales agent or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, the Company will assist such broker-dealer in complying with the requirements of such Rules, including, without limitation, by (i) if such Rules, including Rule 2720, shall so require, engaging a “qualified independent underwriter” (as defined in Rule 2720) to participate in the preparation of the Registration Statement relating to such Securities, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in respect thereto and, if any portion of the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement is an underwritten offering or is made through a placement or sales agent, to recommend the yield of such Securities, (ii) indemnifying any such qualified independent underwriter to the extent of the indemnification of underwriters provided in Section 5 hereof and (iii) providing such information to such broker-dealer as may be required in order for such broker-dealer to comply with the requirements of the Rules.

 

(v) The Company shall use its best efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration of the Securities covered by a Registration Statement contemplated hereby.

 

4. Registration Expenses. (a) All expenses incident to the Company’s performance of and compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company, regardless of whether a Registration Statement is ever filed or becomes effective, including without limitation;

 

(i) all registration and filing fees and expenses;

 

(ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and state “blue sky” or securities laws;

 

(iii) all expenses of printing (including printing certificates for the Securities to be issued in the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private Exchange and printing of prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone;

 

(iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;

 

(v) all application and filing fees in connection with listing the Exchange Securities on a national securities exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the requirements hereof; and

 

(vi) all fees and disbursements of independent certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such performance).

 

The Company will bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses of any person, including special experts, retained by the Company.

 

(b) In connection with any Registration Statement required by this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities who are tendering Initial Securities in the Registered Exchange Offer and/or selling or reselling Securities pursuant to the “Plan of Distribution” contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable, for the reasonable fees and disbursements of not more than one counsel, who shall be Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

 

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unless another firm shall be chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities for whose benefit such Registration Statement is being prepared.

 

5. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder of the Securities, any Participating Broker-Dealer, and each person, if any, who controls such Holder or such Participating Broker-Dealer within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each Holder, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such controlling persons are referred to collectively as the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, or any actions in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions relating to purchases and sales of the Securities) to which each Indemnified Party may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out of, or are based upon, the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall reimburse, as incurred, the Indemnified Parties for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration in reliance upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein and (ii) with respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration Statement, the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Securities concerned, to the extent that a prospectus relating to such Securities was required to be delivered by such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer under the Securities Act in connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person, a copy of the final prospectus if the Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer; provided further, however, that this indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to such Indemnified Party. The Company shall also indemnify underwriters, their officers and directors and each person who controls such underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders of the Securities if requested by such Holders.

 

(b) Each Holder of the Securities, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities or any actions in respect thereof, to which the Company or any such controlling person may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein; and, subject to the limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, shall reimburse, as incurred, the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Holder may otherwise have to the Company or any of its controlling persons.

 

(c) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Party under this Section 5 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including a governmental investigation), such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 5, notify the indemnifying party of the

 

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commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve the indemnifying party from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and the indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by such failure and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any Indemnified Party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any Indemnified Party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party (who shall not, except with the consent of the Indemnified Party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such Indemnified Party of its election so to assume the defense thereof the indemnifying party will not be liable to such Indemnified Party under this Section 5 for any legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation, subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof; provided, however, if such Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that there are one or more defenses available to it that are in conflict with those available to the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the Indemnified Party), the reasonable fees and expenses of such Indemnified Party’s counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party. In no event shall the indemnifying party be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one counsel (together with appropriate local counsel) at any time for any Indemnified Party in connection with any one action or separate but substantially similar or related actions arising in the same jurisdiction out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action, and does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Party.

 

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnified Party under subsections (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the Indemnified Party on the other from the exchange of the Securities, pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, or (ii) if the allocation provided by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the Indemnified Party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the parties shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or such Holder or such other Indemnified Party, as the case may be, on the other, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid by an Indemnified Party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5(d), the Holders of the Securities shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by such Holders from the sale of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement exceeds the amount of damages which such Holders have otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls such Indemnified Party within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Indemnified Party and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

 

11


(e) The agreements contained in this Section 5 shall survive the sale of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any Indemnified Party.

 

6. Additional Interest Under Certain Circumstances. (a) Additional interest (the “Additional Interest”) with respect to the Securities shall be assessed as follows if any of the following events occur (each such event in clauses (i) through (iv) below being herein called a “Registration Default”):

 

(i) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not filed with the Commission on or prior to the applicable Filing Deadline;

 

(ii) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the applicable Effectiveness Deadline;

 

(iii) the Registered Exchange Offer has not been consummated on or prior to the Consummation Deadline; or

 

(iv) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement has been declared effective by the Commission but (A) such Registration Statement thereafter ceases to be effective or (B) such Registration Statement or the related prospectus ceases to be usable in connection with resales of Transfer Restricted Securities during the periods specified herein because either (1) any event occurs as a result of which the related prospectus forming part of such Registration Statement would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading or (2) it shall be necessary to amend such Registration Statement or supplement the related prospectus, to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder.

 

Each of the foregoing will constitute a Registration Default whatever the reason for any such event and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is beyond the control of the Company or pursuant to operation of law or as a result of any action or inaction by the Commission.

 

Additional Interest shall accrue on the Securities over and above the interest set forth in the title of the Securities from and including the date on which any such Registration Default shall occur to but excluding the date on which all such Registration Defaults have been cured, at a rate of 0.25% per annum (the “Additional Interest Rate”) for the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of such Registration Default. The Additional Interest Rate shall increase by an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period until all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to a maximum Additional Interest Rate of 1.0% per annum.

 

(b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 6(a)(iv) hereof shall be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited financial information with respect to the Company where such post-effective amendment is not yet effective and needs to be declared effective to permit Holders to use the related prospectus or (y) other material events with respect to the Company that would need to be described in such Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement such Shelf Registration Statement and related prospectus to describe such events; provided, however, that in any case if such Registration Default occurs for a continuous period in excess of 30 days, Additional Interest shall be payable in accordance with the above paragraph from the day such Registration Default occurs until such Registration Default is cured.

 

(c) Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to Section 6(a) will be payable in cash on the regular interest payment dates with respect to the Securities. The amount of Additional Interest will be determined by multiplying the applicable Additional Interest Rate by the principal amount of the Securities and further multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days such Additional Interest Rate was applicable during

 

12


such period (determined on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months), and the denominator of which is 360.

 

(d) “Transfer Restricted Securities” means each Security until (i) the date on which such Security has been exchanged by a person other than a broker-dealer for a freely transferable Exchange Security in the Registered Exchange Offer, (ii) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer of an Initial Security for an Exchange Note, the date on which such Exchange Note is sold to a purchaser who receives from such broker-dealer on or prior to the date of such sale a copy of the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (iii) the date on which such Security has been effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement or (iv) the date on which such Security is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act.

 

7. Rules 144 and 144A. The Company shall use its best efforts to file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder of Securities, make publicly available other information so long as necessary to permit sales of their securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A. The Company covenants that it will take such further action as any Holder of Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). The Company will provide a copy of this Agreement to prospective purchasers of Initial Securities identified to the Company by the Initial Purchasers upon request. Upon the request of any Holder of Initial Securities, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 7 shall be deemed to require the Company to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.

 

8. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by any Shelf Registration are to be sold in an underwritten offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers that will administer the offering (“Managing Underwriters”) will be selected by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer Restricted Securities to be included in such offering.

 

No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person’s Transfer Restricted Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

 

9. Miscellaneous.

 

(a) Remedies. The Company acknowledges and agrees that any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Sections 1 and 2 hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company’s obligations under Sections 1 and 2 hereof. The Company further agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not on or after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Company’s securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.

 

(c) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the

 

13


Company and the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consents.

 

(d) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail, facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:

 

(1) if to a Holder of the Securities, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company.

 

(2) if to the Initial Purchasers:

 

Banc of America Securities LLC

9 West 57th Street, 40th Floor 2m, 1-301-2M201

New York, NY 10019

Fax No.: [(212) 847-5038]

Attention: High Yield Syndicate

 

with a copy for information purposes to:

 

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

Worldwide Plaza

825 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10019-7475

Fax No.: (212) 474-3700

Attention: Stephen L. Burns, Esq.

 

(3) if to the Company, at its address as follows:

 

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

6100 North Western Avenue

Oklahoma City, OK 73118

Fax No.: (405) 879-9580

Attention: Marcus C. Rowland

 

with a copy to:

 

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

2300 First City Tower

1001 Fannin Street

Houston, TX 77002-6760

Fax No.: (713) 758-2346

Attention: James A. Prince, Esq.

 

All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged by recipient’s facsimile machine operator, if sent by facsimile transmission; and on the day delivered, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.

 

(e) Third Party Beneficiaries. The Holders shall be third party beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent they may deem such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect their rights or the rights of Holders hereunder.

 

(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.

 

14


(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 

(i) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.

 

(j) Severability. If any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

 

(k) Securities Held by the Company. Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is required hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (other than subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.

 

15


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Issuer a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the several Initial Purchasers, the Issuer and the Guarantors in accordance with its terms.

 

        Very truly yours,

 

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION

By:  

/s/ Martha A. Burger

   

Name:  Martha A. Burger

Title:    Treasurer and Senior Vice President—Human

             Resources

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS:

 

CHESAPEAKE EAGLE CANADA CORP.

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY LOUISIANA CORPORATION

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY MARKETING, INC.

CHESAPEAKE OPERATING, INC.

CHESAPEAKE PRH CORP.

CHESAPEAKE SOUTH TEXAS CORP.

NOMAC DRILLING CORPORATION

OXLEY PETROLEUM CO.

CARMEN ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE ENO ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE EP, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE LAND COMPANY, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE ORC, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE PERMIAN ACQUISITION, L.L.C.

CHESAPEAKE ROYALTY, L.L.C.

GOTHIC PRODUCTION, L.L.C.

JOHN C. OXLEY, L.L.C.

MC MINERAL COMPANY, L.L.C.

MAYFIELD PROCESSING L.L.C.

By:  

/s/ Martha A. Burger

   

Name:  Martha A. Burger

Title:    Treasurer and Vice President

CHESAPEAKE EXPLORATION LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

CHESAPEAKE LOUISIANA, L.P.

CHESAPEAKE NFW, L.P.

CHESAPEAKE PERMIAN, L.P.

CHESAPEAKE SIGMA, L.P.

CHESAPEAKE-STAGHORN ACQUISITION L.P.

CHESAPEAKE ZAPATA, L.P.,

By Chesapeake Operating, Inc., as general partner of each

       respective entity

By:  

/s/ Martha A. Burger

   

Name:  Martha A. Burger

Title:    Treasurer and Senior Vice President—Human

             Resources


MIDCON COMPRESSION L.P.,

By Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc. as general partner

By:  

/s/ Martha A. Burger

   

Name:  Martha A. Burger

Title:    Treasurer and Vice President


The foregoing Registration Rights Agreement

is hereby confirmed and accepted

as of the date first above written.

 

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.

CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON LLC

LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.

UBS SECURITIES LLC

 

Acting on behalf of themselves and as Representatives of the several Initial Purchasers

 

By: BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
By:  

/s/ Daniel J. Kelly

   

Name: Daniel J. Kelly

Title: Managing Director


ANNEX A

 

Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. The Letter of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for Initial Securities where such Initial Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date (as defined herein), it will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale. See “Plan of Distribution.”


ANNEX B

 

Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities, where such Initial Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. See “Plan of Distribution.”


ANNEX C

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for Initial Securities where such Initial Securities were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date, it will make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until                         , 200  , all dealers effecting transactions in the Exchange Securities may be required to deliver a prospectus.(1)

 

The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange Securities by broker-dealers. Exchange Securities received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of options on the Exchange Securities or a combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange Securities. Any broker-dealer that resells Exchange Securities that were received by it for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a distribution of such Exchange Securities may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit on any such resale of Exchange Securities and any commission or concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. The Letter of Transmittal states that, by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act.

 

For a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date the Company will promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses incident to the Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers or dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

 

 


1 In addition, the legend required by Item 502(e) of Regulation S-K will appear on the back cover page of the Exchange Offer prospectus.


ANNEX D

 

[    ] CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.

 

Name:

Address:

 

 

 

If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act.

EX-5.1 3 dex51.htm OPINION OF VINSON & ELKINS L.L.P. Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO      

VINSON & ELKINS L.L.P.

2300 FIRST CITY TOWER

1001 FANNIN STREET

HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-6760

TELEPHONE (713) 758-2222

FAX (713) 758-2346

www.velaw.com

 

September 20, 2005

 

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

6100 North Western Avenue

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel for Chesapeake Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma corporation (the “Company”) and certain of its subsidiaries with respect to with the preparation of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) in connection with the registration by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) of (i) the offer and exchange by the Company (the “Exchange Offer”) of $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.50% Senior Notes due 2017 (the “Initial Notes”), for a new series of notes bearing substantially identical terms and in like principal amount (the “Exchange Notes”) and (ii) the guarantees (the “Guarantees”) of certain subsidiaries of the Company listed in the Registration Statement as guarantors (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) of the Initial Notes and the Exchange Notes. The Initial Notes were issued, and the Exchange Notes will be issued, under an Indenture dated as of August 16, 2005, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (the “Indenture”). The Exchange Offer will be conducted on such terms and conditions as are set forth in the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement to which this opinion is an exhibit.

 

We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Registration Statement, (ii) the Indenture and (iii) such other certificates, statutes and other instruments and documents as we considered appropriate for purposes of the opinions hereafter expressed. In connection with this opinion, we have assumed that the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments), will have become effective and the Exchange Notes will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner described in the Registration Statement.

 

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that when the Exchange Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, (i) such Exchange Notes will be legally issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, and (ii) the Guarantees of the Subsidiary Guarantors remain valid and binding obligations of such subsidiaries, enforceable against the Company and each such Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with their terms, except in each case as such enforcement is subject to any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other law relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity.

 

We express no opinions concerning (a) the validity or enforceability of any provisions contained in the Indenture that purport to waive or not give effect to rights to notices, defenses, subrogation or other rights or benefits that cannot be effectively waived under applicable law; or (b) the enforceability of indemnification provisions to the extent they purport to relate to liabilities resulting from or based upon negligence or any violation of federal or state securities or blue sky laws.


We are members of the bar of the State of Texas. We have relied as to matters of Oklahoma law on the opinion of Commercial Law Group, P.C., which opinion is also filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. The opinions expressed herein are limited exclusively to the laws of the State of New York and, in reliance on the opinion of Commercial Law Group, P.C., the laws of the State of Oklahoma, and we are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction, domestic or foreign.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our firm name in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters.” By giving such consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission issued thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

EX-5.2 4 dex52.htm OPINION OF COMMERCIAL LAW GROUP P.C. Opinion of Commercial Law Group P.C.

Exhibit 5.2

 

Commercial Law Group, P.C.

2725 Oklahoma Tower, 210 Park Avenue

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102-5643

 

September 20, 2005

 

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

6100 North Western Avenue

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118

 

  Re: Chesapeake Energy Corporation;
       August 2005 Senior Notes Offering;
       Our File No. 3520-0172

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as special Oklahoma counsel for Chesapeake Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma corporation (the “Company”) and certain of its subsidiaries with respect to the preparation of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) in connection with the registration by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) of (i) the offer and exchange by the Company (the “Exchange Offer”) of $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.50% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Initial Notes”), for a new series of notes bearing substantially identical terms and in like principal amount (the “Exchange Notes”) and (ii) the guarantees (the “Guarantees”) of certain subsidiaries of the Company listed in the Registration Statement as guarantors (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) of the Initial Notes and the Exchange Notes. The Initial Notes were issued, and the Exchange Notes will be issued, under an Indenture dated as of August 16, 2005 among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (the “Indenture”). The Exchange Offer will be conducted on such terms and conditions as are set forth in the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement to which this opinion is an exhibit.

 

We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and Bylaws of the Company or such documents or similar organizational documents of each of the Subsidiary Guarantors, (ii) the Indenture, (iii) the Initial Notes and (iv) such other certificates, statutes and other instruments and documents as we considered appropriate for purposes of the opinions hereafter expressed. In connection with this opinion, we have assumed that the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments), will have become effective and the Exchange Notes will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner described in the Registration Statement.

 

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors have duly authorized, executed and delivered the Indenture (including, with respect to the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Guarantees contained therein) and the Initial Notes.

 

We are members of the bar of the State of Oklahoma. The opinions expressed herein are limited exclusively to the laws of the State of Oklahoma, and we are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction, domestic or foreign. We also authorize Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. to rely on this opinion in delivering its opinion.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our firm name in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters.” By giving such consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission issued thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ COMMERCIAL LAW GROUP, P.C.

 

Commercial Law Group, P.C.

EX-23.1 5 dex231.htm CONSENT OF PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Exhibit 23.1

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-4 of Chesapeake Energy Corporation of our report dated March 7, 2005 relating to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule, management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in Chesapeake Energy Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

September 19, 2005

EX-23.2 6 dex232.htm CONSENT OF NETHERLAND, SEWELL & ASSOCIATES, INC. Consent of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.

Exhibit 23.2

 

[NETHERLAND, SEWELL & ASSOCIATES, INC. LETTERHEAD]

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PETROLEUM ENGINEERS AND GEOLOGISTS

 

As independent oil and gas consultants, Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. hereby consents to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of Chesapeake Energy Corporation to be filed on or about September 20, 2005, of information from our reserve report with respect to the oil and gas reserves of Chesapeake Energy Corporation dated February 22, 2005 and entitled “Estimate of Reserves and Future Revenue to the Chesapeake Energy Corporation Interest in Certain Oil and Gas Properties located in the United States as of December 31, 2004, Based on Constant Prices and Costs in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission Guidelines.” We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

NETHERLAND, SEWELL & ASSOCIATES, INC.

By:  

/s/ Frederic D. Sewell

   

Frederic D. Sewell

   

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

Dallas, Texas

September 20, 2005

EX-23.3 7 dex233.htm CONSENT OF LEE KEELING AND ASSOCIATES, INC. Consent of Lee Keeling and Associates, Inc.

Exhibit 23.3

 

[LEE KEELING AND ASSOCIATES, INC. LETTERHEAD]

 

CONSENT OF LEE KEELING AND ASSOCIATES, INC.

 

As independent oil and gas consultants, Lee Keeling and Associates, Inc. hereby consents to the incorporation by reference in the Chesapeake Energy Corporation Registration Statement on Form S-4 to be filed on or about September 20, 2005, of information from our reserve report with respect to the oil and gas reserves of Chesapeake Energy Corporation dated February 22, 2005 and entitled “Appraisal Oil and Gas Properties Interests Owned by Chesapeake Energy Corporation Selected Properties Constant Prices and Expenses Effective Date January 1, 2005.” We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

By:

  /s/ Lee Keeling and Associates, Inc.

LEE KEELING AND ASSOCIATES, INC.

 

Tulsa, Oklahoma

September 20, 2005

EX-23.4 8 dex234.htm CONSENT OF RYDER SCOTT COMPANY, L.P. Consent of Ryder Scott Company, L.P.

Exhibit 23.4

 

[RYDER SCOTT COMPANY LETTERHEAD]

 

CONSENT OF RYDER SCOTT COMPANY, L.P.

 

As independent oil and gas consultants, Ryder Scott Company, L.P. hereby consents to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-4, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about September 20, 2005, of information from our reserve report dated February 25, 2005, entitled “Chesapeake Energy Corporation—Estimated Future Reserves and Income Attributable to Certain Leasehold Interests as of December 31, 2004.” We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

/s/ Ryder Scott Company, L.P.

Ryder Scott Company, L.P.

 

Houston, Texas

September 19, 2005

EX-23.5 9 dex235.htm CONSENT OF LAROCHE PETROLEUM CONSULTANTS, LTD. Consent of LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd.

Exhibit 23.5

 

[LAROCHE PETROLEUM CONSULTANTS, LTD. LETTERHEAD]

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PETROLEUM ENGINEERS AND GEOLOGISTS

 

As independent oil and gas consultants, LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. hereby consents to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of Chesapeake Energy Corporation to be filed on or about September 20, 2005, of information from our reserve report with respect to the oil and gas reserves of Chesapeake Energy Corporation dated February 22, 2005 and entitled “Chesapeake Energy Corporation Interest in Certain Properties Located in Oklahoma as of December 31, 2004, Prepared in Accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission Guidelines.” We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

LAROCHE PETROLEUM CONSULTANTS, LTD.

By:

  /S/    WILLIAM M. KAZMANN

Name:

  William M. Kazmann

Title:

  Partner

 

September 17, 2005

EX-23.6 10 dex236.htm CONSENT OF H.J. GRUY AND ASSOCIATES, INC. Consent of H.J. Gruy and Associates, Inc.

Exhibit 23.6

 

[H.J. GRUY AND ASSOCIATES, INC. LETTERHEAD]

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PETROLEUM ENGINEERS AND GEOLOGISTS

 

We hereby consent to the use of the name H.J. Gruy and Associates, Inc. and of references to H.J. Gruy and Associates, Inc. and to inclusion of and reference to our report, or information contained therein, dated February 25, 2005, prepared for Chesapeake Energy Corporation in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of Chesapeake Energy Corporation for the filing dated on or about September 20, 2005 and in the “Experts” section of the Registration Statement. We are unable to verify the accuracy of the reserves and discounted present worth values contained therein because our estimates of reserves and discounted present worth have been combined with estimates of reserves and present worth prepared by other petroleum consultants.

 

H.J. GRUY AND ASSOCIATES, INC.

By:

 

/s/ Sylvia Castilleja

Name:

 

Sylvia Castilleja, P.E.

Title:

 

Senior Vice President

 

September 16, 2005

Houston, TX

EX-23.7 11 dex237.htm CONSENT OF MILLER AND LENTS, LTD. Consent of Miller and Lents, Ltd.

Exhibit 23.7

 

[MILLER AND LENTS, LTD. LETTERHEAD]

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PETROLEUM ENGINEERS AND GEOLOGISTS

 

As independent oil and gas consultants, Miller and Lents, Ltd. hereby consents to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of Chesapeake Energy Corporation to be filed on or about September 20, 2005, of information from our reserve report with respect to the oil and gas reserves of Chesapeake Energy Corporation dated February 16, 2005 and entitled “Proved Reserves and Future Net Revenues as of December 31, 2004.” We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

MILLER AND LENTS, LTD.

By:

  /S/    CARL D. RICHARD

Name:

  Carl D. Richard

Title

  Senior Vice President

 

September 20, 2005

EX-25.1 12 dex251.htm STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY ON FORM T-1 Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1

 

FORM T-1

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

 

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2) ¨

 


 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

    95-3571558

(State of incorporation

if not a U.S. national bank)

 

(I.R.S. employer

identification no.)

 

700 South Flower Street Suite 500 Los Angeles, California   90017
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 


 

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Obligor As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1395733
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Eagle Canada Corp.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

New Brunswick, Canada  

None

(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)


Chesapeake Energy Louisiana Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1524569
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1439175
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Operating, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1343196
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake PRH Corp.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   75-2883958
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake South Texas Corp.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   41-2050649
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

2


Nomac Drilling Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1606317
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Oxley Petroleum Co.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1508537
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Carmen Acquisition, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1604860
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Acquisition, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1528271
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake ENO Acquisition, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   82-0553595
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

3


Chesapeake EP, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   48-1270813
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Land Company, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-2099392
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake ORC, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   71-0934234
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Permian Acquisition, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1592437
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Royalty, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1549744
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

4


Gothic Production, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1539475
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

John C. Oxley, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1508539
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Mayfield Processing, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-0174765
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

MC Mineral Company, L.L.C.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   61-1448831
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Exploration Limited Partnership

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1384282
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

5


Chesapeake Louisiana, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1519126
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake NFW, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-1559859
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Permian, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-0701951
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake Sigma, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   27-0029884
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

Chesapeake-Staghorn Acquisition L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   73-1612854
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

6


Chesapeake Zapata, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-0322339
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

MidCon Compression, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

Oklahoma   20-0299525
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

6100 North Western Avenue

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

  73118
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 


 

6.50% Senior Notes due 2017

(Title of the indenture securities)

 


 

7


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

 

(a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name


  

Address


Comptroller of the Currency

United States Department of the Treasury

   Washington, D.C. 20219

Federal Reserve Bank

   San Francisco, California 94105

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

   Washington, D.C. 20429

 

(b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

 

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

 

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

 

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

 

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the articles of association of The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. (Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121948).

 

  2. A copy of certificate of authority of the trustee to commence business. (Exhibit 2 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121948).

 

  3. A copy of the authorization of the trustee to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 3 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121948).

 

  4. A copy of the existing by-laws of the trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121948).

 

8


  6. The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act. (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121948).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

9


SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the trustee, The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., a banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of Chicago, and State of Illinois, on the 20th day of September, 2005.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST

COMPANY, N.A.

By:  

/S/ M. CALLAHAN

Name:

Title:

 

M. CALLAHAN

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

 

 

 

10


EXHIBIT 7

 

Consolidated Report of Condition of

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

 

of 700 South Flower Street, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90017

 

At the close of business June 30, 2005, published in accordance with Federal regulatory authority instructions.

 

     Dollar Amounts
in Thousands

ASSETS

      

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

      

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

     6,951

Interest-bearing balances

     0

Securities:

      

Held-to-maturity securities

     121

Available-for-sale securities

     62,361

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

      

Federal funds sold

     28,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

     84,000

Loans and lease financing receivables:

      

Loans and leases held for sale

     0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

     0

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

     0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

     0

Trading assets

     0

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

     4,387

Other real estate owned

     0

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

     0

Customers’ liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding

     0

Intangible assets:

      

Goodwill

     241,763

Other Intangible Assets

     16,779

Other assets

     37,918
    

Total assets

   $ 482,280
    

 

11


 

LIABILITIES

      

Deposits:

      

In domestic offices

     3,291

Noninterest-bearing

     3,291

Interest-bearing

     0

Not applicable

      

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

      

Federal funds purchased

     0

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

     0

Trading liabilities

     0

Other borrowed money:

      

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

     58,000

Not applicable

      

Bank’s liability on acceptances executed and outstanding

     0

Subordinated notes and debentures

     0

Other liabilities

     60,240

Total liabilities

   $ 121,531
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

     0

EQUITY CAPITAL

      

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

     0

Common stock

     1,000

Surplus

     294,125

Retained earnings

     65,668

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     -44
    

Other equity capital components

     0

Total equity capital

   $ 360,749
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   $ 482,280
    

 

I, Thomas J. Mastro, Comptroller of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas J. Mastro              )            Comptroller

 

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report of Condition and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

 

Richard G. Jackson            )

Nicholas C. English           )            Directors

Karen B. Shupenko            )

 

12

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